Switched http://www.switched.com Switched. http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Is the Leica M9 Worth the Hype?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/12/03/is-the-leica-m9-worth-the-hype/ http://www.switched.com/2009/12/03/is-the-leica-m9-worth-the-hype/ http://www.switched.com/2009/12/03/is-the-leica-m9-worth-the-hype/#comments HYPE CHECK
Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder Camera

What it is:

The cult of Leica originated in the '40s, when Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Magnum photographers first brought the so-called "decisive moment" into the cultural consciousness. Their startlingly immediate images of street life, war, and people are as fresh today as they were the day they were snapped. The weapon of choice for this school of photographers was the Leica rangefinder, a small, lightweight camera that offered photojournalists an easy way to capture high-quality pictures on the move. Though the film era may be waning, Leica is now producing rangefinders for the era of digital photography, and the M9 is its latest entry into the category. This $7,000 camera is for folks who are serious about their still photography; the M9 doesn't do video.

Rangefinders work in a way fundamentally different from what we've come to accept as standard camera functionality. A standard viewfinder displays only what is in the frame, meaning that elements outside of lens range aren't seen. Therefore, the shot you see in the viewfinder is the shot you get. With a rangefinder, however, you look through a viewfinder that is aligned with the lens but not connected; small marks on the glass delineate the area in frame, with space around the marks remaining visible, allowing you to look further afield when composing the shot. When you drop the shutter, there is no moment of blackness. This lets you focus on your next shot without that momentary disorientation.

Continue reading Is the Leica M9 Worth the Hype?

Filed under: , , , ,

Is the Leica M9 Worth the Hype? originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> featureshgghypecheckleicaleica m9LeicaM9rangefinderrangefindersreviewtop Jason Rowan Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Are These Stars for Real? (Not at All -- They've Been Airbrushed!)]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/05/19/photoshopped-celebs/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/19/photoshopped-celebs/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/19/photoshopped-celebs/#comments


In the Golden Era of Hollywood, re-touching photographic stills of movie stars was the standard. The layers of illusion that the studio machine wrapped around the already striking actors was impressive; makeup, ingenious lighting, and delicate, highly sophisticated airbrushing were applied by teams of trained experts. The image you saw of Joan Crawford was unquestionably removed from what the woman would look like without makeup or manipulation. But the limits of the technology -- and the skill and intelligence of the artisans who produced the final images -- kept the bounds of physical reality within check; the stars, while greatly idealized, still looked like themselves.

In the digital age, all that has changed. The explosion of outlets for celebrity imagery (ads, music videos, television commercials and magazine covers) have created a much larger market for retouching, and the digital retouching program Photoshop has met this need (albeit with frequently calamitous results). The ever-increasing celebrity frenzy and fixation on looks promoted by magazines like US Weekly and The Star and sites like Pink is The New Blog have driven standards into a strange, otherworldly zone. The preponderance of plastic surgery, truly heroic dieting and physical training, and overzealous Photoshopping have created a new generation of idealized and, in some cases, not-quite-human images of celebs. While plastic surgery requires some degree of serious contemplation by even the most hardened Botox-junkie, to have your Photoshopper remove every last trace of individuality from your appearance you need only say the word.

Here are just a few of the more notable -- if not notorious -- digital facsimiles.

Filed under:

Are These Stars for Real? (Not at All -- They've Been Airbrushed!) originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 19 May 2009 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> celebrityfeaturesphotoshopphotoshoppedtop Jason Rowan Tue, 19 May 2009 23:50:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Photoshopped Celebs 5]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-5/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-5/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-5/#comments


4. Shirley MacLaine

The marketing images for the Lifetime movie 'Coco Chanel' feature Shirley MacLaine in a virtually Vaseline-lensed piece of lines-free visual fiction. And she's not playing a young woman! Are we really supposed to accept that a woman who has led such a long, rich life doesn't have laugh lines?

Photoshopped Celebs 5 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Photoshopped Celebs 4]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-4/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-4/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-4/#comments


3. 'The Women'

Featuring an array of women over 40, and several over 50, the DVD packaging for 'The Women' has nary a wrinkle in sight. In fairness to the Photoshoppers, if you watch the trailer, it appears that the women have all had their lines permanently banished to Botox-land (along with their ability to express emotions). Unlike European counterparts like Catherine Denueve, the post-Baby Boomer Hollywood actresses seem to have missed the whole growing-older-gracefully thing. When age- and expression-erasing surgeries combine with the desperate illusion that these women are untouched by time's passage, you get the poster for 'The Women' and the phenomenon known as Photox.

Photoshopped Celebs 4 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Photoshopped Celebs 3]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-3/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-3/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-3/#comments


2. Catherine Zeta-Jones

John Waters said of plastic surgery, "I'm against it. If it's bad you look like someone who moved to Los Angeles and never made it, and if it's good you look like someone else". Apparently, judging from Photoshop Disasters' coverage, Cosmetics company Elizabeth Arden wanted Victoria Beckham for its Colr Intrigue Effects Lipstick campaign. When it couldn't get her, it hired Zeta-Jones instead, and 'shopped her up until she looked pretty much exactly like La Posh. This is how bizarre things get when the connection to physical reality is completely severed; you do indeed wind up looking like someone else.

Photoshopped Celebs 3 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Photoshopped Celebs 2]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-2/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-2/ http://www.switched.com/2009/05/08/photoshopped-celebs-2/#comments


1. Dane Cook

In his MySpace blog, Cook took on the designers of the poster for 'My Best Friend's Girl,' in which Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs and Cook all seem to be lit from completely different sources and photographed on continents apart. Cook called the poster "so glossy it makes Entertainment Weekly look wooden", going on to say, "The left side of my face seems to be melting off. I guess I am looking directly into the Ark of the Covenant?" When the celebs themselves are revolted by their overly idealized images, you know things have gone too far.

Photoshopped Celebs 2 originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 9]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-9/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-9/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-9/#comments


'The Third Man'

The gist: Carol Reed's classic film throws you back into the ruined, "bombed about" streets of Venice in the aftermath of World War II. Holly Martins, a writer of American Western paperback novels, comes to the Austrian capital in search of work, stumbles onto the death of a friend, tries to gather clues from uncooperative witnesses, uncovers a murder, and ultimately gets tangled in a nasty betrayal. Joseph Cotten plays Martins, and 'The Third Man' is populated with an international cast of deliciously weird butlers, majors, doctors and more to create a fascinating snapshot of a European city in shambles.

Why it's on our list: Although Criterion wasn't able to strike a new print for this edition, this is a digital re-master, and on Blu-ray it is stunning -- the swirling fog and ominous shadows of Vienna look fantastic. Even without the Blu-ray gorgeousness, this edition is a treasure trove for devotees of both the film and writer Graham Greene, with extensive background information on both. Included here is the fascinating alternate U.K. opening of the film, which features a more morally ambiguous voiceover not by Cotten, as in the U.S. version, but by a raffish man with a British accent -- director Carol Reed. Two audio commentary tracks, including one by Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Tony Gilroy, a reading of Graham's original treatment, and two great documentaries on the film. An unexpected charmer is a recording of a 1950 radio program in which Orson Welles performs the neat trick of resurrecting Harry Lime in an original radio play that he wrote and voiced himself.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 9 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 8]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-8/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-8/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-8/#comments


'There Will Be Blood'

The gist: The gripping, lovingly-detailed tale of the rise of a heartless oil prospector swept the awards in '08, nabbing an Best Actor Oscar for Daniel Day Lewis for his truly riveting performance. Following events from 1898 through 1927, the film is a masterful study of the era, and Director of Photography Robert Elswit's captures the luminous landscape of the turn of the century West. It's a feast for magic hour lovers.

Why it's on our list: The Blu-ray transfer captures Elswit's luminous camerawork, largely with natural light, and the subtle hues come through in this format. Short on extras, save for one gem -- a (ca.) 1923-26 Bureau of Mines educational movie that livingly details the process of early .'The Story of Petroleum' was obviously available to the filmmakers and informed their entire production design -- it's like watching outtakes from 'Blood.' It's a fascinating and thorough glimpse of a time and a new industry, with great animation and a score, like the film, by Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead -- watching some of the animation explaining how petroleum is extracted from the earth is almost like a lost Radiohead video...

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 8 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 7]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-7/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-7/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-7/#comments


Chungking Express

The gist: Wong Kar-wai's 1994 feature set in an open air market in Hong Kong tells a story of people, and a place, in constant transition with unusual energy and verve. The film is a rapturous amalgam of influences, from film noir to Hong Kong cinema to The Mommas and the Poppas, and expresses a reckless romanticism. With its amped splashes of color, Christopher Doyle and Wai-keung Lau's astonishing cinematography captures the heat and intensity of pre-millenial Hong Kong.

Why it's on our list: Despite meager extras (although the ability to tag scenes to return to later is cool), it's all about the transfer. The heavily filtered (often dimly but always brilliantly lit) photography goes from luminescent to muddy on on lesser quality transfers -- here it finally shines. The intense flourishes of color in the film are restored to their original intensity -- fluorescent light never looked so ravishing and grimy markets were never more lovely. The re-mastered Dolby Digital soundtrack was overseen by Wong Kar-wai.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 7 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 6]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-6/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-6/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-6/#comments


'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead'

The gist: Sidney Lumet's emotionally gritty film explores the consequences of a bad idea taken to much worse extremes. A dark tale of buried resentments that ultimately destroy a family, 'Devil' features bracing performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei and Albert Finney. A riveting combination of family drama and suspense thriller, it's the best movie Lumet's made in 25 years.

Why it's on our list: A solid making-of doc hinging on Lumet and a pointed, illuminating commentary with Lumet, Hoffman and Hawke are the extent of the extras on the Blu-ray. But the visceral intensity of the film, which is matched by the camera work, works so much better on Blu-Ray. Lumet's choice to shoot the film on HD lent it an extra level of reality -- of sweat and and tears -- and you can see the all the raw, painful detailing here.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 6 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 5]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-5/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-5/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-5/#comments


'Firefly: The Complete Series'

The gist: Joss Whedon's episodic western-in-space was too beautiful to live -- a thoughtful, quirky, ambitious series that never made it to the end of its first season on Fox in 2002. But avid fans and a persistent curiosity about the show led to the 2005 feature 'Serenity,' which tied up the loose ends in fine form. Fusing old-timey talk with grimy spaceships and smart aleck patter made for a unique mix, and the depth, heart and levity of the show still surprises.

Why it's on our list: Blu-ray definitely shows off much of the camera work which consciously evokes '70s cinematography, complete with lens flares and zoom shots, as well as wonderful low lighting situations. The 3 disc set is bursting with extras including 3 never before seen episodes, deleted scenes, Intricate explorations of the set of the spaceship 'Serenity,' interviews with cast members and a roundtable with Whedon and the male cast members that reinforces the sense that this was one close-knit show-in fact the whole set feels like a reunion of old friends. And just for fun? An original demo of Whedon singing the theme to the show.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 5 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 4]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-4/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-4/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-4/#comments

'WALL-E'

The gist: Perhaps the first great film to emerge during the Blu-ray era. Pixar's dazzling creation almost demands the medium's hyper-veracity -- the intricate details of a post eco-apocalyptic world, filled with trash and one scrappy robot, is astonishingly beautiful in this format. Both deeply charming and sweet in the classic Disney sense while managing to be wildly subversive and pessimistic, it's one of the rare films that works equally well for adults and for children. It's also the most spot-on piece of social satire since 'Dr. Strangelove.'

Why it's on our list: The two-disc set is packed with extras, including multiple deleted scenes, most of which are only partially animated and some that are mere sketches, but one fully realized one called 'Garbage Airlock' that presents a whole sequence where WALL-E's and EVE's roles are reversed, to intriguing effect. Great commentary on the deleted scenes and why there were cuts from director Andrew Stanton -- as with most great films, it's hard to imagine it any other way in the end.

There's plenty for the under-8 set, too, including a decidedly low-fi short 'Lots of Bots' that can also be "played"--it has the child "build" a robot through shape matching. Also doing babysitting duty are three stand-alone Pixar shorts, The highlight of which is the charming 'Burn-E,' about a robot character that is only glimpsed in the feature. The 'with boards' version of Burn-E demonstrates, via frame-in-frame, the various phases of developing the animation, from freehand sketches to crude computer graphics to seamless end result, while being entirely entertaining as it instructs -- much like the film itself. A cherry on the sundae is the fully realized 3-D fly-throughs of the sets, giving a glimpse of just how fully realized this universe was.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 4 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 3]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-3/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-3/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-3/#comments

'Bottle Rocket'

The gist: Wes Anderson's graceful debut (co-written with co-star Owen Wilson) has an easy, oddball charm. The ambling, post-adolescent drift of these characters looking for some kind of fulfillment has its own logic that has made the film iconic for misfit dreamers of all stripes. There's a sweetness and authenticity to Anderson's first film that isn't as evident in some of his later more mannered, intricate constructed dollhouses of films. Both Owen and Luke Wilson give nuanced, naturalistic performances -- in particular Owen's deluded, ever-optimistic aspirant to a life of crime Dignan is a classic character. Director of Photography Robert Yeoman's captures the delicate hues of a Texas winter and helped define the slightly otherworldly, dream-like reality that the film defines.

Why it's on our list: A new transfer overseen by Anderson and DP Robert Yeoman is fantastic on Blu-ray and the film looks like it did in theaters. Copious extras include a recent 'making of' doc with interviews with the cast and crew that explore the lengthy journey of 'Bottle Rocket' from a short film to a feature. Deleted scenes indicate a considerably more sprawling film than the final cut. Anderson's lovingly handwritten storyboards are included in their entirety, along with an extensive wish-list of music cues that didn't make it into the final film but that provide a glimpse of soundtracks to come for 'Rushmore' and 'The Royal Tenenbaums.' Anderson and Owen Wilson's commentary is engaging and adds more sense of what was an ever-mutating storyline and development process -- and then there's the strange revelation of the influence of 'Miami Vice' on Anderson's oeuvre. A slideshow of wonderful photos by Wilson matriarch Laura covers the filmakers' journeys from the inside. The accompanying booklet features comments from Martin Scorcese and Dignan's original 75-Year Plan. But the jewel in the crown for 'Bottle Rocket' completists is the presence of the original Super 16 short film of 'Bottle Rocket' that showed at Sundance and caught the eye of eventual Executive Producer James L. Brooks.

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 3 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 2]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-2/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-2/ http://www.switched.com/2009/01/06/best-blu-ray-discs-of-2008-2/#comments

'The Dark Knight'

The gist: Probably the most ambitious and the darkest of all superhero movies, Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' bursts at the seams with ideas, plots and visual elan. The initial bank robbery sequence is worth the price of admission. A legitimate sense of dread, action sequences that stun jaded audiences, Christian Bale's Armani wardrobe and Heath Ledger's wildly original, unsettling performance as The Joker all contributed to this being the biggest movie of the year. Almost too much to take in in one sitting, this mini-epic demands multiple viewings.

Why it's on our list: This edition eschews director's commentary tracks for 'Focus Points'; highlighted moments in the film that with the click of a button will take you to clips about the making of that sequence. Extras from the production include slideshows of costume concept art and a full deck of original Joker cards that he leaves on his victims as well as exceptionally good production stills. There's the welcome inclusion of the TV spots and theatrical trailers-themselves better than many features. A thorough "Psychology of the Batman" featurette reveals an unexpected link between Bruce Wayne and Teddy Roosevelt, and "Batman Tech" exhaustively details the real-life basis for Batman's toys. But it's the transfer that is superb, and Blu-ray's sensitivity enhances the supple blacks and the lustrous low-lighting shines in this edition--the underexposed night sequences using available light look magnificent here.

(One does miss a commentary track, deleted scenes or outtakes -- It's a measure of the control of the filmakers that it's hard to imagine them riffing and joking around. Subsequently there's a notable lack of discussion about Heath Ledger's radical performance and no personal recollections -- doubtless too painful. Also doubtless is Warner Bros. pushing for a Ledger-focussed Joker Edition down the road.)

Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 2 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[First Look: Nokia's Touchscreen-Enabled N97]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/12/02/first-look-nokias-touchscreen-enabled-n97/ http://www.switched.com/2008/12/02/first-look-nokias-touchscreen-enabled-n97/ http://www.switched.com/2008/12/02/first-look-nokias-touchscreen-enabled-n97/#comments nokia n97
We are so tired of touchscreens, especially since most of 'em don't really work that well, but we were certainly curious to see the touchscreen on the Nokia N97, which was shown off last night at a small gathering in New York. The N97's 3.5-inch, 16:9 touchscreen (think iPhone) slides up at an angle to reveal a handy QWERTY keyboard that essentially gives you the best of both worlds (sort of like the T-Mobile G1 already does). As with other N series phones, the N97 has many high-end features, including a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass (both of which allow you to share your exact location with friends on your favorite social networks), and an extremely generous 32-gigabytes (GB) of onboard memory (with the ability to expand up to 48-gigabytes).

Besides the location-based-social-networking features, the N97 has a built in camcorder, built-in widgets for easy updating of, say, your Facebook status, and -- unlike the iPhone and its ilk -- the ability to stream Flash videos.

Unfortunately, it's not coming out until the first half of 2009, and only in Europe, and for a whopping 550 Euros (about $700). But if you've got the funds, you can probably just buy an unlocked version of the phone from an import phone site and use it with your T-Mobile or AT&T service, since it works on those carriers' high speed HSDPA networks.

We were able to get an early look last night and took some shots of the N97, which you can check out in the gallery below, or check out this video on Engadget. [From: Nokia]

Gallery: First Look: Nokia N97

Filed under:

First Look: Nokia's Touchscreen-Enabled N97 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> breaking newsBreakingNewsfirst lookFirstLookn97new productsNewProductsnokianokia n97NokiaN97smart phoneSmartPhonesmartphonestopupcoming Jason Rowan Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 16]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-16/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-16/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-16/#comments


Occasionally all the technological gadgets, online services and networks in our lives align to achieve something really impressive.

After a company had a laptop stolen/robbed in September 2007, it discovered a photograph of a shirtless man on its Flickr page. Flickrbooth, an application that uploads photos taken with the laptop's built-in camera to a Flickr page, had done some handy detective work. An online "have you seen this man" campaign flooded the Web with the man's photo, leading the suspect -- who looks eerily like Brit singer Robbie Williams in the above photo -- to turn himself in with the laptop, a heart-warming tale of online kismet.

In related news, an Apple store employee had her MacBook laptop stolen last May and used the built-in Webcam and Back to My Mac feature to see just who was at her computer. She took the photos to the cops and the perps were arrested and charged with second-degree burglary.

LESSON #15: Check out flickrbooth for your laptop, and keep your shirt (and mask) on around computers.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 16 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 17]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-17/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-17/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-17/#comments


The New York Times gets Rick-Rolled

 Early 2008 saw a whole wave of joke e-mail links known as "Rick Rolling," in which the recipient would be sent a link allegedly for one thing, but which actually turned out to be a link to the video of "Never Gonna Give You Up" by '80s blue-eyed synth soul singer Rick Astley. The micro trend was micro-funny and no more remarkable than many other forwarded time-killer.

When groups of people starting bursting out in the song in the middle of Washington state college basketball game, the New York Times saw fit to comment upon the cultural trend. As it turned out, however, the rumors of the Astely-ization of big public gatherings were themselves a well-conceived hoax played out across YouTube and the Web. [This hoax, along with the YouTube videos comparing Obama's moves to Astley's signature hand shimmy moves, has lent the song a whole strange new life.]

LESSON # 16: Don't believe everything you read online, or in the New York Times.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 17 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> expire-images2009-9-9 Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 15]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-15/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-15/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-15/#comments


Oops, she did it again

 Apparently having her Sidekick hacked and its contents released online in 2004 once wasn't enough for publicity-hound Paris Hilton. When it happened the second time in 2005, it wasn't just private e-mails and photos (some very private) that made there way all over the Web...many of her famous friends' private contact info was released too.

LESSON #14: If you're famous, you can't be too careful with the contents of your mobile devices.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 15 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> expire-images2009-9-10 Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 14]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-14/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-14/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-14/#comments


Do you know Claire Swire?

Here's a cautionary tale of group e-mailing: Back in 2000, British lawyer Claire Swire supposedly e-mailed her boyfriend and a few other friends an off-color joke. The e-mail was, as fate would have it, forwarded to another group, and then another, and then another...until it was quite literally a global phenomenon. Swift Swire claimed the original e-mail was a hoax, but no matter -- by that time, the world press had caught news of the tidal wave of forwarded e-mails and the entire fiasco had taken on a life of its own.

LESSON #13: Sometimes you don't have to do anything wrong to be caught in the worldwide ScandalWeb

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 14 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 13]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-13/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-13/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-13/#comments


Hearing about your impending layoff by a mistakenly company-wide distributed e-mail that was meant only for the big boys is bad enough. When it's in the form of an attached PowerPoint presentation explaining the need for downsizing in your branch, it has to be particularly painful. Just last week, someone at ad agency Carat sent the graphics-enhanced pink slip to his entire staff in error, causing a lot of bad vibes around the water cooler that week (pictured, above, is Carat president Scott Sorokin).

LESSON #13: Triple Check your to: field

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 13 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 12]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-12/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-12/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-12/#comments


Man dumps girlfriend online, world dumps on him

What is about these interns and the Internet? In 2003, U.S. Senator from Texas Kay Bailey's intern Paul Kelly Tripplehorn, Jr. sent a particularly vicious and personal break-up e-mail to girlfriend Michele. The pompous, nasty missive quickly circulated around the office (and subsequently around the world on news outlets from the Washington Post to CNN), leading to Tripplehorn's dismissal.

LESSON #11: Man up and break up in person or bear the e-consequences

Filed under:

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 12 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 11]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-11/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-11/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-11/#comments


Obama/Clinton '08!...or not

In late August, the Los Angeles Times had prepared several alternate headlines for Obama's VP picks -- and somehow accidentally uploaded the Hillary Clinton version to the paper's Web site in the middle of the night. A hasty retraction was a little too late to keep egg off the Times's face over this mistaken announcement of the much-discussed Dream Team. No word on Joe Biden's hurt feelings.

Lesson #10: Save as Draft

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 11 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> expire-images2009-9-10 Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 10]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-10/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-10/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-10/#comments


CrazyTube

Tricia Walsh Smith's slightly deranged and highly amusing YouTube videos of her trashing her husband while they were in the process of getting a divorce captured the Gawkersphere's attention this past spring. But the tables were turned when the videos were presented in court as evidence by the husband's attorneys as to how unhinged she, in fact, clearly was. Sudden notoriety, a brief moment to bask in it, then serious backlash -- the cycle of 15-minute-online-fame is complete!

LESSON #9: The camera adds ten pounds...of crazy.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 10 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 9]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-9/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-9/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-9/#comments


Everybody does not wear sunscreen

Writer Kurt Vonnegut had a lifelong wariness of both technology and flawed human nature. That mistrust was validated when a commencement delivered by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, (which was itself reworked from a Chicago Tribune column) was "mistakenly" attributed to Vonnegut. A slightly Vonnegut-ified version of the speech flew across the Internet in 1997, becoming one of the Internet's first big (possibly inadvertent) hoaxes.


LESSON #8: Check your sources, or...Don't Believe Everything you read, especially online

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 9 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> expire-images2009-9-10 Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 8]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-8/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-8/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-8/#comments


Trevor Luxton: Think twice before you assume it's bros before hos

When you send an e-mail to five friends asking if you're a terrible boyfriend for engaging in a sex act with another girl while talking to your girlfriend on the phone, the odds of one of them breaking the pact of silence....Back in 2002, French bank Credit Lyonnais wasn't too happy with banking clerk Trevor Luxton's use of its internal e-mail system to distribute said message and set him free. Luxton landed on his feet, though -- he was dismissed with pay and the deceived girlfriend said she planned to marry him, anyway.

LESSON #7: Don't use work e-mails for confessions of infidelity. Better yet, don't use work e-mails for confessions of anything.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 8 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 7]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-7/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-7/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-7/#comments


Wrestlers taken down over nude pics

Apparently two nationally-ranked wrestlers from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, didn't quite understand that the "world wide" part of 'www' includes Nebraska. After posing naked for an adult gay Web site, the hapless fellas were kicked off the team.

LESSON #6: If it's online and you don't want people to see it they almost certainly will



Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 7 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 6]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-6/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-6/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-6/#comments


Steve Jobs is the new Tom Sawyer

Someone at the Bloomberg Financial Newswire hit the wrong key when he or she updated the Steve Jobs obituary -- and published it on the Bloomberg site. Now Jobs has had the distinctly Tom Sawyer-like experience of attending his own funeral. Sort of.

LESSON #5: Triple Check Before You Hit Save

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 6 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 5]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-5/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-5/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-5/#comments

MySpace is your space

Surprise VP nominee Sarah Palin's daughter's boyfriend and baby daddy had his MySpace page being yanked in a hurry when word got out that he was going to be part of the potential Second Family. A proud, f-word-laced proclamation of his redneck status and his desire never to have kids was summarily yanked, but not before the New York Post and the Huffington Post got hold of 'em...

LESSON #4: If you even suspect your girlfriend's mother might be nominated for the Vice Presidency, think twice about what you put on your MySpace page.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 5 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 4]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-4/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-4/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-4/#comments


Private made public

When some mysterious person released the voicemail of Alec Baldwin venting on his 11-year-old daughter by ex-wife Kim Basinger for not being around to take his scheduled calls, it nearly drove the actor to retire from public life forever. When TMZ got the tape from an unnamed source (with the initials K.B., perhaps?), the entire country joined in condemning Baldwin's rage against the tweener. While no one could justify the rant, as anyone who has a family knows these kind of fights happen behind closed doors all the time.

LESSON #3: Angry voicemails are just as incriminating as angry e-mails.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 4 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 3]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-3/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-3/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-3/#comments


Kramer said wha'?

As lovable goofball Kramer on 'Seinfeld,' Michael Richards played an oaf who wouldn't hurt a fly. But as one video-enabled-cell-phone-wielding-guest at the Comedy Club in Los Angeles learned last year, Richards himself had some anger issues-to say the least. The nonsensical, disjointed racist rant was captured and sold to gossip site TMZ, which made a point out of making the whole entire world see Richards' hateful spew-fest, leading to the obligatory penitent video statement, also seen online. Sadly, it's become hard to look at Kramer the same way on those 7:30pm reruns.

Lesson #2: If it happens in public, and it's embarrassing, it will wind up on the Internet.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 3 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> expire-images2009-9-10 Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 2]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-2/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-2/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps-2/#comments

Peter Pan Syndrome

Late last year, banking intern Kevin Colvin called in to work saying he had a family emergency that required him to return home. His initially understanding boss wasn't very happy when his attention was drawn to a photo on Colvin's FaceBook page showing him in full-on party gear at the time he was supposed to be tending to a sick relative. The fact that he was dressed like a fairy with a wand, or possibly Peter Pan -- it's not a very coherent costume -- added insult to injury, and he was promptly let go from his job.

Lesson #1: It's not just your friends who check out your Facebook profile.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps 2 originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps]]> http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps/ http://www.switched.com/2008/09/10/most-embarrassing-online-mishaps/#comments


With near-instantaneous communication via e-mail and IM, the Internet makes socializing and "hanging out" with your friends as easy as updating your Facebook profile But like any technology, the Internet is just a tool, and when you're driving at these lightning speeds on the information superhighway, one wrong move -- a misguided keystroke, a mistaken Reply All -- can lead to disaster, fast. Private matters become public in one hot instant, and, like the contents of Pandora's Box, some secrets don't go away so easily once they're out there. Here are 12 cautionary online tales that serve to remind us how garden variety office gossip and misinformation can now go global in a split second.

Most Embarrassing Online Mishaps originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> featuresfunnyonline mishapsOnlineMishapsweb Jason Rowan Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 TV Show Web Extras]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/11/14/top-11-tv-show-web-extras-11/ http://www.switched.com/2007/11/14/top-11-tv-show-web-extras-11/ http://www.switched.com/2007/11/14/top-11-tv-show-web-extras-11/#comments TKTKTKTK

Top 11 TV Show Web Extras originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:22:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top Five Raciest Ads On the Web]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/29/the-raciest-ads-on-the-web/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/29/the-raciest-ads-on-the-web/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/29/the-raciest-ads-on-the-web/#comments NSFW. Not Safe For Work. The very acronym sends up red flags for those who share office space with fellow employees -- or employers -- who may be less accepting of Web ads or sites with naughty content. But what about those times you get blindsided with unexpectedly racy content while innocently looking for, say, moisturizer or new music? What about pop-ups or banner ads on "respectable" sites that can get you in hot water with your stuffy boss, as some American Apparel ads did for lots of folks recently? And then there are the legit, non-porn sites whose content, while not X-rated, dips seriously into the NC-17 zone? We've rounded up a few of these potential problem sites, but if you get busted while checking out this story, just say "Switched made me do it!"



American Apparel

American Apparel has always rocked some pretty racy spots, but the look of its most recent wave of banner ads, which we found while innocently surfing for music on Pitchforkmedia.com, look like the Calvin Klein teen-porn spots of the early mid-'90s that shocked and appalled the mainstream. Although these ads have gotten people talking, they're a measure of how much more blasé we are about sexed-up imagery that no one's called for a ban like they did for Calvin's mag ads. Still, the ripe young women showing off the plunging V-neck Summer Shirt, short shorts and panties are so suggestive that these spots feel a little blue for the office.

Filed under: ,

Top Five Raciest Ads On the Web originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> features Jason Rowan Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:47:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/26/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-2/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/26/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-2/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/26/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-2/#comments





Blogging under the Influence is the New D.U.I. (Dialing under the Influence):

What Happened: When Courtney Love posted her New Year's resolutions on her blog she provided a window into her surreal world that combines wacky Buddhist prayers with politics ("chant for Hilary to win"), her struggle with Hollywood's most seductive addiction ("no more surgery for any reason other than medical until i really need it in my '60s"), some tough parenting choices ("sell the pony, get a horse") and social habits ( "stop hanging out in nightclubs with 19-year-olds."). Love decided (presumably the next morning) that the list was too private to share with the world and took it down, but not before New York Daily News gossip columnists Rush & Molloy got a hold of it, and now it's one for the ages.

Career Impact: Negative, since Love's career has evolved from rock star and celebrity widow into high profile mess.

Filed under: , , ,

Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> breaking+newsTopTop 11Top11 Jason Rowan Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:21:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-10/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-10/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-10/#comments


Open Mouth, Insert Foot, Then Other Foot

What Happened: The first America's Next Top Model, bride of Peter Brady (Christopher Knight), and former Hooters waitress Adrienne Curry can add another title to her resume: wacko blogger. In a recent post on her blog, Curry rails against Black History Month and BET -- even though "they play my favorite show of all time, 'In Living Color'" -- on the theory that both the holiday and the network are segregated and constitute discrimination. While there is certainly room for a dialogue on the topic, Curry misses that boat and instead spends paragraphs listing other groups who, in her view, suffered more and complained less than African Americans. Not exactly the diplomatic way to start a conversation -- not that anyone was probably interested in Curry's views on modern race relations, anyway.

Career Impact: Can't be good. As she's in the strange nether world of C-List celebrities who seem to exist more by mere osmosis from more successful and celebrated people, so it's hard to say where her fame or money really comes from. It's safe to say she won't be asked to the NAACP Image Awards this year, however.

Related Links:


Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-9/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-9/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-9/#comments


Obsessive-Compulsive Blogging

What Happened: Occasional talk show host, comedian, author and Broadway-aficionado Rosie O'Donnell devotes a lot of energy to her blog -- a lot.. Her often daft blog postings -- written in Prince-like alpha numeric abbreviations -- never fail to call her lucidity into question. Whether she's expounding on her departure from 'The View,' politics, or the virtues of nasal aspirators, Rosie's always letting all her battiness hang out, often in video posts where she details the minutiae of her life, the travails of parenthood, her own amateurish art work and reports from her book tour -- all of which comprise a truly heroic, extended push of self-promotion that's more than a bit compulsive.

Career Impact: Positive. Rosie's activities help with book sales, keep her hardcore fans happy and feeling connected, and keep her feeling like people are paying attention to her.

Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:59:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-8/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-8/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-8/#comments


Shake Your Moneymaker

What Happened: Only a few months after the cell phone of Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz was hacked and some decidedly private images leaked out to the blogosphere, the rock star e-mailed male fans some shots of himself holding his new CD all over his nether regions. While it wasn't clear whether this was a gay flirtation thing or just a crude attempt to leverage more press for the album, the move certainly got a lot of attention.

Career Impact: Neutral. While some fans may be turned off by the whiff of gay, the truth is Wentz had already had shots of his junk all over the Web and so the shock value was gone. Plus: Rock stars behaving badly makes us all feel better about ourselves, and it's what we expect them to do, anyway.

Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:56:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-7/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-7/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-7/#comments


He Shoots, He...Misses -- Ten Times

What Happened: The problem with using the same templates for your pickup lines lies in the danger of two objects of your affection comparing notes. If you've got ten of them doing that, and it's all over the Web, then it's just plain ungentlemanly. Norwegian soccer star John Arne Risse, who plays for Liverpool FC in England's Premier League, was stone busted when it was revealed that he'd sent identical SMS messages to at least ten "prominent" women-models, actresses, and media personalities-asking them (in SMS talk) to go to a romantic dinner with him.

Career Impact: None, but he'll have to lay on the charm extra thick now if he wants to land a dinner date no -- and do it in person.

Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:52:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-6/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-6/ http://www.switched.com/2007/10/24/top-11-celebrity-messes-online-6/#comments


Whole Fool?

What Happened: Blogging and talking trash under the shield of an assumed name can be a bad idea -- just ask John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods. In July, it was revealed that Mackey had been posting on the Yahoo! Finance Message Boards under a pseudonym for several years, putting down his competitors (Wild Oats) and boosting his own company. This sort of message-forum subterfuge isn't illegal, but his repeated predictions about Whole Foods stocks might be -- an investigation by the FTC is ongoing.

Career Impact: Negative. Mackey comes off as decidedly less sharp than he once did, even more so as his online alias was simply his wife's name spelled backwards, and his potential troubles with the Feds could be disastrous. Whole Foods doesn't seem to be having any problem moving $7 a pound heirloom tomatoes, however.

Top 11 Celebrity Messes Online originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

]]> Jason Rowan Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:49:00 EST Switched