For when you are a little bored (or a lot) - the Museum of Modern Betas.

Nuff said.

[Thanks be to Seth]

Posted by James at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yes, Mr. Scott Springer, you are an evil jackass. How else can you explain your recent article The New Frontier For Retailers, where you suggest that people should be subjected to text message spam?

I hope you are reading this because marketers like you make all marketers look bad. You tout that marketers should utilize a new form of spam that uses the same concepts that spyware vendors utilize. How could you suggest that people download ringtones and screensavers so you can have the right to bombard them with text message advertisements?

I know you did not invent text message spam, but just because you have the ability to do something does not mean you should do it Scott. Take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if you really want to be the guy who publicly promoted text message spam. Is it really worth it?

If you agree that Scott is an evil jackass, send an email to editor@destinationcrm.com that says “Scott Springer is an evil jackass.” Don’t worry, he deserves it.

Posted by James at 08:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

I actually saw him do this live in CA a few years back. Classic stuff.

Posted by James at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I am reading the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell which talks about the mind’s ability to make judgements by “thin-slicing” situations and making snap judgements based on the information you gather in a blink of an eye.

If you want to see some of the implications of “blink” thinking, go over to the Harvard website to take some IAT (Implicit Association Test) tests. Wild (and sometimes scary) stuff.

Posted by James at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alright, it is so nice outside that I am going to have to go take a walk and keep the blog post to a minimum tonight.

Here are a couple things I saw today that I thought were cool:

BBC News’ Q&A on the recent fighting in Mogadishu (I dig the Q&A writing style)
The Top Ten Lies of Guy Kawasaki
The Wrightspeed X1

Have a great night!

Posted by James at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Adrants points us to John Palumbo’s BigHeads agency – an agency that was created with the idea that hiring interesting people, not agency people, would make for a better agency.

An interesting concept, especially since BigHeads has hired over 300 people with backgrounds like a reality show producer, a tattoo artist, a Harlem Club owner and even strippers to work for the company.

I kinda like the way they are thinking here – tapping into creative and experienced people who may not be marketers, but can lend a great deal of insight and direction.

A fresh set of eyes can be a very good thing.

Make sure you check out the BigHeads site learn more. You might even be inspired to find a fresh set of eyes yourself. :)

Posted by James at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So I have kinda become the “blog guy” at work – which is my fault because I never really shut up about blogs. You have issues with surveying? Create a blog. You are having communication problems on a IT project? Build a blog. You want to breed a culture of communication? You better blog.

You get the point – I like blogs and blogging.

But I know many of my coworkers and the people around me are wondering if blogging is going to become a standard fixture in the business community or if blogs are just a passing fad. I mean, many people have a tough time seeing why people or companies would want to be involved in blogging or reading blogs – which is understandable.

But I would argue that these people have yet to open their eyes to the fact that the new business landscape will be democratized and will rely on social networks for making most buying decisions. People will join together to become more efficient in purchasing everyday goods and services, and the companies that can find themselves involved in this feedback loop early can reap the rewards of this communication.

So anyway, I am going to keep on bloggity bloggity blog blog preaching – because I think it is the right thing for my company to be doing.

Who else thinks blogging is important these days – try the LAPD. Check out their Crime Blog. Pretty cool stuff.

Also, the fella who showed me how to blog, Dave Taylor, has a good post on one of the hardest part of blogging – finding your voice.

Posted by James at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

My sister pointed out this interesting website called Worldmapper.

The site shows the world map with countries as different sizes depending on different metrics such as population, immigration, number of passenger cars, etc.

A very interesting and cool site to spend some time looking around (make sure you go past the first couple of pages).

Posted by James at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Looks like Ronald McDonald is eating the souls of the young in India.

See proof here.

Enjoy the Happy Meal kids.

Posted by James at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I caught a Frontline/World last night and it had a segment on the “Play Pump.” Please take the time to watch it here.

The play pump is a great example of social innovation and entrepreneurship – a field that I would love to be more involved in.

Make sure you check out the playpump.org website to see how you can help Africans get access to a lifetime of clean water.

Posted by James at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So, I made a post today on my undisclosed work blog that talked about companies who are imitating Google and why they aren’t going to win by copying.

When I got home tonight I had my brand new copy of The Economist waiting for me, which makes me a bit too excited, but whatever. I started looking through the pages and I saw a special report on Google called “Fuzzy Math.”

This is how the article started:

Mathematically confidant drivers stuck in the usual jam on highway 101 through Silicon Valley were recently able to pass time contemplating a billboard that read: “{first 10-digit prime found in consecutive digits of e}.com.” The number in question, 7427266391, is a sequence that starts at the 101st digit of e, a constant that is the base of the natural logarithm. The select few who worked this out and made it to the right website then encountered a “harder” riddle. Solving it led to another web page where they were finally invited to submit their curriculum vitae.

If a billboard can capture the soul of a company, this one did, because the anonymous company, this one did, because the anonymous advertiser was Google…

So my question to you, if you are trying to get the best talent out there – is your culture up to snuff?

Posted by James at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was driving home from work the other night and I heard the funniest radio report ever.

May I present to you “School Heads Hope to Cool a Hot Snack.”

And just a safety note, the kids are right about the side effects of eating too many. Trust me.

Posted by James at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

As I have said before, I don’t eat meat. Haven’t liked the stuff for years.

But some people do.

Introducing Meatylicious.

If you are a meat lover, make sure you take part in the virtual parade (so you don’t even have to stap away from your burger).

Posted by James at 08:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ok,ok - enough Gumball talk you say!
Nay, Nay, I won't stop today...

Alright, that was decidedly lame, but I am short on time and energy tonight, so I will point you to a Gumball story written by Team 100 detailing their experience on the European leg

See the story hrrrrrr...

Posted by James at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is a quick slideshow of some of the photos from mainly Salt Lake City. More to come later..

Posted by James at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So we got back home yesterday and I know people want to see Gumball 3000 photos.

I want to see photos too, but I am making myself upload them to Flickr, because I have to be cool like that.

So, to hold you over, hit the Gumball Blog for all the goodness.

Posted by James at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We made it to Vegas from Salt Lake and had an amazing time. We took the official Gumball Route from SLC to the Bonnieville salt flats and then down highway 93, a two lane road made for speed. And speed we did...

Of course, we no matter how fast we traveled we were getting passed by the Gumball cars, until they all got nailed by the state patrol. At that point things got pretty quiet.

I got a lot of pics and video, but I will wait til I get back to Denver before I post them.

Overall, the experience was amazing and we had a fantastic time. My car did really well, I had no idea a car could be so smooth at over 100 mph.

Go Gumball!

Posted by James at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alright, my trusty co-driver Kristi and I are heading out in the morning for Salt Lake City to catch up with the Gumball.

I am kinda busy packing at this point so I will point you to the Gumball Blog for your daily update (hint: Lambo carnage).

Hopefully we will get some good pictures up as we go.

And just in case you though I was above silly stunts to get blog traffic, allow me to prove you wrong.

More stunts to come...

Posted by James at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I think I will let my man Deepak of Team 79 give you the rundown on traveling from Belgrade to Phuket with more than 200 Gumballers.

Here you go (also includes a pic of the Antinov cargo plane that is flying the cars around the world).

Posted by James at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Looks like Norelco has found a new and exciting way of selling shavers – by telling men it add an inch in all the right places.

Enjoy!

Posted by James at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gumballers are refueling in Abu Dabi right about now, on their way from Serbia to Phuket (I was wrong about the rally flying out of Budapest).

So, sounds like another crazy day. Sadly, a car that I was really looking forward to seeing is toast. Check out the death of the Camo Rolls Royce.

Thankfully, something good has come out of the death of the Rolls – here is this year’s Gumball trophy.

Team Polizei is kicking ass big time. But it looks like some bastards have messed with the car. I am sad to see the Polizei BMW M5 not making the race (it broke before the start) but the Polizei Bently Contintetal GT looks awesome. Hopefully I can get some pics this weekend.

Also, there is a rumor that team Tango might get out their Bugatti Veryon for the US leg…we shall see.

Getting very excited to get on the road on Friday.

Posted by James at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The cars are now in Budapest but the drive from London sounds like it has been a wild one.

Some of the highlights (and lowlights) were:

• 3 Teams Arrested in Germany (including Torquenstein)
• Team 24 Gets Pulled Over For the 8th Time and the Cops take a Joy Ride
• Team 72’s Dodge Viper Crashes (driver and co-driver fine)
• 4 Gumball Cars Impounded
• Pete from AntandPete hear that a Gumballer is in Jail – They Call the Prince

Alright – that’s it for now. The cars will be loaded up soon and shipped to Thailand for Leg 2!

Posted by James at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looks like there is money on the line in the Gumball 3000. See the cars and the bet here.

Posted by James at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You know those commercials for the VW GTi? You know, the ones with the little round character that represents your “fast?”

If you are, great. If not, get heducated over here.

Well, looks like Subaru has decided that it doesn’t take a made-up character to show their fast.

Check this out!

[Thanks to AdRants for the link]

Posted by James at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)