Hi Guys.
I wanted to share with you some coverage of Viewpoints on Fox News. Here you can see some of our reviewers featured: Elysabeth, TheBard and Cyndi Allison and SaxGuy are in the spotlight. However, RoseRighter, Buggheart, and Libby are also featured. Give it a watch!
Happy Holidays everyone!!
Viewpoints has been nominated for the best consumer generated content site. You can add it our nomination by adding us as your nomination too! Check it out, it is super easy! We would love your support.... after all, we have the best writers dont we????
Hi All.
You know I have come to deeply care for many of our writers. So, I wanted to spread the word on a recent report that I read regarding the safety women. For all you ladies out there (or men who have a wife, mother, sister or daughter), I think this is helpful to read. :) Stay safe and healthy this holiday season.
p.s. If you want a copy of our holiday gift buying guide, please go to www.viewpoints.com and include your ADDRESS in the account info spot. You can access account info by clicking on your profile page and then account info.
Through a Rapist's Eyes
A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:
1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.
2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.
3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store parking lots. Number two: Are office parking lots/garages. Number three: Are public restrooms.
6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.
7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.
9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.
10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: "I can't believe it is so cold out here," "we're in for a bad winter." Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.
12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.
13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts .
14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN . I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.
15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.
16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!
Well, this last week was another eventful week at Viewpoints. We continued to make some product enhancements to the site. Here's a quick peak at some of the new changes:
1. MAPS. When you are looking at a local review, if the reviewer entered the address, you will see a MAP of the location. Pretty cool, hah? (for those reviewing, take a moment to enter the address for the other members!)
2. SUMMARIES. We have started adding summaries to the reviews. Check them out and let us know what you think. (they are intended for those looking for the quick answer!)
3. FAVORITES. You can now favorite a review. Do you stumble upon something on the site and you want to keep it (so that you know later that you want to try it?) Well, now you can favorite it!
4. ICONS. You now have icons on your profile page to help you keep track of your different tabs.
5. HOLIDAY. Next week, we will be featuring our holiday guide and holiday emails. They include some great inspiration for gifts. Be on the lookout.
Would love any feedback that you all may have!!!
Happy almost turkey day. :)
A few quick updates:
1. For those of you that havent checked out the Viewpoints Forums, check it out NOW by clicking here.
2. Be on the lookout for changes to comments/compliments. They will be changing in the next day or so. We will be offering auto-notifications when someone replies to your messages. In addition, your inbox will become your COMMENTS management box. We will no longer use the term compliments. We will simply have just COMMENTS. You will see a few changes on the home page, your profile page, and in your email settings, etc. So, be on the lookout.
3. Did you notice that you can now edit comments? We finally answered your prayers!
4. We are currently working on showing readers the total page reviews they have received. We are hoping to have that functionality in the next 30 or so days. Also, we will likely be making some changes to GOOD POINT to make it more understandable. We will keep you all posted.
5. Lastly, are you running out of ideas for writing??? No worries. Here are a few ideas:
I thought it would be fun to share the favorite bands of our members. Below is a snapshot of some of the favorites. Looks like we will have to make a Viewpoints, ipod shuffle.
Happy reading (and listening!)
ABBA
ACDC
Aerosmith, ZZ Top, J Geils Band, Beatles, Robert Palmer... I could go on
Air Supply.
Alabama
all
All Disco and Motown
Allman Brothers
Barry Manilow
beach boys
Beastie Boys (ok, Menudo)
Beatles
bee gees
Billy Joel
BOB SEGAR & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Richard Marx, Phil Collins
Boston
Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bon Jovi, Erasure, OMD, Van Halen, The Cure
Bryan Adams
Chicago
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Dave Matthew Band
Def Leopard/John Mellencamp
Duran Duran
EAGLES
Earth, Wind & Fire, The Commodores, Lakeside, Ohio Players
Elton John
Eric Clapton - Derek and the Dominoes
Fleetwood Mac - Stevie Nicks
Foreigner, Heart, ABBA, The Eagles,
Genesis
glenn miller
Go Go's
Green Day
GREEN DAY!!!!!
Guns 'n' Roses
Hall & Oates, The Bee Gees
Huey Lewis and the News
Jackson Five
Jefferson Airplane
John Cougar
John Denver-- Go ahead, make fun!
Journey
KC & the Sunshine Band
Kiss
Kool & the Gang
Led Zepplin
Madonna
Metallica
Moody Blues
Motley Crue
Pearl Jam
Pink Floyd
Poison
Prince and the Revolution
Queen
REO Speedwagon
Rolling stones
Santana
STYX
Temptations
The Allman Brothers Band
The Doors
The Monkees
The Police
The Who
u2
Van Halen
Wham!
As always, there is never a dull moment at Viewpoints. Last night we launched another batch of changes to the website-- namely, more navigational improvements to the home page.
Check it out! Here are some of the improvements to look for:
1. At the top of the home page is now a new tab-- called community; it is a direct link to our member center and member search
2. Categories are now listed at the top of the page so that no matter where you go on the site, you have a sense of place. You will also see a breadcrumb (a trail listing where you are on the site) at the top of all the pages.
3. Read Reviews tab. It is now a site map of the site. You will see a listing of a lot of our categories and subcategories there!
Those are just a few of the big changes that we made. There are also a series of small changes. (p.s. dont worry-- editing comments is coming soon!!)
Also, we need your help...
1. If you could customize the home page, what information would you like to see there? What is most important to you as a reader AND a writer?
2. Several of you mentioned that you wanted to be able tell a person that their review is not helpful. (for example: was this review helpful? thumbs up and thumbs down) Tell us your thoughts on that? Should that be a priority? And, if so, how do you do it so that it doesnt appear negative or nasty?
3. Writer levels. Do you like them? Do you hate them? Would you prefer earning something different like- the Beauty Diva badge or the Gadget Geek badge?
4. Lastly, did you happen to notice that we now have 80,000+ travel reviews on the site. Did you see the reviews from our friends at Orbitz. If not, check them out. Dont worry-- your travel reviews should always trump theirs. Do you mind them????
Well, it's official! We are launched and tomorrow is the big day to kick it off with all of you. Here's a snapshot of the team modeling our new launch party t'shirts-- yes, we plan to pass them out at the parte'.
Viewpoints.com has officially launched. That's right. In case you didnt notice, last week was a big week here at VP. We released a new version of the www.viewpoints.com website. Our search tool is now rock solid. Go, ahead. Try it. Search for anything. You better find it. :) And, even better, you can search along multiple criteria. Try it out if you havent already.
Also, I wanted to take a moment to invite each of you to the viewpoints launch party. We will be hosting our official party at Cabaret Club in Chicago on September 28th from 6-8pm. Cabaret is located at Hubbard and State Street in downtown Chicago. Simply send me an email at: jolie(at)viewpoints.com to let me know you will be coming. We hope to see you all there! It is sure to be a great time.
And, thanks to each of you for helping make the site a success to date. We couldnt do it without you! This celebration is for you!!!!!!!
Hi All.
I am back and in action. I was on vacation for Labor Day week-- hence, my MIA status.
It was so great to hang out with my kids for a whole week! We had a great time swimming, going to amusement parks, fairs, bowling, etc. It was a week full of pure amusement. I have sooo many reviews that I need to write. I better get on that!
I also have to get on something else. Weight loss!!! I gained 5lbs on vacation. Is that possible? My scale must be wrong!!!! Or, it could be the dessert that I had every night for dinner. Oh well. I guess that's what being on the road will do to you!
So, what can I do to shed these pounds from vacation. Let me know if you have any pointers. My plan right now is to eat healthy this week and drink lots of water. But that puts a kink in my lunch plans. No pizza, subs (okay, maybe the Subway Jared kind, but I dont like those!), Chinese, etc. "What should I have for lunch?" (Note: I really dont like to pack a lunch!)
To help inform my options, I stumbled across a site called the daily plate. It tells you calories for the food in your home and in the restaurant. Check out PotBelly's where I get a sandwich about twice a week. Ouch! Okay, so that really wont help with the weight loss. On to plan B. Perhaps a salad.
Okay, enuf about me and my vacation and weight gain. I am sure you want to know what is going on at Viewpoints. Well, lots!!! While I was gaining weight and eating TOO MUCH dessert on vaca, the team here was working hard on the release of some new functionality-- new and improved search. We previewed it yesterday and it is awesome. Expect to see it over the next week or so. I know from your comments/feedback that you are very much looking forward to these improvements!
Also, to help improve search yourself, take a moment to complete the additional questions when you write a review. For example, if you are reviewing a hotel, input the hotel name and then tell us a little bit more about it. This will then allow people to search your review on multiple variables.
Lastly, for those of you that didnt know, we are hosting our official launch party on September 28th. For those that can make it, we would love to see you there! It is from 6-8pm on September 28th in Chicago at the Cabaret club.
Look forward to seeing you all there. And, it's good to be back-- even if I am a little fatter. :)
This past week www.viewpoints.com has been bombarded with new reviews from new members (and old). I LOVE IT! I love the diversity of the content and the connections happening between people. (I am having a scary flashback to my brownie troop as a kid and my Mom making us sing "Make new friends, but keep the old..." S-C-A-R-E-Y)
In addition to meeting all kinds of new people this week, I have discovered many new, crazy products and services. Here are a few of my favorites that stick out in my mind:
The Behind the Counter Blog
This is a blog of someone that has worked at Walmart in the service department. Too funny!
Etsy
This is a site of all handmade products. I love to support the arts! Great for unique gifts.
Bare Escentuals Complexion Make-up
I think I am living in a beauty bubble! 25 people wrote a review of Bare Escentuals make-up last week and I have never even seen it before. I better get over to Sephora.
Kong Dog Toy
Wow... my dog is really missing out! This is THE toy for dogs according to our users. Check it out if you dont already have one!
And, I was reminded about the good ol, Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. Check out the review-- from an NU grad. :)
Hope you are having just as much fun as I am....
happy labor day weekend.
Hi All.
I wanted to let you know that we partnered up with a few sites to promote Viewpoints! Over the next few days you should expect to see a lot new faces on the site. :)
Please join me in welcoming our newest members to the community. We are very happy to have them here with us!!
Jolie
This week I had the pleasure of meeting one of our review writers face to face-- Cat. She and her husband Jay were visiting Chicago for the weekend to celebrate Cat's birthday and they decided to stop in to say hello. How great!!!
It was especially great to visit face to face with one of our review writers. In a community like www.viewpoints.com , you quickly grow to enjoy the company of people that you have never really "met" before. You feel attached. You feel a personal connection. You feel like friends.
I am glad I got the chance to meet Cat and her husband in person. It was fun finally putting a person with the name/voice/photo.
For any others popping through Chicago, know the door is always open. We would love a drop in visit. And, we will buy you lunch. :)
For those that dont know Cat, check out her profile here.
Several of you have mentioned that you noticed your work getting picked up by the search engines! That is great news.
For those that arent search engine savvy, or if you simply want a reminder on how it all works, read this associated content article. The author does a nice job at describing how to find your "spot" in the search world.
Happy reading!
I just read this review of Viewpoints.com. I think it is really fun to read others reviews of us. (you know that I love site feedback!)
VC Investment Hits Highest Level Since 2001
Data due to be released by Ernst & Young and Dow Jones VentureOne today shows that investment in information services companies, including Web 2.0 startups, hit $979 million in the second quarter of 2007.
The figure is 52% up on the same period last year and the highest figure recorded since the 2001. In laymen’s terms, we are now officially in a boom; not that we’d probably need figures to prove this.
For those who may prophesize that the figures foretell an impeding crash, data released earlier in July showed that IPO’s for the entire Information Technology sector (which includes hardware, semiconductors and communications companies as well) totaled 10 for the quarter, and 17 year to date vs a peak of 41 IPO’s in the first quarter of 2000 and 106 in that year. $11 billion+ was raised by IT related IPO’s in 2000 vs $2.4 billion year to date. The hype of the dot.com bubble is not being repeated on equity markets.
Thanks to Jo for getting the VP message board up on Yahoo. (and Bob for helping)
I wanted to post the link in case you want to participate in the larger discussions about reviewing, products, etc. Anyone is welcome!
Click here to join:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/viewpointscommunitychat/?yguid=317526228
See you there!
Jolie
Here is a review of Viewpoints that was posted online this morning. I think the article is fair given our early stage. But, more importantly, I think the comments (albeit 3 of them) are even more spot on.
Take a look. What do you think?
Patty and Libby are our stars for the day!
Five More Important Facts About User Reviews in E-tail. by
Greg Howlett
Here are some facts about the use of user reviews that come from a presentation I heard recently from Patti Evans of JupiterResearch.
1) Customers are about twice as likely to write user reviews about good shopping experiences than bad ones. Likewise they are twice as likely to write user reviews about products they like than products they do not like. This is good news for retailers and should help alleviate fears about user reviewers hurting sales.
2) Customers that write user reviews likely spend much more money online. The 20% of online shoppers that write the most reviews account for 32% of total online spending.
3) Almost 50% of online shoppers find user reviews helpful. That 50% spends more online than the other 50%.
4) The top reasons that shoppers use user reviews are to gauge reliability, to judge quality, to make buying decisions, and to narrow options.
5) Shoppers value user reviews almost as much as company-provided information.
User reviews are simply a small part of the shift of the internet toward user generated content. If you understand this trend, you know that E-tail will also evolve in that direction. If at all possible, the implementation of user reviews should be part of your strategy.
p.s. If you are reading this far down, here's a tip for you-- YOU CAN NOW FORWARD YOUR REVIEWS TO FRIENDS!!!!
Wow-- our team at Viewpoints is really cranking... even during holiday weeks! :)
Next week will be a big launch for us. We are changing up the WRITE A REVIEW form and making some major changes to the I AM tags.
I look forward to releasing it to all of you next week and getting your feedback.
There is also one other change we are making to the site. Be on the lookout next week! More details to come.........
Happy 4th weekend!
The iPhone is perhaps one of the most anticipated consumer electronic gadgets to date. It has gotten more than six whole months of media attention, hype, praise, slamming, speculation and lots of expectation....!
Well, d-day is here. It is the moment of truth. It's your turn to give it the real-world test.
Be certain to stop by and tell us what you think TOMORROW. That is, if you can get your hands on it. :)
As most of you know, we launched a few new cool features this past weekend. There are two that I want to call your attention to:
PRIMARY PHOTO UPLOAD
You now have the ability to upload your own photo to a review to make it "complete". Simply start writing a review and if we dont have it in our database, you can add it. At the bottom of the page, you will see a photo icon for adding the primary photo the site. This is GREAT! (and saves me lots of time! wink.)
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS
You can now invite friends through the site. Simply go to your PROFILE page. Just above your friends list you will see an envelope with little people coming out of it (see above image). Simply click on that and you can invite your friends. When you do, if they join, they will automatically be added to your friends list. :) And, we will notify you if they accept! If you type in a friend that already exists, no worries, it wont send to them!
Over the coming weeks, we are adding several great features related to tags and search. We are working on the things you tell us.... so keep the ideas flowing!
Thanks for all the great feedback!
We are launching two new cool features over the coming days. (I keep asking and our tech team keeps delivering!! This is a great combo)
There may even be a sneak peak over the weekend. Be on the lookout. :)
Hope you enjoy these new features.......................
Think summer.
I recently hit 140 reviews. I thought I would be brain dead by now. But, alas, I am not. I still have a lot of review writing in me!
Right now, I am thinking summer. What are you thinking?
Here is some summer inspiration if you are reaching burnout...
1. Sun protection-- Suntan lotions, fake tanners, eyewear
2. Sporting goods-- Best softball bats, motorcycle helmets
3. Swim gear--swimsuits, swim diapers, inflatables
4. Keeping cool-- air conditioners, portable air conditioners, fans, humidifiers
5. Travel-- best summer destinations, hotel stays, concerts, cruises, Orlando
6. Grilling-- grill, utensils, marinade, tools
7. Workout- Bowflex, Elliptical, blood pressure monitors
8. Dieting- Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Alli
9. Bikes- bike, helmets, water bottles, pumps, locks, storage, etc.
10. Best summer dining
Also, people really want to know about LAS VEGAS. Do you have any favorite Vegas reviews to share? The Wynn, Tropicana, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, Vegas to do's????
I'll keep the inspiration coming. And, of course, write a few of my own......
Arrivederci.
The last few weeks have been busy on the 4th floor of 444 N. Wells. Chicago has been buzzing with people because there is a major interior designer conference going on. Just kidding! Yes, there is a conference and the streets are buzzing. But, the real work is getting done at yes- you guessed it—our offices.
So, what have we been up to?
Last week we launched EMAIL and RSS.
For those of you that havent checked it out yet, simply go to your profile page and click on the EMAIL tab. You can then mark your settings and tell us what email updates you want and WHEN you want them. It’s pretty cool!
For our readers, we also rolled out a shopping comparison engine at the end of a review. So, if you have a product that we have shopping data on, we will display it for you. Purchasing the product you read about has become WAY easier. This data is provided by shopping.com.
Last night, we rolled out a slew of new changes to the site:
We also have more than you could imagine in the works. Over the next 3 months, we will be introducing:
If you have suggestions on our products or have ideas on how to make the service better, please don’t hesitate to email me directly at jolie(at)viewpoints(dot)com. We always want to hear from you! And trust me, we are very ACTIVE listeners. smile.
Just wanted to say CONGRATS to our first writer to reach 300 reviews. Patty Therre. And, in honor of her 300th review, she posted her favorite beauty product. Read here.
Please take a moment to congratulate her on this major achievement. You're amazing, Patty!!
In honor of my review today on Shape Magazine (read here), I thought I would write an entry that focuses on all of our great workout/healthy living related reviews.
This time of year, when people are showing more skin, living healthy is even more important. (okay, so it should matter all year-- but it especially matters now!)
Check out some of these great reviews from our writers....
1. See RoseRighter. She has been writing tons about dieting and healthy living. You can go to her profile page here: http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/roserighter.
2. Check out Jo. She is a personal trainer and writing about everything from cycling to ab workouts to treadmills. Read her reviews here: http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/Jo
3. Visit Patty's page. Patty, our resident beauty diva also dubbs as our workout video junkie. :) She owns hundreds of workout videos and has started reviewing them all. See at least 7 now... but stay tuned for more. Here's Patty's page.
4. And, introducing, our new Nutrition writer. Ronni, author of the TRANS FAT FREE KITCHEN, is writing at www.viewpoints.com and wants to help you! Here is a link to her profile page. Stay tuned for her great food tips.
And, if you havent noticed already, Viewpoints.com just launched EMAIL AND RSS. That's right. If you want to sign up for a feed of reviews from any of the above writers, it is easy! Simply go to their page and click on the email or RSS icon. Or, you can access it from the email tab on your profile page!
Hi everybody. I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!
Since I just got back from some personal time off, my entry today will be personal. Then, back to the work grindstone.
As many of you know, I headed out for vacation a couple of weeks ago. I had an awesome trip in Hilton Head with my family during that time. It was so nice to get back to the basics and take a little time to enjoy my kids, nature and my husband. We just dont do that often enough. We also got lucky enough to have my mom and uncle down for a few days midweek. So, my husband and I got to take some leisurely bike rides and my kids got some quality time with my family. How great.
I wanted to share a couple of life lessons that I was reminded of on my trip. Here goes...
1. Life's too short to skip out on the simple pleasures. I forgot how much I liked to bike, walk in the woods, hike, and just enjoy the outdoors. When you live in a big city-- you just dont do that often enough.
2. I cant wait 8 month to take a day off. Wow!! It's amazing how rejuvenated you become when you take a few days off. It's healthy for me, for you and for the team. :)
3. I took time to appreciate the smiles, giggles, and hugs from my kids. I rarely get to spend 10 straight days, 24-7 with my kids. They are so charming and innocent. When you have a long day and come home to preparing dinner and being a full-time mommy, you dont appreciate the small stuff. I have to say, I appreciate it. I really appreciate it.
4. Renting a house is a must. You can move at your own pace, BBQ, eat healthy, swim, make as much noise as you want, etc. The best way to travel in my opinion.
5. Reconsider your flight if you are on US Airways. The staff was generally nice but the seating/flight assignments were horrible. Would you believe they scattered the seats for my family ALL over the plane? Meaning-- my husband in row 7. Me, row 12. My son, row 19, etc. (did I mention he is 3)They told me to basically beg people to move when I got on the plane. Are you kidding???
Now, back to work. No more smelling roses... jump chomping on cheetos.
Some of the feedback we have gotten on www.viewpoints.com is that people LOVE -- yes, L-O-V-E being able to write about anything they want! Everyone has different passions-- from gardening to art galleries to musical instruments. And, how great that everyone can co-exist at www.viewpoints.com and find their own voice.
But my hunch is that some new people dont know where to start. The endless options are overwhelming for some. So, if you find yourself in that camp, dont despair. Let me lend you a helping hand.
First, think about something you love. What are you passionate about? Is it is the movies? books? cycling? gadgets? Macs? Then, start there!
Or, think about a product you cant live without. Is it your car? your scooter? TV? tevo? HDTV? Computer? Wireless? WRITE ABOUT IT. Tell everyone how great it is.
Now, what about a product that left a bad impression? Do you dislike your razor? How about a recent hotel stay? A movie you recently saw.
And, even easier, surf around. Scan our home page. What are other people writing about? Get inspiration from others.
You can also scan our categories. Are you a new mom? Write in baby! Are you an athlete? Write in sports!
It actually doesnt involve all that much thinking. Jump right in! You're an expert if you own something. So, spread the word. It is easy and FUN!!
Oh, and here are a few categories you may want to think about: cookware, movies, cars, gardening, bbqing, facial cream, fitness equiptment and more!
Check out our first press release here.
If you want just a snippet, I am including the below...
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Opinions are like noses, they say—everyone has one. And for those of us who have way more than one (opinions, that is, not noses), there’s now an online home just for you.
Viewpoints.com, a recently-debuted Web site, gives people who enjoy reading or writing reviews a one-stop outlet for topics ranging from laptops to hotels, blenders, even hospitals and schools. Nearly 700 categories, in fact, make Viewpoints.com the most comprehensive “citizen review” resource on the Web.
“Through more than 100 hours of interviews with people who like the review process, we discovered two major sources of frustration,” said Matt Moog, founder and CEO of Viewpoints.com. “First, reviewers are frustrated that there is no single web site where they can build their reputation by reviewing products and services across a broad set of categories. Second, while most people favor user reviews, they would like to know more about the reviewers.”
Moog, former chief executive of Q Interactive (formerly CoolSavings), a leading interactive marketing services company, realized the need for such a site back in 2005 when his father was facing serious health issues.
“I wanted to find the best specialist in the world for my father, and was shocked at the lack of information online. I was forced to work the phones for recommendations,” he recalled. “It occurred to me that the Internet fell short on reviews for topics that aren’t in some way product-related.” He later resolved to build a site where people could review anything and everything—a true community for the sharing of thoughts and opinions.
“Reviewers are not one dimensional—one day they might be moved to write a book review, the next day a hotel review, and the next a review of their favorite restaurant,” Moog observed. “Why should they have to go to three different web sites to do that?”
Like me, are you trying to figure out a good present for Dad's day? Well, why not tap into other Dad's to see what they like? We have all kinds of Dad's on the site-- single dads, gadget geeks, magazine enthusiasts, mac addicts, and more. Here are a couple of ideas from them... and in many cases, you can buy directly from the site.
1. Magazines. What better gift for Dad than magazines? Check out our magazine reviews. Be sure to read reviews from Bryan- our magazine enthusiast. My personal favorite is MENTAL FLOSS.
2. New digital camera. If Dad is in the market for a new digital camera, check out all of our great, highly personal reviews on the topic.
3. The latest new cell phone/smart phone. What Dad doesnt like gadgets? Cell phones and more. Read reviews from Dad's like yours in our cell phone category.
4. Custom picture of Man's best friend. Read the review of an artist that does inexpensive renderings of your dogs. They are amazing!
5. A few other ideas: Computer Software, (check out Libby's review on learning Italian) Grills, Home Office supplies, and more....
Or, simply come browse the site and I AM tags and find a great, personalized present for your Dad or husband!
First, I wanted to say thank you to everyone that has participated in our community to date. I know how easy it is to jump on the bandwagon once a business is soaring. It is much harder during it's infancy. SO, THANK YOU! Thanks for helping make the Viewpoints community possible.
For those of you that are joining us now, I wanted to let you know that we have been live for 2 weeks. Yes, 2 weeks. For lack of a better analogy, we are learning to crawl right now. We are quickly getting our bearings and will be walking soon. And, before you know it-- running and hopefully doing a marathon.
Some of you have noticed that your stats are pretty low right now. It may be a bit of a surprise to you, but definitely not to us. That's because:
1. Most of the stats are driven by members-- not page views! Far more people are reading your work. (in fact, I had someone call me the other day to say they read Patty's review of her fathers nursing home and were in tears... but they werent a member! So, they didnt leave feedback for her. BTW- if you havent read the review, check it out...)
2. We have not started advertising yet. We are still working on some features before we make a huge blast to the public!
3. Google hasnt totally found us yet. So, the "search" game isnt on yet.
Right now, we are really in a "soft" launch. We are testing the waters, meeting all of you, and laying the foundation before we really get our game on! :) Coming soon-- in June and July, we will be ramping up! So, please be patient with us during the infant stages.
We are learning and we are happy to have you here learning with us. We really appreciate your patience.
Get ready for a great journey!
What did you get YOUR MOM for Mother's Day? If you want to go beyond chocolates and flowers and are scrambling for a last minute mother's day gift (Yes, it's Sunday), I wanted to highlight for you a couple of great things to consider that are still doable and will blow her away--depending on her interests...
Happy Mom's Day to all of you Mom's out there. And, for those buying presents, hope this helped a little.
Never a dull moment here at Viewpoints.
New Tools
We have a long list of projects that we can't wait to roll out! Over the coming months, we will be introducing everything from email updates to RSS. And, if you can believe, we will also introduce tools that will make it even easier to write reviews (imagine that!). Dont worry--we havent forgotten about your friends too. We know you want to connect with them more! We promise to give you all the tools that will make it easy to stay connected to your friends at Viewpoints. :) We think we have lots of great ideas, but if you have specific ideas of your own, take a moment and drop us a line. We want to know what you think.
Friends
Have you invited your friends to Viewpoints? We are waiting for them.... Wouldnt it be great if you could swap favorites with the people you trust most? If we all invite 3 friends, we will triple the size of the community and referrals over night. Give it a try. Your friends just might have fun!
Here is some text you can forward along to them...
Meet Scorpioeyez's. (photo: copyright Joysha Fajaro)
Here is an interesting post from TechCrunch the other day. It brings new meaning to community rules. It's a tough spot to be in. Im glad Im not there... yet! :)
Digg Surrenders to Mob
Posted: 01 May 2007 11:48 PM GMT-06:00
To say what happened today on Digg was a “user revolt” is an understatement. The Digg team deleted a story that linked to the decryption key for HD DVDs after receiving a take down demand and all hell broke loose. More stories appeared and were deleted, and users posting the stories were suspended.
That just got the Digg community fired up, and soon the entire Digg home page was filled with stories containing the decryption key. The users had taken control of the site, and unless Digg went into wholesale deletion mode and suspended a large portion of their users, there was absolutely nothing they could do to stop it.
Digg CEO Jay Adelson responded on the Digg blog earlier this afternoon but it was clear he did not yet understand the chaos that was coming. The post only added fuel to the fire. Just now, co-founder Kevin Rose posted yet again on the Digg blog, effectively capitulating to the mob’s demands: He says
But now, after seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you’ve made it clear. You’d rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company. We hear you, and effective immediately we won’t delete stories or comments containing the code and will deal with whatever the consequences might be.
If we lose, then what the hell, at least we died trying. Until today, it seems, even Digg didn’t fully understand the power of its community to determine what is “news.” I think the community made their point crystal clear.
Vive La Revolution.
We have worked non-stop, day and night, over the last 7 months to build www.viewpoints.com. And now the big day is upon us. I cant believe it. I also cant believe we actually set the site live last night. What? Yes. We launched the site last night-- 2 days early!! Does that ever happen? Do technical teams ever blow away a deadline? No. Never. But our rockstar tech team proved it can be done.
This moment is pretty surreal actually. I have been talking blindly about a site for so long. I have made promises and built hopes. I have told people of a site I am helping to build that is focused on real peoples experiences-- with no pretense, a welcoming community and smart people/writers. And, today, the world gets to see it.
While its not perfect, it is pretty awesome to see it up and live. I am excited about today but even more excited about tomorrow, a month from now and 5 years from now. I think we built something great and differentiated that can truly stand the test of time. Oh, and it feels good to be there too!
So, the promises and hopes of a new and improved review experience still stand. Now, it is all about delivery!
If you havent checked us out yet, head to www.viewpoints.com. Ill meet you there! Im addicted.
I wanted to share an interesting email that was sent out yesterday by NYT (in their Circuits email).
We have debated a lot internally about whether someone can come into our community and comment on reviews without revealing who they are. We landed quite simply at NO. You cant comment unless you become a member. While our writers will lose the opportunity of hearing a lot of potentially good feedback, we are taking this tiny step to guard them from what could be an offense. We thought the trade off was worth it.
Take a look at the email... a fun and telling story.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
THIS WEEK IN CIRCUITS: Looking Perfect, One Pixel at a Time
Is It Time for An Online Code of Conduct?
When I was just out of college in the late 1980's, I made a lot of computer house calls in New York (all right, apartment calls). During those years, I learned an awful lot about people and the dichotomy between their public and private personalities.
One client in particular has never left my mind. She was a wealthy woman with an astonishingly huge apartment -- and an astonishingly sour personality.
Whenever menials like me were around, she played a game whose name, I now realize, was "You're Wrong."
It began the moment she answered the doorbell. "Well, don't just stand there like a mannequin. I'm not paying you $25 an hour to just stand there. Go inside."
So, mumbling apologies, I entered the apartment and set down my bag next to the computer desk.
"Not there, not there!" she shrieked. "You'll get dirt on the carpet! Put it out there in the pantry. Have some respect for people's things!"
If I then reached to turn on the computer, it was, "Don't do it yourself! How do you expect me to learn if you do everything for me? Don't treat me like I'm some kind of idiot!" But if, on the next visit, I invited her to turn on the machine herself, she shot back, "How should I know how to turn it on? If I knew how to use the computer already, I wouldn't be paying you $25 an hour, now would I?"
No matter what you said, on any subject, no matter how neutral, Mrs. Cronkwitz could find fault with it. (Yes, this was the same woman who berated me for suggesting that her daisy-wheel printer couldn't print graphics.) Her simple rule was: "If you can't say something negative, don't say it at all."
I think about Mrs. Cronkwitz's game every time I read the comments on any online forum that accepts anonymous postings, like Digg.com or YouTube. It's all a big contest to see who can spit with the most venom on any product, any idea, any topic.
Just once, I'd love to see how many products, ideas and topics these people come up with themselves. (Actually, I already know: None, because most of 'em are still in high school.)
I know I have been MIA for about the last week. My apologies. I am back in action! Here are a few questions I have been asked lately from many of you....
Where is the writer of the week?
For some that may mean it's workout time! For me, it means, CRUNCH MODE.
Sorry I have been remiss in my writing this week. It's crunch time here at Viewpoints. We are in our final development stages before we go live to the public.
We are working around the clock to put the finishing touches on the site. So, bear with me as I live with the dead for the next week or so. I am working hard to ensure your experiences at Viewpoints are as good as they can be when we fling the doors open. And, promise you will be nice to the 7 person start-up, knowing that we have many more great features in store for the future!
11 days until the doors fly open... but who is counting????
Meet Anne. She is an incredibly dynamic and funny childrens book reviewer. (well, she has lots of other great things to say too!) I should also mention that she is an organic user, multi-cultural enthusiast and proud Mom of 2. In two weeks flat, you can check her out on our site! You will definitely love her reviews. Check out her photo. Dont you like her already?
Here is a brief description of Anne (courtesy, of Anne herself!)
I am a fairy godmother in training. I bestow kisses and dispense hugs to my two favorite elves, who work hard at being good and playing nice. I grant the occasional wish too, though I have to remind them I'm not the Money Wizard. I believe in hand-me-downs, whether toys or clothes. It's a value that's out of sync with our disposable society, I suppose, but I work my magic where I can.
I am paper trained. I put myself through grad school for journalism at that awkward in-between stage, when Woodward and Bernstein were ancient history, but the digital age hadn't yet dawned. I was almost alone in refusing to see newspapers as sacrosanct, but I absorbed their core values: to remain skeptical, do my own legwork, be my own best editor, and to pick words like wild mushrooms--the wrong ones can kill you.
The picture book reviews that I post here at Viewpoints come from my blog, Book Buds Kidlit Reviews (www.bookbuds.net). I'm so obsessed, I also co-founded a contest called the Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards (www.cybils.com). I hope you'll join me at either of those sites, or here at Viewpoints as we enter a new age of consumer advocacy.
Recently, there has been a lot of good press around the value of peer to peer reviews specifically in the travel space. I wanted to share a few excerpts that I thought were interesting...
Just how trustworthy is Travel 2.0? By Rob Lovitt, Travel writer, MSNBC
Thank you, rossbo1, alas1976 and the rest of you folks who have recently stayed at the Doubletree Hotel Santa Ana. Based on the information you generously shared online, I now know what to expect during my family’s upcoming stay: The beds are soft, but firm; the parking is free, yet ridiculously expensive; and the chain’s signature cookies are very good, no better than Mrs. Fields and hardly ever available.
Welcome to what some have dubbed Travel 2.0, that unfiltered, open-ended universe where anybody with an ISP can discuss their comings and goings and what they found (or hope to find) along the way. The dialogue continues to evolve...it shows no sign of dying down any time soon.
The Web Gives Hotel Guests the Last Word
"NEARLY every morning, over his second cup of coffee, Tom Brady, general manager at the Affinia Chicago, logs onto his computer and surfs over to TripAdvisor.com to see if there are any new postings about his hotel. "It’s an obsession," he said. If the review is positive he moves on. If it’s unfavorable — like the complaint posted in March from a guest who had received a $90 parking ticket because of a valet’s error — he’s on it immediately. In that case, he marched straight out to the valet to find out what had happened. After identifying the guest, he made sure that the company issued an apology and a reimbursement for the ticket. "This is all over the world," he said, describing his concern about any negative comment on TripAdvisor.
I continue to be impressed daily when I visit the alpha site. We have about 25 active testers and they are writing high quality reviews, a high volume of reviews, and so quickly finding their personal voice on the site! It is so great to see-- especially since that "voice" is the heart of our offering.
I also appreciate that as people find their voice, they decide what they want to write about and for how long. Everybody has a different style-- some short, some long. Some about Health and Beauty, some about Travel, some about Music, some about a local vendor. You very quickly see peoples passions and interests and personal style. Isn't that what reviews and recommendations are all about?
It is also a place where a writer can be the writer THEY WANT TO BE. People arent there to criticize or judge. Our community values difference and wants to help people make smart decisions.
Here is a sample of some of the reviews that you will see at Viewpoints. We are less than one month away from opening the doors-- and I am sure we are going to BLOW the doors off with our great community. In my opinion, we already have!
Top fitness products- by a personal trainer
Home office supplies for tall people- by a guy that is 6'7"
Best hotels in the Southwest- by our expert travel writer
Good technical tools for the hearing impaired- by our writer that is suffering from hearing loss
Anti-aging products- by our beauty writer
Beer reviews- by our beer connoisseur
Car reviews- by our car junkie
Best B&Bs- from our boutique hotel stayer
The list is endless.... we cant wait for everyone to get in and make their point!
Check out Brian-- which one is he??? Here is a hint-- he was inspired by one of these photos. Does this tell you something about him? He is a pretty funny guy!
Meet Niki T. Please welcome Niki to the Viewpoints community!
I think I need review therapy already.
I now see the world through a different lens (and so does my bank account!). Everywhere I go, I think review. I walk down the street, walk into my kids schools, see a play, take a cooking class, read a magazine. I now think- ah hah! I can review it!
60 reviews was a breeze.
I just started writing about things I am passionate about. Before I knew it, I had 60 reviews. And, the proof is in the pudding. Libby, our featured reviewer last week, has nearly surpassed me. Patty, Jo and Cat are close after. Anne has reached 180+ reviews. And, Bryan wrote 10 reviews in 3 days. Wow!
So many categories, so many options
As you all know, we are a totally open network. That means you can rate and review any product or service you want. I have managed to make a mark in the baby's and kids category. However, I just scratched the service of my travel reviews. I could write forever! I love the opportunities are endless.
I love my profile page-- but love others more!
On my profile page of the site, I can post photos of my family, receive compliments, see all my reviews, see fans of my work and read others reviews. (I can see the newest reviews from my "friends and fans") But, more importantly, I love exploring everyone else's profile pages. I like seeing photos of where they live, the kids, their passions, their love for nature, etc. I am thrilled to get to know all these great people! P.S. I have invited my husband and brother on to "test" for me since I know they will be brutally honest. So if you stumble upon them, tell them how lucky they are to have me (hehehehehe)!
I have realized more than ever that to be successful, you need to be one with the community. Running a company from afar just doesnt work. You need to know the community, appreciate the community and listen to their voice. And, we do! On a daily basis, we listen attentively, incorporate feedback from our test reviewers and refine the service.
This is such a great ride and we are lucky to have such great passengers!
One month to go before we open the doors! I cant wait to have you all there.
I wanted to introduce one of our top reviewers- Libby. She is a fabulous travel writer, but also has many other great experiences to share in a fun, easy to read manner. I have personally enjoyed getting to know Libby over the last few months. She is dynamic, engaging and completely on the ball :) (did I happen to mention that I love that?)
Here's what Libby has to say:
Lucky me - I'm a professional freelance writer, based in tropical southwest Florida, but travelling constantly for articles about great destinations and hotels, food, special events, and fascinating personalities. (See clips of my work at www.libbymcmillan.com) My calendar is filling up for this year, with upcoming trips to Fort Lauderdale, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon, Sonoma, Mendocino, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Palm Beach, Singer Island, Miami Beach and more!
I'm about to launch a personalized web site that shares my favorite places in great detail, and include handy travel tips and the ability to book rooms - I'll be featuring the best places I know to create your own special memories. (Sneak preview: My favorite spots in Italy will be featured, as well as the great American Southwest, Maine, the Blue Ridge Mtns, and plenty of Florida hot spots).
In the meantime, BestOfSanibelCaptiva.com - the web site I own about the islands where I'm based - also keeps me busy: Our message board gets 1,000 people per day, all planning their trip to southwest Florida.
Please visit me at Viewpoints, and thanks in advance for reading my reviews! ;-)
The last time I wrote was last Friday. It seems like forever ago. I really missed writing in my blog. I have realized that it is a great way to keep track of what's going on and an even easier way to disseminate information. I guess you can say that I am a believer in the medium. I wish I just had more spare time. (getting a new business off the ground can be time consuming ;))
While I believe in blogs, I am an even bigger believer in reviews as a medium to help others. Over the last week or so, we launched our alpha and invited about 20 people in to test the site. I have had such a great time being on the site with actual users. Here are a few of my key takeaways.
Oh, did I happen to mention that I am now poor? With reviews from about 20 people that I trust, I have spent more money over the last few weeks than I have in months. These writers are great! They have opened my eyes to so many valuable products and services. I have to curb this quickly!
All in all, I am really excited to introduce more of you to the community. The next round of invites will likely come in mid-April. Many of you have reached out already asking to be included. For those that havent, let me know and I can see what I can do. This is great fun! But be careful, because it really is addictive!I wanted to share with all of you a sample review that I posted on Viewpoints in the alpha. This will give you an idea of what we are building toward. Honestly, this is a long review from our perspective, but when you are passionate about the topic, you cant help yourself. Enjoy!
Background
The Art Institute of Chicago is a second home for me. Having gone since a small child, I know most of the collections inside and out. In addition, I have taken classes at the museum and even interned there while in college-- one of my majors in college was Art History (Journalism was my primary one). I have visited art museums all over the world and even studied art in Italy. That all added to the fact that my mom is an artist makes me an absolute art lover!
The Permanent Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago
French Impressionism is my passion. So, that is what I will focus on in my review. Short of going to France and the Louvre, you really cant find a better French Impressionism collection than the one at the Art Institute of Chicago. They have an outstanding collection of Monet, Cassat, Morisot, Manet, Renior and Degas-- all the leaders of the impressionist movement. They also have two very large paintings that adorn many impressionist books- Paris, A Rainy Day by Caillebotte and Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Seurat (the large painting of people sitting on the Sienne made out of all dots). Those two paintings alone are worth a visit to the museum. They are the signature works.
The post impressionist collection is also quite strong with a nice collection of Van Gogh, Rousseau, Picasso (some blue period), Cezanne and others. It is also located on the same level as the Impressionist work, so you can run through very easily. While the Impressionist collection is the hallmark of the museum (in my opinion) the Asian, Armour, African and Furniture exhibits are all good too. If you are looking for contemporary art, you will find a solid collection here. (though, if you want to get really modern, I would recommend that you walk through the Art Institute collection and then head to the museum of contemporary art located about a mile away.) You should be certain to check out Grant Woods' American Gothic, Edward Hoppers' Nighthawks, and several of the Kandinksy's and Pollacks. They also have a good collection of Dali, O'Keefe and Warhol's.
The Special Exhibits
The Art Institute of Chicago generally has some outstanding special exhibits. Often times, they are linked to Impressionism-- so check before coming.
Tip
Did you know that the Art Institute of Chicago is donation based entry? It is one of the only art museums in the world that will take any donation and let you in. So, you can pay $1 and still get in and enjoy all the benefits of entry. They of course recommend that you pay more (and I am a big believer of supporting the arts), but if you cant afford it, they dont want to turn you down.
Personal Story
I once took a group of women from a homeless shelter to the museum and gave them a private tour and history lesson. I was able to make a $20 donation and get everyone in. Once we were inside I walked them around and gave them history on all the paintings. They felt so special and so cultured. I realized that anyone can love art... its not what you know, it's how it makes you feel. And, the AIC makes you feel really great when you visit.
Links:
Sunday Afternoon Write up
Art Institute of Chicago Website
Hi Everyone!
Given that we are in alpha launch and several of you are testing the tool, I think I can reduce the amount of entries I write on my blog weekly. (for those of you that want to be a tester but dont have access now, email me and I can see what I can do!) Expect starting next week to hear from me 2 times per week. I will plan to give you the same updates just in a condensed format. I will also randomly insert some of my own commentary too.
Now... back to business. Wink.
Meet our reviewer of the week- Jo. I have spent a great deal of time with Jo since we started the business. She is an avid writer online with tons of knowledge of the online space. She is passionate and excited 
and always eager to jump in...
Jo took a moment to write her profile, viewpoints style on her blog. I thought some of you may be interested in reading more about her.
Here's a snippet from Jo's blog. For more, check out her blog.
I am a mom; wife; daughter; former social worker and former substitute teacher (Yes I did have paper airplanes thrown at me and that was by 11th graders.). I am currently a Certified Personal Trainer; computer addict; traveler; camper; lover of dogs; and am political. I bike ride for fun; I take pictures for fun and I write for fun. My children thought I was having a mid-life crisis when in my 40s I announced I wanted to become a trainer. They quickly loved having a trainer as a mom.
I am married for the second time and have two amazing daughters from my first marriage. I will tell you but only if you ask that I don’t recommend marrying into a stepfamily until the children are out of the house!My husband and I married when the girls were three and five. My stepson was at a really tough age – eight. The girls’ biological father wasn’t a drug addict; wife beater; or drunk. He was just absent. My husband adopted the girls in December, 2004 when they were 24 and 26. My step-son is doing well as an entrepreneur. Our now 26-year old is a medical doctor; and our 28-year old is a Ph.D. student who recently got married.When I am not at the gym or doing errands I’m a stay at home mom to the most adorable 3-year old Pomeranian in the world. I don’t know how she hasn’t been discovered yet! I must brag though and tell you that she has been photographed by the AP and our local newspaper.I practice Yoga and meditate.I have strong thoughts about a lot of things. I have written about my dislike of the term broken home; the word dysfunctional; the word tolerance and the word stepchild. There may not be a subject to which I haven’t put my voice (or in this case fingers).I met my husband through a personal ad and if you don't believe in love at first site you should! I'm a liberal Democrat, a baby-boomer and I was at the real Woodstock in 1969. I'm pro-choice, against spanking, a proponent of the public schools and feel a woman has the right to breastfeed or not and don’t believe in coincidences. I don’t believe education is ever wasted. I don’t believe children spoil; only fruit does. Although I don’t march in Washington anymore we went go to a peace rally when W was at Kennebunkport, Maine for a wedding.I support our troops; I don’t support war- specifically this one.We love to travel and try not to go to the same place twice. Our most exotic trip was to the Galapagos Islands. The most relaxing was sailing in the British Virgin Islands.
For more on Jo, check out her blog.
Who watched American Idol last night? I did and I felt like an American Idiot. Who voted these people on? There were performers with promise early on. Haley and Sanjia? Come on.
I have to say that it was one of the most disappointing shows I have seen them produce. (and I am a big fan. I have a huge soft spot for normal people that 'make it') To add insult to injury, they highlighted Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood- all amazing performers.
The only saving grace for me was Diana Ross (I really like her!) Who doesn't?
I look forward to seeing what happens tonight. Hopefully Melinda, Blake and Lakisha stay. They have the most promise in my opinion and deserve a shot and stardom.
Today I watched an interesting (albeit dark) video: "Are we in the Web 2.0 bubble?" Putting my business hat on, I have to admit that I am finding many new websites questionable in terms of business models. Many seem all about the here and now. I think one can argue that we are in the era of 'build first and figure out how to make money later'. While in some cases that approach has legs, I really start to question staying power. I am happy to say that I dont put Viewpoints in that camp!
Here is another recent news story. The YouTube copyright issue surfaces again. Viacom is suing YouTube/Google. "The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, marks a sharp escalation of long-simmering tensions between Viacom and YouTube and represents the biggest confrontation to date between a major media company and the hugely popular video-sharing site, which Google bought in November for $1.76 billion."
$1.76 billion. Billion! I am blown away every time I see that number.
