Phil "The Thrill" Kessel

Phil Kessel. Our cheeseburger eating, cookie munching, out of shape right winger that everyone (especially the media) loves to hate on. Well, he was ours until this past week. On July 1st, 2015, dreams were made, and dreams were shattered as Phil Kessel (and others) were sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins, in exchange for Kasperi Kapanen, Nick Spaling, Scott Harrington, and a few picks. Was this the right move? I don't believe it was.

The Rebuild

As a Leafs fan, these last few years have been rough, especially when reminded of the game 7 disaster in Boston just a few years ago. The 2014-2015 season started out with potential, but in typical Leafs fashion, quickly started to unravel, leaving head coach Randy Carlyle without a job. Don't even get me started on interim head coach Peter Horachek.

It's never been more clear that a major rebuild will be necessary for one of hockey's most talked about and loved teams to succeed.

Babs

As the season came to an end, the big question on everyone's mind was 'who's taking over?' Who has the balls to jump into this rebuild head first? After much speculation and media frenzy, Mike Babcock threw on a jockstrap to support his steel balls, and came forward – ready to make some big changes to the organization. Yes, this is a huge upgrade in terms of coaching, but a lot needs to happen over the next few years to put the Leafs in the running for the Cup. While it's not what many fans want, the reality is that a rebuild of this magnitude will not happen in a single year. All I can say is, "good luck to you, sir!"

Kessel on the Move

The big trade for the Leafs, and probably the biggest during the "Free Agent Frenzy", was Phil Kessel being moved to the Penguins. Let's forget about the mediocre return and focus on Kessel, himself. Here's a player who, putting last season aside, averages more than 35 goals per (full) season, and a +/- that usually hovers around 0. Last season told a very different story. 25 goals with a +/- of -34.

Yes, Kessel had a terrible 2014-2015 season, especially in the second half of the year, but should that have been enough to ship him off to Pittsburgh in exchange for a few prospects? I don't believe so.

Lack of Chemistry

For a player to succeed, there need to be a strong team behind him. Unfortunately, Phil Kessel didn't have that. Rewinding to the beginning of the season when the Leafs were strong(ish), Kessel was scoring goals and making things happen, but when the team started to fall apart, his performance quickly diminished. The goals came to a halt, and his attitude took a very negative turn. And while I hate to see professionals act like Phil did in the latter half of the season, I have a hard time blaming him. His team was losing, fans were on the attack, and the media took every chance they could to make him feel even worse.

No Second Chances, Apparently

As we've all established, Kessel had a terrible season. We know it, the coaches knows it, and I'm sure he knows it, as well. But is one rough season enough to buy him a permanent ticket to Pittsburgh? Absolutely not.

Coaching, attitude, fitness. Three factors that lead to one of Phil Kessel's worst seasons of his career. All three I believe could have turned around in the upcoming season. Even before the trade, it was already reported that Kessel would be training with Gary Roberts in the off season, and if Shanahan had any sort of faith, he would have let Kessel ride it out for one or two seasons under Babcock. Unfortunately, management caved under the pressure to rebuild and sold Kessel for a bag of rocks.

So long, Phil!

It's going to be strange not seeing Phil burst down the ice wearing a Leafs jersey in October, and unless there are more trades in the works, it looks like we may be in for another disappointing season.

Best of luck in Pittsburgh, Phil!

 

BlizzPlz: Physical Hearthstone Cards

Not having much free time to dedicate to World of Warcraft anymore, Hearthstone plays a pretty big part in my gaming life. It's a game that I can play in between meetings, right before bed, or waiting at the doctor's office. And while Hearthstone is easily one of my favorite games of 2015, there's something missing.

Let's get physical!

Growing up in the 90's, trading card games were one of my go-to, non-athletic hobbies. I remember collecting, trading, and playing with Pokémon cards for years, and I'd by lying if I said that I didn't relive that experience a few years ago. (I bought several thousand cards on eBay. Don't judge!)

Trading cards that can be held and displayed have always been part of these games, and it's the one thing that I feel is missing from Hearthstone.

But, Hearthstone is digital...

You're absolutely right, it is, and I don't expect players to stop playing digitally, but I do believe there's a large group of players out there who would gobble up physical Hearthstone cards, if given the opportunity.

Best of both worlds

If Blizzard offered physical versions of their Hearthstone cards, key features could include:

  • Themed booster backs (Classic, Goblin vs Gnomes)
  • 10 cards per pack
  • Minimum of 2 rare cards (or better) in each pack
  • Digital code to add the cards in-game (QR code to quickly scan on mobile)

The key feature here would be the ability to add the cards you receive in the physical packs, to your digital game.

They're collectibles!

As previously mentioned, if Blizzard offered physical Hearthstone cards, I don't expect players to jump ship away from the digital version. In fact, I imagine that most players who would purchase the physical cards would be doing so strictly for their collection. You know the deal; unpacked cards go straight into sleeves!

Financially sound?

This is an area I can't give a definitive answer on. In-game, 2 packs (containing 10 cards) sells for $2.99. To make up for a potential loss, Blizzard could easily bump up the price of physical booster packs to $3.99 and still sell a ton of them. I'd personally prefer if they kept the packs at $2.99, but if it doesn't make financial sense, $3.99 would be acceptable. *Throws money at Blizzard*

Is this realistic?

Unfortunately, this will probably never see the light of day. Blizzard seems set on keeping Hearthstone in the digital world. We shall see...

YouTube IS a real job. Get over it!

There was a time, many moons ago, where it was shunned upon to write novels for a living. The thought of sitting alone, scribbling nonsense on paper, disgusted those who broke their back to earn a paycheck. Many wrote to express creativity, others wrote because they were physically unable to mold to society's definition of a "real job". A funny thing happened next; authors started to share their stories with the world, and the hobby of writing started to transform into a source of income. Or as some put it, a "real job".

Full circle.

Writing. Painting. Photography. Three respectable professions that once started out as a hobby, and came under fire when people dared to turn their passion into a living. Sound familiar? YouTube is the latest addition to this list.

When I started uploading Photoshop tutorials to my YouTube channel back in 2006, it was a way for me to share my expertise with friends, and it acted as an escape to the real world. Never did I think I would soon be earning money doing it.

Many have. Many will.

Believe it or not, only 3 years after YouTube launched, myself and many others were earning several thousand dollars per month uploading content to the platform, and as we close in on YouTube's 10 year anniversary, some are seeing multimillion dollar paychecks.

Now before you get too excited (or angry), creators who are earning a solid living off their content is astronomically small compared to the amount of active YouTube users. Just like authors, painters, and photographers, earning a living creating content takes not only skill of your craft, but a ton of hard work and dedication.

Yes, it's a real job.

If I was given a dollar every time a faceless YouTube commenter told me to "get a real job", I'd be able to retire. Non-content creators are often under the assumption that a 7 minute YouTube video takes 7 minutes to produce. They think we turn the camera on, talk for a few minutes, and bam, content! I hate to burst your bubbles, but this is far from reality.

While I can't speak for all creators, quality YouTube content can take days, sometimes longer to produce. Just like an hour long episode of Game of Thrones can take weeks to wrap, YouTube content also takes time. From planning, scripting, filming, and editing, many of my 10 minute tutorials took a solid week to complete.

Miserable? I'm sorry.

Some of the hate that YouTubers receive may be from the misunderstanding about how much work actually goes into a single video, but much of it comes from those who refuse to accept the fact that many content creators have turned what they love into a living. If you're unhappy with your "real job", I'm sorry, but don't take it out on those who have worked to make theirs enjoyable.

Get used to it.

Online content is quickly taking over traditional media, and the younger generation is molding how it looks and feels. If you're one who's upset that YouTubers are making a living creating videos, you may not want to read the next sentence.

Some teenagers are making 7 figures creating 6 second Vine clips.

The world is changing, and whether you like it or not, you better get used to it.

Crowdfunding

Apps, games, education, health. These are just a few things that are being crowdfunded through the power of the Internet and the communities within it. Many of you have asked me what my thoughts are on this booming business. Here they are!

The impossible, made possible

For many, crowdfunding is a path to success. An idea that may have been thrown in a drawer can now be put before a panel of millions, and if it's truly the brilliant idea you imagined, the community will help make it a reality. Two great examples are The Pebble smartwatch and the Veronica Mars movie. Both were funded on Kickstarter by people like you and me.

Recently, however, a potato salad was funded for over $50,000. Yes, you read that correctly. Over 6,000 people threw money at a guy wanting to make the perfect potato salad. Incidents like this are rare, but when they happen, people take notice and can give crowdfunding a bad name.

Asking a large group of people for money is an awkward thing, and isn't something that should be taken lightly, and certainly shouldn't be done to make a fucking potato salad.

Using it for good

If you have a great idea for a product that will change the world, throw it on Kickstarter! If your company has run out of funds during development of a new game, let the community help! These are great examples of how crowdfunding should be used.

A touchier subject is campaigns that don't offer return to backers. Illness is a good example. Many have created crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for illness, whether for themselves, a family member, or a pet.

While I don't personally have an issue with this, if you're thinking about raising money for personal reasons, don't be surprised when people push back.

Micro-funding

A newer addition to the crowdfunding scene, is 'micro-funding', which has exploded thanks to services like Patreon. Built for content creators, Patreon allows loyal viewers to contribute either on a monthly, or per-creation basis. Unlike traditional crowdfunding, the purpose isn't to acquire a large sum of money at once, but it helps a creator fund their on-going content well into the future!

Provide value

As we've established, asking for money is awkward. No matter how amazing your idea or content is, there will always be those who push back. To avoid coming across as a 'sell out', make sure you're providing explanation and value within your campaign.

  • Why are you raising money? Will your content improve?
  • What are you providing to backers?

Supporters want value. They want to know their money is not only helping you reach your end goal, but that they'll be getting something in return. Whether this be a limited edition of the product you're creating, early access to your content, or a simple personalized "thank you", if you're thinking about starting a campaign, make sure you're thinking about your backers, as well!

What are your thoughts on crowdfunding? Leave a comment below, or Tweet @IceflowStudios

Virgin America Visa: reimagined, again.

Several months ago, back in January, I applied for the brand spanking new Virgin America Visa Card. I've always been a fan of their airline, and their customer service has always been spot on. It only made sense to apply for this card. Plus, it looked damn sexy!

Thankfully for my good credit, I was approved! The excitement started to sink in, and checking the mail became fun again. Then, it arrived! I tore open the UPS envelope, pulled out the beautiful packet it came in, and set my eyes on...a card that looked nothing like the one they advertised.

In the image above, which I posted on Google+, you can see the advertised card on the left, the card that I received on the right. Aside from the obvious differences, you may also notice that the plastic is already peeling/chipping. Sure, nothing is ever exactly as they're advertised, and some may not care too much for the look of their credit card, but for a high profile company like Virgin America, I expected better. 

They listened, I think.

Fast forward to today, I received an email letting me know that they've 'enhanced the look' of the Virgin America Visa Card, and it should be arriving in the next few weeks! An image posted to Twitter shows what could be the enhanced card design. If this is the new card, it still doesn't match the advertisement, but it sure looks a heck of a lot better than what they originally sent out. Once I receive my enhanced card, I'll be sure to update this post!

Why the blog post?

You may be wondering why I'm writing this blog post. Well, I'm not 100% sure. It's not often that companies listen to their customers, so I figured I'd give a virtual fist bump to Virgin America for correcting their mistake. Sure, it would have been better if the mistake was never made, but good on you for listening, Virgin America!

Have some respect, bae!

If you're wildly confused at the title of this post, I don't blame you! Until last night, I had never heard the word/phase/thing bae. Yes, you read that properly. Bae. What is this word/phrase/thing you may ask? I'm still not 100% sure, but let's source the always wonderful Urban Dictionary for some assistance.

Bae;

"Before anyone else"

What?! That's probably the worst abbreviation known to Man. Let's move on and hope there's a better definition.

"Word used to address their significant other because they have found themselves too lazy to pronounce the entire word "babe".
"Welcome home, bae"

Okay, I didn't think it could get worse, but it just did.

People use bae because they're too LAZY to say babe?! *Mind blown*

Is this seriously what the English language is coming to? I can understand shortening long words like veterinarian to vet, or vegetables to veggies, but shortening a one syllable, four-letter word?! Really?

Don't use it! Just, don't.

So why am I writing this blog post? Aside from ranting about the word, itself, I was made aware of all this from friend and voice actress, BrizzyVoices. Last night she Tweeted that someone she didn't know had called her bae.

Have some respect!

And then it confirmed what we all already knew - behind keyboards, people on the Internet can be disgusting pigs. I fully understand the concept of having an online crush, but just because there's no physical interaction involved, doesn't give anyone the right to treat others like a piece of meat.

Whether it's bae, babe, sweetie, or some other form of endearment, if you aren't in a [real] relationship with the recipient, don't fucking say them! You're not being 'cute', you're not being 'funny'. It's disgusting and you should have some respect.

You wouldn't walk up to someone you don't know on the street and call them baby, so don't do it online.

Oh, and never use bae under and circumstance, even to your significant other. It's a stupid fucking 'word'.

</rant>

Facebook is listening?! Burn them!

As I'm sure you've heard, or as I'm sure Facebook has heard you hear, Facebook is set to release an update to their mobile app that some users are going batshit crazy about – and not the good kind of batshit crazy.

This update will allow Facebook to identify the music and shows you're listening to, and include them in your status updates, similar to the functionality of Shazam. Except, instead of telling the app when to listen, Facebook is always listening. *Insert ghostly 'ooooo' sound*

Why you're probably overreacting

Without much context, this feature sounds pretty frightening, but if you're one of the many who is threatening to delete your Facebook account and hunt down Zuckerberg, you may want to put your torch away. It's really not that bad.

You have options

First off, this feature (at least for now) is completely optional. If you don't want Facebook to include your music and shows within your updates, don't turn it on. Facebook may decide to remove that option in the future, but for now, it's your choice.

It doesn't care about your conversations

Second, like Shazam, this technology doesn't care about your boring dinner conversations about your next door neighbor's humping dog. It analyzes ambient sound to match an 'audio fingerprint'. The 'recorded' sound is quickly compared to an online database of music and shows for a potential match, then thrown away forever. Facebook claims that no audio is ever stored on your device, or on their servers.

Facebook is the least of your worries

If you're still not convinced that there's nothing to worry about, you should probably set your priorities straight. In fact, you should probably burn all your devices, lock yourself in a bunker, and quickly disappear from society.

Unfortunately, everything is listening. Our phones, the apps installed on them, search engines, browsers, the government. Everything you do, every action you take, is being analyzed in one way or another. Google knows every website you visit, and every destination you arrive at. Hell, their Moto X has a feature that allows you to activate voice control without even touching the device. How is that any different from what Facebook is doing?

But even still, nothing compares to what we've been made aware of recently, thanks to Edward Snowden. Our own government is tracking everything we do without our knowledge. That is what you should be worried about, not Facebook wanting to tag your music – unless you listen to Justin Bieber, then you should be worried.

Still want to leave? Bye!

At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make. If deleting your Facebook account will somehow make you feel more secure in 'Big Brother' America, so be it. We live in very different times where, unfortunately, we may never be truly 'free'.

Just like you, I don't like my freedom being stripped away, but boycotting Facebook is a royal waste of time.