Category: TV

MobuzzTV – Karina Stenquist – update

On By Rick McIn product endorsements, TV, videocasts4 Comments

MoBuzz is now my favourite video blog. Check this episode discussing the use of the internet to “shame” those with whom you disagree:

Net-Shaming from Craigslist to Creeps

7 minutes long, high speed connection needed. Far better is to subscribe via iTunes.

Karina Stenquist is the latest of my bevy of internet tech divas. I download her daily.

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Karina

She’s the English language host of a video podcast out of Spain.

Sassy, irreverent — Stenquist is compelling. Check MobuzzTV.com or search for MobuzzTV on iTunes.

video player – get Democracy

On By Rick McIn internet, product endorsements, TV, videocastsLeave a comment

Democracy Player for Internet TV – best release yet! – Cory Doctorow

Normally I watch on-line video with iTunes. But, in reality, iTunes is an audio player with video capability reluctantly tacked on as an afterthought. (That may change this week.)

After one use of the new open source, free Democracy Player, I think I will switch when possible. (Far, far more shows are available on iTunes.)

“Want to see the future of Net video? Download the open source Democracy Player” – Wired Magazine, May 2006

If you want to give it a shot, you need to download their software. It is very easy to use. No learning curve.

Democracy – Internet TV Platform – Free and Open Source

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Adbusters – get mad about corporate disinformation

On By Rick McIn economics, philosophy, product endorsements, TVLeave a comment

I have long appreciated Adbusters.

Adbusters offers … activist commentary from around the world addressing issues ranging from genetically modified foods to media concentration. In addition, our annual social marketing campaigns like Buy Nothing Day and TV Turnoff Week have made us an important activist networking group.

Ultimately, though, Adbusters is an ecological magazine, dedicated to examining the relationship between human beings and their physical and mental environment. We want a world in which the economy and ecology resonate in balance. We try to coax people from spectator to participant in this quest. We want folks to get mad about corporate disinformation, injustices in the global economy, and any industry that pollutes our physical or mental commons.

Big issues. Surprisingly, Adbusters has a sense of humour.

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I want to make clear that adbusters is not really about “busting ads”. They have their own website visuals that almost look like ads:

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Adbusters are about educating folks about useless consumption. Stupid consumption. Manipulating children to empty consumption.

As for me, I actually want better advertising. For example, I really want to know when new Lonely Planet travel guidebooks are published. But in 2006 neither the Lonely Planet website nor Amazon offer this functionality. I wish they would email me a daily advertisement on new travel guides.

Instead I get a daily dose of an ad for Clean and Clear zit cream with my MTV video podcast. A waste of their time and mine.

helping the homeless

On By Rick McIn economics, government, philosophy, TVLeave a comment

Is money the answer?

What would happen if you gave homeless man $100,000?

That’s the question posed by a Showtime documentary called Reversal of Fortune. Ted Rodrigue lives under a bridge in Pasadena and agrees to participate in a documentary about the homeless, though he doesn’t know he’s goint to get any money.

He finds it unexpectedly in a dumpster half way through the film.

Reversal of Fortune (2005 film) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I quite liked Ted Rodrigue before he got the money. He had adapted to decades of living on the street and had a “life” of sorts.

As you probably guessed, money was not the answer for Ted. You could say it ruined his life.

TV – Marg Helgenberger is hot

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

I was a huge fan of China Beach. Mainly because of Dana Delany and Marg Helgenberger.

Helgenberger is the best character on the most successful TV show, CSI Las Vegas.

On China Beach she was something of a “madam”. In CSI, a reformed striper. What a career!

Marg Helgenberger Online – Ultimate Marg Helgenberger FanSite! Your Best Source For Shared Photos, Video Clips, Articles And More!

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IMAX theatre

On By Rick McIn economics, movies, product endorsements, TVLeave a comment

A hotel I’m at has on demand video of all description: movies, award winning TV, documentaries. All commercial free, pay per view.

On demand video, when and where I want, is essential.

Next on my list is quality. In future, video content must be more interesting. Happily, this is already here.

I love IMAX cinema.

I just saw Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag, the largest aerial war games in the world. Fantastic experience! (though the film is not as accurate as it could be).

IMAX quality is the future. I can’t understand why it has never achieved the kind of popularity it deserves.

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TV network advertising on eggs

On By Rick McIn good news, humour, TVLeave a comment

I hear that TV viewership is at low ebb.

Good. The current model supported by contemporary commercials (that suck the oxygen out of my lungs) needs to die.

TV executives will be testing alternative forms of advertising. But what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Boing Boing: Advertising TV shows on supermarket eggs
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Jon Stewart on Net Neutrality

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, bad news, humour, internet, TVLeave a comment

It seems the traditional American media near ignored the astonishing lack of understanding of Ted Stevens, chairman of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Gladly, we have one “journalist” putting this dinosaur’s feet to the fire.

I say again, the USA is in trouble because of their legislative process. Perhaps they should try democracy and free market economics.

The TWITs weigh in on their podcast.