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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sun-drenched photo

Decided to share another photo. And what happened was a couple of days ago I saw what just looked like such a cool shot, where a lot of it is a clear sky. One of the most clear days I've seen in San Francisco:




James

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Trying a video

So figured I may as well also try posting a video to see how it all works. And story behind this one is I took it deliberately for test video, where the vague idea I had in mind was to just film some running water so I had sound, for about 30 seconds.

So I start filming, and then amazingly enough, there was this pigeon who decided to be a part of the show:


So what's so funny to me is that I'm filming and I noticed there was the pigeon and thought quickly, ok, add the pigeon, now back to test footage of running water. And the pigeon decides to walk through!

Totally random. But if you look at it without knowing the story, it almost looks scripted. And so now I have some test footage, for this post, as I see what some video looks like here.


James Harris

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Trying a photo


Recently I've found myself taking photos and putting them up on my Google+ account and kind of curious about what it'd look like to post one here. So putting in a photo from here in San Francisco:


Seems easy enough to add an image. This photo was just after a bit of rain.


James Harris

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Limited endorser idea

So I have thought about what it'd be like to be an actual celebrity, and maybe even do endorsement deals, but from what I've heard of those things, they mostly suck in my opinion, so getting ahead of the game--thinking positive--and putting up some ideas for what I might try when I become a celebrity.

And I call it being a limited endorser, and I'll use an actual company with which I have NO affiliation, as I'm just using them now, and think it's cool and that company is airbnb.com and I won't make that a link to their site, so as not to give the wrong idea. And I repeat I have NO affiliation with the company, so no way there is actually any kind of a deal in place, and besides, I'm not yet a celebrity.

So let's say the limited endorser deal allows a celebrity to tell good things they like about a company, without necessarily receiving compensation, but also allows them to say they are a limited endorser, so there is full disclosure.

Which means you can tell nice stories in public, like if some reporter is asking you a question, and you can say you use some particular company.

So like I might say, used this company a couple of times and they're cool.

The limited endorser contract can be terminated by either party at any time and for any reason and is legitimized at the start by a nominal consideration amount. (I'm tossing around nice sounding words to me but I'm not a lawyer, and do not mean to imply I am one. Nothing in this post should be construed as legal advice. And if despite all those warnings you find someone to try and come after me, you're an idiot.)

So how does money move?

Well, here's what I like and what I'm guessing others will hate, as the company being endorsed decides on a designated basis, say quarterly, if they are gaining a "material benefit" from the limited endorsement, and they decide how much that benefit is. If it is beyond a set minimum amount--like who cares about, say, $10--then they notify the limited endorser, as they are to pay a contractual amount, say, 10% of the benefit amount.

But here's where I add another twist, as the limited endorser submits a bid for what they believe the 10% amount is, and then payment is made for the lesser value, unless the bids differ by more than 10%, then the bids are to be justified by both parties and the proper amount is to be chosen by an independent arbitrator.

Notice I'm giving most of the power to the company and trusting them to give a fair value, while keeping the limited endorser responsible for keeping up with their own value to the company, with a dispute resolution vehicle in place, even though the entire point is to limit disputes!

IF the company says, no benefit over the designated amount and period then they pay NOTHING to the limited endorser.

And I love this idea. Why? Well I like lots of products and could maybe see myself wanting to admit it, without feeling like I need to sell my soul to some company which can tell me what to wear, where to go, what to drive, what to say, and all kinds of nasty things which ruin the fun, but they may feel protects them, especially if they spend a BOATLOAD of money upfront.

And that's enough so that I have the idea in place for something that may never happen. For instance, I need to be a celebrity. Then I'd need a horde of lawyers to try and type something up. And then I'd have to find a company that would want me as an endorser, who would accept such a contract!

(Notice that lawyers are the ones who really always win.)

But it doesn't hurt (I think) to put up some ideas on one of my personal blogs, which I can take down later if necessary and that's it.

Ideas are open source, so if others wish to try them, then feel free. I won't come after you.


James Harris