Ten favourite bookmarks from 2010

My bookmarks folder contains everything from interesting articles, to things I'm looking to buy, to awesome Flickr pages, cool Youtube videos, and so on. Yesterday, I decided to go back on the 100+ links I had bookmarked this year, just to clean it up. There were a lot of interesting ones, so here are ten bookmarks from 2010 that you may find entertaining (in no particular order):

1) Busty Hookers

Who can forget the phrase "busty hookers" so innocently coined in this Toronto Star article earlier in the year by Kevin Donovan. It immediately became a trending topic on Twitter, and the jokes kept going on throughout the day (including up in Parliament Hill!). Some included Rick Mercer, who tweeted: "Heading to dinner, good friends but alas no #bustyhookers".

For the original story: Former MP Rahim Jaffer connected to alleged conman

2) Parisian Love

French girls are great, but that's not the point. If I were to tell you to create a 1-minute commercial on Yahoo's search engine, what would you think of? This was a creative way to advertise Google. It was simple, funny, and well thought-out. It basically outlined that you can do anything on Google. So true. Definitely a favourite from Super Bowl XLIV.

3) 10 Ways to be a marketing genius like Lady Gaga

Another great link I picked up from Twitter.

4) Get a life: What's your 20% project?

Everybody is going through a degree in your field, whatever that may be. Like you, they are all taking the same course XYZ which is a pre-requisite to the same course ZYX. Forget resume differential, I think your "20%" is an excellent way to just get out there and experience all of the cool things in life. It's one of those things to do just because.

Article: Get a Life: What’s Your 20% Project?

Photo Source: Zach Hilder's blog: http://deathfrom.blogspot.com/

5) #predictingkanyetweets

When Kanye West opened up a Twitter account earlier this year, a worldwide trending topic broke out called "#predictingkanyetweets". Basically, it was what everyone thought he would tweet - a lot of it was hilarious. My prediction would've have been "I told her to drive over in your new whip...". I still laugh at that. Anyways, this link to the New York Magazine was actually tweeted by Kanye himself - agreeing to how accurate these Kanye tweets would be. I'd say they're pretty accurate!

Click to view slide show.

Here are a couple of his actual tweets:

What would I do if I didn't follow @kanyewest?

6) Tech Help call line: "My internet disappeared"

So this is what a person sounds like when he/she innocently steals internet wi-fi...

7) Curling: We all thought about it...

Anybody who denies thinking about taking up curling while watching Canada (and the stylish Norway team) during the Olympics are not telling the truth! However, skimming this image was the furthest I got (well, then bookmarking it afterwards).

8) Bruce Testones: Fashion Photographer

A couple of months ago, I was on Youtube watching photography videos hoping to see photographers in action (it's one of the ways I learn). I started off with "fashion photography" and came across this video. As douchebaggery as this character portrayed by Joe Rogan is, it's still oh-so funny.

9) Mostly Lisa's DSLR setup is the type of stuff I dream about

While cruising her website (heard about her through the TWiP podcast - one of my favourites), I came across this video setup she was using to make her videos. Canon 5DMKII. 16-35mm f/2.8. Rode mic. Lite panels. Sign me up.

10) Brian Williams' 'Thank you' note

Last but not least, one of the best pieces after the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics: anchor of the Daily Nightly on NBC - Brian Williams, left a thank you note. Best Olympics ever.

Photo Source: NBC.com

Thank you for reading. Until next time...
@Trung_Ho

Five tips for attending a LIGHTS concert

Photo taken at MTV Live.

About a month ago, I went to the Lights concert at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. This was sort of the first Lights concert I've ever been to (I've seen her perform live before, just not in a concert). Here are five tips for any Lights fans out there:

1) If the venue is designed to be a seated concert, and you can't really picture a concert with the performer to be a seated one, then it's probably not!

Just the case with Lights. When I bought my ticket and read Row: A, Seat: 23 - I thought to myself, "Sweet", but then quickly asked myself, "Wait, how exactly will a seated Lights concert work?" I was right. It's almost like when you're playing Age of Empires and both sides have their army ready to attack - just waiting for the truce period to end. 3-2-1, RUSH! The entire audience somehow finds a way to cram into the non-seated areas at the front stage. So get ready to dash!

2) Sharpen your elbows, show off your boxing out skills (if you play basketball).

Concert with adults or high school kids - don't be afraid to push, because if you don't push, you'll get pushed! No, that didn't happen to me *wandering eyes*.

3) Being in the front gives you an amazing view and experience. What goes on behind you is a different story.

If you've made it to the front stage (I did for the opening by Michou), expect complete strangers to climb on your back the entire time. Apparently, being one inch closer to the performer makes a huge difference.

4) Don't hesitate to sneak in your DSLR.

I was worried that security would not let me in with my Canon T1i - what I usually do photos and videos with, however, they didn't care as I saw a couple other kids with DSLRs during the concert. I brought my Sony P&S, with low battery, and didn't get the photo/video content that I wanted to. It's a little disappointing, but on the bright side I spent way more time looking at Lights than looking at my camera :). In any case, just a quick photography tip: you will get much better shots if you are not in the frenzy up near the front stage. Enjoy the concert a little in the front, but get out soon as you'll get some pretty cool shots from further away at different vantage points.

5) Go with someone else!

The truth is, I don't have many friends that listen to Lights (sadly), so when I came across Lights early bird tickets in early October, I quickly ordered them thinking they would sell out like hot cakes. However, what I should have done was buy a few and find friends who would go after. Nothing sucks more than waiting 45 minutes for a concert to start with nothing to do - since it was mostly high school kids there, I felt like one of those kids who sat alone in the cafeteria during lunch! The fact that my cell phone was probably made in the 90s (exaggerating), didn't help either.

6) (Bonus tip?) Bring a recording device.

Whether it's the Zoom H4n or a simple recorder, it's nice to listen to the concert again later on (pretty much like a live concert CD). In this case, if you hope to film/record without the fans overriding her voice, find a spot next the the speakers/amps. If the folks in the back don't mind, try wiring up your H4n to their sound equipment to get clean sound.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy this little summary video (recorded with my Sony point-and-shoot). See you at the next LIGHTS concert?

Songs in the video: Second Go, Lions!, Ice, Quiet, Romance Is...

A nickel for your thoughts - The Canadian Penny no more

In today's world of debit and credit cards, fishing for pennies in your pocket has become a lost art. Last week, the Canadian Senate finance committee recommended that the Canadian Penny be eliminated within twelve months, describing the 102 year-old coin as "useless", "expensive", and "inconvenient".

Sure it may make economical sense (apparently, it costs 1.5 cents to produce one penny), but why does everything in today's world need to be measured using monetary value as a metric? Doesn't sentimental value weigh in anymore? With governments favouring cashless technology, just take one second to think about future newspaper headlines if this pattern continued: "Nickelgone - the coin and the band gone for everyone's sake, Dime is running out, Loonies: It was a looney idea to began with, Say goodbye to coins for good - farewell toonie". Just think about this tragedy (well, maybe not the Nickelback part).

What happened at the Winter Olympics? Did they bury a Mastercard under center ice? A smart card? An iTunes gift card? No! They buried a loonie - a lucky loonie. What starts up (or ends) the most anticipated sports event of the year? The coin toss at the Superbowl. Come to think about it, I've never seen anybody toss his/her debit card into a wishing fountain either.

Perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe economic sense does take precedence in this case. After all, the penny has lost 95% of its purchasing power since 1908, and in today's world, even thoughts don't cost a penny anymore.

I'd like to think they still do anyways.

One more day...

It has been awhile since my last blog post hasn't it?

Well, this particular post was not only inspired by the sudden rush of snow that came down half an hour ago in the GTA, but it was also inspired by a resolution to start blogging more! Much more. Twice a week perhaps? That's a big step from five posts a year, but it will happen! Also, around this time tomorrow, I'll be wrapping up my last exam - Investment Analysis II, which deals with mostly options and futures! We get to draw trees, look at different investment strategies, and use fancy formulas called the Black-Scholes Model.

Now I just made this course sound much more exciting than it really is.