Todd gave me a beta invite to the new bookmarking site Mento this morning.  He really likes it, and thinks that it is del.icio.us on steroids.  I agree.

More or less the sites are very similar in their core functionality — to bookmark sites with the potential to categorize and share them.  However, Mento has added a few bells and whistles.

While del.icio.us is much more spartan in its design (which isn't necessarily bad –compare Google to Yahoo!), Mento has a lot more graphics and more friendly user interface.  I personally don't mind a spartan site, but Mento is refreshing.  For those who are new to the bookmarking game, they probably would find Mento easier to use.

Another cool bell and whistle that Mento has added is the ability to get a customized screen shot (whole or partial) of a web page that one is bookmarking.  I must admit that this is way cool.  A picture is worth a thousand words, and bookmarking sites aren't made for tomes about links.  Further, it is easy to do.  The tool pops up in one's browser, and the instructions are very clear what to do.

Mento is also gracious enough to understand that we weren't born for the sole purpose of using it.  That's why it allows users to export links from it to other bookmarking sites like del.icio.us, Ma.gnolia, and tumblr.  That's pretty generous.  Of course, can or will also export links to sites like Facebook, which makes perfect sense since bookmarking is a complementary activity to social networking.

If that's not good enough, Mento also enables you to filter the links that your connections can send you or that you'll see as you peruse their bookmarks.  For instance, if Todd tags something "battlestargalactica," I can choose not to see these links.  No offence meant, but I'm a Star Trek guy.  Likewise you can make sure that pages from a certain site are included in what you see.  That's pretty nifty.   

The site is still in beta — thus, a work-in-progress.  But it seems cool to me.  If you would like an invite to test the site, either leave a comment below or send us a direct message through The Bivings Group's Twitter page.

I posted a link on our Twitter account a few days back about Jim Brady from the Washington Post’s call for commenters on newspaper websites to post using their real names.  In doing away with anonymous commenting, he is hoping to improve the generally low level of discourse you find on many media sites.  Here is his justification:

I think part of the problem is that people aren’t held accountable on the Web.  People say things online they would never say when disagreeing with someone at the dinner table. I think heated debate is fine, but when there are (flame wars), many people won’t take part for fear they will be attacked and bashed over the head with the (Internet-equivalent) of a steel pipe.

I have mixed feelings about this.  On the one hand, I think there is a tradition of respecting anonymity on the Internet that has value, and I am generally opposed to putting up barriers that hinder discussion.  On the other hand, the comment sections on many newspaper website are completely broken and I think Brady’s solution would probably work.

Anyway, the whole issue got me thinking about steps I think media companies should take to improve their comments sections, short of requiring people to post using their real names.  Below are my ideas based on my experience in trying to manage active comments areas for a variety of clients (we don’t have a comment problem on our own site so we haven’t taken a lot of these steps here):

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• Nearly 1 in 4 emails to opt-in addresses lands in junk/bulk folders
  From 10/1/07 - 12/31/07, Lyris HQ EmailAdvisor monitored the full delivery trajectories of 436,558 production level, permission-based email marketing messages sent from 69 different businesses and non-profit orgs to multiple accounts at 59 domains...

If you own a computer and have a disposable income, chances are good that you have bought something via Amazon.com, a well-known site dedicated to being the Internet's largest store.  The site boasts many features, including discount prices, lists of recommendations for frequent users, and intuitive search features.  A past blog post on The Bivings Report highlights one of Amazon's recent user-friendly upgrades.

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Rania Al Abdullah has raised the bar with her forward thinking Web-based approach to international diplomacy.

• The Gluten Free Insider
  This is maybe my favorite corporate blog ever.
• Skitch.com > akeenan
  maybe my new favorite thing ever.

Last Thursday, workers and immigrants made a unified call for social justice in honor of May Day. By refusing to work, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union shut down all 29 West Coast ports to call for an end to the war in Iraq. And throughout the day, anti-war and pro-immigrant marches broke out all over San Francisco.

Later that day, I took my video camera out to the Castro, San Francisco's gay neighborhood, to ask people how they felt about these issues, and to challenge the Human Rights Campaign for its recent endorsement of pro-war Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is running against anti-war and LGBT ally Tom Allen.

It's that time of year - What to get mother!

As you all know, Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 11. If your mom is like mine, she'll say, "oh, you don't need to get me something, a card will do." This is simply a test so see how well I know her. All hell would break loose if I didn't get her something on Mother's Day.

Here are few gift-giving ideas from our member groups. Also consider donating to these groups, or other DIA member groups , on behalf of mom.

- For the hip, feminist mom (Bueller.... Bueller) check out the Feminists Majority Store.

- For the mom that LOVES democracy, necklaces or belt buckles from check out Mainstreet Moms.

- Find a huge variety of items through West Virginia Free.

- Send a Mothers Day card via MomsRising, (followed by a gift of course).

- New mothers will LOVE the stylish shirts, bags and mugs brought to you by MomsRising.

- Fair trade gifts are always a hit and will benefit Women Thrive Worldwide.

For the mom who doesn't need stuff, is pure of heart, or you simply can't please, consider a gift membership from the Women's Learning Partnership, the Women's Funding Network, or WomenInBalance .

If none of these really work, go for the old stand by, single origin chocolate, from Missoula based
Posh Chocolate.. These chocolates really are the best in the West.

Hope this helps!