Mainly Melissa!

Hollywood's glamourest night is coming up and everyone is excited to see who and what the stars are wearing. Unfortunately ABC is unable to profit from this annual event as it has in the past. This can be attributed to the failing economy coupled with the lack of quality amongst this year's nominations. This has forced ABC to change its advertising rules and allow movie studios to promote films and reduce ad spot prices.

My sources at Fortune magazine have informed me that banner ads are on the decline. Consumers are not likely to click on banner ads or even really process them. Consumers appear to trust in-text advertising more and companies have seen more results with them.

Why may this work?
Online users don't go online to look at ads. Many people have a visual block on the panel where ads appear. In-text advertising places ads in the line of site of online viewers. In addition as viewers read/scan through text online they usually follow their reading using their mouse which would thereby go over the in-text ad.

My Personal Thoughts:

I personally ignore a lot of the advertising online. I feel like a lot of the advertising online are scams or gimmicks. But to each his own :)

After dragging my boyfriend to watch Bride Wars with me and seeing how crazy some brides can be I was inspired to do some research on the wedding industry. In my research I found that the wedding industry in the US is worth approximately $270 billion. Where does the $270 billion come from? Well there are the essentials that every wedding must have: flowers, venue, dresses, transportation, catering, tux rentals, jewellery, hair, makeup, spa appointment, gym memberships... Moreover, according to one article brides are more likely to spend on home furnishings, cars, electronics, silverware, and insurance than non-brides. So long story short, brides spend a lot of money.

Going back to the days when I took macroeconomics I do recall that the only way for an economy to get out of a recession is to increase spending and one way to increase spending is to increase consumer consumption. That being said, brides may be able to pull our country out of its economic slump! Not only are brides spending but it forces their family and friends to spend as well! Guests of the wedding will have to buy an outfit and a gifts. Out of town guests will have to purchase plane tickets, hotel rooms and make restaurant reservation while they are in town; this would result with an increase in tourism! At the wedding you may meet someone special and you begin dating him/her as a result you increase your expenses on leisure activities and entertainment. You are now happy and in love a bomb could explode and you wouldn't care because you are in love. He/she proposes to you. Now you are the high spending bride, thus the cycle repeats. Weddings also cause several side effects which can also benefit society. Typically news of someone you know getting married will makes you feel happier and everyone knows that happier people are more likely to socialize and spend! With this all in mind encourage your friends to get married!!!!

Read more about brides :) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_2001_May_1/ai_74303105/pg_1

Oh No! Michael Phelps America's golden boy has been caught doing something naughty AGAIN! I guess now that the Olympics are over Michael is trying to be a normal college student and going to parties and getting the occasional DUI. Unfortunately punishments aren't the same when you're a world class swimmer. Michael Phelps has been barred from competitive swimming for 3 months and has lost his financial support from USA Swimming. In addition to all of this Kellogs has also decided to end their relationship with Phelps. But that's okay because well there are as long as he still has the Guitar Hero account its all good. In all honesty I don't think Michael Phelps is stupid. I do believe Michael Phelps is most likely taking a break from swimming which is why he has been seen painting the town red. I think we should all just say 'boys will be boys' and hope that Michael will set another world record in 2012.

for more information http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/05/kellogg.phelps/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

Five years ago no one new who Mark Zuckerberg was or what Facebook was. Today there are over 150 million users actively on Facebook.

How has Facebook helped me.

Before Facebook I was not actively involved in the social networking community online. I did have myspace and Friendster accounts but i didn't actualy use it or even know what to do with it. Facebook is just a lot easier to use and an easier way to connect with your friends. In addition I would say that before Facebook I did not spend as much time on the internet. Before Facebook I used the internet for e-mail, checking the weather, sometimes school work, and instant messaging and spent my idle time watching tv or outside. Since joining the Facebook community I find myself spending almost all of my idle time at the computer on Facebook. Maybe its just my personality or my boredom that I find it fascinating to sit and look through my friends pictures and see what their status is. In either case I find myself constantly checking to see if someone has posted on my wall or commented on a photo. I also find myself 'facebooking' my employers or interviewers just to see who they really are. haha :D All in all I'd say Facebook has helped me communicate to people, feel less bored, and 'facebook' stalk certain people. haha :D

Anyways enough about how facebook has changed my life, how has it changed yours?