merci M Duchamp
8.30.2009
8.27.2009
Attention pleas
It was only a matter of time before advertisers figured out that mass messaging through indistinguishably distributed media wasn't necessarily the best way to reach people. Fortunately, technology forced them to acknowledge this long before they'd figured out how to do that in a personal and engaging way.
But there's some light at the end of this tunnel (even without much effort on their part).
It's all about attention. And studies have shown that users who select their own programming are paying more attention to the content - even the advertising.
Now, go forth and convince us to consume!
But there's some light at the end of this tunnel (even without much effort on their part).
It's all about attention. And studies have shown that users who select their own programming are paying more attention to the content - even the advertising.
Now, go forth and convince us to consume!
8.26.2009
Blood fucking
Vampire mythology is universal, ever-changing, and as all-encompassing in today's culture as any pert blond pop star could ever wish to be.
Twilight charges up its' fans for the next film in the four-part saga, HBO hauls in Sunday night ratings by the bagful, and wanna-be edgy networks offer copy-cat shows to the masses; the vampire obsession consumes us.
Is it simply the sex, immortality and everlasting beauty that compels us?
Are they the icons of our time?
Twilight charges up its' fans for the next film in the four-part saga, HBO hauls in Sunday night ratings by the bagful, and wanna-be edgy networks offer copy-cat shows to the masses; the vampire obsession consumes us.
Is it simply the sex, immortality and everlasting beauty that compels us?
Are they the icons of our time?
8.25.2009
Unholy rage secures Eve's boundaries
The debate in the virtual world world has been all about where the boundaries lie. Between the real world and the ... narrative world.
For EVE, there's never been a question. There is no crossing over.
To enforce that, Unholy Rage has been "unleashed" upon the non-believers.
For EVE, there's never been a question. There is no crossing over.
To enforce that, Unholy Rage has been "unleashed" upon the non-believers.
8.18.2009
Barbie you vamp
Barbie sinks her teeth into pop culture phenomenon
by Jenni Gilmer, August 14th, 2009, Friday.
Category: Consumer Products, Media, Trends
Seems like everyone is trying to get a piece of the action when it comes to pop culture juggernaut Twilight, the teen romance vampire movie and its sequel based on Stephanie Meyer’s novels.
The marketing machine is running at fever pitch these days as Summit Entertainment is releasing Twilight’s sequel, New Moon, on Nov. 20. The news this week is that Mattel is putting out Twilight Barbie dolls of heroine Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. Seriously — vampire Barbies? Yep. Well, at least one of them is. If you didn’t know these dolls were bonny Bella and Edward the Gorgeous, you might not be able to guess. They just look like casually dressed young people. But that doesn’t matter — droves of Twilight fans are sure to purchase them when they hits shelves on Nov. 1 at Wal-Mart and on BarbieCollector.com.
Not that teenage girls (or even pre-teen girls, really) play with Barbies by that age. These aren’t the kind of Barbies you play with anyway. Not when they cost $24.95 each. No, they are collector items and when it comes to Barbies, that’s a big business.
Barbie is no stranger to pop culture makeovers. Mattel has set the blonde icon in various TV shows (I Dream of Jeannie, Wonder Woman, Star Trek, The Addams Family, and Bewitched … I could keep going) as well as movies (Grease, Legally Blonde 2, and King Kong).
Twilight Barbies are a smart move for Mattel considering some Barbie collectors make Yankees fans look calm. Very smart when you consider the frenzy that these dolls will incite among ravenous Twilight fans.
[OMG OMG OMG! Eeeeek! OMG like I like LOOOOOOVVE Twilight!]
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by Jenni Gilmer, August 14th, 2009, Friday.
Category: Consumer Products, Media, Trends
Seems like everyone is trying to get a piece of the action when it comes to pop culture juggernaut Twilight, the teen romance vampire movie and its sequel based on Stephanie Meyer’s novels.
The marketing machine is running at fever pitch these days as Summit Entertainment is releasing Twilight’s sequel, New Moon, on Nov. 20. The news this week is that Mattel is putting out Twilight Barbie dolls of heroine Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. Seriously — vampire Barbies? Yep. Well, at least one of them is. If you didn’t know these dolls were bonny Bella and Edward the Gorgeous, you might not be able to guess. They just look like casually dressed young people. But that doesn’t matter — droves of Twilight fans are sure to purchase them when they hits shelves on Nov. 1 at Wal-Mart and on BarbieCollector.com.
Not that teenage girls (or even pre-teen girls, really) play with Barbies by that age. These aren’t the kind of Barbies you play with anyway. Not when they cost $24.95 each. No, they are collector items and when it comes to Barbies, that’s a big business.
Barbie is no stranger to pop culture makeovers. Mattel has set the blonde icon in various TV shows (I Dream of Jeannie, Wonder Woman, Star Trek, The Addams Family, and Bewitched … I could keep going) as well as movies (Grease, Legally Blonde 2, and King Kong).
Twilight Barbies are a smart move for Mattel considering some Barbie collectors make Yankees fans look calm. Very smart when you consider the frenzy that these dolls will incite among ravenous Twilight fans.
[OMG OMG OMG! Eeeeek! OMG like I like LOOOOOOVVE Twilight!]
in Nigeria
A good hook:
"
Let us call a spade a spade and hit the nail on the head: Islam or Sharia is not the cause of this militancy in the north, or for that matter in the Niger delta or anywhere else it may happen in Nigeria; the fundamental causative agents are failure of political leadership and corruption and underlying issues of poverty, unemployment and education. "Even established leaders of Islam in the north, who condemn Yusuf's preaching, are aware of how government has failed Nigeria's young," Jean Herskovits, Research Professor of History at the State University of New York, wrote in Foreign Affairs. "What has Western education done for them lately? For that matter, what have other Nigerian institutions, all easily seen as Western-inspired, done for them?"
"
"
Let us call a spade a spade and hit the nail on the head: Islam or Sharia is not the cause of this militancy in the north, or for that matter in the Niger delta or anywhere else it may happen in Nigeria; the fundamental causative agents are failure of political leadership and corruption and underlying issues of poverty, unemployment and education. "Even established leaders of Islam in the north, who condemn Yusuf's preaching, are aware of how government has failed Nigeria's young," Jean Herskovits, Research Professor of History at the State University of New York, wrote in Foreign Affairs. "What has Western education done for them lately? For that matter, what have other Nigerian institutions, all easily seen as Western-inspired, done for them?"
"
A safe place for your kids to shop
On behalf of WeMuv (here):
Nowadays, children are spending so long in front of their computers that parents are worried (and in most cases with good reasons) about the safety of their little ones. This company aims to provide children with a virtual world in which they can immerse themselves, be educated about the things and values that should matter in life and also be encouraged to stay as healthy and active individuals.
Upon signing up, children create and customize their very own avatars. Once they have done that, they can begin travelling to a wide number of animated destinations such as the Grand Canyon or Mt. Everest. Each one of these locations can be explored collectively, with other members of WeMuv. Of course, each destination comes complete with games that can be played and trivia for enhancing the overall knowledge of the children while they have fun. Online shops are likewise included.
At the end of the day, this is an interesting (and cost-effective) way for parents to introduce their children to Internet technology and have them entertained and educated at the very same time.
Nowadays, children are spending so long in front of their computers that parents are worried (and in most cases with good reasons) about the safety of their little ones. This company aims to provide children with a virtual world in which they can immerse themselves, be educated about the things and values that should matter in life and also be encouraged to stay as healthy and active individuals.
Upon signing up, children create and customize their very own avatars. Once they have done that, they can begin travelling to a wide number of animated destinations such as the Grand Canyon or Mt. Everest. Each one of these locations can be explored collectively, with other members of WeMuv. Of course, each destination comes complete with games that can be played and trivia for enhancing the overall knowledge of the children while they have fun. Online shops are likewise included.
At the end of the day, this is an interesting (and cost-effective) way for parents to introduce their children to Internet technology and have them entertained and educated at the very same time.
How's the weather in Armenia?
Experts estimate unusually cold summer as extraordinary phenomenon
13.08.2009 16:15 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Weather conditions in July and August was strictly distinguished by frequent precipitations and low temperature. In that connection, journalists today met with Zaruhi Petrosyan, Deputy Director of ArmHidroMed Operative Hydro-Meteorological Centre and Hamlet Melkonyan, Director of ArmHidroMed.
“Specialists find recent days’ cold and unusual weather an extraordinary phenomenon. Frequent precipitations were also observed in 1937, 1945 and 1955,” Zaruhi Petrosyan said. “Low temperature during the months of July and August was registered in 1960, 1963, 1974, 1982, 1988 and 1992. Closer to present-day weather conditions was the situation observed in July and August, 1992.”
Average temperature in July was below 0.5-1.5°C which resulted in low temperature during the first ten days of July and high water temperature during the subsequent ten days. Maximum temperature in plateaus ranged between 35 and 38°C. On August 1-10, average temperature in Armenia was 1-2 °C lower below the required norm. During the subsequent days, it decreased 5-6 degrees.
On August 20-23, we anticipate stable weather, with temperature in lake Sevan being relatively high - 19-20°C. That will be conditioned by relatively low air temperature, which will decrease evaporation rate on water surface and increase water temperature.
Changes in weather conditions are mainly conditioned by global warming which is mostly caused by anthropogenic factors.
«Since 1860, general air temperature has increased by 0.6°C, which strongly affected the earth's weather conditions. In 1935-2007, average temperature increased by 0.6°C in Armenia and 0.85°C – in Yerevan,» Melkonyan said.
Till August 19, there will be almost no precipitations on RA territory, Zaruhi Petrosyan said. On August 20-23, temperature is expected to decrease by 20-23°C. Such lowering will be followed by normal weather without precipitations, with average temperature being about 35°C.
13.08.2009 16:15 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Weather conditions in July and August was strictly distinguished by frequent precipitations and low temperature. In that connection, journalists today met with Zaruhi Petrosyan, Deputy Director of ArmHidroMed Operative Hydro-Meteorological Centre and Hamlet Melkonyan, Director of ArmHidroMed.
“Specialists find recent days’ cold and unusual weather an extraordinary phenomenon. Frequent precipitations were also observed in 1937, 1945 and 1955,” Zaruhi Petrosyan said. “Low temperature during the months of July and August was registered in 1960, 1963, 1974, 1982, 1988 and 1992. Closer to present-day weather conditions was the situation observed in July and August, 1992.”
Average temperature in July was below 0.5-1.5°C which resulted in low temperature during the first ten days of July and high water temperature during the subsequent ten days. Maximum temperature in plateaus ranged between 35 and 38°C. On August 1-10, average temperature in Armenia was 1-2 °C lower below the required norm. During the subsequent days, it decreased 5-6 degrees.
On August 20-23, we anticipate stable weather, with temperature in lake Sevan being relatively high - 19-20°C. That will be conditioned by relatively low air temperature, which will decrease evaporation rate on water surface and increase water temperature.
Changes in weather conditions are mainly conditioned by global warming which is mostly caused by anthropogenic factors.
«Since 1860, general air temperature has increased by 0.6°C, which strongly affected the earth's weather conditions. In 1935-2007, average temperature increased by 0.6°C in Armenia and 0.85°C – in Yerevan,» Melkonyan said.
Till August 19, there will be almost no precipitations on RA territory, Zaruhi Petrosyan said. On August 20-23, temperature is expected to decrease by 20-23°C. Such lowering will be followed by normal weather without precipitations, with average temperature being about 35°C.
8.17.2009
Videogame business model is f*@ked
Sales of everything are falling, because nobody has any money.
But videogames SHOULD be the cheap, convenient replacement entertainment for everything else. But they're not.
Here's why:
The games are all the same.
They cost too much.
They don't last long enough.
The stories don't engage and change.
Now's the time to rethink your strategy. Start with cheap, online, episodic, and highly variable content.
Peter Moore of EA Sports has a clue.
But videogames SHOULD be the cheap, convenient replacement entertainment for everything else. But they're not.
Here's why:
The games are all the same.
They cost too much.
They don't last long enough.
The stories don't engage and change.
Now's the time to rethink your strategy. Start with cheap, online, episodic, and highly variable content.
Peter Moore of EA Sports has a clue.
Palin's just like US
Wouldn't it be great, if, without doing spectacularly well in school, graduating from a top-rated university, enthusiastically pursuing a career of public service and/or productive work, dauntlessly campaigning for local, regional, and finally national political office, YOU too could become President of the United States?!
Well, gee, if Sarah Palin can do it, who couldn't?
Do we really want to be lead by someone whose only esteem derives from being the prettiest girl in Wassila Alaska?
Well, it seems that some of us do, and this letter to the editor of the Pocono Record has eloquently identified exactly why.
[Don't blow a blood vessel in your brain arguing with this unseen force. Just let it roll.]
Well, gee, if Sarah Palin can do it, who couldn't?
Do we really want to be lead by someone whose only esteem derives from being the prettiest girl in Wassila Alaska?
Well, it seems that some of us do, and this letter to the editor of the Pocono Record has eloquently identified exactly why.
[Don't blow a blood vessel in your brain arguing with this unseen force. Just let it roll.]
How bad can it get?
The other day, a friend - in the midst of a discussion about the healthcare/wall street/black president/what the fuck do we do debacle - asked me how bad I thought things could get.
Would some crazy follow the train of incompetent/Socialist/Hitler/(racist) thought all the way to its conclusion and make an attempt on our beloved president's life?
Not unless they want the Other Side to win!
So please, Rush, fire up them crazies and make a martyr out of our first forward-thinking, racially bipartisan, 21st century president, cause we could sure use the motivation.
[More on our imminent doom here.]
And of course, the best thing we can do for the economy is nothing. Cycles, people, cycles.
Would some crazy follow the train of incompetent/Socialist/Hitler/(racist) thought all the way to its conclusion and make an attempt on our beloved president's life?
Not unless they want the Other Side to win!
So please, Rush, fire up them crazies and make a martyr out of our first forward-thinking, racially bipartisan, 21st century president, cause we could sure use the motivation.
[More on our imminent doom here.]
And of course, the best thing we can do for the economy is nothing. Cycles, people, cycles.
8.06.2009
Tell it to the FCC
Today is the first of a series of open workshops hosted by the FCC to gather information from interested consumers on the upcoming Broadband Plan.
"Interested consumers" is us. Now, if we can only get someone to show up that doesn't just represent the telecommunications industry, and those wanting to be sure that people in rural areas are sure to get service.
Both of those interests are certainly valuable, but they are also very well represented. The people who aren't are us - those who spend all day on the computer, have a daily need for fast connection speeds, and who'd benefit immensely in the wealth of ideas and capital that would become available if we as a country had universal, wireless broadband service!
The future is (could be) here now.
"Interested consumers" is us. Now, if we can only get someone to show up that doesn't just represent the telecommunications industry, and those wanting to be sure that people in rural areas are sure to get service.
Both of those interests are certainly valuable, but they are also very well represented. The people who aren't are us - those who spend all day on the computer, have a daily need for fast connection speeds, and who'd benefit immensely in the wealth of ideas and capital that would become available if we as a country had universal, wireless broadband service!
The future is (could be) here now.
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