Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Rototron Cornbobber [Video]



This definitely has all the ingredients of the infomercial formula down pat, down to the guy with the mock Brittish accent. They've even incorporated some of the more subliminal tricks that make you ask yourself why you've managed to live so long without a Rototron Cornbobber in your life.

Link (via Boing Boing)

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Sunday, February 25, 2007

Tech Support in the Middle Ages [Video]


Have you tried closing and opening it again?
Very nice. Engadget's video link has been removed, but here's a replacement.

Link (via Engadget)

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Friday, February 16, 2007

Dohar - Lord of Beasts [Video]

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Sierra clouds [Zooomr]

Sierra cloudsSierra clouds Hosted on Zooomr

Link

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Beer


Thanks, Fung!

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Stock photo agencies, meet your new content providers

Dan Heller has some interesting things to say about the future of the stock photo business. He writes that the Internet has provided a venue that places increased importance and value on user generated content, and this environment will spur forward-looking stock photo agencies to move into the consumer arena to take advantage of it.
In 2000, I wrote an article called, "The Five Truisms of the Photography Business", and Truism #1 is "There are more people who have photography as a hobby than as a profession." While an obvious statement on its own, it has enormous weight when you consider how the Internet has brought down the barriers that have kept consumers out of the photo business in the first place. Now that they're here, they have fundamentally altered the photo industry, whether intentional or not, and whether other photographers like it or not.
Heller points out the blurring of the line between stock photo sites such as Corbis and Getty and social photo sharing sites like Flickr and Zooomr. His timing is uncanny, as evidenced by the latest mini-brouhaha surrounding pro-consumer blog The Consumerist's use of Flickr photos in its posts without attribution or permission. The Consumerist's situation is not unique, as websites, companies (1, 2) and even Flickr's own users have confused Flickr's vast database of images as a grab bag for free stock photography. He also points to situations where photo sharing sites have jump started photography careers, such as Microsoft's acquisition of photos from Flickr user Hamad Darwish to be used in their new Vista operating system.

Heller submits that this movement represents the natural progression for the industry, provided they can overcome three barriers: "fear of change, narrow business sense, and tunnel vision in products and services." I would tend to agree. What do you think? Give the article a read and decide for yourself.

Link (via Thomas Hawk)

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

It's just like a mini-mall! [Video]

Friday, February 09, 2007

Prince vs. the FCC or a non-story?

Is this the real deal?
In the sensitive post-wardrobe malfunction world, some are questioning whether a guitar was just a guitar during Prince's Super Bowl halftime show.

Prince's acclaimed performance included a guitar solo during the "Purple Rain" segment of his medley in which his shadow was projected onto a large, flowing beige sheet. As the 48-year-old rock star let rip, the silhouette cast by his figure and his guitar (shaped like the singer's symbol) had phallic connotations for some.

A number of bloggers have decried "Malfunction!" — including Sam Anderson at New York magazine's Daily Intelligencer. Daily News television critic David Bianculli called it "a rude-looking shadow show" that "looked embarrassingly rude, crude and unfortunately placed."
A post-wardrobe malfunction world. What the hell is that supposed to mean? I don't know whether the author is being funny or ironic. I'd have to lean towards sarcasm, as I can't understand how a mainstream news organization can cover this with a straight face, even if it is a Fox affiliate.

This is causing moral outrage and consternation? I don't buy it. This is a non-story.

Link (via Digg)

Thursday, February 08, 2007

I hate Macs

Holy crap! Guardian writer Charlie Brooker has something to say:
I hate Macs. I have always hated Macs. I hate people who use Macs. I even hate people who don't use Macs but sometimes wish they did. Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui.
I'm a PC user, but have enjoyed using a Mac in the past. I'm sure that I will again, but this is some quality stuff. I haven't sharpened my tongue on satire this biting in quite a while:
Ultimately the campaign's biggest flaw is that it perpetuates the notion that consumers somehow "define themselves" with the technology they choose. If you truly believe you need to pick a mobile phone that "says something" about your personality, don't bother. You don't have a personality.
Leave it to a Brit's sharp wit to proffer something so scathing, so funny, and dare I say it, so true. I encourage you to read Charlie's entire rant.

Link (via Paul Thurrott)

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Stop-motion subway ad in Japan [Video]



The above video came from an article from Blog About Advertising regarding their "top 10 choises [sic] of advertisement in Tokyo’s trains or stations." The rest of the article isn't all that interesting, in my opinion, but this video of a stop-motion inspired commercial shown between subway stations is novel.

Enough with the top 10 lists already! (I know, I know. I'm spitting at the rain.)

Link (via Digg)

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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Mooninites Unite! [Flickr]

Mooninites Unite!

This seemed appropriate, considering the brouhaha in Boston. Here's a photo of Ignignokt & Err all carved up for All Hallow's Eve 2005. Albeit brief, the time they spent on our porch was glorious. They brought joyful smiles to many a young child's face. Fortunately, they weren't mistaken for something far more sinister, despite being advanced beyond all that you can possibly comprehend with 100% of your brain.

Frightening, aren't they?

Before I go, I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes to come out of all of this. From Boing Boing:
On MSNBC about 45 minutes ago they had some woman in a power suit pontificating about it all saying that there is no way you can "over react to a situation like this" and that "when you [sic] idea of a prank is someone elses [sic] idea of terrorism you have a problem." No, the problem is when a goofy cartoon character made out of a home made Light-Bright giving you the finger if your idea of terrorism you are the one who needs a Bahamavention.
Link

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Accordion couch [Video]



From Boing Boing:
The sofa appears to be made out of hundreds of thin, flat chair-shaped silhouettes, joined together by some kind of membrane in an accordion that can collapse down into a dictionary-think [sic] chunk or be spread out for feet on end, as a divan, chair or sofa.
I have to wonder about how stable this design would be when opened the opposite direction (outwards rather than inwards), but this type of design would work great for those situations where you just can't find the right sized couch for that oft neglected corner of the living room. What about wrapping it around a table for a card game?

Link (via Boing Boing)

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