The Topicability of the Purple Star

The topicability of the purple star ... in the titles of lenses. Well it was just another Wednesday morning for me until I ventured into the SquidU Forum to find that yikes, my Stuffed Cabbage lens was a hot topic of discussion in that a star symbol had been inserted into the title of the lens after the title of "Stuffed Cabbage."





To help you determine how you would like to weigh in on the debate about showing special characters in lens titles, I have included a snapshot of the Stuffed Cabbage lens with the open shadowed star design that I currently employ on my twitter profile. Thus far, I have heard no comments one way or the other on the appearance of the stars on my twitter profile. So, I can't weigh in with the scientific evidence about that.

However, a few lensmasters have mentioned that browsers other than FireFox do not recognize this special shadowed open star! Hmmm -- must fix that!


OK -- so this snapshot above of my Stuffed Cabbage lens uses a special character star that I believe should image correctly in browsers other than FireFox. It doesn't quite have the impact of the other star and it is definitely not purple -- haven't figured that one out.

Well, the purple stars are being handed out now at a rate of 21 per week -- we will be close to one hundred lenses I think by the end of this week. I've got ONLY one purple star while there are lensmasters with 2 purple stars and quite possibly some of these lensmasters may earn a third purple star in the near future. I'm holding my breathe for a second one although I did NOT nominate any of my lenses this week.

So, what do you think? Like any of these stars in the titles? Actually, thinking about it ... I know I did happen to see a registration mark or a copyright mark on a lens title for a trademarked product. I think those special characters should be allowed to be used!

By the way! You wouldn't believe how many other lensmasters started employing the asterisk in their lenses titles. Good to see so many jumping on the star bandwagon.

BAM! It's the Bamster AND Martha

Wow, or should I say BAM! Talk about Topicability ... it's Martha Stewart and Emeril Lagasse!

As reported on April 3, 2008, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. has completed the acquisition of Chef Emeril Lagasse's media and merchandising business. Lagasse retains his restaurant and foundation-related assets.

The deal, which was first announced in February 2008, brings together one of the biggest brands in food-related content with MSLO's well-established expertise in the lifestyle arena. The closing of the deal was announced today on the Emmy-winning daily, nationally syndicated television series, The Martha Stewart Show ... 

The purchase price was $50 million, $45 in cash and $5 million in stock, at closing, and could reach up to $70 million if certain performance targets are realized in 2011 and 2012.

In a face-off between Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey, I'll bet that Martha has gained some ground with this recent acquisition. In a September 2007 money face-off poll, it was voted Oprah over Martha 73% to 27% of votes. Is Martha secretly playing catch-up with Oprah?

Who Is Martha Stewart?
Martha Stewart (born as Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941) is an American business magnate, author, editor and homemaking advocate. She is also a former stockbroker and fashion model. Over the last two decades Stewart has held a prominent position in the American publishing industry; as the author of several books, hundreds of articles on the domestic arts, editor of a national homekeeping magazine, host for two popular daytime television programs, and commercial spokeswoman for K-Mart. In 2001 she was named the third most powerful woman in America by Ladies Home Journal.

What is Martha Stewart Doing for TV Show Ideas?
Martha Stewart is Reading MY Lenses ! Have you been watching Martha Stewart's TV Show lately? Well, I have and I've thought for quite some time that she's obviously reading Squidoo lenses for ideas to feature on her TV show! Some of you might say it's just a coincidence, but I don't know about that! Maybe Martha Stewart is just on the same wave length as me? Or, better yet ... she and her staff have recognized the topicability of Squidoo lenses? Hey, Monkeybrain, is topicability a word?

What does Martha LOVE to Bake? C-O-O-K-I-E ?
Though cookies have been around in some form since the 7th century AD (read their long history), they don't last very long on the kitchen counter... or at least the best ones don't. This lens serves up the secrets to creating the disappearing Martha's Cookies.

Why did Martha Break-up with Sherwin Williams?
Martha Stewart and Sherwin Williams parted ways in January of 2007. The Martha Stewart Signature Color collection at Sherwin Williams was without a doubt one of the best color collections ever. An official Martha Stewart Colors "fandeck" was never issued so these sets of
chips are extraordinarily unusual and rare.

What about that NEW Man in Martha's Life? E-M-E-R-I-L ...
Emeril John Lagasse (born October 15 1959) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, and cookbook author. A regional James Beard Award winner, he is perhaps most notable for his Food Network shows Emeril Live and Essence of Emeril as well as catchphrases such as "kick it up a notch" and "BAM!" He is a 1978 graduate of Johnson & Wales University's College of Culinary Arts. The "Emeril Empire" of media, products and restaurants generates an estimated USD$150 million annually in revenue.

I love watching this man cook. You can keep the "BAM!"- just give me a plate of that food. He's got a great balance of love and skill in every dish he produces.

It's a Circular Reference : Topicability

It's a Circular Reference : Topicability the Squidoo Lens announcing Topicability the Blog. Ah, the importance of being TOPICAL! I AM inspired by Squidoo -- that's where you can find many a topical lens; that which personifies topicability -- the topical cream that rises to the top.

To know me is to know that I am not only inspired, but also deeply taken with Squidoo. Not only have I personally penned over 325 lenses along with 6 groups on Squidoo, but I've earned the ranks of Giant Squid and Squid Angel. Being a Giant Squid, Squid Angel, and prolific Lensmaster, I have learned first-hand the importance of Topicability particularly in how that translates to lensranking. And, I've also learned that it greatly helps when the powers-that-be at Squidoo award you with the honor of Lens of the Day, LOTD. It means a boost in lensranking!

To further celebrate my infatuation with the goodness of Squidoo, I have launched this here blog, Topicability : The Blog which made its debut on April 8, 2008! In this blog, I'll be featuring Squidoo lenses that I happen upon which are spot-on topical!

Topicability : that which is relevant, of current interest, contemporary, spot-on.

HOW TO ADD YOUR LENS: Oh, want me to check out your Squidoo lenses for topicability to be featured in my Topicability Blog? To submit a lens, please feel free to leave a comment on this topicability blog post!

P.S. I guess you could say that a bit of my inspiration from 'yesterday' is the Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest. Have you seen the movie or read the book yet?

The Launch of Topicability : The Blog

I have been a blogger -- JaguarJulie Ann Brady -- for more than a few years on Google. As a Squidoo lensmaster, I wanted to launch another blog that would concentrate on the relevance of Squidoo Lenses. I came up with a name; i.e. Topicability. I thought it was pretty original, and only found a few examples of that word/name in a Google search.

Topicability : that which is relevant, of current interest, contemporary, spot-on.

Use in print : The publication of two completely independent books to the same problem underlines the worldwide topicability. Knowledge Miner. On the Relation of Data Mining and Knowledge Mining. Comments on "Self-Organising Data Mining" by Prof. J.-A. Mueller and F. Lemke. By Prof. A.G. Ivakhnenko, Corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine, Kiev.

I value "scopability" of association higher then its "topicability". Especially because "topicability" can be easily solved. --Nikita Ogievetsky.

Just a general remark: There is a sister list called "pd-ot" wheresuch things are always welcome regardless of on- or off-topicability. --Frank Barknecht.

Maybe Martha Stewart is just on the same wave length as me? Or, better yet ... she and her staff have recognized the topicability of Squidoo lenses? Hey, Monkeybrain, is topicability a word?