Digital Roots

Taken around 7:30AM. The clouds are low in the mountains because it’s
seriously humid here (north of Nelson BC). It gets hot during the day
then big thunderstorms in the afternoon. Expecting the same today.
So we get lots of greenery – it’s a completely different ecosystem
than the Radium-Fairmont valley on the other side of Kootenay pass.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Mark Dyck
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:59:59 -0600
Subject: Kokanee Creek in the Morning
To: Madbaker

{no text body}

Lake Louise in Summer

Posted by Mark

at July 22, 2009

We’re up at the top of the Lake Louise gondola, looking back at the
lake, chateau and glacier. The sky has quite a bit of smoke haze,
which I assume is from the wildfires in the Okanagan valley, 600km to
the west.

I’m shocked by the size of the glaciers. It’s been 8 years since I’ve
been here and to my mind the glaciers are way smaller than the last
time we were here. And not just Lake Louise – all over. Climate
change in action, I suppose.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Mark Dyck
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:52:02 -0600
Subject: Lake Louise in Summer
To: Madbaker

{no text body}

ProductMarketing.com: Friday Fun: United Breaks Guitars

Posted by Mark

at July 14, 2009

via pragmaticmarketing.typepad.com

You just can’t ignore customer service issues and hide behind policies anymore. Especially if you tick off a guy with talent. 2.7M views and counting. Bet United’s glad it saved a couple dollars?

You still think TV is important?

Posted by Mark

at July 9, 2009

via youtube.com

My pal Darwin Janz reminded me of a great presentation from Michael Wesch on how YouTube changed everything. Well worth your time to check it out. Then start posting some vids, pictures or writing….

Seth’s Blog: Best new way to make an internal sale

Posted by Mark

at July 9, 2009

via sethgodin.typepad.com

Seth shares a great example of how powerpoint doesn’t cut it anymore — video is the way to go. It’s cheap, it’s simple, and it makes an impact.

Bullet points are long gone from my presentations, but maybe it’s time to kill the presentation outright. Why tell people when you can show them?

Prairie Landscape

Posted by Mark

at July 4, 2009

I’m rereading “Brilliant Orange”, an outstanding history of Dutch football in the context of their culture, art, architecture and landscape. The author, David Winner, makes the connection between the best Dutch footballer’s ability to create space on the pitch with the Dutch abiity to literally create a country out of the sea.

The vast land creation by dike and canal building makes for a flat and uniform landscape. One that, in my imagination anyway, seems a lot like the prairie landscape in southern Saskatchewan.

I was thinking of this on the drive to Saskatoon yesterday when I saw this view. Great light, dark clouds and the bright yellow canola fields. An amazing view, but quite common around here.

Web Ink Now: Social Media is the new punk rock

Posted by Mark

at June 30, 2009

via webinknow.com

Interesting analogy. I missed the rise of punk — was old enough but didn’t really get it. But I’ve been searching for the same passion and participation ever since and I’m finding it in online communities. So I think the videographer is on to something.

[not sure how posterous links work, but I found out about the video from David Meerman Scott's awesome Web Ink Now blog. I hope this links through!]

Buried Trolley Line on Albert Street

Posted by Mark

at June 23, 2009

I took this photo while walking to work last week — it's a bit of urban archeology as a City work crew (who is re-paving Albert Street Bridge) uncovered the old trolley lines that used to run the length of Albert Street.

Then they proceeded to cut them out and continue repaving.

Too bad in a way. It made me think about what Regina would be like if it was still compact enough to support a trolley line. Sort of like in this video: