Valleywag’s favorite dancer, Mark Cuban, is sashaying to enter the crowded market of Facebook applications with Radical Buy. Radical Buy is not radically different from other venues for selling goods, like eBay or Facebook’s own Marketplace. Cuban’s approach is distinguished in one significant way: The application introduces commissions to those who display other people’s listings and help close sales. By providing even nonsellers with a chance to make money, Radical Buy hopes to get uptake beyond a small audience of Cuban followers.

Not that Cuban is passing up the chance to sign up his superfans. The Dallas Mavericks owner will list some of his own ’90s bubble-era tech-company posters, as well as memorabilia from his sports team, appealing to his two core audiences of supporters, which should guarantee Radical Buy a slightly better chance of succeeding than Cuban had of winning Dancing with the Stars.

The TV writers’ strike over online-video residuals costs the Los Angeles economy $21. 3 million per day, according to nonprofit group FilmLA. The strike, which has already shut down production on shows 24, Cold Case and Desperate Housewives, keeps 15,000 from working. The last time the writers struck, in 1988, the total cost came to an estimated $500 million, or about $3 million a day.

Source:Valleywag

With all this talk of Comcast and Canadian Internet service providers throttling file-sharing connections, serial entrepreneur and twinkle-toes Mark Cuban has decided, in big, bold letters, that ISPs should “BLOCK P2P NOW.” Although he’s not a Comcast subscriber, he supports its crusade to rid the Internet of “P2P freeloaders” because he doesn’t want them eating up all his bandwidth. (As does Valleywag. Don’t like it? Lay your own cable, pikers. Cuban is a billionaire from selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo, and could actually afford to take our advice.) But we’re curious why he’s suddenly decided he has a problem with peer-to-peer software.

When he says “freeloaders,” he’s talking about companies (like Joost or Skype) that rely on peer-to-peer distribution for bandwidth. But as Ars Technica points out, Cuban was happy to finance P2P file-sharing client Grokster’s legal defense. He also invested in peer-to-peer file-distribution startup Red Swoosh, and profited when it was acquired by Akamai. His new complaints probably have more to do with the library of high-definition TV content he’s building through HDnet and his other ventures — and the fact that he needs to cozy up to Comcast for distribution, both online and in its HD lineup.

Source:Valleywag

PodTech, home to videoblogger Robert Scoble, is shutting down, says Fake Steve Jobs blogger and Forbes senior editor Dan Lyons. “Everybody in the Valley is just really bumming out,” reports Fake Steve. “Except that of course everyone is also really heartened by this because it really confirms that the Web 2.0 model is viable and is really going to be huge.” I’m sorry for the PodTech folks, but I have to ask: Does Lyons think the real Steve Jobs cares?

Source:Valleywag

newVideoPlayer(”mark_highlights.flv”, 475, 376);
I can’t conceive of what it’s going to be like next week without the sight of Mark Cuban kicking up his heels on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. I was so disconsolate that Gawker Media videographer Richard Blakeley cooked up this montage to cheer me up. Let me tell you, Microsoft should be investing $240 million in this guy.

Is it any wonder why Yahoo’s image is so unpolished? The ranks of top PR people available to buff it have been rapidly shrinking. And with CEO Jerry Yang all but hiding in a cave, there’s been little for the survivors to do. The latest departure: Joanna Stevens, to parts unknown. That Stevens, an eight-year Yahoo veteran, would leave on such short notice, without another job lined up, is telling. It means, in short, that this ultimate Yahoo loyalist has finally tired of the company’s mismanagement. Before new PR chief Jill Nash came on board, Stevens briefly ran the department, and she was close to former CEO Terry Semel (shown here with Stevens and Tom Cruise). When even the company’s designated cheerleaders are turning in their pom-poms, you know the team is losing. (Photo by Joanna Stevens)

From: Jill Nash
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 11:53 AM
To: pr-all@yahoo-inc.com; execops@yahoo-inc.com; presidentstaff@yahoo-inc.com; Marta Nichols; Samuel J Wolff; Matt Rhodes; Cathy La Rocca; Allen Olivo; Peter Daboll; Nick Chavez
Subject: Team update

All:

After eight years on the Corporate Communications team, Joanna Stevens has decided to open the next chapter of her life. Her last day on the team will be October 30th.

Her contributions to Yahoo! have been immeasurable - from spearheading major announcements to managing countless crises to helping to grow our team. She’s worked closely with three generations of Yahoo! executive teams, providing valuable guidance on corporate communications strategies, messaging, and positioning. She’s helped the company navigate through crises that ranged from unprecedented lawsuits to adult content to market rumors. Jo has also driven financial communications, played a major role in countless earnings announcements, stockholder meetings, annual reports, and Analyst Days. Jo also led the team through pivotal announcements and acquisitions, overseeing the communications strategy and execution for major finanical transactions, including Overture, Flickr, RightMedia, and Alibaba to name just a few.

Jo also helped reinforce the Yahoo! brand externally and internally in her work. She conceived of the Yahoo! Yodel Challenge, leading the tour across the country and turning Wiley Gustafson, our litigious yodeler, into an enthusiastic emcee. She also led the cross-functional team that engineered a memorable 10th Anniversary for Yahoos and users around the world. And, of course, Jo is to be thanked for the countless stories that you’ve never read about Yahoo!.

May Petry, who is also VP of PR for Connected Life, will step in as interim leader until Jo’s replacement is found. I’d like to thank Jo for nearly eight years of dedication to Yahoo!. Please join me in wishing her all the best.

Jill

Source:Valleywag

Alas, Mark Cuban. You soft-shoed your way into my heart — but not America’s. Cuban has been booted off Dancing with the Stars. His crime? Letting his nerd flag fly, in high-waisted pants and black-framed glasses. Here’s a recap of his brief dancing career:

• Mark Cuban’s money shot
• Mark Cuban feels no pain
• Mark Cuban bores the bojangles out of us
• Mark Cuban geeks out

Looking for a copy of Options, Fake Steve Jobs blogger Dan Lyons’s parody of the Apple guru? As I type this, Borders in San Mateo has 3 copies. The San Francisco stores in Union Square and Stonestown each have 5. Sometimes, people, you need to quit Googling and pick up the phone. Dial now and ask them to hold you one, which they’ll do for three days.

Source:Valleywag

newVideoPlayer(”Dancing_Mark.flv”, 475, 376);
Once again, Internet billionaire Mark Cuban is safe for one more week on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” This one I didn’t get — but then again, I didn’t really understand why Yahoo paid $5.7 billion for Broadcast.com, either.

newVideoPlayer(”Mark_Cuban_is_Safe.flv”, 475, 376);
Mark Cuban is safe for another week on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” From his grim expression, though, you’d think he was all but convinced he was off the show — note how it takes a few seconds for his win to register. Kym Johnson, his dancing partner, also seems shocked by the voters’ choice.

Loudmouth Internet billionaire Mark Cuban thanks the “Nerd Hard” [sic] for keeping him on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” for one more week. You’re welcome, Mark. And, um, thanks for noticing, I think. [Blog Maverick]

The Freakonomics blog is inviting readers to pose questions for Craigslist founder Craig Newmark and CEO Jim Buckmaster to be asked in an upcoming Q&A. The blog’s readers have already started to make pointed suggestions, but none has stepped forward to ask this question: Exactly how much money did Newmark and Buckmaster make when eBay took a stake in their company?

Source:Valleywag

newVideoPlayer(”Mark_Cuban_moves_on.flv”, 475, 376);
If, like me, you’ve been rooting for filthy-rich dotcom entrepreneur Mark Cuban, then take heart: The grace-challenged terpsichorean has made it to the next round on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” But he may not have won new fans with his moment of exultation: Wearing an ubergay sleeveless shirt, he pumped his arms straight up in the air, exposing his hairy, sweaty armpits. Then again, maybe you’re into that kind of thing.