Someone in some smokey college dorm room in the 1970’s realized that in a fortunate happenstance of the elegant intersection of random events, one could watch the 1939 film “Wizard of Oz” with the sound track replaced by Pink Floyd’s record bestselling “Dark Side of the Moon” and have a totally awesome experience.

This was a mashup of epic and long-lasting proportions. It’s irrelevant that the Floyd/Wizard mashup predates the commercial use of the Internet. It’s still a mashup.

The reason I’m writing about this is that now the web has taken the original mashup and gone a step further, according to Michael Moran of UK Times Online.

… It’s one of those things that most music fans have heard about while lacking the time or the inclination to actually observe. So of course someone has done all the hard work for you. Starting from here you can watch the classic 1939 film while listening to the 1973 album (in mono rather than the quadraphonic sound that its creators originally intended) and make your own assessment.

It really is uncanny how the film and music seem to go together. Even when it’s not late at night and you aren’t in a smokey college dorm room.

Technorati Tags: mashups, Pink Floyd, Social Media, Wizard of Oz, YouTube

Mediapost’s Center for Media Research covered a new study by the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) and Middleberg Communications that shows how important social media has become for journalists of all ages - and especially so for younger reporters who fall into the ‘Millennial’ demographic (18-29 year-olds).

The study revealed the following key findings:
• 87% of 18-29 year-olds believe bloggers have become important opinion-shapers, versus 60% of 50-64 year-olds
• 87% of 18-29 year-olds confirm that new media and communications enhances the relationship with their audience, versus 42% of 50-64 year-olds
• 48% of all respondents use LinkedIn, and 45% use Facebook to assist in reporting
• 68% of all respondents use blogs to keep up on issues or topics of interest
• 86% of all respondents use company websites, 71% use Wikipedia, and 46% use blogs to research an individual organization

Nothing ground breaking revealed here, but it confirms what Topaz Partners and others knew at a time when Friendster was better known than Myspace and Facebook, and before Twitter even existed – that new media and technologies such as blogs, podcasts and RSS had ushered in a new era, not only for media consumption but also for anyone involved in the communications business. Now we can see the impact growing ever wider. It will be interesting to see what’s coming next.

Twitter seems to have emerged as an important resource for media and PR professionals to stay on top of breaking news. But what happened to Second Life? It was all the rage a few years ago. Topaz even conducted some media interviews for clients in Second Life. Now it seems to have faded into the background, a least from a business, PR or corporate communications perspective.

Technorati Tags: Facebook, Friendster, Mediapost, Myspace, Second Life, SNCR, Social Media, Society for New Communications Research, Topaz Partners, Twitter

This is one from the archives, January 17, 2007, by thoughtbrigade, written during his single days.

I purchased a Dell Laptop last week after my previous Dell laptop was stolen. I made the purchase online and inadvertently added an $80 car adaptor. I have no use for a car adaptor, other than throwing it at another driver, and I could find cheaper substitutes for that, so I called Dell the other night to set up a return.

“My name is Mary,” said the Dell customer service representative from India. “How may I help you?” Her name is Mary like mine is Nipeadooleepasling.

“Mary, I’d like to return a car adaptor.” She told me she could help me, and after ten minutes of providing information that she painstakingly repeated back to me in her adorable, chirpy, heavily accented voice from thousands of miles away, we got disconnected.

I called back, this time reaching “Susan.” I was making the call from my cell phone, wearing an ear piece while eating frozen yogurt at Costco. I finished my treat, and judging by the repetition and confirmation of every word I uttered, I figured the call was going to take a while. Spying a guitar on the far wall, I grabbed it, tuned it, sat on a piano bench and started playing. Twenty minutes later, Susan, in her adorable, chirpy, heavily accented voice said, “I don’t know why we’re getting that hold music, Mr. Robert.” I laughed and told her I was playing guitar. “Really? Huh.” was her response. Bored out of my mind, I asked her if she had any requests. “I do not understand. I am helping you resolve your issue. Do you have a question?”

After ten more minutes of her tapping at computer keys and me strumming guitar strings, Susan told me she had to transfer me.

Enter “Diane,” and a repetition of the entire process. I had no patience at this point. “You’re in India, Diane?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t it blow your mind that I’m thousands of miles away, strumming a guitar and we’re talking? We’re worlds apart, yet we hear each other.”

“Yes. I can help you return your item.”

“Diane, are you married?”

Pause. “I need your full phone number, area code first.”

“Diane, are you married?”

Suppressed giggling. “No.”

“If we weren’t so far apart, we could go bowling. Do you bowl, Diane?”

“No. Do you have your order or customer number?”

Ten minutes later, Diane asked if I could hear the hold music. I told her I was playing guitar. She laughed. “You play very well.” I told her I practiced a lot that night. She then told me she had to transfer me to the right department.

Next up: Tina. We straightened everything out in three minutes, and she told me anyone I spoke to previously could have set up a return. I told her about my long wait, and she offered me a Dell coupon. I got $150 and a good amount of work in on Ionian scales. Dell’s a great company. They care about their customers.

Technorati Tags: Customer service, Dell, Electronics