middledigit.net | jonathan hopkins

Celebrities around the world will need to have a rethink. The ACEE has published the Top 12 greenest vehicles of 2007 and the Prius isn’t top. Some good news for Honda as it fights to defend its decision to go without sponsored branding on its latest F1 car as being based on its desire to bring global warming issues to the forefront of F1, rather than because the sponsor pulled out at the last minute, which thelondonpaper is claiming tonight.

And, if you’re not planning on changing your car sometime soon, there’s plenty you can be getting on with to do your bit towards sorting out this rather big problem the world is having to deal with this year.

Thanks Treehugger.

PS - I’m only a few days in on this so bear with me if you’re thinking WTF. I’m finding my groove here.

So, this gives Russell Davies’ everything digital becomes real sooner or later prediction a new twist. A store in Turkey clearly rips off the Google logo and causes a stir online.

Reminds me of a lecturer once telling me that farmers in Africa thought that Tesco was a real country, a nice place where all their produce was going. Which is really, really bad.

Apple says hello this morning. Something tells me there are going to be a fair few takes on this. (*See disclaimer in About me)

PR Blogger has a good post on the entertainment industry and news that Lonelygirl15 is set to star in a movie (!), along with other examples where the line is blurring between the on and offline worlds.

I also came across this today which is a really great example of digital media content making its way into offline media - Creative Review turning a rather nice blog post on Noisy Decent Graphics into a full page feature a month or so later.

As Russell Davies points out (as does Ben when he posts about the above) sooner or later everything real becomes digital and everything digital becomes real. Bring it on I say and make it quicker.

I’ve just seen one of the latest Virgin Media ad spots featuring Uma Thurman. You know, the one where she pauses and we’re supposed to end up thinking “I want to sign up to Virgin Media”.

According to the Guardian, the ad allows people to share an intimate moment with Uma as she unexpectedly pauses silently for a seductive ten seconds on screen. I don’t know about anyone else but it just makes me fill up with hatred and on numerous occasions over the last week I have shouted at the TV. Maybe I’m not in the target audience (male, 27, London, heavy broadband/mobile/TV user) but there’s just something about it that makes me feel all nasty. And I’m not a nasty person.

I definitely haven’t been won over. Sorry Virgin - I know a lot of work will have gone in to the ads and you probably don’t care what I think - but Uma just isn’t winning me over. Or my girlfriend.

Image via Flickr

Will golfer Fuzzy Zoeller succeed in trying to sue the owner of an IP address responsible for the posting of “defamatory remarks” on his Wikipedia entry? Probably not, but this is something that is surely going to come up time and time again. One to keep an eye on if you’re interested in all thinks wiki.

According to the actual Wikipedia entry, which in a twist of irony is tracking the case, the proceedings started on February 13th. Even if he does succeed and effectively set a precedent for all future disputes, the event will forever be captured in history. Funny how things linger online, even if you try and change them.

Good magazine’s list of the 51 best magazines ever is enjoying a front page slot on del.icio.us. It’s very US centric but includes some real gems and reminds me to tell everyone to read Wired (in number 8 position) if you don’t do already. The online version is great, but if you can, grab a print copy. I once went for a while just reading it via RSS and this is one magazine where it just doesn’t give you the same experience.

Perhaps in a long winded way I’m sayng that the ongoing debate of traditional print media about to RIP is sound, but then I think about my monthly copy of Wired magazine. I just can’t help myself. There’s just something about the way in which you consume the print version that makes the experience so much better.

UPDATE: renaissance chambara has a great post on the future of media.

My colleague Katy jut pointed me in the direction of this, an article in the LA Times interviewing Marshal Cahill, political officer of the Second Life Liberation Army. Crazy that war exists even in SL. Why can’t we just sort it out in our “first world”?

The CIPR has launched its social media guidelines. And The World’s Leading has ripped them apart. When I get a moment I’m going to read them myself properly and make up my own mind, but for now - some of the initial responses to it did make me chuckle. . . .

On this quote - So blog away like billy-o, and work those wickis. But keep it real, and keep it honest!, “weaselboy” states That quote was made up by a Tamarra, or a Patsy or some other equally keen Oxfbridge grad wearing lots of pearls. Its people like that who make me embarrased to be in PR.

Just a quick thought that alot of the viral stuff I’m seeing around these day’s is a bit rubbish. Check out Millward Brown’s guide to what makes a good viral (Via Contagious). Iain over at Crackunit has already blogged about this, so I’ll hand over to him, but for now please use the word viral that little extra bit carefully.

Or maybe it’s just because I’m closer to all this stuff than the average guy on the street so I’m overly cynical and actually they are really rather good? Who knows. There’s no going back now.

Also, Duncan Nealon (the guy who wrote the report) I think I might know you . . .