DVD Duplication

Creating a movie to advertise your product or service is getting cheaper and cheaper. Once you have the movie created you can stream it from your website, but you can also hand it out at Trade Shows and in store fronts cheaply on DVD.

Say you are standing at your trade show booth and talking to a potential client about the value prospect of your service. Giving them a nicely packaged DVD is a great way to have them remember you when they get home. They can watch the DVD, show it to colleagues or family and then make their purchase decision.

Get DVD duplication done isn't as expensive or time consuming as you might think. Most new computers Mac and PC come with dvd authoring software built in. Then just send it away for dvd duplication and you get back a beautiful promotional product that is sure to wow!

Sometimes you need to ADVERTISE!!!

So you are in business and you are thinking about signing up for that next Trade Show! But ... what do you take with you? You can be one of those with the fold up tables, throw a skirt around it, a bunch of propaganda media on top, some swag and you're done! Of course, then do you really look like a successful business? Are the thousands of potential widget-buyers passing by your presence really noticing?

That's where it's time to pick up some merchandise! Even a small business can afford some banner stands or a small trade show booth.  These displays can add punch to your presence!

Also it's a good idea to get rid of the table across the front. It's an instant barrier between you and potential customers.

Trade show displays are great for attracting attention and you can use them again and again.

Kitchener Moms Forum

I always found the web works in many ways. It brings together like minded people from across the globe for certain things and other times it brings local people together that have the same interests.

For example, if you are looking for that rare part for your 1939 Ford, you probably need the biggest audience you can get.  However if you are looking for the best place to host your child's birthday party in Kitchener, Ontario, chances are, someone from Paris, Texas isn't going to be able to help you.

That why I like the idea of KWMoms.com.  Mothers/Moms are a group that like to chat and ask about how they can get the most for their kids. In Kitchener and Waterloo, the KWMoms site gives them that ability in a great looking format.

So if you are looking for kw moms or a moms forum in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Ontario, then check out the site.

I know it's still under construction, but it seems to be gaining ground.

Shit my dad says ...

If you haven't traversed through the twitter about Shit My Dad Says its worth the ride. I found it hilarious. http://twitter.com/Shitmydadsays

It made me think of some of the times I found my dads words a bit amusing. I remember him saying:

We should never have tought you how to swim, cause now you're too hard to drown.

When I was just learning how to walk, I burned my hands severely on the outside of our oven. Apparently it was a big deal at the time and everyone was extremely worried, however, as I got older apparently it didn't bother them as much. I remember him saying in my teen years.

You still think you were on the outside of the oven don't you?

 Check out Justin's feed on twitter. Too funny.

Getting Divorced in Canada ...

I found out that getting separated and divorced in Canada doesn't have to be as bad as it was for me. I'm not talking about why I got divorced or dealing with the ex, I just mean the actual cost and logistics of getting divorced! It was brutal!

I'm thinking about starting a site on getting separated in Canada and Ontario specifically at www.getdivorced.ca and explain some of the pitfalls that people can avoid.

When I was getting separated I looked for a lot of information and found it all over the place. I also received the best advice AFTER the fact :(

CD Duplication or CD Replication?

I think it's because I used to work in the CD Duplication business, or it's because I have friends that are musicians, but I do get asked a lot what the difference is between short run cd duplication and cd replication.

If you are producing a short run of cd's, say 10 to 500 then you are going to want CD duplication. This is where the manufacturing company burns copies of your original cd using either a tower of burners or a robotic cd duplication machine.

These CDs are just duplicated from your master and made one by one, they will have the visible burn area on the bottom. You can still have cds duplicated with labels or printing on the top.  You can also still get all the fancy packaging that you want, tray inserts, different cases, sleeves, inserts whatever you need.

Once you cross that 500 threshold you begin to cross the line between duplication and replication. Usually not until you hit 1000 CDs does it become a better financial decision though.

CD Replication is where they make a glass master of your CD and then manufacture the CDs just like any other recording artist. The CDs don't have the burn line on the bottom cause they weren't recorded, they were manufactured.

AdvanceDiscs can handle all your short run cd duplication in Canada and ship to anywhere. They have good prices, a good turn around time and produce great packaging.

Most musicians trying to get their first run of cd's start there. You can also get some posters and other promotional materials at the same time.

1984 Movies

One day I was perusing through a book of the "501 Must See Movies" and it seemed to be that a disproportionate number of them were made in 1984.

I mentioned this to my brother who was working with me at the time. We started trying to name all of the 1984 movies we could think of. Then of course we moved over to the IMDB. It wasn't long before we had a printed list and I was actively seeking out 1984 movies on DVD.

It's been about 2 years since that started and the collection is actually becoming "complete". I eliminated "Adult" films ... although that would be an interesting archive for future viewers.

My brother also suggested I start with movies that grossed highly and work my way down.

Now I'm not sure that a younger generation would be interested in movies made in 1984, yet my girls at 8 and 7 still watch quite a few of them with me.

I admit I have a bunch that I still haven't watched and some that maybe I wish I hadn't. But I'm determined to eventually watch all that I own.

Here are thoughts on some of the classics. (in no particular order)


GREMLINS (1984) - This was one of the must haves on the list. Gremlins was a great Christmas movie. Does it hold up today? Pretty much. My girls enjoyed the humorous moments and didn't find it that scary. They managed not to comment on the quality of the special effects at all and seemed to get into the story.  They did comment that it moves a little slow, but would be willing to watch it again. But let's face it, this is a must have for an 1984 collection.

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984) - This I already had. Every time I hear the Indiana Jones theme I'm ready to grab a whip, don the hat and head out into the jungles of South America to seek my fortune. Of course, if I had to list my favourite Indiana Jones movies in order, this one would be at the bottom ... but still ... another amazing movie coming out of 1984.

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) - Hello? How can you not love this one. It seemed so new and exciting when it came out and still holds up. Like a lot of the others, for some reasons movies from the 80s seem slower and the pace is relaxed. Everyone should have this in there collection though no matter what year they were born.

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN (1984) - They make movies about video games, or based on books, or based on other movies ... why not base a movie on a song. And 1984 had two of them! Purple Rain and Girls Just Want to Have Fun.  Now admittedly neither is REALLY about the song, but it is still named after the song. This movie has a young looking Helen Hunt and Jennifer Grey portraying two teen girls who want to make it onto a dance show in Chicago. It's corny and tired and my two girls love it. They've watched it three times. It didn't make the "High Grossing" list at all, but it does all right at my house.

THE TERMINATOR (1984) - This is the classic sci-fi original!

BEVERLY HILLS COP (1984) - I know what you are thinking! Another amazing movie made in 1984. You betcha.


POLICE ACADEMY (1984) - YES! The Steve Gutenberg original! What a great guy Mahoney was.

ROMANCING THE STONE (1984) - Great, great movie!  Are you thinking of starting your own 1984 collection yet?

THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984) - Oh yes they did!

My Still to Watch 1984 List
These are the movies that I own from 1984, but haven't watched yet ...
The Natural
Bachelor Party
Passage to India
2010: The Year We Make Contact
Children of the Corn
Friday the 13th Part IV
Nightmare on Elm Street
Karate Kid <- I did see this as a kid though
Starman
The Last Starfighter
Footloose
Purple Rain
Amadeus
This Is Spinal Tap
Dune <- Saw this a long time ago as well