Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Deja Moo
There is actually a law in California's Driver's Manual which prohibits honking or other means of frightening cows.
YouTube Television: Philly's Latest Creation
Public access television is taking on a new face, and it in the process, it may just redefine the way we think about journalism.
As my buddy Brian X. McCrone at Metro Philly pointed out, public television is synonamous with Wayne's World in the mind of the average American. The words conjure images of hippies with guitars giving the weekly review of medical marijuana initiatives, Korean dramas and, if you are lucky, a whack-job teaching you how to bake a pie the southern way.
If WYBE has it their way, that's about to change.
MiND TV, set to launch late this year, is the brain-child of WYBE's new CEO, Howard Blumenthal. It's a completely new format compling five-minute spots of member-created programming into one hour sets. Basically, its YouTube-style television.
The challenge: keep it education, yet make it entertaining. It should be interesting to see what they come up with. To learn more about MiND, click here.
WYBE recieved a boost this week as the City of Philadelphia and Comcast came to an agreement over a the city-based cable network's obligations to provide funding for public access within the city. Metro reported today that this dispute has been ongoing for the past three decades.
The public access television agreement requires approval of two ordinances that are expected to be introduced in the City Council within the next two weeks. Specifically, the ordinances outline the franchise agreement between the city and Comcast and for a long-term lease on a new public access television headquarters, according to The Bulletin.
If approved, Kathleen Sullivan, regional director of government and community relations for Comcast, said they pledged an initial one-time capital grant of $1.8 million and a second grant of $900,000 due in two years. The funding will go to five stations within Philadelphia, and include the construction of a new studio, set to open at the old site of South Philly's Free Library, and to purchase equipment for the newly established nonprofit organization, Philadelphia Access Corporation, which would oversee the programming.
As my buddy Brian X. McCrone at Metro Philly pointed out, public television is synonamous with Wayne's World in the mind of the average American. The words conjure images of hippies with guitars giving the weekly review of medical marijuana initiatives, Korean dramas and, if you are lucky, a whack-job teaching you how to bake a pie the southern way.
If WYBE has it their way, that's about to change.
MiND TV, set to launch late this year, is the brain-child of WYBE's new CEO, Howard Blumenthal. It's a completely new format compling five-minute spots of member-created programming into one hour sets. Basically, its YouTube-style television.
The challenge: keep it education, yet make it entertaining. It should be interesting to see what they come up with. To learn more about MiND, click here.
WYBE recieved a boost this week as the City of Philadelphia and Comcast came to an agreement over a the city-based cable network's obligations to provide funding for public access within the city. Metro reported today that this dispute has been ongoing for the past three decades.
The public access television agreement requires approval of two ordinances that are expected to be introduced in the City Council within the next two weeks. Specifically, the ordinances outline the franchise agreement between the city and Comcast and for a long-term lease on a new public access television headquarters, according to The Bulletin.
If approved, Kathleen Sullivan, regional director of government and community relations for Comcast, said they pledged an initial one-time capital grant of $1.8 million and a second grant of $900,000 due in two years. The funding will go to five stations within Philadelphia, and include the construction of a new studio, set to open at the old site of South Philly's Free Library, and to purchase equipment for the newly established nonprofit organization, Philadelphia Access Corporation, which would oversee the programming.
Rather Sues CBS for "Old News"
Remember this story?
In fact, Rather narrated a story on CBS's "60 Minutes II" back in Sept. 2004, and is suing the network for $70 million under the premise that the story caused him serious financial loss and damage to his reputation.
Rather and Mary Mapes, the producer of the piece, have since left CBS.
Network spokespeople scratching their heads about the lawsuit filed by the veteran newsanchor, and are calling the story "old news."
Read more!
Pentagon Says Bush Records of Service Were Destroyed
HOUSTON, July 8 - Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service in the Texas Air National Guard more than 30 years ago have been inadvertently destroyed, according to the Pentagon.It said the payroll records of "numerous service members," including former First Lt. Bush, had been ruined in 1996 and 1997 by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service during a project to salvage deteriorating microfilm. No back-up paper copies could be found, it added in notices dated June 25.
The destroyed records cover three months of a period in 1972 and 1973 when Mr. Bush's claims of service in Alabama are in question.
Source: New York Times, July 2004
Dan Rather does.
In fact, Rather narrated a story on CBS's "60 Minutes II" back in Sept. 2004, and is suing the network for $70 million under the premise that the story caused him serious financial loss and damage to his reputation.
Rather and Mary Mapes, the producer of the piece, have since left CBS.
Network spokespeople scratching their heads about the lawsuit filed by the veteran newsanchor, and are calling the story "old news."
Read more!
Mercenary Security Forces Under Fire
Eleven Iraqi civilians were killed Sunday when guards from the Blackwater company, a "private security company", opened fire in a busy Baghdad.
Blackwater, which is basically a mercenary group, was founded in 1997 by a former Navy Seal and is presently handling security for US State Department employees in Iraq. In a statement today, the group said its guards acted in self-defense Sunday, protecting an envoy that came under attack in al-Nisur Square.
Iraqi eyewitnesses disagreed, accusing the security team of "firing randomly at civilians."
Nouri Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, has described the shooting as a "criminal act" and vowed not to tolerate killing of citizens "in cold blood," and stated that this was the seventh shooting of its kind involving Blackwater employees.
Eggs Not Hot on Rice
Perhaps Pope Benedict XVI thought Condi Rice was a Thai dish. After all, it does sound like one. And, perhaps Thai isn't his favorite cuisine because the pope refused a request from the Secretary of Defense for an audience late last month.
BBC had a couple, slightly more intellectual thoughts on the matter. They suggested that the pope's refusal was the result of Bush administration policies which run contrary to the Vatican on Iraq's Christians and the immorality of launching an invasion in 2003.
Read more!
BBC had a couple, slightly more intellectual thoughts on the matter. They suggested that the pope's refusal was the result of Bush administration policies which run contrary to the Vatican on Iraq's Christians and the immorality of launching an invasion in 2003.
Read more!
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