tony

As you know we have a fun part of Buzznet called Featured Photos.

The handful of Buzznet brass can instantly feature a cool picture, or you can nominate something that you see while cruising around and then one of us can feature it.

Throughout my day I see a lot of pictures nominated and today I will give you some tips on what we like and what we dont like.

We like colorful, bright, incredible photos. But those are no-brainers. Sometimes you'll see a picture that just pops off the screen and is arty or funny or striking and you should definately recommend those to us and perhaps you'll see it on the front page or on the Photos page.

But here are some things that we will probably never feature:

1. Pictures with time/date stamps in the corner - I have seen a lot of these lately and they depress me because some pictures are really good but they have that silly date stamp down there. I don't know why some of you allow that there, but theres no need. If you post your pics on Buzznet a day or two after you take them theres your date right there. And if you havent learned how to take a pic without the datestamp now is a great time to learn. 2006 should be time-and-date-stamp free.

2. Sunsets - the sun is pretty, the sun setting is prettier, but a monkey can take a sunset picture. In fact some say that an angel loses its wings each time a sunset picture gets nominated as a Featured Photo. Dont get me wrong, i take sunset pics too, but only when im terribly lazy or theres some cool shadows happening in the clouds or if the goodyear blimp is falling out of the sky in flames... as the sun sets. So be different with your sunset pics if you insist on taking them.

3. Red-eye. If you must take pics with flash, learn how to use the red-eye reduction. Sometimes things happen and you cant help but get a little red eye in there but know that it might not get featured. Take no offense, but we have to draw the line somewhere. And the eyeball is a good place to draw it.

4. If your friend nominates 50 of your pics to be featured and you do the same in return odds are we will not only not approve any of it, but we will hate you forever. I dont think you want that.

5. Your pets arent as adorable to us and they are to you. Yes Fluffy looks sassy sitting there on your tv remote, but he just looks like a cat to the rest of us. And dressing him in a top hat and a tuxedo isnt going to help. So take it easy on hoping that your pet pics will get featured.

6.  If you engrave a (c)John Smith on the bottom of your picture it probably wont get featured. Here at Buzznet we encourage everyone to copyright their pics with Creative Commons. We've made it super easy to do and there are a variety of levels as to how restrictive you are about having people use (and not use) your images. But odds are if you do it right your pics will be copywritten much more legally than with your (c)John Smith messing up your cool shot.

7. Picutures taken through a windshield, from the tv, of paintings, or off dirty mirrors.  Thats not art. And you can do better.

Of course there are always exceptions, so do with this advice what you will..

Below are some examples of some of the best shots taken over the last few months.

Good Luck!

Let's just say that it's 24 hours since the Chicago Meetup and im still hungover.

I guess that means it was a success.

Some very good people attended, and I think everyone had a super good time.

With luck I will get to host a few more of these in the next coming months, but know that you don't need your pal Tony to have a Buzznet Meetup, just set it up and message me and I will write about it here on the Buzzblog and hopefully you will post some pictures... and then I will post those on the Buzzblog too.

Like so.....

Here at Buzznet we are very thankful for lots of things including these modern times that allow us to bring you this technology, and to be able to share our lives with each other

... or at least the images of parts of our lives.

Despite the fact that this holiday might be based on myth and lies and distortion, at its heart it's about being grateful for the gifts we've been given... and about pigging out with our family and friends.

So since we can't really photograph our gratefulness of the nice things in our life, fortunately, I see we can capture the grub.

Here are some of the best images that I've spotted on Buzznet.

As you know, Buzznet is the home of lots of great artists and musicians. From Matthew Good to HIM to Tsar to Fall Out Boy's Clandestine Industries, Buzznet provides a place for these bands to reach out to their fans and vice-versa through pictures and words.

One of the more recent additions to the Buzznet Music family is INXS who, as many of you witnessed, recently chose their new singer, JD Fortune.

The worldwide response to this new INXS line-up has been mindblowing, particularliy in JDs native land of Canada.

Today INXS hit lots of media outlets in Toronto to talk about their forthcoming record and tomorrow they'll perform acoustically on Canada AM at 8am. You can hear them get interviewed live  on Z 103.5 at 3:30pm and watch them  perform live on Much More Music at 8pm.

In the middle of all that, INXS will be signing autographs at HMV located at First Canadian Place at 12:15pm sharp!

And if that weren't enough, on Saturday 11/26  JD Fortune will will sing the National Anthem at the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game.

Oh Canada, how did you luck out so?

The rest of us will have to make due by checking out INXS through http://inxs.buzznet.com

hola amigos

i write to you tonight from my moms slow computer which is crippled by its dial up access.

everywhere around her are neighbors with wifi but everyones smart around here and have password protected their networks.

arrrrggg

i havent had dial up and windows XP since ... two years ago!

just kidding, i havnet had dial up since clinton was in office.

anyways i realize we havent come to completion with the fridge assignment so here are the finalists and the weiner.

and the winner, because it best represents a pre-Thanksgiving filled to the gills fridge is Wild Orbit

congrats and thanks to everyone for participating!

Hey Chicago and Chicagoland Buzznetters

it has been decided that the Chicago Meet-up will be at Uncommon Ground, 3800 N. Clark Street, Chicago, 60613... (773) 929-3680

The first beer will be tipped at 7:30pm.

This will be the last Official Buzznet Meet-up of the year...

So far we've held them in LA, NY, Vancouver and SF. Now we bring it to the windy city, my hometown.

Yes you can come home again.

So if you are in the midwest and you want an excuse to come to downtown Chicago and escape your family... please come join us, and tell your friends. All of these meetups have been super fun.  

Be prepared to talk about Chicago, the internets, fall out boy, Buzznet, social security reform. probably not in that order.

Pssst... the dude responsible for the site youre on was born on this day...

Show him a little love with a nice Buzznet story.

You realize Buzznet started before any of the Othrs

yep.

And yes even though he didnt think this all up all by himself, or do it all himself, it's a pretty safe bet to assume that without the good mc, none of this would be here.

so give it up to Marc, because Brown delivers.

im liking these fridges kids.

so much so i might even put mine up

keep em coming cuz they sure do tell alot about you/us

dont forget to tag them with the buzzwords assignment3 and fridge

happy a happy Saturday!!

I'm seeing some very interesting fridges. VERY interesting. You people put some time and effort on the outsides, and im seeing some odd things inside. Below are some examples.

By the way... This is Exactly what I wanted.

I heart you!

Keep em coming and make sure to tag them with the Assignment3 and/or Fridge buzzwords

gravitas

This is the 20 year anniversary of the Super Bowl Shuffle Chicago Bears. One of the most fun football teams of all time

you had Sweetness, Walter Payton as the slick running back
crazy-ass Jim McMahon at QB with his nutty headbands and sunglasses
you had Mike Singletary, one of the toughest linebackers ever
and you had the coach Mike Ditka with his flattop crew cut and ill fitting vests

but the heart of that team was 325 pound William "The Refridgerator" Perry, the defensive lineman who during the Super Bowl, Ditka allowed to play offense and "ran" in a touchdown from a yard out.

which leads us to this week's Assignment - take a picture of your Fridge. be it the outside or the inside it doesnt matter. underneath or on top, who cares. just take some pics.

then post them, tag them with "Fridge" and/or "Assignment3" (no spaces) and on Monday we will pick a weiner.

now go make Papa Bear Halas happy and snap some pics of your icebox.

Chicago where you at!

Buzznet will be holding a Meetup in the Windy City the Saturday night after Thanksgiving!!!

That's right home of Da Bears, Da Bulls, Da 'Hawks, Da Cubs and that other team that seemed to win the World Series this year

their name slips my mind at the moment...

Come meet your fellow Buzznetters and meet ME!

From K-12 I grew up in lovely Hanover Park, IL and now I'm coming home again - for the Holidays but also for you.

My question is -- where shall we drink?

The Cubby Bear? Harry Caray's? Michael Jordan's?

or is there a cool tavern that I am not familiar with that would best serve our purposes?

or perhaps somewhere all-ages so our younger Buzznetters can attend? a Gino's East perhaps?

We've now had official Buzznet meetups now in NY, LA, and Vancouver and it's nice if the establishment is casual and fun but not tooooo loud so we can all chat without yelling.

Any ideas?

Save the date!

tommytumult!

thats right the Buddhist from Wisconsin wins for his series of photos from Sal's Pizza.

there was some stiff competition from people who chose to photograph homemade food to DVL who may have taken the best picture of of a restaurant...

but tommy captured the outside, the inside, the food, two of the employees, AND their backs.

its that sort of over-the-top effort that has now made tommy a Featured User.

nice job bro and thank you to everyone who participated!

Tune in on Wednesday when we announce our next Assignment!

Hey we have had some great participation on this assignment, below are some of the kool kids who have taken their pics and shown us their favorite restaurants, dishes.

The deadline is Monday. So get on it!

Click the pics below to see the great dishes and/or restaurants!

In case you have missed the rules of the Assignment, here's the deal, every day this week we will feature at least one favorite restaurant and on Monday, who ever had the best one will be a Feature User.

Make sure to add the buzzwords Restaurant and Assignment2 (no space)

bon appetitte!

hey all...just a reminder for you SF buzznetters.

There is going to be a Bay Area meetup at Edinburgh Castle (950 Geary) in the City at around 8:30pm.

Hope to see you there.

In the meantime heres some pictures of the City by the Bay

Fine. So this assignment isnt as popular as the halloween one. Understandable. But who doesnt have a favorite restaurant? Throw me a bone, Buzznetters. Want me to go back to handing out shoes at the bowling alley?

Help me out with just a quickie little ugh lil snappy-poo of your local McDonalds if you have to, but help a brotha out and upload your deal so i wont get laughed at here at the Buzznet HQ.

Xris made it look so simple, maybe because it was:

++++++

i drove into old town orange today.

stoped for some soup and a ham sandwich almost had buzznet on the psp but the signal was weak so i finished watching a movie instead.

mmm food was good.

this was at the Two's Company. on the corner of chapman and glassel.

++++++

See, perfect. thanks Xris

So here's the deal, every day this week we will feature at least one favorite restaurant and on Monday, who ever had the best one will be a Feature User.

Make sure to add the buzzwords Restaurant and Assignment2 (no space)

bon appetitte!

Wazzzzzzzup!

OK well people are posting pictures of their favorite restaurants and everything cool.  Some have written me asking, "how can I pick just *one* favorite restaurant when there are so many in my home town, and thats a fair question.

Heres what I recommend:

Pretend youre about to get the switch flicked on you in the electric chair and the guard tells you that you can have one last meal - from a restaurant - which would you pick?

Or just think super fast: delicious restaurant - what comes to your mind?

Or pretend me, Tony Pierce, is coming to your town and Marc Brown has given me $20 to blow on dinner - where should I go?

Today's best restaurant entry comes to us from Zona Boy who recalls when he used to live in Arizona... here is the picture and his caption:

++++++++++

El Minuto

My fave restaurant is located in Tucson's historic "El Barrio" neighborhood. Opened in the 30's El Minuto is where I go when I'm home. It's legendary menudo has people lined up around the block on Sundays with their pots.

I hate menudo.

You order Chile Rellenos and the chiles are still firm. I have yet to find any like that anywhere.

Located on the south edge of the Tucson Community Center on the corner of Main and Cushing.

sigh

++++++++++

So here's the deal, every day we will feature at least one favorite restaurant and on Monday, marc brown, who ever had the best one will be a Feature User.

Make sure to add the buzzwords Restaurant and Assignment2 (no space)

bon appetitte!

I just flew back from Vancouver and boy are my arms tired.

Actually everything's tired, my liver, my face from smiling, my lungs from smoking, and obviously my jokes...

So let's get into it with our next Assignment.

Any time I travel or plan on traveling I always think about where to eat and what to eat when I get there. So your assignment, if you choose to accept it, will be to take a picture of your favorite restaurant in your hometown and write a little bit about it.

Bonus points go to taking a picture of your favorite meal.

Let me show you how it's done...

One of my favorite restaurants is The Pantry on Figueroa in downtown LA.

Convienently located off the 110 freeway near the 10, the Pantry is in walking distance to Staples Center and open 24 hours a day.

Since 1924 the Pantry used to claim that it "never closes and has never been without a customer" but sadly about 10 years ago it was shut down for a day for an embarrassing health code violation which is ironic because for the last few decades it's been owned by the former Mayor of LA, Richard Riordan.

Your typical old-school diner, the Pantry is king for comfort-foods: meat and potatoes at night, eggs and bacon for breakfast.

Be prepared to be served quickly and receive healthy portions that come with a dish of cole slaw and half a loaf of freshly made sourdough bread.

Part of the charm is that there are no menus. You order from the many small blackboards that dot the walls that are often updated and erased. Also part of the charm is they dont ask you what side order you'd like. So if you ask for the "Short Ribs" they will serve you whatever sides they have that day (typically mashed potatoes and peas, or mashed potatoes and corn).

Dining alone? No problem! Sidle up to the old-timey counter and watch the chef  grill up your steak or pork chops.

Get ready to ask for a doggy bag, and count on spending about $15 with tip for dinner. What I like to do is give the homeless people outside my left overs as it really is the best meal that anyone in LA will have that night.

$1 parking across the street, and definately a 10-15 minute wait after a Laker game or for weekend breakfast.

Hamsteak and eggs served all day even if it's not on the blackboards.

My favorite dish is the Rib tips with mashed potatoes and gravy.

No coke, pepsi.

The Original Pantry

877 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, California 90017

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OK thats how it's done. No need to get into as much detail as I did, and you dont need to get into that much detail, and no need to do it in a journal, you can do it in the body of your photo caption area if you want.

But if you do it in a journal that would be awesome.

So here's the deal, every day we will feature at least one favorite restaurant and on Monday who ever had the best one will be a Feature User.

Make sure to add the buzzwords Restaurant and Assignment2 (no space)

bonne appititte!

Scores of Buzznetters met up at the Matthew Good show last night and I can't even begin to describe how fun it was.

So since a picture says a thousand words, heres a few thousand words.

we're all winners in this halloween contest and after further review -- it's a draw

consider it Beauty and the Beast

Ophelia by Spudhead
and Boltheadguy by Tigerlilly are the winners.

I want to thank everyone again for their participation, Spudhead and Tigerlilly you are both now Featured Users.

I can't wait for the next Assignment.

Also I can't wait to meet all the Vancouver Buzznetters tomorrow at 6p-7:30p at the Granville Room right before the Matthew Good Show!

Hey kids,

below are the finalists in the Halloween contest we added some cool ones that slipped through the cracks. We will be mulling through these pics all night tonight and tomorrow.

Around 4:20pm Pacific Time we will announce the winner.

Again, thanks to everyone who submitted pictures, and stay tuned for our next assignment.

Meanwhile in the comments below tell us who you'd choose as the winner.

Whew that was a fun Halloween.

Hope it was good for you too.

Below are 15 more semi-finalists in our Halloween Contest.

Tomorrow morning we will put together the 13 best pictures over the last 4 days.

I will post those 13 pics on the very next Buzz Blog. You can comment on that blog post to persuade us as to what was the best pic.

Thank you to everyone who participated, this was super fun!