Best Value Simple Bargain Smartphone Tripod - Atumtek Selfie Stick and Tripod Combo Is The Bomb for Musicians, Podcasters and Content Creators

Atumtek delivers easy quick assembly in a compact portable recording filming solution for a...

Juango

2025-12-10T09:59:00.0000000 2025-12-10T17:04:34.9930000

Happy Holidays from Venice Beach, the suns shining. I haven’t snooped for a while so thought I’d get on here are share a piece of super bargain busting kit I just bought. So let’s get right into it. Anyone looking for an inexpensive stocking stuffer $15 bucks including shipping for a gadget lover the Atumtek selfie stick that converts to a tripod with auto iPhone controller via Bluetooth, I am sure it works for Android phones too this product is fantastic.

I had an old Canon camera tripod with a stretchy attachment for my phone I was using to mount my phone to make music videos except something fell on it so I could only use it in one position in my studio propped up against boxes, not much of a tripod for any kind of stability so began looking for a cheap alternative.

I cannot tell you how impressed I am with this little product or Diego the dude who recommended it to me on You Tube, by chance I happened to be comparing features of the Detail app and GarageBand app for music recording and editing and Diego explained a very simple set up using the Atumtek Tripod.

1st of all it looks way more high budget, expensive and sturdy than the price suggests and it’s for real, it actually is really great, awesome in fact.

The instructions are clear and simple. The only thing really you have to get the hang of, is how it opens and closes. It’s a kinda knack, you have to pull the top up first, it takes a bit of pressure, I was worried I might break it initially but no you just have to give it a tug and open the top about 3-4 inches. Then there is a button on the bottom that releases the legs. You don’t pull them open as you then stretch out the concertina mast of the stick the tripod base opens automatically. You don’t have to do anything.

I set up the Bluetooth remote on my phone. It recognised it instantly, connected and worked immediately. The only thing I will say the remote won’t control your phone from within a camera app like Detail or GarageBand. You have to press play manually when using another app to record within.

It’s the kind of kit you’d expect to pay $30 or $40 for. Wish they made one for my iPad too.

When it’s closed it’s a little bit longer than a relay baton, about 12 inches, super portable and lightweight. All in all a fantastic little product for anyone needing to mount their phone for TikTok lives, content creation, podcasting or sports filming or camera work on the go.

Cheetos my favourite Frito Lays snack after Doritos

Only want to give content to a Soft Power platform like Poopsnoop

Juango

2025-07-31T09:30:00.0000000 2025-08-08T16:32:47.1100000

As a musician and independent music producer I lived on My Space twenty years ago.

If you remember it was a great way for smaller creatives like me to share my original work with a community of like minded individuals then Facebook came on the scene and by 2009 My space user base dropped off a cliff and began to lose market share then after a revamp of the My space platform in 2010 a major redesign, it was a turning point that alienated users and pretty much finished it off for My space founding fathers and pioneers like me.

As a musician I have been looking for a soft power platform ever since. A place where the community, not all musicians, far from it, can get to know me and my music and help me grow as an artist at the same time offering something back for my content, whether it be my latest release or my genuine love of Cheetos in this case.

I am sure you don’t need me to tell you about Cheetos, described as Americans favourite snack. Did you know approx 4 million bags of Cheetos that leave our fingers and clothes if we are not careful orange are produced daily.

Personally I absolutely love love love Cheetos, and there is always a bag or two in my kitchen ready for watching a game with the guys, usually followed by a jam session in my sound proofed studio at the back of my apartment building.

If you’ve never tried a bag of Cheetos have the experience. They are super cheesy, in a fake squeeze cheese flavour kinda way, and I hate cheese in any tube. Salty, finger licking good and yep they leave your tongue, lips and fingers orange, not a great selling point but somehow it doesn’t seem to matter.

I’ve stopped posting music on other platforms because I know their algorithms won’t help me, never have in the past, my original song lyrics have been made available for plagiarism and AI without me receiving any royalty or payback of any kind so I am enjoying being a pioneer trailblazer on Poopsnoop.

I can write about anything in a truthful “soft power” way and get paid as an affiliate if you guys happen to buy a bag of Cheetos on Amazon because I said I love them genuinely. Not as an influencer especially but because you’ve got to know me and maybe feel an affinity to me, you like the same stuff as me, think in the same way. We've all got an Amazon account so it's an easy way to share information and get rewarded at the same time.

I also dig the idea of being rewarded for my Poopsnoop contribution in crypto and being able to use those rewards to list and advertise my music which is exactly the purpose for me of being on My Space 20 or so years ago.

Soft power, as defined by Joseph Nye, refers to the ability to attract and persuade others through culture, values, policies, or institutions—rather than coercion or payment. It’s about shaping preferences and reputation by appealing to others’ interests.

I am often chatting on Reddit, one of the only other soft power platforms I like and pretty much trust.

Soft Power is cheaper than war and often more effective in the long run." — Joseph Nye

I dig our collective power to influence and I see all corporations doesn’t have to be Frito Lay changing behavior based on Poopsnoop reviews, driven backlash or praise and the platform gains real-world persuasive influence which for me is classic soft power, set to grow and take over the way we decide what to buy, eat, wear, listen to, watch.

And most importantly for me the way I get my music ultimately out to a wider audience when I don’t have the money to pay Google or Facebook.

I have already seen my snoop views increasing and see global users engaging with me and beginning to trust Poopsnoop snoops way more than sponsored influencers posting or company ads, so eventually it will become a credibility anchor or soft power asset. Why I am in at the start.

Just some pondering whilst munching on a bag of Cheetos before I pick up my guitar and make some music.

El Yucateco Hot Sauce Does Contain Lead says University of Nevada

And I love it so much I keep this green hot sauce on stock

Juango

2025-04-26T10:29:00.0000000 2025-04-26T14:44:38.8300000

Some people will be thinking I am really dumb. Others will be thinking I’m not giving up hot sauce. Some people like ketchup, some dudes like Mayonnaise. Me I am the original hot sauce guy. Doesn’t matter menudo, enchaladas, chimichangas tamales, whatever, here, we put it on everything.

I like heat and for anyone familiar with the Scoville scale these sauces rank 7,600 to 9,500. El Yucateco's Red Habanero Hot Sauce is created from a classic recipe, blending habanero peppers and tomatoes.

This Mexican branded hot sauce El Yucateco is the brand to buy. Forget Tabasco if you want a real habanero kick. salsa red sauce is supposed to be hotter than green sauce and then XXX is hotter still.

For me if you want heat the green is the one to get at $2.75. I know it’s not supposed to be everyone says go for XXX but I find I can go a bit crazy with XXX where as if I put too much green it’s a mouth explosion.

The green hot sauce is made from green habanero peppers, the kick, the red sauce is made from red habaneros which give a slightly sweeter flavour to me and has tomatoes in the recipe, accounting for the colour and heat downgrade I think.

The debate goes on which hot sauce red or green is better. For me with 25% habanero in the green and 30% supposedly in the red the red should be hotter, personally I cannot taste it, I prefer the flavour of the green.

The Los Angeles times published an article about lead content in hot sauce alluding to potential threats as far back as 2013 which Hot sauce fans may have read with concern. There’s a reason it might be only a couple of bucks a bottle if you pick it up at Walmart.

The interesting thing for me, sauces destined for international markets contained less lead than local Mexican supply because the food and drug administration standards are higher which doesn’t say a great deal for the ethics of the brand.

Hey it’s a great sauce and living in Los Angeles the air quality is probably more dangerous for lead pollution poisoning than the hot sauce.

I understand after the article published the findings of the University of Nevada, El Yucateco did try to mitigate the commercial damage with some tests of their own stating they were unable to replicate the findings, discovering no trace elements of lead themselves. Yet of course they’d say that. Like smoking, the claims haven’t stopped me purchasing my favourite El Yucateco green sauce. Oh and no one else has found lead in the sauce since 2013. I have it a lot and think we’ll be fine. Your thoughts on the ongoing debate Green or Red hot sauce or even XXX from El Yucateco. Let me know?

Boss Baby Back In Business

Animated TV series 2018 from Dreamworks

Juango

2025-03-12T09:58:00.0000000 2025-03-12T10:26:47.0500000

On kid sitting duty we have watched The negotiator episode from Boss Baby Back in Business season 3 with my nephew 11 and niece 9. They introduced me some time ago and it’s one of the few made for kids programs, thanks Dreamworks, where the jokes are sophisticated and the stories kinda mental health coaching for kids.

The premise of the show is The Boss Baby has a job and a boss outside of his family environment and takes his big brother Templeton, to the office with him to show him the ropes.

Boss Baby is not the head honcho at the Baby Corp Love Corporation. His boss is Super Collosall big fat boss baby (who has a camp German accent and wheels around in a baby walker) where their purpose is to ensure cute babies are all loved and to create happiness for everyone and where representatives out in the field, Staci, Jimbo, Tim and the Triplets help Boss Baby get things done and solve the challenges of the day.

It’s clever and very funny.

In the negotiator episode Boss Baby teaches his brother templeton in a very funny way not just the art of real life negotiation but there’s also some really common sense education married with humour in there too.

Not sure I’ll ever watch without the little people over. Got to congratulate the writer, though for this forward thinking and fast paced franchise.

Not surprised it’s a global phenomenon.

The funniest part of the whole evening was when the 11 year old, an expert on Netflix, logged himself in with alacrity to his own family account to save me having to pay to watch on Prime.

He explained to me when we’d finished watching I must log out as only two people could watch at any one time on Netflix, a boss baby in the making.

Cali Street Shots

Juango

2024-09-13T10:53:00.0000000 2024-09-13T11:06:59.1100000

You know when you love someone's work you actually think you know them. I don't. However.....

not been on here for a while and decided today I wanted to do a shout out for someone on my radar @calistreetshots on Instagram you probably wouldn't have heard of and give them a cheeky plug.

I can't imagine how high I'd be if someone random said they'd heard me play and I was amazing.... haha.

well Joe I think you are amazing Man. I love the casual charm of your work how you make our regular neighbourhood look so inspiring and inviting and encourage us the viewer to look at familiar things in new ways and really see them.

when I am on the road I always have your images with me, a kinda keepsake to remind me of home and keep me grounded.

Thanks Man. Love the work. Amateur photographers or professionals on here and anyone who shoots bands, lets connect.

THE LONDON WEST HOLLYWOOD

Favourite hotel in LA

Juango

2024-08-08T12:04:00.0000000 2024-08-08T12:57:17.8870000

Even though I now live at the beach in Venice and don’t have a real need for a hotel in The city of angels I wanted to share this spot. The roof top poolside restaurant is one me of my favourites for a business meeting and some potential celebrity sightings.

Being in the music business I have got to work with some big stars and the hotel is very close to the Viper room, where so many bands got their start and when I’ve been in need of a late bite the London West Hollywood is my home from

Home.

It’s small and you definitely don’t have to dress up. Things are low key but done well at the London. Everyone is treated like a celebrity something I really like.

It is a film star magnet, I’ve sat across from J Lo having a business meeting, Lupita N’ Yong, I’ve even had a dip in the pool with singer Jessie J. Technically we weren’t together she just happened to jump in at the same time as me.

The staff have always been really good to me. I think they know industry people as a few of the wait staff and runners are actors, directors, writers mainly.

I’ve stayed three times in total just for the night and for me it was total whacky pleasure. The tubs are immense, the towels fluffy, the beds huge, mini bar snacks unreal, the views all the way to downtown or the hustle of alive Sunset strip. The lowest cost room are a couple of hundred bucks a night depending on when. Sounds like a lot but not compared to other LA hotels. Shutters on the beach in Santa Monica or The Beverly Hills hotel rooms cost between 400- 500 bucks. I’ve also stayed at The Mondrian and the Andaz, two middle priced properties on Sunset, but the pools not so good at the Andaz and Even though you get access to the once very famous Sky Bar staying at the Mondrian it’s not so fashionable these days it’s unlikely you’ll find Cindy Crawford and Randy Gerber propping up the bar.

For anyone visiting LA The London West Hollywood is easy to find, about 45 minutes to 1 hour drive from LAX, 405 to La Cienega.

And pretty convenient base for vacationers looking to visit LA attractions like Universal Studios, LA county Museum, Venice, Santa Monica, Sunset Strip and the Hollywood sign.

I’ve spent a lot of my time playing the Viper room on Sunset and after the gig The London West Hollywood has been the respite of choice after a long and late night for quite a few years now.

Living in Venice I don’t need a Hotel in LA very often but if I do and the band is paying this is the one I always choose to crash since the Standard, further down sunset closed a few years back. Sadly that favourite didn’t survive. Hope you check out the London for yourself. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s a special place.

Greek Theatre LA

Juango

2013-04-03T08:41:00.0000000 2016-07-21T08:44:18.8900000

Live music under the stars in the heart of Los Angeles.

This award-winning theatre is one of Los Angeles' most historic entertainment venues and has played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment, from pop to classical, reggae to rock. The legendary Greek Theatre offers entertainment to every segment of the population. Recent seasons have featured performances by a wide variety of artists such as The Who, Sting, Alicia Keys, Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Tina Turner, Elton John, Santana, The White Stripes, the Gipsy Kings, Jack Johnson, the Russian National Ballet, Paul Simon with a special guest appearance by Sir Paul McCartney, just to name a few.

This 5,900-seat venue offers an intimate concert setting, with state-of-the-art acoustics combined with excellent site lines. The Greek Theatre offers top quality entertainment under the stars in the heart of Los Angeles.

The Greek Theatre is owned by the City of Los Angeles, and is managed, operated and promoted by Nederlander-Greek Inc. During Nederlander’s tenure at the Greek Theatre, it has become a world-renowned, award-winning amphitheatre hosting thousands of events, making it one of the cultural icons of the city. The Greek Theatre has been named North America’s Best Small Outdoor Venue multiple times, which was awarded by Pollstar Magazine, the industry’s leading trade publication.

NO PRESSURE FOR MY FIRST REVIEW RIGHT

It's been a while since I went to the Greek but I always remember having a great time there. It's about a 2000 seater greek style, no kidding arena which feels really intimate when you are in there and they play host to some pretty big names.

I went to see a British band, Everything but The Girl there a few years ago and as I recall we got in for a couple of tins of canned goods. It was a benefit of some kind which is always a bonus I guess. Don't know if they still do shows like this although it's worth checking out even if you have to pay, it's an awesome venue. There is nothing quite like listening to live music under the stars with a bunch of good friends and an ice cold corona.

They do have picnic tables in the Zeus area but no outside food allowed, (unlike the Hollywood Bowl next door) only food and drink purchased at the Greek can be consumed, which is kinda stupid. I guess they gotta make money though. You can order picnics ahead of time from the website and they are pretty good.

Hard to explain how beautiful this place is when the sun goes down in the canyon and all you can see are the trees and the mountains. Pretty special place.

Zimmer Children's Museum

Juango

2013-05-23T08:07:00.0000000 2016-07-21T08:10:40.1970000

THE ONLY YOUNGER KIDS MUSEUM IN LA

We always have such a blast when I bring my sister’s kids here and it’s not just the kids, some of the stuff is cool for the big kids too. We usually spend a couple of hours at least and usually have to leave because the kids are tired and cranky not because we’ve got round everything. If you’ve got young kids under five and stuck for something fun to do, this science museum definitely designed with kids in mind on Wilshire is the place to go. I love to bring my nieces here, ages 2 and 4 and they go crazy for it. It does cost $8 for adults, $5 per kid (under 1, free) which sounds kinda high I know but once you get inside you will see why it is great value for money, there is just so much for them. (EBT cardholders admitted free and Grandparents with grand kids go free on Thursdays.)

All the activities are spread over two levels from exploring neon laser light rooms, to playing fire fighters in a life size fire fighters’ truck, to working on an art project with paints, pencils, crayons and chalks in a very organized and well stocked area, building robots with robotic gadgets, playing shop in a child sized street with stores stocked and ready to go. Oh my god if they’d had places like this when I was a kid I would have probably ended up a rocket scientist or an astronaut or something.

The museum is in The Jewish Federation Building on Wilshire. The entrance is obscured and security is a bit over the top and they prefer no strollers inside, don’t try it, you’ll get the dead eye. There is a free car park less than a block away.

The Little Theater

Juango

2013-06-23T11:23:00.0000000 2016-07-20T17:01:34.9770000

TOTALLY UNIQUE THEATER EXPERIENCE FOR ONLY $15

Go and check out this little theater, named the little theater in Santa Monica, why because it is so little, seriously when you get in there you feel like you are Gulliver just stepped into Lilliput. No Kidding.

They put on a whole load of kids shows and it is a great first theater experience for kids no one cares less if they talk or lose it, so no embarrassment for you either and affordable.

I actually had no idea they also put on adult productions. We went and checked out Irene O'Garden's Women on Fire and it was an awesome show. I didn't know what to expect as I thought it might be just a bit too female if you know what I mean, vagina Monologues all over but no, guys are very welcome and i thought it was pretty powerful stuff. Two sold out off Broadway runs have to count for something right?

It is only on on Saturday nights until the 27th so get along if you can. Where can you see a great play in a great little theater in Los Angeles for only 15 bucks. Oh yeah one downside for me, the seats do get a bit uncomfortable, next time I would unashamedly take a pillow.

Leaving Las Vegas

Juango

2013-08-15T11:37:00.0000000 2016-07-09T11:42:41.8000000

Mike Figgis' grim drama documents a romantic triangle of sorts involving prostitute Sera (Elisabeth Shue), failed Hollywood screenwriter Ben (Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage), and the constant flow of booze which he loves more dearly than life itself. Arriving in Las Vegas with the intention of drinking himself to death, Ben meets Sera, and they gradually begin falling for one another. From the outset, however, Ben warns Sera that no matter what, she can never ask him to quit drinking, a condition to which she grudgingly agrees. A darkly comic tragedy, Leaving Las Vegas charts the brief romantic convergence of two desperately needy people who together find a brief flicker of happiness.

Killing Them Softly

Juango

2013-06-13T09:40:00.0000000 2016-07-07T09:45:37.1200000

BRAD PITT WON ME OVER

First off I’m not a huge Brad Pitt fan but I saw a trailer for this movie and thought it looked interesting and it didn’t disappoint. It feels independent. The way it is shot is wacky and cool. It’s the story of two small time crooks who decide to rip of a poker game because they think they’ve come up with the perfect cover for the crime, a gangster played by the terrific Ray Liotta, pulled the same stunt a few years years back and then confessed to his crew he was the one behind it. They figure, he did it once and got away with it so the card players would automatically suspect him again and pin the crime on him.

Brad Pitt, plays a sensitive type, assassin, (hence the title) clean up man brought in to kill the man who hired the two goons and the Liotta character. He sub contracts one job to a alcy washed up hit-man played by James Gandolfini (Sopranos) because he refuses to take out people he knows. Its a rule for him. The dialogue between these two made the film for me. The script is awesome and very fresh. I’ve seen nothing like it with a political/philosophical noir message threading behind the action.

It’s violent for sure but not anymore than it is clever. Pitt sells it considering I had him bagged as the Hollywood pretty boy who cannot act. Afraid I had to eat crow on that one. This is a crazy good, deeply layered film that balances fine acting with an immensely well crafted script.

Yeah let me know what you guys think.

Michael Hastings

Juango

2013-06-19T18:35:00.0000000 2016-06-13T11:37:42.1130000

ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG

I am absolutely gutted to hear Michael Hastings, the journalist best known for bringing down General Stanley McChrystal in an article he wrote for Rolling Stone died yesterday in a car crash, here in Hollywood.

I was a fan and Rolling Stone, for sure will not be the same without him on board. His friends have said he was under a whole lot of pressure, I guess when you write the stuff he did some powerful people were pissed at him. It has been alleged government officials were all over him, wondering who was next and I wouldn't be surprised if that turns out to be true, hope someone shakes that tree hard enough, so the culprits gonna drop out.

I sure do hope someone out there will follow his fearless reporting style but it would take a whole hell of a lot of courage to step into those shoes. He was one of the good guys and faced the lot of them down with only the truth.

Matt Farwell, a friend and colleague of Michael Hastings told Rolling Stone: "As a journalist he specialised in speaking truth to power and laying it all out there. He was irascible in his reporting and sometimes/often/always infuriating in his writing: he lit a bright lamp for those who wanted to follow his example … He always sought out the hard stories, pushed for the truth, let it all hang out on the page."

That just about sums him up and don't think just because he's dead, he's gone; he'll be watching em.