www.JohnAry.com

I have never gone to a “big time” film festival before. Fantastic Fest in Austin will be my first. I plan to help AintItCool.com cover it with video updates (reviews, interviews, etc.) all week long starting on Thursday, September 22. On the first night, I will be attending the world premiere of Human Centipede 2 (not really looking forward to watching it). The rest of the week, I’ll be seeing films with names like Juan of the Dead, ManBorg, Infernal Nuns, Invasion of Alien Bikini and Karate Robo Zaborgar… pure AWESOME! If you want follow me throughout the week, check out the Youtube channel where I’ll be uploading all of my videos, my Twitter account or AintItCool.com.

For those of you who don’t know, I really like action figures. I like them so much, I decided to create a web show, website, Facebook page and Twitter account that talks strictly about action figures. I’ve been doing this for the last 2 1/2 years, partly because I think toys are interesting and partly as a way to learn how to communicate better using social media. Sunday afternoon on a total whim, I sent an email to one of my favorite websites, AintItCool.com. The creator of the website, Harry Knowles has built a small internet empire through his pop culture blog. You know you’ve made it when your portrayed by Rainn Wilson on an episode of Entourage or you get to co-host an episode of At the Movies with Roger Ebert.

Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News

Sunday afternoon, I fired off an email to Mr. Knowles, offering my services as a guest blogger on his website. About an hour later he replied, “it’s a column I’d be interested in.” By Monday afternoon, my first article was posted on the site. I’m very excited because I check AintItCool.com about twice a day, everyday, and now I get to be a part of it.

I wasn’t prepared for the responses I received to my “Top 10 San Diego Comic Con Exclusive Action Figures.”  Here’s a sampling…

moosemalloy foretold of the carnage to come:
AICN has a TOY COLUMN! – Let the hatred begin

I’m not sure if green_lanterns_roommate meant I should get fired or drunk:
This guy should be shit-canned, he failed to mention the GB GHOST TRAP!!!

I kind of think this one is funny from bobo_vision
What do you guys do with these toys apart from putting them in your bum?

I don’t think stegman84 likes me:
You actually hired one of the most mediocre youtube channel guys, rather than someone who actually knows their shit? Why should I be surprised? At least scriptgirl had a decent set of tits to distract from her overall ineptitude, this guy is just another random ‘here’s some stuff I like, isn’t it cool?’ guy. Someone who could actually give us some quality coverage with variety and depth across all areas of collectibles would be a far better way to go…oh shit, sorry, I forgot, this is AICN. Never mind, carry on then.

The best comment so far goes to bacon_aesthetic
you smell like rotten eggs ary. Mom says you gotta wash your balls before you can play with your toys

Thanks to myphdisdoom for helping a brother out:
I find it more pathetic that some of you post… Bashing people buying these things. How much time do you have to click on these links and then write hate like this. You may think you’re putting people down but all your doing is showing how pathetic you are. I want that sentinel figure now…

I can’t wait to see what they say next week.

Yesterday, the story broke that Brick Oven Courtyard Grille in Topeka may be shutting its doors. This is bad news for the community, as Brick Oven is a local favorite for business meetings and nice dinners with friends and family. Here’s how social media beat traditional news outlets to the story.

Keith Czechanski (@KeithCzechanski) originally mentioned it in a twitter post yesterday morning at 10:06. He claims a bank teller who works at the bank near the restaurant told him. I retweeted his statement:

This lead to a phone call by Mandi Walter later in the morning to the Brick Oven. She asked whomever answered the phone if Brick Oven was closing. They said no.

After hearing from Mandi, I posted this tweet:

I then received this tweet two hours later from John Walkenford (@JWalkIV):

What can we take away from the way this breaking news story unfolded? The subject needs to be of communal interest. Brick Oven is a popular restaurant in Topeka. If it had been an eating place that few frequented or even a national chain, I believe fewer Twitterers would have cared or taken the time to dig up the facts themselves. Also, most tweets are taken at face value. Few people questioned where the information came from. Many took the information at face value and passed it on through their own posts and retweets. The few who did question the tweets took the next step of confirming the information themselves.

In conclusion, be careful what you believe on Twitter. Not all tweets have been researched or confirmed. Just because someone says they have information, doesn’t mean the information is current or properly investigated. In this case, those who questioned the information did the leg work and perhaps found the truth.

UPDATE (2:57 p.m. 1/13/11)

UPDATE (8:59 a.m. 1/14/11)

UPDATE (6:38 p.m. 1/15//11)