Quick recap:

The luxurious Xtracyle Sport Utility Bicycle (S.U.B.) exhibits your uncompromising taste in personal transportation choices.

The Phoenix 1000 luxury submarine exhibits your entirely human desire to possess the “single largest private undersea vehicle ever built“. (via Ming)

This sub illustration is the property of U.S. Submarines.
[tags] Xtracycle S.U.B., Phoenix 1000 Sub[/tags]

Class action suit against the RIAA. According to the Wired Listening Post blog:

“RIAA defendant Tanya Anderson has filed the first file sharing class action suit against the RIAA, seeking payment for “significant damages caused by the Defendants” to everyone who has been sued by the organization to date.”

One one side - it’s easy and probably unreasonable to accept that every RIAA prosecution has been as misguided as some reports would lead us to believe.

On the other - it’s easy and probably undeniable to conclude that the RIAA has a much heavier PR presence than private individuals like Tanya Anderson. How many of these stories are going on outside of the few that get public attention?

Should be interesting to see how many other abusive RIAA cases come to light.
[tags]Tanya Anderson, RIAA[/tags]

Jonathan Cunningham of the New Times of Broward-Palm Beach has a nice item about the growth of a small local music retailer (via Coolfer). After interviewing a few south Florida record shops, they’ve identified localism as a key to growth management.

“”Dude, we’re in a death zone with our current location,” Ramirez says. “In a five-mile radius, we have a Borders, Target, Circuit City, Barnes & Noble, and a Best Buy. We’ve got all these killer stores right around us — but that doesn’t mean that we can’t survive. Everyone says these record stores are done, but that’s bullshit. We just have to work harder.”

Cunningham also describes efforts to convert a retail store into a community gathering space. This local community focus can be a successful source of differentiation for many types of retailers. But like any strategy, it needs to fit the context of the business. Localism works well if your main competitors are decidedly non-local. Localism also works well when local businesses learn to collaborate.

And sometimes localism isn’t enough. Read the rest of this entry »

Today had quick spar with Chris Clarke’s BlogWarBot. BWB is worthy opponent. Tried my best to stick ‘em. Got pwned…

BlogWarBot: I’m BlogWarBot. You have something to say we haven’t heard a thousand times before?

Guest: I disagree.

BlogWarBot: So if I might ask, what’s your take on that last blog spat?

Guest: Pretty boring. Insufficient personal attacks.

BlogWarBot: So you’re saying it resembles a real blog argument?

Guest: Not exactly.

BlogWarBot: That’s the problem with people like you. You’re never constructive about anything.

Guest: BlogWarBot is a wanker.

BlogWarBot: That’s quite interesting. Go on… (zzzzzzz).

Guest: BlogWarBot has narcolepsy?

BlogWarBot: So if I might ask, what’s your take on that last blog spat?

Guest: (zzzzzzz)

BlogWarBot: O HAI U CAN GRO BRANE? KTHX

Need to keep training.

[tags] technorati, tags, useless, or, narcissistic, discuss[/tags]

Shell Films produces stories. They describe their recent short film “Eureka” as “a story inspired by real events.”

Eureka is full of lovely music, lush scenery, attractive actors, and a sexy narrative. It’s an exemplary piece of corporate propaganda.

Nick at Triple Pundit has a link to the film and a concise review. He writes:

“I can only imagine what this film cost to produce, plus the cost of putting DVD copies in countless magazines, and running clip after clip on TV. And what’s the real benefit? Presumably the idea was to get a lot of people to feel good about filling up at Shell stations.”

Stimulating retail revenues is obviously one of Shell Film’s indirect objectives. They approach the objective via a cleverly conceived and flawlessly constructed narrative designed to delegitimize public concern about peak oil.

Read the rest of this entry »