The Global Syndicator - video

Road rage filmer writes about his media experience

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:20:42 +0000

Rick Adams shot a video of a man clinging to the hood of a car driven by an intoxicated maniac, and writes about what happened to him as a result of filming the incident. [T]he frenzy around it was unsettling to me; as soon as it was published (including some really stupid factual errors) the story was around the world and it made me wonder: how accurate are the stories I know nothing about but read all the time? If something as small as this could have errors in it (some of which I won't go into as they really should be kept in the courtroom, as far as I'm concerned) because of a feeding frenzy does that bode well for our acceptance of everything else we read in the Oregonian or hear on the Today show? A small example: somewhere, somebody got the idea the video was taken with a cell phone and you can tell from the headlines that the media thought this was a cool concept. My cell phone doesn't even take stills, let alone video, but never mind: CELL PHONE CAPTURES ROAD RAGE INCIDENT, blared the trumpets. As a guitar player I know only too well that you can't take back a note once it's been played. I also found the immediate media concern trolling a little hard to take. When I told one local TV station's door-to-door news crew I really didn't want to participate in the whole process because it seemed like they were trying to sensationalize the issue the reporter popped up with "But you might have some information that's vital! And if you didn't speak up the case might be harmed! Then how would you feel?" And I lost track of how many times I was asked to describe how I felt when I was filming the incident, always framed as a leading question telling me how I should have been feeling and cueing up the response they had in mind but which I never did give to anyone. The most amusing things I saw were comments to the Oregonian's story online, which assured me that the entire event had been staged and that the photos were hoaxes. I really did try to figure out how you could stage something like this and get an arrest in less an hour but I just couldn't do it; I'm simply not creative enough. Road rage filmer writes about his media experience...

Debate coaches scream at each other

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:56:40 +0000

(UPDATE: The YouTube video was pulled, but Live Leak has the same video, embedded above) Can you spot where Robert's Rules or Order are broken during this argument between two university debate coaches? (Salty language and underwear mooning in video). In the quarterfinal of 2008 CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) Nationals, the RFD erupts into a heated exchange of words between Pittsburgh coach Shanara Reid and Fort Hays coach William Shanahan. Debate coaches lose cool, 1 pulls down his pants (via Arbroath)...

BBtv: Russell porter interviews Candie Payne (music)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:00:32 +0000

Boing Boing tv's UK-based music correspondent Russell Porter interviews singer-songwriter Candie Payne. The "atmospheric" chanteuse hails from Liverpool, and her brand of indie-pop draws fans the world over. Link to Boing Boing tv blog post with discussion, downloadable vide, and podcast subscription instructions....

How to get into a club by pretending you're a DJ

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:13:28 +0000

These Australian guys conducted an experiment and videotaped it: Can you beat the lines at a club and get in by wearing a record bag and pretending to be a DJ? Guy 1: Alright AJ, it's been a long night but we've proven some truths about the record bag. What are they? Guy 2: I've proven I can get into any club I like, skip any queue, pay no cover charges, go up to the DJ and pretty much take over their job. How to Get Into Any Club (via Schneier)...

BBtv: Monochrom - "Bye Bye" (a short film)

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:35:55 +0000

A short film by monochrom about a man who dies, is reborn, and sprouts gills. Link to Boing Boing tv blog post with discussion, downloadable video, and podcast subscribe instructions. Created by Harald Homolka List, Johannes Grenzfurthner, Evelyn Fürlinger (link to monochrom site for this film, here are other short films from them in German) Previous work from monochrom on Boing Boing tv: * Monochrom: Economic Recession Wisdom from Sock Puppets. * Monochrom's "Kiki, Bubu, and the Self" * Nazi Petting Zoo * Fisch Interview * Orwell's 1984 deconstructed by puppets * Monochrom's Marxist sock puppets * Monochrom: MyFaceSpace, the musical * Monochrom: Campfire at Will * Monochrom: Falco Stairs * Monochrom: Bar code artist Scott Blake / Falco stencil memorial * Human USB Hack / Very Simple Motor * Mark's Curie Engine / Monochrom's love song for Lessig...

Farting preacher back on YouTube

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:59:44 +0000

After an inexcusably long absence from YouTube, the farting preacher is back. (Thanks, Coop!)...

Vongo Closes, or Did They as Starz Play takes over

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:14:27 +0000

Video Movie site Vongo last week posted the following statement:

Thank you for your interest in Vongo. As of August 1, 2008, we will not be accepting new subscribers for the Vongo service.
Current members will be able to use the service until Sept. 30th, 2008

YouTube - HeinOnline08’s Channel

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:54:01 +0000

Get your Hein tutorials on YouTube - HeinOnline08’s Channel. It might just be the geek in me, but I think it’s pretty neat.

Upcoming Byrne/Eno album: "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today"

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:14:19 +0000

Here's the brand new site for the upcoming Byrne/Eno album, "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today." The album will be released August 18 as a digital download only (DRM-free). Then, later there'll be a deluxe package CD with download option, etc. A free track will be released for download on 8/4. The site has a short video by David Byrne. Brian Eno and I recently finished our first collaboration in about 30 years. For the most part, Brian did the music and I wrote some tunes, words and sang. It's familiar but completely new as well. We're pretty excited. In August the music will be available via this Web site, free for streaming and it will also be available for purchase as both a download and in physical formats. One of the songs will be available free of charge. In September I will begin a tour, on which I will be playing music from the new album as well as music from our previous collaborations - 3 Talking Heads albums, Bush of Ghosts, etc. If you'd like to be updated as this story unfolds, please add your email address via the box below (we will not contact you for any reason other than to tell you about this David Byrne and Brian Eno project and the tour and we promise not to give or sell your contact to anyone else or even to the government). Link Previously on Boing Boing: • David Byrne: Playing the Building - Boing Boing TV...

BBtv - Russell Porter: Hot 8 Brass Band of New Orleans, pt. 2 (music)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:14:16 +0000

Today, Boing Boing tv presents part two of our UK-based music correspondent Russell Porter's interview with the legendary Hot 8 Brass Band, from New Orleans. Band leader Bennie "Big Peter" Pete explains the history of second line, the roots of New Orleans jazz, and what it took to survive as jazz band in the French Quarter. Today's episode is a little longer than usual, so we can include an extended musical number live from the streets of Brighton -- the Hot 8 Brass Band performing their Louisiana-style cover of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing." The band is currently on tour throughout the USA. Enjoy! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Link to Boing Boing tv post with discussion, downloadable video, and instructions on how to subscribe to the BBtv video podcast. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Previous PORTER REPORT episodes on BBtv: Russell Porter: Hot 8 Brass Band of New Orleans, pt. 1 Russell Porter: Transgressive and rockfeedback.com, pt. 2 Russell Porter roundtable: Transgressive Records, rockfeedback.com, pt. 1 Russell Porter with Alice Russell, pt. 2 Russell Porter with Alice Russell Russell Porter and Cadence Weapon, pt. 1. Russell Porter and Cadence Weapon, pt. 2. Russell Porter with George Pringle Russell Porter with The Young Knives pt 1 Russell Porter with The Young Knives pt 2 Russell Porter with The Futureheads Russell Porter with The Guillotines Russell Porter with Peggy Sue and the Pirates Russell Porter with Dockers MC Russell Porter with Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip...

BBtv: Aquabats! Supershow! sneak preview (animation, music)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:17:07 +0000

Today on Boing Boing tv, we are proud to share the sneak-preview of a television pilot, the AQUABATS! SUPERSHOW!, a live-action and animation program featuring the popular superhero ska band, The Aquabats (MySpace). Jon Berrett of Yo Gabba Gabba explains: This spring the Aquabats completed a pilot for a new television show based on the misadventures of rock and roll's greatest super dude men. The Aquabats have been a band for over a decade, have toured the world, and put out 5 full length studio albums. The AQUABATS! SUPERSHOW! TELEVISION PILOT will have a special screening at the San Diego House of Blues show on July 25th, 2008 [during Comic-Con]. If you already have tickets, you are STOKED! The excerpt we are world-premiering on BBtv today is an animated portion of the show's first episode, and includes angry mushrooms, vengeful unicorn princesses, and a subterranean paradise with lakes of hot pink lava. The AQUABATS! SUPERSHOW! also includes live performance and real-world hijinks. We think it's pretty awesome. Link to Boing Boing tv post with discussion, downloadable video, and how to subscribe to the BBtv video podcast. (Huge thanks from all of us at Boing Boing to Jon Berrett and the crew at Yo Gabba Gabba, and to The Aquabats for allowing Boing Boing to share this first with the non-subterranean world!)...

Living on the Edge: Danny O'Brien's talk about moving our personal info off Web 2.0 and onto our computers

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:23:53 +0000

Here's some (way shakycam) video of Danny O'Brien's OpenTech presentation, "Living on the Edge," an extremely provocative and interesting talk about how we might restructure the Internet so that our personal and important moments aren't hosted by YouTube, Flickr, and Blogger, but rather on our own machines. Link, Link to slides...

Howto: Network 2 Computers Without a Hub or Router

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:54:04 +0000

Check out the video below for a recorded demonstration on networking two computers without the need of any other devices.

Larry Cotton's Screechophone

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:29:09 +0000

Make contributor Larry Cotton says: I built this bizarre musical instrument--based loosely on the playing-card-in-the-bicycle-spokes principle--a while back, shot a quick video, then cannibalized it for parts. As you'll see, the bicycle spokes were scaled down to a small white plastic gear. The card remained. I called it a screechophone for reasons which will become obvious as you watch (and listen) to the video. The whole thing was synced to accompanying music from a mini-CD through an ancient Commodore 64 computer, programmed in BASIC. A transparent disc printed only with black arcs spun with the CD and was read by a photocell....

World of World of Warcraft: the future of gaming

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:22:11 +0000

The Onion nails the future of videogaming in this clip on World of World of Warcraft, a new videogame that allows you to play at being someone playing World of Warcraft. Link (via Wonderland)...