Hello Again

First of all, I would like to say hello...I'm back...and I appreciate how everyone waits until I post something saying that I will not be posting for awhile to post comments. Maybe that is a sign to just stop this thing together...who knows.

Anyway, a lot have been going on. I have officially begun my thesis and have my prospectus due in roughly a month...which is freightening in itself. As for my topic, I am utilizing the early results from my grant (which evalutes trust perceptions of traditional versus non-traditional advertisements) to conduct a further analysis of the results in cultural terms. Specifically, my results differ from the study through which I adapted my methodological process thus I will follow up with my participants to see if the differences are in fact culturally related (as the adapted study was conducted on a Sweedish population) or if it was merely a result of the stimuli utilized in my study. Sounds nerdy, but I believe that is my true colors beginning to show. Mathmatically it is laid out as such:

Dan = Nerd

Pretty straight forward.

So as to not make this return post longer than necessary, I will conclude by saying that the Ph.D. apps are done (thankfully) and that if you are in need of new music to check out The Killer's new album, Day & Age.

Hello...I Suck

Hello my faithful readers...or something like that.

Ok, just as an FYI, I haven't given up on the blog perse, just put it on temporary hiatus. For any of you that have gone to grad school as well as spend a semester trying to get Ph.D. applications out, you will hopefully understand my inability to update this regularly.

Thanks for being patient and I suggest checking back in a few months.

Don Waddell, hero of the NHL

As yet another NHL season commences with nearly every team having a good chance of making a deep run into the playoffs, there remains the bottom dwellers of the NHL, the Atlanta Thrashers. Yet, despite their woes, I have to give a hand to Thrashers GM Don Waddell, as he continues to be the NHL's savior. Now while such a statement may at first seem obsurd, let's look at all the way Waddell's leadership has benefitted this great league.

1) Any team with a third jersey. It is because of Waddell that no NHL team will ever have to say "we have the worst jersey" with the release of this eyesore. Now most teams create third jerseys with hopes of generating sales and buzz around the team, yet Waddell thought differently. By going with something so hideous, he is basically asking fans to go out and buy other team's cooler jerseys, aiding sales all across the board. So thank you Don!

2) Alexei Zhitnik. Alexei benefitted from Waddell trading prowess by allowing this washed up player to last a few more years in the NHL. Zhitnik was slowly on his way out of the Flyers organization and possibly the NHL a few years back, but Waddell proved that the skills you show in 1995 may still be there in 2007, thus he gave him a chance. While Zhitnik may have been happy with the move, teammates were disparaged by the fact that they had to continually spoon feed Zhitnik his mashed peas while they heard stories about hockey back in the 1920s.

3) Braydon Coburn. This highly talented defenseman, and number 8 pick overall in 2003, was sitting in the Thrashers farm system collecting dust when Waddell informed him that he was being traded to the Flyer for Alexei Zhitnik. Feeling that Coburn was not good enough for the "stout" Atlanta D, Waddell felt this was a great trade that would pay off in the end. Two years later, Coburn is anchoring the Philly D while Zhitnik is playing in Russia.

4) Dion Phaneuf. Now you may be asking how Phaneuf could have benefitted from Waddell. While this may not be a highly known fact, Waddell single-handedly saved Phaneuf career when he passed over him in the 2003 draft to pick Coburn. By letting this defensive juggernaut fall through his fingers, Waddell essentially told the NHL that the Thrasher will not have winner on their team.

5) Dany Heatley. In what can be described as the only smart move in his GM career, Waddell adhered to Dany Heatley requests for a trade following the death of his teammate Dan Sneider. While fans chastized him for the trade, Waddell helped a yong man reshape his life and find success and happiness through the sport he loves. Of course, receiving Hossa as part of the trade worked out as well.

So in actually, we find that Don Waddell makes a smart move in 1 out of every 5 occurrances. At this rate then, we should be sure to find the Thrashers as a true Stanley Cup Contender by 2100.

So thank you Don Waddell. Whenever we start to feel like we are slipping in our jobs and may be fired, all we have to do is look to you and realize that if you can keep your job through years of screwing up, then so can we.

The new Oasis album...part 2

Man it is nice to have connections...or at least know where to go to get music before it is released. I am currently in possession of the new Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul, and I have to tell you that it is amazing. The last effort by these guys, Don't Believe the Truth, seemed too much like The Beatles White Album and not something an Oasis album. And while critics relished in that fact, I found it unoriginal and lacking the depth of prior Oasis albums. That said, Dig Out Your Soul seems to return to the pure Oasis sound but also reflects their maturity. This isn't the cocaine-induced albums of the mid 90s, but it seems to show a more mature collaboration by the Gallagher brothers (if that is even possible). Regardless, I'm not sent by Oasis to promote this album among my 4 or 5 readers, but just to let you all know that this is something you should really consider. It is well worth the money and I can almost promise you that you won't be disappointed.

Google Android

So the iPhone finally has a viable challenger. Google is working with T-Mobile to develop Android, an open software system that appears to do all that the iPhone can do and more. While I am still learning about this software (namely due to the fact that I may be catering a paper towards it this semester) one item of interest that I want to discuss is the partnership that Android has recently established with Visa. Adage address this in an article posted today. It appears that this Visa/Android partnership may finally show the potential of mobile marketing by allowing Android users to not only sign up to receive deals specifically catered to them, but also allow them to use their phone as an actual credit card. 

Addressing the first facet of this technology, mobile marketing, this partnership may actually allow the implementation of mobile marketing efforts into the US marketplace. Currently, consumers are skeptical of mobile ads as they are perceived as highly intrusive and overbearing. By allowing consumers to sign up for ad updates as well as search the Visa/Android service for specials in their area (the article mentions searching for a local BK and finding out that you receive a 30% discount for being an Android user) mobile marketing is shifting to a pull marketing effort, which theorists have identified as the future of this process for years. 

Secondly, the use of a mobile as a credit card motions into the realization that the mobile may one day emerge as the all-encompassing technological tool. What currently reigns as one credit card partnership may possibly incorporate more cards as well as even serve as your ID or even your passport. While such technologies are still years from being fully implemented and will need to address security issues, it presents an interesting view of our potential future. 

As I mentioned at the start, I still need to do a lot more research on this topic, but it is something I suggest looking into, especially if you are one of those tech buffs who find this stuff fascinating, much like myself.

Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Well excited and enthused blog readers, I am back with another post. And this time, it is for a show that has really touched home with me lately: Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Now this show has been on for 3 years and I've never watched it until yesterday...needless to say, I am hooked. There is something about this show that is just so unique and pure within the Philadelphia environment. Maybe it is the way they interact with each other or the fact that it is filmed in Philadelphia and therefore uses true extras. I really don't know. But if you want to give this show a shot, check it out on Hulu.com. This is a streaming site that uploads TV shows and movies with limited commercial interruption. Because the show is TV-MA, you will have to register, but they won't spam you at all. If you are looking for some good episodes to get you hooked, I would suggest "Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender" or "Frank Sets Sweet Dee on Fire". After these, you too will have drank the kool-aid.

The new iPod

Wow...my 3rd post in 4 days. This has to be some type of record here...

Anyway, a lot of you know that I am a huge Mac fan. There is just something about that company that you have to love. For, I love how simplicity meets innovation. Today Apple introduced the new iPod. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to shoot over to apple.com to check it out. 

This thing looks amazing. Sure it looks like other iPods, but the features they include show just how much Apple cares about the customer. You can now shuffle your songs by shaking the iPod. Not a bad little feature if you are trying to set the mood and MegaDeath is not what gets you girlfriend or boyfriend going. 

By far the best feature of the new iPod though has to be its ability to make playlists for you. This thing will keep track of what you are listening to and will compile playlists of artists and songs from your iPod that it feels goes together. Not bad if you want a work out mix but don't know what to include.

Granted, PC is finally realizing that simplicity is king, but if you ask me they are too late. Here's to Apple/Mac fans everywhere. You know who you are, and you know how much you love these products.