You Can Still Watch the Girl Throwing Ball Back Here and Other Thoughts on How Companies Handle Copyright

The daughter who threw the ball back at the Phillies game quickly became an internet sensation with viral power until the MLB pulled the video from YouTube. Apparently they don't want to play ball and share the rights to their content, but I found a clip that still works and you can see the video below (at least at the time of this writing).

As an aside, I don't think it should go unnoticed that Fox News got in contact with this family via Facebook. It's an interesting time for journalism and media.

Disney is taking a completely different stand on user generated content. When a group of flamboyantly gay guys went to Fire Island and remade Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA" Disney employees not only embraced, but also encouraged the viral nature of the remake by emailing the video to each other. Rich Ross, the president of Disney Channels Worldwide even took the time to call up Mr. Fudge (the video maker) and tell him he liked the video. So what does this reaction vs the MLB reaction mean for branding, copyright, and the nature of the internet? My opinion is right out of Lessig.

Miley Cyrus - "Party in the USA" Fire Island Ramake

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Music Recommendation: The astonishing, beautiful Catherine Feeny

Catherine Feeny - "Mr. Blue"

Visual Statistics, Brand Perception, and Other Cool Stuff From The Shortlist

Yet another best of the web from a person who spends more time on the web than I care to admit.

Cool: The mural at Barter Books, featuring a whole lot of great artists in one portrait of revelry.

Surprising: eBay, WebMD and Facebook all made the top ten of most trusted companies in the United States according to a study by the Ponemon Institute and TRUSTe.

Feeding my love for well presented data. Steve Rubel recently compiled a list of great internet statistics in beautiful data. My favorites are below but you can see his entire list here.



A song I've got on repeat from a band I adore: The Maccabees - "Love You Better"

Why Google is Really Investing in Solar

During the past week or so I've heard a lot about Google's plan to reduce the cost of solar power. Surface journalism has called this a benevolent act that will lower our electricity bills and other reporters have said that this is a strategic way to earn positive PR points. I give both opinions credit, but it seems strange that no one has even mentioned how important this is to Google's business.

Is this so apparent to everyone that it isn't worth mentioning, or have we overlooked the important part? As it stands, Google spends more than $2 million dollars per month on electricity. Of course they want to research lower cost energy consumption. It'll only help business.

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Music Recommendation: Sin Fang Bous - Indie rock that will swing you through the day with quick beats and pleasant cherades

It Gives Me Chills Every Time

The first time I saw this tennis shot I screamed. By the fifteenth time I was still screaming. I love moments like this, little victories that seem like miracles but are really the sum hours and hours of endless work and determination.

Overnight successes don't really exist, and I think that's why record breaking races, academic discoveries, and world championships leave me shaking from the inside out. People work toward their goals never knowing (but mostly believing) that they can break ground. They don't ask for guaranteed success, but continue faithfully on a single belief and with a single goal.

Pursuit like that is beautiful. Maybe that's why I'm still shaking when this shot plays through my mind. This comeback isn't a second or even a moment in the highlight reel. It's years in the making, and so are we. So here's to wishing you success. Here's to moments that keep you shrieking with delight on take 15 and leave you shaking with excitement for weeks.

Reading Shortlist

In an attempt to archive some of my favorite internet content, here is a shortlist of great articles, blogs, and post.

- In honor of 9/11 I give you a beautiful NY Times article that captures the attitude of New York.

- People infer a lot based on the emails you send. Check this out to see how.

- A new political party has formed around our perception of ownership and copyright. They're called the Pirate Party of the United States.

- Users click on links from Facebook Fan pages 9% of the time on Mondays, 10% of the time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and much less frequently on other days of the week. (Business Insider)

- Great Steve Rubel Post: The Power of Pull

- Cool Blog Post: What Baby Names Teach Us About Viral Marketing.

- An interesting article that looks at Twilight from a feminist perspective: Is Twilight Bad For Your Love Life?

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Music Recommendation: Jupiter Wave, stripped down alternative rock with a little bounce.