Don't be a Douchebag. Vote!

Yo! In case you couldn’t tell from the title, this is my MTV-esque rant about youth voting (note: for the purpose of this exercise, I will define youth as anyone under the age of 34. If this is you and you take offence to being referred to as youth, congratulations, you’re all grown up). You will notice I have very cleverly included the word “douchebag” to illustrate my irreverent attitude in an attempt to relate to my target audience.

If like me, you live in Ontario, you may be aware that we are in the midst of another “exciting” provincial election. If not, search “Voting Day: Ontario General Election” in Facebook. There is an event. It’s on October 10th. Click on “Maybe Attending”. Don’t be alarmed, that wasn’t voting… I’ll get to that part.






















Yes, that was Chuck Norris. No, it has nothing to do with voting. I just wanted to make sure you were still with me. I’ll try to include more pop-culture references as we go along to keep things fresh. Before I explain why this election is particularly important, let’s briefly review the reasons why YOU should vote:

- By not voting, you let other’s speak for you
- You can Rock the Vote
- It’s your right
- If you’re not voting, then who are you electing?
- Apathy is boring

There. I think I covered all the national nonpartisan coalitions. Next, let’s go over three universal truths about youth:

1.) Youth are lazy
2.) Youth are stupid
3.) Youth are complacent

With these three points in mind, I think it would also be helpful to look at a few statistics:

- According to the Elections Canada report on the 2004, 38th general election: Just over 38 per cent of voters aged 18-30 cast ballots..

- Turnout is declining in Canada not because experienced voters are dropping out of the system, but because potential new voters are not opting into the system.

- The main conclusion of (the Pammett-LeDuc) study is that the recent decline in voter turnout will likely continue, if left unaddressed.

- Many studies suggest that this current generation which is choosing to note vote will continue to not vote in the future – this behavior may not reverse itself when people get older – they will continue to not vote.

Source: Apathy is Boring

I know your attention span is extremely low so hopefully I’ve included enough lists and point-form information to keep you from going back to YouTube just yet. Please try to stick with me for a little while longer… Oh and by the way, the Meg White sex tape was a hoax. The simple fact of the matter is that our generation is not being properly represented in municipal, provincial, or federal elections and we are being ignored by politicians because of it. Your opinion matters, your voice should be heard, and your vote most definitely counts.

Let’s get back to the task at hand: the upcoming provincial general election. I alluded to earlier the fact that this is an especially significant election. This is because we will be casting our vote on two matters – one to decide on the next provincial government, the other to decide on the future of our electoral process. It sounds boring and it is boring but it is also important. Elections Ontario has put together a really bad but informative flash video explaining the latter here. To me, this new process makes a lot of sense. It’s not perfect but I think it does a lot to address the problems of the current system. Put it this way, if the proposed new system was used in the last two US elections, George Bush would not be the President. It’s not a perfect comparison but you get the point. The new process has to do more with the popular vote and less to do with the electoral districts. In other words, there will be less bullshit.

When I talk to my friends about voting, there are two common things I hear: “All politicians are lying scumbags, so why bother?” and “I don’t know enough about each party to make an informed decision.” The first may be true but let’s face it, one of the lying scumbags is going to be elected whether you like it or not so why not have your say in which lying scumbag it is? All scumbags are not created equal. The second point is just silly. It really doesn’t take long to figure out which party best represents your values. And since we’ve already agreed that you are lazy, I will provide you with all the information you will need to become informed… even empowered if you will…

First off, here are the links to the main contenders but take what you read with a grain of salt because it is mostly marketing and PR crap.

The Ontario PC Party
The Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
Green Party of Ontario

I’ve found the best source of information is (unfortunately) found in the mainstream media. Here are a few good resources for comparing each party’s platform:

Toronto Star
CTV Toronto
CBC
Globe and Mail
National Post

Hopefully you’ve now armed yourself with enough information to make an informed decision come October 10th. You should now be out of excuses except for one: “ I don't know where/how to vote?” Hold out your hand little one and come with me (don’t worry. I don’t have a big blue van with blacked-out windows):

I’ve been avoiding the law, creditors, ex-girlfriend, etc… Am I on the list?
Where do I vote?
Who are my local candidates?
What should I bring?
I’m confused and have more questions.

I hope that this has been helpful or at least made you think. We may not be able to change the world right away but we can make our voices be heard. It’s time they know we are paying attention and ready to stand up for what we believe in. I’m not being dramatic here. Your vote will make an impact and it is important to us all. It should be important to you. Come October 10th; think to yourself “what would John Stewart do?” In case you don’t know the answer… He would fucking vote.

Disclaimer: Voting in the upcoming provincial general election will not guarantee you immunity from being a douchebag; it will only help prevent it. If you are unsure of your status, please consult the directory.

Bored

It's early Monday evening and I'm so profoundly bored I can hardly stand to stay awake. In fact, I would probably go to sleep right now if I knew I wouldn't be wide awake by 3am. It's no secret that I need a hobby. I hate the word "hobby" because it reminds me of being hunched over a model train set in a musty basement at 2am with a miniature tree pressed between rusted tweezers but it is the most appropriate word for what I am seeking.

"Passion" sounds much sexier but isn't really accurate. I'm passionate about a lot of things, although I may not always show it (was a comma the correct punctuation for this sentence? Grammar is NOT one of my passions). But passion is different. Dictionary.com (I'm not linking that because I'm a tad anti-web2.0 at the moment) defines a hobby as "an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation." Yes, a hobby is just what I need. The fact that a hobby can't technically be a main occupation doesn't really concern me as an online media planner (there’s a reason you don’t know what that is).

So let’s recap: I know I need a hobby. I know I have interests. I know what a hobby entails. My occupation cannot, thankfully, qualify as a hobby. Now what? How does one find a hobby? I’ve tried many things in my 25 years of “life” but nothing has really stuck for one reason or another. Just to put things into context, I will bore you with a list of things off the top of my head that I have seriously attempted and/or took serious interest in:

Baseball
Football
Soccer
Volleyball
Gymnastics
Water Colours
Cross Stitch
Christianity
Anarchism
Army Cadets
Jazz Dance
Yoga
Ceramics
Basketball
Swimming
Piano
Organ
Electric Guitar
Acoustic Guitar
Bass Guitar
Classical Guitar
Trumpet
Baritone
Percussion
Electrical Engineering
HTML
Graphic Design
Swing Dancing
Warez
Hacking
Drug Dealing
Song Writing
Poetry
Painting
Creative Writing
Gemology
Recording Arts
Screenwriting
Model Building
Singing
DJing
Acting
Directing
Day Trading
Gambling
Track and Field
Remixing
Break Dancing
Public Speaking
Tennis
Weight Lifting
Jogging
Squash
Fashion Design
Collecting
Photography
Mould Making
Sky Diving
Politics
Blogging?

So, where do I go from here? I have tried just about everything I’ve ever had even the faintest interest in and yet I’m still not a hobbyist. I’m not even sure why I’m writing about this but it seemed like the only way to temporary cure my boredom, even if for just an hour. Maybe it’s perfectly natural and even healthy to try a bunch of different things without ever finding that one thing that sticks but I can’t help feeling like a bit of a quitter or eclectic at best. Maybe everybody has a similar list and our only purpose on earth is to experience as much as possible? If this is the case, I obviously have a lot more to do and better stop writing immediately and volunteer for the local taxidermist (do we even have a local taxidermist?)

I guess my point is that it might be satisfying to be able to focus on one or two things that really get me going… Something that makes me want to rush straight home after work and continue where I left off the night before. Yes, it’s fun and interesting to experience new things but what about mastering something, anything? That is something I’ve never been able to do and would really like try it. I’m not talking about mastering the art of the Jedi or even seduction for that matter; I just want to be really, really good at one thing… I’ll leave you on that note and go back to staring at the wall and smoking cigarettes. Is sleeping a hobby? I don’t really do that as an occupation…

Update: It seems I'm not the only one thinking about this.

Viral

i Heart Robots

Meet Dino's new friend Radar.

Top 10 Most Useful Facebook Applications

With over 3,500 Facebook applications already created by outside developers, I thought it would be helpful to share with you the very best and most useful of the bunch:

1.)
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5.)
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8.)
9.)
10.)

The New "Face" of Agent Provocateur

No Doubt, the good news story of the day comes by way of the Daily Mail who reports that Maggie Gyllenhaal is the "new face - and knockout body" of UK based lingerie company Agent Provocateur. I was going to attempt to justify this post with some bullshit commentary on the risks of brands relying on spokemodels in our celebrity obsessed culture (remember the Kate Moss incident?) or draw parallels to old Hollywood glamour but let's be honest; I just wanted to share these fantastic shots of my favourite Gyllenhaal. After all, posting pictures of hot chicks on your blog is the new taping up pictures of hot chicks on your closet door.

Bob Garfield Needs to Get Laid!

Let me preface this post by first saying that I respect Bob Garfield and normally find his opinions both objective and spot-on. On this particular occasion however, I have to respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree. The following is in response to his review of the new commercial for the Heineken DraughtKeg.

I can only imagine the pressure a television commercial critic of such influence must face on a daily basis but come on Bob, lighten up! This commercial is sexy, stylish and cool. It caught and kept my attention from the first frame and left me with the same feeling any good work of art, design, or fashion would. I didn’t find it particularly provocative, sexist or insulting to women. Mind you, I am part of the target demographic. We are generally jaded and desensitized to things such as sex and violence on television. It’s an unfortunate side-effect of being raised on MTV and the Die Hard franchise.

You are a good writer sir. Unfortunately this review reads more like an article in the New Yorker than a review of a beer commercial. Do we really need to take our industry so seriously? Yes, sex sells and may not be the most responsible way for a brand to do business but so do sensational headlines like say, “The Most Sexist Beer Commercial Ever Produced?” Like, ever ever produced?

It doesn’t stop there. The review goes on to accuse the Heineken spot of comparing the human female uterus to the DraughtKeg and spout to umbilicus cord. I’m speechless. Mr. Garfield is a great asset to our industry but I think it may be time to take a step back. It is only advertising after all.

Am I being insensitive and completely naïve? You decide. It may not make me drink Heineken but I liked this ad and it got my attention. Plus, who wouldn’t want a smoking hot cyborg chick with a keg as a womb and tap at the end of her umbilicus cord? After all, I’m only 25 – I’m not thinking about starting a family… All I want is sex and beer!

I apologize for the slight personal attack in the title. I have no knowledge of Mr. Garfield’s sex life or lack thereof and have no place commenting on it. It is rude and unfair but might just make a few more people read this post.

LOL Flow Charts

A funny thing happened on Friday - One Five Place daily traffic increased 400% all because my silly Amy Winehouse Flowchart got linked to by Boing Boing. To mark the occasion, I thought it would be appropriate to mashup my two favourite Internet memes:

Are you Amy Winehouse?... A Flow Chart

In the spirit of the current Internet trend of creating pointless flow charts, I've decided to make my own:

Only You Can Prevent Becoming the Office Idiot

I haven’t blogged about work in a while because it is mostly uninteresting and there’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said. I don’t claim to be an expert but have picked up a few things along the way. That being said, I would like to share a few pointers that once mastered, will benefit your clients, your co-workers, and yourself.

1.) If you don’t care about your job, don’t bother showing up. This is a biggie. You can’t understand how frustrating it is for everyone around you to get things done when you are constantly complaining and dropping the ball. Like it or not, you are part of a team – part of a bigger picture. Not only does your negativity bring down the rest of the office but your total lack of interest makes the rest of our work twice as difficult. I understand that your job may be cushy or has put you in a position of near invincibility, but PLEASE do us a favor and move on. Have enough respect for yourself to not become the office cancer.

2.) Be nice. This is the easiest and single most important thing you can do. Nobody likes working with an asshole so don’t be one. It really doesn’t matter how good you are or think you are at your job; people will avoid you at all costs if you constantly act like an idiot. Trust me. People are talking about you behind your back. You may think your “edge” or “intensity” has helped you get to where you are but I assure you it hasn’t. And by some chance it has, don’t expect to stay there. Why not try smiling once in a while or offering to help somebody new with the fax machine. Hell, try saying “good morning” some day. It doesn’t take much. Your attitude doesn’t impress anyone and frankly, your mother would be ashamed.

3.) If you don’t understand something, don’t pretend that you do. Some people may tell you the opposite is true only because they haven’t yet been burned. You will look a lot worse when your client calls you on one of your little white lies then simply saying “you don’t know but will find out.” The worst thing you can do is hide something from your client because you will eventually be caught. What’s worse – telling your client you don’t know something or breaking their trust? That was rhetorical by the way.

4.) Don’t be a “yes man”. Your boss may like you bent over his desk but nobody else wants to see that. This is especially true to management in dealing with clients. I can’t tell you how many times I have been sitting in a meeting listening to a uninformed manager tell the client “no problem” or “of course it’s possible” only to have to tell them in the cab rid home that it is impossible or completely out of scope. I understand you want to make the client happy but it’s ok to say “no” or even “we’ll follow up with options in a couple of days”. This also goes back to the previous point – if you don’t completely understand the nature of the request don’t give a definite answer until you do. Please ask the person who will be responsible for doing the task before giving an answer. This may make for some tension in the meeting but will pay off in the end when you don’t have to go back with your tail between your legs and politely as possible state that it’s not actually possible and you’re very sorry.

5.) Just because you don’t understand, care, and/or agree with something, doesn’t make it wrong. This is an especially important point for me as someone working in new media. I’m constantly faced with the challenge of selling through an idea to someone who really doesn’t “get it” nor try to. As much as you don’t want to acknowledge it, the media landscape is facing its biggest shift since the introduction of television and if you don’t eventually embrace it, you will be left behind. New is not necessarily bad. It’s just different and may require a little more work. Deal with it.

I could go on for hours but I’m starting to even annoy myself. Let’s just all try to remember that there are simple things you can do that will make life easier for everyone around you and will greatly benefit you in the end. Oh, and please remember to wash your hands after taking a piss. Thank you.

Awesome graphic via Threadless.

M.I.A.

If you're reading this (who starts a sentence with "if you're reading this? You obviously are...), I bet you are thinking one of three things:

1) Who the hell is Jason Verwey?
2) Why does Jason Verwey have a blog and why should I care? What a geek.
3) I love Jason Verwey and miss reading about his views on life, culture, advertising and everything in between. Where has he been for the last three months?

If you answered questions 1 or 2, keep coming back and you will find out. I can't guarantee if you will like me or have any interest in what I have to say but I guarantee it will be honest and possibly even entertaining. If your answer was number 3, I thought it would be easiest just to show you:



















Although I've been very busy this summer working, playing, partying, and exploring, I mostly blame my absence on Facebook and Twitter. It was through battling these addictions, that I discovered the strengths and limitations of each and finally figured out how to best use each platform in combination with this blog (for the time anyway). That being said, I hope you will continue to stop by One Five Place once and while and encourage you to take part in the conversation.

Introducing: The Boomcase!

How cool is this briefcase from "maverick" design team Epidemik Coalition? I would love to bust this out in a meeting!

























They also have a great online store for their designs.. like this "I crunk Atlanta" t-shirt... hot!

A Message to You Rudy....

Found this classic performance from The Specials while surfing Heavy today. Check it out... You'll love it!

Rock Posters

Whether you're a music fan or just appreciate good design, check out this great collection of concert posters from Redbird Posters. Prices are reasonable and they ship to Canada. Find anything from The Tragically Hip to Bright Eyes. Very cool!

Facebook News...

Big facebook news today... The New York Times reports that facebook is set to launch a free classified service called "Marketplace". As if daily newspapers weren't in enough trouble! Read more here. I'm stoked!