caption-contest

Eric Schmidt and wife Wendy seen in Valleywag Green #61b335

Jackson West · 09/30/08 06:00PM

Last week's opening gala for the new Renzo Piano-designed California Academy of Sciences building in Golden Gate Park was graced by Google CEO Eric Schmidt actually with wife Wendy Schmidt and Shawn Byers with Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers VC hubby Brook Byers. The Byers even had accessories crafted from the San Francisco Chronicle's funny pages. Care to craft a better headline? Leave it in the comments and we'll judge the entries harshly, promise. Yesterday "BoothRank == 0" from Athletic Supporter v0.42beta evaluated to true. (Photo by Catherine Bigelow/7x7)

BoothRank == 0

Owen Thomas · 09/29/08 06:00PM

Google is a big believer in automation. But did it really mean to pay for prime real estate at a search conference and leave its booth unstaffed? A tipster says that a Google exhibit at last week's Enterprise Search Summit was devoid of Googlers as late as mid-morning on Thursday. Can you think of a better caption for this picture? If so, suggest it in the comments. The best one will become the new headline for this post. Friday's winner: ThatKid for "Reduced emissions from electric car offset by VCs' unwillingness to carpool." Read on for our tipster's report from the scene at Enterprise Search Summit:

Reduced emissions from electric car offset by VCs' unwillingness to carpool

Jackson West · 09/26/08 06:00PM

Of the handful of Tesla Roadster coupes on America's byways, guess where you can find two parked side by side? At the office of Tesla Motors investor Draper Fisher Jurvetson on Sand Hill Road. They even have matching paint jobs! Mock away your envy in the comments — best effort becomes the new title. Yesterday's winner was UTnick with "This banner printed in Mexico." (Photo by Steve Jurvetson)

Valley carpenters union protest at Apple stores

Jackson West · 09/25/08 06:00PM

What's a San Francisco ultra-liberal to do when their favorite computer company is being taken to task for subcontracting non-union carpenters? Seems Carpenters Local 405 is accusing Apple construction contractor South Bay Construction of hiring scabs. As SFist points out, this photo was naturally taken with an iPhone. Leave a better caption in the comments and we'll pick one as the new headline. Yesterday "A+A+A+. EXCELLENT SCRATCHER. GREAT COMMUNICATION. WOULD DO BUSINESS WITH AGAIN." by null took home the prize. (Photo by David Lytle)

A+A+A+. EXCELLENT SCRATCHER. GREAT COMMUNICATION. WOULD DO BUSINESS WITH AGAIN.

Jackson West · 09/24/08 06:00PM

A reader describes the scene: "Meg [Whitman] relaxes by violating the privacy of a small dog." The friendly image of a woman, her dog Eastie and her dog's ladyparts ran with a fawning profile by Jon Swartz in USA Today that alludes to a possible gubernatorial run by the former eBay CEO and current Republican Party operative. C'mon, I know you can come up with a better headline. Leave it in the comments and we'll crown the winner by replacing the title of this post. Yesterday BerthaAgrippa gave us a tickle with "Enabling intimate one to one customer relationships."

Enabling intimate one to one customer relationships

Jackson West · 09/23/08 06:00PM

Can't afford one of the "obviously scalable" ladies hanging out in the lobby of the W hotel during this week's Oracle convention? The Market Street Cinema has you covered — or, should I say, no-covered. Think up a better headline, leave it in the comments, and maybe you can dethrone actionhero11 who won for the second time in a row yesterday with "ConnectU's uniques spike 50%." (Photo by Jameth)

ConnectU's uniques spike 50 percent

Jackson West · 09/22/08 06:00PM

At the party last Friday hosted by our publisher, Gawker Media, ConnectU twintrepreneurs Cameron Winklevoss (left) and Tyler Winklevoss (right) made an appearance. They were in town for their short film production's screening the following day. Intrepid Valleywagger Nicholas Carlson managed to keep them talking for half an hour — but all I got from Carlson about the exchange was, "They're very handsome." Write a better headline in the comments and we'll use it for the post's title. Friday actionhero11 won a few chips for "This Hard Drive sponsored by Seagate."(Photo by Nick McGlynn)

IE 8: Melts in your PC, not in your glass

Jackson West · 09/18/08 06:00PM

"It pretty much is a perfect analogy. It's functional, rational and logical. But it looks like shit and I don't get it." So says photographer eyeliam of the carved-ice vodka tap at Microsoft's Web 2.0 Expo party last night. Care to improve the headline? Write a new one in the comments and we'll replace it with our arbitrarily-determined winner. TimsBoot won yesterday with "Who do I have to 'tweet' to get a free drink around here?" (Photo by eyeliam)

Who do I have to "tweet" to get a free drink around here?

Jackson West · 09/17/08 06:00PM

Putting the "social" in "social media" are Tacit Knowledge VP Oz Sultan, left and Yerba Buena Center Webmaster James Im, right — with both mauling online marketeer and TechSet party cohost Stephanie Agresta, center. They were probably trying to kiss their way to free drinks, since the cash bar was charging $9 for beers and $13 for mixed drinks. But hey, there were free fried cheese sticks! Can you come up with a more compelling caption? Kiss one up in the comments and we may just kiss you back by making it the new headline. Cheers to TheChris2.0 who won yesterday with "Loopt encourages New Yorkers to walk." (Photo by Brian Solis, bub.blicio.us)

Loopt encourages New Yorkers to walk

Jackson West · 09/16/08 06:00PM

Loopt has certainly gotten creative marketing the company's "social-mapping and communication service" — three-minute video advertisements on the touch-screen displays in New York City taxi cabs. Perfect for reaching the pink and green, double-popped-collar crowd. Care to help with the caption? Best offering in the comments is sacrificed to the new headline gods. The gods rewarded rwe112 for yesterday's winner, "Forgive me father, for I have sinned..."

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned...

Owen Thomas · 09/15/08 06:00PM

Thank you, Julia Allison! The Internet's best self-promoter has uncovered evidence that Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales is still girlfriended by Andrea Weckerle, a social-media PR rep he turned to after the messy breakup of his affair with maple-leaf-waving right-wing punditrix Rachel Marsden. We'd heard they'd call things off, but they seem very much the couple here. Allison generously offered not to post the photo, to spare the couple the "recent ... um ... media attention they've endured." Instead, they jumped at the chance for more publicity. We're delighted to hear Wales is not wanting for female companionship, but Weckerle should watch her back around Allison.Wales has edited Julia Allison's Wikipedia entry — and we all know what that can lead to. Can you add to the sum of all human knowledge with a clever, yet printable, caption? If so, leave it in the comments. The best one will become the post's new headline. Friday's winner: theodp for the "$100 million flipper." (Photo via NonSociety)

The $100 million flipper

Jackson West · 09/12/08 06:00PM

Yes, that's Powerset founder Barney Pell in the water with a real, live dolphin. And sorry, this time the "Hot Dolphin with Douchebag" joke has already been made. The zoophilia joke, however, hasn't. So come up with a better headline — best submission in the comments becomes the new title of this post. Yesterday's Pellapalooza grand prize winner was Rock tha Hizzee with "Grandpa, no!"

Grandpa, no!

Jackson West · 09/11/08 06:00PM

Powerset founder Barney Pell brazenly reaches past former TechCrunch contributor Calley Nye's first available knee for an extra helping of frottage during the TechCrunch50 conference festivities. For Pell, the "Hot Chicks with Douchebags" joke has already been made, so you'll have to come up with something better in the comments if you want to win the honor of rewriting the headline. Yesterday UncleSalty took home the trophy with "How to make a baloney sandwich."

How to make a baloney sandwich

Paul Boutin · 09/10/08 06:00PM

Just when I thought Mahalo Towhead-in-Chief Jason Calacanis had cornered the market on baby-fine locks, he calls in reinforcements. (Bonus points if you can identify the Valleywag celebrity to the right.) Write your own caption for this post and we'll use the best one as its new title. Yesterday's winner is categorically for "You just put your lips together and blow."

You just put your lips together and blow

Jackson West · 09/09/08 06:00PM

Google's cupcake princess Marissa Mayer celebrating the company's tenth anniversary at the TechCrunch50 party — giving us all a taste of how they celebrate young Googler birthdays at the Kinderplex. Yesterday's winner: "You know little boy, I have much I can teach you" by Duncan. (Photo by Andrew Mager)

You know little boy, I have much I can teach you

Jackson West · 09/08/08 06:00PM

At the Diane von Fürstenberg show at New York's Fashion Week, Google cofounder Sergey Brin and his 23andMe cofounder wife Anne Wojcicki were spotted front and center. Which is hilarious, since Brin is rarely seen in anything but a t-shirt and jeans — hopefully he wore more stylish footwear than Crocs. Here he's spotted in the usual ensemble with Barry Diller, CEO of IAC, who had the sense to wear actual fashion. Friday's winner was hmann with "No, it's $40 for one song. You have to buy your own drinks, and there's no touching." (Photo by Getty/Michael Tran)

"No, it's $40 for one song. You have to buy your own drinks, and there's no touching."

Jackson West · 09/05/08 06:00PM

YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley imposes on former secretary of state and world famous skirt-chaser Henry Kissinger at the party thrown by Google and Vanity Fair on the closing night of the Republican National Convention. You know how this works — best caption suggested in the comments becomes the new headline. Yesterday's winner was WagCurious for "Apparently everything gets past security these days." (Photo by Rex Sorgatz)

Apparently everything gets past security these days

Jackson West · 09/04/08 06:00PM

Kindlespotting continues, with a reader sending us this picture of a reader on a flight from Dallas to San Francisco. Considering how much the e-book readers cost and the premium prices for the content, you'd think this reader would be in first class — then again, after paying Amazon $359 plus shipping for the gadget, maybe all he could afford was coach. Go on, write a better caption in the comments. Best one will become the new headline. Yesterday's winner in our very special caption contest: "And now that I've had Firefox dig this hole in the desert for me..." by Beachfront_Perk.

"And now that I've had Firefox dig this hole in the desert for me..."

Jackson West · 09/03/08 06:00PM

Everybody's having so much fun with Google's Chrome comic, we figured we'd give our readers a crack. In this very special caption contest, the best caption left in the comments won't just become the headline, we'll even update the graphic — to live on in Google's index for Webternity. So don't let us down, and bring your A-game. Yesterday's winner was ROIpositive for "Have you wiped your dirty temp-files lately?"