Facebook's IPO Morality Tale: If The Green Shoes Fit, Wear Them?

Ron Callari — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:05:28 -0700

Facebook's reversal of fortunes in such a short span of time has played out almost like a modern-day morality tale. The fall-out of the social network post-IPO, after such an enthusiastic build-up was telling. While it lined the pockets of some (namely investment bankers), it deprived the 99 Percenters (or Dumb F*cks as Zuckerberg so adroitly labeled them back in 2004) full-disclosure, resulting in a subsequent short-fall on their FB investment.

How Many "Dumb F*cks" Will Rock Facebook's IPO Like It's 1999?

Ron Callari — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:26:24 -0700

The term "Dumb F*cks" has hung over Mark Zuckerberg like a dark cloud during the course of the last 8 years. Not because his nickname "Zuck" rhymes with the expletive, but because the CEO of today's largest social network derided his early FB users as such. In 2004, when first percolating the idea of FB in a Harvard dorm room and asked how he attracted so many followers so quickly, he off-handedly responded they were following him blindly, like "Dumb F*cks."

To Hood Or Not To Hood, That's The $100 Billion Dollar Question?

Ron Callari — Sat, 12 May 2012 05:58:45 -0700

With Facebook heading into it's historic IPO this week, and valuations some have estimated as high as $100 billion, one's hard pressed to figure out how fashion (or lack thereof) figures into the equation. Even the NY Times' editorial gave ink to the question, "Who could have thought a hoodie could mean so much?" Of course, we're talking about the "Zuck" and his signature apparel.

Do You Have Enough Klout To Fly The Friendly Skies Or Land The Perfect Job?

Ron Callari — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:28:22 -0700

Klout is to 'personal influence' what Google is to 'page ranking.' While the Big G's algorithms determine the relevance of the Internet's every web page, Klout supposedly ranks the influence of every person online. As a 3-year old start-up, it's raison d'être is to measure influence based on the digerati's ability to drive action.

From "This Land Is Your Land" To "99 Percenter Song" OWS Guitarists March On NYC (Music Video)

Ron Callari — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:29:11 -0700

Legions of guitarists, string players, troubadours, and DIY-shaker makers will converge on Bryant Park May 1, 2012 for Occupy Guitarmy, as part of the Occupy Wall Street May Day initiatives for social and economic justice. And you're all invited. Just show up at the Gertrude Stein statue at 12 Noon on that date and get ready to jam all the way down to Union Square.

Social Media's Dark Side "Is Anyone Up" Is No Longer Up!

Ron Callari — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:54:45 -0700

The number of followers who had joined "Is Anyone Up" might not have been in the hundreds of millions like some of the more popular social networks, but it sure was capitalizing on the profiles that were registered on Facebook and Twitter, nonetheless. Entrepreneur Hunter Moore had taken Chatroulette to a whole 'nother level to what some were defining as "revenge" or "identity" porn.

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun, Winklevii Need To Take The $65M & Run

Ron Callari — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:21:57 -0700

Hoping to ride the coat-tails of an award winning movie, an unauthorized biopic and a graphic novel, the Winkelvoss Twins (often dubbed the Winklevii) and their law suit came up empty when they tried to get more than their original $65M settlement from Mark Zuckerberg. The 9th Court of Appeals ruled that the original ruling would stand - and that Facebook was not obligated to pay one cent more.

Music Keeps "Occupy" Movement Humming Along (Videos)

Ron Callari — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:41:36 -0700

On March 17th, the 6th month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, hundreds of 99 Percenters chose to return to their original stomping grounds on Wall Street. But this time they were pushed back by NY City cops, and as tensions rose, one activist was actually punched in the head by officers several times, while others were subdued and arrested.

Swine Flu App Can Detect When Pigs Fly?

Ron Callari — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:50:24 -0700

With news of the swine flu epidemic crowding the airwaves, could pigs now possibly be crowding the airways? Could your favorite hog be allowed to fly the friendly skies? In a world that's paranoid of a potential pandemic, and Joe Biden being chastised for warning people "not to fly," is it even conceivable that pigs might be boarding planes? Well if PetAirways has anything to do with it, that just might be the case. And if IntuApps moves forward with their Swine Flu App, there may be a way to detect when pigs fly?

Social Media's Court Of Public Opinion: Zimmerman vs Martin Blurs Vigilantism & Censorship

Ron Callari — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:54:20 -0700

When a neighborhood watch group escalates from its watchdog origins to outright vigilantism, is nothing to be done to protect the lives innocent citizens? So is the question asked by the Trayvon Martin camp. However, in their fervor to prove their point, they have assumed the same extreme behavior online as that which they are condemning on the streets.

Social Media Finds Room At The Inn

Ron Callari — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:10:33 -0800

Hotel commerce, branding, online reputation management, guest feedback, reviews, and customer satisfaction are no longer disconnected or disjunctive focus areas for hoteliers. Today, social media's tetra-like tentacles reaches out to all of these touch points, and the more forward-thinking hoteliers are embracing 21st century technology to get the job done comprehensively, from decision-making to check-out.

Pinterest: Latest Social Media Experiment Pinned With Skimming Charges?

Ron Callari — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:55:50 -0800

With record-breaking pageviews and generating more traffic than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined, social media's latest shiny thing has ridden into our zeitgeist quicker than Superman's speeding bullet. Pinterest's ability to scale to 7.2 million visitors in the U.S. alone, with other reports stating its tallied 11 million total visits during one week in December sounds like Facebook's early ascendancy during its 2004 debut.

Achieving Social Media ROI For The Hospitality Industry

Ron Callari — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:26:39 -0800

The buzz surrounding social media marketing hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hotel industry and hoteliers are seeking to make inroads by engaging with the leading social networks in new and innovative ways. Choice Hotels however has indicated that "hotels have been slow or very conservative in the adaptation of social media."

Social Media Marketing Platform Flip.to Integrates With Hotel Management System

Ron Callari — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:56:48 -0800

The Flip.to social media marketing platform just launched direct integration with the Hotel Concept's RezExchange channel management and distribution system for hotels. The service is a new means for the hospitality industry to convert guests and website visitors into engaged advocates while extending a brand's reach exponentially and finally providing hotels with a means to push past basic social media engagement, to a definable ROI.

Twittamentary, First Documentary Screenings Dedicated To The Twitterverse, Go Global

Ron Callari — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:37:50 -0800

With a movie project that has virtually taken years to "wrap," Twittamentary, is a film about communities that is now available for communities around the world. Having received numerous request from folks and organizations across the globe, the film's producer is thrilled to announce an "open call" for community screenings to take place between February 1 and May 1, 2012. That's right, if you have a suitable venue and meet the screening requirements, all you need is 20 of your closest friends or fans to put on a show - for free!

Twittamentary, A Social Media Experiment In Search Of "Character 141"

Ron Callari — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:47:37 -0700

A sneak peek preview of Twittamentary was held at the Roger Smith Hotel last evening in Manhattan. Hosted by the Singaporean award-winning movie producer Siok Siok Tan, the film which is still in post-production was offered up to a screening room full of social media types. What this filmmaker attempted to capture on film was the randomness of an ecosystem - that is so difficult for anyone to put their heads around - let alone explain comprehensively in the body of one film.

Blind Followers Or Meaningful Dissenters: Facebook vs Occupy Wall Street?

Ron Callari — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:30:38 -0800

Whenever a new movement consumes the hearts and minds of a large percentage of the populace, its time to take stock in what really moves these folks to act? The zeitgeist that emanated from Facebook and Occupy Wall Street couldn't be any more different from each other, yet there is an undercurrent that threads the two together. Both attract those that have an overwhelming desire to band together within loosely-knit organizations that welcome all.

SOPA Wrung Wry By History's Most Hated Leader

Ron Callari — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:19:03 -0800

Toward the end of 2011, the American Censorship Org took action against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act), a U.S. bill racing through Congress that threatens "prosperity, online security and freedom of expression." On January 18, thousands of websites like Wikipedia have pledged to go dark online in protest. To show its solidarity, Google has blocked out their iconic logo on their search engine.

Flip.to's 2012 Social Media Strategies For The Hospitality Industry

Ron Callari — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:43:50 -0800

The buzz surrounding social media marketing hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hospitality industry and many hotel brands seek to make inroads by engaging more effectively with leading social networks.

Will The U.S. Constitution Stay Afloat In 2012?

Ron Callari — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:27:27 -0800

Well if you've been following the partisan rhetoric emanating from the Belt Way, you might not think that the government of "We The People" is going to fare too well going into a contentious election year. However, if you're one of the 99 Percenter contingency, things might be looking a little "rosier" for you . . . and they do mean that literally.

Holiday Social Media Competition Lights Up "Home Decoration Smackdown" In Jersey City, Newark & Roselle

Ron Callari — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:52:43 -0800

What's a little friendly competition amongst neighboring towns in New Jersey? Well this Christmas season, two councilmen and one mayor have decided to lighten up this year's holiday festivities with a house decoration competition in Jersey City, Newark and Roselle.

With IPOs & Bankruptcy In The Air, Zynga Soars, American Airlines Zags & Alec Baldwin Zings

Ron Callari — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:33:54 -0800

There's seems to be a glint of irony taking to the not-so-friendly skies, or so one popular TV-star would like the world to believe. While online gaming giant Zynga hopes to reap between $850 million and $1.15 billion with its impending IPO offering on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, the venerable American Airlines files Chapter 11 to reorganize its massive debt. So what's the connection between the two companies where one's on an uptick and the other is in dire straits financially? Well… Alec Baldwin, oddly, it seems!

Kindle vs Nook & Sony Reader

Ron Callari — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:48:57 -0800

Sony, in its latest attempt to compete head-on with Amazon's Kindle's and Barnes & Noble's Nook success is attempting to open a storefront online of its own. In spite of a previous failure at a similar venture back in 2005, is Sony ready for a comeback?And if not, does Amazon's Kindle or Barnes & Noble's Nook win in this year's Holiday Sweepstakes?

Taking The Bull By The Horns, "Occupy Wall Street" Posters Motivate Campers

Ron Callari — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 08:38:52 -0700

On September 17th, a protest organized by several activist group will take Wall Street by storm to protest opposition to the use of corporate money in politics. Groups such as Anonymous, Adbusters, US Day of Rage are collaborating their efforts to promote a peaceful protest to attract on upwards of 20,000 to turn downtown Manhattan into a campground.

Does The New Occupy T-Shirt Support the 99 Percent Or The 1 Percent?

Ron Callari — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:52:45 -0800

Capitalizing off of capitalism has had a long and successful run in the U.S. It's an economic system that has served its citizenry for hundreds of years. However under the microscope of the current Occupy Movement, protesters have taken to the streets in dissent against the status quo, arguing that only 1 Percent really have control over a capitalistic society.

Portrait Of 60s Protester Adds Perspective To Occupy Movement In Song

Ron Callari — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:21:34 -0800

Where have all the protest songs gone? Are they still blowing in the wind, or have new ones surfaced to chronicle life's current strife? While it seems like only yesterday, it's actually been over 40 years since Americans felt angry and disenfranchised enough to assemble in solidarity and protest against injustice and greed.

Social Media Finds "F Word" Acceptable For Songs & Graphic Novel

Ron Callari — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 05:58:15 -0700

From George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television," and Harry Nilsson's "You're Breaking My Heart" back in the 70's, it's taken almost 40 years for one of the most taboo of curse words to make it into every day discourse via social media channels such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

New Brand Advocate Platform for Hotels Generates ROE & ROI

Ron Callari — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 04:05:21 -0700

Flip.to is a new marketing platform that helps hotels turn their guests into advocates. After completing a successful beta, today the Flip.to team is announcing a new batch of results that would make any hotelier smile.

99 Percenters Will "Occupy Earth" To Prove The 1 Percent Wrong

Ron Callari — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:23:56 -0700

Awakened like a sleeping giant, the 99 Percenters were first motivated by the Arab Spring - but now have orchestrated a movement that has taken on a whole life of their own. Commencing with a make-shift tent city constructed overnight in downtown Manhattan four weeks ago, Occupy Wall Street has caught not only America's zeitgeist but one that is cyberventilating across the globe as well.

Winklevii Bust A Nut While Crackin' Joke About Arch Nemesis Zuckerberg

Ron Callari — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:32:23 -0700

The not-so-dynamic duo who continually fall short in bringing down the one man who stood between them and a billion dollar social network are seeking alternate means for remuneration. That's right, the Winklevoss twins have taken to the TV airwaves to zing their arch nemesis Mark Zuckerberg in a Roll Global commercial for pistachios.