memelabs has just launched a video contest with Global Agents of Change. Global Agents for Change are building the world’s largest youth run microcredit fund, supporting hundreds of developing world entrepreneurs in their struggle to escape poverty and tangibly connecting young people to global issues.

Global Agents for Change are asking you to get involved. So get your camera’s ready and tell us - What would you do to change the world? Create a short video of your own footage explaining an idea you’ve dreamed up or a real-life project you’ve taken on, which truly changes the world for the better. Be creative and original but most importantly inspire and be inspired!

There are two prizes to be won: $500 for the people’s choice and $500 for the judges choice to support a cause or organization of your choice. So here’s the chance to do something to change the world. What are you going to do?

Global Agents for Change have just started their second annual ‘Riding to Break the Cycle‘. The goal of the trip is to help build a youth managed microcredit fund, helping struggling developing world entrepreneurs with small trust based loans as they seek to build their families a better life. The trip kicked off in Vancouver on May 31 and will end in Tijuana, Mexico. The group will cover 3000 kilometers in 7 weeks. Check out their trip map to see if they are going to be going through your town and get out to support them in reaching their goal.

memelabs has been busy behind the scenes recently getting a bunch of new contests ready. We are really excited about our newest contest with Transworld - some of you may recall that we ran a Snowboarding contest with them last year - this time it’s a Skateboarding contest. So get your cameras ready and practice your hottest tricks.

The contest has been live now for a couple of days and all ready we’ve received an amazing number of videos in with all sorts of hot tricks. So if you think you have what it takes to enter the contest, now is the time to do it. Good luck to everyone…can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Posted by Jenn Lowther and Nadia Nascimento

Jenn
Nadia and I loooove <3 New Kids on the Block. I’ve been in love with them since I was a little girl and had my room plastered in NKOTB paraphernalia. I literally had it all - the action figures, trading cards, posters, sheets, sleeping bags, if they sold it - I spent my allowance on it.

I have to confess that I went through a stage where I couldn’t admit my undying love to Joey and Jordan, but with many years of therapy behind me now, I can once again announce my never ending love. And the best news - NKOTB are coming to VANCOUVER!!! Last time they were here, my Mom said that I was too young to go, not this time:)

They really are the best. Who else could have inspired one of my favorite viral videos of all time - D*ck in a Box? So in tribute to arguably the best boy band to exist ever in the history of time, I dedicate this post to you. I <3 you!!!

Nadia

Jordan Knight half kissed my mouth last year and I suppose that’s when I actualized the 12 year old inside of me while re-releasing her into the world. How can you not love a man with jazz hands and a pompadour? The first 10 seconds of my video make me wonder why I don’t have a crush on Liza Minelli. Jordan…The torch I bear is the freedom to my youth so I trudge on. In your immortal words, “Come-a, come-a, come-a, mama, treat me right.” And I will.

Posted by Jenn Lowther

You like us, You really like us!

Photo Credit: Dustin Sacks SillySoft Games

All kidding aside, we’re all super excited to have won the New Media BC’s People’s Choice 2008 Award for Best User Generated Content or Crowdsourced Content Site. Nadia and I had an incredible time at the Awards Ceremony and Gala - as you can see in the pictures. We were extremely honoured to be nominated for this award and ecstatic that we won.

We couldn’t have done this without you - as it is the People’s Choice Award - so Nadia, myself, and the entire team at memelabs would like to give you our most sincere thanks for making memelabs what it has become today and for getting your vote on to help us win!!

We were up against some excellent competition and want to congratulate the following teams for the excellent work they have done. We were honoured to be competing against you.

• BussPass: Travels in Urbanity
• Changeeverything.ca
• Dare to be Digital: The Online Learning Challenge
• NowPublic.com
• Planetwide Media: Speed Racer Comic Book
• Protagonize: Story Writing Community
• Strutta
• Zeros 2 Heros: The Peoples Publisher

I also want to congratulate all of the other nominees and winners at the awards.

• Best Digital Animated Short: PSYOP, for Coca-Cola “Happiness Factory, the Movie”
• Best Digital VFX: Ubisoft, for Assassin’s Creed
• Best Game (Console/PC): Metanet Software and Slick Entertainment, for N+ on Xbox 360 / XBLA
• Best Game (Casual): Acronym Games, for Rocketmen: Axis of Evil
• Best Mobile (Game): The Saints, for NavBall
• Best Mobile (Application): CellMap Inc, for CellMap
• Best Digital Campaign: Rainmaker Entertainment and Zeros2Heroes Media, for A ReBoot ReLaunch
• Best Digital Score: Clicktoy Interactive Inc., for The Meadow
• Best Do-Gooder site (Social Change Initiative): smashLAB, for DesignCanChange.org
• Homegrown Award (Best BC-based Venture): smashLAB, for MakeFive.com

Posted by Jenn Lowther and Nadia Nascimento

Jenn
The 30’s and Russia brought us lots of things. We had the Great Depression, The Empire State Building, Snow White, the discovery of - Pluto, Penicillin, and Insulin- and Russian Vodka (mm tasty). So what happens when you combine the 30’s and Russia? How about the first Hip Hop/Break Dancing troop. Since WWI had finished, I guess this platoon of Russian Soldiers had a bit too much time on their hands. And no I am not going to insert an ‘In Soviet Russia’ meme here (that’s what the comment section is for:). Enjoy a little Red Army Hip Hop.

Nadia

Lets talk guilty pleasures for a moment. A singularly decadent weapon in the arsenal of personal satisfaction. The light at its core is generally intimate- a, “Don’t look at me- I am hideous” kind of thing. That said, those personal moments of indulgences are raw and attached truisms into who we really are.

My guilty pleasures? Nerds with guitars and viral video. Now with Weezers new video, they spoke directly to me almost knowing that while nerds playing guitars and holding hands with monkey’s is a pretty close win, it did not command my full fandemonium support. Enter Phase II of the conversion process and the orgasm of guilty pleasures. Nerds + Peanut Butter Jelly Time.

You had me at Numa.