socialADDICT

As most of you know, I’ve been a vegetarian for over 2 years now and not a day goes by that I miss eating animals. So when I saw Jennifer Van Grove post a video on her Jenn Live site - I about DIED when I watched it. I knewww there was a reason I loved being vegetarian. Too bad they’re not playing it during the Superbowl…but you can still enjoy it here.

‘Veggie Love’: PETA’s Banned Super Bowl Ad

Ok people, it’s called SATIRE! There are so many people freaking out about Larry Flynt and Joe Francis’ porn industry bailout request and nobody is reading between the lines - the men are making a point that if EVERYBODY is asking and receiving a freakin’ bailout, why wouldn’t porn (one of the biggest industries in America) ask for one too? They need to put food on their dinner tables too, ya know? Come on!

I would love to get some opinions going on about this story - I think it’s a very interesting time what’s happening in American economics and we’ll all shake our heads decades down the road at how this all snowballed. This story is absolutely hilarious because Larry Flynt is obviously making a point and most people don’t get that. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if every single industry in America asked for a bailout - yes, let’s give the pro sports industry bailout money too! Blah!

The quote below seriously made me laugh…

“It’s time for Congress to rejuvenate the sexual appetite of America. The only way they can do this is by supporting the adult industry and doing it quickly.” Flynt said people were “too depressed to be sexually active”. “This is very unhealthy as a nation. Americans can do without cars and such, but they cannot do without sex.”

Need I say more? Some of the comments on the articles I read about this were ridiculous - “people are starving out there because they can’t put food on their tables”. Well, don’t you think Larry Flynt needs to eat too? My feeling is he’ll always be hungry…

*PHOTO: Telegraph.co.uk

Who is this mysterious Christmas sweater man and where did you get this horrid sweater? This just made my day - but WHO ARE YOU? The Fashion Police should arrest you asap.

So the iPhone 3G came out yesterday - yeah, like you didn’t already know. I, for one am not into the hype. I wouldn’t waste my time (or take off work) waiting in line all day to get one when I can enjoy it a couple weeks later if I decide to splurge. And after all that, most Apple buyers couldn’t download the latest 2.0 firmware because the App store couldn’t handle all the traffic - thus leading the Apple loving community crushed & royally pissed off. Bummer dude.

It was interesting to watch & read how the Twittersphere was handling the day and what was going on around the world the day the iPhone 3G arrived. People started out with excitement and anxiousness to get to the closest Apple store and wait in line and the mood was acceptance: “Yes I understand I’m going to have to wait in line, but Apple is totally worth it!”. Then it started to evolve into desperation and moodiness - “Why is this line taking so long?”, “Shit! I waited in this line for 2 hours and now I have to leave to get to work”, “I will pay you $100 for your front of the line spot!”. As new customers walked out of the Apple stores with a shiny new gadget in hand the people in line would watch them; eyes opened-wide, a slight burst of salivation and indescribable excitement like they were 7 years old again on Christmas Day.

As the day went on the rumble of the community got even more intense - the App store couldn’t handle the volume of traffic, completely broke down and people weren’t happy. Lashing out at Apple and AT&T, customers felt disappointment and let down. How could this happen? I am so loyal to this company and they can’t even get my phone activated right away. So many intense emotions ran through people’s minds.

Read more about the iBrick issue on Techcrunch.

Now that the first day of the launch is over I went back to Twitter to see how the community is handling their new gadgets. Seems like there are still some problems. Apps not working or super janky, some connectivity problems, etc.

Here’s a tweet from a local Twitterer (@MitchWagner) that best sums up today’s issues with the iPhone 3G’s Apps:

If you have a story to share please comment below. I’m curious to hear more about your experience yesterday. Cheers!

I am beyond excited - words cannot explain how highly anticipated the Sex and the City Movie has been for me! I’m heading to the movie with a group of girls tonight. Heading downtown to have drinks and the movie after. I’m looking forward to this movie for a number of reasons including seeing the SJP’s fashion forwardness, “catching up” with the characters (I’ve missed them since they left HBO 4 years ago) and see if Carry actually marries BIG!

I will post my review of the movie here later this weekend. To all of you girls out there - go out, see the movie and enjoy the Big Apple like we did 4 years ago with the Sex and the City girls we love! <3 CAN’T WAIT!!

This is pretty funny! Even if you aren’t THAT big of a techie - you have still seen some of these viral video “celebrities”. And I use celebrities loosely here. Enjoy!

Have you heard of Pangea Day? Chances are if you’ve heard of it you’re probably planning on watching the films tomorrow. If you haven’t heard of Pangea Day - here’s a little info about this amazing experience:

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film. Why is this important? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it’s easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.

How Pangea Day came about is back in 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the TED Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish. Watch Jehane Noujaim’s 2006 acceptance speech now.

Check the locations here to see where the nearest Pangea Day hosted venue location is in your area.

Date: May 10, 2008

Time: 18:00-22:00 GMT Check local times.

Language: Full program subtitled in Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, and Spanish.

How to watch: In person, online, on TV, on your mobile phone

We all know the housing economy is going to shit.  Massive amounts of foreclosures, the hurting economy and the rising percentage of business downfalls and losses.  The fascinating & yet very hilarious story from the L.A. Times  recollects the times of days full of friends, fine lunch dining in Beverly Hills, and botox - massive amounts of expensive botox. 

“Every six weeks or so, as a kind of personal morale booster, Goldy Anthony and a group of girlfriends would make appointments to see a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon for little touch-ups — getting lips plumped and frown lines on the forehead smoothed out. He was “an artist” with Botox and Juvederm, she said.

Afterward, in a carefree mood, the ladies would dine at a popular restaurant on the Sunset Strip.”

Now with the sagging (no pun intended) economy more and more people are feeling the pinch in the “recreational” areas of their lives - ie: body enhancements.  These appointments ran the women roughly $1,800 a session!  These sessions can no longer be combined with the extravagent lunches and shopping sprees the ‘ladies who botox’ are feeling the pinch and have to make a sacrafice - to sag or not to sag. That is the question.

Here is one woman’s story of her [painfully sagging] life:

“We used to make appointments together,” Anthony said. “Then they started saying, ‘I can’t go next week.’ People didn’t have the money, but they were ashamed to tell you.”

“I would rather have Botox than go out to dinner, but it’s just gotten so bad,” said Anthony, 41, who is looking for a job since her career in the mortgage business went sour. She has not had the facial treatments in months.

And what’s been happening in Beverly Hills is apparently happening around the country. After years of steady growth, the cosmetic surgery business seems to be going through a rough patch.”

At one side of the story it’s hard to feel bad for these vain people - superficial lives of the rich don’t exactly give me a reason to want to weep over their tough circumstances.  However, it does cause concern for me when I know the nurses, medical practicioners and doctors are now feeling the pinch of the slowing industry of face-lifts and augmentations.  2007 still showed growth for the most part, but the end of last year in some doctor’s offices showed declines - and that’s only the beginning of the slump.  What’s going to happen in 2008?

There is some light at the end of the tunnel.  With the weakening dollar and desperation of surgeons to cut prices - plastic surgery may start to look enticing to International travelers. 

“In Los Angeles, a world capital for plastic surgery, doctors are hoping that globalization will provide a cushion. Some are looking to European patients, who can capitalize on the weak dollar and combine their plastic surgery with a Hollywood vacation.

“This is a mecca,” said Dr. Stuart Linder, who specializes in breast augmentation. “I have women flying in from all over the world because this is Beverly Hills.”

Sounds like to me we’ll be seeing a flood of good-looking Europeans around our neck of the woods.

For the entire story check out the L.A. Times Article.

It’s still surprising that a majority of Internet users don’t know what Web 2.0 is.  Ya, they are submersed in it everyday - but a lot of people still don’t know what it means, what it represents and how it evolved from 1.0.  As apps are developed, as more and more people understand the thinking of 2.0 and as corporate businesses become more social media hungry - I see a lot of revolt from the web/tech industry for the Web 2.0 reference.  I also see a lot of chatter about 3.0, 4.0, etc…

But as any marketer knows - it’s all a bunch of artificial hype to get more investors to invest, more businesses to pay, and more users to buy into.  Whether the 2.0 term remains the web’s flagship product or fades away into oblivion in the next few years remains a question to me (and quite frankly, I don’t really give a damn about the term itself anyway).  And as the term becomes more and more mainstream - the less and less the power users, web/tech industry and geeks will continue to use it.  After all, we’re always looking for something bigger, better and more exclusive. Right?

So F the 2.0 term.  Who really gives a flying crap if we reference 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 or 10.0?  Web 2.0 isn’t just a term.  Web 2.0 is a way of life.  It’s a mindframe.  It’s the way we connect with eachother in the web community.  It’s the way we feel, handle business, carry on our lives through digital & nondigital experiences.  UGC, Sharing, User Control, Blogs, etc. etc. I could go on forever.  Web 2.0 is an association we make with a revolutionary online experience and how we create relationships within these online territories and carry them out into our everyday lives. 

Whether 2.0 is filtered through happy hours, lunches, dinners, parties - who gives an F if we use the 2.0 term as association?  Let me put it this way; if I announced a Web Meetup versus a Party 2.0 - which would you prefer to attend?  Knowing what you know about 2.0 - the community aspect, the hard-work and focus, the way we do business through cutting edge design and development.  I see no contender against 2.0. 

If you like it or not - 2.0 is a reference point, a mindset, and lifestyle.  3.0 will be the same as will 4.0…etc.  I am PROUD to say I am a 2.0 Geek and I will continue to promote, attend and rally with 2.0 events and parties!  While others sit on the sidelines and only jock eachother on social networks - I will be out networking, thriving within my community, and standing up for what I believe the web is…and oneday will be. 

I absolutely LOVE awards shows and the Oscars fall nothing short of my expectations!  This year was a tad bit dry on the humor (I like it a little juicer & shit talking) but I still enjoyed the show.  Except why did they insist on having the Enchanted crew perform? Ugh.

So here’s a quick recap of the winners from the 2008 Oscars:

Best Actor: 

  Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)

Best Supporting Actor: 

  Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)

 Best Actress:

  Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse)

Best Supporting Actress:

  Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)

 Best Animated Feature:

  “Ratatouille” (Walt Disney) Brad Bird

Check out the rest of the winners and nominees here!