May the Q be with us

Social media tools can be used for a lot of really ridiculous purposes. For example:

• Playing endless rounds of FarmVille when you really should be working.
• Bugging complete strangers to play endless rounds of FarmVille when they really should be working.
• Sharing waaaaay too much information about your child's intestinal functions.
• Sharing waaaaay too much information about your own intestinal functions.
• Enlightening countless "friends" on the state of your relationship with your soon-to-be estranged mother-in-law.
• Assuming Facebook "friends" are, in fact, friends.

At the same time, social media can be a force for good. To wit, an Ontario campaign to get CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi to do his live radio show, Q, locally. Mr. Ghomeshi is a multimedia superstar, an accomplished musician (Moxy Fruvous) and passionate mentor for Canada's next generation of talent. And he's got a lot of rabid fans who would give their eye teeth for a live-in-person visit.

The rules for this Internet era contest are simple: Mr. Ghomeshi and his show will visit the city that markets itself most effectively. So Facebookers, Twitterers and bloggers are now slugging it out online to get Mr. Ghomeshi's attention (London's Facebook page is here...bonus points if you follow the link and like it, double-bonus points if you start using the #JianinLdnont hashtag.)

True to our Canadian form, the campaigns are good-natured and light-hearted. Win or lose, I'm guessing the sense of community that's grown out of this large-scale process will pay off well beyond one radio show in one town. On second thought, maybe that's been Mr. Ghomeshi's goal all along.

Coolness.

Your turn: Are you involved in this? Got a link you want us to share here? Go for it...

I'll start the ball rolling:

• My Ghomeshi'a Twitter handle, @jianghomeshi (follow him and say hello.)
• A YouTube video featuring some folks I know, some folks I don't, all of whom I'm deeply in awe of.
• A blog post by my friend, Janice, who I think must be Mr. Ghomeshi's Biggest Fan Ever. Her blog, btw, rocks.
• Another blog post by Janice. Just-published and completely hilarious. A must-read if you're a Kermit fan.
• Jianinldnont.ca: A great website started by London social media expert Jody Bailey. Here's the blog post he wrote about us!