NEW! And IMPROVED!

The Old Lady says that you should always try products that claim to be new and improved - because they might be just that. She also says that you should try New products because you never know when you'll find that one thing that makes your life all better - makes your acne clear up, makes you suddenly buckle down and fly right, and/or makes all your ennui and angst disappear by magic.

Then, while studying economics and other business sorts of things at university, I learned that it always benefits business to improve their products -- even if you have to expend large sums to redevelop, repackage, and readvertise -- because you'll have passive customers clamor for your product and new customers will be curious.

That in mind, LOOK! The blog has a new and improved feature!! I have added a Poll Box. Actually, I can have multiple polls running at once, but I didn't want to overwhelm you folks. (Where? scroll down, it's just below the beloved hit counter.)

This way, the blog can have a more interactive feel for you and you don't have to register and wade through the "security" features just to leave a comment. Isn't that clever?

On to other news - I recently read an article about blogging and money. Apparently, there are a precious few people out there who make middling amounts and even fewer who make HUGE amounts of cash from this little ego massage. Academic sorts have even studied the phenomena. Some big brained sort has come up with a rule he calls " Power Law Distribution" and he says that it not only explains why some blogs make huge amounts of money but also why most make none at all. He says as a quirk of human behavior, when faced with multiple choices we feel uninformed over, we will select those items which are popular. You'll notice that the one link I've put on this blog is the link to the Dilbert Blog. I wasn't thinking of playing into any sort of human behavior scheme when I did it -- it's just that I read the Dilbert Blog regularly and I thought others might want to as well.

So, I bet you can guess what The Super Bongo is contemplating now, can't you? I'm thinking of adding a few more blog links to my blog -- but I want to add blogs that aren't linked all over the place. If you go to "This Fish", you see links to other popular "b-list" blogs -- and still more links on the links. But, there are some blogs that I find without linking onto links on other blogs. I'm also thinking of making "prisioner's dilemma" bargains with some of these really well written but not A or B list blogs for a mutual linking.

Aside from trying to at one time play into but also tinker with this whole Power Law Distribution thing, I'm also thinking again about why I blog. It started out as an ego massage. It has become something of a daily creative outlet. I have to admit I feel so very clever when I figure out something new to do to the blog - like add links or pictures, etc. Also, it's become something of a confessional -- I can get the, oh crap - I don't want to say it but there isn't a better phrase you humans will understand, monkey off my back but I don't have to any sort of penance. But, do I blog thinking someday this will be my fortune?

I've not signed up for ads -- partially out of respect for you, the reader. But, also because I just don't think it would be worth it given the intimate and private nature of my readership list. However, if say, Ron Howard, wanted to make my blog into a movie and give me huge sums of money for the rights and then bring me on as consultant for even bigger sums of money, I'd have a hard time finding any sort of "moral high ground" on which to refuse. Plus, The Phenom would love me forever if my striking it rich more or less accidentally meant that the Phenom "moon" the evil empire while dancing out of town to a life of ease and luxury.

Confession time: I've been waiting and waiting for an opportunity to use the word "ennui" in the blog. I love this word. I also think it makes me appear cultured and educated to use it -- just the sort of qualities you want in a poo flinging monkey.

The Super Bongo's Treat: (I want to add this as a new regular bit in the blog - some fun little treat you can recreate for yourselves and wow your friends. Of course, while they are ooohing and aaaahing -- I want you to smirk and say "I read about it on The Super Bongo" -- see? linking via word of mouth, thus throwing a, oh crap - not again, monkey wrench into the Power Law.

Easy Choco Dip

6-7 oz chocolate (semi-sweet or dark -- and chips works really nicely - you can actually buy 6 oz bags of nestle's)

approximately 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream

Place in a bowl, nuke on high for 1 minute. Stir, nuke another 30 seconds. Stir, stir, stir until chocolate is completely melted and the cream and chocolate are one thick and luscious puddle. Dip strawberries - sliced bananas - bits of pineapple -- apple slices -- or for those of you "with chimp," cheese doodles.