I’m sure I’m not alone in this.  So I want to make sure to call everyone’s attention to this very handy app from Mashable.  It’s more than just a news site, although you can catch up on the latest developments that are rapidly changing the social media landscape.

I really like the Web Video and Entertainment portions of the app.  Otherwise I never would have learned about a “super slowed down” version of a Justin Bieber song that went viral. Or seen a wacky, incredible commercial for a product called the “Comfort Wipe.” (See it for yourself.)

Mashable offers an enticing blend of vital trends and random fluff that’s buzzing on the Internet.

Having it on your My Yahoo! page is like being in with the cool kids.

Tom

My Yahoo! Editorial

 Try on these apps for some good yucks: 

• The Onion: Top Stories – There’s no such thing as a slow news day with these funny takes on the news.
• Hilarious.net - The name of this site says it all. It’s easy to lose hours going through the gems you’ll find here.
• Funny Quote of the Day – These offerings are great for a quick chuckle, and you can repurpose them in a variety of comic ways.
• About.com Web Humor – Make every day feel more like April Fool’s Day.
• Humor Videos – Wacky favorites — like the samba-dancing baby — from Yahoo! Video.

 And speaking of animals bouncing on a trampoline, check out these foxes…

– Tom
My Yahoo! Editorial

Many publishers time their new releases for summer readers, and you can always find lists of recommended summer books in magazine and newspapers.

If you enjoy reading as much as I do, chances are you’ve got your own list of books that you’d like to get through this summer. If you want some new titles to add to your list — or start a new one — try exploring these apps to enhance your summer reading pleasure:

• weRead Books — This handy tool lets you organize the books you’ve read and share that list with friends.  You’ll also find more books and authors with the built-in search tool, and see what other weRead members recommend.
• NYT: Books — This feed from the New York Times is an excellent source for new reviews by professional book critics. You’ll also find some related news about happenings in the publishing industry.
• Review-A-Day — You can find some real surprises in this daily feed from the great used book emporium Powell’s in Portland, Oregon. The reviews come from a variety of sources and include books that might not otherwise get much attention.
• So Many Books — This fun blog, subtitled “The Agony and Ecstacy of a Reading Life,” chronicles the adventures of a voracious reader whose tastes go beyond current best-sellers. Most readers should be able to find something here that will generate new ideas and stimulate discussion.
• NPR Topics: Books — Readers of all kinds can find commentary on new books and a variety of literary issues.

 And don’t forget about rereading the oldies but goodies. I’ve been inspired to reread “To Kill a Mockingbird” as a way to celebrate the novel’s 50^th anniversary this month, and it’s the kind of delightful summer reading experience I wish for you all.

 – Tom
My Yahoo! Editorial

The crisis has many dimensions — environmental, economic, and political, to name a few — and it’s tough to get a handle on its magnitude. The suggested apps below can help you keep tabs on it.

• News: BP Oil Spill – Follow all the news relating to the huge oil spill, from Yahoo! News.
• BP’s Gulf of Mexico Response – Monitor the company’s efforts to contain the gushing well and conduct cleanup operations.
• Audubon Magazine Blog — Oil Spill – Get updates on what’s happening in the Gulf with bird rescues, cleanup volunteers, and issues related to impacts on wildlife.
• BP Oil Spill Fallout Blog – This blog has frequent video clips that focus on various local aspects of the spreading damage.
• Politico — Top 10 — Morning Energy – Keep tabs daily on how the spill is changing the energy industry and related political issues.

These are just a few ways to stay informed and possibly get involved. In the meantime, let’s hope, pray, and keep the pressure on for stopping the massive oil leak.

– Tom
My Yahoo! Editorial

Historically, My Yahoo! has been anti-social. It’s been your own personal sanctuary… your filter on the world… a place for your interests and passions devoid of any tweets and status updates or any likes and commenting. Until now.

If you use Facebook or Twitter, or want to find out what all the fuss is about, we have some really great apps for you. You can add the individual apps or add the Yahoo! Updates app which aggregates several social networks in one place with even more coming soon.

• Yahoo! Updates: Aggregate all your social networks in one place.
• Facebook: The best Facebook app out there.
• Twitter: Tweet directly from My Yahoo!. Search for trending topics.

 Michael,

– My Yahoo! Team Lead

 If you need cooking tips, answers to food questions, or just ideas for what to eat next this summer, check out some of these apps you can add to your My Yahoo! page:

• Simply Recipes: This feed is like a constant fountain of great new ideas for creating tasty dishes.
• Healthy Picnics Blog: Everything you need to enjoy a great picnic season with family is right here.
• Barbecue Blog: Find tips and tricks here, as well as plenty of recipes to enhance your next cookout.
• Healthy Dinner Tonight: You’ll find great seasonal recipes here with an emphasis on health. Each recipe features complete nutritional information.

Looking over those four apps makes me hungry.  Time to find some good summer food and chow down.

 Tom
– My Yahoo! Editorial

 Live TV coverage of all the matches may not be convenient, depending on your time zone and work schedule. But you can stay current by checking out these apps for your My Yahoo! page:  

• FIFA.com: Get all the official updates and previews from the sport’s governing body, the Federation International de Football Assocation (FIFA).
• World Soccer News: Get all the scores and important news stories from the tournament.
• Dirty Tackle: Great behind-the-scenes blog coverage of the players and hoopla that you won’t find anywhere else.
• Soccer Fanatic Blog: Another fine blog that lives up to its name; it’s a definite must-see for soccer fans.

Like the Olympics, the World Cup seems to bring the world a little closer together. And even though South Africa is half a globe away, you’ll feel a lot closer to the action by using the apps listed above.

– Tom

My Yahoo! Editorial

 Every time you visit My Yahoo! when you are signed in to your Yahoo! account, we display all of your added content & pages, themes and personal customizations you’ve done. Regardless of which computer or device you use to access My Yahoo!, as long as you are signed in to Yahoo!, we’re going to display your personal My Yahoo! pages and your customizations.

 For those of you that utilize My Yahoo! when you are not signed in to your Yahoo! account, you have likely experienced a time when some of the applications you’ve added or customizations you’ve done have “disappeared”. This is because signed out personalization choices you make are tied to the browser you are using to view My Yahoo! and saved in “browser cookies”. If these cookies are deleted, either by choice or accident, you lose the personalization. Also, if you do not access My Yahoo! for an extended period of time, those browser cookies eventually expire.

 In addition, since signed out personalization is tied just to the computer or device you are using at the time and not saved to your Yahoo! account, you will not be able to access these personalization choices when accessing My Yahoo! from another computer or device.

 In short, if you wish to save customizations you make on My Yahoo! for longer than 24 hours and access them from any device or computer, sign in to save your settings.

 Michael
- My Yahoo! Team Lead

 Vacation season is kicking into gear, and many of us start asking the common questions: Where should I go? When is best to take off? And will I be able to find an option that’s fun, relaxing, and affordable? 

 To help with planning, try these four additions on your My Yahoo! page.

• New York Times – Travel: The frequent articles in this feed are full of information that all savvy travelers want to know — from local tips and convenient destination guides to hidden discounts and best attractions.
• Best Fare Trackers: This app from Yahoo! Travel offers a great way to keep tabs on airfares to your top destinations of interest.
• Travel Plan Ideas: You may find some surprises on the Travel Plan Idea Blog that shape your next trip
• SmarterTravel.com – Deals: Learn about special fares and exclusive, limited-time-only sales on flights to great destinations around the world.

 Start planning an exciting vacation journey this year. Bon voyage!

 – Tom, My Yahoo! Editorial

 But I have found some fun related sites that you can add to your My Yahoo! page that will keep the laughs coming this summer while keeping you in the loop with any new SNL developments that happen.

• Hulu clips from Saturday Night Live: You can spend hours with this collection, reliving the best and funniest skits.
• Saturday-Night-Live.com: Catch up with news about the show and view Web exclusives (like Alec Baldwin’s faux commercial for “Scrotox.”)
• Hilarious.net: This collection has some great SNL spoofs, but it also highlights items that are good for a laugh any day of the week.
• KristenWiigfan.com: Clips and tidbits about one of the most talented SNL cast members (in my humble opinion), who also costars in “MacGruber.”

 Speaking of Kristen Wiig, I’ll leave you with one of the clips that crack me up from the hulu.com feed:

Tom
- My Yahoo! Editorial