New Big Ten Logo - Worst Logo Change Ever?

When is the last time a corporation or other entity made a good choice when changing their logo? It's been quite some time...

The Big Ten Conference in college football is the latest entity to come up with a new logo which stinks on ice. It's so terrible that it looks like a high school graphic arts student designed it in 2 minutes, while under the influence of salvia.

Earlier this year, the geniuses at Gap attempted to bestow a new logo upon their brand only to fail miserably. The new logo was so poorly received that Gap supporters took to Facebook and other social networks to state their displeasure. A mutiny was underway and the suits at Gap realized the new logo wasn't just pathetic, it was an atrocity of mythical proportions. Within a week they went back to the old logo.

Already, college football fans and BigTen supporters are destroying the abominable new Big Ten logo. One has to wonder what their marketing department is inhaling over there. Just what is the point of having a "1" in place of the "I" in the logo? To quote the Double Rainbow guy, "What does this mean?" While there had to be some sort of logo adjustment or change due to Nebraska joining the Big Ten (thus making it 12 teams) this was a horrendous choice. Why not just modify the existing logo so it has a "12" integrated into it, rather than an "11?"

The Big Ten's failed new logo is the latest example of just how out of touch the suits are in corporate America. They think they know more than the public because they went to Ivy League institutions or they have a masters in Marketing or Business Administration. 

The reality is many of these suits are out of touch with the public. The public hates change. When you have a logo that works, stick with it. People in America are fickle and like to be comfortable with something they've grown to like and trust.

Don't be surprised if the geniuses in the marketing department for the Big Ten Conference come to their senses in a week, much like the braintrust at Gap did.

A Review of Steven Johnson’s Total Traffic Annihilation

If you’re looking for an in-depth treatment of free traffic generation methods then you should invest in Total Traffic Annihilation.  I recently had the opportunity to enjoy a preview of this course, and the eBook alone makes it worth your while—it contained 114 pages of focused, step-by-step methods that were presented as a total marketing plan.

I especially enjoyed the sections on blog comment marketing and forum marketing.  These sections really helped me understand the right way to use those tools and the strength of what they have to offer.  I’d avoided them in the past, feeling as though they were somewhat artificial, but Total Traffic Annihilation showed me they did not have to be.

While I’m not certain all 28 of the strategies presented in the eBook are good fits for my business I was impressed to have so many options to choose from.  Every one of the options was covered in a clear, understandable way that will make them easy for me to implement in the future.

The new software package also offers some exciting applications.  For example, it allows me to specify RSS feeds to pull content from.  It then automatically uses this content to create posts in the categories I specify.  I enjoy having a way to comb through article directories for this freely available content.  It even allows me to create a site that appears to have been around for awhile through the clever use of back-dating.  My site doesn’t look at all automated as a result, which I appreciate given most people’s opinions of automated blogs.

That’s not to say the course is perfect.  I found some of the information duplicated things I have tried and found ineffective in the past, such as submitting to directories like DMOZ.  I would have liked to have seen some more in-depth troubleshooting in this area because I’ve simply never found success there.  It may simply have been that my sites were a poor fit for the directories or because I was impatient.

All in all, however, I would happily recommend this course.  It should be especially helpful to anybody who has struggled with getting enough website traffic.  After all, no traffic means no sales, making this course the potential investment of a lifetime.

Click banner below to get your copy.

Hollywood legend Tony Curtis dies aged 85

US actor Tony Curtis, who appeared in Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot" alongside Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon, has died at his home in Nevada aged 85.

By News Wires (text)
Clément MASSE (video)

Which of Tony Curtis’s films, characters and cues moved you most? Reply to this post with your thoughts and impressions.


REUTERS - Tony Curtis, whose good looks made him a Hollywood star well before he became an accomplished actor in movies such as "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Some Like It Hot," died at his home in Nevada, ABC News reported on Thursday. He was 85.




Kid From The Bronx. A Biography Of Tony Curtis,

Curtis, one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1950s and one of Hollywood's busiest playboys during that time, died in bed at midnight in Henderson, Nevada, ABC said, citing his business manager and family spokesman, Preston Ahearn.

Curtis had a memorable role in the classic gladiator movie "Spartacus" in 1960 and received an Academy Award nominee for 1958's "The Defiant Ones" but his career got off to a rough start. His first starring role was in "The Prince Who Was a Thief" in 1951 and critics were appalled as Curtis, playing an Arabian prince, proclaimed in a thick New York accent, "Yonduh lies de castle of de caliph, my fadder!"

Still, Universal Pictures' star-making machinery and teen fan magazines managed to make Curtis a celebrity and movie-goers loved his dark-haired sex appeal and impish grin.

Within a few years, Curtis had improved enough for Saturday Review magazine to call him "a rare phenomenon, an authentic screen personality who, through hard work, has made himself into an actor of considerable subtlety and some breadth."

Two of his most enduring performances came in "Some Like It Hot" as he teamed with Jack Lemmon -- playing cross-dressers opposite Marilyn Monroe -- and "The Sweet Smell of Success," in which which he played a fawning press agent.

His Oscar nomination came for the 1959 film "The Defiant Ones," in which he played racist escaped con chained to Sidney Poitier. Other notable films included "Houdini," "Trapeze," "Operation Petticoat," "The Boston Strangler," "The Vikings" and "The Great Imposter."

Curtis made more than 140 films, mixing comedies with dramas, but part of his life was plagued by poor movies and struggles with cocaine and alcohol.


Tony Curtis. The Man & His Movies,



Powers Collectibles Curtis Tony Curtis Tony



Brooklyn born

Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in New York to poor Hungarian immigrants on June 3, 1925. He quit school to join the Navy in World War Two, serving on a submarine tender, and pursued acting after his discharge.

Curtis was known to be demanding at the height of his stardom and television producer Lew Gallo called him "an impetuous child."

As fascinating to fans as his performances was Curtis' private life. He was an inveterate womanizer whose girlfriends included Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. He was married six times, starting with actress Janet Leigh in a union he later admitted was partially motivated by publicity value. After divorcing Leigh, he married Christine Kaufman, who was 17 when they met while filming "Taras Bulba."


Curtis was once quoted as saying, "I wouldn't be seen dead with a woman old enough to be my wife." His sixth wife, Jill Vandenberg, was 45 years younger than Curtis.



Curtis' children included actress Jamie Lee Curtis, who was estranged from him for much of his life, and he admitted he was a failure as a father.

As his acting career waned, Curtis concentrated on painting and in 1989 he sold more than $1 million worth of his art in the first day of a Los Angeles exhibition.

"Painting is more meaningful to me than any performance I've ever given," he told an interviewer.

Curtis eventually moved to Las Vegas. In 1989, he released an exercise videotape for people past age 50.

He operated the Shiloh Horse Rescue and Sanctuary, a refuge for horses that were abandoned or abused, on the California-Nevada border with wife Jill.

Source: www.france24.com

         

Nokia N8 vs iPhone 4

By: Peter Chubb

Nokia has great expectations of their N8 smartphone device, but how does it truly compare to the likes of the Apple iPhone 4 – or other smartphones? The Nokia N8 has still not been released to the market yet, but from what we can tell there are a few problems.

There are certainly some great features that will help the N8 stand out, but are they enough to challenge the iPhone 4? An article written by Surojit Chatterjee on MSNBC aims to find out. (See below.)

There seems to be five main issues with Nokia’s upcoming handset, these are as follows: weak processor, low memory, Symbian OS, internal battery and finally its price.

The 680MHz processor will not cut it in today’s age, most smartphones now run a 1GHz chip, the upcoming Droid 2 R2D2 Edition is rumored to come with a 1.25GHz processor – almost double that of the N8.

The two biggest issues I believe are the mobile OS, and its price. There were rumors that Nokia were considering a move to Windows Phone 7, and although there is no evidence of this – it does show the failings of Symbian. The $549 price tag could be the deciding factor on how well the N8 does, but with cheaper Android handsets on the market – things do not look that great.

Source: www.product-reviews.net

5 Reasons Nokia's N8 Won't Beat the iPhone 4

The new smartphone may help boost Nokia's market share, but will it move the company to the top of the heap? 

Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and is perhaps the best smartphone the Finnish mobile phone maker has launched yet. Its powerful camera features, Symbian 3 OS, and huge storage capacity (up to 48GB via a MicroSD card slot) are certain to attract early adopters. But can it be a threat to Apple's iPhone 4?

Analysts don't think so. Though the N8 is "a clear improvement" over previous Nokia offerings, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi believes that the N8 won't wipe the floor with the competition.

According to independent technology analyst Per Lindberg, the N8 is "certainly a step in the right direction (as) it's much more multimedia" than previous Nokia smartphones, but "whether it will move Nokia's market share upwards is more debatable."

Ovum's Tony Cripps also thinks the N8 is far from being industry changing: "I don't think Nokia would position the N8 as a revolutionary device."

There are five reasons the N8 won't be able to beat the iPhone 4 or the latest smartphones from rivals such as Motorola, HTC, or Samsung.

1. Weak processor.  

Nokia claims the N8 has a "lightning-fast processor" and is capable of rendering graphics and playing videos and games "smoother and faster" than previous Nokia smartphones.

Technically, Nokia is right, because its last smartphone, the N97, ran on a 434MHz processor, while the N8 runs at 680MHz. However, to call the N8's processor "lightning-fast" is a misnomer. The iPhone 4, HTC's Evo 4G, Motorola's Droid 2, and Samsung's Galaxy S all run on a more powerful 1GHz processor. Comparing the N8 processor to these models is like comparing an Oldsmobile to a Lamborghini.

2. Low memory.

For a top-end smartphone, the N8 has a low memory capacity. The device has only 256MB of SDRAM, while its high-end rivals boast twice as much. If you run too many applications at once, the N8 will quickly succumb to the pressure.

3. Symbian OS.

Although Symbian OS is N8's strength, it is also its biggest weakness.

According to Gartner, even though Symbian OS will have controlled 40.1% of the smartphone market in 2010, it will witness a sharp drop to 30.2% by 2014. The only OS expected to gain ground over the period is Google's Android platform, whose market share will surge from 17.7% in 2010 to 29.6% in 2014. But even Research In Motion, Apple, and Microsoft are expected to lose less OS share than Nokia will.

According to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood, Nokia's new smartphones were "critical" in the fight to grab market share, but the Symbian software, despite refinements aimed at making it easier for developers to write apps for the phones, was "not positioned to challenge the iPhone."

"Nobody doubts Nokia's credentials. It has the market share but has lost the mindshare," Wood said. "Nokia, along with all the other mobile manufacturers, has been wrong footed by Apple and Google, and it will be a tough road to recovery."

There's nothing to set Symbian apart from its competition, and that's contributing to its sharp decline. Symbian devices are also unable to update beyond the core system software with which they shipped. Updates are an essential part of how smartphones work -- not only to offer bug fixes, but also to introduce new features and develop brand equity and loyal users. Android, BlackBerry OS, and Apple's iOS all offer upgrade paths beyond core system updates. For instance, users of the two-year-old 3G iPhone can upgrade their device from iOS 2.0 to iOS 4.1. Likewise, anyone who got a Motorola Droid last year can switch from Android 2.0 to Android 2.2. But Nokia has historically not supported a commercial upgrade path for older Symbian-based devices.

4. Internal battery.

Like the iPhone, the N8's battery is sealed inside the unit. Nokia has recommended that N8 users not try replacing the battery. "It can easily be replaced at a Nokia service center," the company said in a blog post.

5. Price.

The N8 will cost $549 in the United States. Meanwhile, you can get a 32GB iPhone 4 for $299 by signing a two-year contract with AT&T. Other top-end smartphones -- including the BlackBerry Torch 9800, Droid 2, Evo 4G, and Samsung Galaxy S -- are available at subsidized prices between $149 and $249 when you sign with a provider.

Not surprisingly, some observers believe that Nokia's insistence on selling its devices unsubsidized and without operator input represents arrogance on the company's part that has become its pitfall.

Conclusion  
The N8 is no iPhone killer. It may also have a hard time competing with other leading smartphones. But analysts suggest that the N8 represents a good start from a company that's always struggled in the high-margin smartphone segment and could herald the start of a good fight toward smartphone leadership.

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

 

Lindsay Lohan in Jail!

Interventionist: Solitary Celebrity Confinement Not Good for Recovery

"Big Mistake" to Let Her Keep Taking Prescription Meds

(CBS) Can jail time help Lindsay Lohan get her life back on track?

The star has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for probation violations from a 2007 drug case.

• 

  (AP Photo/David McNew, Pool)

But could everything change for the actress behind bars?

Brad Lamm, a board-registered interventionist and the author of "How to Change Someone You Love," says the jail time is an intervention "of sorts."

"I love that, in terms of interrupting the behavior of the drugs," he said. "Whatever nonsense is going on in her life, it's a great way to get in there. At least the judge is acting like an adult in the room. It seems like there's not a lot of those people in her life."

However, Lohan may continue to take doctor-prescribed drugs in jail.

According to her probation report, she's currently taking five powerful medications, including Adderall, Dilaudid and Zoloft.

Lindsay Lohan's father, Michael Lohan, said on "The Early Show" prescription medications are his daughter's very problem.

He told co-anchor Erica Hill this week, "So many doctors have prescribed her so many different things that she never was on and never needed and now she's on them. I couldn't tell you all the names, but Adderall, for one. Adderall is nothing but methamphetamine. For anyone that knows the pharmaceutical business or knows what kids are into these days, adderall is taking over society. It's supposed to an focus medication, but it's speed. And it's polluting society and our teenagers and kids."

Lamm told "Early Show" co-anchor Chris Wragge prescription addiction is the fastest-growing addiction problem in America.

Lamm says letting Lohan keep taking these medications is a "big mistake." He said some of the drugs prescribed to Lohan have high potential for abuse.

Lamm said he'd like to have seen Lohan in jail yesterday or today.

"Sometimes that last window of opportunity is a chance to go blow it out big time before you go in and do your time," he said. "That's my concern, too, is that she'll just view it as doing time instead of taking care of herself and separating herself from the problems that are hurting her."

Lohan will also be held in solitary confinement. And Lamm says that's the best thing for the star's recovery.

"Addiction is a problem of isolation and loneliness," he said. "Hopefully, there are some voices in her life that matter that are trying to help her in some way. And I think love is the best motivator for change if people can get in there and help her in some way, some fashion. The trouble with addiction though, there's so much collateral damage with it. She comes into all her relationships with a deficit, overdrawn trust bank account. So, lots of damaging relationships. Sometimes it's hard to get those folks to even speak up."

Lamm says support from friends and family is important. However, Wragge pointed out, Lohan's family and friends may not be the best people for providing support.

Lamm replied, "I'll tell you, the families I work with -- mine included -- on the outside look like the perfect, all-American families. Their family has played out in the headlines and on TV, but every family has a story. Every family has dysfunction. In that, they can find a loving way to help someone if they can put their personalities to the side."

He added, "I challenge everybody not to give up on the loved one who's addicted. At the end of your rope, there's hope ... We can help someone we love get help."

Source: cbsnews.com

Lindsay Lohan Buy and sell [Lindsay Lohan] at great prices.

Tennis Girl photographer dies after cancer battle

The photographer behind the famous 'Tennis Girl' photo of the 1970s, Martin Elliott, has died. He was 63.

Martin Elliott died last week after a 10-year battle with cancer, reports the Western Morning News.

Cornwall-based journalist Jeff Reines, who reported Martin's death, told Amateur Photographer that the photographer's widow, Noelle, is preparing to issue a formal statement on her husband's death in the next few days.

Speaking to Amateur Photographer in 2007, Martin - who lived in Truro, Cornwall - explained how he captured the Tennis Girl photo on a tennis court at Birmingham University in the summer of 1976 – using a Nikon camera and Kodak film.

The image attained iconic status when it was made into an Athena poster.

Though Martin did well from the photo he said it harmed his career for a while.

'I didn't want to come to London and companies in the Midlands thought I would be too expensive to hire, even though I wasn't,' he said.

The girl in the photo was the photographer's then girlfriend, Fiona Butler, though many others later claimed to be the girl pictured, according to Martin.

Commenting on the photo in 2007, Martin told us: 'Technically, it's a good picture, but I had the luck of the Devil with the way it turned out. I was very pleased with the shot and offered it to Athena - who turned it down. So I took it to a picture library, and gave them strict instructions that it shouldn't be used as a poster. '

A week or so later the library called me, apologising that they had sold it as a poster with a calendar printed on it - and to Athena. The deal was only for a year, but Athena printed the poster again the next year with the next year's date on it. They had already printed a warehouse full, but they didn't have the rights. I had them over a barrel and was able to demand 10% royalties - which I got.

'That original contract, for the first year, only paid £130, which I had to split with the library, but even the next year I didn't trust the company to pay me properly. An ex-employee told me that Athena hated paying royalties! '

Athena never owned the picture, though plenty of people still associate the company with it, so I still own it completely. It is still in demand too. I get at least one call a week about usage. In the summer, and during Wimbledon, I get a lot more. '

It is strange how famous the picture has become - far more famous than me - and now it is one of the most reproduced photographs in the world.'

Source www.amateurphotographer.co.uk