“A Change Will Do You Good”

Dear friends and 2swappers,

There are exciting changes afoot for 2swap.com.

A change will do 2swap good.

We have been working out some organizational issues. But I am happy to report that we are nearly through with that process, we have an overall technology update coming soon, and I will be assuming full control of and responsibility for the site before too long.

You can look forward to more frequent maintenance, faster customer service response times, a more active blog, and some interesting cross-promotions with other companies – both online and off – which should serve to grow the 2swap membership and catalog, and build buzz and excitement around the site.

Please feel welcome to respond below with your comments, suggestions or questions, and we’ll take them into consideration. Thanks for your patience and continued support.

Todd

Important Info About 2SWAP Postage Rates – Read This

This Just In…

Hello Swappers,

In case you haven’t noticed already, we wanted to let you all know that the USPS Media rates have changed. The new postage rates for media mail are as follows:

1lb = $2.23

2lbs = $2.58

3lbs = $2.93

4lbs = $3.28

5lbs = $3.63

We will be updating the information in the auto-generated mailing labels shortly, but wanted to make you all aware of this now so there are no complications or hassles with getting your books out to each other.

Thanks and happy swapping!

NBC – 2SWAP.com TV News Coverage

KNBC, the powerhouse Los Angeles-area NBC affiliate, has a new digital broadcasting initiative called Digital 4.4 News Raw. They produce lots of interesting coverage, including news and stories about cutting edge companies that might not get lots of mainstream attention in a more traditional broadcast news setting.

News Raw content airs on KNBC’s digital channel, on News Raw Online, and on the station’s various traditional/analog newscasts.

Last week, 2SWAP founder Todd Beck went in studio at KNBC for a sit-down interview with Digital 4.4 Anchor Mekahlo Medina. You can check it out here.

Mahalo, Mekahlo!

$3.5 Million Typos? Please stop.

Typos are everywhere. They show up in the NY TIMES, text books, public signage, government forms, and in advertising copy.

In the TIMES, I get it – they publish many thousands of words every day. A couple of glitches here and there are to be expected. It’s actually impressive that there aren’t MORE. In text books, typos aren’t cool. Kids are trying to learn, and if you make them learn from flawed materials, you risk confusion and misunderstanding.

In public signage, it’s easy to see how bureaucracy and lack of attention may result in the occasional mistake. Likewise on a government form.

When it comes to display advertising, which is NOT CHEAP, there is almost no excuse for such mistakes. With so many writers, editors, designers, proof readers, printers and publishers in the mix, it is pretty galling that typos make their way in to $100,000 ads in newspapers and magazines, and sometimes on to billboards and signage.

But there is a special class of typo that has really been bugging me lately. Call it the $3.5 million typo.

Bacon Maple Bars @ Voodoo Doughnut and Wedding Chapel

This has nothing whatever to do with books or swapping, but I just had to post about Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Oregon. Portland is renowned for its counter cultural civic bent, and the guys behind this one-of-a-kind doughnut shack certainly fit the bill.

Now, I should disclose that the traditional Maple Bar is among my top 5 doughnuts, a hallowed list filled out by the Maple Glazed French, the Stan’s Peanutbutter and Banana, and certain Apple Fritters (especially Arlene’s in West L.A., circa 1982, long before they turned it into a Starbucks). I’m not sure what my fifth doughnut is – probably the Krispy Kreme standard glazed, but let’s move on.

Voodoo offers a maple bar with a few crispy strips of bacon riding on top (pictured here). Yes, it sounds like it should be illegal, but there is precedent. First, bacon is often maple-cured. Next, Sona in Los Angeles makes a bacon ice cream that’s very, very good – smoky and sweet. Finally, Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles delivers waffles, butter, chicken, and maple syrup in a commingled and spectacular execution. So…salty…sweet…meaty….doughy…fried. I’m seeing a trend that says maple bacon bars are just fine. Next time I’m in Portland, I’ll check them out.

Oh, the madness doesn’t stop at the maple bacon bar. Voodoo offers Swahili lessons once a week (really), and they run a wedding chapel right there in the doughnut shop where they officiate weddings of all kinds – traditional, same sex, commitment ceremonies, pet weddings, you name it. $175 bucks gets you the chapel, the ceremony, and doughnuts and coffee for 10. A better deal is not likely to be had, unless you consider an unlimited number of gently used books absolutely free of charge to be a better deal. In that case, please keep rocking at 2swap.

Would You Watch A Reality Show About A Book Swapping Website?

Okay, so that’s not a very good idea for a reality TV series, but I’m sure there are plenty of great show ideas out there.

Did you ever read a book that made you think, “They could make a reality TV show out of this.”?

One that comes to mind for me is The Yosemite by John Muir – one of my all-time favorite reads. It’s a series of essays about Muir’s amazing relationship with what is now Yosemite National Park. To attempt to recreate the adventurous spirit, ecological sensitivity, and pioneer’s grit conveyed by Muir’s prose
would be a challenge for any TV production.

I mention it because a new website that launched today wants everyone to send in their unscripted TV show ideas. The site was founded by the guy who created FEAR FACTOR, BIG BROTHER and DEAL OR NO DEAL, so he knows a little bit about making hit TV shows. They promise to pay for any good ideas that they actually develop into a show.

Check it out. It’s online now…TalpaCreative.com

Remembering NBC’s Tim Russert

One of the brightest lights in broadcast news went dark today.  Tim Russert, a leading political commentator, has been a fixture in televised political coverage for as long as I have followed the sport of politics.

In so many ways, he went too soon.

In his 50s.  That’s too soon.

With a college-aged son (just graduated, I understand).  That’s too soon.

On the verge of the 2008 presidential main event.  Russert’s own Olympics, and a season in which I’m sure he would have earned his fair share of gold medals for insightful coverage with the power to both elevate and guide the national conversation.

And two days before Father’s Day.  When he will be so sorely missed by his family.

Take a moment to wish Tim Russert peace, and his family healing.  And remember that he was the author of a popular book on the profundity of the parent-child relationship that’s worth reading (or re-reading).

The Word Is Cookie

2SWAP has gotten some more great press, this time from CookieMag.com.

Cookie is a parenting magazine and website for stylish, sophisticated parents. They gave 2SWAP a shout out in a story about ways to donate or swap things you no longer need.

We truly appreciate Cookie’s love and support. Now we’re going to go have a cookie.

CAPTIVITY IS NO FESTIVAL

FREE THE BOOKS PROTEST AT LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – This weekend in Los Angeles marked the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, an annual book-a-palooza, featuring hundreds of authors, publishers, collectors, retailers, bloggers, media and book lovers. But this year’s Festival was special, because it marked the debut of the BIBLIOPHILE ACTION NETWORK (BAN). This grass-roots group was out in force to protest the shockingly pervasive practice of imprisoning books.

Video of BAN’s most impassioned protest is here.

In a leaflet, BAN declared that “CAPTIVITY IS NO FESTIVAL” (Click to read the captivity-is-no-festival-flyer)

And shared the following facts:

We Love the Green Team

Hello 2SWAPPers!

The green community has been very supportive of our new site and its eco-friendly model. Both www.TreeHugger.com and www.GreenDaily.com have written great pieces about 2SWAP! Take a look for yourself at the following links:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/book-swap-green-choice.php

http://www.greendaily.com/2008/03/31/get-your-college-books-free/

We appreciate the support from these two sites, and from all of you for spreading the word! If you have friends that don’t know about 2SWAP yet, then show them these articles so they can see what our friends at TreeHugger and GreenDaily had to say about us!

Enjoy this extra reading material, and thanks for being green!