Larry McKenzie

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

I have been exploring Windows 7 recently.

I have to say YEAH!   It has a lot of improvements that I really like.

The one thing that was hard to find at first is the show desktop function.

Instead of being an icon on the taskbar, it is a vertical bar to the far right of the task bar.   It is actually better once you get used to it.

There will be critics as usual.  But I notice most complaints were “change” related.    Most people do not like change.

Boot up is much faster!

I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful New Year.    2009 was horrible for many.     2010….here we come.  Let’s make it a good year.

Merry Christmas everyone!   Happy Holidays for those who may not celebrate Christmas.

I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday week!

Lady Gaga has sure gotten the attention of many people around the world.   As a marketing person, I am impressed of the branding that she has created for herself.   I am sure others are also responsible, but like her or not…she is everywhere.  And she makes you scratch your head.

Kudos to her and her peeps.

Spencer’s just launched their official Facebook fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/spencersonline

You know them.  They are that great gift shop in the mall (also online) where you can buy all of those funny gag gifts and novelty items.

If you like them, become a fan on Facebook.

Holy Molly!

Halloween costumes and animatronics / props are AT LEAST 50% or MORE off at Spirit Halloween (the web site).

Their Halloween clearance sale started good and early!

If you want some Halloween stuff for HALF OFF or more.  Check them out.

Whew!  The fan pages on Facebook are back.  Enough to scare someone.

A zombie, a vampire and a sexy nurse walk into a bar. GI Joes and Transformers are seen hand-in-hand. It’s no joke: Halloween has arrived.

Spirit Halloween, the largest Halloween retailer of costumes and decor, kick-started the season with the opening of 725 stores across the United States and Canada. Spirit has been helping people of all ages celebrate Halloween for more than 25 years, offering the most unusual, authentic , sometimes scariest and always unique Halloween costumes and home decor.

Each year, the country’s largest seasonal Halloween retailer predicts the most popular costumes with scary accuracy. This year’s dead-on picks:

Musical Mania

- Michael Jackson

- Britney Spears

- Lady Gaga

Almost Infamous

- Kate Gosselin

- Sarah Palin

- Bernie Madoff

From the Big Screen

- Vampires

- G.I. Joe

- Transformers

For the Little Ones

- Star Wars

- Yo Gabba Gabba

- Light-up fairy and princess costumes

Fun for the Whole Family: matching adult/child costumes

- Sesame Street

- Teletubbies

- Nintendo

- Ninja Turtles

“Each year the Halloween season kicks off with the opening of Spirit Halloween stores over Labor Day. With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, there will be more fun had by all,” said Steven Silverstein, President and CEO, Spirit Halloween. “Consumer inspiration comes from everywhere. Overwhelmingly we are influenced by everything from movies to TV, from music to the latest scandal. Halloween is about having fun and taking the plunge.”

For more than 25 years, Spirit Halloween has been the most comprehensive one-stop destination for Halloween enthusiasts and casual observers alike. Through the vast merchandise assortment and memorable visual presentation, Spirit stores provide an impressive, unique and unforgettable shopping experience with haunted house-quality and theatrical-quality, props, decor and animated figures.

In addition to being a fun and interactive event for shoppers, the locations offer complete selections of costumes and accessories for infants/toddlers, children, ‘tweens, teens and adults. A broad assortment of decor and party goods complete any look. A large portion of the selection is exclusive merchandise found only at Spirit Halloween.

About Spirit Halloween

Spirit Halloween ( www.spirithalloween.com ) is the largest seasonal Halloween retailer in the country with 725 locations in strip centers and malls across the United States and Canada. The authority on all things Halloween, Spirit has offered one-stop shopping — ranging from costumes to decor and party goods to accessories — for more than 25 years. In addition to being a fun and interactive event for shoppers, Spirit stores offer complete selections of costumes and accessories for infants/toddlers, children, ‘tweens, teens, adults, and even pets. At the heart of Spirit Halloween is the Spirit of Children program, which is devoted to bringing the fun, imagination and fantasy of Halloween to pediatric patients in hospitals and rehabilitation centers across the United States.

The Microsoft / Yahoo Deal that was just reached shall be interesting for all.

Bing !

I recall many years ago when Google first launched.   Many people said that they are crazy.   There is no way that a new search engine can compete.  It had not been too many years before that when Infoseek had a huge market share.

While many acquisitions and agreements over the years have lead to a demise of the properties, this is one agreement that will probably work.
Personally, I was turned off of Overture and Yahoo advertising system as I had to jump through hoops to give them money.   So the majority of my search engine advertising dollars went to adwords at Google.  They were the ones to make it easy.  That is why they have succeeded.

I am a huge Google fan.   I use the majority of their tools on a regular basis.  Why?  Because it is convenient.

Prior to the recent launch of Bing, I have not been impressed with any other platform.  I have always been able to find what I needed with Google.
Bing shows promise.   Yahoo utilizing this platform may be a very good thing for them.   If Microsoft and Bing make things convenient, easy and good, then

Google will have good competition.   However, I also believe that Google will continue to step up to the plate and provide tools that are of excellent quality.

From an SEO standpoint, we must all pay attention.  There will be more rules to follow.   Tomorrow will not be like today.

The properties that listen to the people and give them what they want will prevail.