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Day: October 17, 2010

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Purple Pride – October 20th – Show YOUR True Colors

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Bullying is a terrible thing – against anyone.  I knew bullies very well growing up, as I was a fat kid.  The bullies made rude comments, ridiculed my clothing no matter how stylishly dressed I thought I was, and criticized any bite of food I put in my mouth, be it a carrot or a cookie.

But I knew someday, it would get better.  I grew up in an overweight family, so I never doubted that at some point, the bullies would be behind me, and I would grow up, find love, have a family, and be whatever I wanted to be.  I was surrounded by other fat people who did all of that and more.

For these six teens – and for the many before, and unfortunately the ones after – bullying killed them.  Each of these young lives saw the only respite from the torment they suffered was to die, by their own hands, to end the pain.  It was the only way out they saw.

We need to let our kids know, whether they are gay or straight; fat or thin; popular or geeky – it gets better.  There is love out there, light in the darkness, hope where there is hopelessness.  It gets better.

Please remember not only these six young men who died tragically, but anyone who has ever been made to feel less than what they are at the hands – or snarky mouth – of a bully.  Be the beacon in the fog of despair for someone.  Wear purple on October 20th.

For more information on how you can help, or to get support as you go through a difficult time, please visit http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/ .

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Farmers Insurance and Zynga FarmVille

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Farmers Insurance airship promotion with Zynga Farmville

Players of Zynga’s Farmville, all 60 million of them, will be able to insure their farms against famine, flood and stampedes thanks to a joint effort with Farmers Insurance. Notice of the upcoming event was given to Zynga farmers on an opening splash screen as the players logged in this morning to check on their virtual farms.

What do you get in game? Farmers will use the likeness of the Farmers Insurance Airship, a 246-foot-long Zeppelin. Farmers place the Airship on their farm and they receive free “wither protection” for the crops on their virtual farm. Similar to the real world benefits and security that Farmers Insurance offer its real world customers, this protection means players’ crops won’t wither for the 10 days of the promotion.

What has not been announced is the materials necessary to construct the airship, if it needs a hanger, or if it will be paid for with FarmVille (FV) cash, or coins.

BTW, is it a blimp or an airship? And was it built by Farmers Insurance?

The Farmers Insurance airship is called Eureka. It is a Zeppelin NT owned and operated by Airship Ventures. It has been branded with the Farmers Insurance name as part of the company’s most recent promotional arrangement. Eureka was built by the German company that created the Hindenburg, which ended its days just down the road from where I went to high school at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey.  Let’s hope they had insurance.

But is it a blimp? No it is not a blimp, but a semi-rigid zeppelin airship.

DISNEY TRIVIA:

The Farmers Insurance airship looks familiar. Have I ever seen it before? Yes Disney fans, you have. Eureka has previously advertised the personal genetics company 23andMe and the Disney film UP.

UPDATE –

The event went live this morning.

Zynga Farmville Farmer's Insurance Greeting message

How do you build the airship? You don’t have to. All you have to do is place the airships anchor point on your farm. Its a 1×1 square so don’t worry about losing a lot of co-op farming space.

Zynga Farmville Farmers Insurance Thank You

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-10-17

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