Last month I launched a new website for a technology company in China, ArcherMind Technology. It’s my first international website. The challenge was to build an American website for the company to make their debut in North America. The primary purpose of the site is to generate sales leads. I designed the website and integrated it with a sales portal on the backend that allows ArcherMind to track sales leads through a step-by-step process.
The URL is http://www.archermind.com
In May, on my oldest daughters sixth birthday, I’m running the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, MI. In an effort to raise awareness of alcohol and drug addiction, I’m asking for pledges to raise enough money to send one person through an addiction treatment center.
Each year, there are more than 20,000 alcohol-induced deaths in the U.S., including more than 12,000 from liver disease. In addition, roughly 50,000 people die each year from their use of illegal drugs. Many of those who suffer the most are people who cannot afford the treatment, spend time incarcerated, and re-offend and relapse later, with devastating results for themselves and their families.
According to the Center for Disease Control and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, professional treatment in rehab centers or medical facilities is one of the best methods for breaking the cycle of addiction. Participants are much more likely to stay sober than those who do not receive this valuable treatment.
Dakoske/Phoenix treatment center in Traverse City, MI, has helped thousands of addicts (alcohol and illicit drugs) get clean since they were established more than 15 years ago. You can learn more about Dakoske/Phoenix at their website.
The average stay in the center is 21 days, with costs of $160 per day. Many of the candidates for this program do not have the means to pay for their treatment. The local, state, and federal governments assist where they can. I’m asking you to help me send one candidate through the treatment center. That cost is $3,360.
Last year, as some of you may recall, I ran the Nashville Marathon and raised more than $1,200 for the fight against Multiple Sclerosis. Please help me reach my goal this year to help battle addiction. Fill out the pledge form for whatever amount you can afford - $1, $5, $20, or more. Your gift is tax-deductible.
You will not be asked to make any payments online today. Your pledge will be recorded, and in June you’ll receive a letter asking you to send your pledged amount to Dakoske/Phoenix treatment center. I’ll also include details of my run and some information on addiction treatment, as I know it’s something we’re all touched by.
If you have any questions about my Run for Recovery, please leave a comment here or leave a comment when filling out the pledge form.
Library of Congress photos at Flickr for tagging by the masses
One thing’s for sure: we’ll be hearing a lot more about Web 2.0 in 2008. The Library of Congress has embraced the Web 2.0 philosophy by posting more than 3,000 of their photos on Flickr to be “tagged” by users. That means anyone can add their comments or tag a keyword to the photos. In essence, the entire world will help the LOC grow the knowledge of their collection.
From my standpoint it’s a lot of fun, because many of the pictures are baseball players from the 1910s. I can think of several former colleagues at the Baseball Hall of Fame who could add valuable knowledge to many of the photos.
Library of Congress collection at Flickr
Credit Card data for more than 650,000 customers is lost
Oops
“…a backup tape belonging to GE Money that contains the personal information of some 650,000 customers of J.C. Penney and about 100 other retailers.”
The missing tape affects 230 retailers, whose customers may be vulnerable to data fraud.
Coverage:
GE Money Backup Tape With 650,000 Records Missing At Iron Mountain
Credit Card Data on 650,000 Customers Lost
Britain vows to shut down terror web sites
British officials are calling for renewed efforts to shut down web sites that promote terrorism. “U.K. spending on counter-terrorism has doubled since the Sept. 11 attacks to 2 billion pounds ($3.94 billion) a year….”
U.K. to Urge Blocking of Web Sites That Promote Terrorist Acts
In my continued effort to cover all things adventure-related, I ran across this news snippet this morning…
The wife of missing millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett must testify in court before a judge will consider declaring him ‘presumed dead’ … [A]nd allow for legal and financial matters to be addressed, including an estate records show is worth more than $10 million.”
Full story:
Judge likely to declare Fossett “presumed dead”
FAQ about Steve Fossett:
Wikipedia entry for Steve Fossett
Disappearance of Fossett baffles experts
A man from Seattle named Erden Eruc is in the midst of a daring adventure around the world using only human-powered means of transportation. He left the U.S. in a rowboat in July and is currently in the Pacific Ocean on his way to Australia. Eventually, he’ll climb several mountains, including Mt. Everest, and journey to the Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth). Utilizing satellites, this amazing web site allows students to track his journey on a daily basis:
Around-n-Over program.