tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13709791984715081342024-03-05T08:20:13.930-05:00jettlandicho.comJetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-24681415754769038192011-07-24T10:39:00.008-04:002011-07-24T12:42:35.320-04:00Work, Peace and Nerdiness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.buzzmarketingwithblogs.com/images/uploads/blogging_for_dummies.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://www.buzzmarketingwithblogs.com/images/uploads/blogging_for_dummies.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rule #1 to Blogging Success: Never stop blogging.</span><br /><br />Whoops.<br /><br />To the fans I earned off the strength of this site, I'm sorry. It's been way too long since I've updated. While I know it's too late to win you back, and I'm not sure I'm in a place where I want to put as much effort into this site as I used to, I still wanted to at least explain where I've been since I supposedly fell off the face of the Earth.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />I've been concentrating on work<br /><br /></span>This site was meant to act as a quasi-portfolio for me. As a student coming out of school, I felt like I needed something to demonstrate my understanding of the business and my ability to succeed. Ultimately, it worked. When interview time came at 58Ninety, this was one of the resources they used to judge me and it worked in my favour. I've been with 58Ninety since April 2010.<br /><br />In the last year-and-a-half, I've grown tremendously as an interactive advertising industry professional. I was promoted to Client Engagement Manager a few months ago, and along the way I've had a chance to refine my skills in account management, project management, new business development, content entry, information architecture and most recently, strategic planning. I've also been fortunate enough to work with an amazing team that have helped me grow and made the experience enjoyable. I hope that I'm leaving as positive an impact on the rest of the team as they have on me. I'm forever thankful to 58Ninety for the opportunity they've given me and I'll continue to do my best to get better to the benefit of everyone around.<br /><br />With that said, maintaining this blog fell on the priority list. I'm proving my worth every day with the work I contribute to 58Ninety and the experience I gain during that process. Those will hold more weight to my overall worth than my writings about "ad campaign X" ever could.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I've been concentrating on </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.inthirdperson.com/">In Third Person</a><br /><br />What was once a passion project has grown much bigger than I could have ever imagined. Ever since In Third Person was featured on the Wordpress.com home page, the trajectory of that site changed dramatically. That event affected In Third Person in two ways:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Short-Term Win:</span> It brought thousands of new readers to my site for a few days<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Long-Term Win:</span> It significantly improved my placement in the Google search rankings<br /><br />Recognizing the opportunity at hand, I put in the extra effort to building on that success, which has paid off so far. What was once a pet project that got 100 visits a month if I was lucky has grown to a site that serves thousands of monthly visitors. Though it may not tie into interactive advertising in terms of subject matter, you could make a strong case for In Third Person being a stronger 'portfolio piece' than this site ever was. It's still hard for me to believe that the site gets that many eyes on it and that I've gained loyal fans around the world who care about my perspective on video games.<br /><br />The best part of this experience is that In Third Person has never felt like work. I was doing this for for fun a year before this success, and I would have continued writing for it regardless of the outcome. As long as it's still fun, I'll keep regularly updating it.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I've been concentrating on life<br /><br /></span>Much of my adult life to-date has been spent working assorted part-time jobs to pay the bills. I've worked a ton of nights and weekends making close to minimum wage, and because of that, I had to make sacrifices to other parts of my life. I understood that these were the steps I needed to take to get to the next level, but they're tough steps to take.<br /><br />Now that I'm working a mostly 9-5 gig, that opens up things that many people take for granted, such as evenings, weekends and holidays. There's a life outside of work, too, and now I have more opportunities to enjoy that. The most exciting thing lined up for is a trip to England with my girlfriend Steff. I've never really had the opportunity in my life to travel for the sake of traveling up until now, so this trip is going to be special for all sorts of reasons.<br /><br />That's where I'm at. Life is good, and I'm hoping life is going well for you, too. Thank you for still checking this page out after all of this time. I'm still not sure where to take this site from here, but I'll at least check in more than once a year. If you'd like to follow my more frequent works, check out <a href="http://www.inthirdperson.com/">In Third Person</a>.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-17685639385030536712010-09-09T22:12:00.003-04:002010-09-09T22:17:19.342-04:00My 15 Minutes of Fame Starts Now<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJC_zNN1XkOyiiaYBHZ1OTUAqFLmeGAcJEGKcYqXU-YOcy-uFoqp0QtM1zsFjq-ye3bxSwbOvS4oMRuFiKWRa4Qwwdi_keB5coBsu5foFDQ6inIsItPOvPQ41uOhC2M-_MVA8xyb7Ris/s1600/win+new.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJC_zNN1XkOyiiaYBHZ1OTUAqFLmeGAcJEGKcYqXU-YOcy-uFoqp0QtM1zsFjq-ye3bxSwbOvS4oMRuFiKWRa4Qwwdi_keB5coBsu5foFDQ6inIsItPOvPQ41uOhC2M-_MVA8xyb7Ris/s400/win+new.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515102021351067506" border="0" /></a>When I started <a href="http://www.inthirdperson.com/">In Third Person</a>, I never anticipated it being nothing more than my personal place to write about video games. If people outside of myself enjoyed it, I would consider a bonus.<br /><br />Today, a lot of people enjoyed it. First, the team at Wordpress, who chose to feature my blog on the Wordpress.com home page. Then, the many people who followed through. My site at most normally gets a few dozen visits a day, but today I broke 1,000 and got a lot of great discussion in the comments.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I'm honoured to have my work featured on the Wordpress home page. It says a lot about the quality of my work and I hope that those who found my blog through Wordpress will continue to read my posts and comment on them. Here's to hoping the success continues.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-43958668210662817892010-08-04T22:32:00.011-04:002010-08-04T23:15:09.459-04:00Making My Hobby Site Work For Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDMsWbccjr5sEs9axTaiVgzL3dmnoNVcM_5rt9LfDNEyoCWWAFozokfcIXA47TmGwf3lqurFnGcL1STdY-ehRsCeHoe9MjbLtcGj7LCq4q8fjdul_Ilnwbeps8Sd7-HGTyWCcQwc0_r4/s1600/jett+logo+small.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 69px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDMsWbccjr5sEs9axTaiVgzL3dmnoNVcM_5rt9LfDNEyoCWWAFozokfcIXA47TmGwf3lqurFnGcL1STdY-ehRsCeHoe9MjbLtcGj7LCq4q8fjdul_Ilnwbeps8Sd7-HGTyWCcQwc0_r4/s400/jett+logo+small.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501758690216999890" border="0" /></a><br />Just over a year ago, I started jettlandicho.com with the intention of it being my professional presence on the Internet. I planned to create content that I would be proud to show advertising industry professionals, advertising students, my mom or anyone that happened to Google my name. In an era where every employer will use the Internet to know everything there is to know about prospective hires, I wanted to make everything they found awesome. Outside of that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rear-End-Mercedes/dp/B00000JCI9">joke Amazon.com review</a> written in my name (thanks, Ahmed), I think I have done a decent job of taking control of the 'Jett Landicho brand'.<br /><br />A few months after jettlandicho.com launched, I started another site. It's origin story was completely different. It was created as an outlet to express my thoughts and feelings in regards to a life-long hobby of mine. I intentionally didn't tell anyone I knew about the site for a number of reasons:<br /><br />1) Employers probably don't care about my hobby<br />2) My friends don't care about my hobby like I do<br />3) I wanted to see how my 'anonymous' Internet effort would perform without my name attached to it<br /><br />While I think points one and two still stand, I think there are some positives to be had from claiming this other site as mine. Should you be interested in my personal project and the rationale for 'outing' it, read the rest of this post.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.inthirdperson.com/"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfY7fT9tdfYwgkEq9NZxFFbeo_W05cccMlw2s5mypg5jVHgfpwDAXLcByGhx7a1AScQQzyXeFtCAa6RxHbouTBJQTwOAapP2k-NLv3o67vxlEW2QKNMeZL7cnllm5DJb1hZP-EiK_mkjc/s320/Screen+shot+2010-08-04+at+10.39.04+PM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501749932216983922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">About the Site</span><br /><br />In Third Person is a video game blog. I may not have the credentials of IGN, Gamespot or <a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/ice-t/72-62781/">Ice-T</a>, but it's the only place to get video game thoughts and opinions from yours truly. I try and write everything as personable and relatable as possible so that I can provide you with a compelling third person perspective on everything relating to video games. If you value what I have to say about games, awesome. If you don't, you're more than welcome to disagree with me in the comments.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why In Third Person Matters to Me</span><br /><br />I love video games. I've been actively playing games for over 20 years. I've been actively following the scene and the culture since the early days of Electronic Gaming Monthly. There are a lot of thoughts and experiences I've always wanted to share but never had the outlet to express myself. This may sound cheesy, but I think having this outlet has been good for my soul. This project was birthed out of my love for video games and I hope it comes through in my work.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why It Might Matter to You</span><br /><br />Most of the jettlandicho.com traffic comes from potential employers looking for background information on me and from advertising students who know me through Seneca College's Creative Advertising program. Odds are, if you're in the first audience, you probably don't care about video games. I understand that.<br /><br />What might be relevant to you is that In Third Person is another example of my ability to work with blogs and, in particular, the Wordpress platform. I'm still fine-tuning the blog to get the right template and plug-ins, but I know how to use it and I use this all the time. Feel free to judge me based on my ability express thoughts and ideas through interactive and social technologies.<br /><br />I am also putting this out there as another means for someone to learn more about me as a person. jettlandicho.com was partially made to compensate for my lack of interactive advertising experience and my lack of a professional presence on the web. A year later, I'm fortunate to have a number of interactive and social media projects under my belt. When the time comes, I can always speak to that experience and to this blog.<br /><br />Throughout this past year of working in advertising, I've also learned about the value in personality. Opportunities can be made or lost based my personality and how I would mesh with others. While who I am is framed mainly within the context of video games, I think a lot about who I am as a person shines through.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Conclusion<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>In Third Person is my gaming blog that is independent of the work I do on jettlandicho.com. I'm just as proud of the content on In Third Person as I am of the content here. If you enjoy video games or just want to learn a bit more about me, head over there <a href="http://www.inthirdperson.com/">right now</a>.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-76978945221130378232010-06-22T19:38:00.005-04:002010-06-22T20:09:12.229-04:00Answering Internship-Related Questions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1005303104/ARK_SUNSET.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/1005303104/ARK_SUNSET.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Earlier today, I saw a bunch of internship-related questions pop up on my Twitter from my former professor and "Big Daddy CABBIE", <a href="http://anthonykalamut.blogspot.com/">Anthony Kalamut</a> a.k.a. <a href="http://twitter.com/southsideadguy">@southsideadguy</a>. He's put out a bunch of questions for the Internet at large to answer so that he can relay that information back to his advertising students, who are all required to complete an internship before graduating.<br /><br />I know it's scary being in his student's shoes, because I was there just a year ago. I've received a lot of help along my relatively successful journey in the advertising industry so far and I actively try and pay it forward. Answering a few of these questions is the least I can do to help my fellow adlanders score their internships. Jump through the cut to see my answers to Anthony's questions relating to internships.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If a company rejects you, would you apply again for their program at a later date?</span><br /><br />Absolutely. Just because a company says no to you once doesn't mean that they'll say no to you forever. As time passes, circumstances change, people change and people change their minds. If you go for an interview and they don't hire you, I would recommend at least adding the people who interviewed you as contacts on LinkedIn or keeping their email on file. That way, you'll have the ability to ask if there are any new opportunities available or, even better, they'll have the ability to contact you first if another opportunity were to arise. Also, the people considering you the first time around might not even be there the second time you apply, which would leave you with a clean slate. While I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket and focus all of my efforts into one agency, I wouldn't write off an agency that has said no before, either.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's most important in an internship? Atmosphere/culture, opportunity to be hired, experience or compensation? </span><br /><br />While they're all important, I can rank those from top to bottom what are most important to me:<br /><br />1. Experience<br />2. Atmosphere/Culture<br />3. Opportunity to be hired<br />4. Compensation<br /><br />Experience is key because experience is the biggest indicator of your value. You can also consider your experience as an investment to yourself. Regardless of how your internship ends, that experience will stay with you forever, which you can use to leverage yourself into a paid agency position. Atmosphere and culture I put at #2 because a good working environment is extremely important. If you're going to spend 8 hours a day and 5 days a week, you're going to want to spend that time in a place where you're comfortable and enjoy the people you work with. Having worked in both a large agency and a small agency, I can tell you that the atmosphere is very different in comparison, but I enjoy both for different reasons. Finding an agency where you "fit" in terms of skill-set and in personality will go a long way towards a great internship and possibly bigger things in the future.<br /><br />I ranked opportunity to be hired and compensation at the bottom because there are factors beyond your control at play there. You might be hire-worthy, but if your agency doesn't have the money to keep you on, you're out of luck. Also, most agencies don't pay for interns. If you're holding out for a paid internship, you could be waiting for a long time.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What challenges have you faced when trying to acquire an internship?</span><br /><br />The lack of experience and the "lack" of opportunities. I'll start with experience first.<br /><br />Student work helps, but employers definitely prefer to see real work, even from prospective interns. If you come across any opportunities to do any sort of "real" advertising work that you can put in your portfolio or resume, go for it. One of the other things you can do is find another way to demonstrate what you have to offer. For me, my solution was starting up this blog, which actually did help me get my most recent job. However, every person is different and I'm sure there are countless other ways to sell yourself.<br /><br />There are opportunities for internships everywhere, but as a student who doesn't know where to look, it can be daunting. To overcome that, I often consulted with my teachers who had information on openings and I conducted as many informationals with industry professionals as I could to not only learn more about the industry, but also to build a contact base that could possibly help me out in the future.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How did/would you find your internship?</span><br /><br />My story is actually really weird. I had applied to a bunch of ad agencies and done a few interviews, but nothing had panned out. During my final semester at school, we had an assignment to come up with an advertising pitch for a small business. My girlfriend/partner on the assignment, Stephanie, chose an organic candy company called Pure Fun.<br /><br />During our research, we found the President of the company on Facebook. We sent her a message telling her what we were doing and we sent her a mini brief containing info that we'd gathered so far. The President of Pure Fun loved it so much, she wanted to meet us in person. From there, Stephanie and I polished up our presentation, got a bunch of advice from our teachers, and we pitched the President of the company in a school board room. Before we had even graduated, we had essentially won our own account, which then turned into our internships.<br /><br />There are a lot of ways to go about acquiring an internship other than sending resumes to every agency under the sun. In a time when the economy hit the absolute bottom, Stephanie and I created our own jobs by expanding our horizons and putting in the extra effort. Other advertising students have the capability to do the same thing, <a href="http://www.playground-digital.com/">if not bigger</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Would you consider relocating to a different city for an internship?</span><br /><br />If the circumstances line up in your favour, yes. During my radio career, I did my internship in a city I'd never been to at a station that played country music, a genre I knew nothing about. Through that experience of being in a totally new environment, I learned a lot about radio, the world and myself.<br /><br />There have been a few opportunities for me to do my internship outside of the country through school, but there were other life factors involved that prevented me from going. If I were a student again and all the stars aligned for me to take that step, I totally would.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">At what age, if any, are you “too old” to be an intern?</span><br /><br />If you can prove that you have the ability to handle the work of an intern, I don't think you can be "too old". There are people in every industry that are entering their respective fields at different ages because they decided to change their career path or what have you. If you're happy with what you're doing, then your age shouldn't matter.<br /><br /><br />Much respect to Anthony for putting in the effort of getting this type of feedback for his students. His students are really lucky to have a professor like him who is willing to go the extra mile like this. I'm still very much a student of advertising myself with a lot more to learn, but if my answers help even one adlander find their way, then this was totally worth it.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-18032576182035066542010-05-31T22:13:00.008-04:002010-05-31T23:41:28.294-04:00Early iPad Impression<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipad-appstore.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 410px; height: 256px;" src="http://cdn.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipad-appstore.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><blockquote>Do I need to invest in a "tweener" machine that doesn't really beat out the other two devices I own? Probably not.</blockquote><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Me, "<a href="http://jettlandicho.blogspot.com/2010/01/ipad-cometh.html">The iPad Cometh</a>"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So much for that. Thanks to a recently-passed birthday and a chance visit to the Apple store on launch day, I fell in love with the iPad after 5 minutes of use. Did I need it? Probably not. Did I want it? Enough to buy it after 20 minutes of hard thinking. Do I deserve it? As the birthday boy, absolutely. :P<br /><br />I've had a few days to play around with it. While I'm definitely not one to say whether or not its going to revolutionize computers, I do have enough experience with it to at least tell you what's awesome/not so hot about it. Hit the link for my impressions of the hottest thing in tech.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cultofmac.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipad2.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 407px; height: 268px;" src="http://www.cultofmac.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipad2.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />First things first: I think the iPad at its core is a giant iPod Touch. I've already caught some flack from a few of my iPad-owning <a href="http://www.playground-digital.com/">compatriots</a>, but it's hard not to draw the similarities. They function pretty much the exact same way, with size being the only major difference between the two. If you've used an iPod Touch before, for the most part, you know what you're getting.<br /><br />With that said, size really does make a difference. It's big enough to make most iPhone and iPad applications a lot easier to use but still notably smaller than a netbook. It's oddly neat to be able to carry what is roughly a very thin book to the couch and do a lot of computer-type stuff on a tablet. I don't think it'll outright replace laptops or netbooks, but it's really neat on the go or if you just want something small to consume digital media with.<br /><br />I play a ton of games on my iDevices, and having the extra real estate made a big difference in playing certain games like Monopoly and The Price is Right. Thanks to the big screen, it's easier for multiple people to look at the screen at the same time, which makes it a much better communal experience.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mhpbooks.com/mobylives/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ipad.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 345px;" src="http://mhpbooks.com/mobylives/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ipad.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Surfing the web also benefits greatly on the iPad. I <span style="font-style: italic;">hate</span> surfing the web on my G1 iPod Touch because it's slow and unless you're on a mobile site, it's really hard to navigate through anything. With the iPad, everything moves really quickly, even when I could only get a 1-bar connection. The extra space also makes it easier to surf non-mobile sites, so you can surf the web as you know it with your hands.<br /><br />If you have a lot of iPhone apps and fear that they'll look like crap when expanded to fit on the iPad screen, I have relatively good news for you: they don't look like crap. There's a clear drop in definition, but I don't think it's that big of a deal. iPad-specific applications definitely look better on the big screen, but it's absolutely not a deal-breaker.<br /><br />One thing that has caught me off guard with this device is the great battery life. Even after playing a bunch of games and watching YouTube over the past few days, I have yet to charge it since launch because my battery still has over 50% in the tank. With my iPod Touch, I put the brightness down all the way and turn off wifi whenever I'm not using it to maximize my battery because it seems to run out so quickly. With the iPad at default settings and wifi on all the time, it's still kicking after a number of days of not being charged.<br /><br />While I love having the iPad, I wouldn't go out and throw away your netbook or your laptop in exchange for this. If you're looking for a "real" computer experience, this is definitely not it. Like I said, it essentially has the advantages/disadvantages of a big iPod Touch, so it won't have all of the functionality you may want from a computer at double the price of an entry-level netbook.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.techdigest.tv/ipad%202.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 255px;" src="http://www.techdigest.tv/ipad%202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It's worth noting that Steve Jobs is a liar when he said that typing on an iPad was a dream. I eventually got used to typing with my thumbs on my iPod Touch, and this device has a similar learning curve. The big on-screen keyboard initially makes you think you can touch-type on it like you would a real keyboard, but it doesn't work as smooth as you'd hope. You'll frequently hit the wrong buttons and lose your place on the keyboard without the tactile feedback. Using your pointer fingers to start should work fine, though typing up a business document on it could be a nightmare. You can buy the iPad keyboard attachment to alleviate that stress, but at that point, you might as well just buy a real laptop.<br /><br />My only other major gripe is not Flash-related (though not having that is a bummer, too). While the form-factor is great for portability, the tablet style isn't the most ergonomic computing solution. You won't always have it sitting on your lap at the perfect angle to interact with it, so you're either holding it up (which can get tiring) or resting it on a table (which can hurt your neck if it's flat against the table). My girlfriend bought me the official iPad case to go with it, so the cover can be folded back to rest the iPad on an angle, which helps it a bit as far as usability goes. However, for certain applications, such as watching a longer video, you may need to prop it up against something to have it stand upright.<br /><br />I'm not sure if the iPad will change the world, even though it's sold over <a href="http://www.gadgetvenue.com/apple-ipad-million-sold-launch-05312707/">2 million units in the last 59 days</a>. At this point, I'm not even 100% sure where my iPad fits into my own lifestyle, other than as a piece of nerd bling. But I do love using it and I think it has a lot of potential as a computing and media consumption device. If you know what you're getting at the price you're paying and are happy with that, then go right ahead and splurge on an iPad. It's going to take some time before developers, advertisers, content makers and consumers really figure out what this thing can do and how to make the most of it. Till then, I'll chime in on my blog with more impressions on the device, apps, ads and anything else worth noting as I play around with it.<br /></span></div></div>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-51937500497013641922010-04-08T13:19:00.004-04:002010-04-08T14:18:23.056-04:00South Park: You Have 0 Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdff4P81iN0aT8pTWmao7EVEAzz50HMNHNwr5qwY7WHgzColf6FkVLweD_yW7Y6jlbJqBvtkd2OfPxmyfdkbRhyphenhyphendqGcfwB0Ic8sKwCdYeRcxAZ-F-jWTdI1UlQVWbc2HPeI8vrL3mN8U/s1600/Picture+4.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdff4P81iN0aT8pTWmao7EVEAzz50HMNHNwr5qwY7WHgzColf6FkVLweD_yW7Y6jlbJqBvtkd2OfPxmyfdkbRhyphenhyphendqGcfwB0Ic8sKwCdYeRcxAZ-F-jWTdI1UlQVWbc2HPeI8vrL3mN8U/s320/Picture+4.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457817876716633746" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not an avid South Park watcher, but some of my favourite episodes are the ones that cover current events and issues. The newest episode of the show, "You Have 0 Friends" is all about how serious Facebook can be.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />As an avid fan of Facebook humour (and a regular viewer of <a href="http://www.lamebook.com/">Lamebook</a>) this episode was right up my alley. Stan is the guy who is forced into the Facebook world kicking and screaming, Kyle is a Farmville addict who quickly loses friends when he becomes friends with the unpopular kid and Cartman is in classic form. In particular, his segment on Chatroulette may be my favourite part of this particular episode.<br /><br />With the exception of the Tron bits, I think I've seen or experienced all of these scenarios and behaviours since I signed up for the service years ago. I recommend <a href="http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/south-park/season-14/south-park-1404-you-have-0-friends-april-11/#clip286460">checking it out here</a> if you haven't already seen it.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-4176388690858537012010-03-29T22:52:00.004-04:002010-03-30T01:04:20.910-04:00Say Hello To My Little Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uovMpapeCJQ"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTOn1k2FBvaonOJjs6AiNEo9WOTNXqzOdg_bycdgUHxVTpTnSqmeBMCZJ9n10oziY5LXY5_gHtvgyTAni-RHfhcmhT5qu_5uThBKSEfN9esynGs96l5PYaeoodzLdeToF_y5vaDKsLD4/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454254723104283986" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As someone who is a huge fan of the Al Pacino version of Scarface, I'm not sure whether or not this YouTube video of elementary students reenacting Scarface for a school play is horribly disturbing or the best thing ever. In any case, it's probably going to make its rounds as the viral video du jour. Click through to see the video and some of my impressions.<br /><br /></div><span class="fullpost"><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uovMpapeCJQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uovMpapeCJQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br />This video hit the Internet today care of YouTube user <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/cindymomof6">cindymomof6</a>. At face value, the responsible side of me feels really uncomfortable watching this. I have no idea what benefit the kids would get from re-enacting a movie involving gang members, drugs and tons of violence. Even the kids self-censorship makes me feel weird, even though I love fudge. How did any school approve of this? The other side of me thinks that this is freaking hilarious. I've watched it three times over, posted it on my Twitter and Facebook, sent it via IM to a bunch of other people, and am now writing a blog post about it.<br /><br />Is there more going on here? Or is this just the Internet being the Internet? The idea of a kids version of Scarface that was sanctioned by any school just does not compute in my head. Also, this user's favourite videos are all very religious, which kind of contradicts the life and times of Tony Montana. I guess until we learn more about why this video exists, I'll go back to watching Tony Montana go out with a bang.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE:</span> This was not a school play. </span>This was done by director Marc Klasfeld and Rockhard Films, whose credits include Lady Gaga's "Pokerface" and Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment. Thanks to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/30/scarface-elementary-school-viral-video/#ixzz0jdJmp7ux">TMZ</a> for cracking that case pretty quick!<div id="TixyyLink" style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><br /></div>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-8312569693554227292010-02-17T23:20:00.009-05:002010-02-17T23:49:32.997-05:00LEADERS OF THE NEW: Michelle Fargas<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Leaders of the New is an ongoing series at jettlandicho.com that will focus on the future talents of advertising. Click <a href="http://jettlandicho.blogspot.com/search/label/leaders%20of%20the%20new">here</a> to check the archives.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggyFjkPwLYnIzw_ifog2hJ5g1uq5MEx3TUpduibId2obQVcJ-TiR6ff7LrWI-Jdyj5tp60euyg_FpFsJigjCY8829sJBI9bkOOJYmeheG-paVCCEoSrtHEmqplVfwHJdl15Ewp3C6nfI/s1600-h/michelle(2).jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggyFjkPwLYnIzw_ifog2hJ5g1uq5MEx3TUpduibId2obQVcJ-TiR6ff7LrWI-Jdyj5tp60euyg_FpFsJigjCY8829sJBI9bkOOJYmeheG-paVCCEoSrtHEmqplVfwHJdl15Ewp3C6nfI/s320/michelle(2).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439434514924881842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIgT_kUZgZCl_NVDNkPXVYAgqM-iFLYbKL6UijdOPSE1M7x2UtfSroWyCUNci__TsBV4H_AMIdrGySSBZXE52HDjztIGiyFcyjN-CmdGkRz218PeQs4fCIcHLYioQx_OtROcZ7D1UaYk/s1600-h/michelle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 55px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIgT_kUZgZCl_NVDNkPXVYAgqM-iFLYbKL6UijdOPSE1M7x2UtfSroWyCUNci__TsBV4H_AMIdrGySSBZXE52HDjztIGiyFcyjN-CmdGkRz218PeQs4fCIcHLYioQx_OtROcZ7D1UaYk/s320/michelle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439435050236396322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Name:</span> Michelle Fargas<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Career Path:</span> Project Management<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Education:</span> Seneca Creative Advertising - Graduated in 2009 with Honours<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advertising Experience:</span> 4 months interning at Fjord (Cossette); currently working full-time as Project Coordinator at Proximity Canada (BBDO)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">One Thing About You:</span> I'm a heavy metal music lover with a penchant for arts & crafts, and kittens.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contact:</span> <a href="mailto:michellefargas@gmail.com" target="_blank">michellefargas@gmail.com</a><br /><br /><br />Click READ MORE for the full interview!<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">When did you know that advertising was for you?</span><br /><br />I like to think it's in my blood. My father was in advertising. He started out as a graphic designer turned Art Director, and eventually became a professor in marketing. I've been hearing his "lectures" since I was a kid and I guess I actually listened! I was officially set on advertising when I went to Seneca's orientation session. One of the profs sold it to me and I grabbed on - hook, line and sinker.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Based on my personal experience as well as talking to advertising students, not a lot of students are striving for Project Management positions. Many don't even know what a Project Manager does. How did you end up in that field?<br /><br /></span>I totally fell into Project Management because of my internship at Cossette. I received a call from the HR department requesting my resume (I had left my contact information there after my class pitched to Cossette for our final semester - my team won, by the way!) and a phone interview with the Director of Production of Fjord, Cossette's interactive side. The position was support for the Project Managers and even though I didn't know what it was I jumped at the chance to intern for Cossette.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">You were fortunate enough to have interned at Cossette as a Project Manager. What was that experience like? What were the key things you learned to be successful as a Project Manager?</span><br /><br />It took me about two days to shake off the awe that I was interning at the biggest Canadian agency in Canada. In that aspect, I was excited and ready to start each day. I absorbed as much as I could from the people around me and asked questions about processes, best practices, formats, etc. Sometimes I just asked "Why?" Understanding the base process for something helps in future situations wherein you can take that practice and apply it to another project.<br /><br />Part of my learning experience was gathered from where I was sitting - first I sat with the Flash developers and then with the coding dev teams (the office is open-concept and we had the PMs and AMs around us). This helped me learn more about what they do and how they do it, which is important in figuring out project estimates and whether projects are feasible. My boss told me he sat me there on purpose, just to learn things like that.<br /><br />Key Things I Learned…<br />Be nice to the developers! They will be the ones who can break you or save you during those looming deadlines.<br />Write everything down. Everything! Don't go anywhere without a pen and notebook.<br />Don't be afraid to ask questions.<br />Smile, and mean it! :)<br />Make use of Post-it notes.<br />Don't take on more than you can chew - pass things up if you need to, and do it waaay before the deadline!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A few months ago, you made the big jump from intern to full-time employee, landing a position at BBDO Proximity. What was the process of securing a job like for you?<br /><br /></span>I am extremely lucky to be where I am now. For me, it was all about connections. I kept in touch with the Director of Production at Fjord, who was leaving to work elsewhere as I was settling into my internship. Laura and I talked about my future a lot and she had heard from the staff that they were really happy with me and my work. I guess she knew at the time that Fjord wasn’t looking to hire a junior like me so she took my contact information and resume before her last day. A few weeks later I was responding to calls from her agency contacts/acquaintances that were either looking for contract or full-time positions within Project Management.<br /><br />One of those calls was for an interview with BBDO. I met with the two Project Directors/Brand Directors for my first interview and made sure not to lean on my Laura, my reference, too much but did discuss working and training with her. My second interview was with the PMO Consultant. It was a little tougher on the questions and I actually got to discuss salary options.<br /><br />Overall it happened really quickly for me. While at Cossette I gathered contacts by letting people know I was looking for full-time work and most were happy to give me an email address or two. I set up a few informationals that way which helped me stay in the “interview mindframe” and work on asking/answering questions. Basically I believe I am in area of "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I know a lot of students are curious about the role a project manager plays at an advertising agency. What do you do as a Project Coordinator?</span><br /><br />As a Project Coordinator at Proximity, I am dedicated to one major client. I am assigned to the smaller projects Proximity deals with (from online ads, website builds, changes, emails, etc). Working with our Resource Manager, I find a team to complete the job and then we get briefed by the accounting team. I ensure the resources (developers, art directors, designers, and copy writers) get everything we need to complete the deliverables on time. I am the liaison between accounting and the creative/developers for the most part and keep the team on a timeline.<br /><br />After the project has been completed, we go through a series of Quality Assurance (QA). Sometimes I do this for my PMs or we have a team of QA to go through it checking for errors against our proposed deliverables. We are also checking for functionality when it comes to websites, CMS, flash, etc on different platforms.<br /><br />For the paperwork, I write up job estimates, process invoices, budget tracking and a few other administration duties. I also do little things for the Project Managers as needed, such as purchasing images, typefaces and sound clips online.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Many people would consider Project Management as a "business" job. What role do you play in the creative side?</span><br /><br />Project Management is a great mix of business and creative when it comes to interactive advertising. Even my junior level here at Proximity, I am able to get involved with brainstorming and concepting during briefs, internal reviews and through emails. We are encouraged to give our opinion. PMs are also the people who know what is feasible when an idea is pitched (in terms of the timeline, budget or client expectations).<br /><br />We often get all-staff emails from staff informing us “what’s cool and new” or just plain interesting articles. This way we all keep up with the pace of the internet and it starts our discussion about using these various tools and interactive methods with our own clients.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">When working in Interactive, there's an extra layer of technical knowledge you need to have in order to be successful at your job. How easy or difficult was it for you to grasp that side of the business? Do you think the average advertising student can handle it?</span><br /><br />For me, it was very easy to take on the technical side of developing interactive ads. I was one of those teenagers who clamped onto the internet during the dial-up days of the early ‘90s so I have knowledge of html and xml. With that it became a bit easier to understand how CSS and other coding work in terms of the final performance of an ad. My dev team at Fjord was awesome at explaining things to me when I was tasked with a job; instead of just telling me what to do, they explained the system and let me ask questions about its functionality so it made sense to me in cause and effect terms.<br /><br />I think with the increasing interest in interactive advertising, schools are beginning to take another look at the importance of learning the technical skills needed for this medium. Our semester learned a bit of what goes on for both front- and back-end development but half a semester isn’t enough to grasp it without some kind of interest in manipulating the medium to begin with.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For any students interested in a Project Management position, what would you say to them to sell them on a career in this field?<br /><br /></span>Project Management is like working for Accounts, without the task of dealing with clients. It’s like being in with the Creatives, except you watch deadlines! The project wouldn't get done on time without a project manager.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you do for fun?<br /><br /></span>I love going to concerts/music festivals; the atmosphere and adrenaline rush from going to heavy metal concerts is incredible! I enjoy reading, cuddling with my new kitten, playing around with the hundreds of apps on my iPod, cooking and baking. I love the internet and its infinite resource of all things inspirational, or all things inane (hey, you need this once in a while!). Friends and family hang-outs are fun, too.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">E-elevator pitch (sell yourself in 140 characters or less)<br /><br /></span>I'm a fusion of the left and right sides of the brain: I can switch from creative tasks to business, bringing organization to imagination.<br /><br /><br /></span><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-style: italic;">If you're an advertising student or are just starting out in the business and would like to be featured on Leaders of the New, send me an email at</span> <a href="mailto:jettlandicho@gmail.com">jettlandicho@gmail.com</a></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-79101200199888359992010-02-17T11:52:00.003-05:002010-02-17T12:36:08.639-05:00The Impact of Sharing Your Location Through Social Media<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pleaserobme.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7l6FD27F6ESa-2lgNX6SshHmGGqtC6PKsRbsrjarvt0LjyM-gqk_aiI0GrWqhc2oeEArNZGSnd5jksm4mt2g28Fr1oEIht5OxnB_UOjpUVcK6ice6A1BQVjpi-tcA57tkrCaIi2ZTY0/s400/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439256714330607938" border="0" /></a><br />Last summer, I was out of town on a family vacation and I thought it'd be cool to tweet that. Later that day, while listening to This Week in Tech, one of the hosts mentioned the rise in house robberies after someone tweets that they're not home. I was horrified for the rest of the trip.<br /><br />Thankfully, my house was not hit. However, sharing your location publicly through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare can be dangerous. Getting your house robbed is one thing; but what if someone you don't know decides to go and find you?<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><a href="http://www.pleaserobme.com/">Please Rob Me</a> is a website that aims to raise awareness about the dangers of sharing your location publicly on social media platforms. While they don't actually want people to use this site as a resource for who to rob, it very well could come in handy for a lot of bad things if used the wrong way. Through this site, you can see every Foursquare tweet in the world, or narrow down your search by location or Twitter user name. I was especially startled when I searched a local city and found people I knew on the first page. The sad thing is, I'm sure 99.9% of the people listed on this website have no idea that their tweets are being displayed on a site that indirectly encourages people to rob you, let alone the fact that your tweets are being displayed elsewhere at all.<br /><br />We still have a long way to go before we can catch up with the technology and the ramifications of our actions. I'm not saying to stop playing Foursquare or never share your location. Just understand what you could be getting into when you put your location out there.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-38473295244465789852010-01-27T18:57:00.005-05:002010-01-27T19:22:42.737-05:00The iPad Cometh<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/01/tab12_600x400.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 338px; height: 224px;" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/01/tab12_600x400.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.engadget.com/">Engadget</a></span><br /></div><br />As a proud owner of a Macbook and an iPod Touch, I have a number of rational reasons for not spending between $500-800 on an Apple iPad. My iPod can run almost all the functions an iPad can and fit in my pocket. And my Macbook is a more powerful machine than an iPad in a package that I never felt wasn't portable enough.<br /><br />Do I need to invest in a "tweener" machine that doesn't really beat out the other two devices I own? Probably not. But do I want an iPad? Dude, yes!@#$111<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />For strictly emotional reasons, I want an iPad. I want it cause it looks hot. I want it cause it's a new piece of tech. I want it <span style="font-style: italic;">just to have it</span>. My lust for this iPad is strong. Someone talk me out of buying one, quick!<br /><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-74258123625381028242010-01-08T23:17:00.004-05:002010-01-08T23:26:25.504-05:00Why Playing The Piano On YouTube Isn't Awesome<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD-sSolVDiY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD-sSolVDiY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object><br /><br />I was checking out <a href="http://www.mashable.com/">Mashable</a> today and saw <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/01/08/make-beautiful-music-youtube/">this post</a> on playing the piano on YouTube. A Swedish production company called KOKOKAKA had put it together and I thought I would try it out. I'm always interested in seeing new or unique applications of technology, so I thought I'd try it out. If you haven't already tried it out in the video above, it takes advantage of the YouTube feature that allows users to click back to a certain portion of the video. The team then recorded themselves playing all of the notes and linked them for a user to play in any sequence they like. Plan on tearing through Beethoven's 9th symphony on it? Good luck. As an interactive piece, I appreciate all the work that went into it. However, it's not that fun to play with.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Playing the piano on things other than a piano is kind of played out, and the fun theory piano stairs have this beat in terms of uniqueness. On a computer, there are a number of free online pianos that work a lot better. Also, the nature of YouTube technology doesn't really lend itself to actually making music in this particular execution. Having to wait for the video to finish loading while the video itself is playing is a major turn-off for most people who expect instant satisfaction when watching anything on YouTube. On top of that, the slight delay between your mouse click and the sound playing is just a bit too much to make anything sound good, and the sound of the video cutting in every time you hit a note is annoying.<br /><br />As a lesson learned on the process of creating content for interactive, I think its great. It demonstrates two factors everyone should consider when they create interactive content.<br /><br /><br />1) What are the possibilities and limitations of the technology?<br /><br />The designers behind this video totally saw an opportunity to use YouTube to trigger notes on a piano. To me, I feel like they completely disregarded the limitations YouTube brings to the equation. The way they put that video together and the way the cue feature works doesn't make it work the way a user would want a piano to work. Which leads directly to my next point.<br /><br /><br />2) Is it any good to interact with?<br /><br />It's possible for anyone to put ice cream on a steak, but would you want to eat it? My guess is no. Like anything in the world that we interact with, it has to be something we want to do in order for us to get any value from it. In concept, it sounds kind of cool to create something with a technology that it wasn't originally intended to do. However, that's a moot point if the final product isn't any good to use. The piano stairs are extremely difficult to make music with, but that's not really the point because they're still fun to use. Maybe you had the time of your life using the YouTube piano, but I did not like the experience it provided.<br /><br />As a proof of concept, maybe it will lead into something greater. On its own, it's a unique idea that doesn't respect the limits of the technology enough to be something people would want to use. For anyone making anything that others have to interact with, I hope you you keep these two points in mind.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-19426720648437273962009-12-22T23:19:00.012-05:002009-12-22T23:33:51.039-05:00I Win My First Advertising Award*Last week at the Toronto Euro RSCG Christmas party, I was surprised to receive my first-ever advertising award. I guess if anything, my parents deserve it more than I do, but I've accepted it nonetheless. I won the award for "Best Name Ever". Not a bad start to my career, now is it?<br /><br />Hit the READ MORE link to see pics!<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0gM1cx00nCrIHq0ra8Kq9uhxy5Qif0t5PGLWMnokhntdG89C0XEAIu5Vi_ocF-KeWET04lek6P_k_tCS_PyLVNbEzEl1-Hrveu1wlUjyUs1TeRFsE3fsVUIFLZAODdys488XazX_2jg/s1600-h/IMG_2482.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0gM1cx00nCrIHq0ra8Kq9uhxy5Qif0t5PGLWMnokhntdG89C0XEAIu5Vi_ocF-KeWET04lek6P_k_tCS_PyLVNbEzEl1-Hrveu1wlUjyUs1TeRFsE3fsVUIFLZAODdys488XazX_2jg/s400/IMG_2482.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418284500685009762" border="0" /></a><br />Thank you Bekki for these pictures. Above is a picture of me receiving my award from Bill Sharpe, Chairman of Sharpe Blackmore. Watching in the back of this image is Tom Blackmore, the President of the company.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_GvLAkddS9zJLvw-HvyQW6PhxYwP1kjy21dZyQTtRji0AEjhpy4Ph5kvczrcebwA4PxX_-wl2pxVQ99yQJCNhJSGnfrL9RNiIx45XgRuagZYoYFLB1nImyM8BuzWnLR9ZuzX3ZUjFGI/s1600-h/IMG_2483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_GvLAkddS9zJLvw-HvyQW6PhxYwP1kjy21dZyQTtRji0AEjhpy4Ph5kvczrcebwA4PxX_-wl2pxVQ99yQJCNhJSGnfrL9RNiIx45XgRuagZYoYFLB1nImyM8BuzWnLR9ZuzX3ZUjFGI/s400/IMG_2483.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418284774746099938" /></a><br />And here's a pic of me with my certificate. I will be framing it and displaying it on my desk at work. Here's to hoping I can win more awards in the future!<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-32877113285097598712009-12-13T16:38:00.004-05:002009-12-13T16:47:34.868-05:00Christmas Light Hero<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bXjbMIZzAgs&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bXjbMIZzAgs&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />The Internet never fails to impress me. This time, former Disney special effects engineer Ric Turner created this interactive Christmas lights masterpiece that lets you play Guitar Hero...ON YOUR HOUSE. The entire house acts as the gameplay interface as well as providing the user a lights show of awesome while you rock out to "Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I admit, I don't even have a Christmas tree up in my house yet, and they can play Guitar Hero on their house. If there was ever a time I felt like the Grinch, that time is now.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-46675020389023782662009-11-30T22:03:00.007-05:002009-11-30T23:04:12.206-05:00A Word About Child's Play Charity And Donating This Christmas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/img/cplogo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This Christmas, there are a number of excellent charities to donate to, should you feel inclined to do so. I donate to a few assorted charities here and there throughout the year, but <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">Child's Play</a> is a bit different for me. In my experiences of donating, I knew that I was donating to a good cause, but never felt any personal or vested interest in the causes I was donating to. With <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">Child's Play</a>, for me specifically, I really feel like it's a cause I can personally get behind.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Since 2003, <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">Child's Play</a> has raised over $5 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books, movies and more for sick kids hospitals around the world. As a gamer, and as someone with a lot of younger family members that I've taken care of throughout the years, its a cause I can really empathize with. Hospitalized children don't spend all day being treated, and the downtime can get boring and at worst, detrimental to the recovery of a child. Providing hospitalized children with any form of entertainment can go a long way to boosting a child's spirits and ultimately, their recovery. There aren't that many charities out there like it and this one is powered by like-minded people, which makes the act of donating to the cause more powerful to me.<br /><br />Last year, I bought Rock Band downloadable songs where <a href="http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76458">all the proceeds raised by the songs went to Child's Play</a>. This year, I went through their Amazon Gift List system and donated Lego Indiana Jones for the Wii to The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto. While my contributions aren't nearly as large as the <a href="http://desertbus.org/">$132,000 raised by the Desert Bus For Hope marathon</a>, I'm sure my contributions will go towards a few smiles for children that really need it. From here on out, I'll make a conscious effort to donate to the cause when I can.<br /><br />With all that said, it would be awesome if you <a href="http://www.childsplaycharity.org/">donated to the cause</a> too. However, I'm not forcing you to do anything. I would be happy if you donated to any charity this holiday season, especially one you feel strongly about. Anything we can do to make the holidays brighter for others is a win for everyone.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-90454485937228898082009-11-24T21:38:00.005-05:002009-11-24T21:55:40.695-05:00Muppets Perform Bohemian Rhapsody<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfSIm65PbTPwXUAOisdmvpaDtf85jKGAkFuCl6T4T6x_N1bkr-PzGaWkudrZo2rX25EI3o1eZzrjqNcpECyNcVnpqmBPOvefSG5CbNl-H4atx8ICQ5ktQG3_scu0PCftsRHVXhir4zO8/s1600/Picture+2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfSIm65PbTPwXUAOisdmvpaDtf85jKGAkFuCl6T4T6x_N1bkr-PzGaWkudrZo2rX25EI3o1eZzrjqNcpECyNcVnpqmBPOvefSG5CbNl-H4atx8ICQ5ktQG3_scu0PCftsRHVXhir4zO8/s200/Picture+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407865681276436354" border="0" /></a>I'm just as confused as you. Yesterday, the Muppets went viral and take part in at least the coolest video of the day. Click on the READ MORE link to catch the Muppets rock out in 1080p goodness.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tgbNymZ7vqY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tgbNymZ7vqY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object><br /><br />I have no idea what the objective of this video is or why it even exists, but who cares? Watching Muppets rock out is always fun. Do you think this was a..."reaction"...to any other homemade Muppet videos out there on YouTube? If you don't know what I'm alluding to, it's probably for the best.<br /><br />Anyway, this official Muppet Studios video is pretty awesome and SFW. While I'm still talking about Muppets, if you haven't already seen this one, I recommend you check out the drum battle between Animal and Buddy Rich too.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n_BmeBfV-O4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n_BmeBfV-O4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-77153259112891132902009-11-22T14:02:00.004-05:002009-11-22T14:19:07.139-05:00Adweek's Best of the 2000s<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bestofthe2000s.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 105px;" src="http://adweek.blogs.com/bestofthe2000s/bestofthe2000s-banner.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Starting this week, Adweek Media is conducting a poll for the <a href="http://www.bestofthe2000s.com/">best of the 2000s</a>. There are a number of categories to choose from, including agency of the decade, commercial of the decade, and even blog of the decade. At some point in the nomination process my blog was lost in the shuffle, but I'll let it slide this decade (yeah right).<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />All jokes aside, I recommend you take a few minutes to vote for who you feels deserves the distinction. As of writing, I just checked agency of the decade and to my surprise, Euro RSCG is #1. As a current employee of a Euro RSCG agency, I can't hate on that. However, don't let me me influence your voting...Euro RSCG, <span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Euro RSCG</span>, <span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">Euro RSCG</span>...<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Euro RSCG</span><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-62249887370567882412009-11-04T19:20:00.004-05:002009-11-04T19:50:57.230-05:00How To Get To Sesame Street<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nationalpost.com/muppets/index.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucb3FRWbm7j895YnEd5SIZClS2OV3tDMwXoHRnAaIN7qUJPkLVgmGdBEfpTI9iCMFEaE0rX-hPaANnQHiqGnvHgiqcXkMSTVuqMBbMUpW8GwQRGRMDaqHNlMgBYXn5PS8gqMAjHCf4_Q/s320/Picture+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400408131052731714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.nationalpost.com/muppets/index.html">National Post</a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street (the greatest children's television show of all time in my humble opinion), the <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com">National Post</a> has put together this simple and neat interactive piece chronicling 101 muppets from the show. Credit goes out to Steve Murray, who wrote and illustrated the piece, Rebecca Yanovskaya for the interactive design and the information from the <a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/">muppet wikia</a>.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />The piece isn't going to win any awards, but It's going to draw a lot of traffic and engagement for being simple, cool and fun to use. It also doesn't hurt that it's subject matter covers Sesame Street. True story: when my brother was born in 1990, I insisted my parents name him Ernie, after my favourite Sesame Street character at the time.<br /><br />I recommend you <a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/muppets/index.html">give the piece a look</a>. After that, you can come back here and check out my favourite Sesame Street song. I love it so much, I even have it on my iPod.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JZshZp-cxKg&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JZshZp-cxKg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></div></div><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-49204255935711036122009-10-22T21:41:00.014-04:002009-10-22T22:17:06.019-04:00CAB Grads Keep The "Planet in Focus"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBU8-hWfD3azThAVmcloqhBMQ8MVoBAcrzXgTxUAwXpRGryqJPeYaVMNGHWur8dzkH3jCniCBTMhQcS0ViZ4DBp7bwG9TBoB6n0c1iX7Eobt2omsJFjHf2cAYSD7uUF0jMwx79pIGwco/s1600-h/9422_181818061822_509451822_3796766_3045988_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBU8-hWfD3azThAVmcloqhBMQ8MVoBAcrzXgTxUAwXpRGryqJPeYaVMNGHWur8dzkH3jCniCBTMhQcS0ViZ4DBp7bwG9TBoB6n0c1iX7Eobt2omsJFjHf2cAYSD7uUF0jMwx79pIGwco/s320/9422_181818061822_509451822_3796766_3045988_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395608611907150354" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMT_8fGHPwAEYgVq8DVLb4-UuDzyfYfq8fNQ4m4Y7jGGyfJ2UX2bO0-PaOYutHafblI1sNGIXYZfp06upw8rxlkvR1KYpL4deLiym-LwZpmbPYyWnv74ftOgqTobyYZhu6iYLxxBQMAg/s1600-h/9422_181818056822_509451822_3796765_2302133_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 278px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMT_8fGHPwAEYgVq8DVLb4-UuDzyfYfq8fNQ4m4Y7jGGyfJ2UX2bO0-PaOYutHafblI1sNGIXYZfp06upw8rxlkvR1KYpL4deLiym-LwZpmbPYyWnv74ftOgqTobyYZhu6iYLxxBQMAg/s320/9422_181818056822_509451822_3796765_2302133_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395608552640360594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Images from Slava Yedlin</span><br /></div><br />If you've been in and around the Greater Toronto Area over the last month or so, you may have seen these ads for the Planet in Focus Film Festival. What makes this campaign significant to me is that it was developed by my friends and fellow Seneca Creative Advertising alumi. Much respect goes out to Slava Yedlin, Christine Porto, Victoria Morozova, Francesco Fiore, Steven Tran, Cole and "Leader of the New" <a href="http://jettlandicho.blogspot.com/2009/04/leaders-of-new-keely-powell.html">Keely Powell</a> for a great campaign and for earning the opportunity to make power moves straight out of college!<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCHENy9lQmy-1ortXDSJDxxriBZ6ZqsVP7VFt-5viGIHY87w0Va6PQsvLhEd2o0C5pfJmHTZ4ykMw1oet8VgU288FxOL1wnP0O9G0gq-bsqxFhW_kcdXlG8cRsb45I14lNOuDF9n9_44/s1600-h/9422_181886411822_509451822_3797170_2535645_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCHENy9lQmy-1ortXDSJDxxriBZ6ZqsVP7VFt-5viGIHY87w0Va6PQsvLhEd2o0C5pfJmHTZ4ykMw1oet8VgU288FxOL1wnP0O9G0gq-bsqxFhW_kcdXlG8cRsb45I14lNOuDF9n9_44/s320/9422_181886411822_509451822_3797170_2535645_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395613141235996002" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Image from Stephanie Harrison</span><br /></div><br />How did they land this awesome opportunity? A few months ago, Cundari gave our class a chance to create campaigns for Planet in Focus and Slava Vodka. They put a lot of hard work into it (as did every other group assigned to Planet in Focus) but their team, known back then as BGE (Best Group Ever) wowed Cundari and the client enough to land the job.<br /><br />I was proud back then for them having won the pitch and even moreso now that their all of their hard work has been realized into a full campaign. I wish them, the rest of my fellow alumni and all of the up-and-coming advertisers much success moving forward!<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-56024990189699104812009-10-21T22:29:00.004-04:002009-10-21T22:35:38.065-04:00Do You Enjoy The Go?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.brackishwater.net/images/uploads/1charmin-bear-717426.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 205px;" src="http://www.brackishwater.net/images/uploads/1charmin-bear-717426.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.brackishwater.net/">Brackiswater</a></span><br /></div><br />(I'm going to try and write this with as few toilet jokes as possible)<br /><br />If you're looking for your first or next corporate blogging gig, Charmin might have the job for you. Well, Charmin is looking for people to handle their business while you "handle your business" (sorry, I couldn't help it). They're looking for 5 bloggers to staff Times Square bathrooms and blog about it. Tryouts for this position are at the New York Hilton at 53rd Street and 6th Avenue. If you're planning on doing it, don't forget to bring your resume, a photo as well as an explanation for why you "enjoy the go".<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />As bizarre as this may seem, I think it would be hilarious to have this on your resume. It also pays handsomely. At $10,000 for 5 weeks of work, that's almost an insane amount of money to for the work they're asking you to do. If you're planning on going for this, good luck!<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />Original story from </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://adage.com/adages/post?article_id=139811">Ad Age</a></span><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-20177074525761971622009-10-19T22:26:00.004-04:002009-10-19T22:37:06.662-04:00Warfare In Your Hand<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.johnmayer.com"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 227px;" src="http://ewmusicmix.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/johnmayer_l_2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hitting the Internet today from John Mayer is the world's first augmented reality music video. While most of the augmented reality experiences I have tried out don't really expand beyond short animations, this one depicts John Mayer performing the entire song with video elements and changing backgrounds. Check it out <a href="http://www.johnmayer.com">HERE</a>.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />The idea of an augmented reality music video is really cool. As a final product, it does demonstrate some potential for the future if augmented reality, but not without highlighting a few of the technology's current weaknesses.<br /><br />I think due to limitations of the technology, it doesn't look all that great visually. Usually these executions feature only animated 3D renderings. Because they used video, John Mayer is a bit flat and pixelated. Also, there are only two fairly generic backgrounds that switch in and out. If this were an actual music video, it would be slammed for being one of the ugliest and cheesy videos of all time.<br /><br />As an augmented reality piece however, it's an exciting new step and a proof of concept for something more than what it currently is. It was a weird sensation to be "holding" John Mayer in my hands. I look forward to seeing how creative minds push this technology.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-67861972731125717622009-10-13T20:35:00.006-04:002009-10-13T22:03:34.709-04:00Did You Just Make Love?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ijustmadelove.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 47px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhamFR5IuLpOhdPGHzszR7naTRHtsRVxMdCprFlaVJSCw_jAowDDMpiAa-NN3EYi-QMXma2NY9hX6BT7HqDgZEe7A7UdZXAO7EqDLjhv7VwhqGLo1NZUnvuWOhrf96djezHtYGDHlZvEkk/s320/Picture+15.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392250677028314482" border="0" /></a>I am a huge fan of Google Maps because of the many ways it can be used and integrated into other technology. Some of its uses are really convenient, such as finding the <a href="http://parking.greenp.com/">closest parking lot</a> in your downtown core, to more <a href="http://www.we-love-the.net/Stweet/">voyeuristic purposes</a> just for the heck of it.<br /><br />The application I'm about to blog about definitely falls into the latter category, as I Just Made Love is well, fairly self explanatory.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ijustmadelove.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPZDMayXk6DNlZ_uUo0t6kvbB63RJ9hdBvMN3uLR_yP86FtPlDp-VdXgU_3OSRmZbvyZeqOY6Fehlzs5ACJn3dV-A4Ie0Tq35gNklOQLG-0VnIcLbrDQbXqF7rFvMh3UGl-1POGT-_MM/s320/Picture+16.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392253609349961634" border="0" /></a><span class="fullpost">Using Google Maps, a user can place a marker down on a map to indicate where they just made love, then leave a description, whether your experience was indoor or outdoor, the sexual orientation of the two involved, positions performed and a few other juicy details.<br /><br />The creepy voyeur in me wants to click on every single one of these and read the details behind every hookup. That could take some time, as there are over 35,000 markers worldwide to date.<br /><br />Neat idea. However, I don't see this catching on as the next big thing. I'm fairly certain that 99.9% of these markers are fake, and even then the comments people leave are pretty boring. The other major issue I see is that this could lead to some creepers using this information for who knows what.<br /><br />Next time you make love, will you be dropping a marker on Google Maps?<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-69948041630304098652009-10-05T21:10:00.003-04:002009-10-05T21:31:41.464-04:00The End of Blogger Payola<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.taf.org/graphics/payola2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 138px;" src="http://www.taf.org/graphics/payola2.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.taf.org/">Taxpayers Against Fraud</a></span><br /></div><br />Remember the old days of radio payola? Or heck, even the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8700936/">more recent days of radio payola</a>? To this day, people still question on a regular basis the legitimacy of the songs they hear on the radio. Having worked in the radio business for a number of years, I can't say I've personally seen it happen, but heard the skeptics on a regular basis. While I haven't heard the same type of criticism and cynicism aimed towards bloggers, the Federal Trade Commission nonetheless have taken major steps towards curbing blogger Payola.<br /><br />Is it too late for me to tell you how AMAZING the Sham-Wow is? I'll be right back, right after I...make a deposit :P<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />All jokes aside, <a href="http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=139457">Ad Age</a> does a pretty good job outlining the consequences and reasoning for the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on bloggers getting paid to say nice things about products or services without full disclosure. At $11,000 per violation, that's a whole lot of money to lose as an individual blogger. However, is that enough to curb a major corporation from rolling the dice?<br /><br />Nevertheless, I think it's a good move on the FTC is taking steps to curbing such shady tactics online.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-2134139005493072712009-10-01T22:57:00.009-04:002009-10-01T23:36:06.719-04:00Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFzfyc4pZXC6j0gekz6CqFDE_Y9pQmX8EwpjSK0TpdJpQHjjxQ5AHf704hsKamUMtyIoS9spt04akxmi56xDoC-_YE8-ALkDzULCeAmL8Ebt1Iq5M7jA-XenVOtlrC37d3I1IimVpfgg/s1600-h/ijett.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFzfyc4pZXC6j0gekz6CqFDE_Y9pQmX8EwpjSK0TpdJpQHjjxQ5AHf704hsKamUMtyIoS9spt04akxmi56xDoC-_YE8-ALkDzULCeAmL8Ebt1Iq5M7jA-XenVOtlrC37d3I1IimVpfgg/s320/ijett.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387834234945167026" border="0" /></a><br />While my blog has been fairly stagnant for the last little while, it's not because of a lack of effort. Okay, I probably could put in a bit more effort, but I've been busy with a number of personal and professional projects, such as the book I'm putting together for myself, working on career stuff and...being a rock star?<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FwV6V4LzVoanUO4g9yNPRr8zy16i9fJi1L5_1s332cCTHIFYN37_NXhxoGDct18sHBwKo9kNVEwvBmrDjtdwGFhrU2AdTBVcaUA_IzgriENf2ecnpW8Q9OWTTWr-c8FDBXuHeBiTQZc/s1600-h/ace+of+bass.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FwV6V4LzVoanUO4g9yNPRr8zy16i9fJi1L5_1s332cCTHIFYN37_NXhxoGDct18sHBwKo9kNVEwvBmrDjtdwGFhrU2AdTBVcaUA_IzgriENf2ecnpW8Q9OWTTWr-c8FDBXuHeBiTQZc/s320/ace+of+bass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387835307334402354" border="0" /></a> I have mentioned in the past that I <a href="http://jettlandicho.blogspot.com/2009/04/leaders-of-new-jett-landicho.html">dabbled in music</a>. In my free time over these last few weeks, I've decided to learn the bass guitar. I'm having a lot of fun with it and even performed live at my local street party. Anybody looking for a drummer or bassist for next year's <a href="http://www.adrants.com/2009/09/advertising-weeks-battle-of-the-ad.php">Battle of the Ad Bands</a> in New York?<br /><br />My other big "excuse" for not updating as frequently as I used to is, I've been busy getting career stuff together. In fact, I got a new job and am officially starting Monday! I'm really excited for a chance to live the dream of aspiring ad people everywhere.<br /><br />If you still follow my blog, thank you for your support! I'll do my best in the coming weeks to make it up to you!<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-59291343930074075772009-09-16T17:51:00.003-04:002009-09-16T18:22:59.145-04:00I'ma Let You Finish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://imaletyoufinish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/koolaid-kanye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 451px; height: 309px;" src="http://imaletyoufinish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/koolaid-kanye.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />By now, we've all seen the ridiculous outburst made by Kanye West to Taylor Swift at the MTV VMA's on Sunday. Immediately after the incident happen, celebrity tweets went through the roof <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/09/14/2009-09-14_kayne_west_upstaging_taylor_swift.html">condemning Kanye's behaviour</a>. He immediately posted on his blog <a href="http://twitpic.com/hohp4">an apology</a>, but it has done little to put out the flames that have come with his actions.<br /><br />Of course, it didn't take long for the rest of the Internet community to bombard the landscape with parody videos, gifs and images. One site I found compiling the best of these parodies is <a href="http://www.imaletyoufinish.com/">I'ma Let You Finish</a>.<br /><br />I know he's been making the apology rounds, but is there anything he can do to gain back respect? How badly will this hurt his future endeavours? How quickly will the Internet drive this joke into the ground?<br /><br />Click on the READ MORE link to check out a few choice images.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kanyewestdouchebag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/1Untitled-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 350px;" src="http://kanyewestdouchebag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/1Untitled-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://imaletyoufinish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/koolaid-kanye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 470px; height: 322px;" src="http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae14/illmaticaddict/odbkanye.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />(Don't get this one? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2-5GSjZvW8">Do your homework.</a>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i28.tinypic.com/ay6pv8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 609px; height: 519px;" src="http://i28.tinypic.com/ay6pv8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://21.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kq1bfwcdw21qa3i8uo1_500.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 700px;" src="http://21.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kq1bfwcdw21qa3i8uo1_500.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://imaletyoufinish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/kanye-interupts-linux.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 450px;" src="http://imaletyoufinish.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/kanye-interupts-linux.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1370979198471508134.post-81154852131577031462009-09-01T21:56:00.003-04:002009-09-01T22:07:35.924-04:00Smells Like Uncomfortable Marketing<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-UuAoEW5MbI&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-UuAoEW5MbI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></embed></object><br /><br />Making the rounds of video game websites and blogs is the above video from YouTube user <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/corporalgregg2">Corporalgregg2</a>, who recorded a few of the awkward things you can do with Kurt Cobain in Guitar Hero 5. Everything from imitating Flava Flav's trademark, "Yeah boy!" to four Kurt Cobain's performing a Megadeath song with invisible instruments.<br /><br />My initial reaction is, "LOL! Look at Kurt Cobain being crazy!" However, as someone who knows a little bit about the life and death of Kurt Cobain, I can't help but feel eerily uncomfortable watching this. I'm sure when the marketing team pitched the estate of Kurt Cobain to try and have him in their game, part of the deal didn't include playing in the same band as a skeleton or singing high-pitched vocals to a funk song.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Part of the reason why Kurt Cobain is no longer with us is because he hated celebrity and the commercialism his music brought to him. He wanted to be seen in a certain light, and that not happening partially lead to his death. Ever since then, the legacy of Kurt Cobain has been fairly well protected.<br /><br />So it comes as a bit of a surprise to see cyber Kurt Cobain in the video singing music from Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder with an XBOX avatar and a skeleton. When the makers of Guitar Hero pitched this idea to the estate of Kurt Cobain, did they mention that this would be possible? If so, was the estate of Kurt Cobain cool with it?<br /><br />I understand from a marketing perspective that having Kurt Cobain in your rock music game sounds like a good idea. However, giving users the ability to take him out of context doesn't seem very tasteful to the life and legacy of a deceased, iconic rock star that probably wouldn't have approved of this if he were still alive in the first place.<br /></span>Jetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17591621553814621972noreply@blogger.com0