20 years later, Intersport still cashing in on Nancy Kerrigan clip

Charlie Besser is still getting more than he bargained for from Jan. 6, 1994.

That was the day a production team for his Chicago-based sports and entertainment company, Intersport, was tagging along with figure skating gold medal hopeful Nancy Kerrigan during a practice session at Detroit's Cobo Arena to gather some extra footage for a TV special it was putting together for ABC Sports.

What it got would immediately become one of the most infamous images in Olympic history.

Intersport's cameraman was the only one rolling when Ms. Kerrigan was suddenly attacked by a man wielding a police baton, capturing the moments of the skater on the ground and receiving medical attention.

The exclusive video's value was obvious, and Mr. Besser acted swiftly.

He told the producers to embed the Intersport logo on the clip. Then he picked up the phone, triggering what would become a bidding war for the five to 10 minutes of footage.

After calling outlets like Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight to establish a fair asking price, Mr. Besser chose to give first rights to ABC News for about 60 percent of the value of other bids, since the assignment had come from ABC in the first place.

But that was only the start of what has become a continuing source of revenue for the company. It is still getting requests to license the footage 20 years later.

"When Tonya Harding gets married, we get calls. When Nancy Kerrigan gets married, we get calls. When somebody has a baby or gets divorced in that group, we get calls," said Mr. Besser, who founded Intersport in 1985. "It's kind of crazy, but it just keeps going."

Intersport has netted seven figures in revenue over the years from licensing the video clip hundreds of times on TV and the Web.

More than a dozen requests rolled in over the months leading up to the current Olympic Games in Sochi. ESPN and NBC Sports both licensed the footage for recent documentaries on the incident.

Fees vary, depending on how an outlet wants to use the video, but typically start at between $10,000 and $15,000 per use, or $250 per second, for using it over a one-year period.

DROP IN THE BUCKET

That's a relative drop in the bucket for a company whose annual revenue is north of $100 million, but Intersport has vigilantly protected the video, as social media has expanded.

"It is constant checking and supervision," said Mr. Besser, adding that Intersport has had to make some calls to unlicensed users but has never sued anybody over it. "Everybody knows who owns it now, so there are very few excuses."

Today, Intersport is known primarily for staging and selling sponsorships for sporting events like the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby, and the State Farm College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships during the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Most recently, it added the Hockey City Classic, an outdoor college hockey event that debuted at Soldier Field last year and that the company intends to bring back to Chicago in 2015.

Those large events, combined with nearly 1,500 smaller ones each year, make up about half of its business. The company also runs a sports sponsorship consulting service and a growing online entertainment news hub, CelebTV.com.

But two decades after the fact, the Kerrigan video still shows up on the Intersport ledger, and the company continues to be crafty in making sure user licenses expire short of key anniversary dates, a move to keep fresh requests coming in.

All currently active licenses, for example, expire before the 25th anniversary of the incident, when Mr. Besser says Intersport will "do the ultimate digging back into the story" through a documentary "and then put it to rest forever."

Or maybe, he says with a smile, just until the next round of requests start pouring in at the 30-year mark.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20140218/BLOGS04/140219806/20-years-later-intersport-still-cashing-in-on-nancy-kerrigan-clip?utm_source=BLOGS04&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicagobusiness#

Neo Samsung Galaxy Y ( GT - S5312 ) , Galaxy Variants Cheapest

Samsung would be a great name many reasons to choose a device made ​​by Korean vendors use this as a phone . Realizing this , Samsung also seems to try to provide a lot of enhancements for all levels of user segments .

The newest Handphone Samsung smartphones even bring to class beginner who just wants to try the Android system with a relatively very affordable price for a branded Android smartphone via Y Neo also known as Pocket Neo in several other countries . Then how is it worth to be owned cell phone ?

Small , chubby and plastic makes the phone look like a toy cell phone , kid , though of course not .

Looks red thread on Neo Y design that connects to the design of the Galaxy series later present as S4 , S4 Mini , Mega Core and others . Only the home button on the side of the face appear larger due to the effect of the proportion between the size of the keys and the body of the phone ..

Flanking the home button , there are 2 buttons are capacitive menu and back in the bottom of the screen . While the power / lock and volume control located on the side bersebrangan , right and left edges of the phone body .

MicroUSB port that serves as a gateway connecting the charger and the data kebel toward computers were placed in the lower side audio port jacks inhabit the upper side . thats it and this is harga handphone samsung

Flappy Bird Online: Free Games Make Favorite Even Harder

Flappy Bird Online proves it is impossible to kill a good game, even if the creator decides to remove the game from app stores to help gamers stop playing the game.

Even though the Flappy Bird game is gone, there are at least three different Flappy Bird online games that let users play Flappy Bird without paying for one of the now removed Flappy Bird iPhones on eBay.  It’s possible to still play Flappy Bird online on an iPhone or Android, but there are also several options that are only available to play on a computer as a Flappy Bird Flash game.

Watch the Flappy Bird Online Video below to see these three options in action, including Flappy Bird flash and Flappy Bird impossible.

Unlike the regular game there are no Flappy Bird online cheats or hacks. Quite the opposite, there is actually a mode to make Flappy Bird harder.

Flappy Bird Online for iPhone or Android

We shared a Flappy Bird online game yesterday that allows gamers to play Flappy Bird on the iPhone or Android with an HTML5 app that runs on pretty much any device. This is the best option for playing Flappy Bird online on an iPhone, iPad or Android device without the app installed. Short of finding a Flappy Bird hack that lets them install the game on an jailbroken iPhone, this is the best way to play on an iOS device. Android users can also get in on the fun, but they can also search for a FlappyBird.apk to install it outside of the Google Play store.

Flappy Bird Flash – As Close as it Gets

Flappy Bird Flash is as close as it gets the experience of Flappy Bird. This free Flappy Bird flash game is available on Kongregate with a very similar gameplay and portrait orientation screen that looks like an iPhone. Because this is Flash based you cannot play it on the iPhone or iPad. Instead the best way to play Flappy Bird Flash is to use a computer where you control the bird with mouse clicks or presses of the space bar. A laptop touchpad makes it about the same as playing on a screen. The bird in many versions falls at a weird rate, but Flappy Bird Flash is spot on in timing and difficulty.

Flappy Bird Online – Harder Edition

If Flappy Bird on iPhone or Android is too easy for your skilled taps, check out the Flappy Bird Online offering from Plonga which offers an Impossible version that makes Flappy Bird even harder with a faster pace, smaller openings and enhanced gravity. Somehow this harder Flappy Bird game is more addictive than the original.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2014/02/11/flappy-bird-online-free-games-make-favorite-even-harder/#!vm9kS

Dumb Starbucks doesn't amuse health department

LOS ANGELES — No joke: Comedy Central comic Nathan Fielder is the guy with the smart idea to open a quickie pop-up parody of Starbucks called Dumb Starbucks.

Fielder, who stars in a Comedy Central series called Nathan For You, spoke to a swarm of journalists late Monday afternoon in front of the Dumb Starbucks storefront.

He played it straight as a small businessman trying to keep his shop open before finally admitting that he opened up Dumb Starbucks to shoot segments for his reality show.

Was Comedy Central aware of what he was doing when he had Los Angeles and the Internet aflutter for four days of wall-to-wall coverage of his shop?

"They weren't," he said. "But they are now."

Going into actor-mode, he claimed he was going to open a second Dumb Starbucks in Brooklyn next week and that he hoped to keep the Los Feliz location "open forever."

The press conference came to an abrupt stop when he said the local health department had just arrived and told them to stop serving coffee. The Los Angeles Health Department proceeded to close the Dumb Starbucks for operating without a permit.

"We've been wondering what this was about for four days," said Los Angeles resident Rebecca Metz. "I wish it was a political statement or a kooky artist, but it's a really smart marketing stunt."

For days, this local replica of the iconic coffee chain has been swarmed with customers.

Earlier Monday, about 300 people were standing outside the store, braving two and a half hour wait times to get in for their free cup of coffee and pastries.

Two baristas were struggling to keep up with the demand—accepting payment only via "donation," in a tip jar.

Folks on line felt they were onto something historic.

STORY: Starbucks responds to Dumb Starbucks in L.A.

"We just wanted to get a really good Instagram" shot, said Blair Romer, who is moving to Chicago Tuesday. "It's what everyone's been doing, so we wanted to check it out." She knew she'd be on the line for two hours-plus and plotted out her smartphone shot: "Me holding the Dumb Starbucks cup, saying, `Look where I am."

Christine Conin, on vacation from Boston, came out to see what all the chatter was about. "It's been fun," she says. "You don't get anything free in Boston."

Price sheets listing "Dumb Lattes" and such lined the walls, along with coffee mugs that would be for sale if this Dumb Starbucks was accepting payment. There's no free wireless Internet and few places to sit.

With the "Dumb Starbucks" branded coffee cups going for as much as $50 on eBay, customers were grabbing anything they could, including an official FAQ sheet.

On the FAQ, Dumb Starbucks claimed what it is doing is legal "under parody law," and that with the word "dumb" it is technically "making fun" of the company, and thus allowed to use the trademark under fair use, just like other parodies of music videos.

Dumb Starbucks says it is a real business, a fully functioning coffee shop appearing as an art gallery. And it claims it doesn't think Starbucks is dumb. "We love Starbucks and look up to them as role models. Unfortunately, the only way to use their intellectual property under fair use is if we are making fun of them. So the `dumb' comes out necessity, not enmity."

Real Starbucks says it is evaluating how to proceed.

"While we appreciate the humor, they cannot use our name, which is a protected trademark."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/02/10/dumb-starbucks-not-so-dumb/5374659/

Snow’s here, but rain and warmer weather coming

More snow than we’ve seen in a long time hit the Seattle area overnight, making fun for some, but some dicey driving for others.

The National Weather Service was even surprised by the amount of snowfall. Meteorologist Josh Smith said they predicted up to an inch of snow, but many parts of Seattle had about three inches.

“It was definitely more than we expected,” he said.

Weather models didn’t predict how big the low pressure system was off shore, making it a tough event to forecast, he said.

Temperatures are expected to rise, with no fear of icy roads tonight.

Then we’re in for rain over the next few days.

Everyone is talking about the snow, however. Accumulations ranged from a couple of inches to 3.5 inches in South King County. Almost three inches fell at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, breaking the previous daily record of less than a half inch of snow. Parts of Thurston County had 5.4 inches of snow.

The State Patrol reported 150 accidents in King County since the snow began falling and it was even worse in Thurston and Pierce counties, where some 200 accidents were reported.

A collision on State Route 9 in Lake Stevens left a 69-year-old man dead, according to the State Patrol. Trooper Mark Francis said weather and speed appear to be factors in the accident.

Most highways and major arterials are bare and wet, but side streets and roads less traveled are still snow and ice-covered. Caution is advised.

Snoqualmie Pass is covered in snow and ice and chains are required unless you have all-wheel drive.

There’s a 70 percent chance of rain tonight, according to the Weather Service forecast.

Then we return to more typical Seattle weather.

Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, with temperatures possibly reaching the upper 40s. Rain is likely Tuesday, with a high near 48. More rain on Wednesday (60 percent) and a high near 48.



http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2014/02/snows-here-but-rain-and-warmer-weather-coming/

Dumb Starbucks - coffee shop opens in Los Feliz

Los Feliz was buzzing Sunday afternoon as crowds of people lined up for hours to grab a cup of coffee from, uh, “Dumb Starbucks.”

The mock store, which quietly opened Friday, is nearly identical to a typical Starbucks location, with tumblers for sale and trendy CDs, including "Dumb Jazz Standards," displayed on the counter.

But the similarities end there. Drinks here are served in green and white “Dumb Starbucks coffee” cups, while pastries are pulled from display cases straight from their Vons’ packaging.

The menu features “Dumb Iced Coffee,” “Dumb Frappuccinos,” and a seasonal “Wuppy Duppy Latte.”

But only iced coffees and lattes were available -- for free, to promote the new business, an upbeat barista told customers after apologizing for the wait.

“They’re definitely not serving at Starbucks pace,”  customer Jeffrey Eyster, 43, joked after waiting about an hour in line.

As word of the shop spread on social media, curious customers came to snap selfies in front of the sign or photos of the line wrapped around the small strip mall. Those who cut to avoid a nearly two-hour wait were promptly shamed out of line.

Rumors about the store’s origin percolated through the crowd -- a marketing ploy, a pop-up art installation, perhaps reality TV?

“It’s a ballsy move on their part,” said Ilya Khramtsou, 24. “It feels like they’re sticking it to the company. Everybody drinks Starbucks coffee, like zombies.”

“She drinks it every day,” he said, laughing as he motioned to his girlfriend Alisa Bazhenova, 24.

The couple stopped by to snap a quick photo, but decided not to stay once they saw the wait.

“I hope it’s an art thing vs. a business thing,” Eyster said. “I’d love to see a whole chain of dumb McDonald’s and dumb Cheesecake Factories.”

People can go to any mall anywhere and have the same experience at each of these chains, Eyster said.

Starbucks is aware of the parody and is “looking into it,” said Megan Adams, a spokeswoman for the company. She declined to say whether legal action would be pursued or if this has happened before.

An email sent to Dumb Starbucks was not immediately returned.

A list of frequently asked questions pegs the legality of the mock store to “parody art.”

“Although we are a fully functioning coffee shop, for legal reasons Dumb Starbucks needs to be categorized as a work of parody art. So, in the eyes of the law, our ‘coffee shop’ is actually an art gallery and the ‘coffee' you’re buying is considered the art. But that’s for our lawyers to worry about. All you need to do is enjoy our delicious coffee!”

Those who did wait in line said they came for the novelty of the shop, assuming it would be shut down before the weekend was over.

“It’s a very L.A. thing,” said Connor Sweeney, 24. “We’ll see how long it lasts, that’s why I’m here today.”

He said he hoped it’s a joke, rather than some kind of advertising ploy.




http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-dumb-starbucks-parody-coffee-shop-los-feliz-20140209,0,3751296.story#ixzz2suYZdNkY