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Showing posts from June, 2008

The Web Isn't Flat Anymore

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Spending time on the Internet is often like reading a book. You visit one page, click a link and the page quickly turns to the next. Today the temperature reaches 451 as Apture , a new content-sharing program, is blazing the Internet. Instead of displaying content as external pages, the program allows content producers to display pages internally (see example image below). The program is similar to a Snapshots, which is changing the way information is displayed online. (Highlights of Apture, courtesy of Apture, Inc.)

Jack's Back

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( Jack Nicholson by Tiner)

Web 2.0: The Bridge of Life

The joy of life comes from connecting other humans by building bridges to their lives. The construction occurs in many shapes and magnitudes. Sometimes it is in the form of a handshake, phone call or simply a smile. Our electronic age allows bridges to be exponentially constructed, viewed and traveled. The overall length and size of our bridge is no longer limited to the tangible realm. Distances are eroded. Our joys are shared via email, blogs, vlogs, podcasts and personal profiles. We have constructed a hyper reality that is constantly connecting the world. Our horizons are limited to our imaginations as our passions, joys and stories construct the bridge of life.

Kick Your Own Bucket.

Looking to break the ice? Have a moment of reflection? ...Or are you simply bored? ...Why not create a Bucket List? I recently watched The Bucket List and enjoyed how the movie's elderly characters lived out their wildest fantasies, before their inevitable death. Yes, it would be ideal to live past your 80s, have 2.5 children, pay off a 30-year mortgage, retire and then live out your wildest dreams before you pass away. ...But is this really the meaning of life? After my brother passed away at a young age, I realized that our time here on earth is limited. Death is inevitable. ...If you are in you are in your teens or in your late 80s, our time is precious and something we can never earn back. Why do we need to live until our 80s to create a bucket list? ...Why not keep a rolling one? ...This way our life stays fresh. I believe keeping a rolling bucket list is similar to the phenomenon of The Secret , where you write down your goals, visualize them and consequently work hard to ac

International Exposure: 2008 Alma Surf Festival

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(Southern California (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) Ola! I'm excited this Southern California photograph was juried into the 2008 Alma Surf Festival in São Paulo, Brazil. Last year over 30,000 attendees caught one of the world's largest surf art events. The photograph will be exhibited during the festival from July 9-12.

A Branding Cacophony?

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( LL Cool J by Tiner) In an effort to increase sales and appeal to a larger target audience, Sears has partnered with MTV to co-market the The American Mall. On August 11, children will have the option to wear clothing that appears in the musical, which was filmed in an actual Sears in Utah. Harmonic note for Sears, considering the stock is down 55% for the year and is labeled one of the year's worst managed companies by 24/7 Wall St . Why not partner with a cool company? After all, MTV is the same network behind Laguna Beach , The Hills , Life of Ryan and Rob and Big . But, can you imagine any of these characters or their core audience shopping at Sears? I mean, how " cool " is Sears? ... Then again, The American Mall's co-marketing will move MTV to a larger demographic. ....But how far to the periphery should a company move to attract an audience? ...Why not focus on its primary consumer and risk diluting its brand equity? Maybe MTV heard that the new "L

Viva El Fútbol!

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(Spanish Flag by Tiner ) I look forward to tomorrow's UEFA Euro Cup Final.

Coco Rocha

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(Coco Rocha by Tiner).

Change

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( Change (Santa Barbara, CA)) ( Change (Santa Barbara, CA)) ( Change (Santa Barbara, CA)) Republican or Democrat. Hybrid or SUV. Liberal or Conservative. As America enters the final stretch of the 2008 Presidential Election, it's time we start building bridges. No matter who wins the election, we have to acknowledge that we are no longer the supreme global hegemony. Our neighbors are dependent upon the same natural resources and also influence our economy, the global economy. We should embrace change and realize that working together will ignite fire to blaze new trails towards hope and prosperity. "We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change" (Will.I.Am).

Leone Barezzi's 2008 Fashion Show

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( Youtube Movie Featuring Highlights from Barezzi's 2008 show) Yesterday, Leone Barezzi debuted his 2008 fashion line at The Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara, CA. The event was held on top of the hotel's scenic rooftop that overlooks downtown Santa Barbara. Barezzi unveiled his new line featuring evening gowns, cocktail dresses, swimsuits and men's attire. Overall, the crowd really enjoyed Barezzi's couture designs and his use of fuchsias, soft greens and signature black and white colors. One of my artworks was auctioned off at the event's silent auction with proceeds benefiting breast cancer research. ( Barezzi with his portrait ) (Tiner & Barezzi with his portrait ) A special thanks to Berezzi and The Canary Hotel for an enjoyable evening.

Simply...

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(Harry Potter , portrait by Tiner). Simply said, our world is an interesting place. According to the 2007 Human Development Report , 40% of the earth's population or 2.6 billion people live on less than two dollars a day. Yet in America, we complain about the price of gasoline as it approaches $5 a gallon. ...However, in Europe it costs approximately $8-9 a gallon and in Venezuela gas is only 12 cents a gallon. No, that's not a typo. Last month, a 800 word prequel to Harry Potter auctioned for over $48,000 USD. That's over $60 a word. Each word of the manuscript is valued at 12 gallons of gas in America, 500 gallons of gas in Venezuela or enough to assist a person in a developing nation for one month.

Nana Ichikawa

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(Nana Ichikawa , portrait by Tiner).

A Tribute: George Carlin

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(George Carlin (1937-2008) , portrait by Tiner).

"...because doing something the wrong way, always opens doors"

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(Andy Warhol, portrait by Tiner). Warhol once remarked,"doing something the wrong way, always opens doors." From questioning the meaning of art to exploring various media, Warhol enjoyed challenging tradition. In less then one month, I'm going to have an exhibit at the LA Mart . I've taken a complete 180 from displaying my coastal imagery and plan on exhibiting something fresh, unique and original that has never been publicly displayed ...because "doing something the wrong way, always opens doors."

US Open of Surfing

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( Surf City (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) This weekend, I was invited to display my artwork (July 24-27) at the world's largest surf contest, The US Open of Surfing . Last year, over 400,000 spectators visited Huntington Beach, CA for the event. I will exhibit my art and also sell prints. Additionally, I was asked to create a special surfboard for the event, which will be auctioned off for charity. I look forward to sharing images of the board soon.

Fresh Start to Summer

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(Quintessential Sunset (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) A special thanks to Craig Conelle, K'ya's executive chef, for serving up a fresh start to Summer '08.

Tiger Woods

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(Tiger Woods, portrait by Tiner). Congratulations to Tiger for his athletic accomplishments , but most importantly for encouraging others to give back . He truly reminds us that life is "much more than then silver and gold" (Marley) . I wish him a speedy recovery.

A Necessity For All?

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(The $2,500 car by Tiner). Earlier this year, India's Tata Motors unveiled its $2,500 USD car . Ideally, providing cars to tens of millions who could not afford them otherwise, sounds like a good idea. But can you imagine, when these inexpensive cars start rolling through the streets? How much is this going to accelerate the price of gasoline? Let alone, increase global warming? Currently in India only 8 in 1,000 people own a car. In China, it's 20 in 1,000 (in the United States it's 450 per 1,000) . Both China and India have a population over 1 Billion. As part of the world is innovating and encouraging Go Green initiatives, the consumption ball keeps bouncing in other parts. Is this a battle that we will ever win?

Ono & Lennon

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(Yoko Ono & John Lennon, portrait by Tiner).

Seda Ertan

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(Seda Ertan, portrait by Tiner).

Heather Marks

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(Heather Marks, portrait by Tiner).

Collectors (not comprehensive):

Kobe Bryant , Professional Basketball Player Pete Carroll , USC Football Coach Greg Macgillivray , IMAX Filmmaker Rick Irons , Editor of Surfer Magazine Bob McKnight , CEO of Quiksilver Perez Hilton , Entertainment Blogger Fred Patacchia , Professional Surfer Jeff Moore, Vans Marketing Director Tom Carroll , Professional Surfer Kornelius Schorle, Professional Photographer Tom Holbrook, Executive VP of Quiksilver William Hunt, Retired Professional MLB player Pete Mel, Professional Surfer Barrett Hazeltine , Dean of Brown University Chris Berman , ESPN Commentator Anthony Tashnick, Professional Surfer David Ortiz, Entrepreneur Chase Johnson, Lead Singer of Open Air Stereo G. Ray Kerciu, Professional Artist Ruth Simmons , President of Brown University Diana Pouliot , Director of Google's Mobile Advertising Soul Cole , KLAS Radio DJ Becky Ebemkamp , West Coast Bureau Chief of Brandweek Magazine

Vlada Roslyakova

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(Vlada Roslyakava, portrait by Tiner).

How far can we stretch our wallets?

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(Burger King, satirical portrait by Tiner). How far can we stretch our wallets? For an industry founded on convenience, Burger King’s recent brand extension reminds us of America’s current epidemic. …And no we are not discussing $5 a gallon of gasoline . According to the June 23, 2008 issue of Time Magazine , 2/3 of Americans are overweight. Simply said, America is a super-sized nation. Do we really need Burger King's branded greeting cards? Well with Hallmark, Evite and countless other card companies. I argue no. ...Then again, maybe 66% of Americans will argue, yes.

A Tribute: Walter Annenberg

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(Walter Annenberg (1908-2002), portrait by Tiner).

Fidel: Reflection of the Times

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(Fidel Castro, portrait by Tiner). Yesterday, The European Union lifted sanctions off Cuba. ...Just in time for the winning team of The Euro Cup to celebrate with quality stogies.

Anna Geyer

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(Anna Geyer, portrait by Tiner). Congrats to fellow Trojan, Anna Geyer for her professional accomplishments . Fight On!

Going Sideways? ...STOP!

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(Jeff Bezos, portrait by Tiner). Mark Twain once wrote , "the experience of life (not of books) is the only capital usable in such a book." There are many obstacles to publishing a book. You have to convince a literary house or agent that your book is worth reading, publishing and most importantly marketable. Remember Sideways ? The barriers to publishing are now easier. ...In fact, they are leveled. In the same way that Itunes and Youtube rocked the music and movie industries, Jeff Bezos is editing the typos out of the literary world. Thanks to Kindle and the Digital Text Platform , anyone can publish a book (well at least an electronic version) . But who cares, if it is only electronic? We live in a Go-Green era after all, right? Bezos' Digital Text Platform edits the publishing house out of the final draft. The proceeds are split between Amazon and the author. Who needs the middle man anymore? ...Publishing houses will still exist, but for first time auth

In Memoriam: Tim Russert

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(Tim Russert (1950-2008), portrait by Tiner).

Viva La Musica!

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(Coldplay, portrait by Tiner). Viva La Musica! Viva La Coldplay! With the music industry ailing in Web 2.0, Coldplay is the new harmonic elixir. The release of their latest CD, Viva La Vida , highlights the importance of integrating free content with new product distribution. The band strategically allowed fans to sample new songs on their website and then provided radio stations with the entire album. This all happened before the CD was released for purchase. What? Give away your product before the release date? This idea may even cause Ms. Jackson to have a wardrobe malfunction. However instead of being exposed, Coldplay sold over 300,000 Units on its release date and even surpassed Jack Johnson's record on Itunes for most songs downloaded in a single day. You mean people are willing to pay for content, after it is provided for free? I'm sorry, Ms. Jackson, but times have changed. Coldplay's distribution model highlights the importance of creating buzz via free content

Julie Mintz

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(Julie Mintz, portrait by Tiner).

Dave Winer: Forward-Thinking

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( Dave Winer , portrait by Tiner). From pioneering the development of weblogs, syndication (RSS), podcasting, outlining, and web content management software, Dave Winer is always forward-thinking.

Hillary's New Pastime

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(Hillary Clinton, satirical portrait by Tiner). ...Cards? ...Vegas? ...Cribbage? With 20.88 million USD in campaign debt, Clinton's summer vacation plans have changed. My suggestion, put it on black.

Bar Refaeli

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(Bar Refaeli, portrait by Tiner).

Welcome to a Fresher Space

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(Tom Anderson, portrait by Tiner). Today, Myspace received a face lift. Say goodbye to the site's wrinkles and hello to a younger, fresher space. After 6 months of programming and preparation, the first phase of the redesign is revealed today. The new look involves changes to the home page, navigation scheme, search engine and video player. Strategically, the new layout makes the site easier to navigate and even more competitive with the website's closest competitor, Facebook .

Thank you.

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(Alexa's current ranking of this blog) " I am a deeply superficial person. " -Andy Warhol Thank You! I'm excited that this blog's ranking continues to increase. I look forward to sharing more. Cheers.

Agyness Deyn

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(Agyness Deyn, portrait by Tiner).

Valentina Zeliaeva

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(Valentina Zeliaeva, stylized portrait by Tiner).</a

Sasha Pivorova

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(Sasha Pivorova, stylized portrait by Tiner).</a

Are these Guys for Real?

If you spend time on Youtube, you may have stumbled upon the "My Sex Dreams" video series. Immediately, you may be thinking . ..Hot girls? Sex? Sweet! or ...How does Youtube allow porn on its website? Well, first of all it's not porn. If you have the patience to sit through a movie (and some have over a million of views), you'll discover that it's two average guys bragging about how good they are at World of Warcraft ( WOW ), a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with over 10 million subscribers. The commentator's swearing and bizarre antics illustrate some of Gen-Y's desire for stimuli and self-gratification. The movie series provides the voice that rests within the average WOW player. But do the series' million views convert to traffic on the promoted website, randyrun.com? ...Not so much. According to www.compete.com , randyrun.com only averaged a little over 1-thousand people last month or approximately a .001 conversion rate

Thank You Playboy

A special thank you to Playboy's art department for the compliment regarding my portrait series . I appreciate the kudos. Cheers.

Anne Vyalitsyna

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(Anne Vyalitsyna, stylized portrait by Tiner).

The Presidential "Cool" Factor

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(The Future American President, stylized portrait by Tiner). Just how "cool" is John McCain? Well, lets take a look. He has over 55 thousand Myspace friends. Yes, that's kinda cool ...but Obama has over 390 thousand. Okay, so this is not a popularity contest. Well, lets take a look at his website. Today, McCain is offering a Father's Day Golf Pack , if you donate $50 dollars. ...First of all, I thought Father's Day was yesterday? And, I'm sure Dad would really "impress" his friends with a shiny new set of golf balls. How many people that McCain is promising to "help," actually golf? ...If he is promising to help Americans with lower gas prices, I'm sure these same people really enjoying driving to golf course and using their disposable income to play. Wouldn't you rather give your Dad a cool piece of art ? Thanks Obama. It must be cool, since it's sold out. Okay, so McCain joined the Go Green bandwagon and is offering 20 ec

Heather Hahn

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(Heather Hahn, stylized portrait by Tiner).

And You Thought Gasoline Is Expensive?!?!

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( Big Brother , Portrait by Tiner). Yes, gasoline will probably reach $5 USD a gallon this summer. Shocking? Yes, considering it was only around $1 USD a gallon six years ago. Ah, the good old days, when $20 would fill up your SUV and you would still have change for a Double Double, lotto ticket or a cold one. If you think gasoline prices are overvalued, then you will be shocked by the value of Web 2.0 entities, in particular Facebook applications. According to Adonomics , a website that assigns monetary value to Facebook applications, the most popular and expensive application is Super Wall . The application has over 2.2 million active users and is valued at over $30 million USD. In fact, the majority of the top ten applications are valued at over $8 million. Yes, this makes the price of gasoline seem trivial in comparison. Today marks the start of The Supernova Conference , a symposium that "brings together business, government, and technology thought leaders to understand h

Happy Father's Day!

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(Peter Tiner, stylized portrait) From encouraging others to follow their passions to teaching art and photography, my father is continually inspiring others. He is my role model, mentor and friend. I'm excited to spend father's day with him. I wish every father the best today. Cheers.