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Yes, that’s right! You can now call me Mark of the Yukon. My family and I have officially made the move to the great white north – Whitehorse, Yukon. We flew into town on Monday. Some have called us crazy, why move there. The winters are long, cold and dark. Indeed this is true, but the summers are long, warm and light. The longest days in the country. The land of extremes if you will.

We  currently reside in Porter Creek, a lovely community just north of the downtown core. It’s our temporary home for the next 3-weeks while we find a more permanent location. The housing market is very tight right now and homes are snapped up very fast. While the search continues, we are making ourselves ready for the coming week. Schools, childcare and work. It’s an adventure!! That’s what I tell my friends and family.

Camera Phone Lenses
The iPhone 4 might well be the best camera phone ever made, but even it can’t overcome the physical limitations of its built-in lens. Or can it? Camera Phone Lenses ($20-$40USD) attach to it or any other camera-equipped phone via an included magnetic ring, giving you wide angle/macro or fisheye capabilities that go well beyond your average fixed lens. Your DSLR will be jealous.

Description:
It’s hard to believe you were that Snobby McSnobberson of yore. You were dedicated to film 100%, cringing at the “D” in DSLR and the mere thought of shooting in JPEG. But then. iPhone happened. It was the readiness with which you could whip out this camera that made you fall in love. Yes, it had you at hello, and now your only wish is to bathe your beloved with lavish accessories. Well, your wish is granted! These high-clarity glass cell phone lenses are like pro lenses for your camera-phone, giving you crisp and clear shots every time. The two small yet powerful and finely constructed lenses, one fisheye and one combo wide-angle/macro, attach to your cell phone transforming your standard flat phone photos into wide and up-close wonders.

They work with any camera phone and attaching them is easy breezy! A detachable magnetic ring sticks to your cell, providing a sturdy, shake-free hold between the lens and your phone. Go with the combo wide-angle/macro lens for capturing sweet crowd shots at concerts or that awesome ally-way mural. When the same lens is set as a macro, you can really get in there to shoot a super-close-up detail! Meanwhile, the fisheye creates fun-tastic curved edges with its 180 degree angle whilst making everyone look like they live in a plastic bubble! Facebook camera-phone album, get ready for pics like you’ve never seen before.

Order online today!

Specs:
•    Detachable magnetic ring sticks with adhesive to your phone
•    Lens attaches to phone via magnetic ring
•    Compatible with any camera phone
•    Powerful macro lens focuses between 10-23mm from your subject
•    Wide angle lens 0.67x wide
•    Fish-eye lens 180 degree angle (0.28x)
•    Lenses range between 15.8mm-25mm diameter x 6.5mm-15mm length
•    Back and front lens covers to prevent scratching of glass

After the success of the Roger’s House Telethon, I was asked to breath new life into their next campaign – The Walk, Roll & Run Campaign for Roger’s House. Once again I donated my time and expertise in assisting these wonderful organizations with the layout and design of this year’s campaign. The campaign included direct mailers, letterhead, banners and newspaper advertisements and outdoor signage.  The Walk, Roll & Run Campaign raised $183, 654 this year!

The Ottawa Senators Foundation
The mission of the Sens Foundation is to leverage and provide both financial and in-kind support to registered charitable organizations whose programs focus on improving the quality of life for children and youth in eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

Roger’s House
The hockey world and countless others lost a beloved coach, friend and mentor in 2003 as Ottawa Senators assistant coach Roger Neilson passed away after a long-term battle with cancer. To honour Roger, and his lifetime commitment of helping others, the Sens Foundation, the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) forged a partnership to establish Roger’s House, Ontario’s first paediatric respite and palliative care home dedicated to enhancing the comfort and quality of life of children and families in a time of need.

I originally came across these guys when I saw a photo that a friend of mine took while she was visiting Vancouver. The photo was awesome, but the subject matter was just as impressive. I had to find out what artist was responsible for this mural. Turns out it’s a group that calls themselves Nomadic Alternatives. They are a talented group of artists from Vancouver that do films, murals, logos and graphic design.

This particular example is entitled “Under the Shadow of 10,000 Crows” and is the Nomads latest installment. The mural depicts the daily flight of the crows at dusk to roost as seen from Commercial drive. This wall is located at the corner of Commercial Drive and Venables.  Visit their website for more incredible samples of their work.

While looking for things all design. I came across this company that designs, manufactures and distributes simple solutions to daily problems with a drive to transform even the most everyday items into objects of desire. BlueLounge was founded by designers Dominic Symons and Melissa Sunjaya – a multi-disciplinary design studio located in Pasadena, California.

Refresh-Charging station
Refresh is a personal or shared charging station for three or more devices. Compact in size and compatible with most of the new devices hitting the market today, it can charge two iPod/iPhones simultaneously while also charging a Blackberry and a bluetooth headset for instance. In fact, using the two iPod connectors and two of your own iPod cords, you could even charge four iPod/iPhones at the same time. Perfect for the whole family!

Besides the two built-in iPod connectors, Refresh is shipped with the essential connectors needed for most new devices: Mini & Micro USB. These connectors are quickly becoming the standard for all mobile phones so Refresh is future proofed.

StudioDesk
Specifically designed for laptop users. A clutter free working environment while still connected to all your peripherals.

All peripherals and excess cables are hidden just under the sliding desktop surface. The storage compartment is therefore conveniently accessed from above. An elongated slot across the width of the desktop allows the necessary peripheral & power cables to enter/exit at any point, thereby keeping the desktop clear of clutter.

CableDrop
Fixed behind or on the desktop, even onto a facing wall. Anywhere in fact where you wish to have cables temporarily held yet easily removeable or extended. CableDrop gently grasps your power and peripheral cords so they do not fall off your desk every time you unplug your laptop.

CableDrop can really blend in with your decor, use them hidden under ledges with the muted colors to match your furniture or bring them to light by using the bright ones. Beyond just preventing cables from falling off a desk, they make great cable clips on furniture legs or walls to control unruly cords.

Its about time someone produced a film like this! I’m looking forward to watching this documentary that makes its premiere on the big screen this Friday February 19th, 2010 in Vancouver (Tinseltown) and Toronto (AMC Yonge & Dundas). Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through a century of cinema. Travelling through the heartland of America, Diamond looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the world’s understanding – and misunderstanding – of Natives.

With clips from hundreds of classic and recent films, and candid interviews with celebrated Native and non-Native directors, writers, actors and activists, including Clint Eastwood, Robbie Robertson, Sacheen Littlefeather, John Trudell and Russell Means, Reel Injun traces the evolution of cinema’s depiction of Native people from the silent film era to today, only to find the future of Native cinema in the unlikeliest of places – Canada’s North.

Reel Injun was produced by Ernest Webb, Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon and Linda Ludwick (Rezolution Pictures International) and Adam Symansky (NFB).
Websites: Rezolution Pictures | National Film Board

I don’t know about your family, but in my family we are always quoting lines from tons and tons of movies. Sometimes I forget what line that movie was from or vice-versa. Famous movie quotes by Chevy Chase for example. “Burn some dust here, Eat my rubber”. Now there is a new site totally dedicated to movie clips and quotes. Check it out sometime. www.movieclips.com

Ok, so for those who have no idea as to what I would love for Christmas this year below is my list of some items that would be awesome. However some items won’t fit under the good old Christmas tree.

The definitive compilation of forty years of Tim Burton’s artistry.

The Art of Tim Burton is the definitive compilation of forty years of Tim Burton’s artistry, including film concepts and hundreds of illustrations from his personal archives, edited under the creative guidance of Burton himself. This comprehensive 434 page book is grouped into thirteen chapters that examine common themes in Burton’s work, from his fascination with clowns to his passion for misunderstood monsters, to his delight in the oddities of people. Many of Burton’s friends and collaborators offer their thoughts, insights and anecdotes about Tim Burton’s style and artistic approach to life. For the first time ever a comprehensive look at the personal and project artwork of Tim Burton. Hardcover with cloth slipcase. Hand signed inside cover.  Includes numbered and individually signed lithograph – ready for framing, not folded. Over 1000 illustrations and 430 pages plus foldouts.  Handsomely priced at $299.99 USD.

Aston Martin Carbon Black Special Editions

Just in case your normal, standard-issue Aston Martin isn’t cool enough for you, there’s the Aston Martin Carbon Black Special Editions ($TBA). The company’s DBS and V12 Vantage will both get the carbon black treatment which includes a metallic black finish that’s meant to offer a different look in different conditions, carbon fiber-and-Kevlar seats covered in black leather with silver stitching, anodized black tread plates, piano black dashboards and center consoles, and more.

Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box

Having played the cello since age four, Yo-Yo Ma has gone on to become one of the most revered cellists of our time. Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside the Box ($500USD) celebrates this legacy by including every album he’s ever recorded, along with two discs of unreleased and rare recordings, spread across 90 discs, entirely remastered with DSD technology to bring even the oldest recordings up to modern standards. In addition, it includes a 312-page hard-bound book, filled with archival photos, essays, track lists, and more, all encased in a velvet-lined book inspired by the instrument that made him famous.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Ultimate Edition

Nothing burns the movie lover’s wallet quite like having to pony up the cash for a second copy of a movie they already own, but if there’s any holiday classic I deem worth the double-dip, it’s this one. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Ultimate Edition ($25/DVD, $32/Blu-ray) includes the Griswold’s holiday adventure in glorious anamorphic widescreen, along with a theatrical trailer, an unfortunately Chevy Chase-less but otherwise solid commentary track, instant snow powder, a set of coasters with favorite quotes from the film, an “I survived a Griswold family Christmas” button, a Santa hat, and, for those picking up the Blu-ray edition, a miniature mug replica.

McIntosh MXA60 Integrated Audio System

The McIntosh 60th Anniversary MXA60 Integrated Audio System ($7,500USD), the company’s first-ever standalone setup, gives you audiophile-quality sound in a beautifully compact design. And while its price tag might seem high, you’ve got to recognize that this thing was designed and built by the same team responsible for the $250,000 McIntosh Reference System. The tabletop system features a high-performance 75-watt-per-channel amplifier, a CD/SACD/MP3 player, vacuum tube preamplifier, an AM/FM/RBDS Tuner, and 2-way bass reflex custom loudspeakers. All that is housed in metal casing with anodized aluminum accents and backlit glass faceplates with Peak Reading Wattmeters.

Bread & Butter Skincare Kit

Keep clean and looking good while being your old, lazy self. Bread & Butter Skincare ($85USD) sends you a Winter Kit with all your bathroom essentials as soon as you place your order, and then in the first week of June, they’ll send you their Summer Kit with warm weather specific face stuff. The winter kit includes two tubes of daily face cleanser, two tubes of daily face moisturizer, a stick of daily lip balm, and a sample of daily body moisturizer, while the summer kit comes with two tubes of daily face cleanser, two tubes of daily SPF face moisturizer, and a sample of daily shave gel.

Polaris Rush

Tear up the powder this winter aboard a Polaris Rush ($TBA). Packing Polaris’ well-received 600 Liberty engine, the Rush boasts a stronger, stiffer chassis that allows for more precise control and less ski lifting, a progressive-rate rear suspension to prevent bottoming out on big bumps (or jumps), and true rider-active control, letting the you move your body weight forward to help with cornering or slide back on the seat for more grip when accelerating. It might have a more steep learning curve than your average snowmobile, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll be well worth it.

Mmmvelopes – Everything should taste like bacon.

If you’re the type of person that still sends correspondence via snail mail, and you like the taste of bacon — and really, who doesn’t? — then you need to grab yourself some Mmmvelopes ($7/25USD). These standard-size, bacon-looking envelopes echew the nasty and potentially deadly glue of old for a new adhesive that tastes just like real bacon. Just don’t forget the postage.

Nikon D3s

Whether you’re a photo journalist or a hobbyist with a passion — and budget — for the latest and greatest, the new Nikon D3s ($5,200USD) should be on your list. With an eye-popping maximum ISO of 102,400, this new 12.1 megapixel beast can shoot photos or 720p video in near-darkness, and also offers 9 fps full-frame shooting in bursts up to 36 RAW or 82 JPEG files, Nikon’s world-class 51-point AF system, 3D Color Matrix Metering II, one-button Live View, dual CF card slots, and more.

Apple Unibody MacBook

It’s about time. Apple finally updated its long-in-the-tooth non-aluminum laptop today with the release of the new MacBook ($1,000). Bringing it up to speed with its Pro counterparts, the new base-level MacBook features a polycarbonate unibody design with a non-skid bottom surface, an LED-backlit 13.3-inch display, a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA 9400M graphics, Apple’s latest built-in battery technology for up to seven hours of battery life, and a glass multi-touch trackpad. Sadly, there’s no black option this time around.

Rickshaw Waterproof X-Pac Moleskine Folio

Keep your precious notebook safe from the elements inside a Rickshaw Waterproof X-Pac Moleskine Folio ($50USD). Going beyond just a typical case, the X-Pac’s interior boasts a clear business card holder, secured zippered compartment, four pen sleeves, a padded flap to protect the journal’s cover from the pen clips, and clear rear pocket. Built to order in San Francisco from rugged rip-stop nylon, and available in black, red, or subtle mint green.

Ork Posters

Celebrate the various neighborhoods of your favorite city with Ork Posters ($22). Available for a number of large cities, each poster features a map of the area, with each neighborhood listed in beautifully twisted typography.

The Resistance by Muse

If you thought British-based Muse was just another hard rock band, think again. The Resistance by Muse ($10/Amazon, $12/iTunes LP) is the band’s fifth studio album, and it doesn’t disappoint. Part Queen, part rock opera, part symphony — no joking: the last three songs on the album make up the three parts of “Exogenesis” — this is as ambitious an album as we’ve heard since Flight of the Knife, and is every bit one of the best of 2009. Opt for the iTunes LP version, and along with videos, lyrics, artwork, and other goodies, you’ll also get the nifty visualizer pictured above.

I found this very interesting blog “Six Pixels of Separation” by Mitch Joel at Twist Image. He wrote a little blurb about Malcolm Gladwell. I’ve been a fan of Malcolm Gladwell for some time now and found it interesting that he has reached such popularity since then. I believe I read his book first book, The Tipping Point about 3 years ago. The post about Gladwell mentions rock star and business book author in the same sentence, I was  pleasantly surprised to see that. He is well deserving of his success. Back to the post,  I chuckled when I read the part about Mitch overhearing a conversation between the Flight attendant and a passenger.

Read onwards and please watch the C-Span interview. Quite fascinating!

Recently, in a shopping mall, I spotted a copy of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, for sale at HMV. It’s hard to believe it, but Gladwell must be the first business book author who is truly a rock star.

That wasn’t the only time I have felt this way about Gladwell. A few weeks prior to the shopping mall incident, I was on a flight and a female flight attendant was talking to another female passenger who was sitting one row behind me, and the conversation went something like this:

Flight attendant: Did you read his latest book?

Passenger: No, I bought it, but I’m reading Blink first. Do you have the new one? Is it any good?

Flight attendant: He is so fascinating and writes in such an accessible way. He’s also very cute. He flies with us from time to time, and he’s always so nice and polite. On top of that, he’s an amazing dresser and he has the coolest hair.

That’s Malcolm Gladwell (he is very dreamy). He’s reached Bono-like status in pop culture and his star power continues to soar. Just in time for the holidays, he released a new book, What The Dog Saw, which is a compilation of his essays from The New Yorker. Earlier this week, C-SPAN spent an hour with Gladwell. It’s well-worth watching:

Oh, almost forgot. I need to mention that Mitch Joel is quite the rock star himself. A little blurb:

Mitch Joel

Marketing Magazine dubbed him the “Rock Star of Digital Marketing” and called him, “one of North America’s leading digital visionaries.” In 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. Mitch Joel is President of Twist Image – an award-winning Digital Marketing and Communications agency. He has been called a marketing and communications visionary, interactive expert and community leader. He is also a Blogger, Podcaster, passionate entrepreneur and speaker who connects with people worldwide by sharing his marketing insights on digital marketing and personal branding.

In 2008, Mitch was named Canada’s Most Influential Male in Social Media, one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, and was awarded the highly-prestigious Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (recognizing individuals who have achieved a significant amount of success but have not yet reached the age of 40).

I’ve come across many of these new short animated video clips that seem to be gaining popularity. The subject matter is varied and vast. For example, I found this one very interesting. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute film that takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the real costs of our consumer driven culture—from resource extraction to iPod incineration.  Annie Leonard, an activist who has spent the past 10 years traveling the globe fighting environmental threats, narrates the Story of Stuff, delivering a rapid-fire, often humorous and always engaging story about “all our stuff—where it comes from and where it goes when we throw it away.”

Leonard examines the real costs of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal, and she isolates the moment in history where she says the trend of consumption mania began. The Story of Stuff examines how economic policies of the post-World War II era ushered in notions of “planned obsolescence” and “perceived obsolescence” —and how these notions are still driving much of the U.S. and global economies today. Leonard’s inspiration for the film began as a personal musing over the question, “Where does all the stuff we buy come from, and where does it go when we throw it out?” She traveled the world in pursuit of the answer to this seemingly innocent question, and what she found along the way were some very guilty participants and their unfortunate victims.

Annie Leonard is the author and host of  The Story of Stuff. She is wrapping up work on a book version of the film to be published by Free Press of Simon and Schuster in March 2010.

Sit down and take a 20-minute break and enjoy.