Mark Likes Music

I finally became acquainted with Snopes.com over the Thanksgiving weekend. I hope every single person I follow on Facebook gets to know it too, and starts using it too. Yesterday, a guy I follow on Facebook posted  a news report from years ago out of Canada  that heralded dichloroacetate as a miracle drug for cancer. The report blamed "the big pharmaceutical companies" for keeping it from the public, and to my Facebook friend, this was another example of "american (sic) capitalist bullshit." Checking the story out with a quick Google search, I came across  Snopes.com, which set things straight. And then today, a bevy of Facebook friends posted the same boilerplate statement to declare their ownership over their own content; within minutes, others were posting the S nopes.com entry that explained why this so-called legal talisman was useless . The next time you're tempted to post a knee-jerk reaction to something you read on the internet, do yourself a fa...

It never pays to be cranky and sarcastic on social media  (unless you're writing about Chad Kroeger or Justin Bieber ; then, all bets are off), which is why I enjoyed reading in the Democrat and Chronicle about what Vidler's 5 & 10 in East Aurora, NY is doing with its YouTube channel . Here's a seasonal sampling: Given the lack of blog activity , it looks as if the store is using its channel as its primary content marketing tool, blasting out awareness through Facebook and good ol' fashioned PR . This makes perfectly good sense: with limited resources, it pays to focus on one social media outlet, commit to it with regular updates, and make the content distinctive enough so that it is of real value and interest to people. These videos are wildly entertaining, but even if you find them hokey, you'll at least get some good product ideas. Vidler's are stone-cold social-media ninjas.

Do you know who deserves a Diamond Jubilee Medal ? This guy: Make the change you want to see in the world, and sign the petition .

Canadians, music lovers, people with souls: this is a truly horrific story. As stated on his Flickr photostream , Prime Minister Stephen Harper was "happy to present Justin Bieber with a Diamond Jubilee Medal today." What's a Diamond Jubilee Medal, you ask?  Allow the Governor General of Canada to explain : "A new commemorative medal was created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour (sic) Her Majesty for her service to this country. A the same time, it serves to honour (sic) significant contributions and achievements by Canadians."  This makes it all clear now. There is really no better way to honor the queen, who has done, and continues to do, so much for Canada from 3,500 miles away. Queen, Justin: you deserve each other.

He saved the election for Obama , and, as everyone knows by now, he's now a big TV star: Joe Biden is simply awesome .

I heard Radiohead's cover of "Nobody Does it Better" on the radio this weekend: Presumably, it was on because Skyfall opened and   made a ton of money . I think I'll stay away from classic rock stations, so I won't have to hear this. This is not how I want to remember Guns N' Roses. Not at all.