Canucks Outsider Media Scrapbook

Whilst tidying up all Canucks Outsider-related ephemera, I’ve rounded up a few oddments of media coverage and Fanzone related stuff for posterity. There are more out there so i’ll gather photos by my Crazy Canucks colleagues and stash ‘em here as possible.

See also:

Canucks Outsider podcast episode art archive

Hockey NW and Canucks Outsider design archive

My grassroots Canucks media coverage began with the “Pig Express” my own publication from 1979 – this edition featured then-GM Jake Milford flying to Sweden to recruit players

At the SLC 2002 Olympics came my anecdotal CBC HNIC appearance with Don Cherry, Ron McLean and Joe Neiuwendyk’s brother Gilles – Don Cherry wore my furry hat (thanks to brother Anders) which was featured in his montage for a few seasons – i spoke with Ron and Don about my daily photo journal of 28 events in 13 days

Vancouver Courier’ Mark Hasiuk wrote up the Canucks Outsider podcast during the playoff run on 2007 with special emphasis on my support of the international fans

Much more after the jump …

Canucks Outsider podcast episode art archive

I’ve found that the podcast episode “album art’ pieces are hard to keep sorted. I’ve also found that there are a lot and in a variety of sizes. For a flashback and convenience, here’s a batch of them all in one place with more to come as i find them. Find more Podcast Album Art in Flickr. Many are by me, the rest are by my pal Bread. See also Misc. Canucks on Flickr and Hockey NW and Canucks Outsider art archive on Flickr.

See also:

Hockey NW and Canucks Outsider design archive

Canucks Outsider Media Scrapbook

Rock N Roll Photo Panel Pitch for SXSW Music 2010

Here’s a pitch for a panel for SXSW Music Conference remixed from a panel at Northern Voice 2009 Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09. Like that panel, I’ll moderate a group of experienced band and concerts photographers about a variety of creative and technical and licensing issues.

ROCK 'n ROLL PHOTO. Photo by Uber Lexy

Starting August 10, you’ll have a chance to vote for SXSW Panels and Presentations until Aug. 28th and your vote constitutes a portion of the selection process along with staff and an advisory board.

Read the whole submission below.

Also, for your voting consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10 – Dave Olson

‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug  

Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Panel: Rock N Roll Photography

Madonna's 1st Ever Concert by Bev Davies via Uber Lexy

Blurb:

Photos are an integral part of building a music scene and attracting audience but there’s a chasm between amateur snapshots and pro photos which truly capture the band’s aesthetic. This panel explores how bands and photographers can work together (technically & creativity) to produce images which enhance the artist/fan relationship.

Questions:

1. What do photographers want from bands when shooting them?
2. What can bands do to be better subjects for photographers?
3. What are characteristics of a great band or concert photo?
4. How can photographers get great shots at shows with low light and fast action?
5. What are the differences between shooting for love or money? Does it change your shots?
6. Who are you shooting for? Yourself, the bands, the fans, the future?
7. Everyone has a camera of some kind – how does this change the reasons/importance of your photos?
8. What are rights licensing options for photographers?
9. How can photographers build an audience by sharing and using Creative Commons?
10. How can photographers build relationships with promoters/bands/labels?

Bios:

Dave O presents at SXSW - Photo By KK

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy.

Note: Dave Olson presented  F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 with solid reviews.

Why i am qualified to speak:

I’ve seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on my 7th birthday. I presented this panel at Northern Voice conference in Vancouver BC – recap with video, slides, photos, reviews and live blog.

Also, I gathered up exceptional Panelists:

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1977-85 from DOA to Dead Kennedys to The Clash plus “emerging” major acts like U2, Motorhead and Madonna. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history.

Bev Davies & Kris Krug: Rock 'n Roll Photo @ SXSW. Photo by riacale

Kris Krug regularly shoots bands along with fashion shows, tech conferences, Olympic Games and international travel. Known for his cross-processed style, he shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing, regularly organizes photo walks and contributes to conferences including TedX Shanghai, Gnomedex, PopTech, Petcha Kutcha and Northern Voice.

More about Rock N Roll Photography panel:

Photos are a key component of building a music scene or movement as well as engaging audience for a musical act, but there is a huge difference between some snapshots and photos which capture the band’s aesthetic and essence. Plus, photographers shooting for magazines or freelance don’t always want to share the licensing which allows the band to use the shots for their own promo use.

This panel with noted rock n roll photographers explores how bands and photographers can work together to produce images which thrill the band and inspire the fans. Beyond the technical points of photography, moderator Dave Olson will discuss how the manner of working, point of view, and setting are key contributors to quality results and ask the panelists how they find inspiration, develop a unique style, capture atmosphere, and form working relationships with the artists ~ plus technical tips to get in the pit and make a great rock shot.

Also, for your voting consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10 – Dave Olson

‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug

Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 – Round-up Jamboree

Art Makes the Future. Art is the Future by KK.

F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSWi 2009

I presented my soliloquy for personal expression called “F@ck Stats, Make Art” on March 13 at SXSW in Austin, TX as a Core Conversation.

While I was spieling, I couldn’t help to recall all the others times I’ve stood before groups – from Rotarians to Mormons to Deadheads to strangers on buses to students in Germany – to tell my stories. When I spoke about my ole dead Gramps from whom I heard I alot of tall tales, I realized that so many of the mundane and amusing talks I’ve busted out at one time or another were all coming together in that room.

Thanks to everyone who listened while the stories were in development and when they were really happening. To everyone who showed up, Thanks. To everyone who came up for a hug and a kind word to to show off their hero/project/metaphor cards – big thanks. I feed off of you to lay it all open. I gotta trust you or I can’t tell it real-style.

DIY Analog Power Point by Unkown - did you take this?

At the risk of waiting any longer to post *everything*, here is an evolving wrap-up of the related content from F@ck Stats Make Art at SXSW 09.

Consider dropping a vote for my pitches for SXSW10:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom prezo for SXSW Interactive
& Rock N Roll Photography panel for SXSW Music

You may also enjoy this recap of F@ck Stats, Make Art at Northern Voice 2008 and this podcast episode SXSW Stories from Middle Earth – Choogle On #79 in which i both preview and recap SXSW09, finally, here are all my SXSW 2008 Choogle on podcasts – 6 episodes to soak in the chaotic flavour of the music and parties.

What’s next? I have a closet full of stories – literally. I plan to tell them. Perhaps a tour, more books, more artifacts – Wanna help spread this message of tolerance, translucency and creativity? Subscribe to Choogle On! podcast.

Photo Slidedeck

I didn’t use this deck in the prezo but it includes most of the photos in the envelopes of Heroes, Metaphors and Projects.

Treats! Photo By James Chutter

Twitter updates

@SimpleScott :

#sxsw insight #2: “be tolerant and translucent” – Dave Olson

@SquanderingTime :

I think the food thing needs to happen before the next set of talks. Btw, the fuck stats make art talk was incredible.#sxsw

@MezzoBlue :

@uncleweed’s “F@&$ Stats, Make Art” was so compelling I forgot to check Twitter for an hour. #sxsw

@MeJayne :

http://twitpic.com/22fk0 – MoJo talk’n tasty nuggz with rockstar Dave Olson, preacher of truth and rebellion

@SarahDavies :

“Even if you’re one in a million, find the 300 other Americans just like you, and have a party!” – Dave Olson #sxsw

@LeslieBradshaw :

At my first session, from Dave Olson: “embrace translucency” (not everything about you is interesting) #sxsw

@AustinJardinera :

Inspired by Dave Olson to try presenting stories to customers via arts and crafts projects #sxsw

@TexasBrat :

#sxsw F*&K stats make art tolerance & translucency makes people able to get along and share with others ~Dave Olsen

(TexasBrat was rocked the coverage of the spiel! Check these: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven! whoa!)

Think you're clever? Express with Vigor! (I Love Fish Tacos) by KK

Blog etc.

CAN YOUR LIFE’S WORK BE DIGITAL? (Sarah Davies)

Is there a digital Thoreau? Will we discover a currently neglected philosophy blogger in a hundred years and suddenly realize that we ignored someone whose ideas would come to change the world?

SXSW Diary – Friday (Pete Ashton)

It worked for me because he’s sort of a fellow traveller having done the zine thing. I’m still processing my thoughts but it tied in with some thinking I’ve been doing about what I might end up getting involved with next…

jewgonewild @ identi.ca

Watching David Olsen put on a robe.. lol (look closely) #sxsw http://pikchur.com/pan

Kris Krug @ Friendfeed

Looks like Dave Olson’s ‘Fuck Stats Make Art’ talk is gonna be standing room only. Come be a part of history. ;) #uncleweed #fbombs #sxsw

Catchin' a buzz with Elvis by Michael Barnes

Photos

Do you have photos from F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSW 2009? Please tag them “uncleweed” and “fsma” “sxsw09″ or something and i’ll pick ‘em up.

Kris Krug – Dave Olson – Fuck Stats Make Art – SXSW 2009 – photoset – see above for samples

James Chutter – Dave Olson Read Thoreau

John Biehler – SXSW09

Love these annotations by So Misguided, Monique Trottier

+

Joey Zornes – Dave Olsen at SXSW

Remix

Mojo makes a slide about Transluscency

Mojo Remixes Art Make the Future or a slide deck

Special Thanks

To John Biehler, Peter Andersen, Jeremy Crowle for helping me bring it all together – and to all of you who took the time to show up and/or rate the prezo.

Stats?! Fuck em'... Ratings on the other hand...

Hero/Project/Metaphor cards

Make your own from the attached .pdf (attribution, non-commercial use only – note: while I took most of the photos, some photos’ origins are unknown or undocumented but presumed to be in public domain-ish).

{coming}

What Else? You tell me @uncleweed

Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09

Building A Scene – Rock & Roll Photography Panel Re-cap

Blurb:

Photography isn’t always clean, in a studio with great lighting, patient models, or beautiful subjects.

Iggy Pop decades apart by Kk and Bev Davies at NV09

In a panel with two noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krug, host Dave O will explore how they find inspiration, develop a differentiating style, capture atmosphere, and form relationships with the artists, plus technical tips to make a great rock shot.

They’ll also discuss sharing your work to build a common experience and a “scene” for fans to self-identify with and participate in as well as compare and contrast favourite shots.

Video:

Thanks to Bruce Sharpe – 25 Hour Day via Blip.Tv, who sets up the clip in Rock N Roll Photo:

Using several well-chosen photos of rock ‘n’ roll stars as a backdrop, Dave Olson finds out from noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krüg how they are permitted access (or not), how they work with the musicians (or not) and what it takes to get that iconic, memorable photo. From Northern Voice 2009.

It takes a minute or two for the video to settle down. Stick with it, it’s worth it!

Slides:

Complete Rock N Roll Photography slidedeck (Google) by Dave Olson featuring photos of Kris Krug and Bev Davies.

Live blog:

Northern Voice 2009 Rock and Roll Photography Kris Krug Dave Olson Bev Davies by Miss 604 Rebecca Bollwitt

Excerpt: I first started delving into the works of the legendary Bev Davies only just over a year ago but after discovering what I have (which is simply scratching the surface) I realized what an important person she is to rock and roll history, along with Vancouver history.

Along with Kris Krug, whose rock photography is recent yet not any less inspiring and captivating, Dave Olson will guide these two through a journey of their craft both on and offline.

Reviews:

Northern Voice – Dean H (SubPop New Media)

I also saw a great talk moderated by Dave Olson on rock ‘n roll photography featuring Kris Krug and Bev Davies. Both of Kris and Bev take fantastic pictures (that you should really take a look at) but, in particular, some of Dev Davies’ early pictures (there are some in a Flickr set here) are must see if you’re a fan of early ‘80’s punk and hardcore. Bev was basically the only one taking pictures at these shows in Vancouver in the early ‘80’s and her collection of shots of DOA, The Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Adolescents, Gang of Four, Duff McKagan-era Fastbacks (and on and on and on) are amazing. You may have seen her photography in the punk rock calendar that Nardwuar put together a couple years ago—all the photos in the calendar are her work.

Randy Stewart at Stewtopia: Northern Voice 2009 – Vancouver’s Finest

Dave Olson’s interview with Kris Krug and Bev Davies about rock and roll photography was fantastic. I had met Bev the day before after an intro by Peter Andersen and I had a lovely conversation, but had no idea she was so punk rock. Her pictures speak volumes.

Maryam ghaemmagha​mi Scoble says:

Finally, I especially enjoyed watching Dave Olson interview Bev Davies and Kris Krug about taking photographs from Rock and Roll bands and watching all the historic and amazing photos reel on stage.

Speakers:

KK + Bev Davies in Rock N Roll Photo by Penmachine

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy. He’s seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on his 7th birthday. (DaveO’s Library)

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1980’s from DOA to The Clash. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press, captured both the sweat of the band and the excitement of the audience and together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history. (Bev on Flickr)

Kris Krug shot dozens of bands at the last 3 SXSW Music fests along shooting everything from fashion shows to tech conferences. Known for his x-processed style, at SXSW he captured evocative, gritty shots from well-known artists like REM and Flaming Lips to emerging acts and shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing to help bands and fans enjoy the experience. (KK on Flickr)

Letters from Russia Recap from Northern Voice 09

Page from Letters from Russia book

Recap

Here’s everything to do with my presentation of Letters from Russia at Northern Voice 2009 – a volunteer run social media conference in year #5 and Canada’s biggest shindig of its ilk.

I am in year 4 of presenting my mixed media messages to a diverse and enthused audience. Previous years included Fuck Stats, Make Art; 3 Ps of Podcasting; and Blogging your Passion. This year i also participated in a panel “Social Media and the Olympics: Then and Now” and moderated “Rock n’ Roll Photo” panel.

Audio and video to follow ~ Enjoy these ephemeral reminiscences in the interim.

Resources

Presentation slides for Letters from Russia

Presentation notes for Letters from Russia

Flickr set of the Letters from Russia art – grab em hi-res for your remix

Letters fromRussia with illustrations in .pdf – Print it, sew it, make you own

Letters from Russia without illustrations in .pdf or plain text at the Mountain Highway writer’s notebook blog

Spoken word literature podcast Postcards from Gravelly Beach Postcards from Gravellybeach blog or subscribe via iTunes: http://bit.ly/19Cbiz

Audio from Letters from Russia on Santa Cruz Free Radio

Gist

Letters from Russia by PeterOA on Flickr

“Whether blog article, photo, video, podcast – social media should tell a story. The best stories are retold and shared with others, and the very best stories create conversations which might live on for generations.

How does a content creator elevate their work from craft to art? The same creative parameters apply whether the delivery method is digital or analog or both. When applied with vigour, the work elevates to something beyond an ephemeral musing.

Using a mixed-media project called “Letters from Russia” as a example, Dave will discuss practical tactics for harnessing inspiration, plotting the big picture, grinding out the “real work”, and finally creating a satisfying tangible artifact.

Dave will discuss the role of blogs, podcasts, reader interaction, RSS, and self-publishing with chapbooks and/or on-demand web services as efficient methods of sharing and distributing the project to an audience.”

Letters from Russia in action by Retrocactus on Flickr

Comments

John Lyotier from 5 Things I learned about Blogging, Twitter, Social Media, and Myself at Northern Voice 2009:

Dave Olsen (www.UncleWeed.com) – I attended this unconference session by accident sort of. I was chatting with some of the attendees after the conclusion of Chris Heuer’s “Death of Advertising” talk [ed. note: meh... ], and then in walked this odd looking chap: floral shirt, a tickle trunk, smokey-grey fedora, and a smile that said that he knew the next 30 minutes was going to be fun. I asked those next to me what this session was about. They said, “wait and see”, and I am glad I did. Dave gave one of the more enjoyable presentations (”Letters from Russia”) that I have seen in a long time. Summarize it? I don’t think I can, and even if I tried, it wouldn’t do it justice.

Miss 604’s live blog: Northern Voice 2009 Dave Olson Letters from Russia

Today he was talking about the process from idea to publication while sharing his personal journey surrounding his Letters from Russia series. I wasn’t live blogging his session as I wanted to pay attention and focus on his message, delivered as he stood before a packed while sporting a smoking jacket.

I did however jot down some of his quotes on Twitter and John Biehler snapped some photos so I’ll share those now. (added link to retrocactus uncleweed tag on flickr)

Raul live blogged some bits and pieces at: Dave Olson at Northern Voice 2009 on “Letters to Russia”

11:32
Dave ended up at this place (I can’t really liveblog with the richness that Dave speaks). So you got to remember – the best part of DaveO’s talks is just listening to him. He is superb.
11:34
DaveO is now reading – It doesn’t make sense for me to really liveblog because you won’t get Dave’s richness. Hopefully people will put up video.
11:41
If you have all the time in the world to do everything, what are you going to do, wake up every time in the morning, getting a lot of creative work done?

Spieling Letters from Russia at Northern Voice by Tim Bray

Updates

macfarbt: @uncleweed thanks for the sharing and goodness @ northernvoice09. I want to find a way to mash up Letters From Russia with the Nepalese.

retrocactus: @uncleweed you should make that a pre-req for those attending your next talk: craft & bring your own version of Letters from Russia

madmannequin: Lunchtime at #northernvoice09 so far really enjoyed “death of advertising” & “letters from Russia” speakers. Looking forward to the rest!

michaelallison: Great session on the creative process with @uncleweed “Letters from Russia” …that’s presentation session. #northernvoice09

sprice: such a refreshing presentation by @uncleweed at #northernvoice09. letters from russia

jennmae: Watching @uncleweed’s letters from Russia presentation IMO he’s the best speaker I’ve seen #northernvoice09 http://twitpic.com/1lbe9

stephen_rees: #northernvoice09 Dave Olson – Letters from Russia – laughing too hard to type

seray: Letters from Russia at #northernvoice09. Starting off in Belize, must be good, I want to go to both places!

kel_roberts: Dave Olson up next “letters from Russia”, always good presentations from Dave #northervoice09

theunabonger: Flickr feed shows me @uncleweed is sporting a fine Chapeau today at #northernvoice09 #nv09. Now to find pictures of @scales and rest of gang

retrocactus: @uncleweed holding court at #northernvoice09 http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrocactus/3295911074/

FierceKitty: @uncleweed I want to clone you and put you in my pocket. #northernvoice09

Miss604: @uncleweed said “What makes a work important is giving it an audience” #northernvoice09

formulaphoto: Love that uncleweed’s sessions are so consistently funny and inspiring – and refreshingly low-tech. #northernvoice09

sparklytosingle: @uncleweed’s new GTD formula: 80% meditation, 10% execution, 10% inebriation #northernvoice09

Miss604: @uncleweed’s session “If you snip the kite string will it soar higher? No it will tumble to the ground” #northernvoice09Miss604: @uncleweed says ideas need to ferment and brew like beer mmmm #northernvoice09

kateleg: @uncleweed is killing it at #northernvoice09 awesome story telling

FierceKitty: @uncleweed I want to marry your smoking jacket. #northernvoice09

FierceKitty: Swooning over the excellence of @uncleweed And @rainzine. I’m sucker for the analog. #northernvoice09

Miss604: @uncleweed said “I came across a ticket that was $420 to Belize. I was like ‘BUY’ … I wonder where Belize is?” #northernvoice09

inkbase: Full house for @uncleweed at @northernvoice09

GregEh: @owlex the only session advice I can give remotely is go to @uncleweed’s talk #northernvoice09

moritherapy: really looking forward to @uncleweed’s session here at #northernvoice09 – LOVE last year’s http://www.moritherapy.org/article/dave-olson-blogging-and-creativity/

Thanks – what’d i miss? Add in the comments SVP.

Talking about train travel in the Vancouver Courier

I was interviewed (and my loquacious quotes like “super lame”) are included in an article about train travel in the Vancouver Courier.

I am including my quotes and a few other snippets about my pet-rant – inadequate train travel between here and points south as well as the photo by Dan Toulguet so it doesn’t disappear into the internet tubes like my previous photo appearance in this local newspaper. By the way, if someone could pick me up a paper copy, i’d be very pleased.

from the Vancouver Courier article by Robert Alstead, Oct. 22nd, 2008

Slow train coming

Robert Alstead takes a journey north by rail from California and wonders if Canada’s vanished passenger trains will once again carry us from coast to coast – Robert Alstead, Vancouver Courier
Published: Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Print version of Slow Train Coming
Web version of Slow Train Coming

Dave Olson, who works in marketing for Gastown web design company Raincity Studios, travels six or seven times a year by train, on business and pleasure. “I don’t care for jet travel because of the incredible hassle and huge eco-footprint,” says Olson. Like many, he would take the train more if he could. “I like the pace and not having to drive, I like the rhythm and the scenery you normally don’t see, the rail yards and seashores and forgotten neighbourhoods. I find the train-riding experience somehow charming, even poetic and certainly creativity stimulating,” he says.

However, he complains Amtrak’s evening train south is hardly convenient for trips to Olympia or Portland, seeing as travellers must make an overnight stopover in Seattle. The Amtrak Cascades is also infrequent and often booked up. Amtrak does offer several “train buses” which Olson has found “super lame” with long border waits. He’d rather take the car if there are no seats on the train, although it did mean a $124 parking bill and a chipped windshield on a recent three-day trip to Seattle. “I know we would’ve enjoyed some work or playing cards or meditating on the train,” he rues.

##

However, the Amtrak Cascades offers a good example of the difficulties faced in enhancing rail services.

For years, Amtrak has wanted to add a second roundtrip train between Eugene and Vancouver. However, congestion due to heavy freight movement on track this side of the border meant that a new siding needed to be added to allow trains to pass. For six years, Canadian and U.S. officials and railroad owners Burlington Northern Santa Fe had been unable to hammer out a deal over who should pay for the upgrade.

That means that a second Amtrak Cascades has been running only as far as Bellingham. Then in March of last year, spurred on by the onset of the 2010 Olympics, B.C. transportation minister Kevin Falcon announced that he was committing “up to $4.5 million” (reportedly 57 per cent of the upgrade cost) to build the siding.

In June last year, Premier Gordon Campbell marked the new service on the platform at King Street Station in Seattle by exchanging a large symbolic train ticket with Washington Governor Chris Gregoire in a photo op.

The siding was completed months ago. Amtrak is ready to go. But the service hit the buffers due to complications with the Canadian Border Services Agency, which reportedly wants $15,000 per day to clear the train.

Graham says the matter is in the hands of the B.C. government. A spokesperson for the province says it’s a federal government issue. Faith St. John, spokesperson for the CBSA, said she could not comment on the matter “because we are in discussions.” But she did say that “decisions to provide CBSA services at a new location or to expand current services take into account human resource requirements and the ability to provide security and service to the public.”

She could not say when the matter would be resolved.

##

See also:

Ranting on about Trains, Buses and Borders – Choogle on podcast #1

Vancouver Courier Newspaper article on the Canucks Outsider podcast

North Shore News Writes about happyfrog etc.

{Re-posted from North Shore News on Canada.com for educational and archival use.}

Going green together online – Happy Frog directory helps green businesses connect
by Rosalind Duane Special To North Shore News – Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Dave Olson is declaring war on paper coffee cups.

“And this is coming from a guy who loves his coffee and hates remembering to take one of those travel mugs, hates remembering to rinse it out and hates remembering to clean it,” he says.

Olson notes that the switch is on to cloth shopping bags, and organic foods, but paper coffee cups and plastic water bottles still need to be done away with.

Five years ago, Olson, a North Vancouver resident, says he got funny looks when he used his own canvas bag for grocery shopping, but these days, options other than the ubiquitous and environmentally unfriendly plastic bags are popping up all over the place. Similarly, 10 years ago, it was difficult to find fair-trade, organic coffee, but that has also changed.

Along with consumers, businesses both big and small are also paying more attention to sustainable practices. It is getting easier (read cheaper) for companies to change their internal practices to include measures such as office recycling, and to offer incentives to employees to walk to work or carpool.

For the past 10 years, Olson has been working in online marketing and has noticed a definite shift in the way business is being done; even big-box stores are highlighting their “green” features.

“It shows that big companies are following the little companies, which is a real big paradigm shift really because 20 years ago, 10 years ago, that certainly wasn’t the case,” he says.

While working in the business world, Olson has also been taking pictures and writing blogs in support of his passion for the environment. About six months ago, he joined in the creation of an online green business directory called Happy Frog.

He says the opportunity to help develop what he calls a “green community” allowed him to put some structure around the grassroots journalism that he was doing.

“We’re really hosting the community conversation about these green and sustainability minded topics,” he says of the directory, which lists various environmental and sustainable-minded businesses from across the province. While the idea for Happy Frog started out as a directory, it has evolved to include reviews and tips from users, and piece by piece, more interactive elements have been added. Olson and his team have also gathered a group of non-professional writers and photographers to attend the upcoming Epic Sustainable Living Expo and report back to the site with photos, stories and podcasts. He says the website is the “social media partner” for the fair, and he wants to profile vendors that may not otherwise be featured in the mainstream media.

Olson notes that over the years as he has been attending and reporting on wellness fairs as a hobbyist, he has learned that by telling stories and letting people know each other’s points of view a lot of progress can be made.

Letting businesses in on the conversation is another aspect of the directory that Olson is excited about. Once listed in the directory, business owners can access their listing and add their own blog. Olson says beyond regular print ads, the online blogs allow business owners to be “authentic” and tell their story.

Each business chosen to be included on the website has to be B.C.-based and has to fit into one of the Happy Frog categories, which include Arts and Culture, Eco Travel, Food and Beverage, Fashion and Beauty and more. Olson and his team then look at what the company is selling and make sure that the company is at least making an effort toward sustainability practices.

“The other big requirement is that they are willing to say publicly, ‘We’re trying to get better. We’re trying to learn how to be sustainable,’” explains Olson.

He adds that the vendors listed may still have improvements to make, but just because the owners aren’t walking to work and wearing recycled burlap for clothes, the business can still be considered.

“We want to be inclusive and help people make those first couple of critical steps.”

Olson says although it’s easy to get cynical about the amount of change that still needs to occur, every little bit helps.

“The little changes beget bigger changes and really snowballs into all of a sudden you find yourself eating organic, shopping with bags, not taking that paper coffee cup, and if we reach a critical mass of people doing that all of a sudden real positive change happens. So it’s really a shift in thinking and habits that starts small and gets bigger,” he explains, adding that his hope for the website is to get people communicating in an authentic, honest manner about environmental issues.

For more information, visit the Happy Frog website at www.happyfrog.ca.

© North Shore News 2008

{NOTE: Re-posted from North Shore News on Canada.com for educational and archival use.}

{Note: Photo by DaveO added to article – did NOT appear in the NS news article}

Tags: happyfrog, daveo, daveolson, north shore news, vancouver, sustainability, green, ecology, earth day, environment, north vancouver, coffee cups, olson, change

Northern Voice confab preview

Without rambling on too much, Northern Voice is a community run conference which is cheap, educational and fun. It is also sold out. Too bad for you. Moose Camp – the first day (Friday) “un” conference has some slots to accommodate a few more eager learners.

This year, i plan to actually attend and participate in this year’s Northern Voice party…

I am posting my pitch here (and at the wiki F*ck Stats, Make Art Dossier ) so i don’t lose it and forget what i am proposed to speak about. I am batting third in the main hall with F*** Stats, Make Art after Matt Mullenweg and Marc Canter. Lots of other good stuff going on including the two other presentations parallel to mine.

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Fuck Stats, Make Art
Dave Olson, NV 08

Why

Publishing almost anything and reaching a worldwide audience is suddenly ridiculously easy yet that doesn’t mean a vast stream of top-quality content flowing down the tubes. Often, the stuff that floats to the top is goofy, nonsensical or cheesy slices of contemporary pop culture – either contrived or wrangled their way to the top of the viral avenues.

Tis easy to get hung up how many people visit your site, view your video, comment on your pictures, add you as a friend etc., however these metrics mean very little in the long term.

How

By taking a rambling, pictorial journey through his own career of creating grassroots art, Vancouver’s renegade social media maker Dave Olson will extoll, encourage and explain the importance of digging deep to muster creative self expression which will stand the test of time.

Besides spieling on the importance of creating meaningful content, and reasons for concentrating energy on action rather than talking, Dave will share insider tips on outreaching to mainstream media and using promotional skills to amplify your personal message.

We’ll explore questions and topics like “why bother?” “what constitutes success?” “how to express yourself?” “exploring mediums” and “making technology your b!tch” – though a veteran computer user, Dave will seek to tame the intimidation and paradox of endless opportunities which often thwart rather than encourage creativity.

Known for an intensely casual, fast-paced style (laced with humorous anecdotes), Dave is an experienced teacher who ran web design classes, and guest lectured to classes at Vancouver Film School and presented to Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, loggers and rock bands.

Background

Since publishing a ditto-machined community newspaper in 3rd grade, Dave’s made punk rock fanzines on hijacked xeroxes, poetry chapbooks printed on hemp paper in Guam, homegrown business docs and tv appearances in Japan, filmed and distributed a feature-length documentary travel film, created dozens of voluminous websites, series of semi-ledendary podcasts on topics from hockey to literature, started activist ISPs in Olympia, and published expository essays in major magazines on political conundrums and public policy issues. He also worked at Kinko’s for three months just to use the colour copier surreptitiously afterhours.

Bonus

From a young age, he’s parlayed his artistic and business endeavors into a litany of media appearances from radio in Guam to newspapers in Vancouver to a feature in High Times magazine who said,

“Though his hair is kind of wild these days and a thick beard covers most of his face, you can’t pigeonhole Dave as a hippie. He’s kind of a Renaissance guy who can speak at length on anything from ecology to music to pro hockey.” Chris Simunek, High Times 03/2002
http://hightimes.com/ht/news/content.php?bid=99&aid=3

A graduate of Evergreen State College where he studied philosophy, international business, public policy and writing, Dave also attended Univ. of Utah, Univ. of Guam, has worked as a mushroom farmer (Japan), grape picker (Germany), private beach club host (Guam), toured with the Grateful Dead, wrote the Law School Admission Test, made photo journals from SLC Winter Olympics and enjoys oil painting and making static montage paper art to fill up his cluttered studio.

Credentials

Dave presented (a pinch hitting) well-received presentation about podcasting at NV 2007 and (another pinch hitting performance) on a panel “Blogging your Passion” at Moosecamp 2006.

Also active participant in Barcamps, Drupalcamps, Transitcamps and enjoys camping in a tent best of all.

Scoble\’s vid of KK\’s gig at Northern Voice

Scoble and his monpod vid’ed up Kruggers’ shindig with some bonus daveo snippets about firework photos …

Northern Voice Podcast Presentation Podcasted at Podcast Spot

Three P’s of Podcasting: Plan, Produce, Promote

A quick start guide to developing a podcast, cheaply and easily for any purpose. Including devising a topic and a point of view, recording basics and software options, editing and storytelling t…

53 minutes, 15 seconds

Northern Voice and Moose Camp handy promo

NV 2007 Web Badges and Banners | Northern Voice 2007

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