The International Herald Tribune writes that a report of online security will be released tomorrow, noting that “attackers bent on shutting down large Web sites — even the operators that run the backbone of the Internet — are arming themselves with what are effectively vast digital fire hoses capable of overwhelming the world’s largest networks.”

Takeaway for marketers: Time to think twice about your information security and backup procedures. You may not be able to prevent an attack, but you should be in a position to minimize the damage should one occur.

One of the real benefits of working at home is the opportunity to take a shower in the middle of the work day. It’s a great way to clear your head, recharge your thinking, solve a problem and hatch an idea.

I tend to come up with some pretty good ideas in the shower. I think the white noise of the water helps clear my head, and the shower stall seems to act something like a vertical sensory deprivation tank. Just standing there with jets of hot water on the back of my neck seems to get some creative and problem-solving portion of the brain working in high gear.

Some Googling tells me I’m far from alone, but it also indicates that there don’t seem to be any serious studies on the subject. This Google Answers thread has some good information and food for thought, though. If any psychologist needs lab rats to study this phenomenon, I’ll happily volunteer … especially if there’s a Commando 450 in the deal.

No, not the expected cost of heating oil this winter — rather, the price you’re paying for printer ink. Read it and weep … just don’t print it out.

“Look, I don’t want to wax philosophic, but I will say that if you’re alive you’ve got to flap your arms and legs, you’ve got to jump around a lot, for life is the very opposite of death, and therefore you must at very least think noisy and colorfully, or you’re not alive.”
—Mel Brooks

It’s ad:tech New York time again. Today is the final day, but with all the election news I haven’t had the chance to thank Steve Hall of AdRants for once again giving me the opportunity to blog the show and exceed my minimum daily requirements of PowerPoint and buzzwords.

(Seriously: Can we just strike the word “ecosystem” from everyone’s business vocabulary?)

There’s something odd about today, though: The exhibit hall has been gone since Tuesday afternoon, the ad:tech bookstore (always a nice feature of the conference) packed up yesterday. Yet there’s a pretty full slate of sessions today.

I suppose there are good logistical, financial and scheduling reasons why today will feel like it’s running on empty, but I prefer the full conference experience. If the session stinks, you can always duck out and browse the books or wander the vendor hall — in past years, I’ve expanded my library and had a few interesting discussions, which made the conference that much more valuable overall.