Plenty of people can tell you that cops to questionable things while no one’s looking, and any stoned teenager whose unlucky enough to be in a town where there are no other crimes going on can confirm it. Of course, sometimes there’s real police work to be done, and that’s when we wish it was harder to become a cop in a country where they’re given a gun and a ‘do anything’ pass. Take, for instance, the cops on a drug raid in Polk County, Florida who ended up playing the suspects’ Wii for nine hours. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Because We Feel Like it’ Category
Shock and Awe: On-the-Job Cops Fall Victim to Wii
9/23/09 - Posted by Abdullah Saeed under Because We Feel Like it, USJoko Anwar Does the Circle K No Pants Dance
9/22/09 - Posted by Evan Kessler under Because We Feel Like it, Gossip, International Affairs
The current lay of the cultural landscape is littered with several kinds of social media consumers. There are the casual users who are just trying to stay connected, the recreational who find great entertainment value in the frequent status updates and interactive nature of socializing with those you can’t be near, and then there are the wholly self-obsessed who are convinced that their every move is of paramount importance on a global scale and thus worthy of the other two group’s time.
You can count Indonesian film director Joko Anwar as a member of the latter social “me”dia generation. The director of such films as Pintu terlarang and Dead Time, Kala wielded his sword of net arrogance to more or less make convenience mart Circle K a household name for the first time since Bill and Ted traveled through time from a phone booth outside one. Anwar announced via his twitter page that once his followers topped the 3,000 mark, he would be making a rather naked jaunt to the store, assuming of course that 3,000 people wanted to see him naked buying a bottle of iced tea. The director’s challenge predictably proved the unfortunate fact that there are enough people who are more than willing to encourage such self aggrandizing, yet wholly desperate seeming behavior. Within minutes Circle K was trending all over the net and Anwar was over 3,000 followers (way over - he’s currently at 16,000).
It used to be people would do anything for a buck - now it’s just for some digital disciples and a soft drink. Unfortunately, for some Circle K employees, that meant seeing a naked film director.
Behind the scenes video coming soon to YouTube - watch Joko’s Twitter profile for updates!
We Be Countdowning: Talk Like a Pirate Day is Tomorrow
9/18/09 - Posted by Evan Kessler under Because We Feel Like it, International AffairsI don’t care where this ship’s a goin’, my M-16 says we’re headed to the shores of Mogadishu!
Ahoy mateys. Peg Leg Ev’n here, and I be tak’n over the high seas of the OneRiot blog with this here post to let you know that tomorrow, September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. So whether you’re flying on airplane en route to meet up with your old college buddy in Pittsburgh or just taking a stroll in the park with the one you love, don’t forget to throw some Pirate-isms out to your fellow swashbucklers sailin’ along Davy Jones locker of life.
Traditionally, this day has been all about sea shantys, “aaarghs,” eyepatches, and walkin’ the plank, but there are now plenty of new additions to the exciting realm of buccaneer terminology. For a modern day channeling of a marine marauder, just bust out a “I don’t care where this ship’s a goin’, my M-16 says we’re headed to the shores of Mogadishu,” or the ever so caustic, “we demand $3 million in ransom or the French captain gets a bullet to the brain.”
Whether you prefer the old timey yo-ho’s to the new fangled threat of gun violence, it’s all in play tomorrow. So change your Facebook language settings to “Pirate,” perch that Parrot on your shoulder, join an illegal free music website and fire a warning shot across the bows of all of your friends and enemies, because International Talk Like A Pirate Day is the only time everyone truly has an excuse for having a little Cap’n in ‘em.
OneRiot API // Data Visualization Challenge
9/09/09 - Posted by Carmel Hagen under Because We Feel Like it, Featured, Industry, Life at OneRiot
As of Thursday morning, OneRiot will be playing host to a new challenge - one that will answer a question we’ve been itching to address: What does the realtime web look like?
The rules to the challenge are simple: Use OneRiot’s API to create a data visualization of the realtime web, using the stream(s) of info provided within the API to create something awesome, intelligent and intriguing. Winner takes home $1,500, at least 15 minutes of fame, and all the rights to their stellar vizzy (more on that below).
A partial rundown of the challenge details:
The realtime web is rich with signals, and alive with the seeking, sharing and viral spreading of information. OneRiot API partners use these signals to deliver realtime content to the people looking for it - but what does it look like before it reaches them?
In other words - how can we visualize the realtime web?
OneRiot is offering $1,500 to the organization or individual who can deliver the most compelling data visualization of the realtime web. Using OneRiot’s API, participants should seek to creatively and captivatingly communicate the information offered within, allowing viewers to visually experience the (currently) invisible travels of realtime data.
For ideas on how to get started, check out our white paper, our search engine, our current API partner implementations, and our API wiki. All of these places will offer you a good grasp of the data in the OneRiot API, which in turn will help you understand the realtime web, which in turn will help you knock people’s socks off.
Also, if you’re seeking some examples of cool data visualizations, be sure to check out Digg Labs, Joshua Davis, this, this, anything Stamen ever touches (like Digg Labs), or this.
Contest starts now, contest ends in the future (solid deadline coming soon). So get on with it - and if we can help with anything along the way, feel free to shout.
Click here for the official contest page.
Please note that all intellectual property resulting from this challenge will remain with the participants (in less legal terms, that means whatever you create is yours, not ours. Hopefully, you’ll let us brag about it, but that’s entirely up to you.
Kick Palm Pre Users Aces Free of Charge
9/09/09 - Posted by Evan Kessler under Because We Feel Like it, Life & Culture
Killing a few hours on a long commute is an easy thing to do in the era of the iPhone, but the intellectual stimulation and thrill of solitaire, snood, and brick breaker can often be easily matched by a bout of intense fingernail chewing. Well take heed, gloomy touchpad touchers - a more discerning set of smartphone users has discovered Word Ace.
This portable gaming experience pairs intellect with a dash of competition and a sprinkle of gambler’s flair, resulting in victorious thrill or agonizing defeat. Word Ace, the latest addition to Self Aware Games, combines the alphabet-savvy of the scrabble minded with the all-in, bluff-master mentality of a Texas Hold’em tournament. Intrigued? Ante up, ’cause not only is this new game app a sweet new wrinkle on two of our favorite pastimes, but it’s also the the first game that owners of the Pre, iPhone and iPod Touch can play together. Can we get a hallelujah!? And… can we get it free!?!
Merciful kittens… WE CAN!!
You Deserve it, Pink
9/08/09 - Posted by Carmel Hagen under Because We Feel Like it
We saw that “Happy Birthday Pink” was trending, and we got really excited. But then, we found out it wasn’t for our fav friend #ec098d - it was for a pop star.
Whatevs - we’re still going to give props where it’s due. Happy unbirthday, M - you’re one killer color.
xo,
C, Y, K & 
Mass Appeal // Trends and Tragedy
9/04/09 - Posted by Carmel Hagen under Because We Feel Like it, Industry
Alarms are buzzing on the West Coast, the webs are buzzing on the East Coast, and mentions of last night’s scheduled programming are finally fading off of internet trending topics lists. Drowsily, rows of terms made popular by observant, deliberate web users begin to emerge, fueled by the the day’s most pertinent international issues, underground movements and pharmaceutical advances.
No, you say? #chrisbrownsbowtie was trending for TWENTY-NINE hours, you say? His !*#$@ BOWTIE!?, you say?
Sigh.
In all fairness, we saw it coming. People don’t read newspapers, people read People, and with over 50 million of them on the world’s favorite microblogging site, what areas of interest could we really expect those trending topics to represent? Still, those of us with long Twitter histories remember a day when those widgets offered rows things worth the discovering, and though we wouldn’t say they’ve lost their value, we would say they’ve taken on a new one - one that’s just not quite as fun for us old-timers.
Thankfully, there’s a sunny side up to this death waffle, and while it reads like a politician’s crafty on-air response, it is true nonetheless: The good stuff hasn’t gone away; in fact, there’s more of it than ever before– it’s just hidden right now.
Trending topics lists (including ours), are currently restricted by a few limiting factors:
1) Filtering capabilities: These lists aren’t designed to filter for microtrends, just the big stuff.
2) Demand: Sites that use these lists aim to maximize the list’s user value, so it’s not within a site’s best interest to serve up anything other than what the majority of people are interested in.
3) The Jonas Brothers
Last Leg of Summer: A Labor Day Weekend To-Do List
9/04/09 - Posted by Evan Kessler under Because We Feel Like it
Labor Day Weekend may not mark the official end of summer, but it does account for the mental demise of all of our sunshine daydreams. Before your beach bum bubble is burst by the ides of autumn, you best make sure you’ve gotten all of your summer requirements out of the way. Here are a few things to accomplish this final weekend before your thoughts turn to foliage, football, and full Fridays at the office.
Turn the Heat Up: If you’ve yet to embrace summer lovin’, you’ll have no great stories to tell the T-Birds and Pink Ladies upon your return. Get a move on this weekend by heading to your local pickup spot, whether it be a bar, lounge, mall, or medieval times parking lot and get your woo on. When your Friday thru Monday fling is over, sing a song about it. You’ll feel better about your potential love dumping you in favor of a 4 month relationship with their respective fantasy football team. (more…)
Cypher13 is CMYOK!
8/25/09 - Posted by Carmel Hagen under Because We Feel Like it, Life & Culture, Life at OneRiotOur friends at Cypher13 have been doing some really exciting stuff. A huge mural, a very wise, very long-titled responsibility in design manifesto, some magical Twittery thing called RiotFeeds - we couldn’t be prouder of the guys that brought hot pink (ahem - magenta) to OneRiot. Take a look!
Buddy Up