I don't use RSS feeds [...]

- you're missing out, good sir! Instead of having to go to a website to check if something new was posted (for example an entry on the kiva blog), an RSS reader will regularly check the feeds you subscribe to and download all new messages. You can do it right in outlook, or grab a dedicated RSS reader like
RSSbandit. You then get notified as soon as new items arrive.
It allows you to easily keep track of dozens of blogs, or subscribe to specific news feeds - international news, for example - with very little effort. If you want to hold onto an entry, it's also easy to flag it so you can read it again later, or forward it to a friend.
I like the suggestion, by the way. Although, I think it would be essentially the same content that we currently get by e-mail notification - just a different method of delivery?