Well despite all my defending Mount Pearl to my St. John’s counterparts as a man who grew up in this city, it seems I was wrong, in a sense.

I know a few people who ought to enjoy this post.

If you compare the indices below you can see that Mount Pearl is virtually only ever average or below (though it should be known St. John’s in much in the same boat). Part of this can be accredited to our education system, part of it can be accredited to our dependencies of St. John’s.

For instance, everyone assumes Mount Pearl has no arts scene because there are never any events held in the city. Well that can almost single-handedly be attributed to the fact that there is no infrastructure to handle it. Consequently Mount Pearl artists show off their wares and talents in St. John’s. The Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl is trying to combat that.

I am sure there are other factors that Mount Pearl’s averageness as well.

In the same census, St. John’s is ranked as the single highest improver in a 5 year span, skyrocketing from a total score of 65 to 80. Yes, better than Mount Pearl. I said it.

From Yahoo News: St. John’s impresses in Maclean’s magazine’s ranking of Canada’s smartest cities

Local News, Rants Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl, CLI, Mount Pearl, St. John's

Samsung ran a viral video campaign back in March featuring this guy throwing business cards at things. I don’t care that it’s prerecorded so there were likely hundreds of takes, it’s impressive.

Videos, Wacky Card Throwing, Samsung

Atlantic Business Magazine is currently running it’s Great Ad Experiment where ad agencies create three separate full page ads.

The first five all created three separate full page ads for three separate issues of the magazine whereas the last agency designed three consecutive full-page ads the lead into one another in the same issue.

There are three local agencies competing in this competition; The Idea Factory, NL Colour, and Spark Marketing.

From now until May 28th voting is open for you to select your favorite campaign.

From Atlantic Business Magazine: The Great Ad Experiment

Business Lawton's Drugs, NL Colour, Spark Marketing, The Idea Factory

Well, I’d have a hard time selling that statement. But you should be careful when using it.

It’s not mere coincidence that my last post was regarding Facebook’s charmingly lengthy privacy statement and this one is about Facebook’s privacy issues.

It all comes out

Recently the internet has been abuzz of Zuckerberg’s early IM conversion regarding privacy. Here it is below:

Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard

Zuck: Just ask.

Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS

[Redacted Friend's Name]: What? How’d you manage that one?

Zuck: People just submitted it.

Zuck: I don’t know why.

Zuck: They “trust me”

Zuck: Dumb fucks.

Of course this conversation is completely out of context and for all we know it was a big joke. At the time of his posting this Facebook was still a relatively small website and did not have a lot of social power. It may not have been on his mind to be so careful about things he said to friends.

On the other hand, the Facebook community has been continually rallying against privacy policies changes, usually accusing Facebook of attempting to sell personal data to third parties.

I figure Facebook will continue to do what it does best and beat it’s hornet’s nest of a privacy policies until eventually it stops getting stung. Of course it’s a big nest with lots of hornets.

The recent Facebook controversy has made me seriously consider the level to which I will use the website. A friend of mine has completely removed his account because of it.

I doubt many of you will follow that lead, but you should, at the very least be ever mindful to the personal information you are giving away.

Because you also have to bear in mind that if Facebook owning your personal life isn’t enough, the fact that Facebook’s website are hosting in the States means your information belongs to the Department of Homeland Security whenever they want it.

Rants, The Web Facebook, Privacy Policy

The New York Times has compiled a great set of info-graphics that illustrate the length of Facebook’s intricate privacy policy statement.

Concerned about your privacy on Facebook? Dig in for a long read. It’s a pretty comprehensive document.

Not particularly shocking, just amusing.

From The New York Times: Facebook Privacy: A Bewildering Tangle of Options

The Web Facebook, Privacy Policy, US Constitution

Interest, Videos Google

Polls NHL, Stanley Cup

The Uniform Project was started as a means to raise money for less fortunate children through the Akanksas Foundation.

What she has done is inspiring both from a fashion perspective and from a humanitarian perspective.

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

At the end of Year 1 she raised $80,607, enough to keep 223 children in schools with uniforms and school supplies.

I wish I had discovered this early such that I could have promoted it and encouraged my readers to contribute.

Heroes Uniform Project

Hey guys

I have so much stuff and no where to keep it all. I’ve decided it’s time to sell.

Enter my new website, Garage Sale.

I will be adding new product to this website as time allows so keep checking back!

Check it out.

Also, interested in selling? Contact me about getting your junk on this website!

GregPike.ca Garage Sale

Growing up I was one of the cool kids in high school who would celebrate International Star Wars Day (May the Fourth by with You) by watching the original Star Wars trilogy.

Yes. That cool.

I have found a much more time-efficient method for accomplishing this goal every year.

Plus it comes it Lego form.

Videos Lego, Star Wars