Tag Archives: Media

The Story of #iranelection

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iranian protest election results 26 209x300 The Story of #iranelection

#iranelection was for many people the top news source for the aftermath of incumbent President Mahmoud Amedinejad’s so-called victory over reformer candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi last Friday. It’s not a new cable news channel, or even a news website. It’s what is known on twitter.com as a “trending topic”, a self-declared association of posts on the micro-blogging site. Every post with the word “#iranelection” self-identifies as having something to do with the Iran situation, be it opinions, links to mainstream news articles, or even first hand reports. It’s a new form of primary historical document, one that combines the intimacy of personal letters, the immediacy of video or sound recordings, and the openness of a mass media broadcast.

Twitter is by no means new technology. I find it very similar the web-based chat rooms I myself used in highschool. What is different about it is that it has repurposed current technology to be used in a unique way. Where other systems wanted to emphasize privacy and security, Twitter emphasizes publicity and openness. Most of the 140 character “tweets” are meant for the rest of the Twitter community and the internet at large. It’s easy to write it off as some kind of narcissistic toy, I’m guilty of that myself. However, Twitter’s status as a toy rather than a serious social networking site probably kept it from being blocked in Iran within the first few hours of the protests. Other aspects of the site, like the 140 character limit and interoperable architecture have allowed bloggers in Iran to deal with shoddy connectivity and the government’s attempts to block communication from within the country.

The result is a riveting stream of human emotion, rumor, and anonymous people from across the globe communicating like they never could before. Take a look at this feed from @Change_in_Iran

from the looks of it they are waiting to arrest all the students! it’s also explains the vans9:14 PM Jun 13th from web

some people are now parking their cars in middle of the street trying to block the vans. #iranelection9:16 PM Jun 13th from web

Police is trying to stop people from gathering around while Intel guys still holding a line in front of the gates #iranelection9:05 PM Jun 13th from web

police demanding people to move their cars and start crashing car windows. more people are coming. I will try to get a better view9:18 PM Jun 13th from web

Down with the dictator! Mousavi, Karoubi; support us! #iranelection9:30 PM Jun 13th from web

my eyes are burning hard to keep them open #iranelection9:46 PM Jun 13th from web

I’m dizzy but ok. some people are getting shelter in the nearby unfinished bank building. police arresting a middle aged man10:11 PM Jun 13th from web

@ahmadinejad no wonder you are OK Mr president 24.5M10:13 PM Jun 13th from TwitterFox in reply to ahmadinejad

it’s 9:54 AM -Amirabad street near Pasargad bank and to be honest I don’t have the courage to leave the roof right now #iranelection10:27 PM Jun 13th from web

There are more accounts like this on #iranelection interspersed with rumors of riot police stings disguised as Moussavi rallies and burning ballot boxes. Some tweets supply the Iranians with lists of proxies to get around the government’s internet filters. A hacker’s toolkit of programs to shut down Iranian propaganda websites is making the rounds. From the rest of the world, there are notes praying for the safety of the protesters, “retweets” of some of the more vital bits of news for fellow bloggers, and criticism of mainstream media outlets for their lack of coverage on the events. To see people communicate like this on such a personal level, the future of totalitarian regimes is doubtful. Any government that oppresses its own people on the basis of the threat of an external enemy cannot survive like this. The Great Satan has no horns or pointed tail, and he’s able to send a twitpic to prove it.

This is not to say that Twitter and services like it are going to replace more mainstream froms of news gathering. CNN doesn’t deserve its own #CNNfail channel for the coverage of the Iran Election. The network has to tread carefully to get the kind of access it has. President Obama had just recognized the USA’s involvement in the 1953 installment of the Shah only a week before. The US would do well to keep its distance and establish that it has nothing to do with the current unrest. Besides, it doesn’t matter whether True Blood is the higher trending topic or the mainstream media has to wait a few dozen hours to report on what it finds. That’s not what this is about. We all have an opportunity now to witness history. If we can’t take to the streets, if we can’t tend to the wounded, if can’t tweet from our laptops on the roof, the very least we can do is watch and pray that freedom wins out.

The Friday Files: June 12, 2009

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voltroncam 300x267 The Friday Files: June 12, 2009

This Voltron Camera shows us how much poorer the world is now without transforming merchandise. Via Topless Robot.

It’s Yamato. It’s Starblazers. It’s one totally awesome trailer from the new 2009 series. What more do you need to know? Via AnimeVice.

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Sure it’s depressing, but there’s something refreshing about this scale of financial destruction. Here’s an infographic of the largest bankruptcies in US History. Check out the full chart here. Via BoingBoing.

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For those of you wondering what a bubble looks like while it’s being pierced by a BB Gun, wonder no further. Via ImageShack.

While arcade cabinets are mostly a thing of the past in the West, technology seems to be taking an alternate path as this Japanese company has developed a machine that can switch from vertical to horizontal in one easy step. Via GameSetWatch.

What’s On Thursdays: Indy Mogul

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indymogulogo Whats On Thursdays: Indy Mogul

So you want to create your own web series? Well, if you are actually watching video on the internet, chances are you are already on your way. Most new computers today come with an embedded Video camera and some type of editing software installed. But like anything with computers, you find that you already have the technology, but who’s going to teach you how to use it? Indymogul.com would like to be your answer.

Indy Mogul brands itself not as a single show, but more like a network of several shows. There’s the Best Short Films in the World with Bobby Miller, which shows 5-10 second clips of various short films on the internet book-ended with the slow, hilarious ruin of Bobby’s life. Beyond the Trailer interviews audiences for their reaction to various films in theaters. As a twist, they leave the negative reactions in as well as the positive. My favorite of these shows is Backyard FX. I am a big fan of any kind of “Making of” documentary, ever since seeing “The Making of Star Wars” on VHS in the early 80s. What makes this show unique is that it shows special effects that you can try in your own home. There’s the Rorschach mask, Wolverine’s Claws, Cybernetic Arms, and the Star Trek transporter effect. You can even e-mail Erik Beck, the show’s host, to request effects techniques that you’d like to see. They even work each effect into a hilarious comedy sketch. Watch Robot Girl from Another Dimension to see nerd-core rapping at its finest.

We like to talk about internet video like it is some kind of worker’s paradise for television. Producers, executives, advertisers, and even the FCC can’t get in the way of unfettered creativity. All you need to own the means of production is a computer and a camera. Still, it’s important to remember that no matter how inexpensive the craft of film-making gets, it’s still a craft. Fancy tools and equipment are no replacement for technique and attention to detail. Indy mogul can direct you to the resources you need to get started.

Stop Me Before I Twitter Again

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Comedian and Wil Wheaton homeboy Shane Nickerson reveals the true face of twitter and all other social media phenomena. Behind the Venture Capital wishes and Initial Public Offering dreams of every internet sensation, there lies a twisted sea of broken dreams and invisible people. The media makes the internet sound like some kind of turn-key gold-rush, where you can make billions by typing a few keystrokes and lounging by the pool. In truth, there are armies of hard working people struggling to get a single dime or even a moment of your attention, but whether it’s a lack of Charisma, talent, or shamelessness, they just can’t get off the sidelines. Tell them, Shane. Tell the world. And for the love of God, will somebody retweet this man?
[Warning: NSFW Language]

F Twitter from Shane Nickerson on Vimeo.

The Friday Files: June 5, 2009

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E3 was just last week, and it looks like the big three consoles all came out with their A game this year. Let’s get to it.

If you own a Nintendo Wii, do yourself a favor and download the Nintendo Channel from the Wii Shop Channel. It streams all of the Nintendo trailers through your game system. There was nothing like seeing the new Metroid for the first time on a big screen TV.

zelda060509 211x300 The Friday Files: June 5, 2009

There was no new Zelda to be had at the Nintendo Keynote, but Joystiq came across this wonderful production poster that Shigeru Miyamoto unveiled at the Developer Roundtable.

Some people might say the new Castlevania Trailer looks a little bit like God of War. But let me ask you, is God of War narrated by Patrick Stewart? No, I didn’t think so.

And now for something you’re not going to find at E3. Japanese automakers decided to have a throw-down to design the automobiles of 2050. Here’s what they came up with. Check the rest of them out at Pink Tentacle.

robocar 2057 1 300x200 The Friday Files: June 5, 2009robocar 2057 101 300x300 The Friday Files: June 5, 2009robocar 2057 13 300x300 The Friday Files: June 5, 2009

The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Edition

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1878 edison 300x234 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Edition

Sure, we like to complain about how complicated technology is, but even the most basic amenities that we take for granted today had a learning curve back in their day. Apparently this sign adorned some hotel rooms in the 1870s. A printable version can be found here. Found via BoingBoing Gadgets.

Blood of Bahamut truly displays the elegance of hardware and software pushed to the limit. Honestly, who cares about HD graphics when you can make a DS do this? Via GameTrailers

fangamermgs 262x300 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Edition

There is nothing cooler than t-shirts with subtle geek references. A passing glance at one of these Metal Gear T-shirts leads the mundane observer to consider them a product of a rock band or an insipid fashion label. Closer inspection reveals that they are trophies of all the hours you logged trying to get past Sniper Wolf.Via BoingBoing OffWorld

starwarsabc 300x280 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Edition

The more minor characters of the Star Wars Saga get their due with this funky ABC design set. Via Topless Robot

hobbyround a039 300x200 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Editionhobbyround a038 300x200 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Editionhobbyround a037 300x200 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Editionhobbyround a036 300x200 The Friday Files: May 29, 2009 Edition

Proof that Volks doesn’t just make those creepy dolls you find hanging around anime conventions. Via Neko Magic

The Friday Files

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These are the pics and media that have mystified and astounded this week.

starship3 199x300 The Friday Files
Yamato rights a great wrong at the Shizuoka Hobby show. These are the power suits that should have been in the Starship Troopers movie. via Nekomagic.com

ravage 300x224 The Friday Files
Ravage updates his look from a micro-cassette tape to a fully functional USB drive. via Topless Robot

chewie 300x199 The Friday Files
When not saving the Galaxy, Chewbacca takes some time out of his hectic schedule to do some community service. Now that’s a take-action figure! Via Cute Overload

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These are the best Megaman figures you will ever see. Via Capcom Unity

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Lego attains the Frank Lloyd Wright license, leaving everyone a nice “adult” alternative to getting the Lego Millenium Falcon. Via Boingboing

Introducing: What’s On Thursdays

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I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the internet as if it was the coming media apocalypse that would wipe out the wasteful and decadent traditional media that canceled your favorite TV show. Truth be told, if such an apocalypse happened today, (let’s just say for the sake of the argument that the switch to HDTV didn’t go so well) not a whole lot would be left behind. It would be a vast sea of ads and pornography punctuated by roving bands of cannibalistic mutants that use the “Numa-numa” song as their war cry. Not many people know exactly how to make money off internet content. A lot of the systems and business models that allow it to happen are generally in the experimental stage. It seems like the only people making money off internet advertising are people who sell advertisement systems. Yet still, actors, writers, and filmakers are trying to make content for the internet without the hassle of studio systems, executives, and thousands upon thousands of script notes. The question is, who are they, and where can we find them?

This week I will be posting a new weekly series called What’s On Thursdays.  It’s not about shows that are on Thursdays, these shows that can be seen any day of the week if you like. Each week I’ll be reviewing a new internet-only video series to explore what’s in store for the future of the medium. I’m choosing to focus on internet video because it’s seen as the final frontier for the internet. The internet has proved that it can distribute text, pictures and audio better than any medium on the planet. Video is still held back by distribution of broadband speed levels. It’s also one of the most labor-intensive forms of media out there. If any industry could use a reduction in overhead, it’s TV and film. Tomorrow’s review is going to cover one of the most popular internet video series out there: Felicia Day’s The Guild.

Sony CEO:I’m a guy who doesn’t see anything good having come from the Internet…

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Dave Rosenberg’s column will fill you in on the details, but Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton had this to say in front of an audience of journalists and students at a breakfast at Syracuse University:

“I’m a guy who doesn’t see anything good having come from the Internet…(The Internet) created this notion that anyone can have whatever they want at any given time. It’s as if the stores on Madison Avenue were open 24 hours a day. They feel entitled. They say, ‘Give it to me now,’ and if you don’t give it to them for free, they’ll steal it.”

No one argued with Lynton that media content, like Sony Pictures’ movies, were flowing through the internet without the original creators making a dime. The problem here, is that with the internet around, you CAN have the stores on Madison Avenue open 24 hours a day. The marginal cost of distributing a piece of music, text, or video is essentially zero, so you’ll have a hard time selling something that consumers know is pure profit. Instead of using the technology to its full potential, he wants to impose legal roadblocks that keep technology at the level that his business can use forever.

This isn’t the first time that Sony has caused controversy with their remarks towards the internet. Sony was also responsible for including a root-kit on CDs that interfered with the vital functions of computers that tried to play them. One of the attorneys for Sony BMG famously stated:

“When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song.” Making “a copy” of a purchased song is just “a nice way of saying ‘steals just one copy’,”

The current controversy is reminiscent of previous legal battles over new technology, such as VCRs, audio cassette tapes, even terrestrial radio. In each of these circumstances, media companies were able to make billions without resorting to the kind of restrictions they were howling for in the first place. Why do we keep having this debate every time media distribution gets easier and cheaper?

On the surface, you could say that people don’t want to spend any money that they don’t want to, so any change, good or bad, is going to be fought tooth and nail by any business. I think the problem runs deeper than that. Most of the cries of indignation do not come from the artists themselves, but from the companies that represent them. In other words, they are the people who press the plastic discs and make all the deals necessary to get them to the stores. They are the sales people. Artists aren’t happy playing the same songs or acting the same lines over and over again, but salespeople would gladly sell you five copies of the same movie or the same album.

The real reason salespeople don’t want their business to change is that they do not consider what they do to be real work. If they wanted to do work, they would get into carpentry, engineering, or flower arrangement. Workers in those industries have to compete with each other to produce better products, but not salespeople. They’re happy to sell the same loaf of bread in a different bag, and will fight tooth and nail against doing otherwise. We as a society allow this state of affairs because we expect no better of salespeople. We don’t consider sales to be real work either. If a product gathers more sales because it has a better name or packaging, we consider it cheating. Our media is flush with stereotypes of sleazy salespeople who will do anything for a buck except work for one. We consider the ability to “sell ice to eskimos” as the mark of a good salesperson.

The truth is that sales IS real work. The cold calling, the knocking on doors, the networking, all of it. We need to enforce the idea that responsibility of the deal lies not with the producer, the consumer, nor market that created it. It lies with the salesperson himself. If you can’t sell this product, find a better one. If you can’t find a better one, improve the one you’ve got. If you can’t improve the one you’ve got, include a free gift. Salespeople will do what they have to do to make a living, but the fundamental fact here is that the central relationship in a salesperson’s professional life is between him and his consumer. Invoking the powers of government to maintain your bargaining position is no substitute for this kind of rapport. I’m not saying that giving movies and music away for free is the answer, but trying to hobble technology for pure profit is not the answer either.

Star Wars Weddings and the Outer Rim of Good Taste

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Have you ever wondered how much nerdiness is acceptable in your life? How will the other commuters take it when your bumper informs them that your other ride is a Millenium Falcon? How many Star Trek collector’s plates and Suzumiya Haruhi figures can you display in your house before your dinner guests begin to wonder about you? What will the boss say when he finds out you’ve been tele-commuting from a Battlestar Galactica themed case-mod? Some say that it’s a double standard that we nerds hide our ways from the general public, especially when we have to deal with the play-off beards and smelly jerseys of so-called “normal” people. We often forget that until recently, being interested in Science Fiction, Fantasy or Video Games didn’t have the built-in social component that sports always did. We are always fighting the image of the shut-in fan, locked away in his parents’ basement, wearing an ill-fitted “Lum” t-shirt and cat ears, surrounded by moldy towers of comic books, dvds, game discs, or whatever the heck else he’s used to keep himself off the streets. One can avoid running afoul of this unfortunate creature by being alerted to his distinct musk of corn-chips and feet. Granted, the shut-in fan represents a large enough percentage of nerds that he’s become the stereotype. People from all over the nerd spectrum are wondering, how far can we take our interests before we end up like him?

To solve this dilemma, some nerds have taken to letting their geek flag fly at their weddings. What better evidence is there that you like human contact and have left your parents’ basement than promising to spend the rest of your life with a real live human of the opposite sex? That’s the idea on paper, which holds up rather well until you break out the prosthetic  makeup.

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Image from Klingon Wedding

Never mind that these guys will have to explain this picture to their future children, how are the bride and groom supposed to appreciate how young they both look under those tire-tread foreheads? I don’t even want to know what they used for centerpieces at the reception. Now, I understand that the mighty Klingon warrior culture can add some military pomp and circumstance to your ceremony, but the focus should be on the happy couple, not on how well the guests wield their Ma’stakas.

After seeing pictures like this, most nerd couples would probably  want to keep their nuptials free and clear of the hobbies that made them so happy and may have even brought them together. However, some nerd theme weddings go a little bit differently, such as this couple from my favorite tropical hotspot, the Philippines.

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If it weren’t for the lightsabers, you wouldn’t know that the groom’s suit was inspired by Han Solo’s jacket from The  Empire Strikes Back or that the bride’s dress combined elements of Princess Leia’s medal ceremony gown and Stormtrooper armor. I showed the photo gallery to Sara, and after reassuring her that we weren’t going to renew our vows this way, she agreed that it walked that fine line between nerd and outcast. Star Wars complemented and enhanced this wedding rather than just taking it over.

Nerdiness has gained increasing social acceptance in recent years. Thanks to the internet, most cities can hold conventions that bring nerds that social interaction generally reserved for sports fans. For me, being a nerd is a wonderful thing. It allows you to appreciate the things you love in popular culture in the most ostentatious way possible. It is an unpretentious an honest way of life. When we find the right way to share this way of life with other people, the results are enriching, fulfilling, and spectacular.

More pictures of K’Allen and Torsha’s wedding can be found here

Star Wars Wedding Gallery found via Toplessrobot.com