Urban Eola

Reggie Bush and David Beckham compare footballs
Saturday, June 30, 2007

This video is awesome. Reggie Bush and David Beckham, whose 250 million-dollar deal with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy begins next week, met in Madrid this week to film an adidas ad campaign called "futbol vs. football". David Beckham sporting football pads (and playing DB) and Reggie Bush taking penalty picks and juggling is priceless.

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:45 PM | No comment |

Interesting quote of the day

All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
-- Sean O'Casey

[via Carol M]

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:37 PM | No comment |

101 things sports fans should do before they die

Great tip from loyal reader RW:

"Hey - I heard ESPN just came out with their list of 101 things sports fans have to do before they die. Ironically enough, the Super Bowl is not one of them."

I've actually been lucky enough to experience 3 out of the top 4 on the list.
ESPN's 101 things sports fans should do before they die

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:54 PM | 6 comments |

Michael Moore's Sicko

I know a lot of people don't like documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, but you've got to admit that his films raise serious, valid issues with the way the U.S. does things. Plus, he does it a funny way. And in American cinema where everything has a "Hollywood ending", it's good to be exposed to the other side. I'll be honest, I truly enjoy watching his movies. How often do you get to see a good documentary in the mainstream movie theaters?

Go see Sicko and let's talk
My request to all Urban Eola readers is to go see his latest movie Sicko on the pitfalls of the American health care system at a theater near you and leave some of your thoughts in the comments section here. I'll tell you this, it makes me want to have a baby (1 year maternity leave) and spend my working career (5 weeks vacation + additional days) in France. I'm interested in hearing what you think.

Sicko trailer

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:02 PM | 3 comments |

People's online mag
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

I'll be honest I read People magazine and check People.com. It is pretty much my way of keeping fresh on pop culture. Now People just recently came out with a new digital magazine, which has the look and feel of a traditional paper magazine but with all the benefits of computer graphics, audio and visual. Check it out, it's pretty neat.

A whole new magazine experience
I could actually see myself reading a magazine in this format. It has the potential to be a very enjoyable experience. Ads can be more interactive and stories can include videos and sound clips. And the cool part is that the pages actually flip like regular magazines with the click of a button.

Death to the old magazines
It's a really cool concept that I haven't seen online yet. But what's really cool about it is that traditionally launching magazines can be a costly proposition. Digital mags allow you and I to enter the game and compete. It'll be interesting to see how they fare.

Labels: , , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:39 PM | No comment |

Life's too short for the wrong job!

This is one of the most creative advertising campaigns I've ever seen promoting the German job search website jobsintown.de. Of course it's a European idea. They seem to always be on the cutting edge. Click on each picture to see the creative and intricate details.

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 7:05 PM | 1 comment |

JibJab's Star Bangled Banner

JibJab, the website that brought you the famous "This Land" parity of the 2004 election and George W. Bush in 2-0-5 also has a little patriotic July 4th diddy sung by the presidents. They can't sing worth a lick, but they sure can bust a move - Star Bangled Banner.

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:46 PM | No comment |

Leon Bud commercials
Monday, June 25, 2007

The Bud "Leon" commercials from a couple years back are hilarious. The funny part of the whole thing is that the actor who plays "Leon" is actually an amateur baseball player named Nigel Thatch who, on May 1, 2006, was traded from Schaumburg (Ill.) of the Northern League to Fullerton (Ca.) of the Golden Baseball League in exchange for 60 cases of Budwesier beer. There are a whole series of the "Leon" commercials on YouTube, but below are my favorite three.
"Leon can't do everything"


Leon & Joe Buck on his good side


Leon interested in becoming a broadcaster


[via RW]

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:19 AM | 1 comment |

Viva Las....
Thursday, June 21, 2007

I'm heading west to Vegas for the first time ever and instead of coming up with something witty and cliche-filled at 2:20 AM with my flight only 7 hours away, I'll leave it to ESPN Page 2 columnist Bill Simmons, who writes in his entertaining article We'll Always Have Vegas:


In many ways, Vegas has become the ultimate cliche, a swollen self-parody of itself, as exemplified by the "Whatever happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" campaign and all the overcrowded weekends. But it's still a Hall of Fame male bonding place. That's why we'll go next year, and the year after that, and the year after that ... and maybe we'll be sitting at the Saturday dinner in a few years talking about colonoscopies, mortgages and braces, but at least we'll be laughing and busting each other's chops like always.

Vegas, baby.

Vegas.


Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:18 AM | No comment |

The story of online entertainment and internet shows
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The idea of a former Disney CEO
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has started a company called Vuguru, an internet video production company. It's first project is Prom Queen, a web series of 90-second shorts in 80 episodes that are distributed solely online (read the Washington Post story). The full season show length is just two hours long and the show "airs" seven days a week, since on the internet there are no programming schedules.

As for commercials...let's just say the characters drink a lot of prominently placed POM Wonderful (pomegranate juice) and Fiji Water for a reason.

Anyone can compete
This is a brilliant concept and one that allows any player (no matter how small) to compete for those elusive eyeballs. Check out the latest episode of Prom Queen. The content might not be your style, but you'll appreciate the production quality and style of watching shorts (90-seconds) on your computer.

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:00 PM | No comment |

AIG commercial - "can't sleep"
Tuesday, June 19, 2007

There is no doubt that the Nintendo 64 kids BMW commercial from the 2006 holiday season (Remember when wishes came true - 11.30.06) is one of the funniest I have posted on Urban Eola. Now loyal reader JB924, and one of the biggest supporters of that video, has this to say:

AIG "Can't Sleep" commercial
T -- There is no doubt that the BMW Christmas video commercial that you blogged
about is insanely funny.....however this AIG "Can't Sleep" commercial might
have edged it by a nose...what do you think?

N64 kids BMW commercial

Labels: , , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:05 PM | No comment |

Will the iPhone bust?
Sunday, June 17, 2007

Apple's iPhone has been discussed and debated plenty on Urban Eola. As always, the commercials are great (see the creative iPhone ads here). And there's no doubt that the iPhone looks amazingly stylish. Apple's always cutting edge in terms of look.

But I, like many others, don't like the fact that you can only use the iPhone (launching June 29th) with the new AT&T cellular network. Will it duplicate the iPod's success? Here's a solid chart comparing it with the other smart phones and an article from the New York Times (The iPhone has a kewyboard, but it's not mechanical).

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:42 PM | No comment |

The business of domain names
Saturday, June 16, 2007

If you're stuck in another generation and don't think domain names are big business, then you've got to read these two articles. Domain name purchases are the gold rush and real estate grab of the 21st century. I've been saying it for years and no one understands.

The Domains Of The Day (Business Week)
How two Boston entrepreneurs are making millions from names as simple as chocolate.com
UE Note: About six months ago, I actually purchased chalklit.com. If they're making millions from chocolate.com, what is chalklit.com worth?

The man who owns the Internet (Business 2.0)
Kevin Ham is the most powerful dotcom mogul you've never heard of, reports Business 2.0 Magazine. Here's how the master of Web domains built a $300 million empire.

And for the shameless plug: chalklit.com, theyup.com (young urban professional), do26.com, oneatl.com, urbanatl.com, tensten.com, 5jive.com and thoinkbig.com are for sale. Contact me if you're interested.

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:50 AM | No comment |

Dirty humor
Friday, June 15, 2007

My buddy JR sends out about 5-6 "dirty email forwards" a week. I don't know where he gets them from. He says he's just passing on what gets sent to him, but I'm starting to think he's doing some downloading himself.

I'm not complaining - more so just laughing. Here's one of his cleaner ones (most involve some type of video attachment).

A train hits a bus filled with Catholic school girls and they all perish. They are in heaven trying to enter the pearly gates when St. Peter asks the first girl, "Tiffany, have you ever had any contact with a male organ?" She giggles and shyly replies, "Well, I once touched the head of one with the tip of my finger." St. Peter says,"Okay, dip the tip of your finger in the Holy Water and pass through the gate."

St. Peter asks the next girl the same question,"Jennifer, have you ever had any contact with a male organ?" The girl is a little reluctant but replies, "Well, once I fondled and stroked one."
St. Peter says, "Okay, dip your whole hand in the Holy Water and pass through the gate."

All of a sudden, there is a lot of commotion in the line of girls. One girl is pushing her way to the front of the line. When she reaches the front, St. Peter says, "Lisa! What seems to be the rush?"

The girl replies, "If I'm going to have to gargle that Holy Water, I want to do it before Jessica sticks her ass in it."

And for the first time ever, today he sent me two "dirty forward text messages". Do people send text message forwards?

1- Snow White was fired from Disney today. She got caught sitting on Pinnochio's face screaming "Lie Big Boy, Lie"

2- A penis says to his balls, "get ready we're going to a party!" His balls say "you damn liar, you always go inside and leave us outside knocking!"

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 1:11 AM | 1 comment |

Just Do It, Lance
Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Even though Lance Armstrong is two years removed from his professional cycling career, he still remains one of my top four professional athletes of all time (along with Charles Barkley, Andre Agassi and Kirby Puckett).

This 2001 Nike commercial is one of the best I've seen. It plays on the fact that during his Tour de France dominance, he was the most tested athlete in the world. The last line is legendary Nike advertising.

What am I on? I'm on my bike...6 hours a day...busting my ass.


Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:19 PM | 2 comments |

It's just like a mini mall

Following are the words to the best flea market commercial I've ever seen. In fact, it might just be the only flea market commercial I've ever watched for longer than 4 seconds.

Flea market..Montgomery...it's just like...it's just like...a mini mall. Break it down.

Repeat that about 37 times and add a scary flea market salesman and catchy beat and you get a YouTube phenomenon. [via long lost contributing writer MK]


Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:59 PM | 1 comment |

Live blogger kicked out of NCAA tourney game
Tuesday, June 12, 2007

The medium of blogging/blogs is so wide open that the precedent for what's legal and illegal has yet to be set. You gotta love when something is so new that standards/tendencies aren't set. It leaves tons of room for potential and creativity. That makes our type happy.

The most recent example of bloggers involved with the law came this past weekend when a reporter was tossed for blogging during a NCAA tourney baseball game.

"It's a real question that we're being deprived of our right to report within the First Amendment from a public facility," Fleischaker said. "Once a player hits a home run, that's a fact. It's on TV. Everybody sees it. [The NCAA] can't copyright that fact."

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 9:53 PM | No comment |

The $3,000 chocolate milk
Monday, June 11, 2007

This is awesome.

In 10th grade, Justin Verlander didn’t have 50 cents for a chocolate milk. So he told his friend, Daniel Hicks, that if Hicks gave him 50 cents, Verlander would give him .1 percent of his signing bonus.

"I wanted a chocolate milk that cost 50 cents, and I didn't have the money," Verlander, 24, told Sports Illustrated. "So I said, 'How about I give you 0.1 percent of my pro signing bonus if you give me 50 cents now?' He found a napkin, wrote it up, and I signed it.

Verlander was drafted in 2004 by the Detroit Tigers out of Old Dominion and received a $3 million signing bonus. Hicks tracked down Verlander and whipped out the napkin and claimed his $3,000 for the glass of chocolate milk. [via Sports Biz with Darren Rovell and Mike & Mike]

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:22 PM | No comment |

Knocked Up gets two thumbs up
Saturday, June 09, 2007

Good movies are hard to come by. Good comedies are even harder to come by.

With that said, Knocked Up is probably the funniest movie I've seen since summer of 2005's Wedding Crashers. I was laughing pretty much for 2 hours straight. And if you have any type of personality, you will too.

- Official site
- movie trailer

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:26 PM | No comment |

Dear Abby
Friday, June 08, 2007

Dear Abby,

I've never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me. The usual signs......... phone rings but if I answer, the caller hangs up.

My wife has been going out with the girls a lot recently although when I ask their names she always says, "Just some friends from work, you don't know them."

I always try to stay awake to look out for her coming home, but I usually fall asleep. Anyway, I have never approached the subject with my wife. I think deep down I just didn't want to know the truth, but last night she went out again and I decided to really check on her.

Around midnight, I decided to hide in the garage behind my golf clubs so I could get a good view of the whole street when she arrived home from a night out with "the girls".

It was at that moment, crouching behind my clubs, that I noticed that the graphite shaft on my driver appeared to have a hairline crack right by the club head.

Is this something I can fix myself or should I take it back to the pro shop where I bought it?

Stan L.

Cleveland, OH

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:36 PM | 2 comments |

Lines o' the day

What makes men chase women they have no intention of marrying?
The same urge that makes dogs chase cars they have no intention of driving.

Who is the most popular guy at the nudist colony?
The guy who can carry a cup of coffee in each hand and a dozen donuts.

Who is the most popular girl at the nudist colony?
The one who can eat that last donut. [via JR]

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 5:45 PM | No comment |

Kick his ass, C-bass
Thursday, June 07, 2007

Funny!

[via MR]

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:39 PM | No comment |

Man vs. Wild
Wednesday, June 06, 2007

When it comes to loyal reader JRandallB's taste in women, clothing and sports, I have very little faith in him. However, I listen when he speaks this highly of a TV show. Here are his thoughts:

have u ever watched man vs wild on the discovery channel? i just started watching it and it legitimately might be the coolest show on tv...u have to check it out

Check it out
Fridays at 9 PM on the Discovery Channel (starting in June)

About Man vs. Wild
In each episode of Man vs. Wild Bear strands himself in popular wilderness destinations where tourists often find themselves lost or in danger. As he finds his way back to civilization, he demonstrates local survival techniques, including escaping quicksand in the Moab Desert, navigating dangerous jungle rivers in Costa Rica, crossing ravines in the Alps and surviving sharks off Hawaii.

> Man vs. Wild (YouTube clip)
> Man vs. Wild (Wikipedia)
> The 'Man' - Bear Grylls (Wikipedia), personal website

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:49 PM | 3 comments |

How would you like an extra $8K a month?

Interesting story from loyal reader TC:

You'd be surprised how much money you can make by creating a flash game and giving it away for free on the internet. The Tower Defense game mode is a business opportunity for an enterprising programmer. According to a recent interview, Paul Preese, the author of Desktop Tower Defense, is making around $8,000 per month.

So minus the time he spent programming, and his nominal hosting fees, Paul Preese is clearing almost $100,000 "salary" per year with Desktop Tower Defense. And he did it all on his own: he wrote the game, placed it on a public web server, hooked up AdSense, and then submitted it to a few social bookmark sites. No selling his soul to a publisher, no middlemen, just pure income, controlled directly by him.

Ah, the power of the internet.

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:38 PM | No comment |

It's all about the bottles with Voss Water
Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Nowadays, water is more expensive than gasoline and for some reason, eh-hem creative marketing campaigns, bottled water has taken off in popular culture.

It has gotten to the point where it is actually fashionable to carry around certain brands of bottled water (Fuji water, Vitaminwater, etc). However, no bottled water company is more trendy and popular than Norwegian Voss Water (Wikipedia entry).

7 bucks a pop
Have you seen the Voss bottles? They're simple, modern and made of solid, see-through glass. There's really nothing to the bottles except for the fact that they look totally bad ass. Like some type of fine vodka. This past weekend just about everyone at Sutra Lounge in Atlanta was buying them for $7 a pop. And this is lounge that serves alcohol.

Lesson in branding
It really is a great lesson in branding and makes you realize that the actual product (water in this case) could suck, but if the style and popularity of the brand are strong, then the brand has a chance at being successful. I'm not saying Voss Water sucks (I've actually never had it; something about $7 a bottle), but I'll say the guy who came up with the bottles deserves a raise, not the owner of the Voss water well. Not one person in that lounge could tell the difference between pure artesian Norwegian water (Voss) and Fulton County tap water. But they sure know them bottles.

Labels:


posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:55 PM | 1 comment |

Join the mile high club
Sunday, June 03, 2007

This is one of the most creative ideas I've ever seen.

Five years ago, corporate pilot Bob Smith pimped out his small plane with a mattress and a curtain and started Mile High Atlanta. You can assume the rest. His company charges randy couples $299 for the opportunity to join the mile-high club with an hour of in-flight lovin'. Smith says the flights are not against FAA regulations because "it qualifies as a sightseeing trip." Also included is a bottle of champagne and you get to keep your sheets as a souvenir of this special event.

From their website:
Our pilot is very discreet and all flights are handled with the utmost confidentiality.

Brilliant idea!

Labels: ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 9:11 PM | No comment |

Google street view
Saturday, June 02, 2007

This is pretty awesome. Google's street view "allows you to quickly and easily view and navigate high-resolution, 360 degree street level images of various cities in the US." Very cool. [via RW]

Labels: , ,


posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:30 AM | 1 comment |



<< view more posts

Sponsored by:


Urban Eola is:

Archives

Headquarters

Get Firefox