Broad run, singular focus

I've written about Students Run Philly Style before because I'm a big fan of the cause and there's nothing more motivating than to see these kids in a race. Pair this group with Philadelphia's Broad Street 10 Miler on May 3rd and you've got a winning combination.

For this premier race, 400 kids and more than 80 volunteers from SRPS are training for that straight shot down Broad Street, right past City Hall and into South Philly. They've got the determination, they've got the miles under their belts, all they need is some $$$ to help offset the entry fees...and everything else that goes into sustaining the SRPS program.

There's a great fundraising Web site: Run for Philly's Future. Even in tough economic times, it's good to support a cause that focuses on youth, fitness, and running.

SRPS wants to turn the tide on grim statistics for Philly kids:
(From the web site)"50% of our children are obese or at risk for becoming so and almost half of our high school students will not graduate on time. Add a high rate of youth violence and the future for a Philadelphia teen grows bleaker. With your support, we can turn a grim picture into a hopeful one. Students Run provides youth with the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle while connecting to a caring adult mentor in an environment that emphasizes goal-setting, teamwork & effort."

I'm sold. And my credit card now has a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Info overload, ideas overdrive

The evolution of the Internet to Web 2.0 and beyond has made it that much more useful...and that much more time-consuming. It's almost guaranteed that once I subscribe to an RSS feed, I rarely check it. I never plan to ignore someone I really want to follow, it's just that other things clamor for my attention. And don't even mention Twitter. I'm still wondering who can care that much about what everyone they know is doing at every minute of the day.

This is why I am so enamored of two sites that make it easy for me to get the information I want. Both have relatively simple Web sites. Nothing fancy or Flash-y here, which soothes my content-focused soul. And both leverage their Web presence with push emails to make sure they reach me. Most important, the info they deliver is culled from many places to provide a single source--and great value.

• If you or someone you know is looking for work, especially in communications, check out Ned's Job of the Week. Be sure to sign up for the weekly emails. While I'm not in the market for a full-time gig, it always helps to know who's hiring.
  
  
• If you're interested in being a spokesperson in your area of expertise, or you're doing PR work for clients, check out Help a Reporter Out. Peter Shankman does a fantastic job of sending out queries not once, not twice, but three times a day. If you're looking for press coverage, this is a perfect place to start, allowing you to contact reporters when they want to hear from you--and with exactly the information they're looking for.

And for those of you who are tired of being bombarded with too many tweets or posts or RSSssss, put your brain to work. Maybe you can introduce the next novel way to communicate based on the "less is more" principle. At least I hope someone can.

Curious about Benjamin Button?

OK. So the Brad Pitt-Cate Blanchett pic didn't sweep the Oscars. It was still an amazing movie. I spent most of the nearly three-hour film wondering: How did they do that?

Now, I know. And you can, too. Spend 18 minutes watching Ed Ulbrich, the digital-effects guru from Digital Domain, explain the magic.

Thanks, TED, for all your "ideas worth spreading."

A smile I can do without

Yes, times are tough, but is a bargain always a bargain? I recently went to the Greater Philadelphia Home Show. It was packed. Maybe the free admission and free parking had something to do with the crowds lining up around the building. Once inside, it seemed the vendors were getting good interest in their products and services. All was about what I expected…until I turned the corner on the last aisle. There I saw several dental chairs filled with people getting their teeth whitened. At the Home Show. In public. As the masses milled around.

Once home, I did a quick Internet search and found that this is an up-and-coming “business” opportunity. You don’t need to be a dentist; instead, you’re a dealer. Taking your reclining chairs and LED light activators on-site for quickie whitenings at conventions, bridal showers, garden shows—just about anywhere.

I’m still in a state of shock and awe. My teeth hurt just thinking of the possible complications.

I’ve gotten used to seeing chair massage and spine assessments at public events, but dental procedures? What’s next—laser eye surgery in food courts? Hair transplants for balding golfers at the first tee?

Is there no modesty? Must everything be shared and on public display?

One news release I found claims “Teeth whitening has potential for unlimited income.” And you can “Be your own boss.”

That may be true, but I prefer to trust my smile—and any other healthcare matter—to the professionals. The ones with the proper initials after their name. In the privacy and comfort of their medical offices.

ADDENDUM: Shortly after posting this piece, I saw a commercial for the CBS Cares Colonoscopy Sweepstakes. Really. With the online promotional materials claiming: "When the colonoscopy is about to begin, you'll be given drugs which will make you feel like you're at Woodstock... only without the music." I kid you not. Apparently CBS cares in a very strange way.