How fast can this WWW go, anyway?

As it were. Just a quick post to mention two projects? events? Things... that will deliberately or inadvertently measure aspects of internet communication via blogs and the people who read them. Put the pedal to the metal, people (a phrase current in my youth).

First, a plea from a chap who's trying to get hard numbers to describe the propagation of 'stuff' across blogs for an MLA panel (I didn't know what that was either. I found this, which might tell me everything I could ever want to know, but I haven't time to read it. I hate it when that happens.) Anyway, he's asking bloggers who hear about his Cunning Plan (as you've just done if you've read this far) to post a link to his blog, beg any blogging reader who might pass this way (that's you again) to do the same, and then visit his blog page (same link again) to ping Technorati via the link on his blog to record another dot on the map. So I've done that. Ouch! Some rust just fell off my halo.

Second. For UK readers only, probably. The company of which Threshers is a part is running a promotion: 40% off the cost of your purchase of wine or champagne, total value less than £500 and it's got to be stock in store (no ordering in, and if the shelves are bare when you arrive you're out of luck). The trick? It runs for a limited time (30 Nov to 10 Dec), and is unadvertised, information spread only via blogs and (in my case) email. I came across the story and necessary voucher here, and verified it by ringing a Threshers near us to see if they knew about the offer. The store manager did know and said he'd certainly honour the voucher if my purchase fulfilled the conditions, so I think it's not a hoax. The chap who mentioned it suggests the company may not have intended that the entire world take advantage of the offer, so this is another chance to see how efficiently bloggers can spread the word. My halo is now shining so brightly I can't read the screen.

Knitting news soon. As soon as I finish something worth mentioning!