This week’s selection includes another list of iPhone/iPod Touch apps for kids, an article demonstrating the Bloom Box which is promising to revolutionize the energy industry (but will it deliver?), and a fascinating oil painting … or is it?

• Tools Become Important When They Are Technologically “Boring”
  Source: Future Changes
• Empowering Communicators Via A Social Media Policy
  Source: blog.ogilvypr.com
  A fantastic approach to social media engagement by the Ogilvy PR company.
• Org Charts in an E2.0 Context ?
  Source: The FASTForward Blog
• A Whole Lotta Nothing: My recommended kid games
  Source: a.wholelottanothing.org
  Another selective list of iPhone/iPod Touch apps suitable for kids.
• Bloom Box: Bloom Energy Powers Your Whole House with a Box [VIDEO]
  Source: Mashable!
• BetterMe Helps You Give and Receive Honest Feedback Without the Awkwardness [Advice]
  Source: Lifehacker
• Twitter Perceptions of Google Buzz Over Time [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Source: Mashable!
• Comic for February 22, 2010
  Source: Dilbert Daily Strip
• Oil Painting or Real Photograph?
  Source: Digital Inspiration Technology Blog
• Plugin by C. Murray Consulting

Some blogs I’ve read recently:

• Steve Jobs vs. Obama: Who Got the Bigger Buzz? [INFOGRAPHIC]
  Source: Mashable!
  As I mentioned to a colleague, I wouldn't be surprised if more people knew about the Apple announcement than knew the SOTU was scheduled. Cool visualization, too.
• Spirit
  Source: xkcd.com
  A funny depiction of the Spirit rover (on Mars) anthropomorphizing it as someone who just wants to feel approval.
• One Very Clever Tractor Operator
  Source: Make My Mood
• The Apple iPad – Why It Might NOT be a Winner … Yet!
  Source: HighTechDad Blog
  A poignant critique of Apple's iPad. I'll be posting my own shortly on mrmerlot.com
• Twitter activity at all-time low, only 17% of users actually tweet
  Source: Download Squad
  Are these results all that surprising? After all, other studies have shown that most user-generated content is created by a small percentage of users. This isn't necessarily bad news: if everyone is talking and no one is listening (reading), what's the point?
• Evolution of Crayola Crayon Colors, 1903-2010
  Source: Future Changes
  This cool visualization shows the crayon colors Crayola has offered since it first started making kids happy with those little yellow boxes. I don't know about you, but I sort of miss the days of the basic eight colors. Now when I open the kids' crayon box, I'm almost hit with a paralysis of wondering which of the dozen blue hues I should use!
• 4 Myths About Social Media and Business
  Source: Mashable!
• Google Reader Lets You Subscribe to Any Page on the Web
  Source: Mashable!
• Your Brain Can’t Handle Your Facebook Friends
  Source: Mashable!
• Enterprise 2.0 and Web Social Media in Operation in Haiti Relief
  Source: The FASTForward Blog
• Generation M2: Understanding the Multimedia Teen
  Source: ReadWriteWeb
• The FBI Sucks at Photoshop [PIC]
  Source: Mashable!
• Content Security and Knowledge Management “D’oh”
  Source: Information Architected
  I'm glad I'm not the only one that picks up deep truths from the Simpsons! :)
• Twitter + Airport + Bomb Joke = Go Directly to Jail
  Source: Mashable!
• Having “That” Conversation With Your Kids…
  Source: Dad-O-Matic
• Hedge your BETTs – the 7 paradoxes of technology in education
  Source: Donald Clark Plan B
• What the industry wants
  Source: Seth's Blog
• Trying to find “your thing.”
  Source: Stuff Christians Like - Jon Acuff
  As always, Jon Acuff mixes inspiration with offbeat humor in this post about finding and pursuing what you were made to do.
• Pack a Gun to Protect Valuables from Airline Theft or Loss [Air Travel Tip]
  Source: Lifehacker
• How Conceptual Metaphors are Stunting Web Innovation
  Source: Mashable!
  I have maintained a interest in the use and power of "everyday metaphors" for the past several years. How we visualize and process new information based on metaphorical links to information we already know impacts how and what we learn.
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