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A New Open Source Project that Will Change the World

30 Jan

Combine a remarkable humanitarian, open source technology, a Hollywood producer, Hugh Jackman and millions of volunteers from around the world and you have a project that has the potential to change the world. 1.4 Billion Reasons is a presentation being viewed around the world in person and online. The best part is you don’t have to wait for Hugh Evans, like Al Gore 2.0 to come to your city to understand that extreme poverty is a crucial issue that can be eradicated in our lifetime with the right tools and the willingness of everyday people to want to do something.

Hugh Evans, sort of like the Craig Kielburger of Australia started the movement in his hometown and picked up momentum when Chris Adams, Executive Producer of An Inconvenient Truth, Good Night and Good Luck, Syriana and other Hollywood films wanted to film Hugh and his team as they toured their presentation around the world. Hugh Jackman jumped on board as the celebrity spokesperson and soon you may see, Adams, Evans and Jackman on stage at the Oscar’s accepting an award for best documentary film.

We had the chance to talk with the GPP team when they rolled into town for the Toronto International Film Festival and debuted their presentation to North America at the Danforth Music Hall.

The GPP team are using the power of the web to spread the extreme poverty message to the masses. Through the use of social media, you can share the presentation in your home town, in front of your class, youth group or community by going to www.globalpovertyproject.com and downloading the slides. You can even customize the presentation to the audience you will be speaking to.

Harnessing the power of social media to do some good in this world…to learn more visit www.globalpovertyproject.com

For Those Who Still Think Social Media Is a Fad

16 Jan

When trying to research why my generation uses Facebook and Twitter to communicate, I came across a very interesting video for the book Socialnomics by Erik Qualman that may explain and convince the most doubtful of people who still belive social media is a fad.

It’s 2010 and that means a new WordCamp Toronto

5 Jan

 

It seems right after the shortbread is eaten, the parties finish, the champagne has been drank from New Years and the relaxing comes to a halt, the reality of the holidays ending hits you in the face with the cold harsh reminder that it’s January in Canada. With warm weather months away it seems kind of depressing, doesn’t it? Unless you have something to look forward to. For me it’s WordCamp Toronto 2010, coming to the Centennial College Student Centre once again. For two days in March (27 & 28), WordPressers unite for an unconference like no other seen before.

Last time we threw a two-day meetup in the traditional sense with speakers, lunch and impromptu get togethers. This time around we are going to try a few new things. For one there will be a networking breakfast, WordPress success stories will be told, a dj will play music in between sessions and a wine and cheese mix and mingle will end the first day, followed by an official after party. One of the greatest challenges from 2008 was getting people to the venue, so this time we are picking you up! Yes, we will have a WordCamp TO bus to pick you up from one of 4 locations in downtown Toronto and Scarborough.

There is just over two months so we need to act fast to ensure this runs smoothly. If you would like to help with this year’s WordCamp, please contact me or visit www.wordcamptoronto.com and fill out the contact form for speaker, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. 

Looking forward to planning this year’s WCT with the kick ass Toronto tech community!

For all you students: How to Convince Your Parents You Need the Latest Technology

28 Jul

Being a student is hard, and being one myself not so long ago, I understood the frustration of not being able to afford the latest mobile phone or notebook computer. 

If you are lucky enough to have your parents pay for some of your expenses then you may want to use the hand-me-up excuse on them. 

The hand-me-up as opposed to the hand-me-down is when the younger generation passes off their old, but still useable technology to the older generation so their parents will hopefully pay for the new upgraded version. 

If all goes according to plan you may find yourself with the new iPhone. 

Here’s a video we made for the students of Centennial College.

 

It’s Time to Stop Annoying the Facebook Friends With Twitter Updates

12 Jun

Facebook vs. Twitter

My sincerest apologies to all my non Twitter-using Facebook friends…for annoying you with all my Twitter updates.

I removed the Twitter application from my Facebook profile, that automatically updates my Facebook as soon as I update Twitter.

I don’t want to continue annoying my Facebook friends who didn’t ask to be bombarded with my status updates at least three times per day.

Secondly if they wanted to have a constant news stream of my life then they would follow me on Twitter, which is updated much more frequently. I don’t think Facebook should be used in the same way Twitter is used. They are completely different social tools and as much as Facebook wants to be Twitter it should just stick to what it’s good at; sharing photos and events. 

Facebook tried to evolve into a Twitter-like news stream, but if you ask me, Twitter was created for that very reason, to share Facebook- like status updates with people who were actually interested in knowing more about you. Since then Twitter has evolved into many other uses, but that’s a whole other blog post. 

That is what’s so great about both of these tools; they have different functions and the people who follow you on Twitter are not necessarily your Facebook friends and vice versa.

It also didn’t make sense to combine the two since such a small percentage of my Facebook friends use Twitter, so in order to keep the number of friends on Facebook, I’ve decided to keep Twitter and Facebook separate. 

Although this is a great tool for some, I came to the conclusion that it’s not right for me. Some people, like me use Twitter for business and Facebook for more personal use. While others are all business or all personal on both. Depending on what the purpose of you using these tools are then consider how and why you share the information you do.

Off to the Windy City for the first WordCamp Chicago

5 Jun

Ironically, it’s not the weather that gave Chicago its name, but rather the city’s politics…or so the story goes. 

So, here I am waiting for the flight in this über nice airport lounge. I’m off to Chi-town for the weekend to attend WordCamp Chicago, to learn how to be better at my job I suppose. Not really actually. I love attending these events. This will be my third time at a WordCamp including WC Toronto which I co-organized in ’08.

 

Porter Lounge

Porter Lounge

 

 

I can’t wait to meet a new crowd of WordPress geeks like me, who thrive off of learning what the latest and greatest in digital innovation is and the newest in best practices for the web.

 

So this weekend, I’ve got my camera in hand and good walking shoes, so look out for my posts and I will keep you updated.

Brave New(s) World: Future of Journalism Summit

29 May

 

At the one of the breakout sessions entitled The New Journalism Toolbox

At the one of the breakout sessions entitled The New Journalism Toolbox

Out of the many lessons I learned at the Brave New(s) World Summit on the future of journalism held at Centennial College on May 28, the most important take away from the day could be that the newspaper is not dying, it is evolving. 

An elite group of news reporters, journalism professors, students and other media gathered for the day long summit to discuss concerns over the changing print journalism industry and how the web is shaking up the traditional business model.

It seems these days, anyone can be a citizen journalist and can spread messages instantly from their mobile device but does that water down the message and even though we may get our news faster, is it accurate and which source should we trust? How can we make money from putting news online? All these questions were answered, or at least discussed at the summit, with keynote speaker and successful publisher, professor Jeff Jarvis, author of the best-selling book, What Would Google Do?

 

Our discussion notes from a breakout session.

Our discussion notes from a breakout session.

 

As we enter the unknown territory of Web 3.0, it’s important to discuss the impact the web is going to have on jobs. That’s why I think some of the most important decision makers, critical thinkers and influencers didn’t hesitate to participate in the Summit. Representatives from every local and national media outlet  participated in the breakout sessions including: Mathew Ingram, Communities Editor for the Globe and Mail, Amber MacArthur, new media specialist for commandN.tv and CTV/CP24, Kris Reyes, Citytv News reporter.

 

Some of the participants from the Brave New(s) World Summit

Some of the participants from the Brave New(s) World Summit

 

So where do we go from here? Well it was said that people thought the radio was going to make kids deaf and the television was going to make us dumb, and the internet? Will it kill the print publication? No, there is room for both. We just need to adapt by being “small, agile and lethal.”

 

For a summary report of the conference, keep checking back in the next few days as people upload and add information to the blog. http://bravenewsworld.wordpress.com and http://www.centennialcollege.ca/thecentre/summit

SpinTO: A Party for a Good Cause

19 May

 

photo taken by Martin Ringehahn

photo taken by Martin Ringehahn

 

Raising $15,000 to date for the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation, SpinTO was a helluva party that brought together the cycling, tech and gay communities of Toronto to celebrate the Friends for Life Bike Rally from Toronto to Montreal. 

 

In spite of it being the Victoria Day long weekend, people came out in droves to buy raffle tickets, bid on the silent auction items, dance, watch some burlesque performances, dress in drag and have their picture taken in Rannie Turingan‘s photobooth. 

 

Congrats to the organizers on a successful event!

 

 

Kelowna and I in the photobooth at SpinTO

Kelowna and I in the photobooth at SpinTO - photo taken by Martin Ringehahn

Celebrities and Twitter: Don’t Do It Just Because You Think You Have To

27 Mar

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I was hesitant to add celebrities as Twitter friends. After all, I don’t know these people, I am merely just a fan of their work. When you have over 100,000 friends on Twitter, it’s impossible to connect with everyone individually and there is still a sense of anonymity on the part of celebs. It’s not like they are going to share their Friday night plans, or suggest to meet up at a bar, unless you are LeVar Burton.

 

Instead they use Twitter as a tool to reach out and engage in conversation with fans, which gets us one step closer to them. So maybe they won’t be revealing their real personality in their tweets, if it is really them twittering and not their publicist but at least they recognize their fans appreciate receiving up-to-the-minute information from their idols.

 

I decided to only add the celebs who are actually interested in Twittering, like Jimmy Fallon. He embraced Twitter from day one. Although, if you are Russell Brand or someone who can make me laugh, I wouldn’t mind being sent a funny comment, link or knowing when you’re releasing new material.

 

So for those celebs who haven’t embraced the social tool and don’t really care for it, I would suggest not to cave into the peer pressure. Just because all your other friends are doing it, doesn’t mean you have to do it too. I wouldn’t be interested in hearing what your publicist has to say on your behalf.

Protection of Ideas or Creative Freedom? A New Doc Explores Copyright Issues in the 21st Century

16 Mar

rip-remix-poster

 

 

A movement is underway. Or should I say, we are seeing a remarkable change in the film and recording industries. It doesn’t stop there, we are also re-writing the rules of every creative industry.

Why is this happening? The answer is in the new documentary from Montreal director Brett Gaylor. RiP: A remix manifesto is one of the best, thought-provoking films I’ve seen. I’m so fascinated by the topic of intellectual property and how the net generation is changing the way information and art is shared. We have copyright laws for a reason but are these laws now outdated and irrelevant in the digital age? Are we limiting creativity when we can’t add to, manipulate or alter ideas, images and music that have come before?

When someone forwarded me the link to the film and Facebook event, I watched the trailer and decided to go see it on opening night in Toronto. I was excited that someone had decided to make a film about the controversial topic of copyright and piracy.

 


 

The film centers around mash-up artist Girl Talk, who samples hundreds of songs with his computer to make it his own work of art. He has made hundreds of mash-ups from other artists’ work and is making money from touring without paying a cent to the artists or subjected to legal ratifications. Is what Girl Talk is doing wrong? This topic is explored in depth throughout the film.

If you think Girl Talk is an originator, William Burroughs shook the literary world upside down when he cut up and rearranged text on a page to make it new. Rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs claimed he invented the remix when he sampled everyone from The Police to Led Zeppelin.

This is not a new topic but one that should be explored as we deal with the changes the net has brought in the twenty-first century.


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I encourage anyone with an interest in this topic to go see it. At the very least, the documentary was visually stimulating and well made. The best part is the film itself is open source and can be re-worked or mashed-up by anyone who pleases.

If you want to view the film in your city, visit their Web site for screening times and locations. 

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