Before even Thanksgiving. Before even Holloween. Today I saw the first Christmas ad of the year. Ironically, on the Military Channel (they are showing a program on the 1973 Yom Kippur War) Time-Life advertised a collection of Christmas songs for the season.

I am almost certain this is the earliest in the year I have ever seen a Christmas ad. I guess they are hoping we start shopping now.

Tracey Brooks, running for Congress in the 21st District, sent out a remarkable press release today.

Democratic Congressional candidate Tracey Brooks today announced the launch of her online advertising campaign, posting her first ad to The Albany Project, www.thealbanyproject.com, a leading political and campaign blogosphere resource.[...]

"We're so excited to launch our first online ad -- and do it on a blog -- as we continue to bring our message of change directly to the people in new and exciting ways," said Brooks.

"We are the first campaign to post an online ad, as we were the first to reach thousands of voters in a single night through a telephone town hall meeting. We were also the first to launch YouTube videos, online volunteer registration, online fundraising, and internet social networking tools." [Emphasis added]

What's remarkable is that she's right: her campaign is the first in this entire cycle to buy an ad on a blog. Think about this for a moment: only one campaign in the state of New York has bought an ad on a Progressive blog for the 2008 elections. Or maybe that's not so much remarkable as it's sad.  read more »

Alright, I'm amused. The publicity agents for Equinox, an upmarket chain of gyms, email over, breathlessly, as follows:

It's been politics, politics, and more politics lately (with a little NY Giants thrown in) [Ed. note: Yes, that's what we do], so I thought you and your readers might be interested in a very different type of NY event: Equinox's scandalous - almost pornographic - nuns ad is coming to the city this week for 3 days only.

Have you seen the controversial print yet? It features a group of sexy nuns sketching a nude male model in a figure drawing class, a la Michelangelo's David. Some people are in an uproar - I personally think the whole thing amusing (but hey, I'm a liberal New Yorker)

Now, speaking merely for myself, I'm a big believer in the idea that the world needs more sculpted, naked flesh adorning the public space. What's amusing to me is that what is obviously, transparently, a ploy to garner free media - and what better way is there to do that than mixing religion and sex? - has seemingly aroused the ire of the usual suspects.

Memo to Bill Donohue: The reason people run campaigns like this is precisely to cause the reaction you infallibly deliver.

Memo to advertisers: Want press? Hire some models, dress them in ecclesiastical garb and leave one of them naked - no nipples or genitalia, please, since you're not nearly daring enough to risk condemnation from the Four As. Proceed to write steamy press release congratulating yourself on being all edgy, daring and shit, while all the prudes - in New York City, sure, whatever - supposedly froth. Bingo, get press.

I hate linking to Ben Smith these days because he has chosen to link only to Room Eight, his personal blog, from his site over at Politico.com. Yeah, double meow to you too. This Rudy clip though is too good to pass up.

The memories of that comb-over ... the horror, the horror. It's the drivel of him being "kind" and "compassionate" that really makes my stomach turn.

Make sure you have a waste basket close to you. This campaign ad may induce vomiting.

Via Politico.com.

I received a request from Internet radio provider Pandora to contact my Congressman before tomorrow's Congressional hearing concerning royalty payment schedules for web based stations. I didn't recall ever giving them my street address, but they somehow knew that unfortunately Vito Fossella is my Congressperson.

I wrote back that any requests to Vito from me would go deaf ears considering I spent most of my 2006 waking hours trying to cause him to be unemployed.

Unlike terrestrial radio, which pays fairly small fees to music copyright licensing companies such as ASCAP and BMI, Internet stations are charged ridiculously high per song rates by Sound Exchange which receives royalty payments for artists and the major record labels.

The new fee schedule will essentially kill web based music radio by making the cost of playing music prohibitive.

I rarely listen to terrestrial commercial music radio anymore because the playlists are repetitive or just outright suck.

Pandora is an interesting service. You can give them an artist or a song and they will put together a compatible playlist.

I put together a station based on the 70s Genesis song, "Supper's Ready". Tonight's Supper's Ready radio station music selections included Genesis, YES, Phish, Procol Harum and Jethro Tull.  read more »