Early in the year, Race-Dezert.com was approached for the purpose of initiating an advertising campaign. A fraction of the initiative was unconventional and something I had yet to see upon the web. I wanted to park a brand's Facebook and Twitter widget in the direct line of site and embed it above the fold of editorial and community-created forum content. The conventional banner ad was a no-brainer. But the direct engagement social widget advertising was a request that seemingly fell upon death ears.

Just found this slick new Facebook app from the makers of Flip Video Cameras, which enables you to upgrade from the standard photo avatar to a video avatar for your Facebook profile.

Trouble lurks during the length of every computer's operating life. And I've endured more than a few doomsday scenarios when it comes to computers. To thwart the throat-wrenching latch that a imperiled computer hard drive crash might have on my operation, I have used virtually every means of backup one can imagine. I've backed up to web server (still do), DVD backup, CD backup, floppy disk backup (oldschool), zip drive backup, cassette tape backup (ancient), thumb drive, removable drive and on it goes. Perhaps the greatest, though, is offsite backup, as it work regardless of what calamity goes down at the office. Furthermore, the new file sharing capabilities of these online backup services is incredible from a social media perspective as well as from a satellite working perspective for your business sub-contractors and work from home employees. Here's a quick list of some local onsite and offsite online backup options. Contribute to the list as you see fit.

Found this skateboarding video on Vimeo, which happens to be one of my favorite video hosting websites for its HD video file size capabilities. Vimeo's general reach isn't as great as YouTube. But its branding capabilities through its pro accounts is fashionable for marketers looking for a professional social video platform. This skateboarding video features a testicular torture test that takes place on the ski slopes. Skateboarders negotiate rail slides and grinds during during half time of a Canadian snowboard competition.

I absolutely love the topic of news and how it has evolved with the onslaught of social media and the web in general. Hacks have earned the accolade of online news sources. Seasoned news hounds from the stuffy print newspaper newsrooms have been scooped and charge around with chips on their shoulders. Print editors who have allowed stories to slip in favor of allowing someone to slide have been greeted with pink slips. And infotainment editors who charge their way into the Google News feed serve as little more than the day's muckrakers of sensational and sometimes fraudulent headlines who often perform as nothing more than human aggregators or regurgitators. Well, the first link of the lot is not necessarily focused upon the specific subject of muckrackers but is an interesting piece on user-led content and the terms breaking news. Also in the mix is audience targeting when crafting SEO content for your blog or other social media outlet. Conversion rates and followup are also covered. Get your business on.

Got links? Here are some good reads. Perhaps the best of the lot is the 10 free social media tools every public relations (PR) pro should master. And if you're a small businesses and looking for some insight on how to increase the eyeballs landing upon your good name when conducting local business searches, then there's a great link for optimizing your business listing. For those looking for domains for an existing business or a startup, there are five tips to get you started. Got content? There's an excellent strategy for those charged with developing a web content strategy. In my experience, especially for those working as contractors, you'll want to maintain an open stream of communication between client and client assets. Social media strategy, tactics and success is yet another link worthy of a read.

Today's links focus primarily upon promotion of your business through social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook but also include business link building by way of calls to action. The favorite amid the day's links I've read is the Facebook Fan Page app for those looking to boost their brand page's functionality. There is also a link for those interested in youth marketing, which focuses on Generation Y, specifically the convergence of email marketing and social media. And lastly, for those looking for last week's news today, check out the sneak peak on Twitter's redesign.

Here's what we're browsing today. For those looking to hookup with some slick social applications, this post may not be the best of the best. I don't even think it ranks amid the top 100. There may be some nuggets of note. And it may even be worth a read. Or perhaps I'm burned out on the latest and greatest Twitter apps that don't own up to the fervor. Nevertheless, here's where I wasted my time today. Proceed at own risk. And enjoy.

It's rare that I make my way over here to RDC (Race-Dezert). But after a brief review of a Mint photo thread and seeing some good shots, I thought it a good idea to have a photo showdown. While I'm not going to offer any dough, until we can garner some form of sponsorship, I will offer a tweet or two to the winner's URL of choice and offer some web links to the three nominees referenced here.

It's late. It's me. And I'm tired. I have another site that generally serves to host all my off-road racing photos. It used to turn a profit on them and retail e-commerce sales. That is why I was long deserting the idea of hosting a photo gallery here. Why do so when the photos were contributing to my bottom line and double up on the work for nothing.