Personal EU my suggestion, that every EU citizen should have t he opportunity to start her/his own union wide team, consisting of "someone like me" from up to each European country. See http://www.personaleu.eu .

What have these two things to do with eachothers?

I think the ENoLL should be "the way of doing" through the ENoLL.

That's why I just now do my best to make a proposal that is good enough for their 3rd wave call.

Comments, please.

Kurt

kurt.linderoos@personaleu.eu
http://www.personaleu.eu
http://groups.to/personaleu/

Tina

There were a few reasons why I chose to spend my summer over here in Thailand that I have spoke about at length (e.g., teaching, partnerships, research), but to this point I have neglected to state one selfish reason: to allow my wife (Jet), son (Ben), and I to spend time with her family in Thailand.  Little did I know that there were a whole host of other benefits that I got from this “faculty exchange”. 

There are several reasons why Asia (e.g., China, Thailand, etc.) should be an important target of international partnership efforts for JSU.  Asia’s importance (in terms of population, political influence, and economy) has increased substantially in the past few years and will likely only continue to grow.  For a JSU student, many of which rarely leave Calhoun county, living and learning in a different country brings new abilities and experiences in assimilating to a culture very different from their own.  These skills are essential for our students as our local economy becomes increasingly global and shaped by Asian influences which cannot be imparted from a textbook or by “Googling” it online.  If we want our students to be successful in business with other countries, they need to understand those cultures. 

Interestingly enough, I have heard from Thai administrators that felt that American universities (unlike others throughout the world) have not pursued productive relationships with them.  As a result, this creates an opportunity for JSU to distinguish itself though lasting partnerships that will enhance its international reputation, which began in 1946 with the founding of the International House.  Whether this materializes as joint partnerships, student exchanges, and/or something entirely different, this can be an opportunity to grow our university population with a diverse set of students that appear to be underserved.  A challenge that JSU faces is selling our program to international students, where costs are relatively much more expensive in the US, but with our terrific ELI program and distance education office, these can be tremendous assets as these partnerships move forward.

There are also many additional experiences afforded to JSU students and faculty through these partnerships with Asian universities, particularly those in Thailand.  Among these include the opportunity to teach abroad.  With the lack of teaching opportunities at JSU over the summer, this gave me a chance to both be productive and earn some extra money.  In fact, with the way gas prices has soared in the US since I left (was $2.79 a gallon when I left) and the very low cost of living here in Thailand (I eat three meals a day of some of the most delicious foods for under $30 a week), I have actually saved quite a bit of money by spending the summer here.   For our students, this also includes work-study possibilities while enrolled in classes overseas in addition to job opportunities once they graduate from JSU. 

By teaching in a different part of the world, I have come to appreciate cultural variations, I have tried new teaching methods, and I have gained much new knowledge to share in my classrooms at JSU.  To speak of some of the cultural variations, I was expected to mingle with students during breaks in class in coffee shops and in restaurants, which is something that I have never done in the US.  Thai students are always late to class and back from breaks, something I was really not accustomed to.  And most Thai students would like to start their own business in the future, unlike American students that typically look for an interesting or “fun” career that will give them independence.  Instead of enforcing the same expectations I have for students in the US or teaching the same content that I teach American students, I adapted my style (and comfort zone) to match needs of the Thai students.  I have also had to be creative in getting students to participate in class discussions as Asian cultures typically don’t like to challenge authority, something that we take for granted (at times) in the US.  Such unwillingness to challenge authority presents problems when I find myself speaking too quickly or discussing content in which students still have doubts, which made efforts to improve participation anything but trivial.  There are a variety of other positive developments I have had while participating in a faculty exchange (e.g., new research opportunities, research partners, etc.), but I feel that the experiences I have had teaching will have the greatest impact as I feel that I have improved myself as a teacher and have broadened my cultural horizons.

Another benefit of partnerships, at least for me here in Thailand, is that you have an opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful lands and unique places in the world.  Everyone will have their own preferences for how they would like to spend their free time, but there are just so many options available in Thailand.  If you love nature, Thailand is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches to absolutely stunning views from the mountains in the north.  The two universities that I have been working to establish a partnership with (ABAC, MFLU) have some of the most elaborate and amazing campuses that are unrivaled to anything available in the US.  There is any number of activities to do as well, from hiking to mountain biking to white-water rafting.  Even with my busy schedule, these are all things that I have found time to do while in Thailand. 

Thailand also has a very rich history with many different cities, ruins, and temples to visit that make tourism its top industry.  If you are into shopping, there are hundreds of bazaars to choose from around Bangkok and throughout the country where you can get just about anything to bring back home with you.  As a country that "never sleeps", it is just fascinating to me that no matter where you go in Thailand, there are always places to stop and see and grab a bite to eat, no matter what time of day it is.  Some of the most exciting and hectic scenes are at the early morning markets where individuals and street vendors mingle and haggle in cramped quarters for fresh goods (e.g., meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc.).  Just an amazing sight to see and so much different from the laid-back style of living that I am so fond of back in Alabama.

If you are interested in humanitarian causes, you have the opportunity to do volunteer work in orphanages and at local impoverished elementary schools.  I have had the chance to visit a few English classes throughout Thailand to give a brief presentation about myself and have some fun answering students’ questions, which has just fueled my interest to become more involved in these types of activities in the future.  Those are the experiences that I will take back with me as it has allowed me to realize how much we take for granted.
 
So what benefits can you get from international partnerships?  Well, whatever limits you set for yourself and the opportunity that you have available to you.  International partnerships are also in-line with both JSU’s Strategic Plan (“identify off-campus opportunities for student participation to support global leadership and citizenship”) and Diversity Strategic Plan (“establish an environment that values diversity”), so there is a good reason why JSU should be motiviated to pursue and develop these Asian partnerships.  The goal of maintaining this and my other blog (discuss everyday happenings) during my time here in Thailand was to give both students and faculty an idea of what could be expected if he or she decided to follow in my footsteps.  I hope that you enjoyed the journey!

I still have goose bumps.

I just arrived home from the Peace it Together 2008 World Premiere Film Screening.  In the month leading up to this event 30 Israeli, Palestinian and Canadian youth were brought together on Bowen Island to collaborate on a series of short films in the hope of building a culture of creative leaders.  The results are nothing short of amazing.  You can check out the 2006 films here.

Partnerships are often rift with challenges but few come with the baggage that these kids brought to their teams.  The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict run so deep it can be difficult to imagine an end in sight.  Many of the students came to Canada preparing to have to work with - in their own words - their enemy.  It was often their first time meeting someone from the other side of the conflict, and they had to face their preconceptions and their fears.  Intense dialogue and discussion was facilitated between the three groups, with emphasis placed on listening.  The status quo was challenged as powerful friendships developed during the course of this program.

Through documentaries, dramas and animations, these films explore fear, security, freedom, reconciliation, and peace.  In one film, two young men painfully describe how they lost a loved one at the hands of the other's country.  Their stories are personal and emotional.  It is easy to empathize with them both and you begin to feel the tug-of-war that exists between these two groups of people.  They then talk about the friendship that they have developed, and the understanding that they have reached between them.  At one point, after the Palestinian has recounted what it is like not to be able to travel within his own country, the Israeli remarks, "I would rather live in fear, than have you live without freedom".  After the film, the guys came on stage to briefly speak to their experience.  About his Israeli friend, the Palestinian declared, "I love him".

Powerful stuff.

The film will be shown to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.  I was happy to open up my wallet to support this project, and I encourage others to do the same (they even accept air miles!).

Major, major kudos to Reena Lazar and Adri Hamael for founding Peace it Together and for pouring their hearts into this amazing program.  They can expect to be hearing from me soon!

gen+loadedbow

Both universities are “International” in that all classes are taught in English.  ABAC is located in Bangkok (pictures of undergraduate campus, virtual tour of graduate campus) while MFLU is located in northern Thailand (pictures of campus).  The graduate program at ABAC is on a trimester schedule that matches closely with JSU’s schedule; Semester 1: Start of May - End of August, Semester 2: Start of September - End of December, Semester 3: Start of January - End of April.  The undergraduate programs for both ABAC and MFLU have a typical two-semester + summer session schedule, but does not match up with JSU’s schedule; Semester 1: Start of June - End of September, Semester 2: End of October - Start of March, Summer Session: End of March - Start of May. 

Both ABAC and MFLU have welcomed any possible delegation from JSU to visit in the future.  Formalization of any possible partnership with JSU with Thai universities must be agreed to in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) by the JSU administration, so there was a limit to what my negotiations were able to accomplish.  As an aside, though the best time of year (weather wise) to visit Thailand is from December to February, both universities were willing to accommodate JSU’s schedule for a delegation to visit.

Key Individuals

This is a list of some of the key administrators and individuals that I have had nearly two dozen face-to-face meetings with over the past four months to talk about possible partnerships between their respective university and JSU:

• Brother Bancha Saenghiran: President, ABAC
• Dr. Soonthorn Pibulcharoensit: Director, ABAC Office of Graduate Studies
• Dr. Kitti Phothikitti: Dean, ABAC Graduate School of Business
• Dr. Srisakdi Charmonman: Dean, ABAC Graduate School of Information Technology
• Dr. Chamnong Jungthirapanich, Chair, ABAC Graduate School of Information Technology Committee
• Mr. Glen Chatelier: Director of International Affairs, ABAC
• Dr. Vanchai  Sirichana: President, MFLU
• Dr. Thongchai Yooyativong: Dean, MFLU School of Information Technology

Faculty Opportunities

Faculty Exchange.  Each key administrator that I spoke to from both ABAC and MFLU had stated that they would be willing to host faculty willing to teach from JSU.  My discussions were specifically for MCIS and Business faculty, but could likely include faculty from other departments as well.  Both universities would also be willing to host individuals interested in teaching English.  Though each contract would likely be different, the contract I was under at ABAC this summer was that I would be paid $2000 cash for each MBA class I teach, that my airfare be reimbursed (also in cash), and that I receive a faculty dorm accommodation.

Research.  In my discussions with the ABAC Graduate School of Information Technology, the faculty expressed an interest in possibly collaborating with JSU faculty as ABAC is putting a greater emphasis on research.  This would require some work to identify a “match” in research backgrounds, but this could be a great opportunity for JSU faculty that is interested in international or culture-based research as well as providing access to data.  Although I spoke specifically with ABAC about this opportunity, MFLU might be interested in this as well.  In longer-term prospects, in our discussions it was mentioned that this could be the beginnings of a multi-disciplinary research corporation whose primary members are ABAC and JSU.  ABAC also encouraged JSU faculty to submit their manuscripts to their journals as they always are looking for research from all different areas.

Co-Advisor.  There was a focused discussion that I had with the ABAC Graduate School of Information Technology where I could play a role as a “co-adviser” for an incoming Ph.D. student of theirs whose topic of interest was similar to research I had previously carried out.  I do not think that there would be any compensation involved, but it was suggested that this could be part of a partnership between JSU and ABAC and might lead to future research opportunities.

Joint Program.  Each key administrator that I spoke to from both ABAC and MFLU had stated interest in forming a joint program between JSU and their respective university.  Both ABAC and MFLU are currently involved in joint or “offshore” programs with universities from several countries across the world, but I don’t think that they do have much of a presence in the US or at least there is an opportunity that JSU could have.  A key issue here would be establishing an agreement on how each respective partnership (JSU-ABAC, JSU-MFLU) would recognize degree credits.  In my discussions with the Director of Graduate Studies at ABAC, he mentioned that there are two approaches to follow.  The first is the approach ABAC uses with universities in the UK and in Australia where students spend time studying in their home country and also in Thailand.  He mentioned that this model is more challenging to implement for US universities as the US has much stricter visa requirements relative to the UK and Australia.  The other model is a "double degree" model where students take classes and get degrees from both universities.  The biggest challenge with these partnerships is being able to identify/correlate degrees from each university.  In my discussion, however, we both recognized that the bulk of this work could be done electronically so that if a delegation from JSU does visit ABAC (or MFLU), that it would just be a matter of formalizing this agreement. 

International Projects.  There were a variety of different short-term projects that I discussed with individuals from MFLU.  These partnerships focused on ways in which my students could work with their students.  I have worked with MFLU and JSU’s distance education office over the past few weeks so that for the fall semester, my graduate students will act as a project manager for MFLU undergraduate student projects.  In addition, MFLU undergraduate students will participate jointly in my undergraduate student team projects.  This has involved getting approval from MFLU administrators for these partnerships and also allowing JSU to provide access to the Blackboard system for MFLU students.  The biggest hurdle for these projects, however, is that the JSU semesters do not match up well with MFLU semesters.  As a result, these partnerships have required both my counterparts at MFLU and me to be creative and flexible in setting these up, however, we feel that the benefits outweigh any challenges that we may encounter.

Faculty Expertise.  The way that many US universities offer innovative curriculum is by offering new, elective courses.  In Thailand, they offer entirely new degrees and are quite liberal in the amount of new degrees and courses that are offered.  As such, there are numerous courses and degrees that are taught at ABAC and MFLU that JSU just could not have the resources to provide.  This provides opportunities where a joint partnership makes sense, but this could also be a means by which JSU faculty has access to faculty experts if they choose to offer innovative curriculum content.  An example of this for MCIS faculty is having access to CGI, graphics, and multimedia expertise from MFLU that are able to put together professional products.

Student Opportunities

Short-Term Student Exchange.  One short-term student exchange possibility that I discussed would be a “student exchange with industry exposure” partnership with the Thai universities.  This would consist of a group of students from Thailand (around 30 or so) traveling to JSU for a two-week stay that would involve visiting/touring local businesses as well as companies like Coke and CNN in Atlanta and sitting in on classes at JSU.  This would be a great way to sell JSU and the ELI program to these students so that they could actually experience (and envision) what life would be like for them if they attended JSU.  The Thai universities were very interested in discussing this possibility as the alternative partnerships that they had with other international universities were much longer and much more expensive that what this partnership promises to be.  Some issues involve whether there would be support from the JSU community to host these students.  To me, it makes most sense to host this type of exchange during our summer as the students could get access to cheap housing ($15/night student dorm room), but I am not sure how willing (year after year) people are at JSU to help carry this out (e.g., allow students to sit in their lecture, take students on business tours, etc.).  Another hurdle is finding out whether these Thai students would be able to “get by” on a tourist visa or would need to get a student visa, which may require some guarantee of financial expenses.  I have not discussed with the Thai universities a corresponding “group visit” by JSU students.

Individual Student Exchange.  There was some discussion that JSU would be willing to offer a seat in the International House if a Thai university was willing to offer something similar to a JSU student.  I have only mentioned this as a possibility in my discussions with administrators from ABAC as I feel that Bangkok might be more a more attractive alternative to a JSU student than northern Thailand.

Long-Term Student Exchanges.  Loyola College (Maryland) has had a partnership with ABAC for over 20 years that involves their students spending one semester taking classes at ABAC (June – September) with the opportunity to do volunteer work in orphanages, at local impoverished elementary schools, at academic departments or offices at ABAC, and also internships (work-study) with Thai companies during their stay.  Of course it will depend on what type of partnership JSU is willing to set up, but the way Loyola’s partnership with ABAC works is that their students pay regular tuition to Loyola (relatively expensive compared to JSU – almost five times as expensive per credit hour) which Loyola uses to pay for ABAC tuition, room, most meals during the semester, round trip airfare, six days in Chiang Mai which includes a four day trek to visit hill tribes, five days in Koh Samui, an island resort, six days in Hong Kong (on a stop-over), and several one-day trips in Thailand.  This has been an exclusive, one-way partnership as Thai students could not afford taking classes at Loyola.  ABAC was very interested to see if JSU would want to establish a similar partnership.  MFLU was also interested in discussing student exchange possibilities as they felt their students would prefer either visiting or studying in the US which is an English-speaking country rather than some of the non-English speaking countries (for example in Europe) that MFLU currently has a relationship with.  The infrastructure and social network is already in place with Loyola, however, so that would likely be a lower-risk proposition for JSU and JSU students.

Student Employment.  A partnership that ABAC has with Loyola College is that they offer students that have participated in a student exchange with them to return and teach English at ABAC for a year after they graduate (which there are many positions that need to be filled each year).  In fact, this acts as a support network/system for the students that participate in this study abroad program because they have several individuals on campus that graduated from the same university that can show them around Bangkok, give them advice, and be there if any help is needed.  There are currently 15-20 Loyola College graduates from undergraduate programs like in English and Psychology as well as MBA students that teach at ABAC for 1 year with free room and board, round-trip airfare expenses, and a salary (similar to my current arrangement).  Although no similar arrangement exists between international universities and MFLU, their administrators welcomed this possibility and felt that teaching English at MFLU might be an attractive option for JSU graduates as it would give them an opportunity to experience a different culture while working in a different country and perhaps create some start-up business of their own.

Image by biewoef's

Gary Chapman, a marriage counsellor coined the term 'five languages of love' to describe the ways we show affection. With your partner, go through the list and circle the statements that you think you show love with. Does your partner confirm your view? This exercise will give you a different perspective on your partners wishes.

Words of Affirmation

Pays me compliments

Agrees with my decisions

Acknowledges my perspective

Quality Time

Listens to my problems

Shares secrets with me

Joins in with my plans

Giving Gifts

Buys me presents

Takes me away for the weekend

Buys me dinner

Acts of Service

Cleans the house

Cooks dinner for me when i'm tired

Organises family events

Physical Touch

Holds my hand

Hugs me

Initiates sex

Read also:

IS IT TIME FOR AN OLD-FASHIONED LOVE LETTER?

PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE: THE PRACTICE OF LOVE

TOP TEN FACTORS THAT MAKE A RELATIONSHIP WORK

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Poster child for the environmental activism scene of the 90's, Werbach is known for being the youngest Executive Director for the Sierra Club ever, as well as his controversial speech which declared ‘The Death of Environmentalism’. His next move was a notorious partnership with Walmart.

The goal of the Blue campaign is to use marketing strategies and enterprises such as Walmart to create a one billion person consumer movement, targeting one trillion consumer dollars towards sustainable products. Werbach declares “Walmart is as much an American institution as the White House”. The video, Birth of Blue, is definitely worth watching, if not only to make you a little angry.

I think there is room for many different approaches to sustainability. The Blue movement works to meet people where they are, rather than at a level enviros wish the general public would act at. But it also fails to address the underlying causes for the collapse of all environmental systems on the planet. In light of this, the Blue campaign for ultimate environmental sustainability lacks serious…sustainability.

Progressive, this campaign is not, and remains within the conventional structures of capitalism, gender roles and consumerism culture. “Blue builds on the movement of green, but without green’s baggage”, boasts Werbach. If challenging gender roles, racism and poverty, which characterize the environmental justice movement, are considered ‘baggage’, then yes. Blue takes environmentalism somewhere else entirely. It takes the public’s attention away from pursuing holistic and authentic change that challenges oppression and human rights transgressions.

I had a little involuntary vomit in my mouth when Werbach outlined my role in the new Blue movement, “it is up to women because they are the main shoppers". I've grown up in a world where I have been told I'm a consumer. I want to work to get back to a place, where I feel more like a citizen.

The mall-mentality of North America is unique in its powers to isolate and perpetuate an individualistic perspective of global issues. Deeply rooted change will require a shift from the actions individuals take, to those of an entire community. I am interested in the social connections I can make that will both encourage and hold me accountable on my road to a more responsible lifestyle.

]]> http://brettesslinger.wordpress.com/?p=6 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:56:58 +0000 brettesslinger http://brettesslinger.wordpress.com/?p=6 Recently I preached a message called ALL HANDS ON DECK - The message was aimed at challenging our current mindset - a mindset i like to call: COMMONLAW CHRISTIANITY (we want all the benefits of a relationship with Christ - but we don't want any of the work) 

 I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas or ponderings relative to this topic!

 All Hands on Deck

Enjoy!

Based on my experience working with dozens of organizations on their partnering efforts, the following are critical elements that help determine if an organization's partnering efforts are going to be successful. These are not new, revolutionary ideas but in my view, one or more of these key elements are often overlooked which results in partnering arrangements that never get off the ground or never reach their full potential.

• Clearly Defined Mission and Objectives Any public organization considering partnering must be clear in its mission and objectives for partnerships at the institutional level. These elements will provide the framework within which partnerships can be created. Where the mission of the organization and the partner are too diverse, the partnership opportunity should be passed. If the high level missions are compatible, then an analysis of the mission and objectives at the project level should be conducted to ensure compatibility from an operational perspective.

• Develop a Partnership Policy that Positions Your Efforts and Encourages Partnerships An effective Partnership Policy provides an element of transparency and is seen as a crucial step in developing a positive internal culture. An effective policy needs to encourage consistency but allow for flexibility to assess risk and respond to opportunities. It needs to be written in a way that encourages partnerships and does not inhibit the ability of your organization and for-profit private sector businesses to build relationships based on mutually beneficial goals. Any conflict of interest statements need to be simply stated without being over-dramatic and at the same time, practical so that industry sees value in working with you.

• You Have to Start with a Plan Prior to seeking partners, you need to have a clearly defined marketing strategy that helps you define your current situation, your target audience, specific objectives you want to achieve and the types of partners that will help you address the gaps in your strategy (e.g. reaching a specific audience, building credibility, offering value-added service, etc.). If you don’t have a road map, how can you possibly know where you are going?

• Choose the Right Partners If you are like most organizations, you probably have limited resources to manage partnerships, so you want to ensure that the partners you work with are the ones that are most suitable to the goals you’ve outlined in your strategy. Prior to initiating discussions with potential private sector partners, initial research should be conducted to help determine / prioritize partners that can help you best achieve your objectives. A quantitative checklist can help you assess different opportunities and rationalize why certain partners are more desirable than others.

• Determining the Value and Benefits of the Partnership To create a “Win / Win” situation (as any good partnership is), each organization at the outset must have a clear understanding of the value and benefits that the partnership brings to the table from both a tangible and intangible perspective. In order to create real “buy-in”, both parties must benefit from the arrangement, otherwise there will be lackluster commitment.

• Governance All partnering arrangements should have a defined governance model that ensures there are checks and balances through the partnering process. These processes should be stated from the onset, so that there are no surprises or unrealistic expectations.

• Minimal Bureaucracy A bureaucratic and complex process to review and 'approve' partnerships will likely undermine any real efforts to secure partners for an initiative. Long approval process can take away any momentum that is developed between potential partners. The key is to get internal approval on partnership concepts, potential benefits that will be offered through these arrangements and agreement templates so that when you move forward on a partnering arrangement, the approval process will be timely and efficient.

• Evaluation Process Consistent with effective marketing, every partnering arrangement needs an effective evaluation strategy where ongoing progress can be tracked and results measured against objectives. Evaluation can include both quantitative (e.g. audience reach, exposure to messages) and qualitative (organization image, audience satisfaction) measurement criteria. If an arrangement is not working or living up to expectations, it is important to address issues as they arise and not at the end of an agreement when it is too late to make any changes.

Rocketboom ha firmato un importante accordo con Sony, che ha acquistato i diritti di distribuzione e l'esclusiva per la vendita di spazi pubblicitari relativi allo show.
E' un accordo da un milione di dollari, che accontenta entrambe le parti: Andrew Baron può concentrarsi sulla creazione dei contenuti; Sony acquista un contenuto con un pubblico già fidelizzato, rafforzando la sua strategia editoriale, in forte in espansione.
Rocketboom verrà pertanto distribuita su Crackle.com, PSP, PS3, Sony Bravia, ma potrà rimanere anche sulle piattaforme attuali (YouTube, iTunes, TiVo), così come rimarrà intatto il sito originale.
Non è la prima volta che Rocketboom prova a intrecciare partnership per agganciare inserzionisti, ma finora nessuno, dice Andrew Baron sul blog, è stato in grado di gestire le diverse presenze online dello show.
Sony ha evidentemente la competenza di intraprendere strategie multipiattaforma e la forza di garantire un margine economico agli autori. A questo proposito Erick Schonfeld su TechCrunch ha osservato: "The deal does raise the question, though, of whether Web video startups can thrive as independent entities or require the distribution muscle of a major media company to go mainstream".

Chissà, magari un giorno non ci sarà bisogno di intermediari "muscolosi", ma al momento è un ottimo segnale per le start up, poichè indica la disponibilità del mercato a investire nei nuovi contenuti. Complimenti a Andrew Baron, Joanne Colan e tutto il team di RocketBoom!

[via Variety]

• Time Warner: 26% drop in net income . In years past, Time Warner stock got punished for the sprawling ambition of execs, who wanted to control distribution, tech and content. The writedowns and culture clash between old-line Time Inc. and AOL execs are the stuff of legend. Now, the company has listened to critics by slimming down, officially detaching from Time Warner Cable as of last quarter and separating AOL into distinct (and sellable) business units. Yet Wall Street keeps pummeling the stock of the newly refashioned content-oriented conglom.
• Massive job losses at New Line and the elimination of Warner Independent and Picturehouse. Warner Bros. plans to release fewer pics, in keeping with Hollywood trends. Shares have shed 20% of their value since last fall

[via Variety]

• News Corp. rode the Fox movie studio to another quarter of solid growth, posting a 27% rise in profits Tuesday to $1.1 billion on a 17% uptick in revenue to $8.6 billion.
• The film studio's 3 summer titles bombed: Eddie Murphy starrer "Meet Dave," toon "Space Chimps" and Chris Carter's "The X-Files: I Want to Believe." (Fox is distributor only on "Space Chimps.") Studio knew before "Meet Dave" opened that the film was in trouble but was caught off guard by the poor performance of "X-Files." But the period ended June 30 saw lots of coin flow in from the likes of "27 Dresses," "Alvin & the Chipmunks," "Juno" and "AVP: Requiem."
• Television slumped in the quarter, w/ weaker ad rev at Fox Broadcasting and Fox stations. The writers strike also meant less original programming on the network, which put a crimp in ratings.

[via Variety]

• Sony: Sony Corp. became the sole owner of the world's second largest music company in the world Tuesday, putting the company in a position to integrate music with electronics and possibly begin to offer shared rights deals with artists. Stringer's remarks suggest the artists and their repertoire will be used aggressively to sell the company's electronics products. The most obvious starting point is in the mobile devices produced by Sony's Ericsson unit, which has been an also-ran next to the music-driven programs pioneered by Verizon Wireless and Nokia.Stringer added that in the past four years, Sony BMG has restructured, streamlined its operations and developed digital partnerships "that ensure it will continue to be a leader in the creation and distribution of music worldwide."With a unification of recorded music, music publishing -- Sony/ATV was not part of Sony BMG -- and Sony's film and TV divisions, the company's labels would be in a position to bundle revenue streams into a single package for an artist. The so-called 360 deals generally tie recordings, publishing, merchandising and tour revenue under a single contractLabels under Sony: Columbia, Arista, Epic and J
  Artists under Sony: Pearl Jam, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake and Bob Dylan and the catalogs of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Miles Davis

[via Variety]

• MSN and "Entertainment Tonight" are partnering online

[via Variety]

• Morgan Wandell, SVP of drama development at ABC Studios, is set to run Berlanti Television, which sealed a five-year pact with ABC Studios in June. In moving to Berlanti’s shingle, Wandell will oversee all TV development and also work on projects for Stage 9, the digital studio launched earlier this year by Disney-ABC Television Group. Wandell developed "Brothers & Sisters", "Eli Stone" and "Dirty Sexy Money" w/ writer-exec producer, Greg Berlanti. Separate from Berlanti, Wandell also developed hits such as "Ugly Betty," "Private Practice," "Army Wives," "Kyle XY," "Criminal Minds," "Ghost Whisperer" and "Reaper." He also helped launched the studio’s "Desperate Housewives," "Lost" and "Grey’s Anatomy." Channing Dungey is set to replace Wandell.

[via Variety]

• Blockbuster and cash-register maker NCR have teamed to roll out special kiosks this fall.
• Installation of the first 50 Blockbuster-branded kiosks should start in the coming weeks, with a rollout of up to 10,000 in the first 18 months. Exact markets and locations have not been finalized.
• The machines will initially offer only DVD rentals, but future applications could include digital downloads and sales of DVDs and videogames.
• According to Blockbuster, analysts project the number of DVD-vending kiosks to grow by more than 60% over the next three years, increasing from 9,300 units at the end of 2007 to more than 22,400 by the end of 2010. Consumer spending on movies from vending machines during that span is expected to grow from $197 million to more than $760 million.

[via Variety]

• Seriously, what the eff is up with all these wannabe "Apprentice" rip-off shows like "I Want to Work for Diddy" and now this one ramping up on MTV w/ 50 Cent? First off, MTV and VH1 are both Viacom...what the hell will be the difference b/w the Diddy and 50 Cent shows? So annoying...

[via Variety]

• September has historically been considered a low point for moviegoing, but with so many films flooding the market, every month of the year is game now, whether or not there’s the theater traffic to back it up.
• While bowing midweek can lower the opening weekend gross, advantages include building good word of mouth.

[via Variety]

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has inked a deal to distribute select ABC Studios titles on DVD.  "According to Jim," "Reaper", "8 Simple Rules", "Boy Meets World" and "Hope & Faith." This is in addition to Lionsgate's recent pact with Comcast Entertainment Group for disc duties for cable series including "Sunset Tan," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood" and "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane".  The homevideo division also oversees a number of key homegrown Lionsgate TV franchises on disc, including "Weeds" and "Mad Men."

[via Variety]

stats

loads

nothing

needs more resourcing

would do it totally different

But the weird thing is, just a week ago I had a very strange dream. I dreamed that all YouTubers got the ability to have a channel and video banner. It was so strange when I found out that all users have autoplay out of the blue. In the last couple of years, I have seen scenes before they happen. It is so strange. I might dream something one night (I think during the early stages of sleep), then I forget about it, but then I remember it when I am at the scene and I get a little jolt. It is so weird but yet true. It has been happening since 3rd grade.

-Jack

2.8 billion bucks were spent to hold the summit in Sri Lanka and most of that was channeled towards security. In my opinion I thought that the LTTE wouldn't dare attack any of the delegates as they had too much to lose specially in the eyes of the international community. India most certainly would not tolerate another of it's premiers beeing attacked or killed in Sri Lanka. Pakistan would've invaded the north if something had happened to Gilani.

So the question remains........did SAARC XV usher in a new 'partnership for the people'? Or was it just another slice of government propaganda?