So we all know that Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. But for some of us, this holiday will not really hold any meaning for us. AND THAT IS OK!! There are still ways to celebrate your love for other people/things! For example, any pet owner knows that their dog deserves the best things in the world as they are always consistent companions. So on valentines day, even if you get your significant other something don’t forget your dog!! Thanks to our user Snowflake, for this great list of valentines day dog gifts!

Some people hate Valentine’s Day. I understand, I’ve been there… for every Valentine’s Day of my life (minus one) I wore black. The black either signified that I lived in NYC for too long and most of my closet is black OR it signified that I was mourning my lack of love life. In any case, I made a statement. So even though I might personally have a Valentine this year (cross your fingers) I understand the sentiment of hating Vday - by the way if you write it as Vday it sounds either like a military move or a disease - “the holiday-that-shall-not-be-named”.

As I was browsing ThisNext I noticed that LauraSweet shares the Anti-Valentine sentiment and has created a great list I hate Valentine’s Day. Maybe this year I’ll wear black in solidarity with my ThisNext brethren who are single? (by the way if you are single this Vday - hit up a bar… it’s great night to be on the prowl!)

Hey, Etsy, Indiepublic, and 1000 markets sellers and other Indie users, we would love for you to use our site to showcase your items and we’re always looking for the next “it” product, which may just be that hot laptop cover or the rad steam punk ring YOU made. We know you are creative, talented and the next trendsetters, and we’d love to help you connect with consumers that are out there looking for unique items.

To be a successful ThisNext Handmade user we ask that you follow a few guidelines:

1. Firstly, and most importantly, recommend in a ratio of 3 to 1. Meaning you recommend three items from other sources on the web to each item of your own creation. (You may, if you would like, put your own items in lists that promote them as your own to organize your page, or you can have them throughout multiple lists.) We ask this because
a) more content on our site means more search options, higher ratings for the site - more people looking at your products.
b) users appreciate pages that are flushed out and may not be as receptive to items that appear to be completely from one site. (your page will look more organic - There is synergy in recommending a new blackberry and a great handmade blackberry holder that you made in the same space.)

2. Pimp your profile. ThisNext users get to know you and your personality, through not only your recommendations but through your profile. Your content will look better if you fill out your profile and spiff up your page (organize your items into lists). Would-be customers appreciate having a background to their handmade purchases. Including personal pics is also appreciated by customers. (Also we cannot include you in any promotions - like our newsletters - if you do not have a picture in your profile)

3. Clearly tag your items. To get your products more clearly integrated into our search, tag your items precisely and clearly. Just think, the more accurate tags the more users will be directed to your content. Remember to include tags like “etsy”, “handmade”, “unique” and colors/fabrics/materials, and obvious tags like “laptop cover”, “jewelry”, “hat”.

4. Take clear and detailed pictures of your products. This is fairly self explanatory, but white backgrounds look best on our site.

5. Clearly describe your product in the recommendation. If would-be customers can’t see or understand your product they will certainly not be actual customers. Remember while writing a description to be specific in what your product does - a poster and a t-shirt may look the same in a picture, or you might have a brilliant corkscrew that is disguised as something else, so be clear.

ThisNext wishes you luck and looks forward to seeing your items throughout our site!

Purpli-fy your life. Ok so you know purple is the “it” color right now for fashion, but did you know you can get everything in your life purple? You can wear purple, play purple, walk purple, watch purple, do purple… and if you master food coloring techniques… eat purple too (although when I try it usually come out black- which is most unappetizing - especially black creamed corn …. don’t ask)

Be at one with the purple and check out this list for your Purplification. Don’t you love how I can write purple?

ThisNext is launching our FABULOUS Myspace application today! So now you can Wish List all that you want for the Christmakwanzichah holidays… (I’m sorry “world peace” is too much of a Beauty Contestant wish, so save that for your “Q&A” section of the pageant) Browse the TN world o’ goodies, WISH LIST what you want, share it with your family and friends and all your Myspace Entourage. While you’re looking for yourself, go ahead, take notes those hot items as ideas for what to get your Friend’s Mother’s New Husband’s Podiatrist’s Dog as well.

If all you want for Christmas is your two front teeth… then go see a dentist, but if you’re looking for some fabulous gifts this holiday season all you have to do is Wish List it!



Go ahead… install it… be the first on your block to have your very own Wish List… you know you want to!

It’s National Stress OUT Week… meaning to get the stress out of your life… which might be a bit confusing, but once you get over that you realize that you too need to Relax. At least this TN’er needs a bit of relaxing. Whether it’s yoga, or a massage or a spa treatment, go ahead and treat yourself. You know you only get one of you and you need to treat yourself the best that you can - cause let’s face it, who else will treat you as well?

Here are some of my favorite de-stressing tips. I like to add in a good book while I’m listening to classical music and burning an aroma therapy candle. But that Detox Wrap is going on my Holiday wish list!

Last week we all heard Barack Obama promise a puppy to his two little girls, Malia and Sasha. Of course we are now all curious to find out what kind of dog they will get. Whatever breed they decide on will soon become the most wanted breed in America. My vote goes towards Labradoodles. They truly are the cutest dog on the planet. In the press release, Obama said he needed a hypoallergenic dog for Malia, and wanted to get a mutt from a shelter. A labradoodle is the clear solution. So since the First Family now has my opinion I also made a list of presents they could get for their new puppy. Every First puppy needs to live a luxurious life. Enjoy!

TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WILL CHANGE HISTORY… I hope. This TN’er is hoping that you got your butt out there and voted, and if you did then it’s time to celebrate our part of the democratic process. YAY!

Tons of merchants are giving you freebies and discounts today if you got your lazy American butt off the couch and into a polling booth. You can show off your “I Voted” sticker (or tell ‘em you voted absentee) and get a free cone at Ben and Jerry’s (participating locations), a free coffee at Starbucks, a free Starspangled donut at Krispy Kreme, and a free Magic Bullet at the sex toy shop Babeland in NYC. There are specials all around the country so seek out those Democracy Deals today - and tomorrow will be history!

Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro both received a bit of a facelift just in time for the Christmas holidays. Slimmer, lighter (0.95” when closed), and more powerful than before, the now eco-friendly notebooks are machined out of a single piece of aluminum which lessens production waste and just adds to the overall coolness. The displays are now LED-backlit giving them uniform brightness and reducing their energy consumption.

Beyond the green modifications, the touchpads for both MacBooks are larger and support multi-touch. Toss in a more powerful video card and it’s hard to go elsewhere when considering a laptop purchase.

Sharp recently unveiled a 52-inch solar-powered LCD HDTV. To mitigate the high energy consumption of most flat panel displays, Sharp used an LED backlight and other energy-saving technologies. The reduced power requirement presumably allows the device to be operated exclusively by the collected solar energy. 

As you can probably see from the image, the existing setup is a bit awkward. The TV is connected to a floor solar panel which is only useful if you plan on watching it outside or are fortunate enough to have a retractable roof in your living room. I’m sure this is only for demonstration purposes and that future designs will likely be a bit more practical. This whole concept is definitely a few steps in the right direction though. 

I was lucky enough to participate in Park(ing) Day LA 2008 along with Mahalo and Causecast. What is Park(ing) Day? It’s a day to remind the country that green public spaces are just as important (if not moreso) as cars and parking spaces. The gorgeously sunny day started off with decoration of our 6 metered parking spots including everything from grass to couches, to kiddie pools and rubber duckies. Barbecued lunches were provided (including some extremely yummy veggie burgers) as were shenanigans and games. A couple of our favorite four-legged friends also stopped by. Cars driving by supported the cause with honks, and we even got in a little bit of trouble with LA DOT (Department of Transportation). All in all, we felt like we truly shared with the public our enthusiasm for more green public spaces in urban areas. Check out the flickr for pics and the KTLA coverage (featuring Yours truly) below:

In 2005, the San Francisco art collective REBAR created an annual global event based around rethinking and recontextualizing the use of public spaces by inciting an army of volunteers to turn parking spaces into tiny parks. Tomorrow, September 19, 2008, ThisNext will be participating in the fourth annual National PARK(ing) DAY alongside Mahalo and Causecast!

Please come by and join in the fun as we turn a row of parking spaces into a plush green park, complete with kiddie pools, rubber ducks, lawn chairs, and a grill!

We’ll be at the Mahalo Building, 902 Colorado Ave. in Santa Monica at 11 am PST.

For more information about REBAR and National PARK(ing) DAY, please visit the website at http://www.parkingday.org.

GM launched its foray into the green automotive market with the stylish Chevy Volt. Stickered at roughly $40,000 and slated for a 2010 release, the vehicle can run for 40 miles once charged for several hours. After which, it relies on a gas-powered generator that sustains the battery’s charge for an additional several hundred miles. Not exactly a speedster, the car tops out at 100mph and equates to about 150 horsepower, which means you won’t be accelerating past a lot of cars on the road, but you will avoid a few speeding tickets.

The Volt can be recharged from any ordinary home electrical outlet and annually, consumes less electricity than a refrigerator. The math puts its fuel economy at about 2 cents per mile which is a vast improvement over gasoline-powered vehicles. Too bad we have to wait a couple of years to get behind the wheel of this baby.

Who said hybrid cars must be condemned to dull designs and less than desirable performance? BMW ushers in the new era cool, sporty, luxurious, and relatively fuel-efficient vehicles with their X6 Hybrid. Slated for a 2009 release, the “ActiveHybrid” SAV (Sports Activity Coupe) boasts a high IQ. It uses a dual-mode technology co-developed with GM and other auto makers. At low speeds, an intelligent processor determines whether to use electricity, gas, or a combination of the two. At higher speeds, the vehicle is gas-powered with the electric motors available if needed for added lift. The speculated payoff is a 20%-30% increase in fuel economy for city driving over comparable vehicles in its class. No price has been set, but consumers can expect to pay a premium over the gas-powered version that starts at $52k.

 

As a lover of all things cute, I tend to rely on CuteOverload for my daily dose of small, adorable, furry creatures. It’s an extremely popular weblog that features…well, pictures and videos of outrageously cute animals. Clearly I’m not the only one in agreement as the site consistently appears on Technorati’s top 100 and boasts several online publishing distinctions including a Webby (2006). 

As the Democratic National Convention comes to an end, we prepare ourselves for the official nomination of Barack Obama at Invesco Field tonight in Denver, Colorado. The theme of tonight’s speeches and remarks is Obama’s campaign motto, “change you can believe in.” Also speaking tonight is former Vice President Al Gore. You can catch a glimpse of he expected excitement in the video above. Below is some Obama ‘08 merch.

Gas prices got you glum? Introducing the FCX Clarity, Honda’s new zero-emission, hydrogen-powered sedan. How does it work? Well, to avoid all the technical jargon, let’s just say that it combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity which in turn powers the electric motor. Cool, huh? Though you can avoid the traditional pump entirely, you do have to refuel at designated hydrogen stations, a nominal cost in comparison to gas consumption. The only issue is that with few places to refuel, limited quantities will only become available to Southern Californians in the summer of 2008. It makes a great commuter car, but don’t expect to take any road trips.

So, what’s the price? Well, due to the demand and limited availability of refueling stations, for now, the FCX Clarity is only available by lease and runs $600/month for a three-year term. Trust that the customer queue consists of plenty of Hollywood A- and B-listers.

Cell phones (in addition to computers and laptops) are big-time polluters and can fill wastelands with up to 65,000 tons of trash a year,and that’s not including the toxic chemicals leeching into water supplies. Did you know over 130 million cell phones are thrown out a year? That adds up, and not in a good way. Thankfully, there are some companies reacting and responding to the eco-friendly rally cry, in particular, Nokia and Samsung. Nokia has plans to launch up to 40 new green phones with biodegradable components (think bioplastic, a corn-based plastic) in the upcoming year. Thus, the amount of cell phones in wastelands may not decrease, but the amount of actual trash will as they biodecompose. Of course, battery recycling or energy alternative cell phones are a part of that as well. Some companies are already recycling batteries and phones when they send pre-paid envelopes to the consumer for the phones to be sent in.

A drawback still being investigated is the usage of corn products for these terrific new eco-friendly phones. Corn crops are already being diverted for ethanol (corn-based) production, and as a result, general corn-based food and drink items (think soda) prices are going up. What would happen if even more was allocated to bioplastic production?

Either way, some new great features featured on the various upcoming eco-friendly cell phones (some are only available in Korea and China) include energy efficient chargers that beep or turn off when a phone is fully charged, OLED screens that reduce power usage, water soluble coating, and more. Companies are also finding ways to leave out the toxic metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, PVC’s, and more. Lastly, there’s a terrific idea Nokia is developing. They call it their Eco-Sensor Project which is based on a solar-powered bracelet that would have the ability to charge a cell phone, get the weather, and track the wearer’s health. Imagine that.

Green - it’s a word we throw around at lot, a sound bite, but what does it mean? I keep thinking about Kermit singing “It’s not easy being green” and for some reason that struck a chord. Yeah it’s not easy but why not give it a try. Start recycling, at least, get in touch with nature… and think of what the world is going to be like in another hundred years if you could even in the slightest imagine the exponential decline of our natural ecosystems in even the past 50 years… Ok, ok, I’m gonna get off the soap box but also mention that since it’s cool to go green -trying organic fabrics, switching cleansers is not only good for your planet but also for your street cred.

In response to heightened market demand and Pilot’s own conscience’s moral pressure, the ever popular pen company has created an entire line of environmentally friendly pens to make it that much easier for us consumers to go green. The pens are exactly the same as their non-green counterparts, and you may recognize the style as the same Pilot pen you already love and adore. BeGreen pens, however, are made up of at least 70% recycled content, with some versions climbing up to 89% recycled content. I am impressed by these high numbers, as most corporations usually say their products are made from recycled material without giving you the content breakdown, meaning it’s probably too low to be impressive. Then there’s Starbucks, who proudly advertises that their cups are made from 10% post-consumer recycled content. Bragging about using a measly 10% recycled content in the cups that are distributed by the thousands on a daily basis? Come on Starbucks. You can do better than that.

Personal rants aside, all BeGreen products also meet or exceed ISO 14001 and 14021 standards for environmentally responsible production, meaning this isn’t a hoax. All of their packaging material is made from recycled cardboard, as well!

And the best part is that Pilot promises that all BeGreen products will sell at equal or lower prices than their non-green counterparts. So really, there’s no excuse. Next time you need pens, choose Pilot’s BeGreen and feel good about it.