While a lot of you might spend your weekends coding and designing side projects, others prefer the structure — and inability to procrastinate — of an event. A hackathon, if you will. Twitter, Facebook, Google and a lot of other major tech companies host these events periodically, as well; keep an eye on each company’s developer channel to stay informed about upcoming Developer Garages, Hack Days and Code Jams.

While you wait for those events to roll around, however, here are a handful of web and IRL hacker events designed to keep your minds limber and your GitHub repositories fresh. If you’re lucky, you just might get a working side project (or a working team) out of it.

1. Startup Weekend

The idea of Startup Weekend is that over the course of two and a half days a group of hackers and designers can take a web or mobile app idea from a concept to a (mostly) functioning product ready to be pitched to VCs and press. The event takes place in a real-world space; you can code through the night or bring a sleeping bag.

This event is the brainchild of Andrew Hyde, a staffer at TechStars, mentorship-driven seed stage investment program. The first Startup Weekend took place in 2007 in startup hotbed, Boulder, Colorado. Today, Startup Weekend events have been held in cities all over the U.S. and all over the world. To find an upcoming event near you, just check the website.

Best of all, if a Startup Weekend hasn’t been planned in your community, you can work with the organizers tostart one yourself.

2. Node Knockout

Why node, you might ask? The event’s organizers, who clearly have a deep and abiding love for this server-side, evented I/O framework, write on the site, “It’s at the bleeding edge of a technology stack that allows developers to blur the lines between software, the web, and the new like never before.” If node’s on your list of tech to learn, this might be the perfect motivation.

3. SuperHappyDevHouse

Co-founded by David Weekly (of PBWorks fame), SuperHappyDevHouse (SHDH) is a concept event that gave birth to and is now part of Hacker Dojo, a kind of hacker community center based in Silicon Valley. It’s what you might consider one of the first of its kind: Part party, part hackathon, part serious, all innovative.

SHDH events have been held on a roughly monthly basis since its inception in 2005. This concept has also given rise to DevHouse events all over the world, from Pittsburgh and Austin to Cologne and Guadalajara. And if you want to start your own DevHouse event, that’s just fine by Weekly, et al.

4. PyWeek

PyWeek is coming up and will run from August 22-29. This web-based contest gives teams seven full days to build a working game from scratch. The game has to be fun (duh), and it should probably contribute in some way to the currently available body of knowledge about game development.

Also, each game should incorporate a predetermined theme. We’re not sure what August’s theme will be; if you’re interested, check the website again in a couple weeks.

5. Yahoo Hack Day

Yahoo’s Hack Days have been going on for some time now. They occur periodically in cities around the world and at universities, too.

Next month, Yahoo is sponsoring an Open Hack Day in Bangalore on July 24 and 25, and upcoming “Hack U” events at schools and colleges will be announced soon.

Yahoo does a lot to support and motivate developers these days. In addition to hosting Hack Days, the company is also running a contest with Paypal to get devs to use Paypal’s APIs and Yahoo’s dev tools (YQL, for example) to create innovative applications. The contest allows for about one month of development time, and registration begins on August 1. One benefit of this contest is the impressive cash prizes offered to winners.

6. Django Dash

The event’s organizers see the dash as a great way “for Django enthusiasts to flex their coding skills a little and put a fine point on ‘perfectionists with deadlines.’”

7. Rails Rumble

Later this fall, from October 15-17, the famous Rails Rumble will pit teams of Ruby devs against one another in a 48-hour, web-based challenge. This contest is the one that spawned events such as the Django Dash and Node Knockout, from the cleverly alliterative titles to the 2-days-one-technology format.

Teams can be as large as four people or as small as one hacker flying solo. You can use Rails or another Rack-based framework to build and deploy a web app. As a former Rumble judge, I can attest that the codemanship is impressive in this contest, and the resulting apps engender a lasting fascination.

Of course, you can always start a hackathon of your own, either in your local hacker enclave or on the web. If you do so, be sure to tell us about it.

And if we left out your favorite time-limited developer contest, feel free to enlighten us in the comments.

[Full disclosure: Mashable Editor Josh Catone's web site Rails Forum has been a sponsor of the Rails Rumble.]

In just a few short weeks Dan Young (PC Laptops CEO) was noticing a rapid increase in fans–by thousands. Right now the PC Laptops fan page sits at around 20,000 fans give or take, wow! That’s a case study for the books.

If you’re interested in getting some ideas on Facebook marketing for your company–head on over to FlippApps.com. We’d love to tell you more.

1. The Test Tube on YouTube
Look at your YouTube channel as a new, exciting learning lab. Be malleable in your approach to both the content and design of the channel. Don’t be concerned with acquiring thousands of friends and subscribers right away. Use this time to test, gather insights, and see what works for your brand and what doesn’t. Unlike your company’s website and traditional marketing collateral, the look and feel of the channel can be changed, tweaked and optimized without a huge investment of time and money.

2. Plotting Global Domination? Check Your Swagger
Ideally, you’ll want to be goal-oriented during the launch (or re-launch) of your channel. Before your itchy little finger goes to hit that “upload” button, consider the needs and goals of your various target audiences, and keep reminding yourself that web video is distinct medium.

Next, think about your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy. Are you using the channel to attract prospects, provide customer support, or build a list of subscribers? Understand that there might not be “one size fits all” content if you are trying to accomplish all three.

Let your strategic goals drive the tactics you use to create and promote videos, and consider whether a paid sponsorship would offer an advantage. If you check out YouTube’s advertising channel, you can get a basic overview of what brands can do with the platform, but be forewarned — the information is a bit heavy-handed on the sales side.

3. Avoid Over-commitment Issues
Strongly consider outsourcing. I’ve never met a marketer who wasn’t time-starved. Let’s face it: You probably don’t have time to be uploading content, let alone coming up with titles, descriptions and tags, friending, rating, commenting and optimizing. And I’m giving you fair warning: Entrust this project to a summer intern at your own peril.

While you should allow yourself the flexibility to experiment, YouTube can be a high-profile place to make gaffes, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you’re going to outsource, you might consider looking for a specialist who is already set up and can implement your strategy. Creating web videos and knowing how to market them on YouTube requires a whole different skill set than web development — just because it’s online doesn’t mean that it’s a job for the company that builds your website.

4. Be a Social Media Butterfly
Think of your YouTube channel as an extension of your brand that lives and breathes. You’ll need someone who is dedicated to tending to that page, building your audience by reaching out to fans, and managing your profile online.

Start by searching your brand on YouTube and see what the existing conversation looks like. Then try reaching out to people who already have an affinity for your product or service by commenting on their videos and/or “friending” them. Remember that YouTube is an online community, and if you’re not participating in the dialogue, then you are missing the opportunity for true engagement.

5. Don’t Just Re-purpose Old Content
You should post your television commercials online, but don’t let that be the only content on the channel. Remember that television commercials are designed for a one-way medium, and that while audiences may want the ability to see your commercials on-demand, if that’s all you have to offer, they will never visit your channel again.

And don’t just post your commercial and 15 derivative videos about the making of it, or “director’s cuts” of the same, unless they have legitimate value as content in their own right. YouTube is an opportunity for your brand to go beyond traditional “push” marketing tactics and to create videos that address multiple audiences and a variety of consumer needs.

Intel uses their popular television campaigns as the feature reel on their channel, but they also offer a wide variety of other content, including a look at what it’s like to work at Intel, and video from a game developers conference.

6. Broadcast Your Best Self
Make the feature reel on the channel the most entertaining or best piece of content that you have. If that means that it’s a cleverly written and witty commercial that was originally destined for TV, so be it. If a viewer visits your channel, you’ll only have one chance to impress them with your content, so if you don’t entertain them or offer some overwhelmingly valuable information, you’ll lose an opportunity.

7. Make a Menu of Content to Feed Everyone
Understand that YouTube is a search engine for video. Create tailored content that considers what consumers are searching for or need to know about your products and services. If you play your cards right, when consumers are searching for information about your competitor, they’ll come to your videos first. Instructional and how-to videos that show consumers how to use your product are always a good place to start, but also consider the value of integrating your product into existing YouTube shows and then favoriting those videos on your channel.

8. Juice Your Marketing: Extract Extra Value
YouTube does not exist in a vacuum. Try to integrate your YouTube channel into the rest of your marketing programs and cross reference/promote your content. You can extract more value out of your event marketing if you think about ways to co-produce video content. Remember, integrating marketing channels and initiatives is well known for producing a campaign “multiplier effect.” Whether it’s video shot at a trade show or a promo for an upcoming event, just make sure that the video is well produced and edited for length.

Harley-Davidson took advantage of it’s photo shoot with popular model Marisa Miller for the V-Rod Muscle as an opportunity to get some behind the scenes footage and put together a video for YouTube. Harley definitely got extra value from the photo shoot as the video is one of the most-watched on their YouTube channel.

9. Be Homegrown
Grow your channel instead of “launching” it. If there is any medium that pays attention to grassroots movement, web video is it. And be patient — it takes time to spread the word about your channel, and it takes care and nurturing for it to catch on. Keep releasing content on a regular basis, integrate your YouTube channel into your other marketing efforts, bring your customers extra value, and your presence will grow.

10. Keep the Future in Mind
YouTube was started in early 2005 — look how much has changed in a five-year time span, and how fast web video has progressed. As new technology and distribution channels emerge (like the iPad), try to think about how you can create web video content that will serve your brand into the future. During the production process, you should keep user-experience in mind and plan for the audience to be watching your videos on screens the size of a TV, as well as on their mobile phones.

Is this the new “Punk’D” of the internet? Minus Ashton Kutchcher’s smug little smirk and snide remarks? Perhaps.

It’s been a long time coming, but finally you can order “Blogs of Wrath” on Amazon.com!  In a few weeks you’ll be able to get it on Barnes & Noble.com and in stores.

For those of you wanting a brief overview on what our book is about I think Todd put it best in his interview with Jon Paxton:

Nuke ’Em describes the new novel this way, “It’s a story about a kid trying to grow up in the suburbs of Salt Lake City. It’s placed in this post-Columbine era where teachers are scared of kids,” he says, then continues with a wry grin, “It’s about the kind of stuff I would do as a kid that would get you thrown out of school now.”

Blogs of Wrath is certainly a story that means quite a bit to me personally.  I appreciate everyone who read the “rough draft” version that we posted online some time ago.

The published edition is polished (thanks, editors) and probably twenty times better than Sarah Palin’s new book (I hate to brag, but seriously).

I’m excited as hell for what lies ahead and I’m genuinely thankful for everyone’s encouragement… it means a ton.

Overview

Carl DeReese only wants to survive junior high school in the Salt Lake City suburbs, but in an era where teachers are afraid of the students, some of his behavior is misdiagnosed as threatening. His longing to fit into a new school is complicated by a family tragedy, followed by a breakdown in the classroom that leads to criminal charges.

When he finally makes friends with a kid named Dex, his troubles seem to have ended. Typical teenage angst is multiplied when the expected birth of a sibling turns tragic, leaving Carl heartbroken and confused. A callous teacher pushes Carl into an emotional corner and his outburst results in suspension from school and criminal charges.

With so many authority figures assuming that he is dangerous and threatening, Carl has to decide for himself if he truly believes what everyone is telling him. The friends he makes and the support from his parents might be the only things that help him survive. His emotions are honest, his online confessions are genuine and heartbreaking, and his fear of what the next day brings will make even older readers wonder how they survived junior high school.

Editorial Reviews

“With spot-on-dialogue and a compelling narrative voice, Noker and Shutt’s Blogs of Wrath is a terrific read … a page-turner, memorable, poignant, and above all, entertaining.”

–Nicole Stansbury, Places to Look for a Mother

“Raw, vivid and very real.”

–Jeff Vice, Deseret News

“Blogs of Wrath manages to filter classic teen angst and frustration through
modern tech-speak shorthand and first-person self-consciousness without
compromising the good ol’ 1.0 standards of detail and writing.”

–Bill Frost, Salt Lake City Weekly