The ad world is all abuzz about the new Microsoft Windows commercial featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. It's a bit hokey, rather long, and, well, it just doesn't make any sense. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Ad Age calls it "a classic Crispin Porter oddity"—Crispin Porter + Bogusky is the ad agency that created the commercial, and is known for its creativity and its ability to resurrect brands with such ads as the King character for Burger... READ ON
"In July 2006, women accounted for just under 17% of parliamentarians worldwide. A woman was the head of government in only seven countries." This could be due to short supply, higher cost of entry due to family, or to voter attitude, which previous research has found may be "distaste" for female leadership. Researchers at the Center for International Development at Harvard (PDF here) have found that voters, men in particular, are prejudiced against female leaders. At least those in certain villages... READ ON
We've all heard that the United Arab Emirates has been hard at work constructing the world's tallest building. The Burj Dubai currently stands 159 stories tall, and will include 30,000 homes, 9 hotels, 19 residential towers, and the Dubai Mall. The entire project is estimated to cost $20B, but that's hardly the only thing the UAE likes supersized. Here are a few other records the tiny nation holds: World's Largest Flag On UAE National Day, a 50,000 square feet flag flew over Abu Dhabi, forming the... READ ON
1. Fewer Males are... READ ON
Phelps won 8 medals, Usain Bolt beat a few world records, and Nastia Liukin did some outrageous flips. But can they paint or sculpt? Back when the modern games resurfaced, a true Olympian wasn't just an expert swimmer, or the fastest runner. A true Olympian was also a watercolorist, a sculptor, or a musician. It's true! Between 1912 and 1948 art competitions were a part of the Olympics. Medals were awarded for architecture, literature, music, painting, and... READ ON
When you think of 7-Eleven, the Chrysler Building, and Budweiser, what country comes to mind? If you said Japan, Abu Dhabi, and Belgium, then no need to read on. But if such news comes as a shock, keep reading to learn about ten un-American Icons this country holds dear. 1. Anheuser-Busch, Inc. You've likely seen the Anheuser-Busch commercials that were shown during the Olympics. You know, the ones that are oozing with everything American "“ football, tailgating, the Statue of Liberty, riding... READ ON
Everyone knows Michael Phelps is going to be double-fisting endorsement deals for years to come. But who knew that his mom's getting a piece of the... READ ON
While romping about Nantucket's fields and beaches, I stumbled into a little history. Nantucket was originally inhabited by the Wampanoag tribe until the English settled down in the mid 1600s. Among the founding families of Nantucket were the Macy's of Macy's, the Folgers of Folgers Coffee, and the Starbuck's of "¦Starbucks? But the Starbuck's company factsheet says it was named after the first mate in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. So, who's telling the truth? Well, perhaps... READ ON
For some reason every swim event in this Olympics is a record smasher. And it isn't just Michael Phelps who's seconds ahead of that daunting green world record line. Curious what's making this year's athletes so much faster? Here are 6 possible answers. 1. Tech Doping The new Speedo LZR RACER suit, which was developed by scientists from NASA, "feels like a rocket coming off the wall," said Phelps in a team interview. "The water just runs off the suit." The suit has "ultrasonically welded" seams that... READ ON
"Potato-potato-potato!" Know what that sound is? Maybe you don't recognize the onomatopoeia, but you must certainly know the actual sound. It's the "Hog Call," the rev of a Harley Davidson, and it's one of the most recognized sounds of one of the most recognized brands in the US. As for "potato-potato-potato," that's the sound that Harley tried to trademark back in the '90s. In 1994, Harley filed a registration for a trademark of its V-twin engine sound. It read "the mark consists of the exhaust sound... READ ON
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Pepsi-Cola was originally called “Brad’s Drink.”
