According to categories developed by the data-mining company Acxiom, Douglas Rushkoff is a "shooting star."

He's urban, career-focused and has settled down a bit later than average. He probably likes taking a run in the morning and watching Seinfeld reruns. He's a so-called cultural creative and Acxiom recognizes Rushkoff's type. The company also knows how he and others like him operate -- what they buy; how they vote; and when, on average, they'll have kids and perhaps need fertility drugs or a new crib.

All of this is useful information for Acxiom's clients, the manufacturers and stores eager to sell Rushkoff just about everything -- cars, appliances, even political candidates. Using Acxiom's sophisticated, reverse-engineered analysis of buying patterns, these companies may have a better chance at doing just that.