Urban Eola

Urban threads

Check out three sites in line with Urban Eola's fresh urban fashion theme.

1) Lifted Research Group - Roots People (LRG) no doubt has some of the nicest clothes on the market now. UE is definietly looking into picking up some LRG fashion soon. UE has admired their simple, yet retro logo for a while now. Check out some of their stuff - LRG Roots

2) Dr. Jays has all the hottest urban threads for men, women, and tikes in all different brands. Give it a look - Dr. Jays

3) Urb1 spits out the latest urban fashion news, rumors, interviews, galleries, and the flat-out lowdown on good-looking gear. Visit Urb1


posted by Michael Tavani @ 3:52 PM | |

"...it looks good on you, though"

For all those diehard Caddyshack fans (UE is at the top of the list), here is a site for you. CarlSpackler.com has all the photos, video clips, sound clips, quotes, merchandise, etc. from probably one of the funniest movies of all time. RIP Rodney. Check it out - CarlSpeckler.com


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:52 PM | |

Artistic desktop backgrounds

Check out these pretty awesome and artistic desktop backgrounds by Pixelgirl Presents.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:00 PM | |

100!

Thanks for the support through 100 posts. Many more to come. Visitors from 34 states and 13 countries.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:43 AM | |

Check out this stuff

Fred Flare has some pretty quirky and funny clothes, accessories, and stuff for guys and chicks. I love the cell phone receiver. So old school. It'd be hysterical walking around town with the receiver connected to your celly.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:47 AM | |

Apple celebrates the big 3-0

From Mike Hoffman's Inc.com weblog:

This Associated Press article (Apple Computer set to Mark 30th Birthday) takes a nice look at where Apple is going, and where it's been.

Reporter May Wong writes: "Apple's journey began in 1976 when two college dropouts — [Steve] Jobs, a marketing whiz, and his friend Steve Wozniak, an engineering genius — filed partnership papers on April Fools' Day, their eyes set on building and selling personal computers. Another friend, Ron Wayne, opted out of the risky venture within two weeks.

"Their first product was a build-it-yourself computer kit. A year later, in 1977, the Apple II microcomputer was born. It was not the first personal computer but it was the most successful — a hit not just among engineers, but home users, too. Many credit the Apple II as the genesis of the personal computer revolution."


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:18 PM | |

You still drinking soda?

Sales of carbonated beverages fell in 2005 for the first time in two decades. According to the industry trade publication, Beverage Digest, 10.2 billion cases of soda were sold last year, down almost 1% compared with sales in 2004. The big soda companies have been fighting the slowdown for several years, hoping to revive interest in pop by adding colors and flavors. Remember blue colas? We also were treated to colas with vanilla, lemon, lime, berry, cherry, and, of course, extra caffeine.

But nothing has turned the ebbing tide yet, so what will they try next? Here’s an idea: A firm called Ipifini has created a “programmable” beverage container, which is basically a plastic soda bottle with six little plastic bubble-like structures protruding from the top. Each bubble (or “button” as the company calls them) would contain a separate flavoring that could be injected into the beverage by squeezing the bubble. With these containers, consumers won’t have to make the tough decisions (cherry-or-vanilla-cola?) while they are in the stores. Instead, they can take six-packs home and decide the flavoring when they’re ready to pour.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:18 PM | |

George freakin' Mason

UE take :: Unbelievable win over UConn. One of the top 3 upsets in NCAA tourney hostory. Support the Patriots on April Fools Day against the Florida Gators. Where do you rank Mason's historic run compared to ESPN Page 2's Top 10 upsets in sports history?

Interesting fact: George Mason University is located in Fairfax, VA and is named after one of the framers of the U.S. Constitution, an idealist who refused to sign the document because he wanted the abolishment of slavery included.

+ Some highlights by ESPN - The Daily Quickie:

GMU is the biggest Cinderella to reach the Final Four in NCAA Tournament history.

Let's lay out the argument:

(1) Seed: They become the worst-seeded team (11) to ever reach the Final Four, matching only 11-seed LSU in '86. But here's a caveat...

(2) Conference: While LSU came from a power conference, GMU comes from the mocked mid-major Colonial Athletic Association, barely the 10th-ranked conference by RPI in the country.

(3) Path: First, GMU beat Michigan State, a 2005 Final Four team widely considered to be one of the toughest 6-seeds ever in the NCAA Tournament.

Then the Patriots beat the defending national champs, UNC, the region's 3-seed...

Then they beat Wichita St., the top-seeded mid-major at No. 7 (and it wasn't even a shocker; GMU beat 'em handily).

And, finally, they beat UConn, the team more people picked than any other to win the title -- and arguably the field's deepest and most talented team.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:52 PM | |

ATL

Check out 'ATL', which tells the story of four teens coming of age in a working class Atlanta neighborhood where hip-hop music and roller skating rule. As the group prepares for life after high school, challenges on and off the rink bring about turning points in each of their lives. The film is loosely based on hip hop producer Dallas Austin and Tionne Watkins' (T-Boz from TLC) experiences growing up in Atlanta and hanging out at a local skating rink called Jellybeans.

UE take :: We've got special interest in this movie because it was filmed in UE's hometown of Atlanta. Check it out when it hits theatres March 31. It probably won't get much mainstream play, but it should be interesting because it features some big names in hip hop (Big Boi, Bone Crusher, Keith David, TI, and Mykelti Williamson - Bubba in Forrest Gump). Watch the trailer of ATL.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 3:56 PM | |

Work ethic epitomized

Arthur Winston, a service attendant for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, retired last week, the eve of his 100th birthday after 76 years with the transit agency.

In 1924, Winston joined the transit agency. In the last 72 years, Winston has missed only one day of work. That was in 1988, when his wife died. At age 99, he was responsible for a crew of 11 employees who clean, maintain and refuel Metro buses. In 1996, Winston received a congressional citation as "Employee of the Century" from President Bill Clinton.

Winston, who was born in Oklahoma before it was a state, plans to spend his retirement tending to his flower garden and visiting family in Los Angeles and Oklahoma."I haven't planned too much yet, but I want to keep busy, keep active," Winston said. "I don't want to go home and sit down."

UE take :: That's uncomprehendable. Much respect to AW.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:51 PM | |

UE laughs


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:27 AM | |

Bombay TV - make your own comedy

If you want to laugh very hard or make someone else laugh, click the link to make a short movie with your own customized subtitles at Bombay TV. You first select a Bollywood film clip and add your own subtitles. This could get hilarious. Bombay TV - make your own subtitles


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:27 PM | |

Creativity in photographs

I stumbled upon this pretty creative idea. In Arrows of Time, Diego Goldberg captures portraits of his family on the same day, every year, for 25 years.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 3:13 AM | |

Got some extra cash?

Uncrate is a cool site for people that like stuff, including fresh gadgets and gear. They claim to find "the best gadgets, clothes, cars and more so you can blow your rent money easier." Visit their site - Uncrate.

Some of the best looks from Uncrate: the bubble chair, Johnny the diver plunger, the push pin lamp and UE's personal favorite, the Mr. T in your pocket, with hysterical quotes like "Don't Gimme No Back Talk, Sucka" and "Quit Your Jibba Jabba!"


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:56 AM | |

20 best urban running trails

Runners World has a great list of the 20 best urban running trails in the US for when the treadmill and sidewalk aren't cutting it.

Cities mentioned are: Honolulu, Portland, Albuquerque, Chattanooga, DC, Austin, Salt Lake City, Marin County-CA, Vancouver, LA, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, Boulder, Baltimore, San Diego, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Philly, and Cincy.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:22 PM | |

The next Matisyahu

Y-Love (Yitz Jordan) is an MC unlike any other. He is a black convert into the Bostener sect of chassidus (the mystical branch of Orthodox Judaism). He is among the most innovative freestylers on the scene, weaving seamless polyglot rhymes in English, Arabic, Yiddish, and Hebrew. Most unique is Y-Love's revival of Aramaic, the ancient language used to discuss Jewish Law. With each word he spits in the tongue of the Talmud, Y-Love breathes new life into Hasidism, and hip-hop, one beat at a time. Check out Y-Loves' promo video.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:10 PM | |

Trump's kid-o

In honor of the Donald having a boy with beautiful Melania, watch this hilarious baby toupee video (original credit goes to SNL).


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:36 PM | |

Calif. city bans smoking

One of the strictest tobacco bans in the nation went into effect in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas last week, making smoking off limits in public places where someone else might be exposed to secondhand smoke: indoor businesses, outdoor businesses, parks, outdoor cafes, even apartment building common areas.

Read the article. Calif. City Bans Smoking in Public Places

UE's take :: Why is California so much further along on smoking than other parts of the country? This needs to be implemented everywhere. It benefits everyone.

UE double take :: Calabasas was also the beautiful home to Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 4:32 PM | |

Brad beats Pitt

Someone at CBS has a pretty decent sense of humor.

Can UE readers come up with other "celebrity" NCAA tourney matchups?


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:35 PM | |

36 Hours in Lower Manhattan

Check out 36 Hours in Lower Manhattan, an article and video by the New York Times.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:30 PM | |

SXSW 2006

South by Southwest (SXSW) is an interactive, film and music festival and conference that has taken place every spring in Austin, Texas since 1987. The music festival is one of the biggest in the United States, with performers playing in dozens of venues around downtown Austin for a week in March.

SXSW Film has become one of the world's premiere film festivals, focusing on new directing talent. Check out their pretty solid film trailers. 2006 SXSW Film Festival Trailers.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:08 AM | |

Invest here

Check out the forecast of the changing real estate market in the U.S. over the next few years -- 10 markets where housing prices and values will continue to remain strong, 10 markets where appreciation will pretty much top out and the 10 markets that are most likely to experience a decline.

Here's a sampling:
Hot: Seattle, Atlanta, Portland
Mild: DC, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Honolulu, Detroit
Cold: Las Vegas, Phoneix, LA, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Boston

Read the list. Going up, down and sideways: Top 30 cities to watch - Yahoo Finance


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:07 AM | |

UE laughs

"I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty." George Burns


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:32 PM | |

50 changing the future

Very interesting list, the Fast 50, with portraits from the future: people in business, technology, government, the arts, and beyond who are writing the history of the next 10 years. The 5th Annual Fast 50 - Fast Company Magazine


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:15 AM | |

iPod TV

CBS Sports and Apple today announced they will bring the 2006 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship distributed by CBS Corporation's College Sports TV (CSTV) to the iTunes Music Store.

For the first time ever, college basketball fans can pay $1.99 per game for condensed versions of all the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball championship games. Customers can also choose the new "Season Pass" feature on iTunes for $19.99, and receive condensed versions of all 63 games the day after they are played for viewing on a computer or iPod.

Full-length versions of this year's semifinals and championship game, as well as compilations of buzzer beaters, upsets and memorable championship games from past NCAA Tournaments will also be available on iTunes.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:16 AM | |

Gentrification in an urban core

Interesting article on the gentrification of a major urban city. It changes the layout of a city in so many ways (politics, diversity, income, culture, etc). Gentrification Changing Face of New Atlanta - New York Times.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:13 AM | |

Hammer time

MC Hammer's blogging from his Sidekick. You'll read quotes like this from his blog: "I like my muscles hard because it helps me execute my moves with more power." Check out Hammer's blog for a good laugh.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 3:34 PM | |

I'm fired, huh?

Ex-Apprentice announces run for Congress.

UE's take :: The Apprentice people obviously have type-A personalities. But sometimes their drive to be successful is a detriment. It'll be interesting to see how he does.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 9:01 AM | |

Golfin' with the Bachelor

Loyal UE readers JB and PH deserve their own post and what better to blog about than their two favorite pastimes, golf and The Bachelor.

Golf: Natalie Gulbis (below) is the best-looking golfer in the world. Check out her site.

The Bachelor: Dr. Travis Stork, a 33-year-old emergency medicine resident from Nashville, Tennessee and a graduate of Duke University and University of Virginia gave the final rose to fellow Nashvillian and kindergarten teacher Sarah Stone, a 26-year-old University of Tennessee alumna. Just more than a week after the airing of the finale, and nearly four months after the eight season wrapped, Stork and Stone announced they were no longer a couple in a joint interview with Nashville's daily newspaper, The Tennessean. Both cited contractual post-production obligations to remain apart as a major reason the relationship failed.

Travis said: "I remember one day Sarah was running down the street, and I walked out my front door on my bike and I instantly saw this person darting across the street, through traffic. I'm like, 'That’s Sarah. Do I look, do I not? What do I do?'" Stork recalled. He ended up riding his bike in the opposite direction. "It's strange to have to live that way."

UE take :: Travis is legitimatelyy the coolest bachelor yet. He seems to be a good guy. These couples never last. It's time for the show to move on. Enough already. Whenever you've done more Bachelor's than Rocky's you know you've done too many. Also, host Chris Harrison is far from a cool guy.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:06 PM | |

Check out the Ultra-Mobile PC

Today Microsoft unveiled their Ultra-Mobile PC, an ultracompact, wireless-enabled PC which is everything a full computer or laptop is, minus the keyboard. Weighing about 2 1/2 pounds, the 1-inch thick device sports a 7-inch touch-sensitive screen that responds to a stylus or the tap of a finger.

It is expected to retail for between $600 - $1,000. The battery power averages about 2.5 to three hours, and it will have up to a 60-gigabyte hard drive. The device is aimed at consumers who want to have the full power of a PC while on the go but don't want to lug around a heavy laptop or desktop PC.

Microsoft Unveils Project Origami - Yahoo News


posted by Michael Tavani @ 4:42 PM | |

New York Red Bulls

Interesting to see Red Bull break into American sports. This is a merger of sports, marketing, pop culture and trendy brands.

Red Bull purchases MetroStars, invests in soccer-specific stadium


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:40 PM | |

Getting your bag in the door

Good article on the risky business of getting Hollywood celebs to sport your products at the Oscars. How a Small Designer Reached for the Stars - Wall Street Journal.

Also, for the all the UE ladies, check out the nice bags mentioned in the article by Lauren Merkin.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:06 PM | |

"Just trying to matter"

Some deeper takes by UE:

-
Reese Witherspoon had a great line in her Oscar acceptance speech: "People used to ask June [Carter Cash] how she was doing, and she used to say -- 'I'm just trying to matter.' And I know what she means. You know, I'm just trying to matter, and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody."

- Dana Reeve and Kirby Puckett were taken too quickly from this world today. These two "mattered".

Dana spent 9 years of her life caring for someone else (her husband) and has helped raise $55 million for paralysis. Kirby grew up in a Chicago housing project and overcame his 5'9", chubby frame to become a baseball hall of famer. Great quote from Kirby: "I was told I would never make it because I'm too short. Well, I'm still too short, but I've got 10 All-Star games, two World Series championships, and I'm a very happy and contented guy. It doesn't matter what your height is, it's what's in your heart."

Here's to living a good life and mattering something to somebody.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:26 PM | |

Write that book

A company called Blurb provides the opportunity for anyone to become the next NY Times Bestseller or Oprah Book Club author. Blurb offers the public the opportunity to quickly and affordably create, publish, share and ultimately market professional quality books. You can print one copy or thousands and they provide software to make the whole process easy. Printing one copy can cost as little as $29.99 with full color and in hard back format.

From the Blurb site: "Holding a professionally-printed book with your name on the cover is a truly amazing feeling – it's one of those experiences everyone should have," said Blurb CEO and founder Eileen Gittins. "Already we can create our own iMovies, blogs, Podcasts, and playlists in no time. Why not books? At Blurb, we're bringing publishing in line with those dreams and expectations."


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:06 PM | |

Drive like a grandma

A bunch of Atlanta college students filmed a video in which they all drove 55 mph (the legal speed limit) in unison in all four lanes on the major perimeter highway during rush hour, holding up traffic for the whole city. Entertaining.

Article - Drive 55, to stay alive - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Video - Meditation on the Speed Limit


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:55 AM | |

Impossible is nothing

Great story of courage and the power of a positive attitude. You have to read the article and watch the video (they make you sit through a commercial first but it's worth it).

Autistic Teen's Hoop Dreams Come True - CBS News


posted by Michael Tavani @ 7:42 PM | |

Through the Fire (revisited again)

UE is not lacking for content. That's why when UE writes 3 posts on one movie, it must be the truth. I just watched Through the Fire at the Downtown Media Arts Center film house. I was the only fool in the theatre, catching the Sunday matinee. But, I'd see it again tomorrow. If you like pure, behind-the-scenes documentaries mixing the intersection of sports and life (similar to that of Hoop Dreams and The Season on ESPN) then this movie is your thing.

For those of you who are too lazy to get to a film house to see it, check it on ESPN, March 12 at 8 pm. Just like us, you'll be a huge "Bassy" fan after you see it. He's a star. Great kid. Great smile. Great personality.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:41 PM | |

25 hot startups

"A new Web revolution is picking up steam, and the next Google or Microsoft could emerge from the companies that are in the vanguard."

- Read the article - The Next Net 25 - CNNMoney.com
- See the list - Browse the list and gallery: The Next Net 25


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:01 PM | |

Slapping on a coat of silence

In Japan, they already use cellphone blocking technology to stop your from chatting in movie theaters and restaurants. Now, a company called NaturalNano has come up with a new cellphone blocking technology - paint. Playing to the backlash against ubiquitous communication, Natural Nano is developing a special high-tech paint that locks out unwanted cell phone signals on demand. Read Newsday - Slapping on a coat of silence.

NaturalNano has used nanotechnology to develop a type of paint that stops cellphone signals. It’s done by blending particles of copper that are inserted into nanotubes, and then mixing and suspending these tiny particles into a can of paint.

This stuff can't come out fast enough.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:05 PM | |

From Russia with love

NBA stud and Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko has been granted one get-out-of-jail-free pass per year by his wife, former Russian pop star Masha Lopatova. In an interview with ESPN Magazine, Kirilenko’s wife says that she allots her husband one free groupie a year.

Check out her quotes: "What’s forbidden is always desirable. And athletes, particularly men, are susceptible to all the things they are offered,” Lopatova said. “It’s the same way raising children - If I tell my child, ‘No pizza, no pizza, no pizza,’ what does he want more than anything? Pizza.”

Read the Salt Lake Tribune article - Wife gives Kirilenko woman 'allowance'

UE take :: ...and I love pizza. If this catches on, it'll solve the 50% divorce rate in the U.S. Also, Kirilenko has one of the best nicknames in sports. He wears uniform #47 and is thus nicknamed AK-47 after the Russian machine gun.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:52 AM | |

Let your game speak (revisited)

Great article by ESPN business writer, Darren Rovell on the story behind the Jordan XXI commercial. ESPN Page 2 - The Jumpman in us all. Read UE's original post - Let your game speak.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:08 PM | |

Tootin' our own horn

Two pretty cool "feathers in UE's cap":
  1. UrbanEola.com is listed 14th on the Top 100 most valuable incoming links sites on the Fantasy Blog Stock Market list. UE's fantasy value is $1100.
  2. In a Google search for the Brand Jordan Jumpman video, UE is listed #1 ahead of the official Nike Jordan site. Not often is someone ahead of Nike in anything.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:23 AM | |

Your fries give me gas

A company called Bio-Beetle opened yesterday near the Los Angeles Airport renting out cars that run only on "bio-diesel" fuel made from vegetable oil. The only filling station for these cars is at the rental office, but if the cars prove popular, that could change. The fuel costs $3.45 a gallon and smells like popcorn.

Biodiesel refers to any diesel-equivalent biofuel usually made of vegetable oils or animal fats.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:02 PM | |

Let's get Kinky

If you haven't heard of Kinky Friedman, he's a an American singer, songwriter, novelist and, currently, an independent candidate for the office of Governor of the State of Texas. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of other entertainers turned governors, including Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Ronald Reagan.

I saw him on The Tonight Show a while back and his one-liners on politics and life are hysterical. Here's a sampling from his Wikipedia bio:

Friedman began a serious, though colorful, campaign to become the Governor of Texas in 2006. One of his stated goals is the "dewussification" of Texas. Among his campaign slogans are "How Hard Could It Be?" and "Why The Hell Not?" Other bumper stickers concur: "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy", and "He aint Kinky, he's my Governor".

Regarding gay marriage he remarked "I support gay marriage. I believe they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us." On the death penalty, he summed up his position, "I am not anti-death penalty, but I'm damn sure anti-the-wrong-guy-getting-executed."


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:38 AM | |

Happy Fat Tuesday, New Orleans

New Orleans needs it more than ever before. Did you know this about Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday is Mardi Gras, the festival New Orleans, Louisiana, is famous for. "Gras" is French for fat and "Mardi" is French for Tuesday. The annual festivities start on January 6, the Twelfth Night Feast of the Epiphany, when the three kings are supposed to have visited the Christ Child, and build to a climax on Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, which always occurs on the day before Ash Wednesday. The parties and parades will continue until Lent begins at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday.

Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in New Orleans. It is scheduled to occur 46 days before Easter. Since the actual date Easter occurs on changes yearly, Mardi Gras can happen on any Tuesday between February 3 and March 9. For two centuries it has been an annual event in New Orleans, except during the two World Wars.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:25 AM | |

"I think I need some Visine"

Damn, this guy got slugged!


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:19 AM | |

My space, your space, everyone's got space

MySpace is everywhere. Just since yesterday, I've heard mentions of it on Leno, The View, and in Newsweek. Last week, the local coffee house band singer shouted out, "check us out on Myspace." Half of my Commercial Law class are on the site at 9 am on Friday morning. So are 59 million other users. So are Jennifer Annsiton, Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Dane Cook. It is the fifth most visited site on the web. It's creating controversy. Colleges are blocking it in dorms and in computer labs. Criminals are using it to commit crimes. People are hooking up with people they would never normally hook up with. Call it what you want but it's definitely creating some buzz.

UE note :: And as I write this post, Yahoo runs a story of 21-year-old kid who lives with his parents that just signed a development deal with MTV after producing an 11-minute spoof of Myspace which has been viewed 6 million times in the last month. Watch the My space spoof video.


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:54 AM | |

10 most visited sites on the web

Very interesting to see the trends of the ten most popular English language sites on the web.

1- Yahoo
2- Microsoft Network (MSN)
3- Google
4- EBay
5- Myspace
6- Passprt.net
7- Amazon
8- Microsoft Corporation (microsoft.com)
9- Google UK (google.co.uk)
10- Blogger


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:40 AM | |



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