Ten Bucks Worth.com

Nicely done! Compilation Covers of Rolling in the Deep

2012-01-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

Great song and a nice video idea. Nice!

Headline: The Onion News... 'Maybe Hang Out In The Water Awhile, Then Look For Some Old Bread,' Duck Tells Self

2012-01-09T10:16:00.001-05:00

No really... I can't - Ron Burgandy, a little jazz flute - please.

2011-12-29T17:39:00.001-05:00

Billie Jeans - yup. Do that.

2011-12-21T17:37:00.001-05:00

Powerpoint alternative (well done) delivers

2011-12-12T07:29:00.000-05:00

The message is quite obviously significant. The presentation delivery technique is outstanding. Well done.

I'll take two of those...

2011-12-05T07:42:00.001-05:00

4 chords

2011-11-10T07:38:00.002-05:00

A Collection of Starlings is called a "Murmuration"

2011-11-09T08:33:00.000-05:00

Kiele found this. You gotta say "whoooooaa - nice"

No Woman No Cry - Nylon

2011-11-09T07:17:00.000-05:00

Dirty Night Clowns

2011-10-15T13:54:00.006-04:00

Saw some really good films at the NH Film Festival (one day left). I saw this film and I thought it was awesome. The next day - at a meeting with the NH Film Office, I had a chance to chat with Dirty Night Clown's Director - Ryan Gibeau. Ryan is from NH and does his work from Brooklyn, NY. Pretty cool stuff huh? Well done I say.

Chris Garneau - Dirty Night Clowns from ROCK*iT FiLMS on Vimeo.

The Buick Umbrage and the Dodge Ram-It - ha

2011-10-13T10:09:00.001-04:00

Semi-organized, general complaint

2011-10-11T18:10:00.006-04:00

I'm not judging - just observing.

The "protests" on Wall Street in Boston and other cities seem to be a little peculiar. I mean it's almost as if people come together to complain about things in general - more or less to express the idea that something isn't right here. The repeat-after-me chants are awkward. People aren't sure what the leader of the chant, is going to say. They're hoping it will make sense but often it doesn't. It's really quite odd isn't it? It would seem that the wants are fragmented, loosely defined, numerous and having variety even in scale. Wouldn't it make more sense to decide what exactly we (the group) would like to have changed and be very specific? It is very difficult to get a large group to agree on what might be a good thing to change and how (be specific) to change it. What will the new rules (laws) be? To get that done (in a broad sense - not to mention the details and the language etc) is really something people will debate over. That's what government and democracy and an orderly society struggle to do all the time. That's why we have a political system in the first place. It's a way to shape the world we want. It isn't easy - it's practically impossible but we try anyway. Smart people, stupid people, the tall and the short - we try to work it out. It seems like the current protesting groups - having no way to be "specific" without grinding, debating and considering the downstream consequences of things we'd like to change, have decided to skip the process all together and go directly to protesting "things in general".

In a way - I get it but have a tough time seeing how a non-specific argument can be won. Today I read Bob Lefsetz blog piece. Bob makes a lot of sense most of the time - and sometimes he makes none but after reading his thing today, I felt like it explains part of what I didn't really understand about the situation. There's a quote by Italian journalist Corrado Alvaro, quoted in the Sydney Australian:

"The blackest despair that can take hold of any society is the fear that living honestly is futile."

What the non-specific complaint is about is that people believe the game is rigged, that if they play by the rules they just can't win. And winning doesn't mean a private jet and an island vacation but the ability to put food on the table under your own roof after doing a hard day's work. It's not that rich people should cough up all their dough, but how is it that hedge fund management fees are taxed at capital gains rates when they're guaranteed?

What's up with that. Aren't we somehow getting hosed by this stuff - the people in the streets are saying.

I get that. I get it today better than I did yesterday. I still say that it would be better to be specific about what you want but I do get the general idea that if the game is rigged, we've got problems. The idea that a group gathers with the sole purpose of putting up a fuss - a general-fuss, just to bring attention... I think I get it.

Here's a link to Bob Lefsetz piece.

Layoffs Are Necessary If We Want To Keep The Lights On,' Says CEO Halfway Through Tasting Menu

2011-10-06T08:30:00.002-04:00

Byatt explains the dire need to cut costs before enjoying his tuna tartare with a basil emulsion.

PHILADELPHIA—As the fifth plate of his 10-course, $150 prix fixe tasting menu dinner was carefully placed on the manicured table in front of him, Kohl-Strauss Media Group CEO Tom Byatt reportedly told a colleague Tuesday that in order for the company to stay afloat in this adverse economic climate, staff layoffs would likely be necessary.

"The fact of the matter is, our financial outlook is just not what it used to be, and if we want to keep the lights on, we're going to have to start making some tough choices," said Byatt, cutting into a piece of seared foie gras subsumed in a rich pheasant consommé. "Personally, I wish we could keep everybody. But unfortunately, I'm in the position of having to decide what the best direction for our company is, and I don't see any other option than reducing our overall cost structure and finding some way to trim payroll."

"It's far from an ideal situation, but we have to cut corners somewhere," Byatt added as a second waiter arrived with a $110 bottle of Château Figeac from the wine cellar. "That's just a reality of our business model."

Following a 20-minute period in which the executive and his colleague sampled a lobster broth hors d'oeuvre arriving compliments of the chef and listened to the maître d' explain how the lobster had been flown in from Maine that morning, Byatt reasoned that, although it pained him to say so, his company could definitely stand to lose about a dozen people in sales, and roughly another 15 or 20 in the marketing and production divisions.

As the pair continued through lavishly designed plates of haute cuisine at a table situated near the window so that Byatt could keep an eye on his valet-parked 2011 Jaguar XJ, they discussed the unfortunate challenges of today's market and the tremendous stress placed on those at the management level to keep their businesses financially solvent.

"As you know, nothing about these layoffs is easy for me," said Byatt, lifting his arms so that a waiter could gently sweep tiny morsels of gourmet artisanal bread off the table with a stainless-steel crumb comb. "I'm going to have to go into the office Monday morning and tell Mark to tell these people that they're going to be let go, all while trying to maintain employee morale. You can imagine how heavily that weighs on me."

"But I think our remaining staff will certainly recognize everything I'm doing to keep us competitive," Byatt continued before deeply inhaling the aroma of a dry-aged bison filet mignon lightly coated in a truffle glaze and resting on a bed of imported fiddlehead ferns. "I just hope they appreciate the kind of pressure I'm under."

After consuming his dessert courses of lavender crème brûlée and a caramelized brioche with a strawberry foam, restating his belief that payroll cuts are simply part of what a modern company has to do, and offering to have further talks on the subject of reducing company expenditures this weekend at his country house, Byatt thanked his colleague for working with him to "do right by this company" and snapped his fingers for the bill.

"Oh, no, no, no, please," said Byatt, waving away his colleague's hand and putting down the company credit card. "I got this."

Phil Hartman - Sinatra - SNL

2011-08-29T17:13:00.003-04:00

I heard that SNL was fading - not coming back. Say it ain't so.
Take a few minutes - let the pre-clip ad get over with - and watch Phil Hartman do his 6-minute thing as Frank Sinatra. Some of these lines kill. How about Sinbad O'Conner? Watch it all - it's only 6-minutes. One of the great lines of all time comes at about the 5:40 mark.
Enjoy!

Rod Stewart Mistaken For Elderly Aunt

2011-08-02T17:33:00.002-04:00

Cool Whip

2011-07-22T09:51:00.001-04:00

More attacks on Final Cut X - Clever

2011-06-29T07:57:00.002-04:00

Many have used this scene and subtitles to mock things. This one pounds FCP-X.

Final Cut X

2011-06-28T11:54:00.001-04:00

"Shuffle" an Indiefair Studios Short Film (Silent Movie genre)

2011-06-17T11:50:00.003-04:00

It's that F'n simple

2011-06-10T12:13:00.000-04:00

Indiefair Studios - Roots of Creation

2011-05-10T18:14:00.001-04:00

Indiefair Studios - Peter Prince & Moon Boot Lover

2011-04-29T09:09:00.002-04:00

Remembering when "Dink" stole the limelight. We were not pleased.

2011-04-21T09:01:00.005-04:00

Back in the day...
Freestyle was fun to watch. Guts was a little crazy.
Ultimate was the real game.

If I remember correctly (it's fuzzy) Santa Barbara defeated Rutgers in the final. We (Boston) didn't cut the mustard that year. Boston (without me), then called the Boston Rude Boys, later went on to win several World Ultimate Championships.
We were disappointed that the network news coverage made it look like the most interesting thing was the dogs. For years, we struggled to win legitimacy for Ultimate and the network made "Dink" the winner.

Some Penguin for Jaimie

2011-04-18T18:33:00.001-04:00

Not sure if the spaz near the end is typical. I'd guess not.

Sure... Ya... Guitar Boogie - do that!

2011-04-06T08:10:00.000-04:00

CSCO - Hmmm...

2011-04-01T12:28:00.002-04:00

Attention greedy bastards - like me.
1st, there's no such thing as a sure thing. Okay, we know that.

Find a truck.
Load it with money (not the easiest part of this idea)
Back the truck up and buy CSCO.

Ya - it's a big big (cap) puppy and ya - it's scary but...

Forward PE under 10 times earnings (and at worst they will meet estimates - guidance is never optimistic - never).
They now toss off a dividend of 1.4% (based on today's price)
Anywhere under $18 = Get the truck.

My guess (of the wild-ass variety) is that we'll see an easy $22 by the end of Q2 (quicky) and $25 by year's end.

Or not.

Fine print: I have no real clue. Don't leave the house - you may turn an ankle. See your local PGA professional. Cape does not enable user to fly. Actual price may vary. See dealer for details. Forget this. Avoid eating too much swordfish. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.

Perception v. Reality - thinking aid

2011-03-25T10:45:00.002-04:00

Ok then... Carlos Vamos

2011-03-21T18:46:00.001-04:00

Going for it!

2011-03-21T09:41:00.000-04:00

"Hosed" - Episode Four ~ Paul(a) Returns

2011-02-26T16:48:00.003-05:00

Paula, formerly known as Paul before the sex change operation returns to the firehouse and has to try harder than ever to fit in with the Guys. Smitty and Ben get reprimanded by Sammy for their recent behavior on a fire call and Smitty continues to plead his case on why they should all be getting paid.

"Hosed" - Episode Three

2011-02-18T09:29:00.002-05:00

"Hosed" - Episode Two

2011-02-14T08:16:00.002-05:00

"Hey Wow, you look great with your a... you know - side hair."

Juston McKinney - Writer, Marc Dole - Director, Jonathon Millman - Director of Photography. Gary Valentine, Danica Carlson and Jessica Webb in this episode.

"Hosed" - Episode One

2011-02-09T09:03:00.003-05:00

This is episode #1 of "Hosed"(the web-series version). Juston McKinney - Writer, Marc Dole - Director, Jonathon Millman - Director of Photography. See Juston McKinney, Gary Valentine and Lenny Clarke in this episode. Great professional and talented cast and crew. Much fun.

Online Video - 60% of business people prefer Video to text

2011-02-08T08:47:00.002-05:00

How Online Video Can Reach the Business Audience

JANUARY 4, 2011

Even busy executives want to do more than just read on the web

Executives with no time for fun and games do have time for the sound and motion of video, according to findings from Forbes Insights. In some cases, they may actually prefer it to text for learning about products and services.

A majority of businesspeople surveyed by Forbes in October 2010 said they watched more online video than a year earlier. Nearly 60% of all respondents said they would watch video before reading text on the same webpage, and 22% said they generally liked watching video more than reading text for reviewing business information. Three-quarters of all executives said they watched work-related videos on business websites at least once a week, and more than half did the same on YouTube.

Video can be highly effective for merchants. The executives surveyed reported taking a wide variety of actions after watching online videos, with about two-thirds visiting vendor websites subsequent to viewing and more than half searching for more information. Especially among younger executives, likelihood of making a purchase was high.

Generational differences ran throughout the Forbes research, with a split in behavior at age 50. While the youngest executives were most interested in video across the board, baby boomers in their 40s had comparable participation levels. It was older executives who had not yet gotten on board with video, and business-to-business marketers must continue to reach them through other means.

But video has only become more important for the younger set, and marketers can depend on them to watch, pass along, recommend—and often, enter the purchase funnel.

Leonard Cohen - Everybody Knows

2011-02-03T17:54:00.001-05:00

Two posts in one day. That's twenty bucks worth. Written and performed by Leonard Cohen. The lyrics - ya.

Sitt'n in the Middle - Raul Midon

2011-02-03T14:56:00.001-05:00

Ya... okay, do that.

Bob Lefsetz - Good read indeed

2011-02-02T16:18:00.004-05:00

If the music biz is something you're interested in, check out this fellow - Bob Lefsetz and his blog. It's excellent. Here's a recent post. Worth the read I'm say'n.

Eagles On The BBC

There’s no cheating in music!

I’ve been reading Matt Taibbi’s book, "Griftopia". Love the attitude, but most of what’s in there I already know, except for the explanation of the gas price increase back in 2008, remember that? I do. Suddenly I was debating driving an extra mile or two to save a dollar or so, just wasn’t worth it, gas cost too much. Some said it was overconsumption, too many greedy Americans driving SUVs, others decried regulation, the inability to drill for more oil, but the real story is it all had to do with bets on a new commodities index. How did this happen? Goldman Sachs asked for private rulings from the CFTC, then created a game predicated on commodity prices always going up, which they don’t, but for a time there, you could barely afford to go anywhere.

Don’t think that Wall Street is playing by the rules. To the degree there are any left, they lobby and cajole to eliminate them or create exceptions. But you can’t do this in music.

I’m not talking about the labels. As soon as a streaming service takes hold you can bet your bippy Lyor Cohen and Jimmy Iovine will pay people to scam the count, that’s the way this business works. But what they’re selling…that can’t be rigged, that can’t be faked.

Let’s be clear, you can imitate, you can rip off what’s been done before. You know that Kia that looks like a Benz? But it doesn’t drive like a Benz, and Kia certainly ain’t gonna create the next breakthrough, they’ve got no one on board to do that, no one investing in testing the limits, it costs too much for too few dividends.

Why did we want to play music?

The Beatles.

Sure, everybody in the U.K. picked up an axe to escape the factory, but in middle class America we bought Fenders because we wanted to be just like the Fab Four, we wanted the music to come out of us, we wanted the girls to fawn all over us.

And soon there was a schism. Started in 1967, although one can argue the Beatles began it even earlier, with "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver". Suddenly, it was no longer about the one hit wonder. It was about the statement. Created by people who’d paid their dues. The original British Invasion was over, replaced by a plethora of players who could truly do just that, expatriate Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, all the FM staples. They had one thing in common, they could play.

Their stories were all the same. They bought records and practiced in their basements and bedrooms until they were good enough to get a gig. And then they gigged long enough until someone noticed them. And then they got a chance. And some of them broke through.

That’s a long hard road. That’s not like Snooki getting on "The Jersey Shore", or Kim Kardashian getting enough plastic surgery to look like a Barbie Doll. There’s no short cut. And you’re starting from scratch. How many of those bankers would be rich if they couldn’t start out at the aforementioned Goldman Sachs or Morgan Stanley? Never forget, Steve Jobs started out in his basement. Without rich parents or a college degree. Just passion and hustle and…

Jobs was just like the musicians, only he was peddling tech, not tunes. Still, the sky was the limit.

A reader e-mailed me a video. Of the Eagles on the BBC. The concert I wrote about and downloaded over the weekend.

My jaw dropped.

It was like being transported back to ‘73 instantly. Better than "Almost Famous", better than reading about it in "Rolling Stone", this was exactly it.

The clip begins with "Train Leaves Here This Morning". But what’s stunning is the band is sitting on stools singing all the music. ALL the music. There’s no one in the background, nothing on tape. And the harmonies are ALMOST perfect. And when something is almost perfect it’s just like life itself. Perfection is not human.

And Bernie Leadon is wearing a UCLA t-shirt. I don’t think he thought much about it. It was probably at the top of his suitcase, or the only clean thing he had. You see it wasn’t about the look, but the music.

When Glenn Frey sings about sleeping in the desert tonight you know why all the girls ran to grab their sleeping bags. We’ve been hearing how Glenn was so cool for years, how he was a ladykiller. You get it here, it’s not the "Miami Vice" guy hyping gyms, it’s that guy on the couch who you can’t wait to zip apart, who you can’t wait to get inside of you.

This is a band. Remember bands? They rehearsed until they got it right. And when you get it right, you’re undeniable. People clamor to sign you. Not because you’re making the music on the radio, but because you’re making music so GOOD!

And there are some snide comments. How do bands stay together?

Actually, they don’t. Because one person can no longer take it. You might say to not quit, but musicians aren’t looking for security, they’re following their muse.

And when Randy Meisner sings "A Certain Kind Of Fool"!!!!

You see him smiling, and then what comes out of his mouth…WHERE DID HE GET THAT VOICE? How does it sound so right? He’s like a choirboy having sex for the very first time. You get why we needed to get close. You don’t want to have dinner with Lloyd Blankfein, but you can’t wait to just be in the VICINITY of your favorite musician.

And Bernie’s guitar has got that distortion that’s just a bit different from the studio, which is why you go to the show, because it’s just a little bit different, it’s a one time only performance.

And Glenn is playing lead. There’s no hired hand. And he can DO IT!

And when Bernie picks his banjo at the beginning of "Earlybird"… How’d he get that good? PRACTICE! You remember practice, don’t you? All the Olympic athletes do it. And standing in front of the mirror perfecting your ‘do is not practice!

And when you hear Henley sing "Witchy Woman"…it takes you right back to the first time you heard it, when you had no idea who this guy was, only that the sound reminded you of times when anything could happen, both good and bad.

Still, it’s got nothing to do with any specific notes, although it does have a lot to do with the songs. They wrote ‘em. And they weren’t their first.

But what is striking is the fact that you’re watching a band. A living, breathing thing. Something that developed. Something that exists in the minds of the players, not the label.

This is the way it used to be. Inspired journeymen woodshedded to the point where they established a vision. And then they rode that vision to unknown places. Watching this ‘73 show you can’t see "Hotel California" in the future, but it happened.

They’re impossibly skinny. They’re not dancing. A stylist would be yearning to clean them up. As would an engineer. But you can’t clean up live. It’s messy. But it’s so SATISFYING!

I don’t care if you hate the Eagles, you’ve got to watch this show. Because this is how it used to be. Create a 24 hour cable channel with all this heretofore unexposed greatness and watch catalog sales explode.

This is not "Glee", this is not covers. This is not a tribute. This is like stumbling upon the Dead Sea Scrolls. And you’re yearning to know the backstory. How did they come up with this shit? Did they practice the harmonies? Did they get along? How do you write a song?

They watched the Beatles and formed the Eagles.

We watched the Eagles and…

And when you’re that good, you write your own rule book. You become so successful that you tell the label the way it’s gonna be. The agents and promoters work for you. Money and sex and drugs rain down. Because you’re delivering life. People want to be closer to you, you just can’t get enough.

Goldman Sachs is not building America, one can argue strongly it’s destroying it. And at the center, all there is is money, nothing real. But you can be broke and still sing "Take It Easy". And when you lower the car window and put your elbow on the sill while the radio blasts your favorite song you feel more alive than when you’re at the bank, you’re right where you want to be.

I don’t know if these days will ever return. It was so hard to get noticed. But there were fewer people vying for attention. And radio was about music, not commercials. And it wasn’t bad if you looked good, but we hardly ever saw you. At best, from a distance, at the show.

But we went to the show. We had to. Just like we drank and ate. There was no choice. And although there were programs and t-shirts, they were only on sale because fans needed totems, tangible representations of the experience. Because the music was enough.

The Eagles video is HERE

Tal Wilkenfeld - Sweet bass solo in this Jeff Beck piece

2011-01-23T14:54:00.004-05:00

We bow to Beck of course (indeed we must) - but the bass work by Tal Wilkenfeld stands up tall in this piece; "Cause we've ended as lovers".

!%$'*# Snapp'n Cold Eh

2011-01-20T09:02:00.002-05:00

EMBED-Boiling Water Freezes Instantly - Watch more free videos

"You Got Served" meets "Fiddler on the Roof" - Good one!

2011-01-06T09:40:00.003-05:00

Note how the edit lets the line of dialogue run in front or behind the visual cut - letting the line become associated with the character to avoid the lipping misses. Nice idea and nice execution - fun.

Roland Boss RC50 Demo by John Gilliat

2011-01-06T09:37:00.001-05:00

On several levels, I enjoy this. I hope you do too.

In the News - Computer Being Stupid

2010-12-31T14:42:00.001-05:00

CAMBRIDGE, MA—After multiple attempts to get the thing to do the thing, 38-year-old freelance writer Joe Garvin gave up Saturday, citing the fact that his stupid computer was too dumb to print something as simple as a travel itinerary. The computer, a PowerBook something with some kind of core that does this every single time, reportedly refused to just tell the printer to print even after Garvin spent a full 10 minutes yelling at it. "Why won't you just help me out here?" Garvin asked his computer after it started beeping at him just to rub it in. "I checked your nums lock already, and that's not it. What is the matter with you? I hate you." Although the computer will likely go on being naughty forever, Garvin refused to call tech support to resolve the problem, claiming they're all "Wha, wha, wha," and saying a bunch of stuff he doesn't even know what.

Neil Young / Jimmy Fallon - "Pants on the ground"

2010-12-16T14:58:00.001-05:00

It's a Hulu feed so we have to endure the commercial but hey - it is what it is.

Indiefair Playlist Project - New Song Release

2010-12-16T09:03:00.002-05:00

Ladybug Playing with Sprinkles - Why not?

2010-12-15T16:38:00.002-05:00

Everyone Likes this / No one likes this

2010-12-12T11:28:00.002-05:00

Everyone and no one

Two things are always not true:

Everyone likes this.

No one likes this.

Sorry.

If you try to please everyone, the few you don't delight will either ruin your day or ruin your sense of what sort of product you should make.

And if you believe the critic who insists that no one is going to like what you made, you will walk away from a useful niche.

One other thing: Sometimes it's easy to confuse, "the small cadre of people I want to impress because my ego demands that this 'in' group is important," with "everyone." They're not the same.

Expanding the point Seth writes...

Lady Gaga and me

Do you think it bothers her that I don't listen to her music and wouldn't recognize her if she stopped by and said hi?

It shouldn't.

Even if you're a pop star, you don't need everyone to be a fan or a customer. And especially if you're not a pop star, worrying about whether everyone laughs at your jokes, buys your product or even likes you is counterproductive.

Unless you're running for something that requires a unanimous vote, it's a mistake to focus on the frowning guy in the back of the room or the dolt who doesn't get your subtle references or the miser who isn't going to buy from you regardless...

You're on the hunt for sneezers, for fans, for people willing to cross the street to work with you. Everyone else can pound sand, that's okay. Being remarkable also means being ignored or actively disliked.

BTW, I'm virtually certain that Lady (do her friends call her that?) doesn't read my stuff, so we're even.

Steve Martin's Holiday Wish - Again, because it's good stuff.

2010-12-08T14:56:00.003-05:00

I push this one up to the site every year about this time. it's surely worth ten bucks, so I toss it up again.

Steve Martin's Holiday Wish...

If I had one wish that I could wish this holiday season, it would be that all the children to join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.

If I had two wishes I could make this holiday season, the first would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing in the spirit of harmony and peace. And the second would be for 30 million dollars a month to be given to me, tax-free in a Swiss bank account.

You know, if I had three wishes I could make this holiday season, the first, of course, would be for all the children of the world to get together and sing, the second would be for the 30 million dollars every month to me, and the third would be for encompassing power over every living being in the entire universe.

And if I had four wishes that I could make this holiday season, the first would be the crap about the kids definitely, the second would be for the 30 million, the third would be for all the power, and the fourth would be to set aside one month each year to have an extended 31-day orgasm, to be brought out slowly by Rosanna Arquette and that model Paulina-somebody, I can't think of her name.

Of course my lovely wife can come too and she's behind me one hundred percent here, I guarantee it. Wait a minute, maybe the sex thing should be the first wish, so if I made that the first wish, because it could all go boom tomorrow, then what do you got, y'know?

No, no, the kids, the kids singing would be great, that would be nice. But wait a minute, who am I kidding? They're not going to be able to get all those kids together. I mean, the logistics of the thing is impossible, more trouble than it's worth! So -- we reorganize!

Here we go. First, the sex thing. We go with that. Second, the money. No, we go with the power second, then the money. And then the kids. Oh wait, oh jeez, I forgot about revenge against my enemies! Okay, I need revenge against all my enemies, they should die like pigs in hell! That would be my fourth wish. And, of course, my fifth wish would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.

Thank you everybody and Merry Christmas.

Literal Music Video - Bonnie Tyler - Ha!

2010-12-08T09:13:00.002-05:00

I must be late to the party. You may have seen this. Well actually there's less than a 1 in 30 chance that you have but I'm just say'n - check it out if you haven't. Maybe it's because I spend a lot of time in the video and music business that this seems so funny. If you watch it through - there are nice little payouts (good lines) all the way through. Hit the link here.

Nicely done web promo tool

2010-12-07T14:13:00.004-05:00

Well done campaign for designer garments. This video introduces the "notes/women" as "sizes".
Click on the Cup Size Choir logo below the video to play them in the flash player. Nice concept adapted for the web - well done. The fact that it is made of pretty girls is certainly part of the charm but aside from that, the overall execution is quite good - don't you think?

No Way - I'll pass on the convenience of the RFID chip - Geez...

2010-12-07T14:05:00.001-05:00

Ya - do that

2010-11-24T18:25:00.001-05:00

Nice idea / Remix - Snow White

2010-11-06T11:54:00.000-04:00

Say what? - McGurk Effect

2010-11-04T08:57:00.002-04:00

Popcorn

2010-11-02T10:16:00.002-04:00

Bookstore ad - good one. The percussion enhanced sound of the books falling adds the flavor

2010-10-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

Cyclist Friend Explains Necessity Of $35 Socks

2010-10-18T08:44:00.003-04:00

Coseglia, above, said the nearly $40 socks are one of the best bike-related purchases he has made yet.

MONESSEN, PA—Recreational cyclist Ethan Coseglia, 38, thoroughly explained the benefits of wearing $35 bike-riding socks to his friend Kevin Washburn Friday, saying that his specially designed socks are essential in optimizing his overall cycling performance.

"They're great," Coseglia said to Washburn, who has never purchased a pair of socks for more than $8. "They're so comfortable, and they give me really good support. They also have the ToeTip Protector technology, which I like a lot. Seriously, if you ever get into biking, I would definitely go with these."

"Really good breathability, too," Coseglia continued to his friend who only purchases athletic socks in packs of three or more.

Throughout the 10-minute conversation, Coseglia, who took up biking several months ago and rides an average of 6.5 miles two times per week, repeatedly drew comparisons between his special socks and regular socks, telling a politely nodding Washburn that the differences between the two are "night and day."

According to Coseglia, one key area in which the socks are superior is the way they distribute pressure to both parts of the foot, which he said is very important for his bike riding.
Coseglia also mentioned his socks' anatomically molded footbed, their airflow ankle pads, the way they promote lateral ventilation under the sole of the foot, and moisture, specifically his socks' ability to defend against it.

Reports later indicated this was the first time Washburn had ever engaged in any sort of in-depth discussion about socks with anyone.
"They're lighter, that's for sure" Coseglia told Washburn, who, assuming he heard Coseglia correctly, learned that his friend knows the exact weight difference between normal white cotton socks and his special bike socks. "And they definitely keep you more stabilized. I noticed that right off the bat."

"I'm pretty sure these ones don't have the nanofibers, though," said Coseglia, unaware that in that instant, Washburn was confused as to whether or not the two were still talking about socks. "But you really don't need those. They're like 65 bucks. That's getting a little crazy."

Coseglia added that on Sunday he traveled 25 miles to go to a special bicycle equipment store to purchase several more pairs of socks, a statement leading his friend to silently calculate that in the past week Coseglia has spent more than $100 on socks.

Saying that it's better if all your cycling equipment is the same brand, Coseglia told Washburn that his biking shorts, gloves, jersey, helmet, socks, and shoes are all manufactured by Sugoi, and that his $630 outfit is extremely durable and "really good for good aerodynamics."

"It's important to have the right gear," Coseglia said to Washburn, who doesn't know the brand name of any of the socks in his dresser drawer, and mentally separates them into two categories: dress socks and regular socks. "I see people out there who don't know what they're doing, and I'm like, 'You can't just get on a bike and start riding it.' That's why I got that [$235] bike helmet the other day with the extra protective polymer."

Continued Coseglia, "I'm pretty sure it's the one Lance Armstrong wears".

Art World Relieved As Thieves Steal Pretty Terrible Late Period Renoir Work

2010-10-13T14:07:00.001-04:00

OCTOBER 13, 2010 - Onion

CHICAGO—The art world let out a collective sigh of relief Tuesday when it was announced that thieves had made off with one of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's more god-awful late-period paintings, 1919's The Great Bathers (The Nymphs). "The palette was too rosy, the brushstrokes were something out of a college art class, and Renoir's gift for capturing his subject's inner mystery seemed to have completely abandoned him—in short, it was garbage and I'm glad it's gone," said Malcolm Stewart, a curator at the Art Institute of Chicago, which has done little to assist the police in their investigation. "This is the best thing to happen to Renoir's oeuvre since he painted his impressionist classic The Umbrellas, which was actually an inspired piece of art and not just decorative schlock." Stewart added that he wanted the thieves to know that Renoir's 1910 painting Jean As Huntsman could currently be viewed in the museum's front lobby next to several easily accessible exits.

One Minute Video - So good - Yup

2010-10-04T17:40:00.000-04:00

Red Sox Figure It's Worth It To Just Ask Bud Selig For Playoff Spot

2010-10-01T15:06:00.002-04:00

OCTOBER 1, 2010 |

BOSTON—Players and personnel within the Red Sox organization collectively decided Monday that simply coming out and asking MLB Commissioner Bud Selig if they could have a spot in the 2010 playoffs "couldn't hurt" their odds of missing the postseason any more than their poor finish in the division. "I'll mention that we've got a lot of fans who would love to watch us keep playing, and then I'll just ask, 'Can the Red Sox please be in the playoffs this year?'" general manager Theo Epstein said during a recent NESN interview. "After all, the worst he could say is no." Epstein added that depending on the feel of the meeting, he might also inquire about a first-round bye. Onion

Thrust your fat into a more appealing shape

2010-09-22T07:08:00.001-04:00

Today Now!: How To Thrust Your Fat Into A More Appealing Shape

Tarp Surfing - What?

2010-09-14T17:52:00.002-04:00

New Dad State of Mind - Juston McKinney

2010-09-09T14:16:00.003-04:00

Juston McKinney with Renee Dupuis
Directed by Marc Dole
Cinematographer - Jonathon Millman

Well done! Nice!

David Thorne - Love it

2010-09-03T14:07:00.001-04:00

From David Thorne's Blog - Good stuff!

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.19pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,

Our records indicate that your account is overdue by the amount of $233.95. If you have already made this payment please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.37pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

I do not have any money so am sending you this drawing I did of a spider instead. I value the drawing at $233.95 so trust that this settles the matter.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.07am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,

Thankyou for contacting us. Unfortunately we are unable to accept drawings as payment and your account remains in arrears of $233.95. Please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.32am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

Can I have my drawing of a spider back then please.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.42am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear David,

You emailed the drawing to me. Do you want me to email it back to you?

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.56am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

Yes please.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 12.14pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Attached

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 09.22am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Whose spider is that?

Dear Jane,

Are you sure this drawing of a spider is the one I sent you? This spider only has seven legs and I do not feel I would have made such an elementary mistake when I drew it.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.03am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David,

Yes it is the same drawing. I copied and pasted it from the email you sent me on the 8th. David your account is still overdue by the amount of $233.95.
Please make this payment as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.05am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Automated Out of Office Response

Thankyou for contacting me.
I am currently away on leave, traveling through time and will be returning last week.

Regards, David.
From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.08am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Hello, I am back and have read through your emails and accept that despite missing a leg, that drawing of a spider may indeed be the one I sent you. I realise with hindsight that it is possible you rejected the drawing of a spider due to this obvious limb ommission but did not point it out in an effort to avoid hurting my feelings. As such, I am sending you a revised drawing with the correct number of legs as full payment for any amount outstanding. I trust this will bring the matter to a conclusion.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 2.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David,

As I have stated, we do not accept drawings in lei of money for accounts outstanding. We accept cheque, bank cheque, money order or cash. Please make a payment this week to avoid incurring any additional fees.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 3.17pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

I understand and will definitely make a payment this week if I remember. As you have not accepted my second drawing as payment, please return the drawing to me as soon as possible. It was silly of me to assume I could provide you with something of completely no value whatsoever, waste your time and then attach such a large amount to it.

Regards, David.
From: Jane Gilles
Date: Tuesday 14 Oct 2008 11.18am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Attached

Local Water Tower Celebrates 50th Year As Repository Of Information On Who Is A Slut

2010-08-28T07:26:00.003-04:00

CONCORDIA, MO—Residents marked the 50th anniversary of the Concordia water tower Tuesday, honoring a structure that for generations has been the community's most comprehensive source of information on who is a slut.

Enlarge Image-Historians say information on whether or not Whitney Olsen got the whole baseball team off would otherwise have been lost to time.

According to University of Missouri historian Elliot Torcello, the remarkably well- preserved tower is recognized throughout the region as an indispensable archive detailing which women in the area are promiscuous, as well as whether or not they have crabs.

"Since June 22, 1960, when the words 'Jill Hooper is a slut' first appeared on one of its support girders, the tower has been a place for citizens to go and find out who is really easy, or perhaps to contribute their own statement about who is giving it up all over town," Torcello said. "This unique public forum has immortalized the names of all those who demonstrated in one way or another that they were a slut, a whore, or—after 1984—a skank."

The Onion

Meet Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

2010-08-18T16:15:00.000-04:00

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

Swan Dive

2010-07-16T08:24:00.000-04:00

Over the top carb counter - Real men of genius

2010-07-14T18:31:00.003-04:00

There are over a hundred of these extremely good audio commercials. I think it's the chorus fills that kill me. Check it out.

Click Here to Listen (Scroll to the Carb Counter) - They're all pretty good.

That's why yellow makes me sad - I think. ha!

2010-07-14T18:24:00.001-04:00

Kentridge - Video

2010-07-12T12:43:00.001-04:00

Reverse Graffiti

2010-07-09T14:46:00.002-04:00

LeBron and time to yawn

2010-07-09T09:04:00.003-04:00

Forced to comment on LeBron James...

Miami is now a strong contender - oh yes. The complaint about no legitimate big man is semi-silly. James will spend more time low. Both he and Bosh are big people - not giant post-only bulk types but big fellows nonetheless. They'll find a Perk-like defensive solution to clog things and that will be fine. Miami is now tough - indeed. Keep in mind that in a game where a couple key players matter so much injuries (or lack of injuries) become a huge factor. Oh ya.

The "Decision" thing on ESPN was junk TV and annoying. James has to be careful that he doesn't become a hated character. It may be that way already. Good - it's more fun to do battle with evil. All in all - this beat to death story is a yawn.

The Cavaliers have problems and are now irrelevant. Oh ya.

Now - if we can just drop the subject and the league's CBA gets resolved, the season might be fun to watch. Until then - LeBron, go away and shut up. Good luck etc etc but go away until it's time to play.

The Celtics signing of Jermaine O'Neal is also a yawn. He has very little game and seems to have even less intensity.

There - comment rendered. Yawn.

Okay - so we're not cool. So what.

2010-06-22T16:17:00.007-04:00

Yanni with a trim package - maybe not hot stuff - but this was at least a little bit interesting. Oh ya... interesting-ish.

Group Cheers After Group Hears Group's Name Called

2010-06-07T17:48:00.001-04:00

HAVERFORD, PA—A group attending an event cheered in unison Thursday after a man with a microphone called out the group's name. "Wooooo!" group members yelled in an act that made them feel closer to one another than they had before hearing their name said aloud. "That's us!" The group ceased its excited cheering moments later when another group's name was called.

Local Child has Run-Of-The-Mill Imagination

2010-05-19T10:24:00.002-04:00

PORTLAND, OR—According to sources in his home and school, the inner fantasy life of 6-year-old Connor Haney is not at all unique or vibrant. "Standard imagination, really," his teacher Joan Pershing told reporters. "Today at recess he was playing policeman and 'catching a bad guy.' So basically, he was pretending he had a job. Not exactly what I'd call visionary." Connor's mother, Sharon, concurred, displaying a crayon drawing and saying, "Look at this picture he drew. Ooh, wow, our house. Gee, where'd he dream that up?"

Studies show...

2010-05-17T10:50:00.002-04:00

Nice one.

USS Montana - Old ad - Ha!

2010-04-22T20:07:00.001-04:00

Ahhh... The Masters - Sweet site this time.

2010-04-07T10:38:00.004-04:00

I've always been unimpressed with the Masters website. It was good / nice but not good enough - I thought. Certainly not up to expectations. Well, the new site is spectacular in many ways. The images are terrific. Well done! The architecture is okay but the images set a new standard - way cool.

Click on the picture (Hole #16 - sweet huh?) to go the official Masters site.

My Apology

2010-03-30T17:28:00.002-04:00

I do apologize for making a comment about the weather. It was unnecessary.

Penguin

2010-03-29T15:32:00.008-04:00

"It's practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry." - Joe Moore

Not good!

2010-03-10T10:23:00.003-05:00

This was one of a series of pictures passed around under the heading "If you think you're having a bad day". This was Verne's favorite:

Google Responds To Privacy Concerns With Unsettlingly Specific Apology

2010-03-02T19:48:00.004-05:00

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA—Responding to recent public outcries over its handling of private data, search giant Google offered a wide-ranging and eerily well-informed apology to its millions of users Monday.

"We would like to extend our deepest apologies to each and every one of you," announced CEO Eric Schmidt, speaking from the company's Googleplex headquarters. "Clearly there have been some privacy concerns as of late, and judging by some of the search terms we've seen, along with the tens of thousands of personal e-mail exchanges and Google Chat conversations we've carefully examined, it looks as though it might be a while before we regain your trust."

Google expressed regret to some of its third-generation Irish-American users on Smithwood Avenue between Barlow and Lake.

Added Schmidt, "Whether you're Michael Paulson who lives at 3425 Longview Terrace and makes $86,400 a year, or Jessica Goldblatt from Lynnwood, WA, who already has well-established trust issues, we at Google would just like to say how very, truly sorry we are."

Schmidt's apology appeared suddenly at 9 a.m. Monday on Google's homepage, Chrome browser, and YouTube, as well as on every single Android-enabled cell phone, and sought to reassure Americans that the company would take all necessary steps to keep confidential information, from Social Security numbers to Gonorrhea test results, absolutely safe.

Acknowledging that Google hasn't always been open about how it mines the roughly 800 terabytes of personal data it has gathered since 1998, Schmidt apologized to users— particularly the 1,237,948 who take daily medication to combat anxiety—for causing any unnecessary distress, and he expressed regret—especially to Patricia Fort, a single mother taking care of Jordan, Sam, and Rebecca, ages 3, 7, and 9—for not doing more to ensure that private information remains private.

Monday's apology comes after the controversial launch of Google Buzz, a social networking platform that publicly linked Gmail users to their most e-mailed contacts by default.

"I'd like nothing more than to apologize in person to everyone we've let down, but as you can see, many of our users are rarely home at this hour," said Google cofounder and president Sergey Brin, pointing to several Google Map street-view shots of empty bedroom and living room windows on a projection screen behind him. "And, if last night's searches are any indication, Boston's Robert Hornick is probably out shopping right now for the spaghetti and clam sauce he'll be cooking tonight."

"Either that, or hunting down that blond coworker of his, Samantha, whose Picasa photos he stares at every night," Brin added.

While admitting that security measures need to improve, Google officials also claimed that everyone makes mistakes, be it storing confidential data indefinitely or, say, "having a few too many drinks on the evening of Jan. 23, driving home in a haze, striking a pedestrian on the corner of Mercer and Cavendish, speeding off, and then desperately searching online for hit and run laws, right, Karen?"

"Americans have every right to be angry at us," Google spokesperson Janet Kemper told reporters. "Though perhaps Dale Gilbert should just take a few deep breaths and go sit in his car and relax, like they tell him to do at the anger management classes he attends over at St. Francis Church every Tuesday night."

"Breathe in, breathe out," Kemper added. "We wouldn't want you to have another incident, Dale. Not when you've been doing so well."

In an effort to make up for years of alarmingly invasive service, Google will automatically add $50 to all American bank accounts as a gesture of goodwill. The company has also encouraged feedback, explaining that users can type any concerns they may still have into any open browser window or, if they are members of Google Voice, "simply speak directly into [their] phones right now." Either way, the company said, "We'll know."

So far, Google users across the country have responded cautiously to the company's public admission of wrongdoing, with some claiming they will be careful not to reveal any personal information from now on, and others ripping up their credit cards, unplugging all electronic devices from their outlets, and locking themselves in their bathrooms away from any cameras, keyboards, satellite dishes, or cell phones.

"I forgive Google, I forgive Google, I forgive Google," said Ohio resident Darla Mackenzie, sitting on the edge of her bathtub, her head in her hands. "Please, please, don't tell Jonathan about the things I have done."

Go men go

2010-03-01T09:15:00.002-05:00

Bad whale, bad bad bad...

2010-02-26T16:21:00.003-05:00

No - you don't kill the whale because it killed a trainer. You can't teach all the other whales a lesson by punishing the offending whale. You conclude that this whale is not a good choice for the job of living in captivity and performing. Send the whale to human resources for an exit interview, have it sign a release and toss it back into the ocean.

This might seem obvious but apparently not. Geez.

Curdling

2010-02-26T16:02:00.002-05:00

NASA Onion

2010-02-25T19:13:00.000-05:00

NASA Scientists Plan To Approach Girl By 2018

Accupuncture anyone?

2010-02-18T12:16:00.000-05:00

Blu Clipc - For more amazing video clips, click here

Kimmel editing piece- pretty good

2010-02-17T07:33:00.001-05:00

The Unimaginable

2010-02-15T10:31:00.002-05:00

If I told you four months ago that Toyota's sales would be crushed by a quality fumble, recalls and brand pain - and oh by the way, Tiger Woods will end up in rehab - you would have thought I was nuts.

What else is unimaginable?

Winter

2010-02-13T15:03:00.004-05:00

"It might be great to have winter stay around for a few more months. If it does, maybe I can manage to gain another five pounds. Maybe I can get my skin dry enough to split myself completely in half. Maybe the rest of the driveway can be chunked up and all the sprinkler heads can be sheered off."

~Unknown~

Nice Video

2010-02-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

The content is interesting - very good actually. The video production is also very good. Regarding the production. Nothing crazy - just clean and... well, good.

Modern Man - A World Class Carlin Piece

2010-02-01T15:38:00.001-05:00

Nice one George!

JD Salinger and the vomity chair

2010-01-28T19:14:00.003-05:00

JD Salinger used the word "vomity" as an adjective twice in his famous work Catcher in the Rye. Anyone who with all those choices for words - chooses "vomity" - especially to describe a chair, is certainly worthy of mention of the day of his passing.

A little Knopfler for ye

2010-01-22T08:59:00.002-05:00

It's a little crazy to say this is the "best guitar performance ever". It's tight, clever, skillfully performed and sweet to be sure. We're not going to rank it, we're going to enjoy it.

Everyone At Hospital Already Hates Wes Welker

2010-01-09T13:59:00.003-05:00

BOSTON—Though injured New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker has only been in the hospital for five days, doctors, nurses, support staff, and fellow patients told reporters Thursday that the extremely passionate and determined Welker has already annoyed the hell out of everyone.

"That guy is just the worst," Welker's orthopedic surgeon Dr. Henry Myles said after a diagnostic checkup Tuesday. "He suffers a torn MCL and ACL in his left knee, he can barely walk, and he just keeps saying things like, 'When am I going to get back in there, doc?' and 'Just tape it up, I'll be fine.' This whole obsession with showing us how intense and driven he is 24 hours a day really has to stop."

"I get it, okay? The guy has a lot of heart," Myles added. "But yesterday we had to put him in restraints because he wouldn't stop trying to do jumping jacks. And before we could sedate him, his screams of 'I'm a competitor!' woke up the entire wing."

As of press time, Welker had not made a single friend at Massachusetts General. Although the wideout's attitude has been celebrated by sportswriters and fans alike as scrappy and overachieving, hospital personnel have described him as "exhausting," "intolerable," and "the most infuriating little cocksucker ever to walk God's green earth."

Even children in the hospital's cancer ward were irritated by Welker's Tuesday morning visit.

"The short man kept telling me to keep fighting and not to give up," said Jackie Geddings, 8, a leukemia patient in the hospital's pediatric ward. "I got extra tired talking to him and telling him over and over I was working hard and that he didn't have to cut off his hair and give it to me. I don't think he knew I was trying to take a nap."

"He's everywhere," one doctor said of the 5-foot-9 All-Pro receiver, adding that the mere sight of Welker's face fills him with rage. "If he's not trying to get patients up at 6 a.m. to do physical therapy with him, he's giving unwanted nutritional advice to diabetics or hovering over ER doctors during critical triage sessions. I really hope one of these days he comes over to the trauma ward so I can lay him out cold."

Welker told nurses Wednesday that, although his injury will keep him out of the playoffs, it shouldn't hinder his ability to help the hospital be the best it can be. He has offered to fill in anywhere he is needed, be it on the cafeteria staff or in the operating room.

"I consider myself a very patient person," hospital janitor Mike Clemens said. "But Mr. Welker has pushed me to my limit. He told me that my mopping routes were sloppy, and that if I maybe showed a little more heart out there I could get a few more crucial feet out of each swab."

"What a prick," Clemens added. "Seriously, what a fucking little prick."

Welker's hospital roommate, 52-year-old Aaron Kramer, requested a room transfer after spending just one night with the two-time Pro Bowler. Kramer said he was unable to sleep due to Welker shouting "Woo!" after every SportsCenter highlight, a nuisance that became increasingly excruciating as Welker did the same through all five of the show's overnight repeats.

Teammates who have visited Welker have left his hospital room visibly aggravated, often rolling their eyes, muttering to themselves, or saying things like, "Thank God that's over."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has yet to make a trip to the Boston hospital, but said Monday that Welker had already left him more than 150 voice mail messages that alternated between tearful apologies for getting injured and personal pleas for Belichick not to forget about him while he's away.

"Apparently he read an article where I said that the team would evolve without him," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told reporters after visiting Welker. "I had to assure Wes that didn't mean I thought the team was better off without him or that I didn't like him personally."

"I don't, though," Brady said. "Not hard to see why not. Jesus, if that mouthy little fucker didn't manage to get open so often I think I would have punched him in the face years ago."

A plea to the money

2010-01-08T10:56:00.008-05:00

Business plans can be presented in a presentation deck containing ten slides. On each of the slides the text size must be no smaller than 30pt.; You should be able to present the story in no more than 20 minutes. Even if you're pitching yourself or your company to invest its own funds, boil your ideas down and touch the bases. Slide Headers:

The problem that exists
The solution to the problem
Business model; i.e. a brief description of the type of firm you will operate
Underlying magic/technology; this is crucial. Basically, it explains how you will solve the problem. It illustrates your competitive advantage.
Marketing and sales; how you will make people aware of your product/service, and sell it.
Competition; anyone who claims that there is no competition for a business idea has not done their homework.
Team; who—if anyone—will be working with you.
Projections and milestones; what are the key goals that you plan on hitting.
Status and timeline; where you currently are with your venture, and how long until you start hitting those goals.
Summary and call to action; if this is a presentation to investors (if it's your own money, think of it as making the case to the money), here’s where you describe how much you need and when.

Don't make a mistake by getting facts wrong or telling a lie. This is not a time to be sloppy or deceptive - no no no. The money is smart and will check the details. Your credibility is the first thing to get sniffed. Be credible by being accurate and truthful. Acknowledge threats and weaknesses. Crush them with your strengths and opportunities but don't assume the money is not paying close attention to everything - it is.

Don't kid yourself. Your money (or investor's money) is valuable. A piddly return is a yawn and a "no". There has to be a significant upside opportunity. Let's say that if - over a 5-year period - you can't make the case for a 20% annual return (or better), you're in deep doodoo. Smart money knows that the odds that everything will go as you've planned are close to zero. That doesn't mean you haven't prepared well and that you can't win. Perhaps you'll find good fortune along the way and the unknown will be your (and the money's) friend. On the other hand, shit happens and you may go down in flames in spite of your rigorous planing. The money is aware of the possibility that it may get lost. The chances that it may go poof are calculated into the deal. As a result, an upside expectation of a huge return - even many times the original investment - doesn't mean the money is greedy, just as the possibility of losing all the money doesn't make the money stupid. The money will only get excited (read: willing) if you can describe a big win.

Emily Remler

2010-01-05T17:08:00.003-05:00

Born in 1957 (that was a good year), Emily Remler passed away in 1990. Check out the video of Emily playing "How Insensitive".

In an interview with People magazine, she once said of herself: "I may look like a nice Jewish girl from New Jersey, but inside I’m a 50-year-old, heavyset black man with a big thumb, like Wes Montgomery." ~People Mag. 1982~

Neat Mascot - Nasty Product (opinion)

2010-01-04T16:35:00.009-05:00

I haven't been to Burger King in a long time. It hasn't sounded like a good idea. I've done the golden arches a few times but no Burger King. I needed to get something quick and there it was. - Burger King. I'm not sure what I ordered (I'm sure it had a name - I think the word stack was in it) but it consisted of the typical white bread bun (limp) with two 1/10 of a pound patties, some precooked bacon and a cheese that I think was ladled on (that's what it looked like). In the cheese were some small fragments of what might have been something (maybe a pepper). It looked bad but I ate it anyway.

It was one of the worst things ever served or eaten by man. It was almost tasteless. What taste came through was not pleasant. This was bad stuff. I'm not talking about nutrition here. I mean - this assemblage was just plain lousy. My guess is that this was the intended offering and not the fact that I got a mistake. It was ... what's the word?... Gross. I only ate the burger with the cheese and bacon (no bun). Maybe it was 3 - 4 ounces of matter. It sat inside me - heavy and unsatisfying. I was however, no longer hungry.

I really don't think I'll ever return to "The King". I'm not sure why I went in the first place.

NYSE: BKC - Burger King Holdings is selling for $18.97 / share. It's 52-week low is $15.61. This should be a good issue to short. There - I'm making the call "Short BKC". Don't ask me how short or what duration to play - you have to do some of the work yourself. However, I would say that a new low in the next 12- months would make sense - based on the crud I swallowed today.

Finding Population and other data for a defined area

2010-01-02T08:13:00.014-05:00

I thought there would be a tool out there on the web where I could pick a location (address) and then pick a radius (10 miles, 20 miles - whatever) and get the population, demographics and maybe some other granular data about the area within the circle. Apparently there is nothing for free. Maybe that is a project / business waiting to happen - although, free is a tough climb. It looks like I can buy tools (CD/DVD) or buy a subscription to get down to "block" level. Not city block, but census block (used for elections etc).

The best I could do for free was a database at the US Census Bureau Factfinder . There is some good information here and it's probably close to accurate. ZipSkinny is another site that seems nifty. It pushes essentially the same data - presented by zip code. Zip code sorting could be more helpful or less helpful but it's another pile. ZipSkinny can deliver side by side comparisons - nice. The source is most likely the 2000 census. I can see a way to create the kind of data I'm looking for by making some assumptions. If I want to look at a relatively small region, say - Southeastern, NH it wouldn't be too tough. For example: if the 10 mile radius from a particular address swallowed up 15% of a neighboring town, we could say that 15% of the population was within the radius section. Yes indeed, we could be slicing off the heaviest concentration of a particular town or the lightest. This would fuzz our % of the town conclusion but it would still be a decent representation. If the radius clipped pieces of a few towns, the errors +(-) about concentration would tend to offset.

If you know of a site where this data is organized as I've described, let me know. That would be worth ten bucks to someone.

Sir on the equities - Over-sized Gains in the Past

2010-01-02T07:35:00.007-05:00

About the nice market pop in 2009 and prospects for 2010 - Sir said, "The over-sized gains of '09 are now in the past".

Too bad. That was fun.

That's all I have for now. Will 2010 still manage to give us a little? Don't know. Maybe it's a picker's year.

It's not the rats

2009-12-31T14:52:00.001-05:00

It's not the rats you need to worry about

If you want to know if a ship is going to sink, watch what the richest passengers do.

iTunes and file sharing killed Tower Records. The key symptom: the best customers switched. Of course people who were buying 200 records a year would switch. They had the most incentive. The alternatives were cheaper and faster mostly for the heavy users.

Amazon and the Kindle have killed the bookstore. Why? Because people who buy 100 or 300 books a year are gone forever. The typical American buys just one book a year for pleasure. Those people are meaningless to a bookstore. It's the heavy users that matter, and now officially, as 2009 ends, they have abandoned the bookstore. It's over.

When law firms started switching to fax machines, Fedex realized that the cash cow part of their business (100 or 1000 or more envelopes per firm per day) was over and switched fast to packages. Good for them.

If your ship is sinking, get out now. By the time the rats start packing, it's way too late.