On-line Birthday Greeting - dehumanizing the business of saying something nice to people

Happy Birthday John - An emailed Birthday Greeting
(but I bet Plaxo, Facebook, LinkedIn,Starbucks and Boston Pizza beat me to it!)
Social media has made wishing relatives, friends, associates and clients Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas and Happy Groundhog Day pointless. Noting someone's birthday used to be a real sign of friendship, especially if you are memory challenged about names and dates, but not anymore.
John Mulvihill is a former rock and roll keyboardist from Renfrew, Ontario - he now lives and works in California. His sister Mary and I were friends back in the '60s. I didn't see John much back then (he was already on tour) but I am now in contact with him through Face Book, LinkedIn and Plaxo.
In the 60's I didn't know or care when his birthday was. Didn't know when any of my cousins, neighbours and classmates were marking birthdays, except of course for those born on February 29th. Now I know that John was born in January. How can I forget, 3 different social media sites have sent me reminders that John's birthday is approaching. Another website has offered to send him a birthday card and flowers on my behalf. Wonder if any of them are going to send me a scolding e-mail for neglecting to send John a dozen virtual roses.
Depending on the size of John's contact list, there are probably many more people around the world aware that Mr. Muhvill has turned 61 then currently live in Renfrew.
I bet that his inbox was filled with emails that graphically thrown confetti, popped on-line champagne corks and played kitchy happy birthday Elvis tunes. He may be touched by all that on-line attention, or maybe he is like me, and won't be impressed by computer generated signs of love.
When I had a birthday in April (I am way younger than John) I got a dozen emailed notes from people who have been alerted to my birthday by Plaxo and Facebook. My wife and two sons gave me cards as did my mother-in-law and brother-in-law. By the end of my big day the on-line greetings outnumbered the real cards (with handwritten notes), and phone calls four to one.
At Christmas I received computer delivered cards with melting snowmen, drunken reindeer, happy clappy Santas and night skies with travelling Christmas Stars. Because of my involvement with large auidence events I got almost a hundred season's greetings email during December many from people I don't think I know. In terms of greetings that arrived by mail we received about 10. My wife and I sent a dozen handwritten, most of them were very sincere.
Email is free. Many of the cards are come-ons for corporations who think they are embracing Social Media. How much heart does Starbucks or Boston Pizza really have? If you can remember a birthday or a holiday and do it without prodding from a website, that means something about your relationship with that person. But, simply clicking a mouse when prompted by a robotic programme, and sending off an email greeting "has virtually" no meaning at all.

-0-

Cutline: John Mulvihill's picture scooped from Linked In. His website is: http://www.johnmulvihill.com/Departments/WinHelp.htm

SIDEBAR: Interesting Factoids Found While Researching This Blog Entry

* Typical Plaxo reminder: "A friendly reminder from Plaxo David Scanlan's Birthday is in 7 days. Schedule an eCard for delivery on David's birthday"
Send David flowers from Grower Flowers, Plaxo, Inc. • 203 Ravendale Drive, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA
* I have also recieved Starbucks Card Rewards on my big day -- a free beverage. This is what their email said: "All registered Starbucks Card get a birthday beverage of their choice. A Starbucks Card can make you feel special all year long, but for that one day you’re extra-special."
* Boston Pizza sent me a coupon for a free slice (or some other food/drink gift) on my birthday. Guess I am not that special after all - the on-line birthday coupon wasn't honoured when I tried to use it!

Media Darling Exit Stage Left - Paint On Hummers Rumbles Off Into The Sunset

The End Of The Ad on Wheels. In its time it was a Hummer

Back in the day the Hummer was eight cylnders of Über Cool. It was big. It was bold. It could run over the competition without having to use its 4-wheel drive.
The Hummer was everything that a family van was not. The Hummer was so bombastic, so American and so out-of-reach for the average consumer that it became a favourite advertising vehicle for film companies, big draw events, radio and television stations alike.
Hot radio show host? New movie comin' to town? New location for the Sgt. Splatter's Paint Ball park? A gaudy design in a vinyl wrap all over a new Hummer was just the ticket. Park it at an event, or simply drive it up and down mainstreet, the decorated Hummer and its drive-by message got noticed.
I helped handle Crane Communications with the PR for the Toronto Home Show in 1999 and arranged with a Toronto TV production company to bring to the Home Show a brand new Hummer, decorated with images from their short-lived Total Recall sci-fi series. Both the car and the TV programme were so new that we had a longer line-up for people wanting to see the Hummer than we did for the fully built, indoor Toronto Star Dream Home (both cost about the same)!
But,as the PR cliche reminds us: "what was hot is not". And, the above photograph of a Pimped Up Hummer bedecked in Teletoon logos and pictures of their popular cartoon characters, is now a record of what used to be. As leases expire across North American, the wildly decorated Hummer has become just another "So Yesterday" in the ever changing world of media PR.
A used Hummer still has drawing power, but, the demand for the $100,000+ gas guzzler dramatically dropped off with the recession of 2008. GM in the midst of its financial meltdown was unable to sell the vehicle line to any other car manufacturer in the world, and production of the civilian version of the Hummer has ended.
Media outlets were typical users of the decorated Hummers and as they phase the rolling billboard out of their PR plans, another great marketing tool drives off to the media junkyard in the skies (probably more likely to the Middle East where there is still a demand for used Hummers).
Their disapperance was (snap your fingers) just like that. The Teletoon Hummer was retired shortly after I took this cell phone picture in the Fall of 2010 at Woofstock in downtown Toronto.
How come? It is all about money and advertising.

"Usually the vehicle would be a contra trade for airtime," explains Radio PR specialist Robb Collis. " Vehicle for one year in exchange for on-air commecials. It would be very unlikely for a station to pay for a vehicle."
"The only exception might be a cash/contra deal (station gives ads and money to get an expensive vehicle)," continued the Toronto media expert. "If we are talking Hummers - this would very likely be a trade - it just dosn't make sense for a station to put up cash for a car that size and price."

Now with the Hummer gone, media outlets are turning to smaller quirky cars to ink-wrap. The The Mini and the box-like Honda Element are now getting bedecked in colourful ads and sent off to Trade Fairs and Shopping Malls across North America.
Interesting? Yes. But a Classic Rock Radio Station plastering images of Led Zeppelin on the sides and back of a dimminuative Smart Car just doesn't Hum the way it used to.

Cutline:

Middle: Sgt Splatter's Paintball Hummer at Monster Jam 2010 - from the company's website
Bottom: US radio station's vinyl shrink wrapped Hummer from www.Skinzwrap.com

Invite to attend live taping of Charles Taylor Prize Short Listed Authors

This is an invitation to be part of the audience for the BRAVO! Arts & Minds Charles Taylor Prize Writer's Circle. .

BRAVO! Arts & Minds

Charles Taylor Prize Writer's Circle hosted by Seamus O'Reagan
Friday, January 28, Taping at 7:00 pm
Masonic Temple (Yonge & Davenport), Toronto

If attending, please RSVP circle@ctv.ca or call 416-384-2211

Stephen Weir & Associates
Publicists, The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction
Linda Crane 905-257-6033 / c. 416-727-0112 / cranepr@cogeco.ca
Stephen Weir 416-489-5868 / c. 416-801-3101 / stephen@stephenweir.com

Media Preview for one of Canada's finest landscape and wildlife artist - George McLean

GEORGE McLEAN: THE LIVING LANDSCAPE - MEDIA PREVIEW
Thursday, January 27, 2011
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Exhibition of one of Canada’s finest landscape and wildlife artist
George McLean will be in attendance

When: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where: McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg (just north of the Major Mackenzie Drive, Islington Avenue intersection)

Why: George McLean: The Living Landscape is curated by Virginia Eichhorn, Tom Thomson Art Gallery and Dr. Adam Harris, National Wildlife Museum of Art. A collaboration between the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury, Thunder Bay Art Gallery and the National Wildlife Museum of Art, this exhibition pays tribute to one of Canada’s finest landscape and wildlife artists. 71-year-old McLean has painted the landscape and animals around his home in Grey County, Ontario for more than 40 years. George McLean is a former member of the McMichael’s Board of Trustees.

Who: Meet and tour the show with artist George McLean and McMichael Assistant Curator, Education, Anna Stanisz.
What: The exhibition coincides with the publishing of a full-colour hardcover book of George McLean’s work. The exhibition will be on display at the McMichael January 29 to May 22. View over 50 works by the artist.

About the Gallery

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students and $30 for families. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery, visit www.mcmichael.com.

Please RSVP:

Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: 905.893.1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: 416.489.5868 Cell: 416.801.3101
sweir@mcmichael.com

Cutline:
Top - Canada Geese, George McLean
Above - George McLean signs his book for Toronto Sun cartoonist Andy Donato. Launch was inside the Ben McNally bookstore in Toronto

20-minutes of fame for a snowman

Three Canadian Teams to Compete in Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships, Jan. 25 – Feb. 6, 2011

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (Jan. 11, 2011): Three Canadian teams – Yukon, Québec/Sainte Julienne and Québec/Québec City – will travel to Breckenridge, Colo. to compete in the International Snow Sculpture Championships, Jan. 25 – Feb. 6, 2011. Each of the three Canadian teams brings extensive snow sculpting experience and a group of artists with the talent and skill necessary to execute complex pieces. For the 21st annual event, sixteen teams from around the globe have been invited to compete from nine countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States.
Attendees of the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships can see the artists at work Jan. 25-30, 2011 when teams work with machine-made blocks of Colorado snow weighing some 18,144 kilograms and standing roughly 3.6 meters tall. Artists achieve finished pieces after a total of 65 intense hours of work without the use of power tools, internal support structures or colorants – just the ingenuity of the sculptors and a medium that lends itself, if only temporarily, to the persuasion of hand tools.
“The Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships offers the opportunity to witness living sculptures, fleeting works of art that don’t stick around. That’s the joy of it,” said Rob Neyland, one of the event’s founders. “It’s the transitory nature of the art form that makes this event so special.”
Sculpting begins with a shotgun start and finishes with teams working through the night to hand-carve anything from enormous pieces of whimsy to powerful social commentary. Judging commences with awards presented to first, second and third places, along with designations of People’s Choice, Kids’ Choice and Artists’ Choice.
Snow carving in Breckenridge began as a local pastime during the town's winter carnival – Ullr Fest – in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The founders of Breckenridge’s International Snow Sculpture Championships are still members of Team Breckenridge and today, the event is attended annually by more than 30,000 people.
International Snow Sculpture Championships Stay and Ski Lodging Packages
Four people can stay four nights in a 2-bedroom and get four days of lift tickets included for as low as $110 per person, per night. Available Jan. 4 through Feb. 10, 2011 excluding Jan. 16-18. Call the Breckenridge Central Reservations at 0808 234 7362 (International) or 877-864-0868 (U.S.) to reserve this package. For more information on the 2011 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships and January lodging packages in Breckenridge, visit GoBreck.com

Editor’s notes, contact Rachel Zerowin for details and opportunities:

§ Professional photos and b-roll of last year’s event are available for editorial use
§ Journalists on assignment are eligible for a press trip

5 authors on the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction short list

THE CHARLES TAYLOR PRIZE FOR LITERARY NON-FICTION ANNOUNCES ITS 2011 SHORTLIST

This morning, at a news conference at Toronto’s Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Noreen Taylor, prize founder and chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation, announced that the jury — composed of well-known authors Neil Bissoondath (Québec City), Eva-Marie Kröller (Vancouver), and David Macfarlane (Toronto) — read 153 Canadian-authored books, submitted by 44 publishers from across North America. Mrs. Taylor went on to introduce Mr. Macfarlane who made the following announcement before an audience of publishers, media, and booksellers:

THE FINALISTS FOR THE 2010 CHARLES TAYLOR PRIZE FOR LITERARY NON-FICTION ARE:

Stevie Cameron for On the Farm: Robert William Pickton and the Tragic Story of Vancouver’s Missing Women, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada.
The jury notes, “On the Farm: Robert William Pickton and the Tragic Story of Vancouver’s Missing Women is a powerful investigation into one of Canada’s most horrific crimes. With characteristic thoroughness, Stevie Cameron reveals not only the nightmarish events at the Pickton farm, but also their larger social context.”

Charles Foran for Mordecai: The Life & Times, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada.
The jury notes, “Mordecai: The Life and Times meets the immense challenge of writing about one of Canada’s most talented and controversial authors. Charles Foran has created a rich and compelling portrait of the man and his times.”

Ross King for Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven published by Douglas & McIntyre / McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
The jury notes, “Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven is a fresh and immediately authoritative study of a Canadian cultural icon. Ross King’s accomplishment is to place the historic details of the Group’s working lives into an international context.”



George Sipos for The Geography of Arrival: A Memoir published by Gaspereau Press.
The jury notes, “The Geography of Arrival is a lyrical memoir of an immigrant family’s daily lives in London, Ontario. George Sipos takes us on a journey through physical and emotional geographies, and makes the ordinary extraordinary.”

Merrily Weisbord for The Love Queen of Malabar: Memoir of a Friendship with Kamala Das published by McGill-Queen’s University Press.
The jury notes, “The Love Queen of Malabar: Memoir of a Friendship with Kamal Das is an idiosyncratic account of an unusual cross-cultural friendship between a Canadian documentary filmmaker and a celebrated, controversial Indian poet. Merrily Weisbord successfully captures the contradictory complexity of their dialogue.”

2011 marks the tenth awarding of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction, a prestigious prize that recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing. Since its inception the prize has fostered a growing interest in non-fiction, engaged Canadians in the genre of literary non-fiction, and boosted sales of the winning authors’ books.

This year’s jury — Neil Bissoondath, Eva-Marie Kröller, and David Macfarlane — have been reunited after serving on the jury for the inaugural prize, awarded to Wayne Johnston for Baltimore’s Mansion in 2000.

Founded in commemoration of the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada’s foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community, the prize is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception.

The 2011 prize finalists will be in Toronto for media days in mid-January, and on Sunday, February 13 and Monday, February 14, 2011. On the Sunday they will speak about their writing at a special installment of The Globe and Mail/Ben McNally Authors Brunch, and on the Monday the finalists will be honoured and the winner announced at a gala luncheon and awards ceremony. Both the Sunday and Monday events will take place at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto.

The prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the remaining finalists, as well as promotional and publicity support to help all of the shortlisted books to stand out in the national media, bookstores, and libraries.

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation with the generous support of its partners: Ben McNally Books, Bravo! and Book Television, Canada Newswire (CNW), Event Source, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Quill & Quire, The Globe and Mail, and Windfields Farm.

To Download high-resolution images of the jury, finalists, and
shortlisted titles, please go to:
http://www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca/2011/photogallery_11.asp

For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca
Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/taylorprize

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates
Stephen Weir: 416-489-5868 cell: 416-801-3101 stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane: 905-257-6033 cell: 416-727-0112 cranepr@cogeco.ca

Event Listings sent out in early January for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario

Tom Thomson Shack on the grounds of the McMichael

Events at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in late February and March including March Break


FAMILY DAY LONG WEEKEND

February 19, 20 and 21
MARILYN MONROE AT THE McMICHAEL!
On Family Day long weekend, don’t miss the opening of our two exhibitions, Marilyn in Canada and Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe. Enjoy guided tours, films and music along with special programming every day based on these shows. Included with gallery admission.

MARCH BREAK

March 13
Family Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Illustration from Norman Rockwell to Michael Martchenko
Get a jump on March Break! Celebrate illustrations by Norman Rockwell and meet one of Canada’s leading illustrators, Michael Martchenko, best known for creating drawings that accompany author Robert Munch’s famous stories. Create artwork based on the Norman Rockwell exhibition and illustrations by Martchenko. Included with gallery admission.


March 14 to 18
March Break Camp, ages 5 to 12
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
With a full-day, week-long March Break Program at the McMichael, students will enjoy drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking in a nurturing environment led by instructors who are experienced artists and educators. Student groups will not exceed fifteen students per instructor. Activities will be structured to suit age groups. Pre-registration is mandatory.
Cost: $250 general public; $225 McMichael members. Extended care to 5:00 p.m., $20 extra per child, available to camp registrants only. Participants must register by March 9.

March Break Drop-in Camp, ages 6 to 10
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For those who cannot commit to the full week of March Break camp. Students will enjoy drawing, painting, sculpting, and printmaking and activities will be completed in one day so that all students will return home with a finished piece. Pre-registration is mandatory.
Monday, March 14: Pop Art Printmaking
Tuesday, March 15: McLean Animals
Wednesday, March 16: Sculpture Studio
Thursday, March 17: Media Madness
Friday, March 18: Rockwell Draw it! Paint it!
Cost: $60 general public; $50 McMichael members per full day (no half-day options). Extended care to 5:00 p.m., $5 extra per child, available to camp registrants only. Participants must register by March 9.

March 15, 16, and 17
March Break Bonus Family Days
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Make art and watch live performances at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. On March 15, celebrate the life and joy of making music with Cosima Grunsky and create Andy Warhol inspired art. On March 16, watch popular musical group, Splash’N Boots, and create Rockwell-inspired artwork. On March 17, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with traditional Irish music and crafts. Included with gallery admission.

March 19
GEORGE McLEAN CELEBRATION WEEKEND
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Artist George McLean presents a talk, The Art of Seeing, hosted by Virginia Eichhorn, curator of George McLean: The Living Landscape
McLean found in drawing a perfect way to express his passion for nature and in particular his love of animals. He has spent unaccounted hours observing, sketching and learning about wildlife before he moved to Grey County, where his daily exploration of the countryside and local fauna continues. In his talk, the artist will discuss the place of his art in his life and why he chooses this subject matter over others. This talk is followed by a tour of The Living Landscape exhibition with curator Virginia Eichhorn.
Cost: $35 general public; $20 McMichael members. Series of three: $90 general public; $50 McMichael members. Includes 15% restaurant discount on day of event. Participants must register by March 10.

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Meet the artist and have your book signed. (Copies of George McLean: The Living Landscape are available in the McMichael Gallery Shop). Included with gallery admission.

3:00 p.m.
Tour George McLean: The Living Landscape with Anna Stanisz, Assistant Curator, Education. Included with gallery admission.

March 20
Discovery Days
End March Break with a bang! Touch artwork and objects from the McMichael’s collection, play in the discovery space, and take a family tour of the collection. Included with gallery admission.
====================================================
General Admission Prices:
Adult (18-64) $15.00; Senior (65+) $12.00; Student (with valid i.d.) $12.00; Child (5 and under) Free; Family (1 or 2 adults and 3 children under 18) $30.00

McMichael Canadian Art Collection
10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg
905.893.1121
www.mcmichael.com

Hours of Operation:
Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE McMICHAEL CANADIAN ART COLLECTION

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery, visit www.mcmichael.com .

Stephen Weir
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
stephenweir@mcmichael.com or sweir5492@rogers.com
Toronto Office:
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Gallery office: 905-893-1121
www.mcmichael.com

Invitation to cover important non-fiction Charles Taylor Prize press conference on Tuesday

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation
request the honour of your presence at a news conference
to announce the finalists for the
2011 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 • 10:00 a.m. sharp
Consort Bar (shown above) • Main Level • Le Meridien King Edward Hotel
37 King Street East • Toronto, Ontario

Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates
Stephen Weir: 416-489-5868 or 416-801-3101 / stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane: 905-257-6033 or 416-727-0112 / cranepr@cogeco.ca

About the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction:

Charles Taylor, was one of Canada's foremost essayists and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community. Charles Taylor was a foreign correspondent with The Globe and Mail and the author of four books: Radical Tories; Reporter in Red China; Six Journeys: A Canadian Pattern; and Snow Job.

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is awarded annually to the author whose book best combines an excellent command of the English language, an elegance of style, quality of thought, and subtlety of perception.

The prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and $2,000 for each of the remaining finalists. All of the shortlisted titles receive extensive national publicity and marketing support.

The jury will announce the shortlist for The 2011 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction on January 5 and the winner on February 14, 2011, at events to be held in downtown Toronto.

The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are Michael Bradley (Toronto), Judith Mappin (Montreal), David Staines (Ottawa), and Noreen Taylor (Toronto).

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation with the support of its partners: Ben McNally Books, Bravo! and Book Television, CNW Group, Event Source, Indigo Books and Music, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Quill & Quire, The Globe and Mail, and Windfields Farm.

For more information please visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates | stephen@stephenweir.com
or sweir5492@rogers.com
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Fax: 416-488-6518
www.stephenweir.com