Tag Archives: Media

Why I’m Still Here Is Still Such An Amazing, Quirky Film

It’s been almost a decade and a half since Casey Affleck’s I’m Still Here perplexed us all. On reflection, it is a piece of modern motion picture history and a masterpiece.

I say history because this just might be a first. Not even Borat with its pseudo-documentary style challenged moviegoers to discern whether what they were seeing was real or scripted. One thing is certain, Affleck’s film had us all believing that what we are witnessing on screen was in fact real. That’s because the film I’m Still Here was pitched, produced, filmed and shown worldwide as a documentary when in fact it wasn’t one. Or was it?

Plot Arc

A famous Hollywood actor will act no more and wants only to pursue his dream of becoming a rap music artist.

The Caper

While this film was being made- many people in Joaquin Phoenix’ circle including David Letterman, Ben Stiller and rap artist-producer Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs believed that Phoenix was going critical mass and turning his life away from cinema for good.

Stylistically, this film is a voyeur’s dream come true.

The camera follows him everywhere. Nothing seems set up or imagined. There isn’t much humor in this film unless you enjoy seeing a man seemingly self–implode and wreak havoc around insular members of his posse. (I laughed more than once.) Or, unless you cynically enjoyed David Letterman interviewing Joaquin and failing miserably in front of millions of live viewers.  (I laughed more than once.)

How about watching Joaquin stalk Puff Daddy with his demo CD only to be told “we ain’t working together”?

Whatever hidden meanings are to be found, this is a dark, dark film that impacts so forcefully because Affleck’s vision peels away the layers of Phoenix’ psyche. To an unsuspecting viewer it might all be real and that allows the movie to offer two legitimate yet different meanings. If this pre-AI mockumentary/documentary can seem so believably real, then we need to question everything that we see and read because it proves that the recipes available for cinema are indeed powerfully manipulative.

No One Is Safe From The Brute Force Of Introspection

Joaquin’s best friend appears as loyal manservant and tragically flawed aspiring musician who feeds Joaquin’s desires and takes a bastion of abuse (you’ll have to see it to believe it). The story revolves and evolves around these types of  dysfunctional connections and we are meant to endure it all. While doing so a powerfully subconscious investment in the characters is formed- it’s almost the same effect as slowing down at an accident scene and not being able to take your eyes off the situation.

Before watching this film I did not fully comprehend the impacts that media, fandom and an expectant audience have on a celebrity: Joaquin is mocked and misunderstood.  And for what? For establishing a new persona and a new artistic goal. For example, after a filmed rejection by Phoenix and perhaps believing Joaquin’s behavior to be real,  Ben Stiller wears a long hair wig, unruly beard and glasses for an Academy Award night schlock presentation. Hey, wasn’t that Steven Spielberg in the audience belly laughing along?

This movie’s effect is profound.

It’s a bag of emotional extremism, sympathy, repulsion, sorrow, and a dash of joy. It’s biblical in theme and it might not be such a stretch to suggest that Phoenix’ story mirrors aspects of The Mocking Of Jesus.

There are never enough positives to really help us feel good while trying to understand the point of it all.  Even if Joaquin manages to discard his former celebrity actor self and transform we wonder if he will be any happier as a rap artist. He seems like he’s incapable of happiness, unless of course it’s all an act.

Is the film a cautionary tale about the ramifications of an a-list celebrity actor that turns their back on the Hollywood establishment? Does it suggest that we take inventory of our expectations and of our blind trust in the media complex? Should we now question what we think, see and believe? Watch this film and find out for yourself. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Chainwire Is Innovative Crypto And Blockchain News Service

MediaFuse.org, a leading PR platform, is excited to announce its revolutionary solution for brands and agencies seeking to effectively broadcast their announcements. With an extensive network of leading websites in various industries, MediaFuse.org delivers a comprehensive distribution system including Chainwire that maximizes exposure, enhances branding, and drives significant traction for companies.

Led by Nadav Dakner, an esteemed veteran online marketer with 15 years of industry experience, MediaFuse.org has positioned itself as a game-changer in the PR industry. The platform enables brands to reach their target audience by distributing their news announcements to renowned websites in their niche.

“MediaFuse.org is set to disrupt the PR industry by providing innovative solutions that empower brands and agencies to stand out,” said Nadav Dakner, CEO of MediaFuse.org. “Our platform offers unmatched access to a vast network of influential websites, ensuring that our clients gain the exposure they deserve.”

MediaFuse.org boasts a wide range of advantages over traditional newswire services such as PR News Wire and BusinessWire. With its unique approach, MediaFuse.org aims to revolutionize the PR landscape and address the shortcomings of existing platforms. By providing companies with direct access to their target audience through leading websites, MediaFuse.org helps them achieve their marketing goals more effectively.

In a recent interview, Nadav Dakner articulated his motivation behind creating MediaFuse.org. “After years of being an agency owner and dealing with the limitations of traditional newswire tools, I recognized the need for an innovative PR platform that truly empowers businesses,” he explained. “With MediaFuse.org, we aim to redefine the way companies distribute their news, enhancing their presence in their respective industries.”

Nadav Dakner

MediaFuse.org offers a range of services, including press release distribution, media monitoring, and analytics. Brands and agencies can leverage these services to create a tailored PR strategy and effectively engage their target audience. In addition, MediaFuse.org provides company profile pieces and interviews, contributing to its clients’ brand recognition and thought leadership positioning.

For further information on MediaFuse.org and its services, please visit https://mediafuse.org/.

More On Chainwire

Designed for cryptocurrency projects, blockchain companies, exchanges, investment firms, and PR agencies, Chainwire allows press releases to be published simultaneously across hyper-targeted media outlets.

Developed by an experienced team with long-established media connections, Chainwire gives you a direct line to your target market. Having operated on the frontlines of the crypto newswire business for years, we’ve forged links with every major publisher in the business. 

How Chainwire Works

Once you submit your press release on your Chainwire app, our editorial team goes over your content and provides you with their insights. After working in the crypto & blockchain PR field for many years, we know how to help you make your PR more powerful, relevant and concise. Full integration with hyper-targeted crypto & blockchain media outlets broadcasts your message far and wide, and enables you to analyze the results in near real-time. 

Why Chainwire Is Different

With Chainwire, you can focus on building your business while we circulate the news of your success. Our intuitive dashboard gives you all the tools you need to submit, monitor, and refine your news announcement campaigns. Automated distribution saves you time and effort, with Chainwire’s service putting your stories on the front page of all the media sites that matter. For the Silo, Kat Fleischman.

9 Years Since China Landing- NASA Warns They Could Take Over The Moon

It’s the 9th anniversary of China’s 2014 Moon landing and it deserves special attention. Many Westerners are unaware of their impressive accomplishment because for the most part it was not reported in the mainstream media. Even now, getting information on China’s mission is challenging and the reports that are readily available seem to be from non-Western sources such as Al-Jazeera or in the case of the following video: WION- India’s self proclaimed “first world news network”.

Something else you may be unaware of

China's Tiangong space station- basically Mir2.0
Tiangong, officially the Tiangong space station, is a permanently crewed space station constructed by China and operated by China Manned Space Agency in low Earth orbit between 340 and 450 km above the surface. wikipedia

Should we be surprised that these nations are eager to distribute their news and accomplishments? China and India are the main rivals to the United States in terms of Space launches and exploration and if they are ahead of the West then chances are no one here wants to run headlines emphasizing this fact.

The politicization of space is not a new concept.

Shortly after the end of World War 2,  Russia and America (using captured Nazi German rockets and scientists) relied on their own geniuses such as Sergei Korolev and Katherine Johnson in a heated race to enter space and to push forward with the goal of landing a man on the Moon. President Lyndon Johnson called this “the ultimate high ground“.  Russia did not succeed in a manned Moon landing but they did successfully land an advanced Rover which was controlled from the Earth by a team of operators. Clearly the Moon is an important place to visit even at incredible risk and financial cost.

What compelled China to show up decades later than the USA?

"It was confirmed as a new mineral by voting by the New Mineral Classification and Nomenclature Committee (CNMNC) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). This mineral is the sixth new mineral discovered by humans on the moon."

What can we expect next? China is planning a crewed landing. America is planning a crewed landing. It’s a brand new space race.  For the Silo, Neil Corman. 

Finland Study- Parents Concerned Children Exposed to Inappropriate Content Online

Do you know what your child is doing on their phone at night? – stirring night-time outdoor ads portray the harsh reality on children’s phone screens.

Finland’s largest child welfare organization published an outdoor ad campaign to remind parents and adults of the content children see when browsing their phones, especially at night. Canada are you listening?

The campaign consisted of billboards disguised as a child’s screen recording, a continuous stream of disturbing and violent images, including cyberbullying and war. Highlighting the harsh reality that children can face on their phones, the ads were displayed only at night in Helsinki, Finland, because that is when children are most likely to use their phones without adult supervision.

The aim of The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s campaign is to support parents in media education for children. According to a Pew Research Center survey (2020), a majority of parents of children aged 11 or younger are concerned that their child is being exposed to inappropriate content online. 59 percent of US parents were concerned about their child accessing violent content online, and 56 percent were concerned about their child being bullied or harassed online*.

“Digitalization has revolutionized our world, for better and for worse. Media is intertwined with children’s lives, where for example the internet, social media, and games are part of their environment. A child has the right to safety in digital environments as well”, says Paula Aalto, The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s Head of School Cooperation and Digital Youth Work.

TBWA\Helsinki, the creative partner in the campaign, discovered an approach that allowed drawing attention to the time of day, when children are most likely to use their phones without adult supervision or support. Thus, the outdoor ads are visible only at night.

“Children are at their most vulnerable during the night. We created billboards that are active from 12:00 am to 2:00 am, displaying a stream of images that depict cyberbullying, nudity, war, and violence. It effectively reminds us, adults, about the availability of illicit online content to our children. We purposely hid the content of the billboards from the public – this became the core of our message. These images were too frightening to show, yet they are the harsh reality our kids are exposed to when we aren’t watching”, says TBWA’s Creative Director Joni Furstenborg.

Adults are the solution

The association does not blame adults or technology, but supports parents in educating their children about media.

“It is understandable that parents cannot constantly monitor their child’s phone use. However, as adults, we are the solution to protecting our children from inappropriate content. By developing our own media literacy skills, we also know how to act if a child has seen something scary or inappropriate on their phone”, says Aalto.

The Mannerheim League emphasizes that providing support entails exploring media together, achieving joint successes, and being present and genuinely interested in our children’s lives . Constant communication with the child on and off screen is of the utmost importance. For the Silo, Minna Närhilä.

As a parent myself, I am concerned about my own children’s media use on their phones. Children are constantly exposed to harmful content, and parents must protect them from seeing things that they do not have the ability to process due to their young age. We, parents, are the solution”, Furstenborg ends.

Out Of Work? You Could Be A Contestant On A Future Game Show

After perusing the many niches of reality TV — well-to-do housewives in multiple major cities, the rugged Alaska lifestyle, and working the dirtiest jobs known to man — employment strategist Richard B. Alman wonders why we haven’t seen a show about a popular and compelling subject: long-term unemployment and drop-outs. (Spoiler alert- Life imitates art, this has in fact become reality…read on)

It’s a numbers game

While unemployment rates ebb and flow, according to various Government agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States or Statistics Canada here at home, there is no reliable data for the long-term unemployed – those who’ve been jobless for 27 weeks or more – and for the underemployed.

“Recent college grads, who are typically saddled with student debt, still struggle to find terra firma in the professional world, and there’s a large blind spot for older unemployed workers, who may have gone back to school or taken a lesser job for which they’re overqualified, or they’re still searching,” says Alman, principal of Recruiter Media, owner of www.RecruiterNetworks.com, the world’s largest owner/operator of career websites.

The 1990 arcade game Smash TV- set in 1999 and with a vague story arc. Officially, the plot of Smash TV revolves around a futuristic game show in which players compete for various prizes, as well as their lives. Urban legend has included references to 'out of work teens and college drop-outs' being some of the principle characters. CP

The 1990 arcade game Smash TV- set in 1999 and with a vague story arc. Officially, the plot of Smash TV revolves around a futuristic game show in which players compete for various prizes, as well as their lives. Urban legend has included references to ‘out of work teens and college drop-outs’ being some of the principle characters. 

“Drama, struggle, learning moments and, yes, hope – that’s what you’d get with an un- and underemployment-themed reality TV show.”

Life imitating art imitating life? The Running Man takes place in the year 2017- and pits ‘society discards against one another in a reality based TV show set in a dystopic future’.

Alman reviews how the first season might play out.

•  Week 1: Job-seekers are happy to have a gig. Since reality show participants are paid, all are happy for this opportunity. Newly graduated college students are grateful to have a place to crash for several weeks with Wi-Fi and other free amenities, and love interests begin to develop. Older professionals, however, will have mortgages and families; for them, the show is a business trip. Underemployed job-seekers tell their stories of working long hours in unfulfilling positions.

•  Week 2: Putting the reality into “reality TV.” “Un- and underemployment touches nearly everyone; we all know someone without enough work,” Alman says. While reality includes fortuitous wealth and fame for a few, it also includes tough times for many. The second week would feature job-seekers sticking to old methods of searching that have not worked in the past and continue to fail them.  

•  Week 3: The reveal – participants find out it’s a competition. While the cameras have sparked renewed vigor in their individual searches – a few participants may have even tried some wildly unconventional tactics – the group has had relatively little success. Producers reveal that it’s not just a reality show about job-seekers, it’s a competition. The group is separated into two teams. Participants from the winning team get legitimate interviews with Fortune 500 companies.

•  Week 4: Job-seekers gain important tips. No matter how much experience, talent, youth or beauty they have, job-seekers still make mistakes with their strategies. While a well-written cover letter, an impressive education and a great resume certainly help – they’re not everything. Professionals give participants tips for staying relevant in today’s market, including the importance of doing volunteer work, preferably in roles that match their talents and training.

“I really cannot overemphasize this tip enough. Volunteering is probably the best way for the long-term unemployed to demonstrate their abilities, initiative and effectiveness in a marketplace that hasn’t given you enough of a chance,” Alman says. “It builds new skills, introduces you to a new network of potential employers, and adds recent experience to your resume.”

•  Final week: All are on their way to gainful employment. After several weeks, most of the participants have made significant progress in landing career positions. While the winning team gains a great opportunity with a guaranteed, high-quality interview, there are no losers on this show. And, those who’ve made an excellent impression on the program are sure to gain additional opportunities.

For the Silo, Richard B. Alman

Supplemental-Following the theme of this story, you might like to consider the US game show “Paid Off”. Accordingly the contestants are graduates competing to have their student loans paid off.

Creativity Espoused By Mainstream Media Is Sadly About Machine Creativity

Science!

[You may know him from the movies “What The Bleep Do We Know”  and “Down The Rabbit Hole” – Two great introductory documentaries on Quantum Physics you really owe it to yourself to see.  Let the Silo introduce you to a welcomed, new contributor-  Dr. Amit Goswami – Author, Speaker and Scientist. Ed.]

“I am very excited about one of my recent books- Quantum Creativity.  The main message of this book is this: If you are interested in creativity and in thinking quantum, you have the basics of what it takes to be creative, in fact, to be extraordinary in your creativity.

Quantum physics is the physics of possibilities. Quantum physics says reality is both possibility and actuality.

The objects of the universe are possibilities, quantum possibilities; they become objects of actuality in our experience when we observe because we have chosen actuality from the possibilities proffered.  This two-level complementary reality is an important aspect of our consciousness. The unmanifest, (psychologists call it the unconscious, spiritual traditions call it the transcendent) is the realm where consciousness processes possibilities (unconscious processing) but without awareness, without subject-object separation.

The manifest (psychologists call it the conscious, spiritual traditions call it the immanent) is the domain of actualities that consciousness processes with awareness, with subject-object split.

Quantum thinking consists of this two-level processing—both unconscious and conscious.  Quantum thinking understood in this way liberates you, anyone, from any assumed ordinariness.  With its help, anyone can be creative.

A stylish dude? We love the sun hat Dr G. :)

Creativity was difficult for people of the olden days because they had to pursue it blindly, they did not know how human creativity works; they assumed it is all mystery, all arts.  And today, lots of people shortchange their creativity because of their faulty mechanistic worldview.

The truth is, we cannot discuss the relevant issues of human creativity without a lot of make-belief within our current mechanistic worldview based on the metaphysics of scientific materialism—everything is matter moving in space-time and material interaction.

The science of creativity that the protagonists of a mechanistic worldview talk about, and which today you read about in the media, is about machine creativity.  To a large extent it is sophistry, about how determined machines can somehow appear to be creative.

It is self-evident that human creativity requires consciousness as a causal entity with free will, freedom to choose.

It is self-evident that human creativity requires the capacity to process meaning, that human creativity involves affects (agony and ecstasy), and that human creativity begins with intuition.

sophistry

Dealing with human creativity requires a worldview in which consciousness is causally potent, in which not only our physical experiences but also our experiences of thinking, feeling and intuition are validated. Quantum physics, properly interpreted, gives us that worldview. Engaging the two level complementary reality of quantum physics gives human creativity all its wonderful and mysterious attributes that material machines moving in a one-level space-time reality cannot possibly simulate.” For the Silo, Dr. Amit Goswami.

Canadians aware country is #1 in extreme, unfair mobile rates

Canada's Cell Phone Rates: the Highest in the World | iPhone in Canada Blog

My name is Ann Murray (not that Ann Murray), and I’m a publicist for RingCredible, the next practical, affordable, secure and reliable solution in mobile VoIP calling.  I’m writing to explain  how consumers can spend as little as possible on mobile calling charges each month  – and quickly hack their household mobile calls spending.

This topic is especially timely, given how Canada’s mobile rate calling rates are one of the world’s worst – and also given the recent acquisition of Mobilicity by Telus. [see link below CP]

Why the hefty price? This is the fault of “The Pricey Three” – Bell, Rogers, and Telus – that lock customers into very expensive calling plans. If you’re in one of the Pricey Three’s plans, you are more likely to run out of call credits, you will have less minutes included, and the price of additional minutes will be more expensive than the rates of your friends and family around the world.

The solution is RingCredible’s “How to hack your mobile phone bill,” which include the following tips:

5. Use calling cards, which is a very cheap way to make calls (just not very convenient)

4. Try the smaller mobile calling alternatives owned by Bells, Rogers or Telus

3. Go with free peer-to-peer calls using Viber

2. Sign up for Wind and Mobilicity, which sell all-inclusive packages (Mobilicity was recently acquired by Telus)

1. Sign up for a VoIP provider such as Skype [Skype The Silo: thesiloteam CP], Fongo, or VoipGo

Our solution, RingCredible (App’s available at www.ringcredible.com) is a great, and nearly free calling choice, with the added benefit of offering the same user experience as when making a normal mobile call.

 Some other interesting results to consider  include:

* What the acquisition of Mobilicity by Telus means to the consumer http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/05/28/one-step-closer-ontario-superior-court-of-justice-approves-telus-acquisition-of-mobilicity/

* How to save when you’re out of the country and calling back home

* How other countries have hacked their own mobile calling rates 

mobilsyrup readers respond to "One step closer: Ontario Superior Court of Justice approves TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity"
mobilsyrup readers respond to “One step closer: Ontario Superior Court of Justice approves TELUS’ acquisition of Mobilicity”

For the Silo, Ann Murray.

Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far Away We Weren’t Overloaded With Content

It all used to be so simple and satisfying- a long time ago, tv content was delivered from a long distance transmitter and received by a roof antenna. That antenna had to be manually or automatically positioned whenever you wanted to watch distant channels. Work was involved. Mystery was involved. Finding something to watch was satisfying. Channel 3 Barrie-Orillia for example had classic movies. CP
TV content used to be delivered from a long distance transmitter and received by a roof antenna on your house. The antenna had to be manually or automatically positioned whenever you wanted to watch distant channels. Work was involved. Mystery was involved. Finding something to watch was satisfying.

I’m often asked what I think about the original Star Wars series versus the “new stuff”. A debate that continues to rear its ugly head again ever since Episode VII was released back in December 2015 . I think, for me, I’ve determined what the problem is and why those of us who grew up with Darth, Luke, Han and Leia have a hard time with the newer movies when the younger generation just loves them.

If you're approaching or passing 40 years of age, you might remember your grandparents having a set up like this. You might have dreaded the day you visited because you were forced to watch black and white television and fiddle around with the 'rabbit ears'. To those readers who have no idea what I'm talking about (LOL) the 'rabbit ears' are those two metal rods sticking up from the corner of the television set. The rods could be rotated, pulled apart, shortened and lengthened etc. All in the hopes of receiving a television signal as clearly as possible. There was an art to this stuff. Trust me, I'm old. CP
The ‘rabbit ears’: two metal rods sticking up from the television set. The rods could be rotated, pulled apart, shortened and lengthened etc. to fine tune a distant channel.

The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980.  I was an impressionable nine year-old. Although I had seen the original Star Wars, it didn’t resonate with me as much as Empire did. When May 21 of that year hit, my life it would seem was changed forever. After seeing the film, it was all I could do to stop thinking about it and what I had seen. The cliffhanger ending was killing me and yet I seemed okay with the fact that I was going to have to wait three more years to find out what happened to Han (no spoilers here in case somehow you have somehow missed Return of the Jedi).

With no VCR in his home, Syd watched The Empire Strikes Back at the cinema...13 times! CP

That summer I saw the movie 13 times. The world was a different place. I took the bus by myself downtown to the beautiful Capitol Theatre (now the even more beautiful Sanderson Centre in Brantford). There was no internet (at least, not that mere mortals could access). I got excited by the occasional mention of the Star Wars universe on the television and I wouldn’t even get a VCR for four more years so the idea of being able to watch the movie “on demand” was not even a thought in my young mind. Instead, I had to rely on my mind through my memories and imagination.

For me, getting the action figures from the movies and being able to recreate scenes from the film helped bring me back to my happy place inside the Star Wars universe. We couldn’t afford to get all the playsets and ships, so I built a lot of them out of cardboard. I used my creative side to paint them like I remembered them in the movies and as soon as I could I ordered the photo books from the school book service so that I could go back there. When the movie eventually made it onto television, a VCR-less me compromised by recording the audio of the film onto cassette. I could then listen (and listen I did) to the movie with my eyes closed and pictured it all in my mind.

If I told this story to a nine year-old today, I would get strange looks. “Dude, why wouldn’t you just watch it on Netflix or look it up on your iPad?” It just wasn’t possible. I was so desperate for a connection to the universe I even cut out the black and white mini-movie poster that was printed into the newspaper with the local theatre listings and posted it on my bedroom wall. Yes, that’s honestly how it was.

Today, I feel like the instant access we have to everything “on demand” somehow diminishes our connections to content. I am pretty sure good movies have been made after the 80s, but I would be hard pressed to find one that hasn’t held such a close connection with me. Not only is there instant access to so much of the content we get today that there is, in fact, more content out there than I can possibly keep up with. This got me to thinking, how do others deal with content overload?

In my case the biggest problem I have is video games. With over 15,000 to choose from I am rarely bored. However, I have needed to come up with a system to keep track of everything I want to play. In my vast game collection there are surely a ton of stinkers, but there are also some amazing games from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s that I have missed. Heck, I’ve missed a lot of the games that made the most critically acclaimed lists in the past few years. So I had to come up with a system.

How easy is it to have access to thousands of movies? Netflix can be streamed anytime to your I-phone. There's no need to adjust an antenna or fine tune video settings with an actual dial control. The older crowd reminisce about having to work to get results, the new generation can't see the point. CP
How easy is it to have access to thousands of movies? Netflix can be streamed anytime to your I-phone.

What I do now is maintain a list on Dropbox.com that I can access anywhere. It’s called “Games I need to play.txt” (notice the “need” and not “want”). It has two sub-sections: “Started and Never Finished” and “Games to Play”. I don’t really like leaving games unfinished and so when I look at this list I am reminded of what I need to finish up (as I am often playing more than one game at a time) and then for my larger list I prioritize it with what should be next “on deck”. The list is dynamic, changing as I remember what I want to play or come across things of influence from my colleagues. I also have to admit sometimes I choose to play shorter games so that I can get through them and feel more “accomplished”.  The site www.howlongtobeat.com  is an amazing resource for this sort of thing.

When I asked my friends how they deal with content overload I got some interesting feedback.  One of them, John, actually has an algorithm for dealing with his backlog of books. John shared it with me and it goes something like this:

1. I always have one serious and one fun book on the go and which I put on top of the night stand along with my reading glasses. Sometime I cheat and have two of each kind on the go.
2. I keep a pile of books I want to read someday in my night stand.
3. If I get bored with a book, I trade it with one in my night stand.
4. When I finish a book, I choose another from inside my night stand.
5. If I get tempted by a new book I buy it. If it will not fit in my night stand, then I discard the book that interests. Same goes for books that I’m given.
6. I do have a book shelf at work and one at home for books that I want to keep for later reference. If they get too full, I discard things of least interest.
7. I discard books by giving them to someone, donation to a charity or yard sale.

That’s pretty organized. It’s a little more efficient than how I deal with movies I have yet to watch. Presently, the ones that are on the shelf (Blu-ray or DVD) get “pulled out” a little bit so I can see them clearly among all of my other movies. Since they are all in alphabetical order I don’t want to just pull them out randomly and create a new pile.

A friend shared with me a good way to deal with television content. Just PVR or DVR all the content and then watch as you can. I tried this, but filled up my hard drive so I had to go out and buy an external drive. That drive is now dangerously full. There was some good advice in there, however. “What I do is record all the episodes of a TV show and then when it’s all done I go on a watching marathon and binge on the content for an entire day or two. If it’s a new series and I find out it has been cancelled before I even watch it, I delete all of the content and that way I’m not investing in a show that will ultimately let me down with no additional content.”

Algorithms, mechanisms, processes and lists all to deal with an over abundant amount of content. It’s a wonder there is any room left in our brains to remember or think about what we consumed last week, let alone last year. Yet I find myself looking forward to more content in an ADHD kind of way, I can’t seem to get enough. This is, ultimately, why there will never be anything better in my life than the original Star Wars and other films of the 80s (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Uncle Buck, Back to the Future). At the end of the day, I’m okay with it because there is always something good and interesting around the corner, even if I have to implement a system to manage it all. There are definitely worse things in life. For the Silo, Syd Bolton.

Words Are Powerful. Use With Care, Media Expert Warns

See what we mean?

It’s easy to take words for granted; most of us use them as effortlessly as we breathe. But words hold power that we often overlook at our own peril, says media expert Steve Kayser.

“Language is the code that translates ideas so they can be shared. They give us an advantage in the natural world, which has enabled us to evolve as human beings,” says Kayser, author of “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard,” (hyperlink below).

“But in our personal and public lives, we are inundated with empty words; words that are used incorrectly; words that are drained of all meaning; and so fail to accurately convey the intended message; and words that carry unwarranted connotations and stigma.”

Words can change lives, destroy relationships and alter the course of entire civilizations, Kayser notes.

[A must read about the power of word usage via Toltec wisdom:  thefouragreements CP]

He shares examples of what to avoid, what to embrace and what to reconsider when trying to make your language more effective. 

•  Avoid John Kerry’s “crystal clear” nugget. Back in 2016 amid the ongoing foreign policy crises in the Middle East, secretary of state John Kerry, who has a linguistic reputation for long-winded political jargon, seemed to contradict himself in a single breath.

“I want to make this crystal clear,” he said. “The president is desirous of trying to see how we can make our best efforts in order to find a way to facilitate.”

It’s this kind of language that makes people cynical about our elected officials – when a politician’s mouth is moving and producing sounds, but he’s not saying anything. Or, if they are saying something, they use words that are overused and unnecessary. Businesses, too, can be notorious for this using corporate gobbledygook to obfuscate all meaning, Kayser says.

“What people want is authenticity in language, to say what you mean and mean what you say.”

•  Emulate Mark Twain, the “straight shooter,” who employed wit, charm and incisive commentary in communications. No, most people cannot pick up where Twain, arguably America’s greatest writer, left off. But language and the way in which it’s used can be highly contagious. If you want to inspire authenticity and engage employees and friends alike with genuine communication, consider styling your speech more along the lines of Twain, rather than a dry business manual:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do,” Twain wrote. “So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

•  If you’re in business, there are advantages to embracing the jargon. “Can we blue sky this synergy later?” “Cascade this to your people and see what the pushback is.” … Business lingo could fill a dictionary, and in many cases, requires one! Unlike political babble, business jargon has its purpose, according to a new study from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Business speak is code for “upper management material,” showing that the speaker is in a company’s inner circle and is a “big picture” person, the study reveals.

“Some of the language you come across in the business world can seem absurd to outsiders; some of these phrases, however, may actually reveal ambition in an employee,” Kayser says.

Matthew 15:11 Bad Use of Language In Bible

“The beauty of language is that it’s a common tool for everyone to use, yet it can be tailored to an individual. My primary suggestion is to do that in a way that authentically reveals your meaning.”  

Steve Kayser Author Radio Host

About Steve Kayser

Steve Kayser is an award-winning writer, editor, publisher, former radio host and founder of Kayser Media. He has had the great fortune to interview and collaborate with some of the best minds in the business world, and his eclectic approach to public relations and marketing has been widely documented. He recently published “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard,” (www.stevekayser.com). 

Hospital Visits Becoming More Like Costly Airport Visits

From a technological point of view there is nothing wrong with the way our hospitals have changed over the past thirty years but what about from the viewpoint of a person? A real, honest to gosh person. The hospital calls these folks patients or family members/visitors, but I think they must have a secret name for them too: consumers.

Let’s be honest- There is little in the way of real consumer value in our hospitals. Even before you set foot, cane or wheelchair through the front door you have to find somewhere to leave your vehicle. And just like an airport- parking costs are typically fifteen dollars a day. And what about that once staple of stand-up comedy topics- crappy hospital food? If it isn’t anymore, there certainly was a time when hospital cafeteria meals- just like airline meals- were cultural icons. In the hospitals I have visited recently, the cafeteria is slowly but surely being turned into something else…..monitors ready to dull your brain and feed you big corp.

On Monday I spent several hours at Brantford General Hospital’s C Wing. For most of that time, I’d only been on two floors and I’d already found two Tim Horton’s counters- complete counters mind you, not just a kiosk window offering a paper cup of coffee but something offering full breakfast sandwiches and lunch menu items. So why would anyone want to visit the hospital cafeteria? And if they did would they even be successful in finding the cafeteria? I could not find a sign pointing the way but Tim Horton’s were instantly visible and both perched in prime retail positions directly at or near an outside entrance. Starbucks take note.

While I was enjoying my double – double I discovered that my wifi usb stick did not work in the MRI waiting area. I moved around to no avail. I decided to let my laptop search for a public access node and I was successful in discovering that the hospital offers public internet access. With a credit card, a patient or a family member can spend upwards of $22.54 for one week of internet access or $11.24 for one day or part of a day. I was beginning to feel like a consumer. (note: these costs from September 2011)

Visiting is getting expensive.

If I need to complete work duties while I’m waiting for a hospital appointment or waiting to visit a patient, I’ve already spent 15$ on parking, $1.60 on a coffee and $11.24 for internet access. That’s $27.84 and there’s still lunch to consider if things are delayed. I decide to give up on the world wide web and look instead for something to read. Then I realize that there isn’t any reading material. Not a Maclean’s, National Geographic or even a Reader’s Digest. Instead there are two screen monitors broadcasting CP24 news , ticker tapes and car commercials into each waiting area. Not exactly the most calming environment.  I stand up and walk twenty feet towards x-ray waiting area 1. There is a small mass of people sitting and staring at the side-by-side flat screen monitors. From my perspective it is terrifyingly cold and stark. It is a scene from Orwell’s 1984 and I want to shake each one of them and tell them to stop. I want to tell them to pull out their corporate i.v. but I come to my senses. (this is only television after all right?) These people love t.v. The patient beside me whisper’s “t.v. keeps everyone’s mind off of their hospital stay”.  For the Silo, Jarrod Barker. 

 

 

Disney Buys 21st Century Fox Readies New Streaming Service

Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox means that the House of Mouse now controls a huge amount of our most beloved films and television series.

Announced in December 2017 and expected to take until at least 2021 to complete, this $66.1 Billion USD deal (that included taking on a size-able debt portfolio from Fox) ranks among the largest mergers of its kind in history.

We’ve compared these media giants, looked at the potential impact of the deal on both their own employees and the end user and demonstrated how Disney is looking to leverage this deal to break into new markets.

Read on to see how the merger will affect everything from television and the cinema box office to streaming platforms and sports broadcasting this comprehensive infographic from our friends at abcfinancial.co.uk.

Effects of Disney Buying 21st Century Fox

America Meditating Radio Show Launches “Meditate The Vote – Real Conversation”

America Meditating Radio Show LogoBuilding a better and more cohesive environment through collaboration
Washington, D.C.  – “Meditate the Vote – the Real Conversation” is the brainchild of the globally broadcast America Meditating Radio Show. In the midst of the election fever and the buzz that follows it, it is even more important that the citizenry is brought together to converse on mutual issues to create a better and more cohesive understanding of ways of moving the country forward and making the world a better place. Can getting into our Zen zone help Americans to decide who they vote for or what they do regardless of who enters office? 
The #MeditatetheVote grassroots campaign to bring respect, compassion and a peaceful dialog to our election process, intends to create an avenue where people from diverse backgrounds can express their views via various means of social media including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube and gatherings in homes and other venues. This campaign, supported by an alliance of friends, thought leaders and organizations from around the country, will be launched on the 1st of May, coinciding with the start of National Meditation Month and will continue leading up to Election Day on the 8th of November, 2016. 
 
Our goal is simple. Meditate the Vote simply asks folks to amplify the quality of conversation using the Meditate the Vote questions to stimulate more inclusivity and partnership in the country as we lead up to Election Day on November 8th. Meditate the Vote does not endorse any candidate or political party. It is a movement to socially engage all folks into a higher and more cohesive way of working together as a people and a country. 
 
The internet and social media platforms will be used in spreading the word with participants making videos saying “I, Meditate the Vote” and why, as well as sharing feedback from their conversations using Meditate the Vote questions.
There is also the Pause for Peace App available for users of Android and iOS devices to allow for constant communication, meditations and videos, and for listening to the America Meditating Radio Show featuring various prominent thought leaders sharing methods for personal development. For the Silo, Antonia Silvera.
About America Meditating
America Meditating was launched in June 2012, as a nationwide initiative to promote unity and peace as everyone is encouraged to pause for moments throughout the day to reflect within and create an environment where love, respect, and trust reign.
It subsequently resulted in the birth of the popular America Meditating Radio Show hosted by teacher and motivational speaker, Sister Jenna. The program is available across the globe on numerous platforms including Blog Talk Radio, iTunes, Stitcher, Aha Radio, Speaker, the Pause for Peace App, and the Player.FM App.
Supplemental: The David Lynch Foundation was established to ensure that any child in America who wants to learn and practice the Transcendental Meditation program can do so.

SipSup mobile linked Drinking Glass disrupts Conventions of Communication

SipSup3 SipSup  is a new beverage drinking glass that communicates with smart phones via app technology to become an interactive media display and storage unit. When you have finished drinking your beverage of choice, digital photos and videos you have dropped into your glass via the SipSup app are left behind. The SipSup app enables you to keep your special moments only for yourself (private) or to make them visible to every person who happens to tap their phone to your glass (public). The social interaction possibilities are endless- many of us already spend a lot of time at coffeehouses or pubs, consider bringing your glass along- it would be a great way to meet new people and discover new forms of interaction- all via your hi-tech SipSup glassware. SipSup1If that wasn’t enough, another feature called “post-it”, allows your guests to leave photos or videos on your glass and even write on a fun message. Hydration will never again be boring. SipSupLogoA Slovenian start-up that prides itself on ‘out of the box’ thinking, the SipSup team have taken an object we all use on a daily basis and given it new functions. SipSup will stand out from the other glasses in your kitchen because of it’s distinct curved shape designed to naturally fit your hand. It’s base resembles the ripple effect of a drop falling into water and was inspired by the notion of  “dropping moments into a glass”. You can get this great looking piece of smart glassware on Kickstarter. For more information email: marketingdirector@thesilo.ca

 

 

 

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes

Canada Was Being Transformed Due To Stephen Harper’s Government

MacLean’s columnist, Paul Wells, wrote a book on Prime Minister Stephen Harper entitled “The longer I’m Prime Minister: Stephen Harper and Canada 2006 –“.  In this book, the author warns that as the years pass with Harper in office, Canada is being radically transformed.

The Longer Im In Power Book Excerpt

Truthfully, Canada is being transformed because of Stephen Harper’s government in Ottawa  – just not in the way that Paul Wells anticipated it would be.  Wells pictured our federal government being fashioned into a reflection of a Reagan-esque Washington, where an enduring small-c government will be his legacy.

If Wells is right and that was Harper’s goal, then he hasn’t accomplished it.  Canada’s Economic Action Plan was one of this country’s largest ever public spending policies and Harper’s government has run deficits each year in office, except for the last budget.

But Stephen Harper has changed Canada, and in at least one case irreparably, because of his influence on Provincial politics.

Stephen Harper

Over the course of the past 50 years, provincial leaders have postured during campaigns that Ottawa has been unfair to their province.  Trudeau’s National Energy Policy was pure gold to the Alberta PC’s led by Peter Lougheed.  Anti Liberal sentiment has endured and kept the PC’s in power for more than a generation after Trudeau left office.

Canadian voters inherently understand the need for checks and balances by electing a strong Premier who promises to guard against the power of the federal government.

The trend in Ontario is if the Prime Minister is a Liberal, then the Premier will be a PC – and vice versa.  This trend has been going on for generations.

In reaction to Stephen Harper being Prime Minister, Ontarians have sleep-walked into re-electing Liberals who have put in place policies that have devastated the Ontario economy.  Seven years have passed since the great recession and Ontario shows scant few signs of recovery.  The crown jewel of the Ontario economy, it’s manufacturing sector, has left Ontario after years of artificially high energy costs and unnecessary red tape.  Local economies once buttressed by auto manufacturing are left reeling under Kathleen Wynne’s government.

The longer that Stephen Harper remains Prime Minister, the deeper the chasm for Ontarians created under provincial Liberal mismanagement.  With public debt loads skyrocketing, it will soon be impossible for the next generation to find its footing after a decade of reckless waste.

What is going on in Ontario today under the ardently left wing government of Kathleen Wynne should be a splash of cold water in the faces of Albertans who recently voted to give a majority mandate to the NDP.

Alberta had 42 years of provincial PC power.  During that time, they saw four conservative Prime Ministers, Joe Clark, Brian Mulroney, Kim Campbell, and Stephen Harper.  (Clark and Campbell held power for only a few months and they had little impact on provincial politics.)

When Mulroney won his massive majority by piecing together a winning coalition of conservative voters in Alberta and Quebec, his government elicited a jarring reaction from Alberta voters.  Rather than change the provincial government, Albertans birthed a new federal party, the Reform Party, and booted all of the federal PC’s out of the province in the next election.

And the provincial vs. federal dynamic played a role in last night’s Alberta election results.  A former high ranking cabinet minister in the Harper government, Jim Prentice was soundly rejected by voters, ending the PC dynasty as the party moves from first to third in the provincial legislature.  Simply put, Jim Prentice was too close to Stephen Harper.  And when Alberta’s only sound opposition, former Wildrose leader Danielle Smith,  shocked her party to join Prentice in an attempt to “strengthen forces” we saw the idea backfire magnificently in last night’s results with a crushing Orange wave.  Alberta voters did not trust Prentice to provide the checks and balances that will see the province through the economic crisis brought on by low oil prices.

Does an Alberta Orange Wave mean that Stephen Harper’s support in Alberta is waning?  Will we see prominent cabinet ministers defeated on October 19th?

Anti-Harperites might think so but there really isn’t a chance the CPC will lose seats in Alberta this time around.

Alberta has an Albertan Prime Minister.  Many of the most powerful cabinet ministers are also Albertan.  When Harper retires, his successor will likely also be an Albertan.

Alberta voters have people in Ottawa that they know they can count on.

On the other hand, the two other federal options can be easily discounted.  Mulcair and Trudeau are both from Montreal and each have a checkered history with Alberta oil interests.

Rather than change the Prime Minister, Alberta voters decided that they will change the provincial government instead .

Checks and balances will be restored in the voter’s minds. For the Silo, Maddie Di Muccio.

Click me!
Click me!

ABOUT MADDIE:

A former municipal town councillor in Newmarket, Ontario, Di Muccio often appears as a political pundit in the media and her freelance columns in the Toronto Sun discuss political issues across Canada. She currently serves as President of York Region Taxpayer’s Coalition and President of the Society for Quality Education.

A Second Look At Ontario Bill83 AKA SLAPP

Dr Evil Canadian free speech, journalistic powers or lack there of are back in the news. Here is a related story  about Ontario’s Bill 83 from last year that deserves a second read.

Bill83. The threat of abusive lawsuits claiming damages like slander and defamation is deterring  a significant number of Ontarians from speaking out against big business on issues of public interest.

Our tweet from Feb22 2015 shows an interest in related freedom of expression concerns.
Our tweet from Feb22 2015 shows an interest in related freedom of expression concerns.

Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) are lawsuits brought by companies with the specific aim of distracting or silencing defendants. The defendants, usually ordinary citizens or public interest groups, feel threatened by the prospect of paying legal fees over several years and the possibility of paying large damage awards in the end. Even if the lawsuits have no merit, they often result in a “chill” on free speech in general because SLAPPs are also meant to intimidate the general public who are watching it all play out in the media.

John Gerretsen Attorney General Kingston and the Islands.
John Gerretsen Attorney General Kingston and the Islands.

Attorney General John Gerretsen has introduced Bill 83 ( In its 2nd reading at the time of this original posting, now referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy CP) to address this dubious use of Ontario’s publicly funded court system. The proposed legislation would force the courts to identify within 60 days whether a suit was in the public interest or an intimidation tactic to limit debate on an important local issue.

In communities facing fast paced economic development, this legislation is sure to play an important role in protecting the ordinary courage of citizens to tell their story, to share local knowledge and research findings and to insist on an authentic community vision for a healthy and sustainable future. For the Silo, Leslie Cochran. Originally published in print March 21, 2014.

Jack White’s Guacamole Recipe Was Rider “Inside Joke”

Jack White

FOR GOD SAKES!

dear journalists and other people looking for drama or a diva,

even in the age of the short attention span internet article, it’s still hard to believe you

are STILL writing about this:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/02/15/386409331/for-musician-jack-white-any-old-guacamole-just-wont-do

wow. classy.

seems like there’s a new rule number one for up and coming journalists: dont let the facts get in the way of click bait.

at the risk of incurring even more of this hoo haa (and i’ve definitely turned my cheek more than once lately) and even

though our management sent out a letter to clarify this, and since

this seems to be all anyone can ask me about lately,

here’s the real deal, and hopefully it’ll explain this nonsensical scenario and we can move on with our lives. (or what have you).

first off, this is none of your business, but i have no specific demands in my dressing room. i know i could ask for lots of

things but i actually dont ask for ANYTHING. i take with me what i need,

and that aint much.

anything on the rider is for the band and the crew.

this “guacamole recipe” is my hilarious tour managers inside

joke with the local promoters, it’s his recipe, not mine. it’s just something to break

up the boredom, seeing who can make it best. though i wouldn’t

know because i’ve never had it. i can’t even make kool aid

let alone cook any real food enough to have a “recipe”. sorry, i dont have that talent.

bananas: did it occur to anyone someone on the tour

might have an allergy to them? no? hmmm. one day some fantasy journalist out

there will call someone in the biz and actually have a rider explained to them, maybe

none of them have ever been on tour. oh well, let’s move on,

first amendment issues: i fully believe in the freedom of the press (though

the supposed search for truth from the press requires microscopes and some morton salt), and i also defend anyone’s right

to free speech (just look at my lack of respect for grammar in this letter and tell me i’m not for communicating freely)

and i defend the right to free information in regards to public funds, but never in my 20 years of playing

shows has my contract and tour rider been published in the paper that i recall.

do you know why we dont do that or want that? a hundred articles about bananas, free speech, and guacamole is why;

it’s because people dont understand what a rider is or what the terms of a contract are. they’re out of their element,

and you can’t blame them for it. and people who write about that know this. people WANT a rider to be a list of demands that

a diva insists occur lest he or she refuse to play a note of music.

but in reality, it’s just some food and drinks backstage for the

hundred workers and guests who have to live in a concrete

bunker for 15 hours. some people bring thier own living rooms on tour,

some people ask for a huge spread. who cares? what you’r looking for

is someone throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get their brown m and m’s,

sorry to dissappoint.

someone printed that i’m never going to oklahoma again?

not true. i love oklahoma, that’s why i booked this show instead

of playing chicago or atlanta for four times as much money.

ask around in tulsa. i’ve been

there at least three times on these last two albums. i love it there.

our booking agent warned the college that other artists might

not book shows there? of course they did, it’s bad business

what that school paper did and really rude. of course they are going to tell them to wise up.

am i pissed at the students at oklahoma university? absolutely not. am i dissappointed in young journalists at their school paper?

absolutely. but i forgive them, they’re young and have learned

thier lesson about truth and ethics hopefully. all they have to do is

google this to know that it’s not worth it. look for real problems instead

next time. look for the truth, not fake drama. i got pissed during my show and berated

the crowd? no. sorry, didn’t happen.  

i made jokes about the paper publishing that info, so which of us is thin skinned?

they have freedom of speech but i dont? at my show? ok. i guess the rules change for different

people. the crowd were amazing and we played for 2 and a half hours that night.

people were told to delete

photos on their camera? : i dont know much about that but it must

be a miscommunication about what was

public property at the college and the contract we had with the university to

let us do our work in peace; but i’ll give you an example,

if someone working at a theater we played at started taking pictures of all of

our workers and our gear they’d probably get fired by their theater or promoter.

sorry to the student paper budding press papparazi on that one, but is this a tmz assignment or can

you give us some peace while we try to put on a show for the students? give us a break man.

i know it’s a fun thing for people to try to turn me into a jerk and a diva, but in

this case it’s pretty ridiculous and has almost nothing to do with me. my relationship

with the fans at that show and how we got to a new place together through music remains intact

and i’d love to do it again with them.

i think that’s everything, can i go back to making music now? no? ok. crochet it is.

jack white

III

Supplemental- It might get loud

iLOOKTV Online Pay-TV Platform Turns YouTube Channels into Mobile TVApps

iLOOKlogo
iLOOK Smart Phone Screen Shot

SAN JOSE, CA – ILOOK, an over-the-top (OTT) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels, is announcing its launch today. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile TVapps that behave like television networks. Through this easy-to-use technology, anyone—amateur or celebrity personality—can now have their own TV network without the traditional barriers and regulations.

Whether you create your own workout instruction videos, like to cover Katy Perry songs or are already a YouTube sensation, you can now transform your channel into its own mobile TVapp for free!

To create a TVapp, users simply log in to their YouTube channel from www.ilook.tv. Once logged in, ILOOK automatically generates a mobile app and submits it to supported app stores where it becomes available for download by television viewers. TVapp video is viewable on the mobile screen, as well as any TV screen that is connected to the Internet via AppleTV, Chromecast or Xbox, allowing viewers to watch on the big screen or small.

iLOOK Smart Phone Screen Shot

ILOOK also offers advanced features that enable video syndication and monetization. Video owners can export videos into TVapps that they do not own, TVapp owners can import videos from video owners, and for a fee anyone can have their videos inserted across all TVapps as TV commercials. This gives everyday video makers the same exact revenue opportunities as larger media organizations—a unique offering for consumers.

Unlike traditional pay-TV services that exclude long-tail content, ILOOK extends the pay-TV business model to include long-tail video and monetizes it by creating a TV marketplace for video aggregators, video owners and advertisers. Owners of long-tail video are now able to monetize like traditional TV networks with TV commercials, subscriptions and pay-per-view. They can also attract attention like traditional TV networks by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV.

Following the actions of major TV networks who have recently published their cable channels as TVapps, it’s expected that thousands of YouTube channels will soon follow suit and cover the same narrowly defined interests that are currently covered by over 18,000 print magazines. Special interest and long-tail TVapps, like affinity print magazines before them, will command CPMs [cost per impression- http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/cpm/ CP ] that are four to eight times higher than CPMs for more broadly focused TV networks.

Peter Redford- CEO of iLOOK
Peter Redford- CEO of iLOOK

Peter Redford, CEO of ILOOK stated “Owners of long-tail YouTube channels are now able to attract attention and monetize like traditional TV networks, by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV. We’re deeply excited to launch and bring these capabilities into the entertainment market.”

iLOOK

Television has been slowly moving away from an appointment format and into the anywhere, anytime arena. ILOOK is spearheading this movement by giving anyone and everyone the ability to become part of this groundbreaking movement in television history. What are you waiting for—it’s time to TVapp your talents for everyone to see!

ILOOK Corporation was founded in 2009 by Peter Redford, Ngoc Do and Jacek Minko and is based in Silicon Valley, California. The company provides the world’s first OTT (over-the-top) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile apps that appear on the mobile screen alongside TV network apps like CNN and MTV. YouTube channels effectively become TV networks, monetized by pay-per-view, subscriptions and commercials. http://www.ilook.tv/

 

 

Letters To The Silo- Canadians Not Supporting Fair Elections Act

Letters to the SiloDear Silo and the Canadian media- Pierre Poilivere out right lies when he says that Canadians support the provisions of the “Fair” Elections Act.  Who are these people? Can he name some – other then members of his own party who have been brow beaten into submission?    This is the text  of an Email I sent to our Senators on April 4.  To date I have received a reply from four of them – Nancy Raine, Jane Cordy, David Wells, and  Grant Mitchell. The rest of them appear  to be sleeping soundly – or perhaps they have been drugged.

Dear Senators,

A long time ago John Lennon wrote a song to Paul McCartney about the break up of the
Beatles, the greatest rock band the world has ever known, entitled “How do you
sleep? I am not a song writer so I have to use prose and this is my question to you
– How do you sleep? The current government is systematically breaking down all of
the things that made Canada one of the greatest countries the world has ever known.
The latest and perhaps most insidious is the “Fair”  Elections Act.

Presumably you originally got into politics because you felt a calling to help other
people.  If you didn’t and you were just after money, a secure and highly lucrative
pension, power and influence, feel free to junk this Email (like many others you no
doubt have received) and go back to sleep.  However, if there is even the tiniest
shred of conscience and backbone left in you, it is time to wake up.  The Fair
Elections Act is anything but fair, and anyone with any kind of intelligence and
ability to think independently can see that it presents a real and present danger to
democracy in Canada.

It is time to stand up for Canada and oppose this truly horrible piece of
legislation by any means that you have.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Catherine Oliver

Supplemental- Read the Full Document Fair-Elections-Act   Learn more- Bing Search Fair-Elections-Act

 

Letter to the Silo- Netflix’ House of Cards is the best long form television I have seen

Changing the game.
Changing the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letters to the Silo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Silo,

Man I gotta thank you guys for the recommendation for House of Cards. I am hooked. I am into this shit.  This is some of the best long form television that I’ve seen and you know? Long form television is changing the game. This series! I mean shit you’ve got David Fincher and Joel Schumacher directing these television episodes. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright; holy shit you know? Not  to mention all the great people on HBO…I mean, long form television has…..there was a time when film actors wouldn’t dream of condescending to doing television and now long form television is the shit and this House of Cards shit is the shit. It is better than Homeland though I recommend The Newsroom although I don’t think it’s available on Netflix but The Newsroom is a helluva series. Wow.

*this letter to the Silo was transcribed from a reader Skype call we received. Skype us anytime We are: thesiloteam on Skype

Supplemental- Watch House of Cards [Free trial period if you sign up with Facebook] http://www.netflix.com/houseofcards

Long form television now being labeled “art” http://www.popmatters.com/review/176106-how-to-watch-television/

Sweet Greens Hagersville

Letter To The Silo: CBC Marketplace Sensationalized Veterinary Profession

Appearances can be deceiving- Dr. Pet Vet from Hilarious House of Frightenstein reached into US markets and Canada via the CBC in the 1970's. "The Hilarious House of Frightenstein was created in 1971 at the studios of CHCH Channel 11 in ... During its run, the show touched and influenced many people. ... “I grew up in Detroit where I could get in the CBC on channel 9. " frightenstein.com CP
Dear Silo,  A news broadcast by CBC Canada http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace tonight [October 4, 2013]  shined a negative light on the veterinary profession. The segment took a dog with a hidden camera to ten Toronto veterinarians to see what health recommendations were
suggested in the first check-up. According to the show’s host, the veterinarians all provided various recommendations that did not align. The host also “surveyed” the ten veterinarians asking them various questions about vaccinations, exams and medication. They made several anecdotal statements based on the ten veterinarians they questioned, calling the data “black and white.” Nothing is “black and white,”
as the report suggests.

Trupanion disagrees with the statements and overall accusations made against the veterinary profession in this news broadcast. This is not what we have seen in our 15 years of experience with veterinarians. We have hundreds of thousands of pet health claims that contradict this newscast and much evidence of the incredible value pet owners receive from the work done by veterinarians who have treated, healed and in some cases, saved their beloved pet.

CBC Marketplace compared the veterinarians’ recommendations to the opinions of an outspoken California-based researcher, who is a critic of vaccinations, and declared them facts. They surveyed and evaluated only ten veterinarians out of 12,500 currently in small animal practice in Canada. This is .08% of the general veterinarian population. The real story should be about the other 99.92% of the population, the veterinarians that serve nearly 10 million pets each year. We know them as an extremely honorable and trustworthy group of people. We expect there will
be an outrage from pet owners who have had generations of pets lovingly, competently and compassionately cared for by their family veterinarian, who charged only a fraction of what an MD would charge for the same procedures.  Veterinarians have long subsidized the high quality of care pets receive in North America and it is unfair for CBC to attack the most trusted professionals. The data cited is narrowly
constructed to advance a negative point of view.

The average salary of a veterinarian was $82,040 in May 2010 according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook<http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm>. The average debt of new veterinary graduates is $150,000 (JAVMA September 15, 2008). They use medicine and equipment that costs the same used in human medicine. Often acting as the ultimate safety net for the care of pets in disadvantaged circumstances, many discount their salaries and pull from their own wallets to pay those costs for their patients.

It’s disheartening to see this respected and trusted profession criticized through a sensationalized news story by the media that fails to display tangible evidence that back their statements. We support veterinarians across the world and stand by their practices as they continue to maintain the health and wellness of our four-legged family members. Darryl Rawlings, Trupanion CEO.

Supplemental– Who are Trupanion? http://trupanion.com/

Are these the 10 most expensive pets? http://www.meowoof.com.au/?p=1712