Rebranding America

PAPER magazine posted a challenge to a group of “fearless creative communicators” to rebrand America. Check out the article and wonderful designs (and the creators’ notes).

I have selected four of my personal favourites and reposted them here. They are all clean and get their messages across beautifully.

[HT: Kevin Roberts]

Let there be light – GE Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

I love battery technologies, light is another one.

[via GE report]

Google PageRank sculpting

Matt Cutts on “Google PageRank sculpting“.

Brett’s Garden Party: 777 Run for Sight, Canadian Tenors, and the beautiful Sarah McLachlan

Last week, I had had the pleasure of attending Brett Wilson‘s yearly charity Garden Party. Each year, party guests are invited to make a donation to a featured charity. And this year over $100,000 was raised to fight blindness through 777 Run for Sight where Norma Bastidas is “running 7 ultramarathons [over 100 km each] in 7 continents in 7 months to raise funds for the blind and the visually impaired.” (see my earlier blog entry here)

It was very enjoyable listening to The Canadian Tenors performing at the party. And the highlight of the party for my better half and me had to be listening to the beautiful and accomplished Sarah McLachlan performing with the Tenors (singing Tenors’ Hallelujah) and then performing a few solos. Sarah’s performances were just beautiful and wonderful for us as it was our first live & really up close performance by Sarah!

Now, I first met Brett and Sarah at the 2009 Banff World TV Festival award ceremony where I also interviewed Brett.

So to me, Sarah & Brett seems to be more than just friends, but then only they really know!  :) :) In person, Brett & Sarah are just super nice and very friendly people. I think it is in part of our Canadian DNA to be nice and friendly. :)

P.S. The following are better quality videos [recorded elsewhere] of the songs we had the pleasure to listen to at the party that evening. Enjoy.

YouTube Reporters’ Center

With so many non-j-school-trained-reporters reporting, this sounds like interesting.

$2.1 million Warren Buffett lunch

A Hong Kong based hedge fund manager paid $2.1 million for a lunch with Warren. Some of the questions he asked, he could have found out from reading Alice’s biography about Warren “The Snowball“.

Million dollar Netflix Prize Winning lessons …

The Prize is a million dollar. The challenge can be simply stated.

“The Netflix Prize seeks to substantially improve the accuracy of predictions about how much someone is going to love a movie based on their movie preferences. Improve it enough and you win one (or more) Prizes.”

Check out this page for links to the international coalition of four teams that first broke “the 10% barrier and sets off a 30 day period where all competitors are invited to submit their best and final solutions.“

See coverage of this breakthrough in NYT and Wired.

Quoting the official Prize forum,

In accord with the Rules, teams have thirty (30) days, until July 26, 2009 18:42:37 UTC, to make submissions that will be considered for this Prize. Good luck and thank you for participating!

I am looking forward to reading the technical papers to be published by the winners and watching their presentation. I am most curious about what can be learned from these winners and how their breakthrough can be applied in other fields and challenges we have (medical science, etc.).

P.S. While I hope and wish there will be major computer technical advancement discovered/developed by the winning teams, I kept reminding myself of how the Feynman nanotechnology challenge was solved.

Either You’re in or You’re in the Way

It was good watching “Touching Home”, a film made by the Miller brothers (Noah & Logan) in 2008 CIFF. (See my interview with Noah & logan.) So when I heard the brothers have now published a book (and “a National Bestseller and was #1 on the SF Chronicle Bestseller list two weeks ago”), I am so happy for them.

Here is the book description of “Either You’re in or You’re in the Way” from HarperCollins,

The hilarious, implausible, and touching story of twin brothers accomplishing the impossible—making a feature film (with a cast and crew with 11 Academy Awards and 26 nominations) with no experience, no money and no contacts.

When identical twin brothers Logan and Noah Miller’s homeless father died alone in a jail cell, they vowed, come hell or high water, that their film, Touching Home, would be made as a dedication to their love for him. Either You’re in or You’re in the Way is the amazing story of how—without a dime to their names nor a single meaningful contact in Hollywood—they managed to write, produce, direct, and act in a feature film alongside four-time Academy Award-nominated actor Ed Harris and fellow nominees Brad Dourif and Robert Forster.

Either You’re in or You’re in the Way tells of the desperate struggle of two sons fighting to keep a vow to their father, and in so doing, creating a better life for themselves. A modern-day Horatio Alger on steroids, this fast-paced thrill ride of heartbreak and redemption will both captivate and inspire.

Origin of Flashpoint (CTV & CBS series) – 2009 Banff World TV Festival

Flashpoint is one of the best TV show in recent years (I don’t use the word “best” lightly). In my humble view, Flashpoint is even better than 24 (recent plot twists have become overwhelmingly nutty).

Here is the origin of Flashpoint as told by Stephanie Morgenstern & Mark Ellis, co-creators of Flashpoint, at 2009 Banff World TV Festival. Hope you enjoy the video.

P.S. In Canada, you can watch the shows on CTV (online episodes available). In US, on CBS.

P.P.S. Mark & Stephanie, a husband & wife team, were very nice and humble people (very Canadian). I had a chance to talk to Stephanie briefly afterwards and it was so wonderful to talk to her. Great to see nice people being successful and their passion paid off.

*******

Nov 15, 2009: From TorStar, “Flashpoint is big Gemini winner“. Congratulations to Stephanie & Mark.

Unravelling the Canadian Copyright Policy Laundering Strategy

Interesting analysis by Michael Geist, “Unravelling the Canadian Copyright Policy Laundering Strategy“. A case of manufacturing consent laid out clearly for all to see.

Is Steve Jobs Health “Material Fact”?

I love Mac and think Steve Jobs is a genius with impeccable taste. But I agree with Warren Buffett in calling it like it is - Apple withheld “material fact” on Steve’s health condition.

And this ZDNet reporter may not be too far off in putting it this way, “Steve Jobs nearly died and lied about it“.

777 Run for Sight

“The journey to fight blindness. A step by step account of running 7 ultramarathons [over 100 km each] in 7 continents in 7 months to raise funds for the blind and the visually impaired.“

This is truly an amazing effort! Check out Norma Bastidas’ website and her blog. Read and see some photos of Norma running 100km in Antarctica in this 2009 Jan entry!

Here is a bit of information about Norma from her site,

“Norma Bastidas is a self-supported ultramarathon runner, a woman out to make history, and a single mom on a mission. Born in Mazatlan, Mexico, Norma has been living in Canada since 1993 and currently resides in Calgary with her two sons, Karl and Hans.

The self-described “Mexican running wild” is about to embark on a grueling, record setting journey in support of Operation Eyesight Universal, cnib and Foundation Fighting Blindness

Starting in January 2009, Norma will set out to be the second person in history to run seven of the planet’s most unforgiving environments on seven separate continents in one year. Norma will be running through the thick jungles of Brazil and the driest deserts in the world all in support of the blind and visually impaired.

Although this journey will take her around the world, the cause is something that hits home for Norma. Two years ago, Norma’s oldest son Karl, now 13, was diagnosed with Cone Rod Dystrophy, a progressive condition with no cure.”

Evillution

Evillution by Vancouver Film School student Arthur Lobo. Great job. Enjoy.

Neda

It’s truly heartbreaking.

“The former philosophy student and musician, whose name means, “voice,” has spoken to the world through her death. Neda [Agha-Soltan, 26] didn’t have a weapon. She was not a soldier at war; she was not a revolutionary.” – Huffington Post

News from CBC, CNN, Telegraph, Huffington Post, BBC, Guardian, CBS, and ABC.

CBC interviews Neda’s friend Armin Abedi in Canada.

Asbestos Export – Canada’s Ugly Secret

Canada’s Ugly Secret
June 10, 2009 (Runs 15:14)

From CBC’s show info,

Mellissa Fung reports on how Canada’s overseas sales of asbestos may be breathing new life into a dying industry – but may also be making exposed workers sick.

(Read backstory here.)

As a proud Canadian, I am ashamed of what my government condone.

GG Michaëlle Jean on The Hour

Our current GG Michaëlle Jean is one cool and insightful lady. Here is the GG interviewed by George on The Hour. (note: video available in Canada only, you can check this YouTube channel to see if it is posted)

P.S. This is the first time I hear the GG explain her decision to prorogue the parliament.

P.P.S. Yes, she ate a piece of heart of a seal last month. It is part of Canada’s heritage.

Digital Economy Conference

I hope Michael is right in his reflection after attending the federal gov organized conference titled Canada’s Digital Economy: Moving Forward. And I look forward to a constructive consultation in the summer and hope it will lead to some positive changes compare to Bill C-61.

Last year’s experience with Bill C-61 left thousands of Canadians deeply disappointed with government on copyright policy.  Yesterday’s remarks signal an important shift with both Clement and Moore clearly committed to more open consultation and to the development of a balanced copyright bill that better reflects the real-world realities of new technologies, innovation, new creators, and the reasonable expectations of Canadian consumers

Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer – from Vancouver Film School (VFS). Enjoy.

2009 Braeside Community Parade

This past Saturday (20th June, 2009), my better half and I had a lot of fun attending the 2009 Braeside Community Parade and post-parade BBQ party organized by Kim Edwards and her team of volunteers. I believe it is events like this that helps build and create a sense of community. The parade reminds me of the 25 years of Bill Craig’s Boxing Day Classic (see videos and pix) that I blogged about in 2007.

I think we need more people like Kim and Bill in communities we live in. Will you be your “Kim” or “Bill” in your own community and help make good things happen?

Kim Edwards (the lady in the right) was the lead organizer.

The following are some thumbnails (click to zoom) of the parade. Enjoy

Post-It (a short film from VFS)

Check out this short film with my friend Josh Rimer playing the lead.

Enjoy.