I have recently gone through another series of changes, and I am in a space where writing regularly about my life my thoughts and my activities is something which will once again entertain me. I used to keep a public online diary, but I haven't updated it properly for about 4 years now. Until I once again get bored of doing this (and I will, without doubt, because that is how I work), I plan on making this blog my public online diary.
SO, if you are one of my subscribers, and you don't feel like getting emailed everytime I want to write about my favourite song of the moment, or 'what I did today' etc, then please, just unsubscribe to this feed.
I hope at least half of my posts will be more meaningful than that - the main reason I want to start doing this again is because I have a lot of complicated and interesting thoughts streaming through my head atm and I need to get them out, rationalise them a bit and hopefully sort them out more thoroughly by writing them.
Anyway, I'll write the few ideas that I wast to get out to start this all off with over a few separate posts after this one...
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Everyone Hates Ads
And everyone hates giant corporations manipulating them into buying things they don't want - but surely everyone likes finding things that make their life easier, more pleasurable, or more entertaining?
This topic crossed my mind recently and I have been mulling it over for a while now - the difference between 'Marketing', 'Advertising' and the modern version of 'internet marketing' vs the future of internet marketing.
In general people think of marketing and advertising as the same thing, and I doubt anyone (not in the industry or studying it in any meaningful way) before now has bothered to seek out a difference between them and internet marketing, and so in general when people talk about their hatred of ads, they apply the hatred very generally, without any remorse for one particular version over the other...
And if there is any doubt that people hate marketing and advertising, take a quick moment to watch this classic bit of 'comedy' by Bill Hicks:
I don't want to get too caught up on strict definitions, so humour me here for a moment while I distinguish between marketing and traditional advertising. I think advertising is a blanket attempt to show your product or service to as many people as possible in the hopes that at least some of them are in the market place for your product or service, or they know someone else who is. While I think Marketing is a blanket attempt to create mental and emotional associations in the public mind about the brand being marketed - marketing has no regard for need, it is all about creating a desire.
So for instance, John Smith's Compensation Lawyers will run a billboard advertisement in the hopes that someone who needs a compensation lawyer will see the ad, and decide to go with them, while Coca Cola runs a TV ad showing how much fun people have while drinking coke. The first AD informs the public about a service being offered, while the second 'Ad' (marketing) doesn't care whether the people are thirsty or not, it simply attempts to create desires in the publics mindset, so that when the conditions are met, the decision process is decided by the mental associations, not by any rational thought process (like hydration capabilities...)
Maybe that distinction isn't as real as I imagine, but that really isn't what I am interested in. IN fact, it probably has no relevance at all to what I am interested in, so I will end this post here, and start again, and hopefully get a better post next time!
This topic crossed my mind recently and I have been mulling it over for a while now - the difference between 'Marketing', 'Advertising' and the modern version of 'internet marketing' vs the future of internet marketing.
In general people think of marketing and advertising as the same thing, and I doubt anyone (not in the industry or studying it in any meaningful way) before now has bothered to seek out a difference between them and internet marketing, and so in general when people talk about their hatred of ads, they apply the hatred very generally, without any remorse for one particular version over the other...
And if there is any doubt that people hate marketing and advertising, take a quick moment to watch this classic bit of 'comedy' by Bill Hicks:
I don't want to get too caught up on strict definitions, so humour me here for a moment while I distinguish between marketing and traditional advertising. I think advertising is a blanket attempt to show your product or service to as many people as possible in the hopes that at least some of them are in the market place for your product or service, or they know someone else who is. While I think Marketing is a blanket attempt to create mental and emotional associations in the public mind about the brand being marketed - marketing has no regard for need, it is all about creating a desire.
So for instance, John Smith's Compensation Lawyers will run a billboard advertisement in the hopes that someone who needs a compensation lawyer will see the ad, and decide to go with them, while Coca Cola runs a TV ad showing how much fun people have while drinking coke. The first AD informs the public about a service being offered, while the second 'Ad' (marketing) doesn't care whether the people are thirsty or not, it simply attempts to create desires in the publics mindset, so that when the conditions are met, the decision process is decided by the mental associations, not by any rational thought process (like hydration capabilities...)
Maybe that distinction isn't as real as I imagine, but that really isn't what I am interested in. IN fact, it probably has no relevance at all to what I am interested in, so I will end this post here, and start again, and hopefully get a better post next time!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Best Ron Paul Q&A
I have been following Ron Paul in the US elections for a while now and watching quite a lot of videos from his channel and through searches on youtube. This video was only added a few days ago and it is by far the best example of real people asking real questions and getting real answers.
Watching Ron Paul and how the american elections run, I am really impressed. What is most disappointing is that it is still unlikely that he will win. In other words, it seems like the US has this great 'showboat' system, where their process looks really really good....but the results are still incredibly mediocre.
Anyway, if you know nothing about Ron Paul, then please watch this. Inspirational politics. It is making me want to get into politics.
Watching Ron Paul and how the american elections run, I am really impressed. What is most disappointing is that it is still unlikely that he will win. In other words, it seems like the US has this great 'showboat' system, where their process looks really really good....but the results are still incredibly mediocre.
Anyway, if you know nothing about Ron Paul, then please watch this. Inspirational politics. It is making me want to get into politics.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Claustral Canyon
I recently posted the trip report and video from our trip through Claustral Canyon on TDMSKP. I'm really happy with the video, and I would be really happy if everyone could rate and favourite it for me! It has already got two honours for being most favourited and rated (but only second page) this week, so if there are a few more, then hopefully we can drive it onto the front page (of most favourited and rated this week)!
Oh an of course, digg, stumble and delicious etc would really help too! :)
Claustral Canyon Trip Report and Video
Oh an of course, digg, stumble and delicious etc would really help too! :)
Claustral Canyon Trip Report and Video
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Scam Compensation!
I'm so happy! After all this time, all of those emails requesting my name and bank details so that I could be 'benefacted' several million dollars, or because I had won the Euro-Online-Special-Puppies and Kittens-Lottery, or because I helped someone all those years ago (whos name I just can't quite place...) - But they were all Scams! Did you know that? Bunch of scammers! All that money....gone...*sob*
But it's OK now! I just got an email which will rectify all past scams! It is from the "Nigerian Security Department" More importantly than that, the opening to the email reads:
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA/
NIGERIAN SECURITY DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA.
Can you get any more official than that? No way can that be faked.
It goes on to say:
"Attention Beneficiary,
This to acknowledge you that your contact information was found among the list of foreigner that have been scammed by Nigerian Fraudster. It might interest you to know that we have signed an agreement with your COUNTRY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT during our first meeting last month with our PRESIDENT Commander In-Chief Federal Republic of Nigeria,ALHAJI UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA and the AUTHORITIES to fight against this and to return all contract funds that has been stolen and people who has been scammed too."
Finally, someone in Nigeria is doing something to combat these evil scammers. It must be legit, otherwise how could they know that I was scammed? Well, they have convinced me.
now where are my bank details?....
But it's OK now! I just got an email which will rectify all past scams! It is from the "Nigerian Security Department" More importantly than that, the opening to the email reads:
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA/
NIGERIAN SECURITY DEPARTMENT
FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA.
Can you get any more official than that? No way can that be faked.
It goes on to say:
"Attention Beneficiary,
This to acknowledge you that your contact information was found among the list of foreigner that have been scammed by Nigerian Fraudster. It might interest you to know that we have signed an agreement with your COUNTRY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT during our first meeting last month with our PRESIDENT Commander In-Chief Federal Republic of Nigeria,ALHAJI UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA and the AUTHORITIES to fight against this and to return all contract funds that has been stolen and people who has been scammed too."
Finally, someone in Nigeria is doing something to combat these evil scammers. It must be legit, otherwise how could they know that I was scammed? Well, they have convinced me.
now where are my bank details?....
Friday, November 16, 2007
TDMSKP Progress
My latest website, TDMSKP.com.au is coming along very nicely now. I am actually very happy with the progress I have made with it. A few more tweaks and I will be happy enough with what is there (there are always super tweaks which I would love to implement but which are beyond my coding capabilities), and then the real challenge will be to bring in the people.
As TDMSKP is half wiki-guide, and half forum based community (and half trip reports), most of the content on the site is dependent on user interactions and additions. So now is the gargantuan task of bringing in enough people so that some of them add to the site, as well as working on the site full time myself to grow the content as much as I can.
As TDMSKP is half wiki-guide, and half forum based community (and half trip reports), most of the content on the site is dependent on user interactions and additions. So now is the gargantuan task of bringing in enough people so that some of them add to the site, as well as working on the site full time myself to grow the content as much as I can.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
TDM SKP
I've started to make the first moves on yet another website. This one I am very excited about. http://www.tdmskp.com.au is the URL I have for it, and the website will be called TDM SKP (Tedium Escapee) and I aim to make it the number one resource for outdoor sports information in Australia. I'm starting with canyoning, but it will grow from there.
I will be canyoning pretty much every week over summer, filming and photographing the canyons around sydney. The website will have a blog with trip reports, video footage from each canyon, and then a wiki guidebook where users can edit and over time we will hopefully have a complete guide for every outdoor sports venue - track in Australia.
There will also be a forum where the community can get together and chat about whatever, ask questions about safety etc, as well as find groups to join and go adventuring with.
It shall be fun.
I will be canyoning pretty much every week over summer, filming and photographing the canyons around sydney. The website will have a blog with trip reports, video footage from each canyon, and then a wiki guidebook where users can edit and over time we will hopefully have a complete guide for every outdoor sports venue - track in Australia.
There will also be a forum where the community can get together and chat about whatever, ask questions about safety etc, as well as find groups to join and go adventuring with.
It shall be fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
