Good Riddance 2008

New Year's Eve is a time for reflection and nostalgia. A time to take one last look at the year past, before setting our sights on the year ahead.

My friends at JibJab have created another piece of art, with an official review of 2008. *Warning, this clip is rated PG-13...




Keep up with nearly everything in 2009, subscribe to john blog.

Recovering from Christmas (Music)

It's the week after Christmas. You've been jamming out to Cole, Crosby, and Sinatra for over a month now. It's time to put the chestnuts away until next year.

In that spirit, I have added a few tunes that you might enjoy as you begin taking down the icicles and ornaments.

Cheers!
John

Find out about more great music, subscribe to john blog.

And the Winner Is: Change

Just after I began this blog, back in February, I declared 2008: Year of Change.

Little did I know what that would entail. Let's take a look back at some of the major change agents of 2008 (via Seth Godin)...

1. A virtually unknown politician, a black man who's father was from Africa, was elected president, in a landslide
2. Fidel Castro finally stepped down
3. Online video reached the tipping point, Americans watched more video online than on TV
4. An earthquake in Myanmar killed more than 100,000 people
5. The economy experienced a once in a century meltdown (and subsequent season of bailouts)
6. Apple again revolutionizes the mobile market with the launch of iPhone 3G and their online App Store
7. Britney Spears had a hit record
8. China became the fourth largest economy in the world

What a year! I think we all need to take a collective deep breath and accept the fact that we're living in a volatile time. From Wall Street to Main Street, change is in the air. And it's here to stay.


Any predictions on what 2009 will bring?

Tis the Season...

for long lines, good "deals", ugly sweaters, and celebrating with friends and family (including the wacky ones.)

But what if it was about something else this year? Here's an awesome video that reminds us of that very thing...



I wonder what Christmas would look like if we spent less, but gave more?

Merry Christmas!
John

Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas

So which is it...do you say "Happy Holidays" this time of year, or are you a bit more specific with wishing a "Merry Christmas"?

I remember heading home for the holidays last year and seeing my wonderful parents sporting pins that read: "It's okay to wish me a Merry Christmas."

Of course, I now know that those were not mere pins. They were military badges representing their chosen army of enlistment in the War on Christmas. Every year, both sides seem to ratchet up their efforts in the ongoing battle.

This year there have been ad campaigns, forbidden Nativity scenes, and dedicated websites. Really?

I love the mass emails that go out this time of year reminding us what the season is all about. Or better yet, the ones that re-tell the "history" of Christmas.

The way I understand Christmas is that consumerism stole it from Christians who stole it from Pagans. What a holiday. But who really owns the rights to Christmas? Who cares? I think the way you celebrate Christmas is fine and dandy.

But let's make a deal...you can wish me anything you want (Happy Holidays, Chrismukkah, Festivus, Kwanza, etc) and I won't get offended.

As long as I can wish you a Merry Christmas and you won't be offended. Deal?

Flight of the Conchords Returns!

The sweetest comedy duo is returning to HBO for Season 2 on January 18. Get stoked. Get very stoked.

But in the meantime, check out the video below for the first episode they're releasing a month early exclusively on JohninOrlando.com!

(Of course I decided to share those rights with FunnyorDie.com.)

Season 2 Online Premiere - Flight of the Conchords (US Only) - watch more funny videos

Did You Know...

Check out the video below for some pretty crazy stats about the current state of the world.

Note to America: it's time to get crackin'!

We need to worry less about saving aging industries and get busy creating brand new ones.

Why the Discrepancy?

Capitol Hill was quick to cut a near blank check for Paulson and Co. to rescue the Wall Street Mob that had racked up years of bad debt.

In fact, a short 3 page document was all it took to get a cool $700 billion right off the bat (which has already swollen into the trillions!)

But when the CEOs of the Big 3 were summoned to D.C. several weeks later they got their proverbial hands slapped trying to reach into Uncle Sam's candy jar.

Is it true that the Big 3 have been poorly managed for decades as foreign competition continually outpaced them? Yes. Is it also true that there has been greed and corruption in the financial sector? You bet.

But why the discrepancy? Here's John Stewart to explain...

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Autoerotic Explanation

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

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Imagine a future filled with web content served to you at your finger tips like your own personal newspaper...for free!

Well imagine no more. Thanks to RSS feeds, the future is here.

If you ARE currently using an RSS reader, awesome. Please subscribe to my feed by clicking here:
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If you are NOT currently using an RSS reader, please read on.

I prefer Google Reader, but there are other great RSS Readers out there. Try one out. It will change your life...or at least the way you consume content.

In that spirit, here's a helpful/cheesy video about how simple Google Reader is to use.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up now.

Because let's be honest, no one wants to disobey a 56 yr old bearded black man who wears tons of gold and runs with a crack commando unit that escaped from a maximum security prison.

All I Want for Christmas is $1 Gas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...at the gas pump at least.

Am I the only person scratching his head at the recent drop off in fuel prices? On July 7th of this year, the national average for a gallon of petro was $3.99/gallon.

I filled up last week for $1.69. (And rumor has it that the price per barrel of crude might drop below $30 in the next couple months, giving us sub dollar gas!)

The average American burns through 500 gallons of gasoline each year. That means you and I are saving over $1,000/year if this average holds for the next 12 months. (Somehow I doubt OPEC will allow that to happen.)

I'm no economist, but that sounds like a nice little stimulus package to every American that drives a car or buys groceries.

So CNN, please stop airing the iReports of people asking for their piece of the bailout. It's already here, sorta.

Dear Bama Fans,

Today's game marks a monumental battle that's been brewing all season. No. 1 ranked Bama vs. no. 2 ranked Gators (that's right I'm going with the AP on this one.)

First off, let me say that my hat is off to Nick Saban for restoring the Tide to it's former glory...in two short years nonetheless. I know Bear would be proud.

Although Vegas oddmakers have the game pegged at a 10 point advantage to Florida, I disagree. I think it will be closer than the experts think, and with Harvin doubtful, I would say the odds are slighted in Bama's corner.

On Gator Offense: freshmen Chris Rainey and Jeffery Demps will have to step up even more so than they have since the loss to Ole Miss. Brandon James will be crucial to field advantage.

On Gator Defense: Spikes will need to stop Coffee and get in Wilson's head in the first half. Florida's corners will have their hands full with Julio Jones, but man coverage is a must.

So with a trip to Miami on the line, one thing's for sure: a dang good team from the SEC is going to the national title game.

If you are a Bama fan, your team more than deserves to be there if they win today. Gator fans, of course the same holds true for you.

But if you're pulling for Bama just because your team is not bowl eligible this year...that's annoying. Better luck next year, but quit Gator hatin'.

GO GATORS!!

Iran, A Nation of What?

Bloggers apparently. With about 50% of their 70 million people under the age of 25, it's no wonder they have over 700,000 blogs.


Iran: A nation of bloggers from Mr.Aaron on Vimeo.

Amazing isn't it? A nation that we're told wants nothing more than to blow us off the map has a huge population of young, educated citizens who are speaking out online.

Here's a thought: let's listen.


Kudos to The Herd

Un-Manic Monday

If you've followed my blog, you know that I've been running a series called Manic Monday.

Every Monday, I post a funny clip in an effort to make the first work day of the week a bit less, well...manic.

But I've asked myself lately, is every Monday really manic? I sure hope not. (If you answered yes, please click here.)

In that spirit, I've decided Manic Mondays will no longer be weekly.

If I have a hilarious clip or crazy photo that might help chase away a case of the Monnndays, I'm going to share. If I don't, I won't. That simple.

I want to make sure that when you visit JohninOrlando.com, it's worth your time...every time.

Chief Listening Officer

"Markets are conversations." - Cluetrain Manifesto

We are in the middle of a powerful shift in business. The top down, mass media, volume driven communication model is dead or dying.

The 30 second commercial contracted cancer over a decade ago (birth of TiVo.) Print media is bleeding from their jugular. Even some online media have come down with a fever lately.

All of which set the stage for an explosion in social media. There're nothing new about the conversations taking place. But never before have they had the megaphone they enjoy today.

Therefore, listening is becoming more important than ever. As with most things in life, there are winners and losers.

Successful companies will be the one's that listen to what's happening in the marketplace and react in real time. The smartest ones will even create a new C Suite position: Chief Listening Officer.

CLO's will lead all communication departments (PR, media relations, and yes even have a dotted line to marketing.) But more importantly than that, they will lead the tribe of passionate people we often call customers.

Here's looking forward to Corporate America growing some bigger ears.

Fifty People, One Question

Fifty people in New York City were all asked one simple question:

"What do you wish would happen by the end of the day?"




via swiss miss

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

What a wonderful holiday. Instead of indulging in consumerism masked as a celebration of love, ghouls, or Christ's birth...Thanksgiving is different.

It's a time to be thankful for the things you already have. This year I think it's particularly important to pause and realize what we do have.

Tomorrow we will be whisked back into a whirlwind of gloomy financial news from Wall Street, terror attacks across the globe, and a rising tide of foreclosures and unemployment.

But not today. Today, we get to pause and reflect on the blessings in our life. So let's eat, drink, and be merry.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Manic Monday: Only in California

Funny, cool, or just plain ridiculous? This guy is shooting an email while rolling away from the fire on his Segway.

Only in California...

YouTube in HD...almost

Sick of watching grainy YouTube videos that look like they were shot on a webcam five years ago? Me too! Luckily we have options...

Where the Hell is Matt...in standard low-def.


Where the Hell is Matt...in higher-def.



Notice a big difference? Learn how to perform this magic trick for yourself.

Even better news. If you have a YouTube account, you can click on Playback Setup (under My Account.) Select "always play higher quality video when it's available."

And just like that, you're on your way to watching higher quality videos on the world's largest video sharing site.

What's Next for The Big Three?

With all of the doom and gloom floating around the auto industry right now, many are wondering what the future holds for Detroit's Big Three.

GM, Ford, and Chrysler have been a major part of our nation's backbone through the 20th century as we experienced the boom and bust of the manufacturing industry in the U.S.

Their destiny will affect us all. The ironic part is that their current situation is not sudden or unexpected.

This day has been coming for over three decades. Japanese and German auto manufacturers changed the game when they first came to the States. The Big Three have been playing catch up ever since.

German cars are known for high performance and class. Japanese cars are known for innovation and dependability. What are American cars known for? Big, gas guzzling, and slow to change.

Seat belts, catalytic converters, more fuel efficient engines. All of which the Big Three fought with lobbying dollars on Capitol Hill. Why? It's simple. Innovation is expensive, very expensive.

Conversely, over the last ten years, foreign manufacturers have designed their factories to be flexible, in that they can be easily retooled to produce any model that may be in-demand at the moment.

So what's next? Chapter 11. For at least 2 of the 3. GM will file first, then Ford. Crysler will likely be spun off from it's parent corporation Daimler.

GM and Ford will consider all of their options: merge, buy Crysler, or sell to someone else. The smart money is saying that there are several Chinese companies itching to get a piece of the American Car Pie.

Of course, there's always that other option for GM and Ford: Innovate. Burn the current business model and draft a radical new plan. If they don't, other's will.

Speaking of which, Seth Godin has an excellent idea for that new plan.

Touch A Life

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

My buddy Patrick put together this interesting and heart tugging short documentary about child slavery on Lake Volta in Ghana, West Africa.

It's definitely worth a few minutes of your time. (If you're reading this on Facebook, please click here.)




To learn more visit Touch a Life Foundation

Really Schweet Apps

As more and more people catch the iPhone craze, I thought I would take a moment to highlight some of my most favorite apps so far.

(In case you haven't drank the koolaid yet, Apple's App Store is what makes the iPhone 10x better than any other smartphone on the market. Basically your phone gets cooler every single day.)

10. Midomi - never not know the name of a song again
9. Weather Channel - hour by hour, radar, and video. beware weather junkies.
8. Wikipanion - perfect for "I told you so" matches
7. ESPN - technically not an app, but one smooth mobile site
6. Facebook - still lacks a few full site features, but great for quick updates
5. AP News - get your news fix on the go
4. Yelp - unfamiliar side of town? hungry? no worries, Yelp can help
3. Twitterific - twitter. iPhone. enough said.
2. Lux Touch - Risk for the iPhone...need I say more?

1. Google - with the addition of voice enabled search, this app just went from good to awesome.

Manic Monday: Facebook Off

Coming to theaters soon...



Kidding aside, did you hear West Wing creator, Aaron Sorkin, is working on a script for Facebook: The Movie?

Let's Make A Deal

There's an article in today's LA Times announcing it's a boom time for bartering.

There are sites such as TradeaFavor.com, JoeBarter.com, and Swapthing.com for general bartering and niche sites like PaperBackSwap.com and Peerflix.com.

Of course, you could always go with the trusty Craigslist for bartering on the local level. (Apparently Craiglist had 148,097 listings in the barter category in Sept. up from 83,554 a year ago.)

So what do you think? As the economy shrinks and budgets tighten, are you open to the idea of swapping goods instead of greenbacks?

Starbucks and Church: A Parable

As a follow up to last week's post about what marketers can learn from this year's presidential election, here's an interesting video about what churches can learn from business and vis-versa.



Marketing is marketing. And both churches and businesses need to be aware of the brand messages they're broadcasting to newcomers, often unknowingly.


h/t to Brand Autopsy

We Deserve A Break

Words of wisdom from Creative Beef...

Okay, I think the whole world needs to take a few days off. I mean look at what we’ve all been through in the past few weeks:

1. The end of a 2 year campaign that had us checking CNN polls every few seconds.

2. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

3. The Phillies won the World Series.

4. I think there was even some sort of dress-up holiday in there too.

And today I went to Target, and the store was filled with…Holiday stuff!

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

It’s too much. I’m not ready to face to holidays yet. We all need at least a week of sitting by the pool sucking on margaritas.

Manic Monday: Obama's Presidential Internship

The untold story in Obama's win: an internship under Spain's President. That explains a lot...


Obama Undertakes Presidential Internship To Ease Concerns About His Lack Of Experience

Why Obama Won: A Marketer's Perspective

Everyone should study their trade of choice. I am a marketer. Therefore, I am prone to follow the latest trends and triumphs in the world of marketing. There are tons of brands and companies to learn from. But marketing reaches well beyond the business world.

Regardless of your political stripe, the current presidential election cycle (all 20 months of it) has taught us much about marketing.

First off, we saw an unknown product with a strange name become an industry leader in four short years. The Presidential Industry is known for heavily entrenched brands (Clinton, Bush, Kennedy, Roosevelt) making this feat all the more monumental.

President-elect Barack Obama's rise from DNC keynote speaker to President closely resembles Apple's entrance and lighting quick domination of the smartphone market.

Obama's Campaign and Apple's iPhone both offered positions of differentiation that competition attempted to copy. For iPhone it was the touchscreen and App Store. For Obama it was his promise of change and hope. In the end, the first to market won in both cases.

Secondly, Obama's geek squad intimately understood the emerging power of social media. They were able to outshine McCain on every social media platform known to man.

But any marketer will tell you that millions of Facebook fans, YouTube views, and Diggs are useless if you aren't able to turn those clicks into real world actions.

For the first time in politics, we saw the perfect marriage of social marketing and community organizing. Obamaniacs could log into my.barackobama.com and pull up lists of registered Democrats and Independents to call, neighborhood doors to knock on, and offices to volunteer at.

Brilliant. Consumer to consumer marketing at it's finest. These supporters were marketing Brand Obama on their own dime and out of their own accord.

There's no denying that Obama had the better organized, more mobilized, energetic tribe of supporters. But a large tribe of passionate people need a powerful idea to unite around.

Enter branding 101. Every great brand needs a great story. "Change We Can Believe In." It was more than just a campaign slogan, it was a mission statement.

Barack Obama's biography (brand identity) provided the classic narrative of victory over adversity. A movement of Change and Hope was born and "Yes We Can" became their rallying cry.

To further solidify this position of Change, President-elect Obama just launched Change.gov. It's become abundantly clear to me, we have not only elected our first black president. This nation just elected our first President 2.0.

Future presidential hopefuls, I'm putting you all on alert. The game has changed. The bar has been more than raised, it's been reinvented. Why not sit out 2012, and start planning for 2016?

Vote Obama

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

Manic Monday: Political Dance-Off

For the 5% - 12% of you that are still undecided about which presidential candidate you're voting for tomorrow, I propose this: choose the next president based on their skills on the dance floor.

If this video is any measure, we're in for a tight race on Tuesday...

A Note On Conservative Christian Republicans

A few nights ago I stumbled upon a Facebook note from my friend Rachel.

It's addressed to "Conservative Christian Republicans" (but specifically one's that blur the line between faith and politics.)


If you have a few minutes and want to read something that will cause you to rethink a few things, by all means click here.

The 99% Kind of Change

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

A few weeks back I was planning on writing a post about people that add quotes to their Facebook pages about changing the world. You know the ones. The "dance like no one's watching", "try something new everyday" types.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something.

Less than 1% of change in the world comes from monumental choices, inventions, causes, political movements, etc. Those are the ones that grab all the headlines. The ones that receive awards, and are placed on pedestals. And rightly so. Great achievement deserves recognition.

But what about the other 99% of change? The kind of change that comes slowly, sporadically, but steadily from people all around us. The kind that comes from people that post things like "Live. Laugh. Love." on their wall.

Robert F. Kennedy said it best. "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

I think that's what Gandhi meant as well. He didn't mean that we each need to tackle a global issue head on (though I truly respect those who take up that sort of cause.)

Because in pursuit of causing one great change (the 1%) you can miss the 99% of opportunities all around you to affect others in a positive way.

Regardless of what your Facebook wall says, why not look for opportunities at work, at home, and all around you to impact people and cause real change? The 99% kind that will never win you any awards, but can have a huge impact on someone's life.

Manic Monday: Googly Eyes Gardener

I thought it might be nice to take a Monday off of sharing some political humor and post a classic clip from SNL.

This one's for all of you Christopher Walken fans out there...



I wonder is this trick would work on the NYSE's message boards.

How to Fix the Economy (10 words or less)

Ron Paul was recently interviewed on Fox News and offered up this simple, but brilliant way for us to get out of this recession.

"Spend less. Live within our means. Work harder. Start Saving."

What a concept. Why don't we stop looking for the government (our tax dollars) to bail us out and begin making smarter choices on an individual basis?

I know. Easier said than done. It's really hard to reverse the tide of 300 million people. But what about just one person: you?

This sounds familiar.

New Tunes Just Around The Bend

Upcoming albums that I'm pumped about (and you should be to)...


Coldplay - Prospekt's March (Nov '08)

Generally EPs drop before a full album release, but these British lads will follow up their June release of Viva la Vida or Death And All His Friends with additional songs from their most recent studio sessions. Track I'm most pumped about: "Lost+" featuring Jay-Z.




The Killers - Day and Age (Nov '08)

After silencing critics with their sophomore effort "Sam's Town" in 2006 and subsequent release of B-sides compilation "Sawdust", The Killers keep bringing indie heat. If "Day and Age" is anything like the first two, we're all in for a treat.



The Fray - Untitled (Jan '09)

I'm especially pumped about this group's sophomore album. If the songs floating around YouTube are any indication, these Denver bloats are here to stay. On a personal note, I got a chance to meet these guys in October '06 when they were already working on this album. Needless to say, it's about time!



And may I recommend one more album to check out: Brett Dennen's "Hope for the Hopeless" which dropped on Monday. Dennen has flown under the radar for years (and will probably continue to) but this kid is a seriously talented songwriter. Listen at your own reward.

Manic Monday: McCain and Obama (Re-mixed)

If the networks really wanted to get some off the chart ratings, they would show mash-ups like this of the presidential debates. I've watched all three presidential debates as well as the VP debate.

And I can honestly say I learned TONS more about each candidate in this video's minute and a half than I ever have in the hours of debate coverage.


If you're viewing this on Facebook, click here to see the video.

John McCain is Alexander the Great, and Barack Obama has superpowers!? Why have we not heard about these key facts earlier?

The Resolution (Jack's Mannequin)

To wrap up my birthday week, my wonderful girlfriend bought us tickets to see Jack's Mannequin tonight @ The Social.

This will be my third time seeing Jack's Mannequin in concert, needless to say I'm pumped. If you haven't heard of Jack's Mannequin, please check them out. You won't regret it.



What I love about his new album "The Glass Passenger" is that it goes beyond sweet melodies and catchy rifts. It's about searching for something more, finding a better place, and fighting for the goodness in life at all costs.

I think we can all use a little more of that. When you're going through tough times, sometimes all you need is a reminder that there are better days ahead.

"I'll be lying in the dark as I search for the resolution."

Change Costs Just $25 and 10 minutes

Today is October 15. But today is also Blog Action Day 2008. Today thousands of bloggers all around the world are talking about one thing: poverty.

To be fair I don't have much experience with this subject, and if you're reading this you don't either. But we have only to see a few pictures on the news to know it's real.

In the past, it was easy to look at these graphic images and ask (or more likely assume) that our government was doing their part to provide aid to some of these third world countries.

But no longer. Today, each of us has the ability to act and directly impact a family's life across the globe. Thanks to microlending sites like, Kiva.org, you can contribute directly to the impoverished.

If you have $25 and 10 minutes, you can send a loan to an entrepreneur in a third world country immediately. Within 6-12 months, you get your money back and you can then lend it to the next person.

Kossi Agbadzi is married and the father of 5 children. Kossi buys and resells coffee and cocoa products in Danyi, a village located approximately 175 kilometers from Lomé, the capital of Togo. With this loan, he wishes to buy more products for resale.

Go ahead. What are you waiting for? Stop talking about changing the world, and change one person's world today. Right now.

I just did. It took ten minutes to loan $25 to Kossi. He's now at 79% of his $1,050 goal and that much closer to a better life for him and his family.

Getting Out the Vote: From Xbox to Jewish Grannies

I had a post ready to go out earlier this week about a recent McCain rally in which GOP supporters were saying some pretty scary stuff. But I decided to restrain.

Instead, I thought I would take a look at two non-traditional marketing tactics Sen. Obama launched over the last week. It's no secret that the Obama Camp has ushered in a whole new era of marketing for political campaigns.

Much of that work has come in the realm of online marketing and social media which is well documented here, here, and here.

With less than three weeks to go to Election Day, the Illinois Senator has released two new tactics: one is cutting edge, and the other is a throwback to social media (pre-internet.)

Gigaom reported yesterday that Obama Ads are now showing up on billboards in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. Talk about reaching the youth vote.


And on the opposite end of the generation spectrum, The Great Schlep, "aims to have Jewish grandchildren visit their grandparents in Florida, educate them about Obama, and therefore swing the crucial Florida vote in his favor."

I'm not saying either of these tactics will single-handily swing the election. But they do represent more out of the box thinking from a candidate that has not only pushed the envelope of campaign marketing, he's reinvented the game.

Manic Monday: Toy Story As Dark Knight

I'm thinking this could make Toy Story 3 pretty interesting. Of course, it could also scare the living bejesus out of some little kids.



Click here to watch the high quality version on YouTube.

Coming Out for Obama

Some of you may already know by now. But for those that don't, and in the spirit of National Coming Out Day, I thought it was time for me to make it official...

I, John Rogers (Registered Republican), fully support Barack Obama for President of the United States.



With less than three weeks to go before the election, it's time to get out the vote. It's time for change. It's time for renewed hope. It's time for us to make a difference.

Yes. We. Can.

Manic Monday: Palin/Biden Debate (SNL)

Let's get Mavricky...

Happy Birthday Google!

As part of Google's 10th Anniversary they're doing some pretty sweet stuff, including a search engine that crawls a 2001 cached internet.

I just googled Barack Obama and it returned 771 results in the 2001 time capsule vs. 77,900,000 results if you google him today. It's amazing what can happen in a short 7 years.

They also launched a micro site featuring all kinds of cool widgets and gizmos.

But Project 10 ^100, easily takes the cake with the search giant giving back. It's going to award $10 million to whoever has the greatest idea that can positively affect the largest amount of people in the world in various categories.



What an awesome way to celebrate a birthday? I wish I had tens of millions of dollars to give back to others on my birthday.

Manic Monday: Sarah Palin's Interview

In case you missed it on Saturday Night Live...


Here's a great clip from the actual interview with Katie Couric. And Jack Cafferty's honest reaction to it.

Why does her answer remind me of a certain Miss USA finalist?

It's easy to see why the McCain Campaign is keeping the Alaskan Governor out of the media's grasp. I wonder what they're going to do on Oct. 2nd when she's slated to face Joe Biden in the first VP debate.

Is it time to "suspend" the campaign, again?

Sometimes The Grass Really Is Greener

Following up on my last post about the upside of a down economy, I came across this article about a man that has found a growth area in a recessional economy.

Apparently he makes a living by spraying the dead grass of foreclosed home's in order to make the more appealing to potential buyers. Hats off to this guy!


Takes me back to the good 'ol college days when my school would cleverly paint the grass green the week before the largest visitation weekend.


Gracias to Boing Boing

Oasis Goes Viral in the Subways of NYC

What better way to create viral buzz for you're upcoming album than to have street musicians perform the yet to be released tracks?

Oasis did just that when they hired 30 street musicians to debut their new tunes in the subway tunnels of New York City. Brilliant. They even created a YouTube channel where amateur musicians can upload their own version of Oasis jams.



Hats off to the British rockers. I haven't listened to these guys since Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova. But thanks to this little stunt, I might just have to check out "Dig Out Your Soul" on October 6th.

Cheers to Creativity

Manic Monday: Diets, Markets, and Unicorns

I wonder if B will happen before or after pigs fly?



On loan from Indexed

Get Unplugged

Sometimes our "always on, always updating" culture is a good thing. It can re-connect you with friends you never thought you'd hear from again. And it allows us to be closer than ever when it comes to knowing the intimate details of our friends' lives.

But sometimes it can become a little too consuming. You've just completed your fifth Tweet in the last 6 hours, added your 2,000th friend on Facebook, and blogged about how you're saving the world one micro loan at a time via Kiva.org.

The ironic thing is that the very tools that aim to connect us can often offer a pale substitute for the real thing. Sometimes what we really need is to put down the laptop and connect with other human beings (wait for it) in the real world.

Enter Meetup, the "world's largest network of local groups." It's a great way to find people that live in your neck of the woods who are looking to connect around a common interest.

Here's a great ad from the guys and gals at Meetup that reminds us that it's good to unplug every once in awhile.




h/t to Servant of Chaos

Finding Your One Thing

Take it from Curly, he knows what he's talking about. The most successful brands in the world got there by owning one single word or phrase in the mind of the consumer. Volvo = Safety, Google = Search, Disney = Family, Apple = Creative, BMW = Performance.

Rather than spending millions in advertising ALL of your company's points of difference from your competition. Why not, instead focus all of your efforts (product, advertising, PR, promotions, etc) on one single word?

Enter web 2.o and the power of crowdsourcing. Noah Brier, the genius behind BrandTags.net, asks visitors to play a game of word association to sum up their impressions of major brands in one word or phrase.

What a remarkably simple way to allow companies to gauge their brand's position in consumers' minds. Check it out, and be sure to add your two cents while you're there.

Manic Monday: Never Show Off Before A Fight

This guy needs a little less float like a butterfly, and a little more sting like a bee.

Get Your Blog on College Gameday

I was watching College Gameday yesterday when I saw a guy holding up a sign for his blog in several of the shots. Although the idea was brilliant, I thought he should have purchased his own URL so he didn't have to use the blogspot.com extension.



After checking it out, it turns out he couldn't have picked a better place to display his blog. It's about the life and careers of college football coaches. College Gameday on ESPN = perfect target audience for a blog like this.

It's actually a pretty interesting blog. I found out Florida's Assistant Coaches combined salaries total over $2 Million. Be sure to check it out for yourself at OldBallBlog.Blogspot.com

I have a feeling were going to see many more PR stunts for personal blogs real soon. GMA anyone?

Political Ads Galore

Are you the type of person that anxiously awaits the next smear ad released by your favorite politician? Is CNN not fulfilling your quota of mudslinging attacks?

You're in luck. The folks at Ad Freak have just launched CampaignFreak.com which aims to keep you up to date with the latest in campaign advertising.



Ah yes, there will be mud.

h/t to BrandFlakesForBreakfast

Re:thinking Your Creative

Need some creative inspiration for that presentation due first thing Friday morning? Or maybe you're researching what other thought leaders are saying about your area of expertise.

Have no fear, Slideshare is here. I've been using this site for the last six months and absolutely love it. It converts slideshows to flash so you can share your latest breakthrough idea easily and virally (think YouTube for PowerPoint presentations.)

Or if you're like me, you haven't uploaded any presentations yet, but use the site for research and inspiration. Below is one of my favorites. What a powerful way to communicate the world's mounting water crisis...

THIRST

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: design crisis)

Manic Monday: John McCain's Real Bio

In case you missed it on The Daily Show last week, the McCain campaign decided to get back to their straight talk and showed John McCain's Real Bio...



Click here to see a larger version of this epic story.

I'm So Totally, Digitally Close to You

Twittering, blogging, life-streaming, checking your Facebook multiple times a day...it's become an obsession for many, but what is it exactly and what causes it?

New York Times has a very interesting article about this "Brave New World of Digital Intimacy." Clive Thompson takes a look at our hyperconnected online culture and how social media is changing the way we communicate and interact in the real world.

From Tumblr to FriendFeed, many tech saavy individuals have up to the minute newsflashes on the most minute details of their "friend's" lives. Chances are if you're reading this blog, you count yourself among this growing community.

As much of a buzz that social media is today, many have predicted in the not so distant future social networks will be as ubiquitous as air. Your entire online experience will be a part of one giant social network.

To be sure, we're only beginning to see the impact of publicly displaying our social graph online for the world to see. I for one and pumped about how it can enhance our day to day interactions.

Think about the next time you attend a high school reunion. Rather than asking what your former classmates have been up to over the last decade, you'll already know about their trip to Europe.

Instead of awkward conversation starters, you'll anxiously ask them to fill in the details behind that crazy night in Prague who's pictures showed up in your Facebook News Feed a few months ago. I digress.

But back to Thompson's article. If you're reading this, I think you'll really enjoy reading that.

Microsoft Launches Another Dud

I don't get it. Microsoft is launching a $300 million campaign to counter Apple's Get a Mac ads as well as try to bolster Vista's image in the wake of a lackluster launch. That part I get.

But this...



...this confuses me. I don't see how one second from this minute and a half commercial does anything to promote one aspect of Vista OS or Microsoft for that matter.

Am I missing something?

Update: I Have A New Blog Design!

Dear Loyal Readers,

Some of you may subscribe in a RSS Reader, many of you may read my blog posts on Facebook, and still there are some of you that visit JohninOrlando.com to read my latest banter.

This post is aimed at the latter of that mix. In exchange for your extra efforts to visit JohninOrlando.com I have updated things a bit.

So swing by and check it out. Leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts on the new layout.

Thanks!
John

Manic Monday: The Economy According to a Repo Man

I guess there really are two sides to every coin. As Stephen Colbert shares how a bad economy is good news for at least one industry in particular: repossessions.



Poor hearing aid guy.

Wild Sweet Orange Tonight!

Tammy and I are going to see these guys perform tonight at The Social. If you haven't heard of them yet, be sure to check them out.

In another six months, all of your friends will be talking about these guys anyway. I just thought I'd let you know, so you can get a foot up on them.



"How bout that guy." - David Letterman

Manic Monday: Time for Some Campaignin'

With the DNC's Convention kicking off tonight (and therefore the start of the "official" campaign season) I felt it appropriate to post a video about our country's other favorite pastime: politics.

This clip made its rounds a few weeks back. It's from the guys at JibJab who bought us "This Land" four years ago.

Hilarious.

When Brands Respond: EA's Tiger Woods '09

A lot of brands are unsure exactly how to respond to the social media phenomenon. Jeremiah Owyang of Forrester Research even has a list of brands that have got punk'd by social media.

But every once in awhile, someone gets it right. Take EA Sports for example. Some punk kid thought he found a glitch in Tiger Woods 09 that shows the golfer walking on water. EA responded with a clip of their own.

Turns out Tiger can walk on water (see below.)



Here's to more brands not only listening, but joining in on the conversation when they have something valuable to add.

R.I.P. Leroi Moore

You may have heard by now that Leroi Moore, famed saxophonist of the Dave Matthews Band, passed away yesterday due to complications from an ATV accident in June.

This is a said day in which the music world has lost a great talent. Dave Matthews Band was my first favorite band growing up. Moore's rifts were just as memorable as Dave's lyrics in my opinion.

Although Jeff Coffin has been filling in for Moore, Dave Matthews Band will never be the same.



Rest in peace Leroi. You will be missed.

Four years ago today

Exactly four years ago today, I was passing bright orange Asplundh trunks on I-95 on my way to Walt Disney World Resort to begin the College Program. Hurricane Charlie, the first of four hurricanes to strike Florida in 2004, had just passed through Orlando two days before my arrival.


Since then I have met people from all over the world and become the closest of friends with many of them. I have had the privilege to work with some of the brightest and most talented people I know. And I have had the chance to travel to some pretty sweet places.

Looking back, I was taking a little bit of a gamble by moving down here. And if I had to do it all over, I wouldn't hesitate to roll the dice again.


UPDATE: Speaking of hurricanes, Fay's almost here. And she's projected to take a path eerily similar to 'Ol Charlie. Oh the irony.

Manic Monday: Top 20 Olympic Falls

Since everyone, myself included, seems to have caught a pretty severe case of Olympic Fever I thought this edition of Manic Monday should feature some of the more humorous moments from the games.

Olympians are super human athletes, but even they miss a step once in awhile. Here's the Top 20 Falls in Gymnastics. I have to warn you, it gets a bit painful at times.



Ouch.

The Fear of Striking Out

Do you know what major leaguer led the American League in strike outs in 1918, 1923, 1924, 1927 and 1928? I'm sure you probably do. He went by many names: George Herman Ruth, Great Bambino, and The Sultan of Swing to name a few. What's ironic is that the man that led the American League in strike outs for several seasons is also hailed as one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game. Today marks the 60th anniversary of his death.

Ruth's lifetime total of 714 home runs at his retirement in 1935 was a record for 39 years, until broken by Hank Aaron in 1974. I could go on all day thanks to my trusty sidekick, wikipedia. But stats aside, I think Babe Ruth learned a great truth about baseball that applies to life in general. He's quoted as saying "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way."

There's something invigorating about that statement. He's acknowledging that by swinging for the fences he's going to strike out a lot. And that's okay. How many times do most people play things safe, because of their fear of striking out? I would venture to say quite often. It's as if we're willing to settle for a bunch of base hits to avoid the embarrassment of failure.

Base hits are good and sometimes they're just what we need. But sometimes they're not enough. Sometimes we need to think bigger than that. Sometimes we should go for something great. And that means swinging for the fences. And most of all, not letting the fear of striking out get in our way.

Batter up.

What's so new about Indie?

There's a recent post on my favorite blog, Art of Manliness, that calls into question the Indie movement and what it all means.

What began as a rebellion against record and movie labels, has grown into a movement. The ironic part, as the article points out, is that "the indie culture, while seeking to be unique and independent, has developed a somewhat uniform and readily identifiable aesthetic."

While attempting to debunk mainstream culture, the Indie-ans have based their identity around consumption which is the central component of the very thing they wish to discredit. Instead of Abercrombie they shop at Urban Outfitters. Instead of Dell, they belong to the Cult of Mac. And to fill their iPods, they use Last.fm to find bands that wouldn't be caught dead on the Top 40.

I know, because I dabble in this community. I love discovering new, often unsigned bands. Instead of seeing the latest blockbuster, I regularly opt for an indie flick. I drank the Apple koolaid just over a year ago. And I even like to shop at Urban Outfitters once in awhile.

But what's so new about teens and young adults acting rebellious to pop culture? Before Indie, there was Emo. Before that, there was Grunge. Before them were Hippies which were preceded by Greasers.

If anything has changed, it's the internet. The series of connected webs that weave our lives together powerfully influences each of us. Rather than only knowing what your closest ten friends are up to, you can now keep up with the latest tastes and trends among a wider circle of several hundred "friends."

So while teens/young adults being rebellious is nothing new, Rebellion 2.0 is different. Technology is not only bringing this "sub-culture" to light, but spreading it as well.

Thanks to various social media like FriendFeed, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, blogs, user reviews, etc we are entering an era of hyper-influence. Though a fad might start in a remote corner of the world, it has the potential to spread like wildfire if the online community deems it worthy.

Here's to thinking independently but acting collectively.

The Bible: Magazine Style

What if the Bible was a "264-page glossy magazine" instead of the 1000 plus pages many of us are use to? That's a question Dag Söderberg is happy to answer. Recently launched in Sweden, his Bible Illuminated book is coming to the US later this Fall.

The controversial book is a new take on the storied text that is meant to be a "hip, relatable, coffee-table book kind of Bible." Söderberg's book is sure to stir up quite a storm amongst Christian circles in the States. I can envision two sides to this argument.

Side A will say this is blasphemous and not something that aligns with God's teachings. Side B will argue that it's a creative attempt at making God's Word relevant to today's culture and should be given a shot.

What say you?


HT to BrandFlakesForBreakfast

Manic Monday: Showbiz Band Covers Usher

It's crazy what kids are listening to these days at their local pizza party joints.

Facebook Status Updates, 8/8/08 Edition

It's 8/8/08. Some people are getting married. Others are counting down to 8pm to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Me? I'm packing for Disneyland. But here's what some of my friends are up to...

10. Elyse McKenna pulled her harpoon out of her dirty red bandanna, she was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.

9. Ben Wilkins I left my iPhone at home and feel so.... empty inside.

8. Samantha Brooks is in the mist of color wars.

7. Mike Slack is ready.

6. Melissa Hearn is breaking the cycle.

5. Philip Brown Went to Cinderella's Castle Suite and look who I found...

4. Mark Hodges is wondering what the concessions at the Olympics will be, and does soy sauce replace ketchup and mustard?

3. Patricia Hillard gets to see the Dear Hunter tomorrow night, how lucky am I?

2 .Rachel Cox will never stake her word of honor on cows.

1. Logan Light actually just spent 2 minutes trying to think of something clever to put here...

Biggest Celebrity in the World

I'm sure many of you have either heard about or seen the political ad put out by the McCain Campaign last week. I have to admit, I'm confused. In the clip, the Senator from Arizona argues that Barrack Obama has been catipulted to the national stage and is the "Biggest Celebrity in the World."

Honestly, I don't know how that hurts Senator Obama. Is it such a bad thing to be known and liked by the rest of the world?



What do you think? Does this political ad by the McCain camp help or hurt Barack Obama? Or do you think it's a bit ridiculous to compare a politician to celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears?


UPDATE: Paris Hilton has just released a political ad of her own. Watch at your own peril.