Joe D’Ambrose

Since 2004, everyone’s been talking about Web 2.0, in other words, the “second generation of Internet-based services that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.” As if it is some very recent phenomenon. In my opinion we are in the sold-out aftermath of Web 2.0 in which everyone is trying to get their piece. I’d say eBay was the true pioneer.

I began using the Half.com shortly after eBay purchased the site in 2000. I used to join BMG music club and get “12 CDs for the price of 1″, I’d buy all the best sellers and sell them on Half.com. I would go to thrift shops and buy brand new looking books for 25 cents, and a few days later ride my bike over to the post office to ship out the sales. No listing fees, fixed prices, and ultimately, easy to sell. It was a fun way to fund my summers during early high school. Now a days I use the site to buy and sell college textbooks, and it’s also my favorite place to buy CDs and books.

Normal Kings is proud to announce the launch of four new websites:

FlipAuto.com: My friend Rich Martin, also a Bryant student, has been developing his business model for more than 6 months. Now open for business, he allowed the Normal Kings to manage his online presence. We hooked up him with some custom programming, website design, and hosting. Check out his website, and when you need to sell your used car, definitely call him up!

CVHoops.com: This website will serve as the official website for the Cape Verde Basketball Teams. The site will be maintained by Pedro Gomes, Kitana Cabral, national basketball team coach Mane Trovoada, and US Representative Dan Klotz. They will post issues related to the teams, including events, roster, photos, and much more.

MiddletownRevival.com: Max Baldwin was our first official client at Normal Kings. After more than ten years in downtown Middletown, Max has recently acquired new property on Middlefield Street. This property, more than an ample facility for Baldwin Pergolas and Baldwin Furniture, has plenty of space available for new businesses to move in. So we built this new website to showcase the property and attempt to gain new tenants!

NESA Online: The New England Sociological Association needed a more dynamic website that would allow their executive council to manage their content with ease. However, they didn’t want to lose the character of the old NESA page. So we re-programmed their online content into a new highly-functional website!

What started as a Business 101 project more than two years ago has now been active for more than a year. During our first semester in operation, my partners and I were walking around all afternoon on Mondays and Tuesdays, knocking on dorm room doors for laundry. The fall 2006 semester got a lot easier. Our manager and employees did an excellent job of carrying out the operation while my partners and I observed and analyzed our processes to gain a better understanding of our operation. Just before the holidays, Bryant informed us that we were to move to a new on-campus location which will be located in Hall 4. We look forward to this coming semester. Our customers have been re-subscribing for their service and we even gained a couple of new sign-ups.

On Wednesday, January 24th, my partners and I will be making a presentation to kick-off the spring 2007 Business 101 speaker series. If you’re on campus, come check it out from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in Janikies Auditorium!

I’ve never owned a video gaming system. Even my sister had the original Nintendo at one point, but I never really was one to sit down and play games. I don’t even play poker. Anyhow I wanted to mention a few games that I give the thumbs-up to:

• Catch Phrase: This game is the best party game, hands-down. Introduced to me by some good friends in Middletown, this is a great icebreaker for a group of people and can be a very lively game, because there’s a beeping timer. It’ll give you a phrase, and you have to get your teammates to guess the exact phrase, without directly telling them any of the words. Check it out.
• Guitar Hero: The first Playstation game I enjoy. It’s all about rhythm and hand-eye coordination. It might not help you learn to play the guitar, but it’s a guaranteed great way to waste time! Playstation II owners, you have to try it. My neighbors introduced me to it.
• 20 Questions: The classic game: arrive at an answer by asking questions. This website version of 20 q’s is pretty good - it can be hard to keep track when you play verbally. The site actually guessed what my friends and I were thinking, but it took 27 questions to arrive at “Leprechaun”.

Okay so I really only have three semesters at Bryant left. Insane! I can’t complain though, life is as good as it ever has been. I’m going back to school on January 19th, one week from today. Four classes this semester (America and the Free Market, Stats II, Non-profit Law, and Mechanisms of the Mind), plus a directed study in Sociology with the rest of the Javalids team. Should be a good line-up, no night classes.

I’ve always been a huge Everclear fan. I just noticed at their website that they are back on tour. I’ll have to check them out in Boston on February 22nd and at the Mohegan Sun on February 24th.

I recently heard about the new Apple iPhone, and while I’m not usually one to jump on the newest gadgets, this might be too cool to pass up. I like the iPod but with the iPhone you don’t have to carry around your cell phone and your iPod. This device seems to be unreal: internet browsing, e-mails, iPod music, photos, movies, etc. Steve Jobs calls it an “industry changing item“. I might have to jump on the bandwagon when it comes out in June. I’ve been a happy Verizon customer for 6 years, and the only downside I see so far is that the iPhone is only becoming available through Cingular… ehh.

I think this has been my favorite Christmas vacation to date. Suprisingly, my schedule is nearly as crazy as it is at school. I still go to bed at somewhat rediculous hours most of the time. The best part about home is being able to sleep in my own bed - the twin bed in the dorm room can get old real quick. I’m happy to have shelter either way!

This past week, as the holiday decorations get put away I’ve been hammering away mostly on two Normal Kings projects: (1) new functions for Theatre Lives, Connecticut’s favorite website for musical theatre, and (2) Middletown Revival, a website to showcase Max Baldwin’s exciting new property. It’s cool, I am grateful for the fact that I am able to work my own hours and at random locations. I’ve been getting my work done down at Brew Baker’s a lot of the time during this past week.

I don’t spend as much time surfing the net as I used to, because I work on my computer so I’d rather not be sitting at it while not at work. But a part of me is still a tech geek so I thought I’d tell I’d list a few websites that I actually enjoy: TechCrunch, Half.com, Facebook, Myspace, Hotornot, Pandora, Wikipedia, Pollstar, TomGreen.com, Netvibes

It’s been a while since our last update. 2006 was a pivotal year for Normal Kings and we have already got off to an exciting start of 2007. Early in the spring we became incorporated, changing our name from Normal Kings Productions to Normal Kings, Inc. We expanded our client base from 2 clients to 25 clients. We joined the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce.

Websites we launched for new business customers include Connecticut Cabaret Theatre, Bergan Architectural Woodworking, Visual Horizons Software, Guardian Data Services, Beads and More, MyResaleWeb, Independent Investment Properties, among others..

We also launched websites for 3 individuals including Matthew Marrero’s CollinMarrero.com, Mike D’Ambrose’s VideoVisions, and our own Joe D’Ambrose.

2007 Outlook: 2007 will undoubtedly be another exciting year. With new technological capabilities, increased hosting features, and more capacity, we are ready to take on more business and grow. Current websites in progress include FlipAuto, TheatreLives, Strive for Five Football Camp, Cape Verde Basketball, Encore Décor, ADP Investments, Middletown Revival, Javalids, and the New England Sociological Association.

In other exciting news, Normal Kings will be moving into our new offices in Middletown, Connecticut in May of 2007.