My one-time alma-mater, First Choice Holidays PLC - the parent of Signature Vacations - is merging with the massive German based TUI to form an even more massive travel cencern. This seems like a win for all. First Choice needed a tie up, their management team is solid, and consolidation in the leisure travel world isn't likely to slow down anytime soon.

Now, if they can only get that internet thing to go away, everybody can be happy :)

 

This could be huge, in terms of service and pricing.

 

I'm hanging at the ICE new media conference through Thursday. I'm on a panel about the future of the 'net and moderating one on monetizing social media.

If you are here, say hi.

http://www.ice07.com

The event is kicking off with a Gala this evening. Maybe 200 people here - feels lightly attended, to me.

Back by popular demand, we are hosting another mesh mixer. After the last, heaps-o-fun event in the Fall, we thought it high time to do it again.

Super casual, no big agenda, just a chance to connect as we roll towards this year's mesh in May. We buy the munchies, you buy the drinks and everybody's happy ;)

It's at the Charlotte Room (http://www.charlotteroom.com) is at 19 Charlotte Street, near Spadina and King in Toronto.

Hope to see you there.

Last week, my friends at eBay once again brought Jeff Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC (http://www.digitalcenter.org) to Toronto, to present the latest in their continuing study of our online habits and their impact. The stuff is fascinating - especially to a data junkie like me - so I would encouage you to read the highlights at the link above if you are interested in where it is all headed. His findings around young people and community are truly intriguing.

Also, Edelman presented the latest in their annual Trust Barometer survey results. NGOs score highest as organizations, but "people like me" are still King. Is it any wonder that Social Media is all the rage? Thanks to the 'net, it has never been easier to find those "people like me" and see what they're thinking. Marketers: ignore this at your peril.

Finally, I was one on a panel for the Canadian Public Relations Society, discussing Social Media - and blogging, specifically. A podcast of the whole thing is up on the InsidePr site (http://www.insidepr.ca) so you can catch it there. It was pretty fun to do - with 2 of my mesh Partners also on the panel, together with a lovely food blogger named Jasmine.

My key message: don't forget to put the "public" in these relations, you PR types. Blogs are written by passionate folks who are doing it for free. Don't expect that your standard media pitch will be necessarily well received.

Thanks to David "Blog Boy" Jones of Fleishman-Hillard for moderating.

That's it for now. I am trying to post more frequently - sorry for the lack of links and any typos - I'm doing this on my 'berry while on the go, after I lost the better version of this post a little while ago. And yes - I did type this with my thumbs, on the subway :)

So, I finally took an hour to write and link to a bunch of neat stuff that's going on - and then when I went to save it, the system cacked and I lost it. Like a 1985 computer glitch thing. Blue Screen of Death. I couldn't believe it.

Well, suffice to say that there is a lot going on. I will get to it later, I guess.

Grrr...

 

Fabulous - and very on-the-nose - post about DaimlerChrysler's slippery slide into brand oblivion.

 

Like last year, thanks to our Sponsors, we are offering a limited number of post-secondary Student mesh tickets at the uber-low price of $25 plus GST.

And like last year, they are going *fast* so heads up that if you want in, be prepared to show a Student I.D. at the event and buy yours soon.

Click "Register" at http://www.meshconference.com.

And don't say I didn't warn you.

(posted from chilly a power-free house via BlackBerry)