If you have a Facebook profile, fan page, and/or group and would like
to grow them, please feel free to post the appropriate links to each
on the wall at: http://www.MyFacebookPowerForum.com

Of course, feel free to reach out to me directly on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/vincent.wright

-- 
Thanks, and Keep STRONG!!
Vincent Wright
MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com |
MyLinkedinPowerForum.net |
VincentWright.com (Linkedin) | VincentWright.net (Facebook) |
VincentWright.org (Google) | VincentWright.us (Twitter)

We still have about 12 more hours so, if you'd like more followers and would like to participate in #FollowFriday: What's Your Twitter ID? My primary Twitter ID is http://Twitter.com/VincentWright or @VincentWright My primary Twitter Group is: http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/twitterpated My other Twitter projects are: Twitter.com/LinkingBloggers (For bloggers to share their blogs -http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/linkingbloggers) Twitter.com/LinkingExecs (For members of Linking Executives ) Twitter.com/LinkingGroups (For group owners to share their groups) Twitter.com/LinkingIndia (For Linking India members) Twitter.com/LinkingVC (For members of Linking Venture Capital to shareVC-related news) http://twitter.com/MyFreelancers (Freelancers looking for full and/or part-time work) http://twitter.com/MyMoonLighters (Moonlighters looking for part-time work) Twitter.com/MyJobTIGER (For job openings and resume sharing (Job and resumes must be posted via www.MyJobTIGER.com) Twitter.com/MyRecruiters (For members of http://MyRecruiters.net ) Twitter.com/MLPF (For members of http://MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com and http://MyLinkedinPowerForum.com) Twitter.com/MVPF ( For members of MyVirtualPowerForum.com ) @LinkingBloggers @LinkingExecs @LinkingGroups @LinkingIndia @LinkingVC @MyFreelancers @MyMoonLighters @MyJobTIGER @MyRecruiters @MLPF @MVPF @YouAreMySon @JobFlow @ThankYouFriday @checkoutmybook @MicroInterviews @TeachUsAbout @BeatTheNews Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Online Community Manager MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.net | VincentWright.com (Linkedin) | VincentWright.net (Facebook) | VincentWright.org (Google) | VincentWright.us (Twitter) | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum | +1-860-967-0563

Declaration of Popularity: Before the end of the day on 12.31.2009, I will make members of this Forum and those connected to me at the places in my signature file, popular...Vincent Wright, June 8, 2009... Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Online Community Manager MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.net | VincentWright.com (Linkedin) | VincentWright.net (Facebook) | VincentWright.org (Google) | VincentWright.us (Twitter) | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum | +1-860-967-0563

Recruiters, It's still not too late for you to share your job openings with us if you have jobs in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! VincentWright.com (Linkedin) | VincentWright.net (Facebook) | VincentWright.org (Google) | VincentWright.us (Twitter) | MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.net | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum | +1-860-967-0563

---------- Forwarded message ----------

HARTFORD, CT �?? (OfficialWire) �?? 04/12/09 �??

With unemployment numbers reaching extraordinary levels, 4 online websites have formed a strategic partnership to help those who've been laid off.

BlitzTime.com MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com PerfectNetworker.com YourProfileNow.com

Will work together to help people find their next job and their next opportunity - one conversation at a time.

The partnership's first significant effort is a 24 hour marathon of conversations and micro-interviews called "Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime". The marathon is scheduled to start at 12:00 AM and run to 11:59pm on April 15, 2009.

"Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime" is a 24 hour online event designed with one purpose in mind: Helping the laid off find jobs already available in the American economy.

Specifically, our precise mission is to help 100 people find a job in ONE DAY.

We intend to do this by devoting 24 full hours to generating 1,000+ 6 minute long conversations/interviews focusing on 18 specific cities stretching from Boston to Honolulu and from Miami to Anchorage.

Daunting? Perhaps.

As well-connected, entrepreneurial networkers and professional recruiters, the leaders of these four web sites believe "Linking The Laid Off On BlitzTime" is the perfect platform to share already existing job opportunities with people who are looking for work.

Everyone knows that there are a host of open job positions out there.

Every day laid off people hear about these openings from friends, colleagues and family. Most of the time these open positions are not "the right fit" for the person hearing about them, and many of these positions are not even suitable for professionals.

"Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime" is like a Pink Slip Party merged with a Job Fair. The event connects laid off people in as many as 10 personal, one-on-one conversations that let them share these hidden opportunities with each other. As an added bonus, some participants will be also connected with employers or recruiters who have open positions just right for them.

"Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime" is a telephone event which is targeted to specific metropolitan areas. The "Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime" event hops from city to city throughout the day, bringing opportunities to people which are local to the place they live. Cities in which events are centered include: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.

People participate in the event by calling into BlitzTime with their own personal telephone pass code at a specific time. Registration is required, and the number of registrants is capped at 200 participants per city.

People can view the full list of cities and times, and they can choose the city event in which they wish to participate by visiting the "Linking The Laid Off" page on BlitzTime.

About the sponsors of "Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime"

BlitzTime is a unique telephone networking event platform which connects people in a series of private, verbal, one-on-one conversations within a networking event over the phone. Over 1,000 people have had over 7,000 conversations on BlitzTime, leading to new relationships, new partnerships, new business opportunities, and new jobs.

My Linking Power Forum is an online community which lends a hand to help members have more linking power to solve business, employment, and social problems faster.

Perfect Networker is an online social network which helps individuals make business networking the most productive part of their marketing efforts. The site does this by putting members in a position to surround themselves with serious business professionals who are truly committed to establishing, strengthening, and nurturing long term, mutually beneficial relationships. Perfect Networker then provides its members with the education and business tools to achieve these goals.

YourProfileNow is a service company which helps individuals update and upgrade their online profiles on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. These new profiles follow all SEO rules so they are ranked higher in Google and Yahoo searches.

Inquiries concerning the "Linking The Laid Off on BlitzTime" event should be directed to Vincent Wright by telephone at (860) 967-0563 or by email.

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! VincentWright.com (Linkedin) | VincentWright.net (Facebook) | VincentWright.org (Google) | VincentWright.us (Twitter) | MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.net | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum | +1-860-967-0563

Two things in this post:

1. I'm testing http://microinterviews.com/ and

2. If the link works - and, if you are a job seeker or a recruiter, I'd like you to consider joining us in a 24 hour marathon of micro interviews. It promises to be quite a good day!! :-)

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! VincentWright.com (Linkedin)| VincentWright.net (Facebook)| VincentWright.us (Twitter)|TheEntrepreneurialRecruiter.com | MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.net | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum | +1-860-967-0563

I'm happy to share with you that MyLinkingPowerForum.com begins 2009 reaching a membership of 4,000 members!

I'm also happy to share that we also begin 2009 with more than 200+ very active discussion groups covering a wide array of professional topics ranging from "Subject Matter Experts" to "Linking Logistics" to"Federal Government Contracting"

I'm happy, too, that we've also started to attract a growing number of good sponsors for the site, as a whole, as well as for our ever expanding professional groups. I look forward to introducing you to these sponsors throughout the year - I'm sure you'll be happy to meet them! To network with us even more powerfully during 2009, join more than 4,000 members of http://MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com at: http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/?xgi=94lmyeR

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Recruiterpreneur Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com (Ning)| MyVirtualPowerForum.com (Yahoo)| MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (Facebook)| Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

Over the past several years, many members of MyVirtualPowerForum.com have written and written and written to each other but, have never spoken. I thought it might be good for us to set aside some time to talk so, if you'd like to do a little business networking this weekend, perhaps we can "Skype Saturday". (I'm generally not available on Sundays but, some of you who are may want to have Skype Sunday as an alternative.) If you'd like to talk live on Skype Saturday, my Skype ID = MyLinkedinPowerForum

If you'd like to discuss features and benefits of Skype, join us on Linking Skype Users at: http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/linkingskypeusers

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

Ladies, Gentlemen, I have one strong goal for 2009: continue to help members of my groups get jobs, develop their businesses, and pursue their social causes.

Because, I also have another strong goal of making a living during 2009, the only free help I can continue to offer our group members is via our groups - only. (To earn a living, my coaching, consulting, and business development work has to be paid for, going forward. Financial reality touches us all...my friends...)

There's still a LOT of help we can provide via these groups. A LOT!

BUT, it will take more people than just me to help the groups grow, improve, and DELIVER REAL HELP to the tens of thousands of members around the world.

Thus, I'd like to invite you to consider rolling up your sleeves, teaming with me and other good people to pitch our energies together so that we can better serve one another during 2009 and beyond.

Again, there is MUCH GOOD we can still do with these groups (Never let anyone dissuade you against that notion).

But again, it'll take more than me. - So, if you feel compelled to help others as you're helping yourself with your own business and career missions, I invite you to consider co-moderating, co-administering, co-blogging with me on the following groups/platforms:

1.www.MyVirtualPowerForum.com (9,000 members on Yahoo Groups. We can have up to 15 Co-Moderators)

2. www.MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (1,400 members on Facebooks. No known limit to the number of Group Officers)

3. http://MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com (3,700 members on Ning. We can have at least 200 Group Administrators. Since there are more than 200 groups, please specify WHICH GROUP...)

4. http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 (My Virtual Power Forum on Linkedin Groups - not sure of Administrator limits - will check...)

5. http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/1207327 (Linking The LaidOff on Linkedin Groups) 6.http://www.ere.net/erenetwork/groups/GROUP.ASP?GROUPID={7B272B57-6C32-4D69-AC43-6960B3708644} My Recruiters (1,200 Recruiters on ERE.net )

7. http://socialmediaconsortium.com/ (Social Media Consortium on Blogger. No known limit on the number of Co-Bloggers.)

I, and thousands of others, would appreciate your working together with us...

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

Invite Me! Rapidly Grows To 400 Members On MyLinkingPowerForum.comOne of the things which make the challenges of social networking well worthwhile is when we get a chance to network with great men and women.

I'm truly happy to have the opportunity to help you get to know one more great person: Jim Browning. ( http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/profile/JimBrowning )

Thanks to Jim's magnificent efforts and work ethic - he's simply BRILLIANT in both areas - he's helped our "Invite Me!" group to rapidly reach 400 members.

Getting a group or subgroup to reach multiple hundreds of members on the Ning platform is no easy task. Trust me on that one! :-) But, I'm confident that with Jim's help both as Sponsor and Group Administrator, Invite Me! is well on its way to reaching 1,000 or more members in the not too distant future. So, if you're looking to invite people or to be invited *by* people, I'd like to encourage you to join Jim and me on Invite Me, TODAY! http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/inviteme

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

I saw a post on my friend Jim Stroud's Recruiter Lounge blog at http://www.therecruiterslounge.com/2008/10/22/where-are-the-recruiter-jobs/ entitled "Where Are The Recruiter Jobs"

I would imagine that quite a number of my fellow Recruiters would be hungry to get an answer to that question and, indeed, as an experienced IT Recruitment Consultant also in the midst of a job search, this prompted me to ask the very same question: Where ARE the Recruiter jobs, these days?

While I know we can go to a job board or general purpose search engine and plop in a search term, I believe it more effective to find jobs via forums, discussion boards, blogs, etc. So, if you are aware, please share! :-)

(NOTE: Even for those of us identifying ourselves as highly "entrepreneurial", mot of us still need a base salary underneath us as we prepare ourselves for global economic changes over the next 12;18 months... Personally, I believe the impending economic times may REQUIRE our entrepreneurial activities to take place AFTER our 40 hour per week job employment. In other words, a mixture of full-time/regular hire/9-5 work supplemented by entrepreneurial moonlighting, freelancing, business development, etc.)

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant SocialMediaConsortium.com | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | Skype/Gtalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

I'm happy to see that Twitterpated has quickly grown to 135 members, at present.

Because Twitterpated already has some outstanding members whom I, personally, consider among the "Twitteratti", I think it would be cool if we could start networking more strongly together via Twitter.

In that Twitterpated was originally set up to bring members of www.MyVirtualPowerForum.com and www.MyLinkingPowerForum.com together via Twitter, we could use a bit more help in sharing tips and in building up a Twitterpated Directory for our members.

By the way: The combined memberships for My Virtual Power Forum and My Linking Power Forum is just over 12, 300. (www.MyLinkedinPowerForum.com adds another 1,500 from Facebooki.)

My social media instincts tells me that probably a good 10-20% would have an interest in doing more with Twitter. To me that means that Twitterpated on My Linking Power Forum has the potential of becoming a pretty good-sized group.

If you'd like to help us as a Group Administrator, I'd love to hear from you, immediately.

By the way: before you can become an Administrator, you have to be a member of Twitterpated on MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com. The group is located here: http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/twitterpated

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | +1-860-967-0563

You and I LOVE social networks!

They capture our imagination!

Some of the new social networks are endlessly intriguing - some, just downright exciting - some, even useful, too!

A new one comes along, we JOIN!

And then a wee bit of reality shows up knocking on our doors: managing the inbox of the newest site we just joined.

One of the greatest strokes of genius I noticed in Gmail a few years ago was that I could port all my messages from Yahoo, Hotmail, Comcast, and myriad other places directly into one account. It helped my productivity.

However, most of the social media sites, while they provide an inbox, the messages in that inbox are not easily portable - if at all. You must go to the site to respond to each message - then return to your primary email client. Now, for the owners of these social media sites this is great because you get traffic to your site. But, as an end user, it's flat-out counterproductive. If, like me, you belong to Linkedin and Facebook and Twitter and Xing and Ning and CollectiveX and Ecademy and more, you start to notice the number of trips you have to make to these sites each day.

So, no matter how intriguing these sites may at first appear, the question becomes: if they don't allow your messages to import directly into your primary inbox, how many siloed inboxes can you effectively manage each day - and is there a negative impact on your productivity?

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/community/MyRecruiters/ http://Twitter.com/MyRecruters http://friendfeed.com/rooms/myrecruiters http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyRecruiters/ http://myrecruiters.plaxogroups.com +1-860-967-0563

Because we already have such outstanding members in Twitterpated on www.MyLinkingPowrForum.ning.com, I think it would be helpful to compile a list of who's in our group at: http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/twitterpated

To be listed in the Twitterpated Directory on MyLinkingPowerForum.com, just reply to the discussion we're having there with your Twitter ID in either of the following formats:

VincentWright @VincentWright http://Twitter.com/VincentWright

You can see and participate in the discussion here: http://tinyurl.com/46877l

By the way: There are TWO Twitterpated places to share your Twitter ID so, SEPARATE from this discussion, if you are a member of www.MyVirtualPowerForum.com, you may ALSO enter your Twitter ID in the Twitterpated Database at: http://twitterpated.us/

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | +1-860-967-0563

Earlier today, in her post on "The Entrepreneurial Recruiter", my friend, Maureen Sharib stated, "As far as I'm concerned, the words "entrepreneurial recruiter" are (mostly) an oxymoron strung together." (http://recruitingblogs.ning.com/group/TheEntrepreneurialRecruiter - see specific link below)

To me, this demonstrates just how disparate, how far apart the minds of people in the same or similar professions can be.

While Maureen is welcomed to hold onto that view, from my perspective, as the US and global economies are going through the current tailspins they're going through, I think the non-entrepreneurial mindset is one of the most dangerous mindsets Professional Recruiters can have, these days.

Today's Recruiters MUST have an entrepreneurial element in their arsenal of options.

If you are a professional Recruiter, here's an exercise:

1. Take a look around the literature you read, the websites and blogs you visit, the podcasts you listen to, the email lists you subscribe to and then, mentally visualize the greatest Recruiters you know.

2. Now that you have these great Recruiters visualized in your mind, please tell us which ones *DON'T* demonstrate an entrepreneurial penchant in the way they present themselves either online, offline, or both?

Great Recruiters are demonstrating right in front of our faces that we need something more than just job requisitions and candidate pools to continue to feed ourselves. NONE of the great Recruiters are trusting on feeding their families by just relying PURELY on filling JOBS. NONE of them are. (Of course, if you know otherwise, please share their names and circumstances...)

For the record: I'm not going to determine the success or failure of "The Entrepreneurial Recruiter" merely on the ultimate size the group reaches but, rather, on whether or not we're actually helping fellow Recruiters who have an entrepreneurial penchant to find ways to make money using their recruiting skills.

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | My Virtual Power Forum on Li Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 | http://www.jaxtr.com/vincentwright |Skype/GTalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

http://recruitingblogs.ning.com/group/TheEntrepreneurialRecruiter/forum/topic/show?id=502551:Topic:263168

Earlier today, in her post on "The Entrepreneurial Recruiter", my friend, Maureen Sharib stated, "As far as I'm concerned, the words "entrepreneurial recruiter" are (mostly) an oxymoron strung together." (http://recruitingblogs.ning.com/group/TheEntrepreneurialRecruiter - see specific link below)

To me, this demonstrates just how disparate, how far apart the minds of people in the same or similar professions can be.

While Maureen is welcomed to hold onto that view, from my perspective, as the US and global economies are going through the current tailspins they're going through, I think the non-entrepreneurial mindset is one of the most dangerous mindsets Professional Recruiters can have, these days.

Today's Recruiters MUST have an entrepreneurial element in their arsenal of options.

If you are a professional Recruiter, here's an exercise:

1. Take a look around the literature you read, the websites and blogs you visit, the podcasts you listen to, the email lists you subscribe to and then, mentally visualize the greatest Recruiters you know.

2. Now that you have these great Recruiters visualized in your mind, please tell us which ones *DON'T* demonstrate an entrepreneurial penchant in the way they present themselves either online, offline, or both?

Great Recruiters are demonstrating right in front of our faces that we need something more than just job requisitions and candidate pools to continue to feed ourselves. NONE of the great Recruiters are trusting on feeding their families by just relying PURELY on filling JOBS. NONE of them are. (Of course, if you know otherwise, please share their names and circumstances...)

For the record: I'm not going to determine the success or failure of "The Entrepreneurial Recruiter" merely on the ultimate size the group reaches but, rather, on whether or not we're actually helping fellow Recruiters who have an entrepreneurial penchant to find ways to make money using their recruiting skills.

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Entrepreneurial Recruiter/Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | My Virtual Power Forum on Li Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 | http://www.jaxtr.com/vincentwright |Skype/GTalk = MyLinkedinPowerForum +1-860-967-0563

http://recruitingblogs.ning.com/group/TheEntrepreneurialRecruiter/forum/topic/show?id=502551:Topic:263168

About Monday, Wikipedia says, "The name of the day's origins revolve mostly around the moon, which in turn gets its name from Mani (Old English Mona), the Germanic moon god. Similarly, the names in Latin-based languages such as the Italian name (Lunedì), the French name (lundi), the Spanish name (lunes), and the Romanian name (luni) come from the Latin name for moon, luna." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lundi)

Hence, the alliterative name for today's theme is "Linkedin Lundi!"

In that Monday is considered the first day of the work week, we're briefly returning to the original, the first theme of MyVirtualPowerForum.com: Linkedin.

For today, I'm encouraging you to share links to your Linkedin profiles, all your Linkedin groups, and/or your favorite Linkedin Answers.

I know it could verge on "lunacy" but, what better day to do something "lunatic" than on "Linkedin Lundi"? :-)

To start:

1. The link to my Linkedin profile is: http://Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright - Here's the deal - For me, PERSONALLY - FOR TODAY - I'm going to try to connect with 100% of the people who'd like to connect with me. HOWEVER, if you are one of those rare, rare, rare, rare souls who just wants to mess around on Linkedin - I reserve the right to say "NO" - even on "Linkedin Lundi". (One thing I can guarantee is that I won't IDK anyone, today.)

2. These days, I have just 2 Linkedin groups but, here they are:

A. My Virtual Power Forum on Li Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 and

B. Linking Eyes To Find Missing Children on Linkedin Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/717967

So, if you have a great profile or a great group on Linkedin and if you'd like to meet a few new great people, feel free to share your Linkedin information with us on MyVirtualPowerForum.com on this "Linkedin Lundi"!

(Now, I wonder what good old Tuesday is going to bring? :-) )

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | http://www.jaxtr.com/vincentwright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | My Virtual Power Forum on Li Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 |

Want to Twitter with us? Tell us your Twitter name. (Actually, feel free to tell us *ALL* of your Twitter names! ) (If you are new to *Twitter, see below my signature file for more information on Twitter from Wikipedia.)

To get things started, here are mine:

Personal Twitter name: Twitter.com/VincentWright |

Group Twitter names: Twitter.com/LinkingBloggers (for bloggers to share their blogs) Twitter.com/LinkingExecs(for members of Linking Executives ) Twitter.com/LinkingGroups (for group owners to share their groups) Twitter.com/LinkingIndia (for Linking India members) Twitter.com/LinkingRecruiters (for member of Linking Recruiters to share recruiting news) Twitter.com/LinkingVC (for members of Linking Venture Capital to share VC-related news) Twitter.com/MyJobTIGER (for job openings and resume sharing (Postings must be done via My Job TIGER on Yahoo Groups) Twitter.com/MVPF ( for members of MyVirtualPowerForum.com )

Thanks!! Vincent Wright Social Media Consultant Twitter.com/VincentWright | Linkedin.com/in/VincentWright | MyLinkingPowerForum.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com | MyLinkedinPowerForum.com | My Virtual Power Forum on Li Groups | http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/732357 |

*Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. The sender can restrict delivery to those in his or her circle of friends (delivery to everyone being the default). Users can receive updates via the Twitter website, instant messaging, SMS, RSS, email or through an application such as Twitterrific or Facebook. For SMS, four gateway numbers are currently available: short codfor the United States, Canada, and India, as well as a United Kingdom number for international use. Several third parties offer posting and receiving updates via email.

As of July 2008, over 2,200,000 accounts were registered

For the rest of the story on Twitter on Wikipedia, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

This interesting question appeared a few hours ago and already has 16 answers! Laurent J.V. DuboisYour French Sales Partner asked: How much would you pay for a Linkedin group? I've received this email : I saw your sales group on Linkedin.com, very impressive. I saw that you have over 10,000 members now. I am a sales professional working in the ### industry. Would you ever be open to selling your linkedin.com group to someone else? What will be the relevant price of this group? See the original question and all the answers here. ****** Don't miss this Saturday's MagicMethod Midnight Moves Sourcing Class over on RBC at midnight (EST) - we're going to talk about things you can do with the telephone in the middle of the night! �??I at midnight by the clock may creep into your bed.�?? ~ William Butler Yeats quotes (Irish prose Writer, Dramatist and Poet. Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. 1865-1939)

In spite of much misgivings and in spite of still having no clear idea what really happened to the Linkedin relationship I *thought* I was working on, today, August 16, 2008, I opened another account on Linkedin.

Since my series of nano-posts on MyVirtualPowerForum.com were supposed to be *VERY* short, I'll keep this as Twitter-like as can be: I merely want the simplest possible professional relationship one can have with Linkedin. -

Thus, I intend to focus just on seeking and making professional introductions. In other words, using the Linkedin platform to help with my business, social, and career missions and with helping those who network with me to do the same. That's it. That's all. I know of no way to express it with any greater clarity of purpose than that. If you're ready for the future, so am . So, onward. Upward. Keep moving forward. And please try to keep getting STRONGER!

-- Keep STRONG! Vincent Wright Social Media Coach Author, 42 Rules of Starting Over (December '08) VincentWright.com (My Ning Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (3,100 Ning members) MyVirtualPowerForum.com (8,900 Yahoo members) MyLinkedinPowerForum.com (1,500 Facebook members) Twitter.com/VincentWright

Reality #1: You have a great company and a great product but need someone to professionally market it - to help your company make money.

Reality #2: I LOVE marketing, selling, introducing, recruiting and most of the other person-to-person business-related functions companies need.

Reality #3: 99% of the money for your company went into building your company and/or into building your product/services.

Reality #4: Prior to bringing on a Marketing/Salesperson/Recruiter such as me, your funding ran out.

Reality #5: Your business financials make no room for feeding me. If there is no food funding available for me from you, who will it come from - how will I eat? If I can't or don't eat, how can I be productive for you, your business, your products and services?

Because your asking me to work on commission is tantamount to your saying to me, "Vincent, ignore your hunger and help me build my business, ok? In 3 or 6 or 12 months, I promise to feed you more food than you can ever eat. Indeed, at that time, you'll never run out of food, again."

Yet, 90 days, 120 days, 365 days is a long time for a person to go without food. Thus, the greater future food supply may mean nothing - unless the dreaming salesperson is fed *something* along the way.

This is not to be mean-spirited about your great dream, your great company, service or cause but, rather, to help us focus on bringing my stomach into your dreams, into the equation(for) your success, into addressing the mutual realities we both face.

I love your product but, food tastes good, too. Thus, I await your answer to Reality #5 but, until there's an answer which mutually shares in the putting of food on my table, I can't, I don't, I won't work for 100% commission.

-- Keep STRONG! Vincent Wright Author, 42 Rules of Starting Over (December '08) VincentWright.com (My Ning Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (3,100 members) MyVirtualPowerForum.com (8,900 members) Follow me of Twitter: http://Twitter.com/VincentWright

"Links" that bind? Interesting LinkedIn discussion breaking out here about LinkedIn's NEW User Agreement.

"Linked In has gotten too big for their britches so to speak." ~ Matthew Hiller, Managing Partner-Senior Executive Recruiter All kidding aside, if you use LinkedIn you really need to take a look at it!

Here's what I want to know - how binding is an "updated" User Agreement if you entered the melee agreeing to the former Agreement? I don't think it's "unfair" to ask. ****** Attend the MagicMethod FREE one hour LIVE phone sourcing classroom chats on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon EST on the MagicMethod network here.

After carefully considering numerous online and offline conversations regarding "Lesson 1", I believe that that lesson has already provided an opportunity for me to sufficiently express what I needed to express to you about the history of my relationship with Linkedin Corporation. With the expression of that "lesson" and with the very valued private conversations I've had, pending any further contact from Linkedin Corporation, I'll let the matter rest - and will gladly move on to other, more constructive things we can discuss... As someone who's still greatly interested in the deep joys of networking, I think we have limitless things to discuss about how we can use the vast array of social media to help us with our careers, businesses, and social causes.

-- Keep STRONG! Vincent Wright VincentWright.com (My Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (Ning (3,000 members)) MyVirtualPowerForum.com (Yahoo (8,900 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (Facebook (1,500 members)) http://twitter.com/VincentWright

To help ease Linkedin's apparent paranoia regarding power users like me who've used their logo for the past 4 years, I've decided to delete my Linkedin account, effective today, May 27, 2008.

Current Details of My Linkedin Account (and associated social media work): 1. Member in good standing since February 23, 2004 2. Current First Level Connections: 4,042 3. Recommendations: 144 (38 co-workers, 17 clients, 89 partners) 4. User Generated Groups: 95 (See list below*) 5. Memberships in groups I've created ON Linkedin: ~50,000+ 6. Associated social media groups, blogs, and forums I've created off Linkedin: ~1,000 7. Memberships in groups I've created OFF Linkedin: ~75,000+ 8. Groups I support ON Linkedin: 214 (unknown number of members) 9: Groups I support OFF Linkedin: ~1,200 (well over 1 Million members) 10. Link used to close Linkedin account: https://www.linkedin.com/secure/settings?closemyaccountstart

Though it may seem sacrilege to close a 4 year old account with so much user generated data associated with it, that data is virtually useless unless you're motivated to use it and unless you can trust the organization where you've built up that data...

Thus, I'm leaving Linkedin to Linkedin and voluntarily deleting an account which has been at the center of my attention for more than 4 years...

-- Keep STRONG! Vincent Wright VincentWright.com (My New Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (Ning (2,600 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.com (Yahoo (8,800 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.biz (Linkedin (8,500 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (Facebook (1,500 members))

******************************************************************************************************* Attractionese: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/84342/2EE06B73AAB9 Check Out My Book!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/96013/58D67B2C33A7 Financial Planning: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97183/1F70303FF95F Forum Action Day: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/38749/5F8F274058CE Get INSURED!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97181/6603BC6052B2 Homes Against Homelessness: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/85067/59414D62D1EA I LOVE My Business Plan!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/89590/64C2C051C061 I LOVE My Profile!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/90234/1256744EFAC0 I LOVE My Resume!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/89591/3322821B9E7E Invite Me!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72467/1E0A7B5E686C Linking Affiliate Programs: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/76900/37F66748474D Linking Africa: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/51670/1EAB9C7F98C6 Linking African Americans: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/38418/7125213A191A Linking America: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/39705/43E6404383F3 Linking And The Secret: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/40149/2BB0E24F7EA6 Linking Blogs: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72379/6317EE537EE5 Linking Boomers: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/39706/2700AB3FE8C9 Linking Boston: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/67790/316643457D08 Linking California: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/69355/1E814C0EC5D6 Linking Canada: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/74819/6E614955765D Linking China: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/38416/6D47E55CDC12 Linking Christians: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/49997/17A96E7F96DE Linking Connecticut: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/36237/3BD759616946 Linking Consultants: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/41040/01690775F099 Linking Democrats: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/52293/5EB57834CAC4 Linking Diversity: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/73638/175AA563D1EA Linking Education: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/62512/24855F4F0E5E Linking Events: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/76738/2E6F384E6DFE Linking Executives: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/53908/563A99517BC9 Linking Eyes To Find Missing Children: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/98540/069EF76529B9 Linking Groups: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/68710/5B15802E2679 Linking Hartford: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/42441/290A951F0247 Linking Health Care: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/95009/2C83E13F873F Linking Human Resources: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/67522/61393521D8E9 Linking IT: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72611/50A2EF3A537C Linking Independents: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/52295/5F8CC86113E0 Linking India: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/38417/4F57CB612D99 Linking Job Seekers: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/65344/34CC03647206 Linking Journalists: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/71556/628C5E3BFD63 Linking Lawyers: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/71557/300C2C40018C Linking MBAs: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/70886/56527742EDE7 Linking Moderators: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/70880/6B0BCE4EE80F Linking Moonlighters: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97033/19F83718D84B Linking Musicians: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/59175/56484078B01A Linking Nonprofits: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/73835/7456E6152F3B Linking On The Links: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/78322/69514D39610E Linking Partners: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/95188/0CDEA9175EEC Linking Pharmaceutical: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/60738/02AC4B678709 Linking Philadelphia: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72562/3695B13F9B93 Linking Podcasters: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/79736/538E2A7AD23B Linking Real Estate: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72468/5B5BAF501474 Linking Recruiters: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/36234/00C00365C4C9 Linking Recruitment Process Outsourcing: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/96424/30F3807FD850 Linking Republicans: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/52294/38031A0773C2 Linking Sales PROS: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/81684/64CF7F10E508 Linking San Francisco: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/70882/1F0CD53B0168 Linking Security: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/80761/1CE99B36028C Linking Six Sigma: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/96002/46532F42504E Linking Skype Users: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/81313/0BDF3257B06C Linking Start Ups: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/74722/32A73B64F8DC Linking Surveys: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/100357/2EF5CF0D22AE Linking Texas: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/83642/66C33B722568 Linking The Digital Divide: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/68561/1CC93D6565A6 Linking Venture Capital: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/36011/4D7ED31DE641 Linking Veterans: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/40330/26ADAB245377 Linking Washington, DC: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/67777/22284538D449 Linking Webmasters: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/100535/50F2AE0855F2 Linking Women: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/40557/3BBE78609F28 Linking Yogis: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/67639/5B22DF71D5D0 Linkonomics: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/67639/5B22DF71D5D0 Meet Me!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/87706/02359C264A35 My Announcements: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/83644/6ACEAE7DD045 My Campaigns: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/93318/23A052547853 My Job TIGER: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/54537/2DDE91410C66 My Link Log: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/84256/45022F626000 My Linking Power Forum: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/1304/10BE4F71AFD0 My Success Books: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/71596/2AC31A5222F0 Proposal Writing: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97092/153E55156819 Pursuing Relentless Optimism: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/96916/6CB705337E8B Seeking Angels: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/87446/0614AB24706B Social Media Optimization: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/91995/3259762128AB Teach Us About: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/39704/3FBC56756CFF The Apology Registry: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/94753/43BF437F36B8 The Biggest Business In The World: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/21043/0100102FCEC2 The Impoverished Millionaires: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/91994/4CFE172B8EAA The Science Of Encouragement: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/40772/6C2F4336BFFD The Writers Forum: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/77250/44A0A350B6BE To Heal On September Eleventh: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/79950/433C6D26D53C Twitterpated: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/72841/0A012849CDB5 Virtually Viral!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/91254/10F9407D93C8 Who Do You Need To Meet?: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/100217/4D93051B250B Work At Home Moms: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97485/206168700748 Wright Hand Outsourcing: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/50537/0114F5352F81 Yearnalism: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/84341/52FC89059334 You Need TO EXERCISE!: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/97099/48E2F657A475 *****************************************************************************************************

Imagine a guest in your home whom you?ve made every effort to be courteous and respectful to - watching your every move ? with jaundiced eyes - for 3 years.

Imagine that in the last year the guest continued to stay in your home but stopped communicating with you ? though there is much, much, much to communicate about.

Even if the guest in your home doesn?t think you, as host, are worthy of a conversation, such a silent guest can make your own home seem inhospitable to you, the owner. Imagine how creepy that would be and what it does to your home environment?

Since March 16, 2005, at least 10 Linkedin employees, including Linkedin?s Founders, have voluntarily made themselves my house guests at www.MyLinkedinPowerForum.com*

That?s 99.999% of the lifespan of MyLinkedinPowerForum.com.

My Linkedin house guests invited themselves. None received an invitation from me.

Over the past 3 years of developing MyLinkedinPowerForum.com, when Linkedin employees would join, I?d rapidly give them permission to post unmoderated messages to to MyLinkedinPowerForum.com and any other of my groups I was aware they?d joined. Several Linkedin employees readily availed themselves of the opportunity to post unmoderated messages to MyLinkedinPowerForum.com.

As you might imagine, over the past 3 years, there?s been a lot of communication within the house I call MyLinkedinPowerForum.com ? almost 40,000 messages ? most of which were respectful of my house guests ? some, of course, may have been a bit challenging for Linkedin to listen to.

As their host on My Linkedin Power Forum, it had always been my preference and, indeed, my intention to be respectful and hospitable to the Founders and to the employees of the company on whose corporate name My Linkedin Power Forum was derivatively conceived.

For the most part, historically, the house guests have been tolerable ? especially considering that the guests once made contributions to the conversational welfare of the household ? no financial contributions, no structural, or maintenance contributions, however. The guests? contributions were exclusively conversational, informational. My Linkedin guests contributed to conversations centered on their own primary concerns. Not infrequently, Linkedin Corporation would make weekly announcements on Friday nights about upgrading its own home at Linkedin.com

Thousands of members of MyLinkedinPowerForum.com found many of those updates informative and some would contribute their own feedback about the Linkedin upgrades. (See the 40,000 messages in the archives for MyLinkedinPowerForum.com: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/messages**** )

Because within the past year, Linkedin Corporation has shown itself to be completely indifferent to MyLinkedinPowerForum.com in general and to me, personally, I think it only appropriate to reciprocate in ?the Linkedin manner?. Meaning: I?m clear that Linkedin?s success or failure has nothing to do with MyLinkedinPowerForum.com, in general, nor with me, personally.

Further, Linkedin, my house guest, has taken to a vow of silence over the past year or so.

Linkedin?s silence leads to this most fundamental question: What good is a house guest who won?t speak to you?

Finally, Linkedin, my house guest not only has taken to its vow of silence with respect to me and my other guests, since September 27, 2007, Linkedin has been hanging the issue of its vaunted trademark and indecipherable group and photo policies over our heads like the proverbial Sword of Damocles.

One shouldn?t feel that uneasy in ones own home.

And, too, Linkedin has unilaterally made decisions to force me to change the group name and icon for My Linkedin Power Forum on Linkedin, though they okayed BOTH as an ?official? Linkedin group on July 15, 2005. (Though it was costly to make such an inordinate amount of changes, this one I can understand.)

Linkedin has unilaterally made a decision to take down an icon for my photo. No, ?Hey, Vincent! You can?t have an icon on Linkedin!?

Linkedin has unilaterally suspended my group called ?Keep STRONG?, one of the most innocuous, non-threatening groups I?ve ever created ?

Here?s the heart of the matter about Linkedin?s decision regarding ?Keep STRONG?: its rationale for suspending the group makes NO SENSE. If Linkedin followed its own rules and applied them without discrimination to all other groups equally, it would have THOUSANDS FEWER GROUPS than it now has. If Linkedin followed the guidelines it used to justify suspending ?Keep STRONG?, Linkedin would have to suspend other groups of mine which they formerly approved ? groups such as ?The Encouragement Engine? and ?The Science Of Encouragement? and ?Pursuing Relentless Optimism? and ?Attractionese? and ?Linkonomics? and ?Yearnalism? and ?Linking And The Secret? and ?The Biggest Business In The World? and ?Linking Eyes To Find Missing Children?

Linkedin has made all its decisions without discussion, without phone calls, without advanced warning via email, without a hint, without a clue...

All with suddenness. All with maddening inconsistency.

Inconsistency is infectious. Those of us trying to follow Linkedin?s lead have, ourselves, seemed inconsistent.

It is also my belief that Linkedin has sent or authorized to be sent a letter to me claiming that I am intentionally violating their trademark/brand name in using the domain GetLinkedin.info. (That letter indicated that I was abusing Linkedin?s trademark with the logo I have on the site associated with the URL for GetLinkedin.info. Apparently, the author of that letter wasn?t aware that though I conceived the logo, Linkedin Corporation rendered the logo, sent it to me, and permitted me to use it for My Linkedin Power Forum *on* Linkedin.com starting on July 15, 2005 and lasting through about September 27, 2007. Again, though I conceived the logo, Linkedin rendered the logo. To the unbiased, this should be proof positive that not only has Linkedin been aware of my using the logo for MyLinkedinPowerForum.com but, indeed, they were complicit in helping me to create and use the logo which shows at MyLinkedinPowerForum.com, GetLinkedin.info, and PromotionPromotionPromotion.com. The logo in question was used by My Linkedin Power Forum for more than 2 years in the groups section directly on Linkedin.com

I?ve reached out.

I?ve waited.

I?ve been patient.

I?ve heard nothing ? for more than half a year?

Linkedin?s last phone call to me was March 23, 2007 - an impossible date to forget.

Many others have told me that they, too, have reached out, have waited, have been patient, and have heard nothing from Linkedin. Some surprising, long-time supporters have told me that they?ve also been cut off of Linkedin?s loop.

Certainly, Linkedin deserves to have time to make itself into whatever it?s making itself in to ? I hope and pray it?s something really good ? something worthy of the alienation grassroots supporters have been subjected to ? but, I?m convinced that not one single Linkedin employee ? Founders included ? would like to be subjected to the same silence some of Linkedin?s former evangelists have been subjected to.

I choose to no longer wait for my mute house guest(s).

And, too, please bear in mind that there are other matters in my relationship with Linkedin coloring my decision to no longer wait for my mute house guests. They are too numerous to fully go into in this letter but, a couple of examples: 1. Linkedin has questioned certain posts I made on MyLinkedinPowerForum.com. For example, in that MyLinkedinPowerForum.com is based on Yahoo Groups, when I made an announcement regarding a new Yahoo service, I was asked by one of the Linkedin Founders why I posted something about Yahoo on a Linkedin-centric forum. Now here?s the interesting thing about that particular question: I only found out about that Yahoo service because the very Linkedin person who questioned me about it sent me an invitation to join him ON that Yahoo service! I?d never even heard of that Yahoo service until I received an invitation from Linkedin?s Co-Founder. So, I was dumbfounded when I got his email questioning why I?d posted something about Yahoo on my Linkedin-centric group which is HOUSED ON YAHOO GROUPS! Please think about that and let it soak in for a moment.

2. Also, I was questioned about the content of member posts on MyLinkedinPowerForum.com. For example: One person who?d been highlighted on Linkedin *by* Linkedin, joined MyLinkedinPowerForum.com and posted about enjoying Linkedin AND one of its primary competitors at the same time. Not only was I questioned about that particular post, Linkedin informed me that they were removing this person as an example of the type of person they wanted to highlight. Because this member had deigned to blog about a Linkedin competitor, that person instantly became persona non grata to Linkedin. They?d done nothing wrong, nothing egregious ? other than complimenting the merits of one of Linkedin?s competitors. (I never told this person about that behind the scenes conversation.) Of course, this left me feeling constricted about what members could and could not post and what I could and could not do with my own little grassroots discussion group. This questioning indicated that I?d have to pay a lot more attention to member posts than I?d originally thought when I conceived of MyLinkedinPowerForum.com back in 2005. It proved to be exhaustingly time consuming. So, I balked at adhering to Linkedin?s guidelines.

Thus, after investing thousands upon thousands upon thousands of uncompensated hours championing Linkedin and answering the questions of thousands of Linkedin users, I must say that even were every Social Network Analyst, every Ivy League School, every law firm, every Journalist in the world, every Venture Capitalist under heaven?s sun, every Fortune 500 Company, every one of Linkedin?s 21,000,000 members were to take Linkedin?s side in this matter, today, Memorial Day, May 26, 2008, I am evicting Linkedin from MyLinkedinPowerForum.com

Some may say that this is unduly harsh and that I may be overreacting by taking such a dramatic step. But I say ?enough is enough?. I?ve had more than enough to convince me that I no longer want to champion Linkedin in its current manifestation. Sometimes silence forces us to take the most dramatic actions available to us. Some of us feel compelled to take fairly strong, declarative steps to back away from Linkedin as it goes on to the next phase of its existence. But even if Linkedin were to become the greatest Internet company in the history of humanity over the next 1,000 years, I want to focus on something healthier than on a company which alienates its former grassroots evangelists the way Linkedin has chosen to do?

Now, I have no expectation that the gesture I make today will have any measurable impact on Linkedin. My action is not meant for that. After all, they are more than Goliath and I?m less than David. Rather, my gesture this Memorial Day is intended as a personal declaration of independence. And I?m forcing the issue today because some of the recent gestures Linkedin has been making towards others and towards me, have left me feeling completely uncomfortable having Linkedin employees as my guests. And though I still have a free membership there, I?m starting to be uncomfortable being a guest in Linkedin?s home at Linkedin.com The trust is gone?and likely irreparably so?

On a completely human level, I must tell you I feel the pain of evicting Linkedin en masse because there is one Linkedin employee who seems like a real human being ? one who really seems to understand Linkedin?s purported philosophy that ?Relationships Matter?.**

While Linkedin seems to have an unhealthy distrust of some of its members, candidly, as it shifts from a small company to a potential Internet powerhouse, I no longer know how to trust Linkedin? Thus, I can no longer trust inviting my friends to join me on Linkedin ? so, I don?t. And I won?t.

Of the hundreds upon hundreds of Linkedin-centric groups I developed both on and off Linkedin.com, Linkedin Corporation knows of no group of mine set up to be anti-Linkedin. It?s never been my intention to ever work against Linkedin. It was my exclusive intent to work with those parts of Linkedin available to me and users like me. (FYI: I?ve spent almost 6 months unraveling the Linkedin-centric path of networks I built over the past 3 years. Most recently, I?ve changed LinkedinBusinessDiscussionIndex.blogspot.com to WhyKeepSTRONG.blogspot.com. This change is meant, specifically, to memorialize to me the final straw in my relationship with Linkedin.)

Recognizing that some may have thought this day might never arrive, nonetheless, it?s here. It?s the day of ?the audacity of nope? as in ?Nope, I no longer want Linkedin as my house guests on MyLinkedinPowerForum.com.?

Though I do wish to thank Linkedin for the coffee cup they sent me, after 3 years of openly marketing My Linkedin Power Forum ? as Linkedin Corporation watched - I will not voluntarily change the name of MyLinkedinPowerForum.com

Upon the publication of this letter, no known Linkedin employee, Board Member, nor internal advisor, nor consultant will be a member of MyLinkedinPowerForum.com

Obviously, there?s more to this story. If interested, you may wish to stay tuned?

-- Keep STRONG! Vincent Wright VincentWright.com (My Linkedin Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (Ning (2,600 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.com (Yahoo (8,800 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.biz (Linkedin (8,500 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (Facebook (1,500 members))

*I?m fully aware that key Linkedin personnel may have invested in Ning and Facebook and myriad other hot Internet properties. ** I have nothing personal against any of Linkedin?s employees. This gesture is meant to emphasize how detestable I think Linkedin?s own practice of networking feels from the end-user perspective. *** http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/message/145 ****http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyLinkedinPowerForum/messages

Can you do a brief mental experiment with me, please?

Take just a moment on this: Try to visualize going through the course of your networking year WITHOUT having to encourage someone in your network or without someone in your network having to encourage you.

Just imagine that for a moment. Just imagine a networking year without the concept of encouragement entering into it.

If you have a large network of, let's say, 500+ people, I think it would be virtually impossible for someone in a network of that size to get through a year without either having to encourage someone or to have someone else encourage them. Virtually impossible!

So, imagine my surprise when Linkedin Corporation wrote to me today telling me that they'd suspended my group called "Keep STRONG!" ? ostensibly for this well-worn-out old Linkedin reason: "The LinkedIn Groups feature is meant for like-minded peers who have a similar base of professional experience. Group members should have some structured off-line association with other professionals. We do not feel your group goes with bringing like minded professionals together in the LinkedIn manner. We have suspended this group at this time."

Here is the group description I wrote for the group "Keep STRONG!": "It is NOT your job to help those who seek to drag you down, to weaken you. That's their job. Your job is to acquire as much encouragement as is needed for you to have a healthy life. YOUR job is to Keep STRONG!!"

That's the entirety of the group message.

In the context of the endless other groups which do not meet the above standard which Linkedin used to justify suspending my group, Linkedin's weak excuse is simply beyond belief. Notwithstanding that it's their platform, their game, their rules, Linkedin's approach to what is and what isn't permissible is just stupefying. You and I both know a large multitude of Linkedin groups which don't satisfy the standard they chose to use to suspend my group.

Further, as an example of Linkedin's extreme inconsistency and its downright inability to follow its own guidelines, Linkedin APPROVED a group of mine called "Virtually Viral!" How on earth can such a group satisfy Linkedin's old mantra "structured off-line association with other professionals"? There's nothing off-line about a group called "VIRTUALLY" Viral!, for goodness sake!!! Yet, Linkedin approved "Virtually Viral" in RECORD TIME! The fastest Linkedin group approval, I've yet to experience.

Considering Linkedin's recent intimations regarding the usage of their trademark, their inability to articulate a clear group policy or a photo policy contemporary networkers can follow, Linkedin's inconsistencies are maddeningly intolerable..

While Linkedin may be determined to discourage certain behaviors of some of its former evangelists, here's a fact of networking life: You CANNOT network without encouraging one another. And encouraging one another is nothing more than assisting one another to keep strong. To think you can avoid encouragement is the height of networking ignorance. Linkedin's Ignorance Of Networking shows in the rapidly deteriorating relationships with the community of evangelists who've formerly championed Linkedin as their business network of choice.

Without intentional mutuality, Linkedin is just software devoid of human relations.

FYI: I've taken the matter a step further and deactivated the group which Linkedin suspended. I believe that deactivating a group is functionally equivalent to deleting the group. I'll find another venue to help those of us who chose to Keep STRONG!( http://mylinkingpowerforum.ning.com/group/KeepSTRONG )

-- Thanks, Vincent Wright VincentWright.com (My Linkedin Profile) MyLinkingPowerForum.com (Ning (2,500 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.com (Yahoo (8,800 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.biz (Linkedin (8,400 members)) MyLinkedinPowerForum.net (Facebook (1,500 members))