Random Culture

Firebrand: All Commercials, All the Time

Firebrand, the "all commercial" video site, has launched. There's been a lot of discussion online about the viability of the site, and if it can really command an audience. It's certainly a well designed site, with a flexible flash interface that shrinks and expands, so you can avoid scrolling. It also has something YouTube doesn't... the ability to download videos!

But there are some key features missing... comments. That's right, it seems that some of the advertisers, who are clearly getting involved in the site through contests and giveaways, must have expressed concern about people commenting. You can rate the videos, but comments are out.

I think it's safe to say that Firebrand has a shot with at least one niche... people in the ad industry! Beyond that, I don't think Firebrand will be sporting numbers like YouTube.

Link via AdFreak.

New TED Talk: Lessig on Creativity and Law

Filmed in March 2007 at the TED conference, but posted this month, Lawrence Lessig gives a great presentation entitled "How creativity is being strangled by the law."

View the video of the presentation here.

Let the Holiday Marketing Begin!

Kicking off holiday marketing this year, Dell has launched a website where an odd assortment of celebrities "pitch" the Dell products you select. You can find the website at YoursIsHere.com. The site allows visitors to send these celebrity "pitches" along to friends and relatives to let them know you're interested in the product. The site isn't designed in a very festive manner, which is a bit troublesome to me. However, it includes a really interesting feature, where users can attach their PayPal information to the "pitch", so friends and relatives can contribute to your "fund."

Link via Clickz.

R.I.P. Norman Mailer

"Tough guys don't dance. You had better believe it." - Norman Mailer

Time to take a trip to the bookstore and polish up on your Norman Mailer. He even wrote a few blog posts. Anyone who cares a lick about one of the most important American writers should read his obituary in the New York Times.

The World's Saddest Cubicle

Wired has posted the winners of the "World's Saddest Cubicle" contest. The winner, David Gunnells, is an IT guy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. According to Wired:

"His desk is penned in by heavily used filing cabinets in a windowless conference room, near a poorly ventilated bathroom and a microwave."

Yikes...

The Never Ending Web Page: Orange UK

Orange UK has launched a new website, created by Poke London. According to Ian Tait, one of the founding partners of Poke (who also writes a great blog), it's a "never ending web page." The site can be found at: www.goodthingsshouldneverend.co.uk. It may appear at first that there's not much there, but dig around a bit, and you'll find lots of things to click on.