Joost isn’t dead, it’s just getting more advertising.
Adconion‘s main aim in acquiring the video firm is to offer its web player to brand marketing clients, CEO Tyler Moebius told paidContent.org. But Adconion’s acquisition also includes the Joost.com trademark and rights for much of Joost’s TV content…
Though Joost itself had decided to exit the consumer video space to focus on white-labeling, Adconion will continue to operate the Joost.com consumer site and will go on seeking new Joost.com video content, he said…
“We’ll continue to pursue a strategy of aggregating premium content,” Moebius said, who is retaining a 12-strong Joost engineering team in New York, pledging: “We’ll continue to innovate on the Joost platform.”
But building an audience for strands like Transformers and Martial Arts TV, where Joost before could not, is not the centrepiece of Adconion’s strategy here. Rather, Joost’s embeddable player and portal site will both become spaces on which to sell ads and a window through which marketing clients can show their emerging wave of branded content...
“Acquiring their technology platform will enable us to combine it with our existing ad-serving solution to provide a white-label solution to publishers and advertisers,” Moebius said. “Now we’ll be able to provide those publishers with a branded video player and iPhone app” (Joost’s app is still available; counterparts Babelgum and Livestation have recently been white-labeling their iPhone apps to other media orgs).
After launching its Adconion.tv imprint in a big video foray last year, Adconion already has its own content development and syndication arm, RedLever (formed after acquiring LA digital studio KTV), ready to produce those videos for clients (it’s already produced a Late Night Jukebox series on behalf of McDonald’s, featuring artists from Sony’s Epic record label).
Adconion will offer its customers a customised Joost player for their own site, distribution for their branded content through those players and on the Joost.com portal, and overlay ads on Joost.com’s existing content (preroll, midroll, postroll, overlay)...
So, Joost.com survives, but may be more marketing-heavy than before. Moebius presumably isn’t as intrigued by the opportunity to make Joost succeed as a VOD portal in its original form as he is by its potential as an advertising canvas - ex Joost CEO Mike Volpi already conceded to paidContent:UK in June that Joost had been rendered unattractive by the Hulus and iPlayers of this world. That prompted the switch toward technology white-labeling - Adconion will get white-label clients Joost had since scooped up, Moebius said, but Joost’s previous managers had let advertisers go when they made the shift, he added.
“When we first looked at the video landscape two years ago, the biggest challenge was giving advertisers premium content and scale,” Moebius said. “We decided to pursue a strategy of pushing content out. We continue to stay focused on content syndication and distribution but, by operating Joost.com, it will complement these efforts and provide a complete video ecosystem for our advertisers, publishers and content owners, giving them the availability to showcase premium content on Joost.com or to license the Joost platform.”
Moebius refused to reveal the price for Joost, nor what happens to assets he is not buying, but credited the Flash web player that Joost invested so heavily on developing to replace its desktop app: “We were extremely impressed with the technology platform that they had built over the years, along with the engineering team responsible for building a state-of-the-art global video platform.”
Despite being headquartered in London, Adconion’s CEO says he will remain in Santa Monica, LA, where it has 65 staff, unless demands dictate otherwise. Last week’s departure of his UK managing director is “completely unrelated” and all the Joost assets will sit under Adconion.tv, operated by Moebius’ CTO, while Joost as a brand will be one of Adconion’s “portfolio products”.
After acquiring KTV, Frontline and HiClip.tv, are more buys on the cards for the company in which $80 million was invested last year? “We’ll always continue to evaluate opportunities that meet our business objective as a leader in online video,” Moebius said.
On the subject of acquisitions, it won’t escape your attention that, like Joost, Adconion’s main financing is from Index Ventures. No word on whether this sale was coordinated by Index.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Adconion Media Group Acquires Certain Assets From Joost
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Nike ID iPhone App
Only a matter of time until fresh sneakers came out o the iPhone....
Sportswear giant Nike has a nifty application in the App Store that allows you to create custom sneakers and order them straight away, with just a couple of taps. The app is in fact a mobile extension of NIKEiD, a program that allows customer to order personalized Nike shoes straight from the manufacturer. And an excellent extension it is.
The free app (iTunes link) has been available on the App Store since the beginning of this month, but surprisingly there hasn’t been a lot of coverage about it. Even despite this excellent video about it (embedded below).
The software program allows you to select flashy looking sneakers that were custom designed by others and purchase them straight away, but there’s a lot more to it than that. For instance, you can dive into your photo library and select any image, after which the NIKEiD iPhone app will automatically detect which colors are in them and let you choose two for your own custom shoe. Or you can just use the Color Picker to select two colors you like.
Evidently, you can filter the results even more based on your specific needs (e.g. only shoes for men, unisex basketball clothing, etc.). Using the My Locker feature you can also save your favorite designs and access those you’ve customized on the NIKEiD website. Once you’ve selected a custom design you like, you can shake your iPhone to shuffle the colors, but you also get some options to genuinely personalize sneakers with your name, a custom logo or whatever you like.
Did I mention you can buy designs straight from the app?
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Pandora Video Series - Matisyahu "Thunder"
My boy Matis gives a breakdown of "Thunder" from his new album Light. Some amazing guitar and classic beatboxing in this video. Worth the couple minutes.
Artist description: "Spiritually orthodox musician Matisyahu brings some unorthodox flavor combinations into his live set, including hip-hop, roots reggae and classic rock."
**The Pandora video won't load so here's an alternative...
The Fun Theory...Stairs Turned Into A Piano
"66% more people chose to take the stairs as opposed to the escalator."
Being that the US is tha fattest country in the world, maybe we could use the "fun theory" to get people to do things that have positive impact on their health.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Turn Parking Spots Into Parks
This is a great idea....
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Apple's Invite Only Product Release Session In San Francisco
Apple held an invite only event today, which was surprisingly hosted by CEO Steve Jobs. This was Jobs' first appearance since October 2008 as he has been recovering from a liver transplant. Some interesting iPod and iTunes updates to look out for in the near future.
Apple introduced an updated version of the iPod Nano that sports a built-in video camera and microphone located on the lower left-hand side. It also features a slightly larger 2.2-inch display, up from 2 inches. There is still no Wi-Fi, or built-in Web browser, so users will first have to sync the videos to their computers to access and edit the files. The upgraded device also has an FM tuner, which lets users listen to radio tracks. This is a feature iPod users have been pining for, for a very long time.
Apple announced the release Wednesday of OS 3.1, which will be a free update to iPhone users and $4.95 to iPod Touch owners.
With 3.1, users on both platforms can now get Genius recommendations for applications they've purchased. These show up in the App Store app, as well as in iTunes, and function in a similar fashion to how Genius for music works. It takes your purchase information and sends it to Apple, which will analyze it for similar purchases, and offer up recommendations. This may end up being a more precise system since there are fewer apps than music tracks.
3.1 also adds a new security feature for iPhone owners--the capability to lock down the device over the air using MobileMe. Previously, if your phone was lost or stolen, this feature would only be enabled if the user had set it that way.
iTunes 9
Apple introduced a new version of iTunes, which offers iPhone and iPod Touch users a way to better organize applications they have added to the device. Users can now drag and drop apps to multiple home screens at once, instead of doing so on the device itself.
Read the rest of the story here, provided by cNET.
Friday, September 4, 2009
One Michael Jackson Video to Rule Them All!
Absolutely unbelievable, a phenomenal tribute. Amazing how similar all the guys look, wait....
ATT Investing Millions To Stop iPhone's Dropped Calls?
As a dedicated iPhone user who curses AT&T everyday, I'd be thrilled if this actually went down and we could go a day without dropping a call. Apparently there are too many iPhone's for the AT&T network....glad they sorted that out ahead of time.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Theo Walcott and Wieden+Kennedy = More Nike Magic
Ed Note: If the video doesn't want to show, click here (http://creativity-online.com/work/nike-walcott/17141)...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
The 12 Most Annoying Types of Facebookers
Great list put together by CNN.com:
The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore. "I'm waking up." "I had Wheaties for breakfast." "I'm bored at work." "I'm stuck in traffic." You're kidding! How fascinating! No moment is too mundane for some people to broadcast unsolicited to the world. Just because you have 432 Facebook friends doesn't mean we all want to know when you're waiting for the bus.
The Self-Promoter. OK, so we've probably all posted at least once about some achievement. And sure, maybe your friends really do want to read the fascinating article you wrote about beet farming. But when almost EVERY update is a link to your blog, your poetry reading, your 10k results or your art show, you sound like a bragger or a self-centered careerist.
The Friend-Padder. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site. Schmoozers and social butterflies -- you know, the ones who make lifelong pals on the subway -- might reasonably have 300 or 400. But 1,000 "friends?" Unless you're George Clooney or just won the lottery, no one has that many. That's just showing off.
The Town Crier. "Michael Jackson is dead!!!" You heard it from me first! Me, and the 213,000 other people who all saw it on TMZ. These Matt Drudge wannabes are the reason many of us learn of breaking news not from TV or news sites but from online social networks. In their rush to trumpet the news, these people also spread rumors, half-truths and innuendo. No, Jeff Goldblum did not plunge to his death from a New Zealand cliff.
The TMIer. "Brad is heading to Walgreens to buy something for these pesky hemorrhoids." Boundaries of privacy and decorum don't seem to exist for these too-much-information updaters, who unabashedly offer up details about their sex lives, marital troubles and bodily functions. Thanks for sharing.
The Bad Grammarian. "So sad about Fara Fauset but Im so gladd its friday yippe". Yes, I know the punctuation rules are different in the digital world. And, no, no one likes a spelling-Nazi schoolmarm. But you sound like a moron.
The Sympathy-Baiter. "Barbara is feeling sad today." "Man, am I glad that's over." "Jim could really use some good news about now." Like anglers hunting for fish, these sad sacks cast out their hooks -- baited with vague tales of woe -- in the hopes of landing concerned responses. Genuine bad news is one thing, but these manipulative posts are just pleas for attention.
The Lurker. The Peeping Toms of Facebook, these voyeurs are too cautious, or maybe too lazy, to update their status or write on your wall. But once in a while, you'll be talking to them and they'll mention something you posted, so you know they're on your page, hiding in the shadows. It's just a little creepy.
The Crank. These curmudgeons, like the trolls who spew hate in blog comments, never met something they couldn't complain about. "Carl isn't really that impressed with idiots who don't realize how idiotic they are." [Actual status update.] Keep spreading the love.
The Paparazzo. Ever visit your Facebook page and discover that someone's posted a photo of you from last weekend's party -- a photo you didn't authorize and haven't even seen? You'd really rather not have to explain to your mom why you were leering like a drunken hyena and French-kissing a bottle of Jagermeister.
The Maddening Obscurist. "If not now then when?" "You'll see..." "Grist for the mill." "John is, small world." "Dave thought he was immune, but no. No, he is not." [Actual status updates, all.] Sorry, but you're not being mysterious -- just nonsensical.
The Chronic Inviter. "Support my cause. Sign my petition. Play Mafia Wars with me. Which 'Star Trek' character are you? Here are the 'Top 5 cars I have personally owned.' Here are '25 Things About Me.' Here's a drink. What drink are you? We're related! I took the 'What President Are You?' quiz and found out I'm Millard Fillmore! What president are you?"
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
U.S. Soccer looks to EA Sports to help develop next generation of pros
ou would think that with a population of 300 million the U.S. would be a little better at soccer than it currently is. Not that the US Mens National Team is terrible—its victory against Spain in the Confederations Cup in June was all kinds of great—but we’re (yup, Royal We time) not exactly known as a “world power,” mentioned in the same breath with Italy, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. In steps… EA? Yup, we just got word that EA Sports, makers of FIFA 10, has teamed up with US Soccer to develop and promote a series of training videos that young players can use to improve their game. Is is enough to to give some future USMT the World Cup one day? US Soccer certainly has high hopes.
The premise is pretty simple, actually. American kids spend an awful amount of time playing video games, so why not get these kids, kids who have already expressed an interest in the sport, to improve their game a little bit? EA set up a new Web site, Interactive Training, that has a series of tutorial videos that explain the basics of the game to youngsters. (The program is aimed at 8-12 year olds.) So you’re playing a round of FIFA against your son/daughter or younger brother/sister, and you say, “Wow you’re good at headers in the game. Let’s go to this Web site where they’ll teach you how to actually head the ball.”
That’s just what US Soccer would like to see, at least. I talked to John Hackworth, who’s the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Technical Director (a fancy title that means, essentially, he’s in charge of youth development), and he said that, yeah, U.S. Soccer should try to leverage, if that’s the right word, kids’ proclivity to sit down and play FIFA all day long. Why not tell these kids, “Look, you’re pretty good at this game, why not try it out for real?” That way you’ve exposed the sport to a large number of kids who might turn out to be halfway decent one day.
Again, no one expects overnight success here, especially if it’s targeting young kids. But there’s nothing wrong with steps in the right direction.
Courtesy of Crunch Gear
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Vegas Commercials Are Genius; "Chinchilli Day"
Whether or not you are like me and find small furry animals hilarious, you can't not seee the genius in the latest Las Vegas commercial celebrating Chinchilli Day...
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
It's Official, DJ Languis Is Live On The Web
WWW.DJLANGUIS.BLOGSPOT.COM
The hottest dj in the bay has taken it to the web, check it out and download his mixes.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Paul Rodriguez, Ice Cube, and Nike Skateboards
Awesome commercial with P-Rod and Ice Cube repping Nike SB...great find from Luaggz.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Facebook Makes It Harder for You to Hook Up
Facebook's Advanced Search (now called "Profile Search") no longer lets you search by relationship status.
Great. Mark Zuckerberg starts a service in order to meet hotties, then decides to make it harder for the 250 million people who signed on to do the same.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Ocean Currents On Board To Create Renewable Energy
The answer to easing the energy crunch in one of the nation's most populous states could lie underwater.
Imagine if your utility company could harness the ocean's current to power your house, cool your office, even charge your car.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University are in the early stages of turning that idea into reality in the powerful Gulf Stream off the state's eastern shore.
"If you can take an engine and put it on the back of a boat or propel a ship through water, why not take a look at the strength of the Gulf Stream and determine if that can actually turn a device and create energy?" asked Sue Skemp, executive director at Florida Atlantic University's Center for Ocean Energy Technology.
The demand for energy in Florida -- the fourth most populous state, with an estimated 19 million residents -- is quickly outpacing the capacity to create it, according to experts.
"Right now in Florida, we are at the cusp of an energy crisis. Our energy demand keeps growing," said Frederick Driscoll, director of Florida Atlantic University's Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology.
Beginning in the Caribbean and ending in the upper-North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream lies on the eastern shore of Florida.
Its powerful currents have been used by many fishermen, sailors and explorers to expedite their passage in the Atlantic north and east to Europe, but scientists say the energy within its currents could propel Florida out of its potential energy crisis, powering 3 million to 7 million Florida homes -- or supplying the state with one-third of its electricity.
"The predictions at this point estimate that the strength of the Gulf Stream could generate anywhere between four to 10 gigawatts of power, the equivalent of four to 10 nuclear power plants," said Skemp.
"The Gulf Stream is the strongest current in the world, so we want to harness our greatest resource. It's renewable, emission free and reliable," said Jeremy Susac, executive director of the Florida Energy and Climate Commission.
At the university's Center for Ocean Energy Technology in Boca Raton, Florida, ocean engineers are working with marine, environmental and material scientists to develop cost-competitive technologies to commercialize the energy within the Gulf Stream.
Though it has been considered for more than a century, harnessing the energy of the Gulf Stream is no easy task, and no sustainable system has been implemented.
"First we have to do a resource assessment and understand how much energy is in the Gulf Stream current on a minute-to-minute, day-to-day, hour-to-hour and yearly basis," said Driscoll.
In April, researchers at the center deployed four acoustic Doppler current profilers in the Atlantic off the east coast of Florida.
Using high frequency, low-power sonar, these large orange ball-shaped objects measure the speed of the ocean currents.
"We are looking at how much energy we can safely extract -- what is the sensitivity of extraction versus the environmental effects?" said Driscoll.
The vision for the pilot program is to develop and test a 20-kilowatt underwater turbine by spring 2010.
Sound familiar?
The concept behind underwater turbines is similar to that of wind turbines on land.
As water flows by the turbine, it turns a rotor blade. As the rotor blade turns, energy is generated.
That energy can be transmitted from a generator inside the turbine to electrical conducting cables, where it's captured, harnessed and distributed for future use.
Researchers also are looking at ways to use the electricity that is generated underwater to generate and store hydrogen in the ocean. The hydrogen could be used to fuel clean-running cars and trucks.
"Because it's such a new endeavor, there's a lot of knowledge gaps not only in terms of the technology side but also on the ecological side of things," said Driscoll.
Completely reliant
Florida is completely reliant on out-of-state fuel sources (coal and natural gas), but generates more than 90 percent of its own electricity, according to the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. It ranks third nationally in total energy consumption.
So how much will this endeavor cost? And what kind of impacts will it have on the local marine environment?
"Those are the questions we don't have answers to," said Skemp.
There are some hurdles that need to be cleared before the technology can get approval and become commercially available.
"This area is so new, we're still finding out what needs to be done," said Skemp.
"It's not like an established industry, like the aerospace industry or the automotive industry or others, where you have models which you could base cost on," added Skemp.
So far, the state of Florida has allocated $13.75 million in grants toward research and development of the pilot project, but the cost to implement the project on a large scale could be much higher.
Before a project like this can go forward, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will have to look at a whole range of factors, from the effects it will have on wild and marine life to recreation activities and shipping, said an environmental specialist with the commission.
If the pilot program is successful, it could take another five to 10 years before the technology can be implemented.
The Gulf Stream is something that has been taken for granted, said Skemp.
"The Gulf Stream is on 24/7. It's flowing 365 days a year, so it's a continuous source of energy." E-mail to a friend | Mixx it | Share
By Azadeh Ansari
CNN
Friday, July 24, 2009
Twitter Unveiling New Look Next Week
"You can try it out without having to sign up, so you can get an idea of what Twitter is before you use it," co-founder Biz Stone said in the AllThingsD report. "We need to do a better job of explaining ourselves to people who hear about us and then have no idea what do to . . . We want it to show us as a place where people can discover what is going on in real-time and much more."
This, says Internet News, "seems to represent the company's efforts to bridge the gap between Twitter as a curiosity and Twitter as a mainstream communications channel."
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Red Band Trailer
How I've managed to not put this up yet, I have no idea. This movie will be absolutely unreal (official movie site here)...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
ESPN Actually Pugging The World Cup and Soccer In America?
Am I dreaming, or has ESPN gotten Kenny Mayne to vouch for the validity of football as the world's game to a couple American meatheads?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Bill Simmons' Addresses International Soccer In A Recent Mailbag
Great, great analysis here from ESPN's acclaimed Sports Guy in a recent "Mailbag" column where Simmons addresses reader emails...
-- T.J., Leeds, England
SG: Sure. I'll do it in five short paragraphs and 500 words total. The theory goes like this …
1. Americans enjoy watching the best (fill in any sport). We are elitists. That's why we like the Olympics, that's why we enjoy any finals, that's why we watch Wimbledon and the Masters, that's why we don't care about sports like the WNBA, MLS or arena football as anything other than a niche sport. International soccer plays into this. It's the best of the best. Hell, we even liked "The Best of the Best" even though Eric Roberts was the biggest star in it.
2. The games zoom along: no commercials, no sideline reporters, no corporate tie-ins, no four-hour games like in baseball, no "takes 20 minutes to play the last two" like in the NBA. You can sit down for a soccer game and say, "I'm going to spend the next two hours watching this and then I'm going to do something else." Like watch more TV.
3. Give credit to ESPN for committing air time in non-Cup years to elite international soccer tournaments like the UEFA Cup. I know that's how I started paying more attention. If you like sports, you cannot NOT get caught up in the level of play, the maniacal crowds, the intensity and tension and everything else. It's impossible.
4. Widescreen TVs make it easier to see the field; HD makes it easier to see faces and numbers (and the grass looks green and vibrant); and better camerawork (and also more cameras) make the games more intimate. Now you feel like the players are flopping right onto your living room rug! Just kidding, soccer fans. Seriously, settle down. Jokes.
5. International soccer never took off here for the simple reason that American sports fans had trouble following anything they couldn't attend in person and/or watch on television at their leisure. Now? We're turning into a sofa culture; since it's more expensive to go to games, many of us find it just as rewarding to stay home, save money and watch games on a nice TV. Throw in the Internet, DirecTV, fan blogs and everything else and you really can follow soccer from across the Atlantic.
That's why, over the next decade -- starting with the World Cup in 2010 -- I predict international soccer takes off to a modest degree in America during the '10s. Not to compare everything to "The Godfather," but for America, the NASL was Sonny (exciting, impetuous and ultimately self-destructive), the MLS is Fredo (weak) and international soccer is Michael (the heavy hitter who was lurking all along). That's how this plays out I think.
Google Launches Google Moon To Commemorate Lunar Landing
It's the 40th anniversary of the moon landing today. In fact, right about now, the lunar module would be detaching from the command module and starting its descent toward the Sea of Tranquility.
Google is using this opportunity to launch Moon in Google Earth, giving folks everywhere the opportunity to take virtual lunar tours using Google Earth. Clever bastards.
Hleb Regrets Leaving Arsenal
Last week I talked about how hard it is to be a Arsenal fan, since we lose al of out top players. One player on that list was Alexander Hleb, the Belarus international whom we lost to Barcelona. Well today, everyone and their mother is reporting that Hleb regrets the move, citing Arsene Wenger as a father figure to him....
The Belarus international moved to FC Barcelona in order to win more trophies, but failed to establish a regular place in the side.
Hleb said: "When you mostly sit on the bench, winning titles brings very little joy, while getting to the last eight of the Champions League with Arsenal was unforgettable.
"I regret my move from London, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it now.
"For me, Wenger was like a father. I consider him one of the best managers in the world.
"For such a boss one wants to die on the pitch. Arsène managed to create a smashing team with a wonderful atmosphere inside of it.
"I have no doubts that if Arsenal had the same budget as Barcelona, the Gunners would be among the three best clubs on the planet."
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Why It's Hard To Be An Arsenal Fan
For all those football fans out there, this rant is for you...
I've been supporting Arsenal of London since I was 12. For more than a decade of support, I've watched them go from the immortals in the '03-'04 season where they went undefeated in the Premier League, to where they are now; the least dangerous of the Big Four. You look at the players of the team, and you ask how it is that they are continually battling for 3rd and 4th position in the hardest league in the world? Well it's because they continually sell off a major star who regularly provides impact. Thierry Henry to Barcelona, Alexander Hleb to Barcelona, and now the impending sale of Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City. With every step we take forward with some 19 year old phenom, we drop a proven professional on the way.
Galifianakis Does Kanye, Musically That Is
Hilarious video made by Zach Galifianakis and Will Oldham doing Kanye's "Can't Tell Me Nothing."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Microsoft To Open Retail Stores
It was this past February when we first learned that Microsoft brought in an ex- Wal- Mart man in David Porter to head up their retail strategy...
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Google, Facebook Top Nielson's June Report...Surprised?
No, you aren't. I'm not. No one is. So why did I put that question mark in the title? Was it to garner some sort of conversation with my audience? Was it to trick you into thinking you might find something altogether shocking once you read further down? That's all for you to decide.
Anyways, Nielson's June report shows that Google is the most visited site, but Facebook is leading the way in time spent. Excuse me, I think I just wet my pants with shock. Full report here...
Monday, July 13, 2009
Patton Oswalt In "Big Fan"....WOW!
The film world as we know it has been completely overrun by the internet trailer. It's not uncommon for a trailer to make me jump out of my seat in excitement, and then the movie does the same thing....only I'm jumping out the seat to escape the horror that is the actual movie. I pray this isn't the latter.
"Big Fan" stars Patton Oswalt (King of Queens and more) and is making the rounds at Sundance picking up all kinds of steam. A well known comedian, anyone who is expecting Oswalt to give a comedic turn in this one is in for a hell of a surprise when he turns on the demons in this twisting film about what it means to be a sports fan
Friday, July 10, 2009
Which Of Your Favorite Musicians Is On Twitter?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The Latest From Tesla Motors
Anyone with a hand, eye, or interest in the green world has to be watching Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley based electric sports car manufacturer. Still looking to start mass distribution in 2012, here's a recent video showcasing the Roadster Model S....
A Day Late: The Ronaldo Presentation
A picture gallery for the introduction of Real Madrid's new number 9....
And an interesting video interview in as many languages as we can keep track of...
Friday, June 26, 2009
A Post About Nothing
I haven't written in awhile due to some busy busy days, but today I woke up knowing that I needed to write. Without purpose or direction, I've needed to just sit at the keyboard and go. There will probably be no rhyme or reason, but sometimes the best writing exercise is when you don't think, you don't plan, you don't even really look at the screen for typos. You just start going. I'm listening to "Give Me Sympathy" by Metric, truly great song on a great album by the pop-rock band from Canada. Definitely a pick up for anyone interested. Good background music for a nonsensical rant....
There are certain days when you are purely thankful. Thankful for what you have, and what you don't. I was having an amazing discussion the other day with my world famous sister Bird about privilege, and how that is the true currency of the world. Privilege not in the sense of anything material, but the privilege to be who you are and to be allowed to manifest that however it seems natural. She teaches yoga at a juvenile detention facility in Los Angeles for girls, and its started her on this amazing journey of understanding the idea of privilege and opportunity. Certain inmates at the facility are there by choice, but mostly by circumstance. And thats not to say they intentionally placed themselves in a position that was lose lose, but that they have ended up there almost as a step in their life's process, like they were meant to end up there. Be that a vague social commentary on the penitentiary system in this country, or maybe just a cop out for people that just plain bad, it's worth understanding and studying no less.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
RIP David Carradine
David Carradine was found dead in a Bangkok hotel room Wednesday. He is believed to have committed suicide, having been found hanging inside his hotel room. A consumate professional who will be sorely missed.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Why Sports Are Better In Other Countries
Check out Barcaona's celebration after they won the Champions League to complete the treble (European Cup, DOmestic League Champs, Domestic Cup Champs)...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Movie Sweeping Cannes: "Looking For Eric"
Eric Cantona headlines a heartfelt film that is sweeping through the Cannes Film Festival this week.
Ken Loach could not have painted a more perfect, bittersweet picture for Cannes. Looking for Eric stars the French football legend Eric Cantona in a rare Loach comedy. Needless to say, it is a film of two halves. In the first, a postman called Eric Bishop is having a nervous breakdown. He drives the wrong way around roundabouts; the cupboards in his thoroughly grubby Manchester terrace are stuffed with unmailed letters; his black and white teenage sons from two broken marriages treat him like a doormat; and he’s still racked by guilt for leaving his first wife Lily, the love of his life.
Cue Cantona. How would the King handle Bishop’s crises? In a surreal and comic scene, the former Manchester United player steps out of a poster on the wall of Bishop’s rancid bedroom and dispenses gnomic gobbets of advice. It’s an extraordinary piece of magic realism for a director who usually specialises in art-house grit.
Cantona is basically a ghost, visible only to the delusional Bishop. His vague advice about how to handle Lily and the boys is delivered like poetry. Indeed, Cantona’s quote about sardines and seagulls — after he kicked a Crystal Palace supporter in the chest, earning a nine-month suspension — is central to this barmy comedy.
Read more here...
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
OXFAM Young Lions: Climate Action in Copenhagen
THE EARTH WILL THANK YOU!
In December world leaders will get together at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen to decide how the world tackles climate change and global warming for decades to come. In the words of Oxfam's Campaigns Director, Thomas Schultz-Jagow, this conference is "the most important meeting mankind has ever had."
Here's a video to get the message out. Please pass it along, embed it, tweet it, digg it, all those good things.
Join the global movement for action on climate change, and support the summit in Copenhagen this December at: www.oxfam.org.uk/climateaction
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Green Auto News: Daimler Investing In Tesla=Electric Mercedes-Bens
A real interesting move by Daimler to shoot Silicon Valley electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors with a pretty solid chunk of cash, equating to 10% of the electric- sports car manufactures company. A great step forward in a major manufacturer (Daimler) jumping into the green, sustainability, autos game. Like most people, I am curious whether Tesla will be successful making and selling cars or if their real cash cow will be licensing their technology to others. Time will tell...
Courtesy TechCrunch...Silicon Valley electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors got another shot in the arm today from German auto giant Daimler, which took a 10 percent stake in the company and expanded its partnership with Tesla to equip future Mercedes-Benz vehicles with electric lithium-ion batteries. Mercedes has been testing Tesla’s batteries in a fleet of 100 smart cars, and is already moving into limited production. But with this agreement, Mercedes now expects to roll out its first battery-powered Mercedes-Benz in 2010, and offer battery-powered vehicles for all of its models by 2012.
The amount invested was not disclosed, but even more valuable to Tesla is the vote of confidence from one of the world’s leading auto companies. In a press release, Daimler proclaims: “Tesla is the only production automaker selling a highway capable electric vehicle in North America and Europe.”
The money will no doubt help as well, since Tesla still needs a few hundred million dollars to produce its own $50,000 Model S, which is half the price of its first car, the Tesla Roadster. The company is still applying for $350 million in government loans to get the Model S into production, but it looks like Mercedes will have at least its B-class cars on the road first.
But as I suggested a year ago, Tesla’s real business may be in supplying the electric drive trains for other vehicles. The Roadster and Model S might just turn out to be really expensive demos. In a TechCrunch poll I inserted into that post (and again below), 77 percent of you agreed. I wonder if Mercedes has an exclusive license to Tesla’s battery technology, at least for a few years. (Update: Tesla says there is no exclusivity. According to spokesperson Rachel Konrad, “This investment obviously establishes a very close relationship between the two companies, but Tesla still plans to continue with its strategy of growing its powertrain business through sales of EV components. This investment does not preclude Tesla from growing such relationships with other automotive OEMs.”)
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Very First Cell Phone Ad From 1989
Fancy iPhone's beware, the cell phone bigger then you're head could make it's return if the joy of this commercial gets out...
Thursday, May 14, 2009
YouPorn Still On Top Of Competition
Not as if anyone doubted it, but there is a battle royale of sorts to claim the top spot as user- uploaded porn king, and YouPorn is taking the cake right now. All the cleveland steamers and dutch rudders you can ask for....
A year ago, YouPorn had taken off as the top user-uploaded adult video site, attracting 3 million U.S. unique visitors in April '08, up 1300% year-over-year, according to Compete. A year later, YouPorn is still the king of kinky. The site scored 5.7 million uniques in April '09, up 86% year-over-year, according to Compete.
The main difference between YouTube and YouPorn (besides the content, of course) is that it has a competitor closely behind: Rival RedTube has kept up its growth as well, attracting 4.6 million unique visitors in April. Other rivals, like Megarotic and PornoTube, have gone limp.
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Social Media Ad Spend Trending Downward
And everyone is waiting for Twitter to takeoff in terms of ad revenue? Get a clue!
Total social network ad spending in the U.S. will drop 3 percent to $1.1 billion in 2009, from $1.2 billion last year, according to projections from eMarketer. This is a major reversal: spending grew an estimated 33 percent in 2008 and 129 percent in 2007. The news shows that while social nets continue to attract millions of users, the ad dollars don’t seem to be following in kind.
Blame it on MySpace: The falloff in social net spending is largely pinned on the faltering of MySpace. The Fox Interactive social net accounts for nearly half of all U.S. ad spend in the space. Back in December, eMarketer expected $630 million in ad spending on MySpace in the U.S. this year. Now eMarketer projects that US ad spending on MySpace will reach just $495 million this year, down 15 percent from the estimated $585 million it produced last year. To be sure, MySpace and Facebook began looking at expanding their overseas advertising last year, as the U.S. market was already heading into a tailspin. But observers are keenly watching as to whether MySpace’s new CEO—and former Facebook exec—Owen Van Natta can begin to turn things around in the U.S.
Facebook, widgets not affected: MySpace’s troubles appear to be unique to itself, though eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson does say that spending across social nets is diminishing. But Facebook still has a reason to smile, as eMarketer expects it to grow its U.S. ad revenues 9 percent in 2009, to $230 million, though it’s less than half of what its rival will take in. Ad spending on widgets and apps are also having very healthy growth, with projected spending to hit $70 million in ‘09, up 75 percent from the year before, albeit when spending was next to nothing. In general U.S. ad spend on all other social network sites combined is expected to rise an anemic 1 percent to $345 million.
Wayne Rooney's Top 20 Premier League Goals
20 minutes long yes, but an amazing compilation from one the world's top strikers....
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Great Heineken Commercial: Let A Stranger Drive You Home
Honoring Biz Markie, MADD, and everyone against drunk driving across the world...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Internet Is In 500,000 Miles Worth Of Undersea Cables
Don't believe me? Read this article from popoular science about the people who guard and fix those cables. Will make you laugh the next time you hear someone babbling about how The Internet is powered by satellites.
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-03/who-protects-intrnet
Spike Lee’s Kobe Bryant Documentary Three Exclusive Previews
Premiering May 16th on ESPN, "Kobe Doin' Work."
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Manchester United - Arsenal Champions League Video Preview
In honor of today's second leg clash of the giants at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal fighting back from 1-0 down, I offer this video trailer to get everyone's juices flowing....
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Greatest Seinfeld Back and Forth EVER
George: I'm sorry. I can't live knowing Ted Danson makes that much more than me. Who is he?
Jerry: He's somebody.n
George: What about me?
Jerry: You're nobody.
George: Why him? Why not me?
Jerry: He's good, you're not.
George: I'm better than him.
Jerry: You're worse, much much worse.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Virgin America Now Serving Absinthe?
Should this be a cause of concern? Do we need to be hallucinating on a plane?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Yeah Yeah Yeah's "It's Blitz!" Is Awesome
I just wanted to vouch for the greatness that is the new Yeah yeah Yeah's album, "It's Blitz!"
Here's a pretty good review from RollingStone.
Monday, April 27, 2009
It's Official...GM Is DUmping Pontiac?
One of our nations oldest corporations crumbling is terrifying for our countries economic place in this global market.
General Motors Corp. (GM) said Monday it will cut 21,000 hourly jobs and eliminate its Pontiac brand by the end of next year as part of a stepped-up restructuring plan.
The auto maker will also start an exchange offer for $27 billion of its unsecured public notes as the company looks to become viable, saying a successful exchange offer would allow it to stay out of bankruptcy court.
GM, which is surviving on federal loans, is racing to restructure by June 1 under close ...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Feiyue Sneakers Bringing Back The Digicrest Shoe World
At long last, a new sneaker post. This find comes from the coolhunter, as do many things that are beyond the comprehension of your standard hipster. These babies are low cut, relaxed and real sick. Feiyue Shoes not only are real sick and casual, but have an awesome story behind them too...
Take a brand that has history and tradition. Inject some freshness and collaborate with a hip artist. Formula – Success. One such example is the re-birth of Feiyue Shoes from Shanghai. Originally created in the 1920s, Feiyue became famous in the 30s for its association with the martial arts. Freiyue symbolizes the dual elevation of both body and mind. Feiyue actually translates to “flying forward”. Fast forward to 2005 and you have Patrice Bastian (a major sneaker freaker) who decided that these shoes could lend themselves to being the new item du jour. They were flexible and light by nature and had a great retro feel. With the services of graphic designer Charles Munka, the new image of Feiyue was created. It has since then gained momentum for being original yet classic and incredibly comfortable. Keeping up with the trends of today, you can choose between fresh, unadorned white, grey marle, artist prints or limited-edition designer styles.
Lots of different designs in both simple canvas as well as leather, Feiyue has a sick story and the stye to go with it.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Hulu iPhone App Coming Soon
Safe to say this will be the greatest iPhone app in the history of the app store...
Silicon Alley Insider is reporting that a dedicated Hulu application is indeed on its way to the iPhone and should be here in just a few months. SAI says the application will work over Wi-Fi and AT&T's 3G network, meaning that users will be able to view programming anywhere with a fast data connection.
Rumors suggesting that an iPhone-friendly version of Hulu swirled around this time last year, however, they predated the launch of the App Store, and Hulu flat-out denied that one was being worked on.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Some Crazy Stats About Interent Usage
Remeber when there was like 2 television stations and a newspaper in this country?
111 different domains, on an average of 56 seconds means we are all basically goldfish circling our bowls which double as the internet. An endless search for content while barely taking any of it in.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Mini- Cattle, Mini- Sirloin Burgers, Major Laughs
Stupid post titles aside, this commercial is too funny....
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
San Francisco Is The Least Wasteful City!
I love calling this place home....
San Franciscans topped Nalgene's list thanks to widespread habits of recycling, turning off the water while brushing teeth, and only using cars for short trips. 86% of San Franciscans also reported that they live an "extremely" or "somewhat" eco-friendly lifestyle, though the definition of an eco-friendly lifestyle is not made clear in the study.
Atlanta came in at the other end of the spectrum, with residents ranking the worst at recycling, throwing out less than two bags of trash a week, using reusable containers, participating in sustainability programs, using energy-efficient lightbulbs, and borrowing books from the library.
Nalgene, of course, had its own motivation for conducting the study. The company recently came under fire for using Bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-like chemical, in its water bottles. Nalgene did eventually pull BPA-filled water bottles from the shelves, but the wastefulness study could be the company's attempt to get back in the good graces of eco-minded consumers.
Rank City Weighted Score
1 San Francisco, CA 1025.45
2 New York City, NY 1004.01
3 Portland, OR 1001.66
4 Seattle, WA 985.03
5 Los Angeles, CA 960.46
6 Denver, CO 943.77
7 Minneapolis, MN 943.17
8 Washington, D.C. 941.81
9 Boston, MA 941.29
10 Philadelphia, PA 932.59
11 Chicago, IL 931.03
12 Baltimore, MD 927.26
13 Detroit, MI 911.59
14 Pittsburgh, PA 909.42
15 Orlando, FL 901.71
16 Cleveland, OH 900.77
17 Sacramento, CA 899.78
18 Miami, FL 898.49
19 Tampa, FL 896.01
20 Phoenix, AZ 887.48
21 St. Louis, MO 883.38
22 Houston, TX 879.16
23 Indianapolis, IN 872.75
24 Dallas, TX 860.60
25 Atlanta, GA 857.51
