The Walt Disney Company announced a far-reaching agreement with YouTube to launch multiple ad-supported channels featuring clips and other short-form content from ESPN and the Disney/ABC Television empire including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Family and SOAPnet. Under the terms of the deal Disney Media Networks will have the option to sell its own ad inventory to the content, the traditional model, or take advantage of Google’s more innovative approaches. ESPN’s video player will be integrated on its YouTube channel to showcase sports highlights and Sportscenter clips but apparently full episodes will not be part of the offering.     READ MORE

The Big Switch: Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google

by Nicholas Carr

NY: WW Norton, 2009. 224 pp.; $16.95

We first heard about this book from a tweet by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who recently  found a new medium with which to express his anger at NBA officials: Twitter. He was fined $25,000 last Friday by league officials for his tweets.

“Can’t say no one makes money from Twitter now,” Cuban said, which has tto be the quote of the week. (The whole affair also led the tech billionaire to wonder whether or no Tweets are copyrightable.)

So, when Cuban raved about the book in less than 140 characters, we knew we had to check this book out, by the author of the bestselling Does IT Matter?   READ MORE

Lately, commerce has turned to the social sciences to better understand the nature of the business world and its many components. Likewise, anthropologists, sociologists, human communications and human organization experts, as well as those in the health, medical, and sports psychology fields have focused their ethnographic gaze on the business world and the culture of consumerism, the culture of the dot com world, and the culture of entrepreneurship.

Business is all about the way humans organize and find meaning in their lives, as either buyer or seller, so it makes sense that the social scientists out there are deeply studying the every day practice of the selling and purchasing of brands.     READ MORE

Can’t get enough of David Lynch, or wait years for his next movie?  Fans can rejoice, for the filmmaker and transcendental meditation guru has founded a new website:  David Lynch Foundation Television 

It offers video snippets of  ”consciousness, creativity and bliss.” Lynch founded the foundation to try and educate at-risk young people on how to overcome stress and violence.

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Most of us don’t think about what it would be like to have a disability, but others live with one every day of their lives. The number of opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities are limited. All of us can take this opportunity to help by donating goods to  Sports for Exceptional Athletes. Through various sports and activities, this organization gives children and adults with developmental disabilities a chance to have fun and interact with those who are not disabled.

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In times of both economic prosperity and uncertainy, the strength, stamina, confidence, enthusiasm, and positive outlook of leaders are needed in all sectors of society — whether that leader is the President of the United States, a Senator,  CEO, COO, teacher, professor, pastor, reverend,  office manager, volunteer coordinator, and head of household, it is natural that some are born to lead the various flocks of communities: this is their calling, and burden. Such a role has great responsibility, with ethical and moral implications that inevitably affects the lives of others.

Let’s look at the leadership role of CEOs and Presidents of companies in today’s economic marketplace and internet commerce, and the weight of responsibility that title carries…

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Recently, a friend emailed that the hotel market is a bust in Manhattan, due to the currecnt economy, and booked a trip — flight, hotel, car — to the Big Apple at a very reasonable rate.  ”But a week before I left,” he said, “prices dropped, I could have saved $200!”

Travel and lodging deals can be found aplenty as airlines and hotels try to entire consumers to spend. Online tools that empower the consumer are what is the economy needs right now, and savvy marketers know this.

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Hundreds of thousands — maybe even millions — of three-word Tweets flooded the digital realm on Saturday, March 21:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TWITTER.

Twitter is now 3 years old. As Ben Parr at Mashable.com states: 

“Can you believe that the micro-blogging service Twitter is already three years old? Well, it’s true. Three years ago from today, Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey sent his first Tweet and, together with Evan Williams, Biz Stone and others, created a social media company that has grown over 1300% in the last year. READ MORE

Don’t miss out on the artwork of Heather Blaise and Mark Mrowka, opening Saturday, March 28, at Modus, located in Banker’s Hill @ 2204 4th Street.

We sat down with Heather to discuss art, work, life,  and marriage…

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Aside from your typical Hollywood jib jab and pre-conceived notions of surfers and their eccentric culture, there is a ubiquitous sub-genre that stems from artistic expression and the hay-days of surfing. These guys have elegantly fused the world of surfing with a passion sparked by flat spells and diverse artistic abilities – and they’re bringing it to the world via blogging.

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