I’m sure we’ve all seen the video by now.  A cocky teenager being called by his coach and father to attack, it was an attack, a goalie on the opposite end of the rink who could not defend himself.  He was probably just as shocked as we all were by what was happening.  Count them: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, tweleve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen(!) punches before the punk skates away giving the cheering and jeering crowd the middle finger. 

I know I am an idealist.  I believe that sports should be, above all, fun.  And I also understand and appreciate the fact that fighting is part of hockey.  I too, I admit, stand up and cheer at games when two guys get into it.  I get it.  But this was different.  This was an attack.  Assault.  It wasn’t instigated; unless you count being down 7-1 justification for brutality.  The other goalie, Bobby Nadeau, had his helment ripped off his head and was pummelled to the ground.  Because he was better.  Better than Patrick Roy’s prodigal son, Jonathan. 

Patrick Roy is a role model for young hockey fans everywhere.  Canadian hockey players come as close to having “Hollywood celebrity status” than most Canadian actors and he was treated no different.  Now, he has been given a five-game suspension by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and his son has received a seven-game suspension and a $500 fine.  The Quebec Justice Department is also looking into the matter. (http://http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iDGwvGNXQcUkhYP2ouPvoTnq5NFw.) 

What do you think? Should fighting be completely banned from hockey? Or is it a fun part of the game if done smartly and responsibily?  Take a look at the video and then decide:

For me, spring is about fresh starts, new beginnings, and this year, starting my first internship in the world of magazine publishing.  At the beginning of this internship process, I was trying with all my might to find an internship at a huge, glossy, consumer magazine.  I wanted fashion, glitz, celebrity, and glamour.  After months of sending out resumes which were mainly ignored by my favourite magazines, I gave up and seeked an alternative.  What I found was Redwood Custom Publishing, one of the largest custom publishers in Toronto, and thankfully they offered me a 6-week internship.

As excited as I am to become a temporary “Redwoodie,” I am also a little nervous as I don’t feel completely confident about custom publishing and treading the fine line between advertising and the actual “branded content” of the magazine.  According to a Custom Publishing Council study, “customized content is growing at a faster rate than traditional media” and this is due to “higher spending by corporate America,  a surge in high-revenue businesses, and a consistent move from the newsletter format to the magazine format.”  (http://(http://www.pubexec.com/story/story.bspsid=53715&var=story &publication=Publishing%20Executive&publicationDate=4/27/07&slug=PEINBOX4_042707&category =Managemen t§ion=Unknown&page=1) )  So, corporations then are looking to entice and draw more consumers through the trusted medium of the magazine.  They can deliver information to customers about their products and, without hiding the fact that the magazine is primarily an advertisement for their products/services, they try to create editorial content around it.  The hope then, is to help customers feel closer to the company and create brand loyalty. 

According to the Custom Publishing Council, “custom publishing marries the marketing ambitions of a company with the information needs of its target audience. This occurs through the delivery of editorial content– via print, Internet, and other media – so intrinsically valuable that it moves the recipient’s behavior in a desired direction.”

Are custom publishers duping their readers?  Is it all manipulation?  All a ploy to disguise branding within editorial content?

I will argue not.  Custom publishing makes no bones about the fact that it is advertising a company’s product or service.  Why not offer customers a high quality magazine as an incentive or reward for the purchase or use of a product/service? 

What do you think? Is it manipulation? Or a savvy marketing technique?  A great way to create brand loyalty and inform readers about your products?

My boyfriend’s awesome band Fourthwall is currently in a competition to open for the Sam Roberts Band! In order to qualify, they need to come in the Top 5 in Canada. The contest closes tomorrow night and they are currently in 6th place so they just need a few more votes to qualify! Just follow the link below, click Listen and Vote, click Top Votes, find the picture that says Fourthwall, and just put your email in and submit your vote!

http://www.mazdamusiktour.com/en/index.php

Thanks guys!

Here’s a video of Fourthwall’s show at the Opera House last year:

Do you feel like your house is closing in on you?  Are you and your family drowning in boxes of keepsakes, old books, clothes, and furniture that no longer works in your home?  Let someone else become the proud owner of your old treasures by getting rid of unused personal belongings. Stephanie Dimopolous, an interior designer follows the motto that, “If I haven’t used it in a year, it’s gone!” when deciding what to keep and what to get rid of.

Spring is the perfect time of year to start letting go of old or unused items and host your own garage sale. Generate hype and talk to your neighbours to see if you can organize a group neighbourhood garage sale.  Just place an ad in the paper and expect a great turn out, and turnover!

Stephanie is one of many who believe that “there’s a buyer for everything.” Why not try placing an ad in the classifieds of your local newspapers? Bargain shoppers are always looking for used items and a great deal. Also, post your items online using a popular source like Craig’s List.

There are several places that will take your unwanted things, like local second hand and thrift stores. Bring your items to Value Village during their regular drop off hours. They accept a variety of goods like clothing, housewares, small electrical items, books, furniture, televisions, and much more. Visit their website or, go directly to your neighbourhood store located at 2119 Danforth Avenue.

When clearing out your space, you will most likely still end up with a pile of items you just cannot part with.  You can easily hide the clutter by finding great pieces that will help organize your home and make the space feel larger and more open. 

Visit some of these great stores on or around the Danforth for some great storage ideas as well as home furnishings:

• Bullet – 239 Danforth Avenue, 416.603.0009
• Moss – 544 Danforth Avenue, 416.462.9898
• IQ Living – 542 Danforth Avenue, 416.466.2727
• Ten Thousand Villages- 362 Danforth Ave, 416.462.9779
• Pottery Barn- 100 Bloor St. West, 416.962.2276.  Online ordering available.
• Ikea- Online ordering available.

When shopping keep in minds these items which will help you organize and expand your space!

 Decorative boxes. Hide away miscellaneous items that never seem to have a home.

Ikea, $3.99 each

 Storage bins for under your bed. A great place to keep your out-of-season wardrobe and make room in your closet.

Ikea, $14.99

 Shoe racks that hang on doors. Keep your collection of tootsies in one place without having them clutter your entire floor space.

Ikea, $15.99

 Table Trays to keep everything on your coffee table in one contained place.

Ten Thousand Villages, $45

 Mirrors and other reflective pieces which make small rooms feel larger.

IQ Living, $120

 Pot Racks, utensil containers, and wall-mounted spice racks in the kitchen to keep the clutter off the counter and stay organized.

IQ Living, $34.99

Here’s a great Clutter Busters video about how you can organize and de-clutter your closet:

I’d love to know what you think… 

Are you drowning in clutter? 

How do you de-clutter your home?

Do you have any tips to organize and expand your space?

1) TORONTO LIFE

    Upon examination of the Toronto Life magazine’s website, it seems as though they are a web2.0 magazine however this was not immediately obvious when I first entered the site.  On their home page, the only mention of anything web2.0 related is the headline for their blog which has some responses from their last issue’s feature article about the government wasting tax dollars.  Once I selected the main feature article, the web2.0 features were not prominent on the page but I had to search for them.  The links for Facebook, Digg, Delicious and the email for the magazine were at the bottom of the article so readers may not realize they are there unless they scroll down to the bottom of the page (below the point where they click to get to the next page of the article).  Somewhat proving that many people may miss the links, when I clicked to see who has commented on the feature article, I found that not a single person had.  While this may not completely be because of the hidden features, it may have something to do with the lack of comments on the article.  The online magazine also did not have any video links that I could easily access, nor were their any RSS feeds or podcasts; all of which would have helped the magazine achieve its 2.0 status. 

            Overall, Toronto Life online did not have a strong web2.0 presence.  Although it did ask readers to make comments on their stories, upon my calculations very few had and this may be due to the fact that the links are hidden below the articles.  The blog, however, is highlighted on the home page, however, again, there were very few comments posted.  Toronto Life’s seeming hesitant attitude to web2.0 features may be due to their readership which tends to be older, more affluent Torontonians who may still be clinging to web1.0 and not ready yet to try these new features.   

2)   CHATELAINE                                                    

       Chatelaine magazine also has a heavy web2.0 presence.  They have a “Fresh Living” blog where the author posts recipes, photos and videos of her making the dish.  Readers are also encouraged to comment on the blog as well as on the on-line forum which has its own link at the top of the home page.  The forum section also has a place where readers can submit photos and sign up for the Chatelaine newsletter, again, ensuring readers are in constant connection with the magazine. The website also has a “Chatelaine TV” section where videos are streamed on a variety of topics: fashion, backstage, beauty, food and health.  Readers can also stream music from the site which they can listen to while online.  Readers are also able to order merchandise on-line as there are links to The Shopping Channel from the magazine’s website.  The magazine also has an RSS feed, another web2.0 feature to ensure readers stay up to date on the magazine.  The magazine also has a Delicious link, email link, Facebook link and a Digg, however, like Toronto Life on-line magazine, they are located at the bottom of the article, however, they are more prominent on this website than Toronto Life. 

3) TIME MAGAZINE

    Although Time Magazine seems to have the same target reader as Toronto Life, it has prominently incorporated web2.0 features throughout its online magazine.  The magazine has a separate blog section (with over 10 blogs) that is linked to from the home page.  Also linked from the main page is the “multimedia” section of the online magazine which includes photographs, graphics, podcasts and video RSS feeds.  Readers can get TIME newsletters sent to their email or any mobile device thus ensuring readers are constantly connected to TIME magazine.  Also when you click on one of the articles, the links to the networking sites are right beside the headline so readers can quickly bookmark the site, comment on the article or tell their friends about it. 

            TIME magazine online then, is able to appease their existing readership by offering them enhanced features should they decide to use them.  More importantly though, TIME magazine online may be able to entice new readers to read their magazine through their web2.0 features which facilitate collaboration and the sharing of information among readers.  They might be able to raise the number of younger readers who are more accustomed (or willing to try) these new features, which in turn will improve the amount of advertising dollars they make. 

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