Random Bloggeriness . . .

Some random non-sport related thoughts (this hasn't become a sports blog, just seems like it), for no reason in particular presented as bullet points.

• Yes, I'd hit that (pardon the vulgarity, but that would seem to be the consensus amongst straight males when confronted with the photos in question).
• So Iran stopped actively pursuing a nuclear weapons program around the same time we invaded Iraq, but those on the left are insistent that it was European finger wagging and tut-tutting that lead to the Iranian reversal and not US military might. A mostly infuriating discussion on the matter can be heard on this edition of To the Point, Victor Davis Hanson can be heard briefly, while a slightly more fleshed out version of his thoughts can be found on his website. The host of To the Point, Warren Olney, likes to pretend to be unbiased, but conservative commenters tend to get short shrift and the received wisdom of liberal MSM-land rarely challenged and is often presented as accepted facts, even when the 'facts' aren't facts. How Hanson is handled in the linked program is one example if you pay attention.
• Surfers are crazy, though once every few decades high surf in the area is an awe inspiring sight.
• The Futurama direct to DVD film, Bender's Big Score (really 4 episodes strung together to be shown on Comedy Central next year) is a huge disappointment. Call backs in TV shows are a time honored tradition and are, in moderation, a way of rewarding fans. But when you construct an entire 4 episode story arc that amounts to one call back after another, it feels like a clip show rather than new material. Rather than rewarding longtime fans, you're just boring them with stuff they already know. Also, I hate, hate, hate time travel as a story hook. It's always a bad idea.
• I was in a Best Buy in the morning and they just received a shipment of Wiis when I walked in, the rush to pick them up was impressive and shocking. It's the 'hot' present again this Christmas despite being out for better than a year. Who knew "fun" beats "graphics" as a selling point for a gaming console (and a lower price helps). I blame Nuts and their topless birds playing Wii clips (a safe for work Gizmodo link to the NSFW clips at the link).
• I upgraded my phone and got one of those silly bluetooth headsets in anticipation of the new Hands-Free mandate for CA drivers that goes into effect next year (the law doesn't go into effect till July 2008) so I might as well get used to looking like a total douchebag. I pledge here to not yell loudly into my headset while walking through the supermarket, or sitting next to you in a restaurant, or while waiting to order at a coffeehouse, or while using a urinal. All bets are off if I find myself near Larry David, I'd pretend to have a loud and bizarre conversation just to see if he'd really do what he did on his show.
• Are you making a list for Festivus, and are you checking it twice?

More British Birds Without Much Clothing On . . .

. . . this time it's in the form of a little game.

Daily Mail had an article written by an improbably named woman who used to edit Esquire (Rosie Boycott), and she was complaining that the depiction of scantily (or completely unclad) clad women in the current generation of "Lads' Mags" was more demeaning and reinforcing of inequality between the sexes than her more tasteful and equality affirming depictions of hot women with little covering. Her article doesn't just attack the mags, though, she's also critical of young women for willingly exploiting themselves, and confusing freedom with sluttiness (or is that sluttiness with freedom?).

I'm not going to argue the merits of her argument, I'll just link to it. Reading the article I noticed that one of the most popular (and raunchy) of the "Lads Mags" NUTS, has just started a TV channel. They also have a website at Nuts.tv.

There's a variety of video and content aimed at the young male Brit audience. They've got lots of discussion regarding "footie", some stuff about "gear", and of course, plenty of young women, plenty uncovered.

Speaking of largely uncovered women, this series of videos featuring two well endowed women playing Wii topless is fascinating. There are four (NSFW) videos (part 1, 2, 3, 4), in each you are supposed to guess which sport they are playing on the Wii. It's not too hard to figure out. Wii Sports is the pack-in game with the Wii console and has five sports represented. You can figure out four of them by watching the videos (or just follow the wiki link), but there are only four videos in this Nuts series. I guess they figured their audience wouldn't be interested in watching these two young women play baseball (even topless). Damn provincial of them, don't they know they might attract audience over the web from baseball lovers as well?

This is 'tease' rather than porn. Still rather juvenille, and silly, but it definitely has its place within the media landscape.

Also, to rate the titillation factor of each game, I'd rank boxing lowest as the guard position limits the view, and I'd rank golf the highest, as the ready position for a golf swing (at least as performed by the women in the video) is pleasingly provocative.

Another thing, the popularity and link love sites like Daily Mail and Nuts gets outside of their home market presents a challenge to marketers. The adverts (since we're talking UK, I'll use the UK word for ads) are still aimed at the UK market, even though I'm linking from a USA based ISP. If they want to leverage their non-home market traffic, they need to find a way to serve ads that reflect the home market of the viewer, rather than the content provider. The technology is there, and because of the frequent Drudge links, the US traffic for Daily Mail is high, so US based advertisers would be smart to send some dollars Daily Mail's way.

There's a big revenue stream just waiting to be exploited.