HAVE A GOOD LONG WEEKEND.
Hoping the weather's good where you are.
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June 30, 2006
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT....
The average tenure of a CMO is now about 23months.
AGAIN, THIS IS A BIT OLD...
But there's a woman in Iowa who was worried that her family might not carry out her wishes properly if she was hospitalized.
So she got a tattoo. And no, this isn't a joke.
ONE OF THE WORST PRODUCT PLACEMENT IDEAS EVER.
In the 90's the NFL deciding to get a character created with Marvel comics in comic books.
Eek.
June 28, 2006
I'M STARTING TO LINE UP AT THE THEATRE...
Right now.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH BETTER THAN THIS IS GETS...
But, me thinks, not much.
MY FAVORITE NASCAR CRASH - EVER.
This, and the below, found courtesy of Deadspin.
PINNELLA WAS AN AMATEUR.
Now this guy knows how to make an argument.
SEEMS LIKE A SIMPLE IDEA, IN HINDSIGHT.
But, someone finally produced a bed with shelves that "roll out" of the headboard, allowing them to be concealed at other times.
Nice work, Ikea.
June 27, 2006
SOMETHING I WISH WAS MY IDEA.
It's just that good.
Someone has created the MySpace profile for...
"Dad."
Comedy...genius.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
This just in, from AOL...
Bottle of Viagra Gets Limbaugh Held at Airport
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 26) - Rush Limbaugh was detained for more than three hours Monday at Palm Beach International Airport after authorities said they found a bottle of Viagra in his possession without a prescription.
Customs officials found a prescription bottle labeled as Viagra in his luggage that didn't have Limbaugh's name on it, but that of two doctors, said Paul Miller, spokesman for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
A doctor had prescribed the drug, but it was "labeled as being issued to the physician rather than Mr. Limbaugh for privacy purposes," Roy Black, Limbaugh's attorney, said in a statement.
HERE'S A GREAT IDEA.
American Express calls it the butterfly. It's a fold up Amex card that fits in a little keychain-like deal. It's the coolest way to carry your Amex card.
As a Platinum card holder, I'm in - it combines fashion and convenience. I'm ready to...
What's that? Oh, it's only for Gold cardmembers?
Oh - so it's not for your highest paying customers - it's for your second-most high paying?
Oh, I'm sorry - I meant this is a STUPID idea.
Solid relationship management via American Express.
930 CALORIES, 63 GRAMS OF FAT.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Hardees Philly Cheesesteak Thickburger.
Steak AND hamburger.
This - as always...is why they hate us.
June 26, 2006
I'VE GOT DIRECT TV...
And the only thing bad about that is that I don't get community access TV. So I miss moments of sheer, unadulterated brilliance. Moments - like this.
Found via BoingBoing.
BEST AD I'VE SEEN IN QUITE AWHILE...
Found via TEDblog.
June 23, 2006
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
Try to keep yourselves busy.
HELPING OUT THE CASUAL MARINERS FAN.
Whenever I go to Mariners games, something strikes me.
The men in the photo below, Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre, were the two most high-profile free agents the Mariners have signed in some time.
Neither have had tremendous years. Beltre got off to a horrible start this year, right after he had helped his home country, the Dominican Republic, do exceedingly well in the World Baseball Classic. Since the first month, however, his average has steadily climbed....and he's looking better and better with every game. And his defense has never faltered. He's one of the best 3rd basemen in baseball.
So...back to me at the Mariners games. Every time Beltre comes up, I hear boos. Sexson? Rousing cheers.
So, hmmm...let's check the numbers as of this morning...
Beltre - .250, 7HRs, 54 strikeouts.
Sexson - .214, 12HRs, 80 strikeouts.
Let me be clear - this is not an invitation to boo Sexson. It's for Mariners fans to take a closer look.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
American Apparel has opened a "virtual store" in the video game Second Life.
Let me repeat - you can buy digital clothing for your avatar in the game - you get nothing in real life.
I want to make sure I'm clear - you're buying code that allows your character to look different in a virtual world. Your money (in the real world) is what you pay.
This is how it looks in my mind - a 15-year old McDonald's fry cook who spends all day complaining about his job goes home and spends 8 hours a night living in the world he wishes he lives in.
And he does it all - in a really nice tank top.
Thanks to my friend Ryan for inspiring me to write this entry, and for supplying one of the photos above.
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Another stellar World Cup run.
In case you missed it, we finished with the exact same score as Iran.
Photo courtesy of Deadspin.
June 22, 2006
SOMEWHERE THERE'S A PRODUCT MANAGER...
...still screaming that this should have been a head-to-head comparison with product demos.
THIS IS A BIT OLD...
But I was talking to someone today who hadn't seen it. So I thought I'd post it - a shot-by-shot remake of Michael Jackson's Thriller video, done completely with Legos.
June 21, 2006
A SITE I VISIT EVERYDAY.
wwtdd.com
It's stands for "What Would Tyler Durden do? - think: US magazine written by the Brad Pitt character from Fight Club. A sample entry is below.
WARNING: If you get offended regularly, DO NOT VISIT THIS SITE. Like T-Shirt Hell, they manage to offend even me.
ANOTHER REASON I LOVE ZE FRANK...
is that he helped me find this photo.
Apparently, it's from the 1969 Yale yearbook.
TODAY'S IRAQ WAR METAPHOR.
MAYBE IT'S JUST ME...
But I love this site of found photos:
Photos of an unknown couple on their wedding day.
Visit it at http://www.houseplantpicturestudio.com/HPS/couple/couple.html
June 20, 2006
IF YOU'RE RUNNING FOR CONGRESS...
Might be a good idea to see what your children are posting on MySpace.
Ladies and gentleman, the underage children of Republican Brian Billbray.
For those of you scoring at home, this is the guy chosen to fulfill the rest of Randy "Duke "Cunningham's term.
Viva la Southern California!
Found via Huffington post.
THIS REMINDS ME OF THE TIMES I'D BE JUGGLING AS A KID...
Well, except for the part with my father shouting "Turn that damned music down!" And my mother screaming at me to try practicing something I could actually get paid for.
Found via TEDblog.
June 19, 2006
BEFORE WE ALL GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT KATIE COURIC...
Let's not forget that the woman below was once the anchor at CBS.
THE DUTCH HAVE A NEW POLITICAL PARTY.
The way things are going, they could probably unseat the Democrats in New York.
MEMOS FROM CORPORATE AMERICA.
Here's Matt Stone's memo detailing the changes made in the first cut of the South Park movie to appease the censors.
MY FAVORITE AD FOR HOTWHEELS EVER.
JUST HOW MEAN ARE WE?
Try this...an Ebay auction with Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle helmet.
Yep, an empty box.
SEINFELD COMES TO LIFE. AGAIN.
Singlestat.us - it notifies you automatically if someone of MySpace becomes single.
"I've been waiting out that relationship for awhile."
GENIUS OR ASININE?
Barbeque skewers that come with "flavors" on them.
I can't decide.
UGH. MONDAY.
June 16, 2006
JUST A GREAT PIECE OF VIDEO. PERIOD.
TODAY'S EDITION OF WHY THEY HATE US.
Ladies and gentlemen -
the $10 leather Jack Spade matchbook cover.
NEW FAVORITE DAILY SHOW CLIP.
Hands. Down.
BIG NEWS OUTTA SEATTLE.
Mr. Seductive, in the photo below, is leaving the company he founded.
June 15, 2006
IN OTHER NEWS, EVERY ONE OF THOSE CITIZENS IS ALSO WELCOME TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL, MORON.
From Mediaweek.
CBS Stations: Indecency Complaints Invalid
Virtually none of those who complained to the Federal Communications Commission about the teen drama Without A Trace actually saw the episode in question, CBS affiliates said as they asked the agency to rescind its proposed record indecency fine of $3.3 million.
All of the 4,211 e-mailed complaints came from Web sites operated by the Parents Television Council and the American Family Association, the stations said in a filing on Monday.
In only two of the emails did those complaining say they had watched the program, and those two apparently refer to a “brief, out-of-context segment” of the episode that was posted on the Parents Television Council’s Web site, the affiliates’ filing said.
“There were no true complainants from actual viewers,” the stations said. To be valid, complaints must come from an actual viewer in the service area of the station at issue, the filing said.
“The e-mails were submitted … because advocacy groups hoping to influence television content generally exhorted them to contact the commission,” the CBS stations said.
L. Brent Bozell, president of the Parents Television Council, said that “everything the PTC has said is accurate.
“Every complaint filed comes from a United States citizen who, last I heard, had the constitutional privilege to petition his government,” Bozell said.
NICE LITTLE IDEA.
Podbop.
You pick your city, and it downloads mp3s of bands coming to town, so you can see if you're interested.
Everybody wins.
IN EUROPE THEY'RE DEVELOPING "ELDY."
It's a computer operating system for the elderly, who've had no experience with computers.
Either that, or we could just start making EVERYTHING EASIER TO USE.
GENTLEMEN, START YOUR INDOCTRINATIONS.
Videos for babies to watch, that help make sure they're fans of your team.
While Notre Dame's and USC's are big hits, the Duke University one tends to cause psychlogical damage for later.
AND THIS, MY FRIENDS, IS WHY THE WEB WAS INVENTED.
Thanks to Zach for the find.
http://hitlercats.motime.com/
ANOTHER REASON TO LOVE THE BBC.
As if I needed yet another.
Go here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/world/06/urbanisation/html/urbanisation.stm
It's a map that shows the human population growth across the globe.
Try to watch this, and NOT think of our species as a virus upon the earth.
June 14, 2006
GO WINSTON. GO SALEM. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY.
My favorite part? The homophobic comment at the very end.
JOBS I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE.
PR Director for Myspace.com.
"Myspace.com regrets that ______ was able to use our network to ________ a __________. We only provide a forum, we don't condone such behavior."
White House Press Secretary.
"The president has no regrets - including his constant mispronunciation of the words Iraq, Iran, and nuclear."
And add to the list press flak for KFC - this one's real (from today's Ad Age.)
"This is a frivolous lawsuit completely without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend our position," a KFC spokeswoman said in a statement. "All KFC products are safe to eat, and meet or exceed all government regulations, and we take health and safety issues very seriously. We provide a variety of menu choices and provide nutrition information, including trans-fat values, on our website and in our restaurants so consumers can make informed choices before they purchase our products."
Well there you have it - KFC's spin is...
"our food is safe to eat."
Bully.
June 13, 2006
SO, WHAT IF IT TURNED OUT...
That this fence they want to build between the U.S. and Mexico...
was not to keep the immigrants out...
but to keep all of us in?
I mean, if you're watching a movie,
and that's the angle --
so this is the way they prepare the police state...
aren't you saying, "Oh, c'mon Hollywood - like the American people are that stupid! Like they'd sit there whilst you whittle away their constitutionally-protected rights, and turned their religion into a mind-control machine that puts the Taliban to shame, and that they wouldn't see that coming! That's ridonkulous-why can Tinsel Town make a good movie anymore?"
Hey, I'm just saying...
SUDDENLY, I'M BOTH FOR- AND AGAINST- GRAFFITTI.
ALTHOUGH IT DOES TEND TO REFRESH THE SOUL.
DETROIT, TAKE NOTE...
June 12, 2006
THE EARTH SANDWICH...
is ready to eat.
http://thearchives.zefrank.com/theshow/earthsandwich.mov
ONE SECOND RADIO SPOTS.
Let me repeat...one second radio spots.
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Clear Channel is discussing the idea of one-second radio spots with marketers and media buyers.
Blinks are one-second commercials.
The real value of the Blinks, as they are being called, may be in the publicity they can generate. After all, you're already reading an article about them, and the short spots are only in the concept stage.
The radio giant, however, says it didn't think up Blinks as a promotional stunt. "It really is to find new uses of radio for advertisers who are continually asking us to demonstrate that our medium can successfully extend brands, can successfully reach the consumer with touchpoints that are new and surprising" said Jim Cook, senior VP-creative for Clear Channel Radio.
____________
Yeah "new and surprising" - like the fact that marketers themselves are the most gullible consumers of all. One second radio spots - your jingle sandwiched between hip hop songs. Brought to you by the marketing geniuses that are...Clear Channel.
Plus bonus points for buzzphrase theft - I can just hear the meeting at the Clear Channel offices (with the demons writhing in anguish in the background as Satan pokes at them) -- "Hey you know, that Malcolm Gladwell is a hot ticket - let's turn one of his book titles into a media idea!"
Laugh if you must, but it sure beats the new ratings system they thought about promoting - Gross Tipping Points.
XENU WILL BE RIDING SHOTGUN.
So, apparently there's going to be a Scientology racecar.
You know, this is what happens to all the great brands. They start out reaching the cutting-edge opinion leaders (Tomkat, Travolta) - then eventually have to expand the brand to keep their revenues strong, and the brand ends up full of Jim Bobs from Biloxi.
Thanks to my friend Melissa for the find.
WHEN SPEC WORK GOES WRONG.
June 11, 2006
A TRIBUTE.
I've got a heavy heart today.
Yesterday, a dog that's been in my family for the last 13 years had to be put to sleep.
Tracker lived with my ex-wife and daughter. She was the most loyal dog I've ever known.
Tracker's life got off to a rough start, as she was abandoned near railroad tracks north of Seattle (hence the name.) We got her from PAWS in Seattle, an organization that rescues dogs. Tracker hung towards the back of her pen, letting the other dogs jump all over her. So we asked if we could look at her alone. Once we did, Tracker opened up - chasing a tennis ball all over her kennel.
Tracker chased that ball for 13 years. Every time I came over to the house, even after I'd moved away, Tracker would greet me by picking up the ball and gesturing for me to throw it.
While I'm sad today, I'm grateful that Tracker never really had a rough time. Yesterday sucked, but it was probably the only really rough day Tracker ever had. She lived a long, happy life for such a large dog. She avoided major illnesses that can befall pets. And she was always very, very happy.
And she made us happy as well.
We'll miss you, Track.
Good. Girl.
June 09, 2006
CREDIT WHERE DUE.
I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about when I think governments get it wrong.
Here's something a government entity did that I loved. It's the cover from the water utility in Bryant, Texas highlighting their emphasis on water quality. This is just the cover - it also includes a calendar which is laugh-out-loud funny.
It's so nice to see bureaucrats with a sense of humor. Nice job, folks.
GAME...........................................OVER.
GOD, BUT I LOVE THE ONION.
ANOTHER REASON TO BE GLAD YOU'RE LIVING NOW, AS OPPOSED TO 100 YEARS AGO.
Go here - and remember it well the next time you're complaining about not getting your aisle seat.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5129195532845797696&q=The+Eiffel+Birdman
June 08, 2006
ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREATS TO OUR WAY OF LIFE WAS TAKEN OUT TODAY.
Hope it was the right one.
ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICAL JOKES EVER.
If you're going to prank someone, let it be on national television.
Just in case you're not clear about what this is - the guys in the Canada gear are MAKING THIS WHOLE THING UP.
And getting interviewed on National TV.
I bow to your greatness.
Found via deadspin.
I'VE HAD SOME COMPLAINTS...
That the blog's been a little too political lately.
So, for those of you who need a break, here's a picture of a cute fuzzy animal.
This is the kind of photo that brings a tear to my eye - boy, I hope we don't drill in Alaska.
GOOD NEWS FOR A GOOD COMPANY/CAUSE.
Starbucks Corp. said it's signed a deal with PepsiCo Inc. to expand distribution of Starbucks-owned Ethos Water.
Seattle-based Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) bought Ethos last year and the water company makes a 5 cent donation with each bottle sold to world clean-water programs.
As part of the deal, Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) will increase the distribution of Ethos water, which is currently sold in 5,000 Starbucks stores and several small U.S. retailers.
"We will ultimately increase Ethos Water's reach to more than 100,000 points of distribution," said Gerry Lopez, president, Starbucks Global Consumer Products, in a statement.
Published June 8, 2006 by the Puget Sound Business Journal
IN OMAHA, YOU CAN HAVE CAKE.
And apparently, you can eat it do.
At a stop in Omaha, Bush said that people should be required to speak English and "adopt American values" to be in America.
But, according to the AP,
"Though the instructor addressed students in English, Bush mostly chose their native Spanish to greet and quiz them. When the students couldn't answer his question — how many father-son duos have served as president — Bush explained in Spanish that there have been two, the Bushes and "Juan Adams y su hijo Juan Q."
Wow - solid work - pandering to racists AND the Latino community all at once. It's Karl Rove's world - we only live in it.
And don't even get me started about what I'm sure Bush thinks "American values" are.
June 06, 2006
W ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
RUMORS...AND BLOGS TOO - IDIOT.
A BLATENT PLUG...
for a friend's blog.
This has to be one of the funniest stories I've heard in a long time.
http://crazyvirgo.typepad.com/home/2006/05/everybody_poops.html
ANOTHER REASON NOT TO RENT A CAR IN KENTUCKY.
NOW THAT'S FUNNY STUFF.
IT'S 6/6/06.
Let the rapture begin.
June 03, 2006
FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, SPELLING BEES WILL REQUIRE HELMETS.
By the way, my favorite part of this clip is when you hear a judge whisper "Stop the clock."
JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE CELLPHONE CAMERAS NOW.
Here's a picture someone snapped of Dirk and Steve, when they were still teammates - and loving it.
From drunkenathletes.com via Deadspin.
By the way, this photo got me thinking - isn't there probably some photo out there of a certain politician on one of his last coke-fueled escapades that I could post to the site? Maybe, I don't know, at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs? If so, please email it to me at dave@questionthedogma.com. We'll get this thing started.
June 02, 2006
IF SHE HAD MENTIONED RUEBEN, HE MAY HAVE KILLED HER.
IT'S OFFICIAL.
I'm officially declaring the end of Western Civilization.
It was good while it lasted.
By the way, the newscaster in the trenchcoat is my LEAST favorite character in this clip.
Thanks, Deadspin.
NOW THAT'S A WEDDING.
According to the Wall St. Journal, brides are now using "documentary" style photographers - who are capturing "intimate stolen moments" during the ceremony - bride getting dressed, groom getting haircut, that sort of thing.
If anyone needs me this afternoon, leave a message - I'm building a new website Bridesgonewild.com.
A GREAT USE OF DATA.
Wow. Nice argument. Well crafted.
Seriously.
PUTTING THE MAGIC IN THE KINGDOM.
Gay Days at Disneyworld, the yearly unofficial convergence of homosexuals at the Orlando amusement park, is on.
You know who's not "amused?" Fundamentalists.
Tee hee.
Link from BoingBoing.
I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN TEXAS...
But hey - if anyone from Comcast is reading this blog...can we get these people some better cable TV options.
I mean, I'm from Iowa - so I've heard all the jokes about watching corn grow -- but c'mon! How starved for entertainment do you have to be to watch the border?
Glad to see all those people who spend all day listening to their police scanners can do something with their eyes as well.
Via the BBC.
