Spannie

How spam could actually work

2008-07-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

Like all working schleps who labor in the land of the dollar, I too wear the Outlook Email yoke. Though our spam filters abound, there is always the occasional blockade runner that makes it through.

And though I usually despise the manual effort required to rid myself of these electronic annoyances, I have found an increasing number of them humorous - almost welcome.

Here is the last one I received (not 2 minutes ago)
“subject: Brazil's potent growth formula”“email: Stand tall stand strong, voices that care are crying from your pants.”

Though far from comedic gold, it was funny enough for me not to immediately delete it. Perhaps if spam authors hired a few clever and comedic resources, they would find their annoying packages (dare I say it) actually tolerated?

Saint Louis Earthquake

2008-04-18T02:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, so earthquakes are nothing new for the world. But, at 4:30am (its 4:50am now) the one that woke me up in the city of Saint Louis was unexpected. Ive lived in the midwest my entire life and have never felt one. This morning's tremor shook the house, walls creaked, everything rattled for a good 10 seconds. Obviously, this was quite a small earthquake... but after growing up with every old man and news personality drilling into your head that the New Madrid fault line is going let loose and kill us all, this little tremor was friggin terrifying.

After 35 years of brainwash, it would have been far more calming to be in a substantially larger earthquake anywhere else in the world.

-- Update 2 hours later --
A confirmed 5.4 earthquake was reported on the other side of Illinois above 150 miles away. Its remarkable to me that the kind of ground movement I experienced originated so far away. Amazing. Now I know how visitors to the midwest feel when we have a thunderstorm and one-or-many tornado wipes out a subdivision. Normal to us, but pretty a bizzare concept if your not used to it.

Stories told through Typography & Motion

2008-03-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Though some examples here are better than others, it well illustrates the many ways an emotion, mood, message and story can be told without the typical linear cues.

Certainly an interesting exploration.

Just say it...

2008-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

Often times the best way we can change the minds of a reader is to immediately confront them with the stereotypes we fear. Though most people fear this approach as reinforcement of negative ideas, I believe if properly executed, the result can be striking, memorable and accurate.

Giddy up.

An Eye for Texture

2008-02-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

As an artist obsessed with texture, this style of simple form play is quite compelling.

"Powered by Instant Service"

2008-01-24T14:15:00.000-08:00

I guess calling your chat system "occasional interaction" didnt have the same ring.

Nice customer service, Corbis!

A bit too personal

2007-12-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with inserting personal thoughts into a business website. In fact, I am usually the first to applaud such efforts, as they often lead to nuggets of honesty that can be not only differentiating, but meaningful.

However, when you and your sister have a special moment with a spud that appears suspiciously scrotal, I think you should reconsider the post.

... all Im sayin...

http://www.ergopro.com/index.cfm?obj=prodDetails&pID=454

Michael Jackson at his best

2007-10-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

As we all know, our friend Skye has an inability to keep a drink in his hand while drinking. Though this fact alone is sufficiently amusing, one Tokyocrunch says "I can do better"

http://www.tokyocrunch.com/spiller/index.html

And indeed - he does.

Off Broadway

2007-04-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, I saw a unique but somewhat disturbing play. It featured an all hobo cast and was rather graphic. At one point, I couldnt tell who was fighting and who was making out. No matter what the reviews say in the papers, "A Freightcar named Desire" is no family show.

Viral Video

2007-03-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

I am often asked how one creates a successful viral video. The simple answer is, create true content of interest that resonates with a certain demographic and let that user set determine its value. Of course, companies rarely want to accept this kind of risk and look for ways to ensure their brand or product is prominently placed, and their consumers are properly fooled with "super cool" marketing techniques.

Viral content does not work that way. Your customers are not idiots. With few exceptions, they will understand your deception and repay your efforts with public humiliation.

This link has some fun examples of advertising / marketing being "super hip and clever." Underestimate your customers at your own risk.

Something for everyone online...

2007-03-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Enter scene:

Angry arabic mob yelling, burning, chanting

A young man runs in with a shabbily made effigy screaming, “down with George Bush!”

The crowd suddenly silences and stares at the man. “Are you kidding? That looks nothing like him. I mean, it’s like a spider monkey with a bucket on it’s head.”

In the back of the crowd a man yells “what the hell? I not burning that!”

The man takes his well intentioned doll back home in shame.

Then, whilst surfing the web he finds effigyforme.net. An ecommerce catalog filled to the brim with accurate and flammable replicas of all kinds of American figure heads.

The young man grins with pride as he makes his order

“One Cheney doll with suit, action briefcase and lifelike stiffness.”

They shall laugh at me no longer...

Notable commercial

2007-03-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Snickers brand team is trying to make the connection between eating their product and staying out all night and parting. Though I think this position in general is overly hopeful and ultimately ill fated, their commercial is still quite good.

Extraordinary ordinary objects

2007-02-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Even the most ordinary objects can be immensely beautiful.

For example, a lamp...

Restoring Antique Games

2007-02-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

In a small antique store in southern Missouri, I ran across some old "entertainment devices" under a tarp in their barn.

The store owner practically gave them to me (since all of them have heavy damage and significant wear).

Ive tried to research the games to find a maker, but the only marks on machines is the name "ModernMarvels." This hasnt yet let me to a manufacturer (or even a date of creation - I have no idea how old these really are).

As time allows, Ill try and restore these back to a usable form as best I can.

After 2 months, I have restored one of the Plinko style machines (finding old parts that are "similar" is time consuming and not inexpensive).

Hopefully I will have time to restore one of the larger games soon.

Killer Robot SciFi Soapbox

2007-01-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so there have been plenty of movies and books that play off the notion of machines becoming sentient and humans struggling to survive the mechanized onslaught. But let’s be realistic - so far our power as a race has been to invent powerful contraptions. If these contraptions turn against us, we are completely boned my friends.

However, if mankind had a way to be more powerful than their sharp and nasty inventions that was a strictly human advantage (something the machines could not duplicate), then I could see the result as some kind of "struggle for survival."

Example: lets say mankind masters the mind and through it, powerful telekinetics. If this power could decimate a robot, the race may have a chance. Robots have speed, no need for sleep, and vast numbers. We could never destroy them all - but we may be able to push them to a safe enough distance to allow for normal life.

Oh, wouldn’t that be a storyline to struggle for...

TV Ad creators give up

2007-01-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

I saw a commercial the other day for a cough medication, where a guy is uncomfortable and coughing uncontrollably in an elevator. The four men and one attractive woman standing next to him reacts with sympathy and a degree of understandable repulsion.

Then, the man with the cough starts talking to his right hand (complete with painted eyes, lipstick lips, nose) about how his cough is bothering everyone and he should take this brand of medication.

Though that was weird, it gets worse. The next scene shows him in the elevator all better - the woman walks out of the elevator in a flirty manner and the guy watches her intently as she slowly walks by. He then rests his "talking face hand" on the elevator door who responds to her reaction with "THANK YOU *name of medicine*."

So, why is his talking right hand thanking the obviously foxy woman?

Awesome commercial fellas. Top notch.

Technology design makeover

2006-12-21T08:20:00.000-08:00

Soon.... gone will be the days where people want to see the nerdy device they just shelled out big bucks for. With the price of technology dropping, and the marvels of science now become common place in every room of the house - our little nerd boxes are becoming unsightly. Needlessly taking up space in our lives, when it could become absorbed into another object (chair, table, etc).

Though we havent reached the level of technology backlash I would love to see (ie: no more cords or boxes sitting around), we are getting closer.

http://www.suissacomputers.com/

These cats are giving technology a much needed design overhaul with traditional materials.

Sure, you dont mind having a box of cheap plastic sitting in your living room now - but for how long, my friend?

Follow through

2006-11-20T09:35:00.000-08:00

Props to those individuals who have an idea and take the time to finish it.

This week's winners:
- wood projects
- video short concept

Nicely done.

Time to waste

2006-04-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

I know what your thinking. "I have work to do. I have to be productive and useful."

Rubbish.

Enjoy.

Jumping blind

2006-03-27T06:24:00.000-08:00

For days, I have been comtemplating the best approach for completing a rather complex "multiple voltage" art project. Each time I had an answer, it would lead me to the next three. Then it hit me: if I try to preplan all aspects of the project, it would never be realized. Sometimes, knowing the "what" but not the "how" is enough to move forward. The lesson isnt on the paper, but between the start and thefinish.

Odd Amusements

2006-02-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

Detonate hamsters to destroy monsters and play "pinball" with their heads.

Ok. Im game.

Overheard at Maya Cafe

2006-02-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

Waiter to man and woman diner: "would you care for a margarita?"

Woman diner: "no thanks. Im expecting"

Man diner: "Yeah, Im expecting... A MARGARITA"

Intern Abuse

2006-01-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

What happens when you give interns cheap food and ask them to document the experience? Good things. Good things...

Working hard?

2006-01-24T15:18:00.000-08:00

Liar. Play a cheesy game anyway.

The Art of Propoganda

2006-01-13T07:01:00.000-08:00

This site has some AMAZING WW2 era propaganda posters for sale:

Looking through them, it is extremely interesting to dissect the visual mechanisms in which each artist created powerful feelings of patriotism, vulnerability, aggression, hope and (most predominantly) fear.

One of my favorite images shows a stylized German face in the shadows showing only the eyes with the tag "he’s watching you." The sharp edges, dark colors, mechanically "steel" figure and the inability to see a facial expression makes this image quite intimidating.

With few visuals and copy, the artist's intention of dehumanizing / vilifying the enemy and creating a sense of "danger" is well met.

In fact, there are so many excellent propaganda pieces on this site to discuss, a small but opinionated group of people from all over the world could (conceivably) post multiple comments to this Blog with their opinions and thoughts.