By Kelly Faircloth 3/08 12:09pm

Use Cases

(wikipedia)

Chicago Morgue Now Publishing Photos of the Unidentified Dead Online

We’ve heard cops are pinning mugshots and sifting through social media for gang members. But this report from Chicago’s Fox 32 News might be the eeriest Internet use case yet: The local medical examiner is now publishing pictures of the faces and identifying markers of the unidentified dead. The goal is to put names to remains.

If that makes you a little uncomfortable, well, don’t expect the medical examiner to back down in the face of your squeamishness. As far as they’re concerned, the noble ends justify the gruesome means. Fox 32 reports:  Read More

By Jessica Roy 2/26 5:13pm

Going Viral

(Photo: Tumblr)

Rick Perry’s Office Says Viral Photo of Him Playing Guitar Hero Is Real (But From 3 Years Ago)

A photo was posted to Tumblr today showing former Presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry shredding some sweet tunes on a Guitar Hero game guitar. “My friend lives next door to Rick Perry and invited him over for a Guitar Hero battle,” read the post. Betabeat was skeptical. Governor Perry’s hand looked like it was at a weird angle, and his face appeared to be a different shade than his neck. Read More

By Kelly Faircloth 10/12/12 4:00pm

IPO Party

Video

Mr. Oringer (Photo: Twitter)

Shutterstock, New York City’s First Tech IPO in Years, Goes Swimmingly

Yesterday was the first IPO of a New York-based tech company since May’s Facebook fiasco. In fact, it was the first IPO of a New York-based tech company since 2010, says Bloomberg News. Stepping up to try her luck: stock photo marketplace Shutterstock, which debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SSTK. Jitters notwithstanding, things seem to have gone respectably well.

Businessweek reports that the company sold 4.5 million shares at $17 a pop, giving the company a market cap of $558.3 million, and they closed up 27 percent, at $21.66.

When Betabeat spoke to founder and CEO Jon Oringer, he sounded pleased as punch. ”Everyone at Shutterstock is very excited. I’m excited. It all worked out great,” he said.

In its nine-year history, Shutterstock has sold a whopping 250 million images. Last year it made $120 million in revenue and paid out $30 million to its 35,000 contributors. The company, which has 250 employees, now sells two images every second.  Read More