Full disclosure: I work on this campaign. I sincerely believe in participating in this cause and helping Kids In Need. All you have to do is to take the pledge on www.wetones.com. Your pledge (with just one click) will trigger a donation of Wet Ones to a child in need.

Take the Pledge to Help Stop the Spread of Germs: "Pledge today at wetones.com to help keep your family and community healthy this cold and flu season. You'll get a valuable coupon and we'll provide a donation to The Kids In Need Foundation for the first 100,000 pledges submitted!"

World Peace - It Can Happen on Facebook!

Coming from a multi-cultural family and having studied cross-cultural communications, I always thought if people got close enough they would appreciate their differences. Friends and then relatives from different countries can really move us closer to a much higher level of acceptance.

Finally, here's living proof from Facebook. The "peace page" tracks friendships among people from nations who have been in historical conflict. You can watch it in real time, as people connect on Facebook.

Then, there is the survey across nations. Question is whether you believe world peace is achievable. Americans are most pessimistic. Columbians are most optimistic. I guess being exposed to war news is depressing, and making strides against FARC boosts morale!

Can Zappos Service Get Any Better?

Speaking of delivering without asking, check out this email I just got:

"Although you originally ordered Standard (4 to 5 business days) shipping and handling, we have given your order special priority processing in our warehouse and are upgrading the shipping and delivery time frame for your order.Your order will ship out today and be given a special priority shipping status so that you can receive your order even faster than we originally promised!"

One in Five Americans Now a Tweeter

One in Five Americans Now a Tweeter

Thoughts After Moving An Apartment: Kindle vs. Sony eReader

I just moved. And as a self-diagnosed bookworm who has been buying and KEEPING books since age 5, I am not feeling my back. My books are everywhere in the 100 unit apartment building. In the apartment, in the basement shelves, in the building's storage... Sitting among piles and boxes, I entertained the notion of purchasing a Kindle. "Imagine, no more mess. Less Advil. Less dust," I thought. Then I brushed the thought away as I really like the idea of holding a physical book, marking it up if I want to, sharing it with someone...

Fast forward to the phone call when I rang up my Sony credit card service to change my address. The customer service rep was very friendly. She knew her job. She was not reading off of a sheet to ask me how I was doing. Right before I hung up, she asked me if I were thinking of buying an eReader for the holidays. (My credit card offers points for Sony purchases.) I said yeah, maybe, no. She went on with a direct price comparison of Kindle vs the Sony product.

I must admit I was a bit surprised:

A) I didn't expect a phone customer service rep to be so eloquent
B) I didn't think anything Sony produced could cost less than a competitor's

But apparently it is: eReader is coming under $200 this season. Something to consider while I continue to unpack...Kudos to Sony for having such a smooth operator!

NYC: We Want Your App!

The City of New York is holding a competition for a smart app related to NY life in a competition coined as NYC Big Apps. Developers who submit their entries here will have the chance to get a cash prize of $20,000 and attend dinner with Mayor Bloomberg (nice!) The judges include who's who of NY tech scene, and that should encourage any entrepreneur or independent developer who is looking for an opportunity to pitch their best work.

Submissions will come through December 8th. Then the public will vote from December 15th through January 7th. What a great way to support the vibrant tech sector in NY and support local talent.

The competition is looking for entries that will help make NY more accessible and an easier place to live. If I could develop my own app, I would figure out a way to find available cabs on a rainy day!

Kanye Creeps Up on Healthcare Reform - on Twitter!

I could not resist sharing this image when I saw the little red dot in the Twitter word cloud. Our friends at Motivequest have been closely tracking the healthcare reform debate buzz online. The image below shows the various topics and key words mentioned on Twitter, related to this issue. "Obama" and "reform" are obviously in the lead. But what's that red dot? Kanye is still in the mix! He's slowly edging towards the center. Obama, watch out! He's going to steal the stage!