[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMSinyx_Ab0[/youtube]
I just finished watching IJsbrand van Veelen’s excellent 50-minute documentary on the glamorization of amateur content producers and the potential negative effects that it may or may not have on society, especially as experts (informed individuals who work for, reason with, and experience wisdom) are waning in popularity. Here are some thoughts: Continue reading…
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=CrvFo2VosO0[/youtube]
I’ve never liked Pontiacs. At all. On the contrary, I’ve always loved BMWs, and still do. So its a powerful thing when a clever, photo still, and fresh commercial makes an American automobile look somewhat compelling when compared to German engineering. Very nice form.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=_unHjRntc9I[/youtube]
After much deliberation, and nearly two decades later, I have finally made up my mind: The Promise by When In Rome is the greatest one-hit wonder from the Eighties. It’s better than Devo’s Whip It, better than A-Ha’s Take On Me (A-ha), more lasting than Come On Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, more diverse than Tainted Love by Soft Cell, and has more heart than Rapper’s Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. It’s so choice, as is the beat, the contrasting vocals, and the splendid synth bass.
The hair? Not so much.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHCRimwRGLs[/youtube]
IDG News (whom I freelance for) reports: “Microsoft’s brand power has been in sharp decline over the past four years, an indication the company is losing credibility and mindshare with U.S. business users, according to a recent study by market research firm CoreBrand.”
I enjoy seeing fat business cows get a proper market cleansing.
Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9eAiy0IGBI[/youtube]
I like Vampire Weekend. A lot. I’ve listened to their eponymous debut album at least 30 times in the last four days since first discovering it on Friday (Thanks, David!). It is talented, fresh, clever, catchy, concise, smart, dance-inducing, daring, abnormal, and familiar all in one. It’s the “newest” kind of Rock N’ Roll I’ve heard in 10 years.
Continue reading…
After a quick and entertaining three days, I finished reading The Mutt: How to Skateboard and Not Kill Yourself by Rodney Mullen, the most influential skater in history. No, it’s not a how-to book, as my wife first believed
Written in 2004 with the help of author Sean Mortimer, The Mutt has less to do with skateboarding and more to do with lifehacks, storytelling, business, relationships, and trying to please an impossible father. Mullen is obviously neurotic, but he comes off being genuine and likable in the book. And it’s easy to see how he became the greatest in his field, arguably more so than Tony Hawk, due to his insane work ethic. Just reading about his stingy regime makes me feel lazy, but it’s also motivating.
Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrlIhO7bJgI[/youtube]
Without marketing dollars which he sorely lacked, Ron Paul didn’t stand a chance at becoming U.S. president. But you can’t deny his message, which is the federal government has grossly overextended itself leading to a decrease in privacy, liberty, security, and economic stability.
Smaller government and fiscal responsibility, please. Please — it’s the only way we can get back on track, like putting an oxygen mask on yourself before helping others.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tIyt8oSLVs[/youtube]
Randy Pausch, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, clearly understands the value of life. His thoughts on carpe diem, achieving your childhood dreams, and materialism are precise, inspired, and honest (no gimmicks here).
At the time of his discourse (Sept. 2007), doctors said Pausch would have “three to six months” to live. As of today, he is still alive. His original full-length lecture at Carnegie Mellon can be found here.
See also: My attempts to be a shoe designer | You have a choice
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1w4g2vr7B4[/youtube]
Or not. I’m sure the U.S. Military spent a fortune on this thing given the fat, slow cow that our government has become.
[via Gizmodo]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbqJm2birME[/youtube]
Lindsey and I watched The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters on Wednesday, a hilariously funny “documentary” that follows Steve Wiebe as he attempts to overtake the world’s highest score in a game of Donkey Kong from reigning champion Billy Mitchell.
Not only is the movie entertaining, but it’s cleverly presented in “good vs. evil” fashion, boasts an awesome soundtrack, and features some very creative transition effects. Oh, and it stars lots of socially inept individuals who are fun to watch.
Continue reading…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=339ixMtHrVk[/youtube]
A video mashup of Daft Punk‘s “Around the World” and The Charleston, first popularized in 1923. All good things do come full circle…
[Thanks, Steven]
On this, a near-deciding Super Tuesday in American politics, Freakonomics author Stephen J. Dubner reminds us that statistically, your vote is rarely a deciding factor in an election. I’m posting this to feel good about myself for not voting today, especially after sending a fiscally conservative Ron Paul a coupla benjis in contributions which weren’t enough.
See also: My homeland is in a world of hurt | The silver lining of mainstream POTUS candidates
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPgV6-gnQaE[/youtube]
[via email. thanks, brooks!]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72nPf4UaemU[/youtube]
Jump the shark – a term to describe a moment when something that was once great has reached a point where it will now decline in quality and popularity. Going downhill. (The Urban Dictionary)
My favorite part is at 4:09 in, where Richie says, “A shark! That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard… Fonz, you’re not jumping over garbage cans on a bike, you’re jumping over a shark!” The suspense crescendos at 8:35.
I watched an inspiring documentary on PBS this weekend — Harvesting the Wind narrated by Morgan Freeman. The film profiles wind farmers from southwest Minnesota, and how they are harvesting wind energy to provide local power and supplemental income for a decline in crop profitability.
The idea, which has shown initial success, is that wind farming can bring business back to small town America, without multinationals owning all the pie. In Minnesota, more than 25 percent of wind farms are owned by private individuals or cooperatives to keep money within the community.
Continue reading…
In light of recent news that Warner Bros picked Blu-ray over HD-DVD, there’s talk that the HD format war is essentially over, as nearly 75 percent of all studios pick Blu. Paramount and Universal, the last of the big five movie studios, are rumored to be following suit in an effort to avoid consumer confusion at retail.
Even though I own a Blu-ray player, I’m kind of rooting for a stale mate so we can bypass optical media altogether and go straight to downloads. I don’t even buy Blu-ray movies (only renting them) because I’m unconvinced that’s how HD should be consumed. Sure, the picture is gorgeous, though to a lesser extent than the transition from VHS to DVD. So I ask…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqynFkoToeI[/youtube]
As seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno discussing his recent exclusion from a Fox News Republican debate, and why Mitt Romney shouldn’t lose the nomination because of his religion (filmed Jan. 7, 2008). Vote Ron Paul.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxz9pRDtvmk[/youtube]
I imagine this is what Brodhi looked like riding the fifty year storm in Point Break before drowning in peril. Amazing.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=lWF8KV4IW5o[/youtube]
Flying at 100 miles per hour in France — easily one of the coolest videos I’ve ever seen on YouTube. Be sure to watch until the end. Wingsuit flying [Wikipedia]
[Via email. Thanks Clay!]
TV Spot #1: Horribly bad acting. Laughable. A waste of money.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30yxHqSUva8[/youtube]
TV Spot #2: Direct, effective, though slightly forgettable.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay4vXZWxeuU[/youtube]
My first born turns two today. Happy birthday, squirt! Slide show by her mother.
… like this one.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXIGeGhEhAs[/youtube]
Watch the replay. Surly a sign of the times.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPT7q825gwI[/youtube]
I may have spoke to soon regarding my previous “best music video ever” comment as I forgot about this 2:21 minute gem; Wax’s California directed by Spike Jonze in 1995. The shot allegedly only took 12 seconds to shoot, but the execution (not to mention the premise) was flawless. Nice!
Link here
[Thanks, Rick]
Lindsey and I went to see The Invasion tonight. It’s a solid, creepy movie that doesn’t drag on too much, has some awesome foreshadowing cinematics, and presents a rather believable story. Good stuff.
The trailers before the film were pretty good also. Here are two movies I plan to see this fall…
Dan in Real Life
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inA-36YRV0Y[/youtube]
Looks fun. *rolls eyes*
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F79iThUEWFg[/youtube]
Duct Tape in lieu of a ski mask. Cornholio-style t-shirt for added anonymity. Can it ever get any better than this?
Lindsey and I should totally do this! Teaching children in lieu of a professional career is soooo over-rated.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqsyXdj_p_I[/youtube]
I’m on a kick of digging up old-school YouTube videos lately when I should be working, but I couldn’t pass this one up. It’s Radiohead’s most excellent No Surprises video (it’s also my favorite track from OK Computer). Don’t be fooled, though; director Grant Lee used ninja editing skills to make it appear as if lead singer Thom York held his breath longer than he really did.
You don’t have to watch pro basketball to appreciate these well-aged gems of modern advertising. Courtesy of Fox Sports.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1QMXpGENkk&eurl=http://www.smoothharold.com/best-nba-commercials-ever/[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeboMEq10Ms&eurl=http://www.smoothharold.com/best-nba-commercials-ever/[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xErEq7ojGnk&eurl=http://www.smoothharold.com/best-nba-commercials-ever/[/youtube]
[Hat tip, Tim]
More than 5,000 video game commercials can be found on Game Ad’s online archive. That’s a lot of ads. Sadly, a majority of them aren’t worth your time, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to hand pick the best using only the finest ingredients; humor, creativity, cachet and a hint of nostalgia. Peep ’em. They’re the best video game commercials of all-time:
Continue reading at GamePro…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0iQhn5dYqE[/youtube]
If this kid doesn’t make it big, we’re all screwed…
…Though I’m not sure how effective of an ad it is. Click for the full hi-res spot. Sony’s agency gets bonus points for the soundtrack.
[via email; Thanks, Robert]
The alleged secret behind the trick here. Best line from the video: “I’ve never seen a Statue of Liberty disappear like that one before.”
I don’t really care for MadTV. It’s never as sophisticated as I like my satire to be. Still, this little piece is spot on. We laugh because it’s funny, and yet we laugh because it’s true.
[via My Woman Cooks]
Not the most creative ad-parodies, but still funny… assuming you know your Linux history. Sadly, not many people do, so not many people will get the new Novell ads. The second one is the best.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtp5gNhBZgo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOnFdMf0RU[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYATbZmz5BU[/youtube]
But I still love technology…[via email]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlBxHhL2lQc[/youtube]
I realize this commercial is over a year old, but it still cracks me up. And you gotta watch it a second time for the full klepto goodness. But on an advertising ROI basis, I’m not sure if the ad increases Starburst’s bottom-line. It may only be memorable via its wittiness rather than its ability of creating an emotional impulse to buy more Starbursts. Regardless, it’s good stuff.
This is tennis player Andy Roddick during a press conference after getting schlacked (even bageled) by super-human and world number one Roger Federer in the Australian Open semifinals. To set the stage, Federer owns Roddick. He now has a 10-1 winning record against the fifth ranked American. Despite this, Roddick has made several in-roads up to this point even beating Federer in a a warm up match just two weeks ago. But he may be competing against the greatest tennis player who has ever lived. Tough break. And though dropping some censored expletives during his post-game interview, Andy’s candor in defeat is admirably, likable, refreshing, and extremely funny. Well played (the press conference that is).
