Korye Logan's Worldview

LinkedIn: How Professionally Connected are the 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates

2011-12-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

LinkedIn is arguably the most important social networking website for business professionals in America. I was interested to see how the current crop of 2012 GOP presidential candidates were represented on LinkedIn. The results are indeed interesting.

Below are the LinkedIn profiles and some key statistics for each of the current GOP candidates. Candidates are listed in order of rank based upon the following criteria: do they have a profile, how well are the profiles completed, links to website / social pages, how many connections and how many recommendations.

1. Ron Paul - Profile: Yes, Extensive Details, 3 Links, 500+ Connections, 16 Recommendations
2. Newt Gingrich - Profile: Yes, Moderate Details, 1 Link, 500+ Connections, 4 Recommendations
3. Rick Perry - Profile: Yes, Few Details, 4 Links, 500+ Connections, 1 Recommendation
4. Rick Santorum - Profile: Yes, Almost No Details, 1 Link Working (2 Broken Links), 358 Connections, 0 Recommendations
5. Mitt Romney - Profile: Not Really, No Details, 0 Links, 0 Connections, 0 Recommendations
6. Michele Bachmann * - Profile: No, No Details, 0 Links, 0 Connections, 0 Recommendations
7. Jon Huntsman * - Profile: No, No Details, 0 Links, 0 Connections, 0 Recommendations
*Note: You will have to log in to LinkedIn in order to see search results for candidates that do not have a public profile on LinkedIn.

Other 2012 Presidential Candidates:
Herman Cain * - Profile: No, No Details, 0 Links, 0 Connections, 0 Recommendations
Barack Obama - Profile Yes, Moderate Details, 3 Links, 500+ Connections, 0 Recommendations

It is also worth noting that some of the candidates do have LinkedIn Groups dedicated to their 2012 Presidential run.

Movember Reminds Men to See Doctors for Annual Check Up and Cancer Screening

2011-12-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

Another Movember has come and gone. Another month of manly mustaches were grown by many a men to encourage men worldwide to see their doctors for their annual check up and cancer screening. This year I was proud to be a member of the team Fantastico Mustachios, who raised over $8,000 in our combined fund raising efforts. All proceeds go to support issues around men's cancer, including the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

My 16-year-old son supported my Movember campaign this year by growing an impressive 'stache in his own right. In the photo, Ayrton and I ponder the ever increasing importance of Movember to men's health. We encourage everyone to get a check up with your doctor and help the fight against men's cancer.

You can still contribute to the cause @ http://mobro.co/Korye

California Soul 2011 Logan Family Style

2011-09-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Logan family took a nice little trip out to Southern California for a visit with friends and family. Here's a video inspired by the trip. Music is from the great Marlena Shaw.

5 Days & Nights @ the 2011 US Open Tennis Championships in New York City

2011-09-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

A montage of photos and videos I took while attending the first five days and nights of the 2011 US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.

The music is "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor. Please support this artist by buying and playing their music.

MOVEMBER: Top Ten NFL Mustaches

2010-11-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

In honor of this Movember Sunday full of football, I have compiled a top ten list of the greatest NFL Mustaches. I'm sure my selected order and omissions will create controversy and spark some lively mustache debate. My credentials were: look, style, image and how it contributed to their identity as a football player. Here we go:

#10. The Original Buccaneer

#9. Mike Ditka

#8. Scott Player

#7. Cliff Harris

#6. Drew Pearson

#5. Jack Lambert

#4. Walter Payton

#3. Joe Namath

#2. Ben Davidson

#1. Conrad Dobler

This list is inspired by MOVEMBER and the fight against men's cancer. If you wish to support this worthy cause, please donate to our team the Mostachio Fantasticos. You can also Like our team page on Facebook.

Social Media Grows Up & Delivers R.O.I.

2010-02-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

When it comes to advertising, I have always been a much bigger fan of programs that drive business results than those that win awards for creativity. I guess this is timely being that everyone gets so geared up about creative TV ads during the Super Bowl. Today's big trend in advertising and marketing is social media. It's so hot these days that Pepsi even made big news by ditching their normal Super Bowl ad spend in order to fund The Pepsi Refresh Project, their 2010 social media initiative.

I've been fortunate enough to work in the social media industry for many years at companies like BOSSdev and Powered. It's been enjoyable watching social media evolve from a little something that innovative clients would fund as a proof of concept into what is today an important component of most marketing plans.

One marketing professional I follow and admire who is very versed and steadfastly focused on the R.O.I. of social media is Olivier Blanchard aka The Brand Builder. Olivier has a nice style about his presentations. They are engaging, relevant and entertaining. But do not mistake his style, for lack of substance. He delivers plenty of substance and advice on how to track the business results of your social media efforts (hint: it's about more than tracking media). Here's a great presentation by Olivier on the basics of social media R.O.I.

Olivier Blanchard Basics Of Social Media Roi

View more presentations from Olivier Blanchard.

Christmas in Lakeway, Texas 2009

2009-12-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

Movember Helped Me Confront My Fear of Cancer

2009-12-03T06:23:00.000-08:00

Movember is a movement in which men grow moustaches during the month of November to create awareness of mens' health, in particular prostate and testicular cancer. It was founded in Australia in 2003 and first supported cancer awareness in 2004.

“The month formerly known as November is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men's health.”
- Movember Foundation United States

Many technology and marketing professionals in my hometown of Austin are active participants in Movember. People like Aaron Strout and Simon Salt are active on a local team named Team SocMed Austin. While Joe Flowers up in Dallas is a leader for Team International Sexy. I followed and supported these teams throughout Movember, and I encourage you to do so today by making a donation and by promoting them to your networks on Facebook and Twitter.

Meanwhile, Movember has a deeply personal meaning to me. About a decade ago, I lost my father to prostate cancer at the far-too-young age of 65. He died as the cancer was detected too late, because he did not want to go to the doctor for an exam. This meant that my now 14-year-old son only knew this wonderful man for a brief time.

Movember to me meant that I could not shave until I got a prostate exam. I hope moving forward it means this to all men over the age of 40 or in a high-risk group. I had my exam on Monday, November 23rd. The doctor gave me the results: “I found a nodule. I need you to see a urologist as soon as possible.”

Thanksgiving was a wonderful holiday with family and friends. Yet it was filled with periods of intense anxiety and concern, especially when I was alone. I know I am a young man at age 43. And I know that I am healthy, as my recent physical indicated. Yet when you hear news like what my doctor told me, you can’t help but have your mind wander to scary questions.

What if I have cancer? What if it is severe? How will it be treated? Will my insurance cover it? Will I be around for my wife and son?

My visit to the urologist was earlier this week. He confirmed my primary physician’s findings and ordered a blood draw to test my PSA level and scheduled a biopsy for this Friday. Yet, there was some relief in that the urologist told me “I’m betting you don't have cancer, but even if you do it will be early stage and fully treatable.” I asked how and he explained that surgery would be the appropriate course for someone my age. OK I thought, that sounds manageable.

Yesterday I received a call from the urologist’s office. My PSA levels are normal. Wheh. Relief.

Next Movember, I will see my doctor again for another check up. In the meantime, I will enjoy every moment of life and time with my family just a bit more.

Thank you Aaron, Simon, Joe and everyone else who participated in Movember. I hope to see many of you at the Austin Movember Gala Parte tonight at Six.

New Year's Day by Slaid Cleaves, Saxon Pub in Austin

2009-11-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Slaid Cleaves performed live at Saxon Pub in Austin, Texas the night before Thanksgiving November 25, 2009. I went with my sister Tamara and brother Rick from California. It was a great show and a fabulous night topped off with pancakes at Kerby Lane Cafe. And we've got the syrup to prove it! You can ask Man Ray.

Here's a video of the last song he played that night. New Year's Day is beautiful song with fantastic lyrics.

After the show, I asked Slaid if I could post some videos I took on YouTube. He replied "Sure thing, you can't stop it anyway." I commented that it helps promote your music. So if you like what you hear, please check out more of Slaid's music at www.slaid.com, go see his shows and buy his CDs.

In the picture below, my brother-in-law Rick asked Slaid to sign his CD for his wife. Slaid asked "what's her name?" and I interjected "Rick." We all laughed. Good times, good people and good music.

Get Off Your Computer & Love Your Life

2009-11-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

Four weeks ago my wife and I quit Farmville and a bunch of other time eating online activities. During this period, I have rarely touched a computer on the weekend. My free time has instead been spent with my wife and son in the backyard creating a family sanctuary. Looking back, it is amazing what we can accomplish in just one month of weekends.

Here's a pictorial record of the creation of Love Life Gardens in the back yard of our home at the west end of Austin in the Texas Hill Country.

Consider how you spend your free time. If you're connecting more with Tweeps and Facebook friends than your own family, I suggest you step away from the screens and look those you love in eye. Go for a walk, pull some weeds, play a board game... connect with the few people who matter most in your life. I bet they miss you.

The Day the Music Thrived on the Social Web

2009-10-27T00:59:00.000-07:00

The music industry shone brightly Monday on the social web with a wide variety of highlights occurring simultaneously across a diverse set of social networking sites. Perhaps these events are indications of a change in tide for the oft-beleaguered industry.

It's been a full decade since Napster changed music distribution forever. That seems like a long time to wait for a good solution, but progress is happening. Just last week, industry leaders including Amazon, Apple, Nokia and Universal Music Group signed a potentially historic online distribution agreement with the 27-nation European Union.

Ultimately success for the music industry is reliant upon its ability to deliver quality content to consumers in compelling ways. This is precisely why it is great to see such a variety of innovative music momentum across the social web today.

U2 360 Concert Broadcast Worldwide via YouTube
Sunday night in Pasadena, California, U2 performed in front of a Rose Bowl packed with 96,000 fans. Also in the stadium were four dozen cameras and the latest in video technology used to broadcast the concert live to millions of fans worldwide via YouTube. A rebroadcast of the U2 Live from the Rose Bowl concert can be seen on YouTube.

Guitar Hero is the First Videogame with a Million Fans on Facebook
Activision announced an industry first today when Guitar Hero surpassed a million fans on Facebook. Considering that The Beatles: Rock Band recently topped the heavyweight, this was good cause for celebration. It's interesting to watch how entertainment such as music and gaming can be combined to drive success.

Alice In Chains Launches Black Gives Way To Blue iPhone App
I was quite impressed with the extent of content and diverse functionality featured in the iPhone application launching tomorrow in support of the new Alice In Chains release Black Gives Way To Blue. In addition to music, photos and video, the app lets you check out tour dates, buy concert tickets and merchandise, and share via Facebook, Twitter and email. There's a nice demo of the application on the Music Ally blog.

Meanwhile, iconic rockers Metallica release a not so innovative finger-tapping music app called "Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica" Tuesday. This is a game in the style of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Developed by Tapulous, it is similar to apps previously released to promote Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Nine Inch Nails.

MySpace & Amazon used for Them Crooked Vultures Pre-Release Teaser
The much anticipated album by rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures won't be released until mid November. The band features an impressive line up including John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme.

DGC/Interscope gave fans a taste of what to expect by launching an exclusive single premiere of "New Fang" Monday on MySpace. The page includes a "Pre Order Now on Amazon.com" call to action in the main hero graphic. This pre-launch effort is presently supported with a simple web site, YouTube channel, Twitter account and Facebook page that already has over 50,000 fans.

#MusicMonday All Abuzz on Twitter
With music industry activity like the things discussed above, it's no wonder people are talking music on Twitter. The phrase #musicmonday trended in the top two spots all day long on the leading micro-blog site. People include the tag in Tweets about music they like. Some use it to identify what they are listening to at the moment, while others post links to songs or videos.

"If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less."
~ General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

Social Keeps Pushing Innovation in Music Distribution & Sharing
Online heavy hitters Google and Facebook are making moves to enhance online search, sharing and sampling of music. They're leveraging services like Lala, iLike and Imeen to power their offerings. Keep an eye on Lala's Facebook presence over the next few months. Brad Stone covered the story for the New York Times last week "Hot on Heels of Google, Facebook to Take First Step into Music." Facebook's own Will Chen recently offered a sneak peak of their approach to gifting music in a blog entry entitled "A New Tune for Facebook Gifts."

Considering how Facebook came out of nowhere to outplay everyone in the photo sharing game over the last two years, I'll certainly be keeping a close eye on how they integrate music into the world's leading social network.

Gaming Goes Social: Farmville Thrives on Facebook

2009-10-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

Farmville has enjoyed explosive growth since being introduced on Facebook on June 20, 2009. Currently, over 56 million people play the game each month according to an article published last week by USA Today. "For social networks, it's game on" details the killer combination of casual games and social networks. I suggest you read the article, as it offers great insights and statistics.

"An estimated 100 million people are recent devotees of social games such as FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Sorority Life and Bejeweled." the USA Today article explains. These games are easy to play and fun; and they're free for the most part. Yet the industry is generating significant revenue via micro-transactions of game add-ons as well as ad revenue from display banners.

For marketers, this is one more example of how important Facebook is becoming as a means to reach consumers. Marketing on Facebook is fishing where the fish are.

So it's quite apparent that I am not alone in my recent effort to reclaim time in reality that was temporarily lost to social gaming: read "How do we best spend our time?" In fact, a Google search of Farmville addict returns 170,000 results. And results on YouTube are significant as well, with admissions of addiction, Farmville interventions and even an interesting take on what Hitler would do if he found out about the rotten eggplants.

Personally, I'm happy I quit Farmville. The family and I actually planted a real farm this last weekend. Well, we built and installed three above-ground gardens. It was a lot of work and a great family activity. I will share more on my real-world farming adventure soon. Until then... have fun in the digital space, but stay well grounded in the real world.

Facebook Supercharges Brands' Digital Marketing

2009-10-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

Facebook is burgeoning. Over 300 million active users with 50% or more logging on each day. Hitwise recently clocked its traffic being in the neighborhood of a 60% share of US-based social activity. Last summer, Mashable reported that people share more content via Facebook than email (source: AddToAny).

Brands like VW and Bud Light are savvy to this. They are integrating and leveraging the power of Facebook into their marketing. Notice how they use custom tabs on their pages to present fully controlled messaging. Importantly, brands can leverage the data power of FBML within this controlled presence.

Try the VW "Analyze Me" tool and you might be shocked at what it immediately knows about you.

While these pages aren't replacing their brand.com sites, they are at the forefront in connecting with consumers online; and serve as an important touch point and traffic driver. If your brand targets consumers and isn't doing this kind of social media marketing, you should be considering it now.

I love this shift! This continuum in the evolution of communications is what makes my career invigorating. I love learning the lay of the land in emerging media; and then applying classic business and marketing principles to them.

I am fortunate enough to work with some amazing visionary clients and fantastic people at BOSSdev to create compelling Facebook solutions. I'm tipping my hat towards you, Mr. K. Alan Robbins.

Are you creating branded presences on Facebook for your company or your clients? Are you planning to do so? I would love to hear your stories and opinions.

How best do we spend our time?

2009-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

We all are challenged by the limited resource of time in our lives. For the last four days, I have been down with the flu sleeping as much as possible. This downtime has led to some re-evaluation of how I spend my time. This thought process actually started a few days earlier, when my wife and I were discussing an article I shared with her about the risks associated with some social media activities.

"Top Facebook Applications Vulnerable to XSS and SQLi: Highlights the risks of trusting third-party apps"
In reference to Farmville and Causes, the top two applications on Facebook, the article states: "Both applications contained cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that could have been exploited to perform a wide range of attacks, from exposing personal information from a user's profile to launching a social networking worm that propagates through clickjacking." Yikes! That is not the kind of exposure I want.

After reading the article, my wife said "Instead of wasting time fake farming, I could be learning to cook amazing things on Rouxbe for the holidays when the family comes to visit." Rouxbe is a beautiful and informative online cooking school to which I purchased a lifetime membership for my wife. Christine's comment brought a smile to my face.

So while I was home sick over the weekend I eliminated about seventy percent of my applications on Facebook, left about forty groups and/or pages, tightened up my privacy settings and cut out almost all Facebook notifications to my email. Then in my personal email account, I unsubscribed to about thirty emails; and cut my inbox down from about 400 to forty emails.

How will I spend all this time saved?
There are some things that I need to do more. Listening, walking, jogging, stretching, reading and writing are among them. So I have committed to do more of these things, in place of some of the mindless online activities I have eliminated.

Yesterday, I went out to the garage and pulled out a box of old books that I would like to read. Since I recently attended the Wizard Academy out in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin, I dusted off a copy of Greek Tragedies. Mythology and storytelling are very important in understanding our world; and can help immensely in making us more compelling communicators.

I must admit that understanding mythology is not one of my strengths, all the more reason to study up. However, I did find the following beautiful and wise.
"Justice so moves that those only learn who suffer; and the future you shall know when it has come; before then, forget it. It is grief too soon given. All will come clear in the next dawn's sunlight."
~Chorus of Argive Elders,
Agamemnon of the trilogy The Oresteia

What are some ways that you would like to change how you spend your time?

A day in the rain at Austin City Limits 2009

2009-10-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

My son Ayrton and I went to Austin City Limits in the pouring rain last Saturday. We were both fully decked out in protective and waterproof gear and did our best to stay dry. Here are some photos from our experience.

Ghostland Observatory Performs "Rich Man" at Austin City Limits 2009

2009-10-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Geeky Rockstars Are Nice, But They Don't Sell Like Relevance

2009-10-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

I just read an interesting blog post from Andrew Austin on the YourStoryAlive blog. Entitled "Corporations Aren't People - People Are People" - it praises the current Intel TV campaign for adding a human touch to the brand.

That's nice, but I don't believe "nice" sells in today's market
While I kind of like that commercial and agree it adds a human touch to Intel, I don't believe it increases my affinity for their brand or likelihood to purchase or recommend Intel (Net Promoter Score). Note that I purchased a laptop in the last 30 days and actually bought one with an AMD chip.

I have long been an advocate of the need for brands to build meaningful connections with consumers. However, I feel in this case that the ad may be a little self indulgent, particularly in consideration of the economy. It's more about Intel than the consumer. Right now, most consumers need value and trust.

Why Hyundai's Assurance Left the Competition in the Dust
To this point, this is why Joel Ewanick of Hyundai was recently awarded Brandweek's Grand Marketer of the Year '09. He made their marketing about the consumers, not Hyundai. Ewanick puts it this way:
“We kept saying, ‘Why aren’t you buying a car right now? You say you want to buy one, but you’re not doing it!’”... Finally, he hit pay dirt. “It turned out they were in a fearful state. And once you understand that fear, then you can come up with something like Assurance.”

Now that is marketing that is relevant to consumers right now. Most importantly, it worked! "Hyundai Motor America and its affiliate, Kia Motor America, accounted for 8 percent of the new-vehicle market in the United States in August, more than Chrysler’s 7.4 percent." Read more about Hyundai's recent success in this New York Times article "With Low Prices, Hyundai Builds Market Share."

The first TV spot in the series even starts with the statement "This is a car commercial, but it's not about cars... it's about the people who buy them." Note it didn't say "it's about the people who make them."

Hyundai's doing it right! That's my two cents... and those two cents mean more to me now than they did a year ago,

Business & Pleasure at Camelback in Scottsdale, AZ

2009-09-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the pleasure of presenting at the National Association of Dental Plans 21st Annual Conference at Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona. I presented for BOSSdev, Inc. on the topic of social media as it relates specifically to business and, in particular, the dental industry. The session had an excellent turnout and was very well received.

You can view our download the slides from my presentation here:

NADP Convention: Wrapping Your Head Around Social Media for the Dental Heathcare Industry

View more presentations from Korye Logan.

I would like to thank the director of this event, Jeff Hurt for the invitation to speak and for his gracious hospitality. I highly suggest following Jeff on Twitter and on his blog Midcourse Corrections. Additionally, I wish to thank Joe Flowers of the NADP for his support during the event. Follow Joe on Twitter and at I Need Dental Benefits.

Once the event concluded, I had the opportunity to stick around Camelback for the weekend and enjoy the resort with my wife and some friends from Arizona. It is a beautiful and even magical place "where time stands still." Here are some photos from my stay.

If you are interested in learning more about the presentation I made or you would like me to speak at an upcoming webinar or event, please contact me via this blog, on Twitter or at 512.608.1460. BOSSdev is an an Interactive and Social Media company dedicated to delivering highly engaging digital communications solutions.

Quails Bathing in the Cool Dirt in Scottsdale, AZ

2009-09-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

My wife and I enjoyed watching this family of quail bathe in the cool dirt during our nightly sunset walk at Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona. There were many animals on the grounds and they were not nearly as skittish as I am accustomed to seeing. Their collectively calm demeanor helped us to relax even more at the place where time stands still.

Hamilton Pool & Grotto near Austin, Texas

2009-09-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hamilton pool and grotto is an amazing natural recreational spot located just minutes west of Austin, Texas up near Lake Travis. It's a great day trip destination. Be sure to plan your visit well, as they only allow a limited number of visitors at a time. This is wonderful as it keeps the spot from getting overcrowded, but it could mean you'll be waiting in your car for an hour to get in.

Here's a brief video I took of Hamilton pool and grotto:

Chicago: Good Times 2009

2009-06-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

Christine and I just returned from an incredibly fun weekend together in Chicago. I was in town for work, so we found a great deal on a hotel and stayed a few extra days. We enjoyed a very nice time together, great jazz at Andy's on Hubbard, hilarious comedy at Second City and fantastic food at Yolk, Downtown Dogs and Giorando's. Most of our trip was spent in River North in the Near North Side of Chicago. Below is a slideshow with a few photos from our adventures.

We know so little about Iran. How can we show support?

2009-06-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, your heart is with all the incredibly valiant people in Iran that are struggling for freedom, justice and a voice in their nation's future. Yet beyond our sincere empathy, it is an incredibly complex situation to try to even begin to understand.

So the elections were fixed. Are Mousavi's politics significantly different and better than those of Ahmadinejad? Would US intervention help or hurt the situation? Can this conflict be solved in months or will it take years or even decades for real change? What can I do individually and what should I do to help those struggling for a better Iran?

In my quest to understand these things better, I found some solace in that social networking and citizen journalism seem to be helping to some degree. I found the following articles helpful and informative:

Citizen journalism on the rise in Iran - Tom Silva, Chicago Tribune, June 22, 2009

"What's also extraordinary is technology hatched in America's micro blogging has delivered to this movement the power of instant expression and instant appeal to the court of world opinion."

Western Media Inaccuracy & The Iran Twitter Grid - Time King, Salem News, June 22, 2009

"If anyone is on twitter, please set your location to Tehran and your time zone to GMT +3.30. Iranian security forces are hunting for bloggers using location/timezone searches. The more people at this location, the more of a logjam it creates for forces trying to shut Iranians' access to the internet down. Cut & paste & pass it on."

Iran's Revolution: A Hard and Uncertain Path - Howard Schweber, The Huffington Post, June 22, 2009

"The Iranian government is dominated by a generation that remembers not only the Revolution of 1979, but more immediately the Iran-Iraq War with its million Iranian dead. The basijis who are doing the skull-cracking and shooting now are the same force that launched suicidal human wave attacks against much better (American) armed Iraqi forces in the marshes."

They May Not Want The Bomb - Fareed Zakari, Newsweek, May 23, 2009

"Everything you know about Iran is wrong, or at least more complicated than you think. Take the bomb. The regime wants to be a nuclear power but could well be happy with a peaceful civilian program... The country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a fatwa in 2004 describing the use of nuclear weapons as immoral. In a subsequent sermon, he declared that "developing, producing or stockpiling nuclear weapons is forbidden under Islam."

While many Iranians fear making their names known publicly, this revolution now has a human face. Neda Agha Soltan was tragically killed Saturday during fierce clashes that left at least 13 dead. She has not died in vain, as she has been immortalized as the "Angel of Iran."

It is my hope that this situation leads to greater empathy, tolerance and connectedness between people of disparate cultures. While it may not lead to the political change we desire, much like Tiananmen Square protests in China, it can create human bonds that did not previously exist.

Photo: Agence France-Presse

Twilight Ride at Navy Pier in Chicago

2009-06-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

Close The Door - Goga

2009-05-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

Oh my. Goga brings the house down with this stellar rendition of "Close The Door" by Teddy Pendergrass at the Intercontinental Hotel in Addison, Texas just north of Dallas in May of 2009.

Get Trained in CPR During National CPR & AED Awareness Week: June 1 - 7

2009-04-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Pretenders Live @ Stubbs in Austin, TX

2009-03-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

Christine and I enjoyed a very nice dinner at Chez Nous in downtown Austin. We recommend the Filet de boeuf Bordelaise. After dinner, we ventured over to Stubbs for the second time this weekend. Tonight's event was The Pretenders on their "Break Up The Concrete" tour which features a southern rockabilly flavor and features a slide guitarist. It was a great show and they played some rocking new tunes like "Books of Chinese Plastic" and loads of classic hits.

G. Love & Eric Hutchinson @ Stubbs in Austin, TX

2009-02-28T18:19:00.000-08:00

Christine and I enjoyed a great concert Friday night at Stubbs in downtown Austin. G. Love & Special Sauce headlined and Eric Hutchinson was the opening act.

G. Love & Eric Hutchinson jammed together for a few songs.

Shawn Colvin @ One World Theater in Austin

2009-02-07T23:54:00.000-08:00

Great performance by Shawn Colvin tonight at One World Theater in Austin, Texas. I enjoyed the concert with my wife Christine and her mother Arlene. I hope you enjoy this little video clip of "I'm Gone."

Social Media Case Study: Elf Yourself 2008

2009-01-05T16:27:00.000-08:00

A key to success in interactive and social media is program optimization. In the third year of Elf Yourself, OfficeMax ran a seasonal online marketing campaign that overcame a lot of deficiencies from previous efforts. Better branding and a stronger focus on ROI were two of the biggest improvements.

I am fortunate to work at an interactive and social media company where program optimization is highly valued. The BOSSdev services team conducts a review after the launch of key client projects. This process is led by Jason Waack, our CTO. The knowledge gained is shared throughout our organization; and results in a culture dedicated to continual process improvement.

I have applied this approach to an analysis of this year's Elf Yourself campaign. You can read my take on what was done right and what can be improved at the BOSS|talk blog. I look forward to your feedback and welcome your comments.

Pop Music Reflects Pop Culture on Social Networks

2008-12-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

I just completed a blog posting about how The Killers song Human reflects the evolution of social networks today. The article entitled "Social Media 2009: Are we human or are we dancer?" can be found on the BOSSdev, Inc. blog.

Many bloggers have recently written about the maturing social web and what defines meaningful social connections online. I found that this particular song represents the emotional ambiguity of the digital generation as technology blurs the lines of our connected nature.

I'm interested to hear your opinions on the subject, so check it out and comment away over at the BOSS|talk blog.

In the meantime, enjoy the song Human by The Killers.

Logan Family Elf Yourself

2008-12-22T20:38:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

3 Free Web Metrics & Analytics Tools

2008-12-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

Exciting new tools for measuring web traffic and analytics are constantly emerging. A great thing about them is that you don’t need a big budget or expertise as a web analytics specialist to use these tools. So don’t be intimidated by the fact that this post is about web analytics, remember that Social Made Simple is all about making the social web accessible.

Let’s say you’re a marketer at a slow-to-change company. The down economy is putting the squeeze on your budgets. You need to convince management about the importance of online marketing. In order to do so, you’d like to show some statistics about the traffic on your company’s sites. It would be ideal if you could have data such as who’s visiting your sites, how long do people stay on your site, what are the demographics, what other sites do these people frequent and the competition stacks up.

Here are some key tools that can be used to collect this kind of information quickly and all it costs is your time.

1. Quantcast – a measurement service that provides audience reports for millions of web sites. Used by media buyers, the free component of this service provides data on traffic, demographics and lifestyle. Take note of the detailed demographics broken down by this source. I've tested it against client provided data - and the alignment is impressive.

2. Compete – provides free web site data including site traffic, engagement and competitive analytics via their Site Analytics and Trust Scores tools. I particularly find the engagement metrics displayed in the second image below to be quite useful - as all the site traffic in the world won't due you any good if everyone bounces after one or two pages.

3. Forrester Groundswell Profile Tool – provides a free Technographics® profile of your target audience based upon their age, gender and location. While this tool does generalize in broad strokes, it is useful in understanding your audience and what kind of experience resonates well with them.

I encourage you to bookmark each of these sites and to begin using these tools. Try them out by inputting your company's web sites and comparing the statistics to those provided by your internal resources. See how the data aligns; as well as where descrepancies exist. Then look into your competition - or relevant examples across industries. This will certainly help you understand some strengths and weaknesses of your online properties.

I believe you'll find yourself accessing this data often - and sharing it with your associates which will help your organization make more informed decisions.

A Visit to Miami & Key Biscayne

2008-12-09T23:43:00.000-08:00

Miami is a truly beautiful city. The downtown offers spectacular views, especially wonderful on a leisurely Sunday drive. Not far from the city, Key Biscayne features natural escapes from modern civilization - and is home to one of the world's top tennis tournaments. Virginia Key is set between the two destinations - I suggest you think twice before venturing to Jimbo's.

YouTube Live - The Long Tail Effect

2008-12-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

Come Monday, November 24, 2008 bloggers worldwide were judging YouTube Live as a marginal success. Yet, truth be told, their judgements were mostly based upon antiquated perceptions of success from the broadcast industry. The real truth was yet to be told.

The Long Tail was first coined by Wired Magazine editor Chris Anderson circa 2004. His book of the same name taught us about a million channels for a million people. The era of the superstar had given way to the digital generation.

Perhaps that's what surprised me most about YouTube Live - the simple fact that most media types didn't get it. While the actual live event was viewed by roughly 900,000 - the event lives on via a classic expression of the Long Tail. Just take a look at the most viewed clips from the event. Just weeks after airing, dozens of these clips have six - even seven - figure viewership.

My initital response to the event is covered in detail in this posting on the BOSSdev blog. And a further discussion on the topic occurs on Mark Cuban's blog. As time passes in this case, the true impact of YouTube Live becomes more apparent.

My Musical Wanderings & DJ Loggy's Playlist

2008-11-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

I love music and I play a little guitar. Ever since I was a kid, I've played in a variety of garage bands ranging from my first "real gig" as bassist / driver for my brother Robert Omlit's band to some exciting live performances in My Size with Foosh. Other important adventures along my musical journey have included Half Joe, Menagerie, Lomo Gato and Buster Grubbs.

My good friend Pete West was the leader and producer for Buster Grubbs. I wrote a lot of the lyrics and a few songs. While Pete is a professional musician and I'm just a hobbyist, I think we'd both agree that we created something unique and special when we collaborated. I do indeed miss those days jamming with Pete and all my other former bandmates. You can check out a few of the songs these bands created on my new online playlist at the social music sharing site called Blip. I hope you enjoy the tunes:

http://blip.fm/profile/DJLoggy/playlist

A love of music starts with your family and my family shared loads of music with me. My mom used to take the Logan kids to see American Bandstand at Malibu Beach. That's where I had the chance to give Marie Osmond a Paper Rose.

Today my musical journey involves showing my 13 year old son Ayrton a few chords on guitar every now and then. I also enjoy observing my son's interaction with music. He loves a lot of classic tunes. His favorites include Louie Louie, Surfing Bird, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and just about everything by Creedence. Pretty good taste IMO.

Social Rant: I Need Twitter Channels! What’s taking so long?

2008-11-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

My Twitter obsession started with my profession: social media. Now I’m officially connected with over 600 of the world’s most innovative social media mavericks. That’s all fine and dandy, but there’s a lot more to life than work. I want to discuss travel, entertainment, food, wine, exercise, parenting, marriage, politics and more.

The burgeoning social web brings with it expectations. Requirements even. I don’t want all of my interests and passions blended into one giant social mix that’s shared with every Tom, Dick, Harry & Sally that surfs the social web. The knowledge and technology exists today to solve this problem and damn it, I’m growing impatient. Sure a lot of people are talking about Twitter channels, but why is it taking so long?
+ People discussing Twitter channels on Twitter http://budurl.com/xpej
+ Google search on “Twitter channels” http://budurl.com/4tch

I need to be able to quickly switch between work, sports, food, news, traffic and family channels on Twitter. I’ll take main navigation tabs for a thousand Alex. Enough with birds, ratings, tracking followers, leavers and the like… give me something truly useful. Give me Twitter channels.

Social Light: Profile Photos

2008-11-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

Profile photos are necessary all over the social web. Every time you create a profile on a web site, you will likely have an opportunity to upload a photo. Profile photos are usually displayed as small squares less than in inch in size and formatted as a .jpeg or .gif file. The most common profile images are close ups of one’s face. I keep a folder entitled “Profile Pictures” in the “My Pictures” folder on each computer. This gives me a variety of good images to choose from quickly. If you need help preparing your profile images, I suggest you either ask a friend who’s savvy with digital photos or Google “how to crop a photo online.” The results will include a variety of free online photo editing tools.

Social Light: Reciprocity

2008-10-27T22:59:00.000-07:00

The social web is a mutually beneficial environment in which people help each other in an altruistic manner. To be a good friend or associate online, you must interact in ways similar to the real world. If someone helps you by giving you a positive recommendation, help them by doing something beneficial to them in return – whether it is by writing a recommendation for them or making an introduction to a business associate. Essentially, be a good person online.

Simple Steps to Social - LinkedIn.com

2008-10-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Step 1: LinkedIn – The Social Network for Professionals
Article #1 in the series “Simple Steps to the Social Web”

LinkedIn is the leading network for business professionals. It has over 30 million members. Membership is free, but the benefits could be worth millions. That’s because there’s a good chance your next job will come through a LinkedIn connection.

Profile: All you need to get started is your resume, a digital photo of yourself and about an hour. Start by creating an account and then look over a few existing profiles to get familiar with the terrain. Now start filling in your profile by cutting and pasting information from your resume. There will be some new categories for which you will need to write text. You should also upload a photo for your profile^. I suggest you find a friend or colleague who’s a member and ask for their feedback once you’ve completed your first draft of your profile.

The good news about the web is that you can update your profile at any time. In fact, there are actual benefits to updating your profile often. It is noted as recently active by the LinkedIn system and will be more highly promoted to your network.

Connections: Now that you have a LinkedIn profile, you’re ready to begin the process of building your network. Click on the green “Add Connections” button about half way down the page on the left. You will see that you can add connections in four different ways: email invitation, importing from an email account, finding professional colleagues or classmates. You can do this a little at a time, so as to not be overwhelmed. Over time, your network will begin to grow almost naturally.

Recommendations: To truly have an effective LinkedIn profile, you need recommendations. In fact, some job postings now even request applicants with LinkedIn recommendations. Begin asking people you’ve worked with to write a recommendation for you. Simply click on “Recommendations” under “Profile” in the left side navigation. Now click on the “Request Recommendations” tab and follow the simple process on the page.

When you send a request for a recommendation, be sure write a few thoughtful sentences explaining some specifics about what you would like them to write about. I’ve included an example below. When you request a recommendation from someone, be sure to reciprocate by offering to write a recommendation for them.

“I would greatly appreciate it if you would write a recommendation for me. I am trying to build credibility in my professional profile; and I felt we worked together very well. It would be ideal if you could highlight a few specific things, such as my initiative, work ethic, attitude, and my communication skills that helped us succeed on various projects.”

Groups: Groups on LinkedIn are a great way to connect with people in your business discipline, industry and community. For example, I am a member of groups related to marketing, technology, sales and Austin. You can elect to receive email updates from these groups. My preferences are set up to receive one weekly update from each group. These updates include information members post about industry news, new business opportunities, recruiting, and questions for discussion.

LinkedIn groups can also be used to seek out new connections, such as recruiters. You can join a group relevant to your expertise and then view the group’s members to see if you know anyone or would like to get connected with a new contact. You can also create a group for your business. Invite your company’s employees, suppliers and customers to join the group. Within the group, members can discuss topics, ask questions and share insights. Each member can leverage the collective knowledge and connections of the entire group.

Messaging: The messaging functionality of LinkedIn is contained in a section entitled “Inbox.” It is very simple to use. You can send “InMails” to your connections and make introductions. One of the most useful features of the LinkedIn messaging system is the Q&A. You can ask a question to all or part of your network. An example would be if you’re looking for people to recommend a specific kind of a supplier, such as an ad agency. Of course, you can also answer questions posed by a connection.

Conclusion: LinkedIn is a great first step to the social web for today’s business professional. It features an intuitive interface, benign interaction and content that is familiar - as it is basically an expanded online resume. Yet, unlike job sites like Monster or CareerBuilder, LinkedIn enables you to build a network of human connections.

The real power of LinkedIn kicks in after you’ve built your profile and network base. Then you can leverage the collective knowledge, resources and connections of your network and groups. This lets you see in real time what is hot in the market and what is working for others. I use this knowledge to share insights with my closest connections, such as business peers, prospects and clients. The resulting effect is that I am a key member of a network that is always becoming collectively smarter and better connected.

Salt Lick Wall + Driftwood, Texas

2008-10-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

NHL Hockey Season Opens Amid Chaos, Cuties & Controversy

2008-10-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

The NHL is in the midst of an interesting return to the spotlight during its opening weekend. For starters, antiquated rockers Def Leppard proved their not worthy when lead singer Joe Elliott placed the much lauded chalice upside down on a pedestal at the Fox Theater in Detroit. Way to celebrate the Red Wings banner raising ceremony guys.

Speaking of Def Leppard or should I say Deaf Leopard, enjoy the photograph I took a few years back in Little Rock, Arkansas. It has not been doctored in any way. The attendees of this school certainly have a better sense of humor than today's politicians.

In other hockey news, former NHL goalie Clink Malarchuk apparently shot himself in the chin by accident. He is expected to recover and our best wishes are extended to Clint and his family. Malarchuck may actually be most famous for a horrific incident in which his juggular was sliced by a skate during an NHL game. I highly advise against a Google image search on the topic.

Meanwhile, Cujo could be among the world's happiest hockey players at present. His expected lowly Toronto Maple Leafs beat the defending Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on opening night and he's reported to be spending time with uber hottie Shania Twain. Who cares that he's not the starter?

Yet the best of hockey's opening weekend may still be to come, as tonight's game in Philadelphia is set to feature controversial vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin dropping the puck in a ceremonial opening night face off. It'll be great to see and hear the response from an oft boisterous crowd in the City of Brotherly Love. To top it all off, the event is being held at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center. Talk about appropriate.

Special thanks to Yahoo Sports' Puck Daddy for keeping me up-to-date on the hockey world.

San Clemente Pier at Sunset + Southern California

2008-10-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

Simple Steps to the Social Web

2008-09-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

The social web can be an overwhelming place: MySpace, Facebook, blogging, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Yammer, Yelp, OMG WTF? If you don’t “get” all this stuff, don’t worry you are not alone. I know countless people who don’t work in technology or marketing and are thus not exposed to what my wife refers to as “all that social stuff like Facebook” in their daily lives. I also often find that a lot of people over forty aren’t naturally comfortable in the new online social environments.

I’m writing a series of articles for these people - those who want a basic understanding of the social web and how they can use it for business and their personal lives. If you’re already a social maven, these articles may be useful as online resources you can forward to your less digitally astute connections.

While writing the “Simple Steps to the Social Web” series, various topics will arise that are important across the entire social web. I will cover these topics in short call-out tips entitled ^Social Lights.

I look forward to helping you better understand today’s online world; and I hope to help you start leveraging the social web to your benefit. I encourage you to be patient and not get overwhelmed. Remember that all great journeys begin with a single step.

Family Fun Camping at San Clemente, California

2008-09-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Ayrton and I had a great adventure camping out at San Clemente State Beach in Southern California. We flew out non stop from Austin to Long Beach on JetBlue. I just love the roomy leather seats and direct tv. Next we picked up a rental RV from 1st Choice RV in Irvine (ask for Doug). Our last stop for preparation was Trader Joes for all our supplies. Man I miss this store. I sure hope they open one up in Austin someday soon.

Ayrton and I got to our camp site and settled in to our little home on the road. Our 24 RV was quite spacious - and the pop out made it even moreso. We went on a nice little hike down to the the beach. There were lots of neat caves in the cliffs and the Amtrack Surfliner train passed by frequently. It's neat to watch the train along the beach. It brought back many memories of camping here as a child with my family each summer.

We had the pleasure of spending time with lots of family and friends during our visit. My sister Tammy, brother-in-law Rick and nephew Korye made the trip down from Tehachapi. They stayed the night with us at our camp site. My uncle Jesse and aunt Juanda came down the next morning and shared some great stories about my father while we snacked on fruits and cheeses.

Later that day, Ayrton's uncle Ricky came down with his boys. Their timing was perfect as the sun came out from the coastal eddie behind which it had been hiding all weekend. We all had a blast playing in the sun and surf for hours. We even had a chance to bury Ayrton in the sand.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the amazing sunset. That night after dinner, we capped of a great little vacation with smores around the camp fire. Life is good.

Happy 70th Birthday Mom!

2008-09-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful celebration of Judy Logan's life so far. More than two dozen friends and family came from far and near for mom's 70th birthday party. It was hosted at the beautiful home of Tammy and Rick Scott in Tehachapi, California. Christine, Ayrton and I flew in from Austin, Texas for the big event.

Special family guests included Judy's brother Jim and his wife Billie, Peggy, Philip and Olivia. Many of mom's friends from church and the community also joined the party. The festivities included live music, great conversation, swimming and fantastic food. Christine and Ayrton even brought a brisket from the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas.

Everyone had a great time, young and old alike. While the older generation shared life stories and pictures of their grandchildren, the younger crowd like Ayrton, Korye, Trisha, Tyler enjoyed the pool, video games and guitar playing. The youngest in the crowd had so much fun, she had to take a little break.

The next day a few of us headed out to Cummins Valley for a visit to Tehachapi Wine & Cattle Company. Mom, Tammy, Christine and I enjoyed the wine tasting that featured slections from Tehachapi, Antelope Valley and Paso Robles on the nearby Central Coast. This little winery is owned by great people with a lot of charm.

Weekend at Galveston, Texas

2008-09-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ayrton, Reese, Christine and I enjoyed a weekend stay on Galveston, Texas just days before the horrible destruction of hurricane Ike devasted the island. This picture serves as a sad reminder of what was. Our hearts go out to all the residents of Galveston.

Cafe in Little Italy + New York

2008-08-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

A few days in Portland with Ponzi & Friends

2008-08-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

As I entered the Willamette Valley outside of Portland - I felt the stress of the city, the job and past obligations leaving my body and mind. The sky was clear, the air was clean and the trees were lush and green. This was just what the doctor ordered: a refreshing change from the hot August heat of my Austin home.

Ponzi Vineyards sits nestled in a calm and beautiful valley in Beaverton, Oregon about 15 miles southwest of Portland. The family vineyard is well kept, well respected and has a great story. While Ponzi's pinot noirs are world reknown, the real reason I was there was to visit a dear old friend whom I had not seen in many years.

Jeff and I had both escaped the chaotic, stressful, overpriced and overhyped world of Southern California in recent years. His journey took him north to Portland, while I ventured to Austin in the great state of Texas. Both cities carry a similar creative class vibe, which I found comforting. Music, art, food, hippies, technology, trees and wine thrive alike in Austin and Portland.

Jeff and I shared a great evening at his home preparing a wonderful meal of cheeses, vegetables, steak, shrimp, and a delicious grilled pineapple desert. We caught up on each other's lives, reminisced about college and laughed about things everyone took so seriously back in the day. Tonight was just the way life should be: good food, good friends and good wine.

Speaking of wine, I want to thank Jeff for sharing a few great bottles from his cellar including a delightful 2007 Ponzi Arneis and the oustandingly epic 2005 Archery Summit Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir. This was definately the best pinot noir I have ever tasted.

Ayrton's Summer Vacation in Bonaire

2008-07-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Ayrton's surprise birthday party culminated with the presentation of gifts. His surprise present was a pair of fins, a snorkel, mask and a trip to Bonaire in Netherlands Antilles with my sister's family, his uncle Stuart and his dad Philip. Ayrton's mom Safron, my sister and I all pitched in together to make it happen.

Ayrton had a fantastic time snorkeling and exploring the island with the gang. He saw lots of iguanas, flamingos and donkeys. Mostly he saw fish. Part of the ABC Islands, Bonaire is reknown as one of the world's best scuba diving destinations.

Ayrton and I are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. Thanks Tammy, Rick and Korye for making this memorable vacation possible for my son.

Happy 13th Birthday Ayrton!

Ayrton's 13th Birthday Party + Seabrook, Texas

2008-07-17T21:41:00.000-07:00

We surprised Ayrton the weekend before his 13th birthday by taking him down to Arlene and Vic's in Seabrook for what seemed to be a normal visit to the relatives. When we got there, Ayrton was surprised with a wonderful birthday party with lots of wonderful special guests.

Ayrton's mom and step dad James made the trip from Austin, as did his tennis coach Aaron. Reese was there, as well as Lance, Quinn, Ron, Sue and lots of family friends. It was truly great to surprise such a wonderful boy with this party. I send a huge thanks to Arlene and Vic for hosting the event.

Ayrton later told me how happy the party made him feel. He talked about how good it felt to see his dad, mom, family and friends all gather together happily to celebrate his birthday.

The Adventures of Ayrton & Korye in NYC

2008-06-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ayrton started his first day of summer bright and early. As I woke him at 4 am, I said "welcome to the real world kid." We had to be on a flight to Hartford at 6:30 am. I was taking my son with me on the week's sales trip to Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. This was going to be a great father and son adventure!

Our first stop was Hartford, Connecticut with a hotel right across the street from the picturesque state capitol. We toured the capitol and surrounding park that featured many historic statues and monuments, including a tribute to the gallant Frenchman Marquis de LaFayette.

Day two included a journey south through Stamford across the Tappan Zee Bridge and on to Morris Plains, New Jersey. We had dinner with my friend Andy and his daughter Katie at Arthur's Tavern, famous for their 20 ounce steak. This was just an appetizer for the big event: New York City. I had a full day planned for my son's first trip to The City.

The Adventures of Ayrton & Korye in NYC:

10 am - NJ to Manhattan via Lincoln Tunnel

10:30 - Parking at 42nd and 9th

11:00 - Cab down to lower Manhattan

11:30 - Ferry at South Shore Docks

12 noon - Tour of Downtown, Ellis Isle & Lady Liberty

12:30 - Wall Street and pics with the Bull

1 pm - Ground Zero

1:30 - Lunch in Chinatown

2:30 - Desert in Little Italy

3:30 - Subway to 59th

4:00 - FAO Schwartz

5:00 - Central Park

6:30 - Brick oven slices

7:00 - Put on rocker attire

8:00 - Concert: The Morning Benders & Kooks

10:00 - Empire State

12 Midnight - To Queens

Ayrton & Joe from The Morning Benders

Mountain Wall + Sedona, Arizona

2008-05-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

River Oaks Clay + Houston, Texas

2008-04-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Austin & Central Texas Railroad

2008-03-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sailing in Costa Rica

2007-08-01T18:00:00.000-07:00