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NBA Bans Off-White Cream-Colored Uniforms Due To Effect On TV Screens

Posted on by Phil Lam X

The light-colored jersey blends right in with the floorboards—causing problems for digital advertisers.

Just when you thought companies couldn’t possibly shove more advertisements into your eye sockets, technology proved it was possible. Digital (or virtual) ads are promos inserted into media post-production or in real time. They first emerged in video games, then started creeping into TV shows on streaming platforms. And during the pandemic, digital ads began making their way onto the basketball court in NBA broadcasts.

On top of ensuring that nowhere in sports is safe from commercialization, the virtual ads have had at least one other, unintended side effect: They killed a well-loved team uniform. In a green screen-style snafu, certain jerseys were too close in color to the polished wooden floors of NBA arenas. Thus, digital ads ended up distorted by players wearing the offending outfits, as first reported by Paul Lukas, the uniform-obsessed aesthetics aficionado who writes the popular UniWatch newsletter.

Specifically, the proliferation of digital ads forced the Milwaukee Bucks’ to give up their cream-colored jerseys. The uniforms were an alternate used during some games from 2017-2020. The colorway was inspired by the team’s home city nickname (in turn, inspired by a local building material). Fans of the Wisconsin franchise loved the look, according to Lukas who spoke with the Bucks’ chief marketing officer, Dustin Godsey. “It was incredibly well received,” Godsey told Lukas. “It helped us kind of build that Cream City brand.”

But there was a problem. The teams’ sponsors started noticing that players wearing the jerseys were getting in the way of their ads—and reported a “pixelation effect,” said Godsey. As a result, the Milwaukee uniforms (and all cream uniforms) were banned NBA-wide. The move also impacts the Philadelphia 76ers, who’ve had a “parchment” colored uniform variant in rotation for the past three seasons, according to Lukas.

It may seem a small thing, but the off-white prohibition is a clear signal of the growing influence that advertisers are having in the sports league and beyond—and the technology enabling that influence. Ad tech is big business, arguably the biggest business—maybe even the only business.

Source: Gizmodo

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New York City Removes Its Last Payphone From Service In Favor Of High-Speed Wi-Fi Kiosks To Meet Daily Communication Needs

Posted on by Phil Lam X

It’s the end of an era: New York City removed its last public payphone on Monday.

The boxy enclosures were once an iconic symbol across the city. But the rise of cellphones made the booths obsolete.

The effort to replace public pay telephones across the city kicked off in 2014 when the de Blasio administration solicited proposals to reimagine the offering, the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation said in a news release.

Officials selected CityBridge to develop and operate LinkNYC kiosks, which offer services such as free phone calls, Wi-Fi and device charging. The city began removing street payphones in 2015 to replace them with the LinkNYC kiosks.

There are nearly 2,000 kiosks across the city, according to a map from LinkNYC.

“Just like we transitioned from the horse and buggy to the automobile and from the automobile to the airplane, the digital evolution has progressed from payphones to high-speed Wi-Fi kiosks to meet the demands of our rapidly changing daily communications needs,” Commissioner Matthew Fraser said in the release.

The last public pay telephone will be displayed at the Museum of the City of New York as part of an exhibit looking back at life in the city before computers.

Source: CNBC

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu Resigns Amid Federal Investigation Related To The Sale Of Angel Stadium

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu has resigned amid an FBI’s corruption probe related to the sale of Angel Stadium.

His resignation takes effect at midnight Tuesday.

The resignation comes as it was revealed last week that the mayor was the subject of a probe by the FBI, which alleged in a search warrant affidavit that he had fed insider information to Angels executives in the stadium deal and arranged to have a helicopter bought registered in Arizona so he could save money on taxes.

The FBI alleges that Sidhu was hoping to get a $1 million-dollar campaign donation from the team. That never happened and the FBI says the Angels were unaware of the scheme, but this has been building for a while now.

“A fair and thorough investigation will prove that Mayor Harry Sidhu did not leak secret information in the hopes of a later political campaign contribution,” Sidhu’s Attorney Paul S. Meyer said in a statement. “His unwavering goal form the start has been to keep the Angels in Anaheim, so that this vibrant social and economic relationship would continue…

“Mayor Harry Sidhu has has always, as his foremost priority, acted in the best interests of the City of Anaheim, and he does so today. In order to continue to act in the best interests of Anaheim and allow this great City to move forward without distraction, Harry Sidhu has resigned from his post as Mayor effective May 24, 2022.”

This comes as last week, three Anaheim City Council members called on Mayor Sidhu to resign amid the FBI corruption probe into his involvement in the proposed sale of Angel Stadium to team owner Arte Moreno.

Source: ABC7

Playboi Carti Credits Tech N9ne As Pioneer And Influence Of His Movement

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Playboi Carti has built up a cult-like following over the years throughout his transformation into one of Hip Hop’s superstar trendsetters.

In a rare interview with XXL published Tuesday (April 12), Carti credited Tech N9ne as a pioneer of his gothic rockstar movement.

XL: You were talking about Tech N9ne earlier. Go back into that. Is that why you are wearing some face paint today? He’s known for that.

Playboi Carti: Tech N9ne, he’s the pioneer of what I got going on right now. When it comes to having a cult following, embracing yourself and sticking to your vision, Tech N9ne is the pioneer of that. So, it’s only right I give him his flowers. And, he’s very big in his own world and it’s the same thing with me. Even with the merch.

With the performance, the merch, the presentation, the Juggalo fans and the die-hard audience…

You [said before] he’s one of the best performers, all of that. And then, if you asked a younger kid today, he’ll say that for me. He’s one of the persons who…

Influenced you?

Exactly.

Music-wise? Aesthetically? When did that start? People in hip-hop used to not want to embrace Tech as much as they do now. So, you saying this is a surprise.

I just like how he’s consistent, like his vision. He stuck to his own vision. People like him are before their time, you know what I’m saying? He’s a genius and I’m a genius, so that’s how I see it.

So, you are kind of like a 2.0, 3.0 version of that kind of movement? Not the music, but the same overall package?

I’m more of like, I’m a real-life artist. I really studied his shit before I even get into things. Tech N9ne is the pioneer of this shit. Rock stars. He embraced the rock star, punk shit in hip-hop and it’s fire.

Have you worked together? Have you given him his flowers in person? Is he going to be surprised by what you’re saying or does he know that you feel that way?

Most definitely be surprised by what I’m saying.

Source: HipHopDX, XXL Magazine

Boyce Watkins: Tech N9ne Declined A $60M Deal B/C He’s His Own Boss

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Leading scholar and social commentator, Dr. Boyce Watkins of Financial Juneteenth offers his perspective to VladTV as it relates to Hip-Hop’s MCs earnings and how they manage their money. The conversation soon centered on the self-made independent artist Tech N9ne – who Boyce Watkins feels is one of “the greatest rappers in the world right now” – and how he successfully made the Forbes’ 2014 Hip-Hop Cash Kings List.

“Tech N9ne is a brother out of Kansas City, MO who is killing it…he actually turned down a deal for $60 million,” shares Dr. Boyce before adding, “A lot of the reason that he can turn down deals of that magnitude is because Tech has figured out the secret of how to make your own money.”

That comment is soon expounded upon when the analyst offers that “you don’t have to go through any industry begging and borrowing and asking people for an opportunity – you can create your own. And the best thing about being independent is when you sign yourself you’ll never fire yourself.”

Dr. Boyce later contends that the “Anghellic” lyricist’s business acumen has helped him to create his burgeoning empire. “He’s truly different not only in terms of his amazing rapid fire lyrical style, but in the way that he’s been able to monetize his ability in such an effective way.” Make sure you watch the entire clip to find out the “Three Tech Tips” that everyone needs to know in order to make the most money from your business and why Dr. Boyce Watkins feels that “walking away from education is the hugest mistake that any human being could ever make.”

NYC Robbery Crew Used Apple Watch To Track And Rob Drug Dealers For Over $500K

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Feds capture NYC robbery crew, who robbed drug dealers for upwards of $500,000 using a hidden Apple Watch.

New York has seen its fair share of smart criminals and masterminds who’ve gone undetected for years until they slipped up and caused their own downfall. From white collar crime to straight up armed robbery, anything can go down in NYC, but every criminal has a plan and plots like a scene out of a heist movie.

Hollywood has made billions taking these stories and turning them into big screen blockbusters, and according to The New York Post, there is a new story that could be a contender for the big screen. The scenario involves 7 men robbing drug dealers instead of regular citizens, making for an interesting situation.

A New York robbery crew that targeted drug runners hit the jackpot late last year, netting $500,000 in cash after tracking a targeted criminal’s car — with a hidden Apple Watch, new court documents show.

The seven-person crew based in the Hudson Valley pulled off the major score in January 2020 after their alleged leader, 30-year-old Darren Lindsay, bought an Apple Watch and linked it to his AT&T account, according to federal prosecutors in papers filed Tuesday.

The thieves put the watch underneath the bumper of a car that belonged to a drug-runner they suspected was flush with cash, the documents say.

The group was taken into custody in July for a string of robberies over the past three years. Authorities say the group made away with over $500,000 in their efforts and even posted with the cash on social media.

This may seem harmless due to the fact they were robbing drug and cash runners, but it’s far from a Robinhood story. Keep in mind, if you’re robbing big time dealers, the feds are already probably investigating them and now you’re on their radar which never ends well. While the plan was smart, as always, the clout and posting on social media was their ultimate downfall. Just imagine how far they could have gotten if they kept it to themselves.

Source: Bossip