This is perfect for all of you internet guys. Its a service that you can text ANY question to 242242 (chacha) and they text back the answer for free. If you apply to be a guide, its like a trivia game that you get paid twenty cents a question for.

http://info.chacha.com/Careers/BecomeaGuide/tabid/74/Default.aspx

My email is caitlin.rhyne@gmail.com <- if you have a reference, it helps your chances of getting in, and I get a couple of cents.

Try it out, I'm on right now, and then become a guide! Its fun!

5/7/2008 11:17:41 PM

MARKED AS SPAM

5/7/2008 11:18:05 PM

You do know you just put your name out there on TWW, right?

5/7/2008 11:18:57 PM

shut up. she's hot, ok

[Edited on May 7, 2008 at 11:20 PM. Reason : you don't remember the collegehumor thread?]

5/7/2008 11:18:59 PM

*stalk stalk stalk*

5/7/2008 11:19:33 PM

nah, i'm not really into pokemon

5/7/2008 11:20:56 PM

In the last ten minutes I have answered....

how many christians did marcus aurelius kill estimate maybe
(he didn't)

how old you gotta be 2 be a guide
(18!)

what are the lyrics to the song i wont see you tonight part 2 by avenged sevenfold
(Something emo)

is lil wayne solo in his latest song lolli pop
(Nope- hes got someone else helping.. s something)

just tell me the best bar in indy
(found some bad ass martini bar in downtown)

this is fun

5/7/2008 11:37:04 PM

fuck that

I'm drunk and refuse to be someone's Google bitch

maybe some other day I'll be willing to look shit up for chump change

5/7/2008 11:41:11 PM

I get fun ones too, like people asking what my favorite movie is and for jokes. I just had someone ask how to tell the temp with cricket chirps, which I hadn't thought about in a LONG time.

Just letting the internetaholics of the wolf web know of its awesome both as a silly job (heck, I've made thirty bucks in two days just fucking around on it for a few hours) and a useful tool (how many times are you out and need directions, or want to know a random fact, or help deciding whether to go to taco bell or cookout?)

[Edited on May 7, 2008 at 11:53 PM. Reason : ]

5/7/2008 11:53:15 PM

Quote :

"help deciding whether to go to taco bell or cookout?"

this should never be a dilemma.

5/7/2008 11:54:30 PM

don't go to either of those places

ask for a recipe

for the record I support the idea of mercenary information gathering... especially grassroots stuff
but keep in mind that you get what you pay for

so is this company just building a buzz or is there embedded advertising?

5/7/2008 11:58:02 PM

no advertising-yet. They are supported through investments in a mutual fund right now, and are probably going to go to advertising on their website eventually.

5/8/2008 12:00:50 AM

so you have some function in the organization greater than a commission based recruiter?

5/8/2008 12:03:29 AM

uh, yes.

I'm a question answer-er. Someone texts in a question, it goes through the computer to me (or one of the other guides), I look it up and text it back. Its like preparing for jeopardy.

And if you don't want to use me as a reference, but want to check it out, more power to you.

Seriously, just try texting a question before you get all OMG SCAM. Its really neat.

[Edited on May 8, 2008 at 12:07 AM. Reason : ]

5/8/2008 12:06:24 AM

yeah, this is a pretty awesome service.

Great way to make some pocket change when you have absolutely nothing better to do.

You really do learn a lot just from all the random facts you look up. Sports, science, all sorts of good stuff.

5/8/2008 12:16:02 AM

alright you get my referral

5/8/2008 12:21:56 AM

Did you try texting them to see how it works at least first? I'm more here to spread the word about the awesome. It takes a couple days to become a guide (have to take a typing test and read some stuff). But thanks! If they say yes to you, I make two cents.

5/8/2008 12:23:49 AM

you suck! I want referrals!

5/8/2008 12:29:49 AM

Quote :

"Final Registration You've completed the Guide Registration process and are now ready for the final step towards becoming a Guide."

i am now officially a guide

thx caitlin

5/8/2008 10:23:45 AM

So you send texts back through your computer or phone?

5/8/2008 10:33:09 AM

lol i tried to sign up to be a guide and I didn't meet the registration requirements?

Do they want you to clarify everything with the person asking the question? I can't believe I failed their assessment lol

5/8/2008 4:45:41 PM

i bet this is secretly sponsored by the cell service companies

5/8/2008 5:00:58 PM

"Your information has been recievesd. We will review your submission soon" How long does this take?

5/8/2008 5:20:54 PM

I applied last night and was accepted this morning. Did all my 'training' stuff and I'm just waiting on them to get back to me

5/8/2008 5:31:55 PM

For me it took a day to get the first test, then you do a second test. That one is hand graded, so it takes from 1-7 days to get back (I heard in two).

And you're welcome Evan!

I think that it might be secretly sponsered by the cell companies too. They talk about a mutual fund if people want to invest, but they have other hoopla about "partnerships" that I can't find anything on.

People who are doing it- NEVER ever clarify anything. First of all, it does nothing, and you wont get paid. Neither do they. Instead you ask in your reply for them to clear things up. You only report abuse if it is super illicit or really serious about killing someone- if you get something pervy but dumb (Whats goatse?) you just answer with a smart ass reply (When you go to a farm, you can see plenty of goats! Txt 242 242 if you have anything else we can help you with!). Its okay that you failed. <3

Let me know if anyone else has a question. And serious, use it! I called today about a bunch of stuff (my kitty cat just got diagnosed with heartworm , so we were learning about it.)

5/8/2008 6:55:11 PM

that sucks you have to fill out a w-9

and i called and asked for restaurant information. they told me to get on a computer and look it up on google. WTF

5/8/2008 7:55:05 PM

what a dick. can you give me the tiny URL that was in it so I can report it? Ask again, you will get a different guide.


annnnd I think you only have to report if if you make over $600. Its just so they can call us independent contractors so they dont have to massive payrolls.

[Edited on May 8, 2008 at 8:42 PM. Reason : ]

5/8/2008 8:41:09 PM

you have my referral.

5/8/2008 8:59:45 PM

i signed up, too! ahhh exciting! I've been messaging it a lot tonight haha

5/8/2008 9:03:51 PM

I'm glad! Its kinda slow tonight... lots of american idol questions though. Isn't it neat?

[Edited on May 8, 2008 at 9:32 PM. Reason : ]

5/8/2008 9:28:04 PM

hey frugal qualm

5/8/2008 9:35:01 PM

Hi drunknloaded. You should check this out, you would be great at it.

5/8/2008 9:56:55 PM

if i make it to june i'll check it out

5/8/2008 10:09:06 PM

I am learning the most random facts. Its fun though, so def look into it. Are you super busy?

5/8/2008 10:27:43 PM

how long does it take to get answers?

5/8/2008 11:58:02 PM

We are supposed to do it in under three minutes, but if its a toughy, it could take up a few more. The guide can't move on until he has answered the one in front of him, so if he can't answer it he will tell you to text back for more, and it will get sent to another person to get a crack at it. If it could be looked up, and isn't some stupid hard physics problem or something, under 5 minutes.

5/9/2008 12:00:50 AM

ha my first question must have been tough. i asked two and got the second one answered first

i know the info can be looked up. its a question ab a drug, i just dont want to read the insert

not satisfied with the answers to my two questions. i'll try less obscure ones later.

[Edited on May 9, 2008 at 12:09 AM. Reason : klfjksdjf]

5/9/2008 12:03:41 AM

just completed the 15 test questions. lets see if i get approved to start raking in the green.

5/9/2008 10:12:23 PM

Quote :

"shut up. she's hot, ok [Edited on May 7, 2008 at 11:20 PM. Reason : you don't remember the collegehumor thread?]"

oh

so she is the one with the man chin?

5/9/2008 10:20:58 PM

SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM

5/9/2008 10:23:10 PM

So today I did some interesting investigation on it. And no, its not spam. Could you please get out of my thread, meanies?

****

The main investors (when you ask, they just say "strategic partnerships") are:

Bezos Expeditions -> Jeff Bezos' personal investment firm (he is the guy that started amazon)

Morton Meyerson -> Ross Perot's main man

Rod Canion -> Founded Compaq and seems to invest in a lot of start up software and is active at Rice university where.....

Jack Gill -> teaches at. Invented Vanguard (his link to Ross Perot, Perot Systems is one of the leading firms that uses the software) and makes lasers or something now. He has a past in telecommunications He interestingly enough recently started the Gill Foundation, a GLBT thing based out of Denver. He graduated from Indiana University like..

Scott Jones, the CEO of cha cha. His claim to fame is Gracenote, a software database for music or some major thing (internet jargon) that recently got sold to Sony for 260 million dollars. Thats the program that itunes or your computer uses to identify tracks.

Suranga Chandratillake -> has a lot of experience in "next generation search engines". Started Blinkx, which is a video metasearch. I can't really figure out where this cat fits in. I think he knows Jack Gill through the Gill Foundation.

"Great universities of the 21st century will master and integrate digital information as an essential part of research and learning," McRobbie said. "Our alliance with ChaCha creates a strong and capable partnership to research these digital frontiers and to develop leading tools for the IU community."

"With this strategic alliance we establish pioneering paths to bring human insight and expertise to the moment of need. We see a generalized platform for expertise projection to the IU community rather than building unique tools for each academic discipline or service. This is a research, development and production service alliance."

Thats from the president of Indiana University, who is another "strategic partner".



****
SUMMARY

ChaCha is backed by (or related to)

Ross Perot
Sony
Amazon.com
Compaq
Blinkx Video metasearch
Indiana University


I still can't figure out how they make money on this- it doesn't seem like an advertising thing yet. I think it may be a cover for the software that will be used for something else.


So yeah, everyone text 242 242 and ask questions. Its awesome. And free. And sign up to be a guide! Its fun!

And hey- I have a cute chin!

[Edited on May 10, 2008 at 7:33 PM. Reason : chin]

5/10/2008 7:26:00 PM

boo yah. I've made 20$ so far just fartin around on chacha in my free time.

5/10/2008 11:21:43 PM

thats the best pic of frugal qualm with short hair that i've ever seen

5/10/2008 11:28:02 PM

So, which wolfwebber is James? I totally got you hooked- didn't I?

If anyone wants to join, let me know!

Caitlin.rhyne@gmail.com for the referral!

5/15/2008 11:06:36 PM

I tried to do it, but they said my scores weren't high enough

5/15/2008 11:07:30 PM

I signed up. When do you hear something back?

5/15/2008 11:21:17 PM

Within a day or so. Theres a couple pretests you have to do before you get hired. Make sure you browse the study guides they give you before you take them. And when you are taking the test, never say to clarify- its their big no no.

^^Sorry you got turned down! That sucks, its a pretty cool thing.

I'm up to almost $90 bucks, and I took a couple days off cause they were having server issues making it sooo slow. Its kinda excited to get paid for googleing stuff.

5/15/2008 11:29:15 PM

i have used chacha a ton since reading this

i've also told tons of people about it

coolest thing in a long time!

5/15/2008 11:30:31 PM

lol fine then hooker!

[Edited on May 15, 2008 at 11:36 PM. Reason : .;]

5/15/2008 11:31:13 PM

^I'm good. I haven't talked to her in like.. two years.


^^ Awesome! I'm glad people are using it. I did today- I just moved to Charleston and was lost in a random parking lot. Cha Cha got me home!

I was looking through questions in the history of a couple of ones I had and I was cracking up.

"Should I do ass to mouth on my ho tonight"
"I don't recommend it. Thanks for using Cha-Cha!"

I have no idea why I thought it was so funny. I wonder what that kid thought when he saw his answer.

5/15/2008 11:35:45 PM