Big Sean

Another child of Detroit, Big Sean is watchable. Bear witness:

Billionaire

Intro

VC Is for the Weak

I just read this article in Ad Age (I am late to this party) and I couldn't help but think: is the only way to make real money directly from the new wave of digital apps by way of a court case?

So these guys had a pretty funny and cute idea to make it look like you were chugging a beer on your iPhone or iPod touch. They soon gave digital birth to a little app of joy and called it iBeer. 

Next, an ad agency (Beattie McGuinness Bungay) needed a new way of promoting their client, so they created iPint which unbelievably was pretty much the same thing as iBeer but with a brand's logo (Carling) over the "glass". The claimed iCounterfeit iPint was awarded a Silver Lion at Cannes this year. iBeer has not received an award yet, although this may soon change: they have filed a lawsuit against Molson Coors Brewing Co and Beattie McGuinness Bungay to the tune of $12.5 million.

Okay so I'm not here to reiterate the complaint filed by Hottrix (word of advice, maybe Hottrix isn't the best company name if you plan on ever making headlines), it's just funny to me that a pointless web application is going to become profitable thanks to a lawsuit.

The model has changed. It's no longer: make it, get people to come and the money will come later (which isn't really any good in the first place). It has expanded to include: make an interesting (but not necessarily useful) application, sell it on iTunes, have someone rip it off and then sue for $12.5 mil. 

Everybody's gotta eat. Some of us have to drive Lambos.

Also shout out to the stock market yesterday. I should take up day trading.. Normal investing is still a roller coaster. 

The Hills Have Eyes

I admit that I enjoy the Hills on MTV (I know, I know) & I have to make the case for its presentation on the web. It's brilliant and it's all thanks to AT&T. 

Instead of the awkward and poorly matched 25 second advertisement from the "Don't Almost Give" people, it's simply a voice, relaxing music and two frames of video just letting you know that AT&T was the company responsible for making the viewing experience enjoyable. It doesn't get annoying as many humorous ads tend to get after watching three times (except this one), the heartwarming or cautionary message doesn't get tired and it actually appears as if they understand the viewer.

If only the show was actually interesting...

Low Ball

Since I wrote the first post (when the DOW was still up slightly) it appears that the shitstorm has only intensified: the DJI lost 678.91. Meanwhile the Nikkei index is also in the fail to the tune of 11% in Japan. 

Stakes Is High

(slightly more fitting. i apologize for my apathy if you happen to be offended.)

The market sucks.

People can't buy gas.

Car companies can't sell cars.

The only people that will have a job soon are those on TV reporting what is happening.

It's not the end of the world. This is a contraction. A "spasm" as the guy that yells on MSNBC (not Mad Money, but the other guy) said with a great deal of volume. So CEOs might have to drop the country club membership. Spoiled kids might not get a new iPod for Christmas/Hanukkah. People aren't going out to eat as much. They're not tipping 20% anymore so the server can't afford to go out as much either. Cry, yell and scream all you want. It's bad, it may get worse, and we have to find ways to thrive in the face of it all.

While I realize that my aspirations and tastes have been, well, "lofty", I know that now is probably the time to leave the unnecessary luxuries in the "dream" category and focus on what's next. 

Don't forget that many of the corporations today were started by those who kept their head on straight and found their niche in the great depression. 

Rise up and keep thriving.

Time Stands Still

SS called me out for not blogging. 

I also want this.