The Super Mario Scandal

I have always felt that Super Mario Bros. 2 was just not right. It doesn’t follow the Mario theme, the bad guys do not make sense and the overall feel of the game is just awkward. This video does an excellent job of showcasing the game and all of its misfortunes, as well as unearthing a deep dark secret that many may have not known about.

Did You Know?

World Wide Rave

I came across this video which was included in a post by Mike Volpe of Hubspot. It show cases how David Meerman Author of World Wide Rave created just that by filming and putting together a video of influential people all over the world that have created their own “Raves”. It is amazing to see the things others have done by being motivated and working hard to get their name out by sharing what they are interested in and passionate about. Enjoy, go pick up the book, and begin you World Wide Rave.

Authentic Advocacy

This week I attended an event put on by Mediasauce on the topic of “Authentic Advocacy”: How Businesses and Non-Profits Can Work Together to Change the World.

First off, I would like to credit the individuals behind this presentation
@scottyhendo and @mitchmaxson, if you are on twitter and not following these guys, I recommend you do.

The linking of Non-profits and Corporate organizations is an area that I have had very minimal interaction from a business standpoint. While I am surrounded by “Cause marketing” and have supported many campaigns in the past as well as currently (i.e. Starbucks: Shared Planet, Product (RED), Tyson Hunger Relief, Invisible Children, etc.), I never really reflected on how they work and what goes on to make them a success.  In the day or so leading up to and at the seminar it all just seemed click and spark my thought process, which prompted this post and a general increase of awareness.

It is amazing how much “cause marketing” occurs around us, and the amount we seemingly encounter each day without knowing. What I found to be most interesting and something I took away from the event, was the amount of potential there is to do more.

Today the resources available to us are endless. The presentation greatly emphasized how over time “groups” have worked to bridge the gap between one another.  We have used various methods to connect groups and are at a point now where the opportunity to create a community focused on the same interests as ourselves, is very attainable. We need to use the tools that are out there and available to begin piecing together the puzzle, forming a community, and generating interest. There are many people out there that are passionate about many of the same things that you are, it is just a matter of reaching them.

For example*, here are a couple causes that reached out to the web, created a community, and ignited a fire that has helped them to prevail through tough times.
@Armano and #Daniella – follow the link to read a blog post about this from Mediasauce.

Mara Triangle – See what they are doing on Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.

*both examples are taken from the event and are based off of what was discussed during that time.

Along with the examples above, I had some great additional takeaways from the event that helped me understand how all of these causes have managed to succeed:

We need to collaborate to connect individuals and organizations that want to do good but need additional support.

Starbucks and Mara Triangle as well as others have spread there message   through many channels thus touching a large group and gained assistance by doing so.

Social Media is a vital piece of this process. Each campaign is heavily involved in social media and it has been very successful for them.

No longer should we look for how we can raise money but rather how we can generate ongoing support and by empowering those who want to give back.   

-By empowering those who give, their message has become so much more powerful and impacted a much larger audience.

If you are passionate about something be bold and use your resources, there are others out there that will join you if you show that you are committed. We need to
think in terms of how we can make a difference as individuals.

Tell your story. Having a story is powerful and will assist in generating support.

-Take time and look at the stories behind each of these examples, they are genuine and actually stand for something meaningful.

Be transparent with the community involved. Give them visibility; show them how you are using their support to make things happen.

-I think this is one of the most important pieces of this process. By keeping those involved aware of what is happening you can create a passion in them andempower them to be just as committed as you.

Lastly and most important, BE AUTHENTIC! Be honest, be sincere. If you are standing behind a cause for the wrong reasons it will come out.

Now you may be saying, “why is any of this important”? Well that is a choice that is left up to the individual. Do you or your organization want to make a difference or, our you content with how things are today? My guess is that many want to see things change but few actually do anything about it, I am guilty of this but am working to correct that.

I look forward to getting involved and doing my part. My challenge to you is to do the same if you are not already, so many out there are looking for your support.

SNL can be funny

Lately SNL has been lacking but they have some Gems that stand out to me. This would be one of them. Kenan Thompson has been a pretty great part of the cast in my opinion.

*This post is in reference to the “Sir Mix A Lot – PhotoShop” skit video, that has mysteriously vanished from the internet. Sir Mix A Lot likes “Big-Butts” but does not like people using his stuff without throwin’ some cheddar his way, ya hear!

[Insert Video Here]

So I caved and made my 25 random things list, enjoy…or don’t.

1. I consider myself a Michigan native but was actually born on an Air Force base in magical Minot , ND.

2. I refuse to buy itunes albums, I am a purest and have to own the physical album even if I look at it once and put it on the shelf to never be referenced again.

3. Speaking of itunes though, I am very meticulous about my library. Everything has to be in order and it has to have artwork or else I feel like something is not right.

4. I once broke a pinky toe in a soccer game, tapped it up mid game, refused to acknowledge it and still claim today that I have never broken anything.

5. I have never broken any bones.

6. I used to go out on smoke breaks with a college professor even though I didn’t smoke, just to help lock in an “A” for that semester.

7. I once got kicked out of a concert for drinking a beer when I was only 20, oooh I know, but worked my way back in my making friends with the band and getting a backstage escort.

8. I once toured the country with a band and spent many long drives in a van with some of the best people I know.

9. I can hit almost every note in Bohemian Rhapsody.

10. I would really like to go to Europe in the next three years.

11. I listen to Death Metal.

12. But have a new fascination with hip-hop

13. My brother and I still get presents from “Santa”.

14. I have a tattoo of Michigan the actual state not the team.

15. I think my little brother is the man.

16. I met my fiance in church, she made the first move .

17. I like to cook but still eat Ramen from time to time.

18. I haven’t brushed my hair in over a decade.

19. I have the most fun when Carrie (fiance) and I get sushi and solve world problems.

20. When I was in high school I was referred to as the “Italian Stallion” even though I am neither Italian nor a Stallion.

21.My friend Ricky and I wore the same outfit on the first day of 1st grade and have been best friends ever since.

22. My fiance is way smarter than I’ll ever be even though she doesn’t feel like she is.

23. I used to remodel and do maintenance on KFC’s with my Dad. I will never eat KFC again and neither should you.

24. All of my best friends (I have multiple) have been my best friends since elementary school.

25. I am really excited to marry my “Half-Pint”.

“Chuck” in Stinktra-Vision

So last night I took time out of my quest to maintain and hopefullu surpass “Pro” status in Wii bowling, to watch NBC’s “Chuck” in 3D. I as well as both of my roommates were pumped. While the commercials prior to the half-time show were sub par, I had high hopes for the show. Sadly, I was disappointed, and here’s why.

1. The glasses were worthless, while yes they were free I still felt cheated, don’t ask me why, I just did.

2. The 3D actually made the Hi-Def picture look as if it were poor quality.

3. The combination of both 1. and 2. provided me with an awesome headache post 3D slap in the face.

4. Nothing jumped out of the screen…boooooh!

5. The plot sucked. Please don’t think you can “wow” me with multiple dimensions and then crap out of the premise of the show.

There is one reason it didn’t suck. Sir Jerome Bettis handing out a nice Forearm Neck Tie ala Dick “Night Train” Lane!

Overall, I thought the attempt was just bad. I expected so much more and went to bed feeling empty. Maybe I was hungy, maybe not, but something was not right, so I found it interesting when I read this article on Cnet today . Ah Ha! I am not the only person who was affected by this prime-time stinker.

Still, I can’t hate on “Chuck”, I really enjoy the show. Hopefully they redeem themselves or I may go read a book. You’ve been warned NBC.

Check out the episode here if you feel so inclined – Hulu

‘There is work to be done’

President Barack Obama’s inaugural address, as prepared for delivery:

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many.
They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Inauguration

Tomorrow is truly going to be monumental. I have been amazed at the support Americans have poured into Barack Obama. It is exciting and extremely moving to see Americans so proud to stand behind a politician again. I am very eager to see where Obama will take this nation. I am sure that when Martin Luther King Jr. gave the “I have a dream speech” he knew in his heart that someday the nation that he saw before him, one filled with hate, segregation, racial tension, and oppression, would finally wake-up and move towards a greater good. These next few days as well as the months and years ahead have the potential to do so many great things for this nation. It is my hope that Obama will live up to his word, instill the “Change” that he has promised, and resurrect hope and trust in America’s heart.

Facebook in real life!

This video is pretty hilarious if you are familiar with facebook. 

If only facebook worked like this. I feel this is much more exciting. Thanks to @geoffwood for brining this to my attention.