It sure has been a while since my last real post. I sure do miss blogging on a regular basis, however it’s just been far too busy these past few months to even think about anything but work at Netgenetix. Where I left off in October we had just started ramping up for some Olympic projects at work. We ended up doing quite a bit of work considering the small size of our company (thus little resources). A summary of our work for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics:

• • Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays
  • 8 Personal Video Message Terminals
• • BC Canada Pavilion
  • 3D Immersive Theatre in Green Room
  • 3 Glass Touchwalls in Green Room
  • 2 E-Postcard Terminals in Green Room
  • Introduction Touch Screen Content for Green Room
  • CIRS Building Touch Screen Content for Green Room
  • Project Management of the New Media Room (with interactive touch screen cubes)
• • Canada’s Northern House
  • 2 Personal Video Message Terminals
  • Green Screen Interactive Terminals
• • Robson Square
  • “Front Page News” Newspaper Kiosk

Personal Video Message Terminals are kiosks you walk up to and record a video on. The ones on the torch relay were used to record videos in each community on the relay that would be played in Robson Square during the Games. The e-postcard version used at the BC Pavilion took a snapshot of you in the Pavilion that you could add a message to and send to family and friends via email with a message. If you were there, you probably saw one – so, what did they look like? or, I have a close up sexy photo.

The 3D Immersive Theatre showcased the fun things you can do in BC as the viewer follows a family on their vacation in the province. The theatre included not only 3D visuals, but wind effects, rumbles, and scents.

The Glass Touchwalls showcased four energy efficient companies in BC in a fun game-like format. The touchwalls are approximately 8ft tall clear glass with the interactive space at about chest level (for touch usability).

The Introduction Touchscreen simply showed you the different areas of the Green Room and a little bit about each area. For example, it would tell you where the Glass Touchwalls and the 3D Immersive theatre was. We supplied the illustrated graphics and text content.

The CIRS Building Touch Screen simply allowed you to view videos on how the CIRS Building was conceptualized and how it would be environmentally friendly. We supplied the illustrated interface to navigate these videos.

The New Media Room is the area of the pavilion which featured 3 large multi-touch cubes which allowed the visitors to wipe away layers of animation for such products as the Need for Speed video game as well as watch behind the scenes clips from movies like District 9. We provided the project management for this room. Watch the video featuring “The Curious Tree” cube.

A Green Screen Interactive Terminal is a booth you can walk into and record fun videos in front of a green screen to send to friends and family. It’s great fun and the videos to choose from can be customized by the venue or client using it. Watch a video of someone using it.

The Newspaper Kiosk was a fun free way for people in Robson Square to have their photo taken on the zip line, with the Olympics mascots, or in front of the GE Ice Plaza. It uses the same green screen technology as the Green Screen Interactive Terminal except it takes a snapshot as opposed to a video and presents you with a print out of your picture on the front page of the news. See some cool people in the Vancouver Sun.

Needless to say, we were quite busy and there was a lot of overtime worked, however it was quite the experience and I wouldn’t take it back at all. I loved being involved and working on something that was for a bigger cause.

In December, we had our annual Christmas banquet for Toastmasters and I performed speech project #10 – “inspire your audience”. So, in case you missed it, you’ll find the text version on my Speeches page under “Attainable Dreams”.

Now that the Olympics are done and my year of being President at Burrard Toastmasters is coming to and end, it may be time to take a step back and look at what’s coming down the path next.

Until next time, adios.

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After Michael Jackson’s sad passing, Thrill the World is going to be the biggest is has been yet. For those of you interested in joining us for the Vancouver event please email me at ttw09van[at]gmail[dot]com. More details regarding practice times and locations will be announced shortly. If you want to get a head start on learning the dance head to the Training Center.

For those of you interested in participating in Thrill the World, however are not in the Vancouver area, can check for events in your city here.

Stay tuned!

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I read this news story today and found it slightly humorous. I heard the morning radio DJ I listen to say that apparently all American Apparel stores carry this magazine and sell it. I’m still trying to figure out what the marketing strategy must be behind it or why on earth a popular clothing store would be selling these magazines.

I still get a kick out of the name of the magazine, BUTT. Could you imagine having to tell someone where you worked or interned? “Yes, I had an internship at BUTT.”

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I’m blogging about SEO for the company I work for, Netgenetix Media, on a separate website for our SEO services – Citrus SEO.

Check it out!

P.S. The design of the Citrus SEO website makes me feel so happy inside! Excellent job Justin!

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July 2008, and I have my first job in the New Media industry. It took me 2.5 months out of school, which really isn’t that long, but when you’re working at McDonalds and living pay cheque to pay cheque it feels like a bloody long time. But I’m happy!

I’ve only worked for Netgenetix Media for a week and a half and I already love it. The people are awesome, it’s work I love to do, and when I wake up in the morning (for the first time ever), I actually WANT to go to work. I’m so happy that I can say that. It’s a small company with great achievements and it sits on the entrance to Gastown in Vancouver.

Thanks to Leigh, Jess, Gerrod, Darius, Devin, Justin, Eric, and Paul for making it so easy to work for them. I even get to play softball with them and their friends on Thursdays in a beer league. It’s awesome.

And so, turning 20 and entering the industry, I can’t wait to see what I can accomplish and learn in the years to come.

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This doesn’t necessarily have to do with new media today, but is nonetheless important.

Living in B.C. a recent extra tax has been added to our gas prices. They call it the Carbon Tax.

“[Finance Minister Carole] Taylor said the new carbon tax will begin July 1, starting at a rate that will have drivers paying about an extra 2.4 cents per litre of gasoline at the pumps.

If you drive a Prius hybrid, the government estimates the new tax will cost you about $20 extra per year. If you have a Dodge Ram pickup truck, that number will be closer to $68 it says.

The tax will then increase each year after that until 2012, reaching a final price of about 7.2 cents per litre at the pumps.” (The Vancouver Sun – “B.C. introduces carbon tax”)

We all understand that we want to improve our environment and reduce global warming – however I’m not sure this is the way to do it. As much as many people would love to not drive to work, a lot of them don’t have the option. People who live in the suburbs where no transit extends to, but work in the city would have a problem with this.

I really don’t think it’s going to take many cars off the roads. Although the government says all money received as a result of this tax will be returned to consumers through a package of tax cuts and credits, because prices are going up (and wages are not) people will be forced to use the money they get back, on the very gas the government doesn’t want us to spend it on.

Even for those who will only drive short distances to get to the transit and finish their commute on transit – it still doesn’t save money or encourage people to take the transit. Transit prices are rising too, and to top that off – to park anywhere near any sky train or bus station, it’s pay-parking in effect (if you park at the mall you have a large risk of being towed).

So tell me – why would I take transit if it costs almost as much as the gas to fill my car (other than to save the environment I mean)?

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The next topic are the new cell phone charges put out by Telus Mobility and Bell Mobility.

Consumers are now gong to be charged for incoming text messages. The companies are saying they can’t afford what it’s costing them so they have to charge their consumers for the cost of incoming text messages.

Calls is one thing – you can choose to ignore it so that you don’t pay for the incoming call. There is no choice involved with a text message – especially with all the spam text messages that some people get. The charge is said to be $0.15 per incoming text message – that adds up, and quickly.

Why should you pay for something you have no control over?

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Oh, and how could I forget? There’s the highway robbery of infamous ICBC. I don’t need to explain or rant about anything here because I’m sure we all have experienced the financial raping ICBC does to every single one of us. Let’s just say I pay $270/month for my car insurance, and that’s WITH 40% off. Explanation and example over.

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What I’m trying to say is, personally I don’t know what to do about these things and I’m sure a lot of other people don’t either. We continue to let the government and the corporate giants to take advantage of us when we have the power to do something about it.

So the real question is, what will YOU do to make a difference? (and encourage others to do so as well?)

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