Photo Of The Day: Cassius Clay

Sony Internet HDTV with Google TV

If you watch lots of online video, yet you’re into the new fall TV shows like we are, you’re probably tired of going back and forth between the computer and the TV. If you are, Sony and Google TV may have a solution for you.  Partnering together for the Sony Internet TV, they have made it possible for you to enjoy both mediums in one.  

The Sony Internet TV uses WiFi, allowing you to surf the web and TV listings to find what you’re looking for.  It also comes in sizes 26″-42″ with a QWERTY keypad remote and an integrated optical mouse.  The kicker is that TV and  internet browsing can be done simultaneously in split screen mode and the TV will soon  have the ability to download and use Android apps.  Read more of the hype about it HERE.

Levi's Photo Workshop: A Stylish DIY Free-for-All

If only all huge corporations gave back to the community like this: Levi's opened the doors to the second installment of its workshop series in New York on Friday, focusing on photography. The first, in the company's hometown of San Francisco, was all about printmaking, and that kind of DIY attitude is just as prevalent here.

Anyone who walks into the workshop off the street is entitled to sign out one of the dozens of vintage cameras available for loan, get a little refresher on how to use them, and then get the film developed or the digital versions printed. While you do have to pay to take home your film stills, the digital stuff is free, and the formats are impressive: postcards, t-shirts, full-on posters are all gratis. The latter would be most appropriate for the in-house studio (with full lighting schemes and technicians) available for use by the general public as well. The Photo Workshop, housed in the former Deitch Projects space at 18 Wooster Street, will have its doors open for three months along with plenty of community programming, online and in-store.

There are, of course, other things for sale, but the offerings are limited to what a photographer would want, or need. The only clothes are trucker jackets and five-pocket cords, the only bags are for carrying camera equipment, and the only books are about photography. It's an immersive experience and an opportunity for pros and amateurs alike to use equipment not available to the public (for pay or free), and in that, it's also a challenge. Levi's has put up the resources and the venue; now it's up to the public to use them wisely.

Astor & Black's Suit-Making Machine

When David Schottenstein started Astor & Black in 2004, the gap in the market was apparent and the mission was simple. "I felt like there's a tremendous market out there of people who want and appreciate fine clothing, but can't — or don't want to — spend a fortune on it," he recalls. So his hand-canvassed suit business (from patterns cut to each customer's measurements) is based on a different model than traditional bespoke houses. First and foremost, there's no house: a growing team of 80 representatives nationwide will come to your home or office to take your measurements, help you choose your style and fabrics, then get your suit hand-made and delivered. The style combinations are endless and the prices ridiculous — the basic line starts at $499, and the high-end Nobility line, with softer canvassing and more luxurious fabrics, starts at $1,200 — and the customer base keeps growing (including a certain Best Dressed Real Man In America).

Kathleen Parker: Legal marijuana A "Good Stimulus Bill"

"The worst thing that can happen is people become boring." Classic.

Ne-Yo "Libra Scale" (Album)

Wiz Khalifa "Black & Yellow" (Video)

50 Inks Deal For $200 Million To Make More Terrible Movies

Some how 50 Cent has turned his straight-to-DVD factory known as Cheetah Vision Productions into a $200 million investment. It was announced that health care executive Richard Jackson and real estate developers Gary Sakwa and Daniel Ret will be fronting the cash for 50 and production partner Randall Emmett to produce 10 more films for the next two years. Either these guys are really bad at business or they know something we don’t. So far every one of 50’s Cheetah Vision films has gone or will go straight to video…some cashing out at $5 million a picture against $20 million budgets. Some where the math doesn’t add up. BUT…for 50 this is all good. He’s taking candy from a baby and you can only give him mad props for this.

“The thing about ‘50 Cent’ is that, just like in his music career, he isn’t someone who sits around and waits for things to get done. He came to me and said, ‘How do we move quicker on projects?’ With this new fund, we are able to do that,” Randall Emmett told Variety.

The next films under the deal are Set Up, which started shooting last month, in addition toCatch .44, which stars Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker and Malin Ackerman. Expect 50 to start focusing much more on his film career with this deal…it’s clear this is where the money is now. The films will be distributed through a deal with Lionsgate. Seriously, mad props to 50 Cent and Randall Emmett for pulling this off during a time when film funding is almost dried up.

One Way To Promote Lipo

Yes their shirts say BEFORE and AFTER. Thats cold blooded.

Does This Levi’s Ad Go Too Far?

The Wall Street Journal takes a look at whether this Levi’s ad that uses the word “ass” is a little too blunt.

A current slogan for Levi Strauss & Co.’s Levi Curve ID women’s jeans reads “All Asses Were Not Created Equal.” The slogan, which doesn’t bleep out the three-letter word for the behind, appears in store windows, on billboards and as part of a flashy magazine campaign. VF Corp.’s Lee Jeans brand has a television commercial in which Mike Rowe, host of “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel, refers to his hindquarters as “butt.” Gap Inc.’s Old Navy brand recently used the word “booty” in TV ads for a system to determine the best jeans for all sorts of behinds. The words “Booty Reader” show on the screen.

The brands say they’re merely reflecting the way their consumers speak today. “No woman turns around in the mirror, looks at herself and says, ‘My derrière is not as perky as it should be’,” said You Nguyen, Levi’s head of women’s merchandising and design.

Daily Dime: Rosa Acosta

All City Chess Club "Beamin Remix"

DOWNLOAD: All City Chess Club – I’m Beamin’ (rmx) | Mediafire

AlBe Back "Back 2 Dope" Mixtape

After a few leaks, AlBe Back’s dopehouse-sponsored mixtape hits the e-shelves, featuring the likes of Maino, The Last Poets, Macy Gray, DMC and more. Tracklist and link down bottom.

Macc Maal feat C.O. The Mayor "My Life" (Video)

Concepts X Sperry Bahama Chukka

This Bahama Chukka is inspired by Sperry’s “Passion for the Sea” and dedicated to the ocean’s influence on New England. Set to release this Friday, the Concepts-designed sneaker owns a tan nubuck majority with hits of navy duck canvas near the collar. The structured wool ribbing, also navy, is reminiscent of classic naval outerwear, which served as further inspiration. Grab a pair for $110 on October 15th, exclusively at Concepts.

Concepts x Sperry Bahama Chukka
Navy/Tan
October 15, 2010
$110

Kid Cudi feat Kanye "Erase Me" (Video)

Hilarious

Tweet Of The Day: Ghostface

G.O.O.D. Music BET Cypher

2111221324
Uploaded by yardie4lifever2. - Explore international webcam videos.

Let’s keep it real… the cyphers are the ONLY reason people tune in. So why not give them their own post and save y’all some trouble.

DOWNLOAD: G.O.O.D Music Cypher (Audio Rip) | Mediafire

WTF?!: LAUSD to use fingerprint scans for school lunches

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A high-tech idea of the Los Angeles Unified School District has run into a lot of questions. The district wants to use a "finger scan" system to save money, speed up cafeteria lines and eliminate the problem of forgotten lunch money. Some are worried about student privacy.

Whether it's sloppy joes, a slice of pizza or just a carton of milk, every item in the school cafeteria must be paid for. And with thousands of students going through lunch lines every day, officials with the Los Angeles Unified School District have found one way to make the process more efficient, with a touch of a finger.

"It's very safe. The children don't have to bring money to school," said Foshay Learning Center Principal Yvonne Edwards.

Edwards says James A. Foshay Learning Center in South L.A. was the first school in the district to try out the technology in a pilot program.

Edwards says not has only the scanner made it easier for students who tend to forget their lunch money, but it also masks which students pay for their food with subsidized meal tickets.

"When people knew that they were on free or reduced lunch, especially at the high school level, no one wanted anyone to know, so sometimes they would not eat. But the great thing about it is that everyone can eat now. Everyone does eat, and they feel good about eating," said Edwards.

But the American Civil Liberties Union and some parents are worried about privacy.

"We don't use fingerprint identification to pay for our groceries at the grocery store or our clothes at a department store," said ACLU attorney Peter Bibring. "So why would we ask our children to provide their fingerprints to pay for lunches at school?"

"It doesn't seem right because they're only kids," said parent Roy Smith. "So I don't really think it's necessary to fingerprint them for them to get something to eat."

But no school will be forced to adopt the new system. In fact, individual students can opt out. Instead of scanning their finger, they'll have to type in a seven-digit code on a PIN pad.

District officials say unlike a full fingerprint, the machines only capture a partial image. They say each print is then discarded and replaced by a numerical number to identify a student for the school year.

Some students have mixed feelings about the program.

"Sometimes the line can take long because the machine don't work," said student Jeffrey Flores.

"Sometimes [I think it's weird] because what if they use it for something else?" said student Elizabeth Garcia.

The district will be spreading the technology to all schools that accept it by 2012.

Chris Brown featuring Drake, Kanye West & Andre 3000 – Deuces (Remix)- Dirty

New Music: Chris Brown feat. Drake, T.I., Kanye West, Fabolous, Rick Ross and Andre 3000 “Deuces (Remix)” (Dirty)

Daily Dime: Jennifer Skye

If Cartoon Characters Were College Students

Cartoon characters grow up and leave home too. Just like most college kids, they do things like.. well, you can see for yourself.

CRYSTAL KISS RECOMMEND:

Nas' Letter To Def Jam

Earlier this morning, a letter allegedly written by Esco to his label Def Jam leaked on to the internet. In the letter, God’s Son scolds his record label for refusing to release a sequel to his 2002 compilation, The Lost Tapes which he announced on Twitter a while ago.

XXL has confirmed the letter as absolutely authentic. Read the text after the cut.

Nickelodeon Fires Back At 'Dora the Explorer' teen Caitlin Sanchez Lawsuit

As if puberty weren't tough enough, it also may have cost a New Jersey teen her gig as the voice of "Dora the Explorer."

Nickelodeon, which Caitlin Sanchez contends in a lawsuit "swindled" her out of millions of dollars, fired back Thursday that the 14-year-old girl's pay was fine, but that her voice was not.

"Unfortunately, Caitlin's voice changed and she was no longer able to portray the Dora character, as happened with the actress who originated the role," the kids cable network said in a statement.

 The Daily News early Thursday broke the story of Sanchez's stinging claims against Nickelodeon, which she says duped her into inking a "bizarre, impenetrable, unconscionable" contract that left her overworked and underpaid.

The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, accuses Nickelodeon and corporate parents Viacom and MTV Networks, of stiffing the teen on residuals and merchandising in a 2007 contract that failed to "adequately" compensate the girl who gave voice to the adorable, Spanish-speaking Dora.

In a 41-page complaint, Caitlin contends she worked more than 100 "Dora the Explorer" promotional events for free, and traveled around the country while getting a mere $40 per-diem.

A Nickelodeon source countered that she and her parents were treated to first-class hotels on the road, had their air and ground transportation paid for by the cable network and that the $40 was for incidental expenses.

"She was well-compensated for her work and for personal appearances," Nickelodeon said in a statement.

Her lawyer, John Balestriere, countered   that the teen's family often lost money on the trips because they had to spend more money on food and airline baggage charges than the "meager $40 stipend."

"We are not suing because they claim her voice changed," Balestriere said. "She is not suing to stay on as Dora.

"She is suing because they paid her nothing for residuals, a few thousand dollars for merchandising and ended up making her spend most of her time - uncompensated - promoting the $11 billion Dora brand rather than performing as a paid actress."

Tweet Of The Day: Chuck Inglish (The Cool Kids)

Last night Chuck Inglish took to Twitter to let the fans know that they have officially been released from their (now former) label, Chocolate Industries, giving them the chance to make and release music “without the bs“. Hopefully this meansWhen Fish Ride Bicycles will see the light of day much sooner than later.

Daily Dime: Bria Myles

Wiz Khalifa "The Kid Frankie" (Video)

Palm Gives 500 Pre Plus Phones to Good Causes

Palm is giving away 500 Pre Plus phones, along with $300 worth of Verizon service, to groups around the U.S. that are trying to accomplish something good.

The campaign, called Palm Connections, is running on Facebook. Groups that want to get involved can submit their info atwww.palmconnections.com.

Palm will help group members connect with the Palm Pre Plusdevices and highlight the groups’ accomplishments over the next few months.

Those currently participating in the program include Greenlight Apparel, a clothing company with an activist mission to eliminate child labor, Niemann-Pick children’s fund, which is trying to raise funds to help fight and diagnose Nieman-Pick Disease Type C, and others.

The Cool Kids @ Footaction Culver City

Footaction is holding a meet-and-greet autograph session with The Cool Kids this Thursday, October 7th, from 4-5PM at the Westfield Culver City mall. Attendees showing up will also get a shot at free tickets to the Sneaker Pimps LA event and concert later that day featuring Travis Barker and The Cool Kids.

Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose & Slim Chin- "adidas: Fast Don’t Lie" (Video)

adidas is expected to put a lot of energy into its first signature models for Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose. The latest act of promotion sees the two aforementioned players, joining forces with actor Ken Jeong (aka Slim Chin), on a music video/track titled ‘Fast Don’t Lie.’ Howard and Slim Chin do most of the singing, while Derrick Rose can be seen in the music video playing 1-on-1 with Chin. 

Nike ACG Air Escape

The Nike ACG Air Escape is back for a reason. Originally released in the 1990s and a pillar of the ACG line, this shoe combines all of the things you like in a sneaker with those you look for in a boot. The sturdy but lightweight build of the Twine leather and Mega Blue mesh upper will keep you both stylish and comfortable when you head in to the wilderness this fall. They look good if you prefer your jungles concrete, also. This classic is now available at select retailers for $100.

Nike ACG Air Escape
Twine/Turbo Green-Mega Blue-Black
415338-700
$100