The Rise of Citizen Journalism

With news coming out that the Boston Globe may be pushed to chapter 11, and the fact that several big name newspapers across the country are shutting down or switching format (the Christian Science Monitor went online only) I've been thinking about the decline of journalism of the past. Television journalism, with some obvious exceptions, focuses a lot of its time on sensational stories and gotcha journalism. My favorite thing lately is WHDH and the Fox boston affiliate going after public employees that are making decent money... by working over 100 hours a week - vilifying them for busting there asses to provide for their families and providing vital public services at the same time.

To me, the best journalism has always been one of the strong suits of the major newspapers. Writers that are able to get to the heart of the issue and know the inside actors and can actually get some access to their subject matter. It's not "gotcha" journalism in the sense that it is meant to be in-depth with analysis of subject matter, not a quick hit on some unsuspecting bus driver who happens to be 50 with 4 kids under the age of 18. Instead of trying to evoke rage among subscribers, it tries to find answers, reasons, draw connections, and provide explanations for the question at hand. These stories fall in many categories: human interest, business, politics, science & health, you name it. The point of this post is that I'm worried that we may be losing high quality journalism in the mass media.

One of the investigative journalism programs on tv is Front Line. Their programming is done by WGBH in Boston and is top notch, I've seen and heard of many of their programs used in academic settings. A loss of funding for that program would be a big blow to investigative journalism on tv. 

What would fill the void if major publishers like the Globe went under? Would blogs have the same effect? I don't think so. 

While we've seen a large jump in citizen journalists and bloggers, I don't think that most have connections and access to produce content of the same caliber as traditional journalists with big name outfits do. I also don't see most bloggers willing to invest the time and effort into this kind of thing. Blogs are typically narrow in scope and have no funding for these kind of things.

Enter: Arianna Huffington and the Huffington Post.

This past Sunday the Huffington Post announced their new investigative journalism fund. Their mission statement is essentially to combat the consolidation of newspapers and the cutting of investigative journalism by hiring laid off reporters and providing resources for staff members to conduct quality investigative journalism. They also want the citizen journalist to submit their own pitches and story ideas, and they'll be picking up many of them I'm sure. 

One issue that I see with this is the ideological bent of the HuffPo (as its known). Being a far left blog it's easy to dismiss all of their content as ideological in nature, and in general being opinion oriented. Perhaps this is an opportunity for some rebranding for them, and to tap into another audience that they may not be reaching with their current format. Maybe its just a great idea to help preserve some of the best journalism out there and provide a way for these laid off writers with a way of maintaining cash flow. Either way, I think we come out ahead as the reader. 

So what do you think about the fall of print journalism, the rise of the citizen journalist, and the merits of blog based investigative reporting?

You Broke My Fucking Sitar Motherfucker

I was witness to the great one last night, a man by the name of Anton Alfred Newcombe, leader of possibly the greatest rock and roll band of all time, the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Anton was kind of psycho-looking but sedate during the show, but they played a bunch of their best tunes and I dug every second of it. And they still had time to be totally whacky, as, about halfway through, half of the (8 members of the) band left the stage, leaving the drummer, Joel, the bassist, and Anton. The drummer and bassist combined ot play this sinister rhythm while Anton screamed, among other things, "C'mon motherfucker I'm looking for drugs/ain't looking for pussy/ain't looking for love". It was ludicrous, hilarious, and nuts, and I loved it. Additionally, there was this great dude up in the balcony whose silhouette looked like a certain Jeffrey Lebowski (not the millionaire Jeffrey Lebowski) who was super into doing every air instrument that the opening act played (bass, guitar, drums, harmonica, singing) as well as giving the peace and rock on sign rather copiously.

Linksauce returns!

New games if they had the sense to do NES box art. [The Minus World]

One of the few April Fool's Day pranks I thought was really, really great. [Topless Robot]

The Dragon Ball Z movie may be one of the worst movies ever. [io9/IGN]

An apocalypse movie starring Shaq? The reviews kill me. [Fatawesome]



The barking dog lives! [Youtube, seen on ESPN]

Colbert's Glenn Beck Followup

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Glenn Beck: Need I say more

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Do It Live

OK, first things first. My friend at work emailed this to me today. I'm still laughing. I love how the succinctness of it adds infinitely to the hilarity.

Besides this, here are some other varied amusements that I wanted to post about:

MUSIC

Fever Ray - Fever Ray: Crazy lady from the Knife's solo album. I dislike the lack of dancier beats (in comparison to the Knife), but she maintains the wonderful atmospheric edge. Fave tune is "Keep the Streets Empty for Me", mainly because of the rad flute (although the video for first single "If I Had a Heart" is pretty badass.

Dan Deacon - Bromst: I liked but didn't love his first album, although to clarify I loved a few songs but was lukewarm on the rest. I feel like those one works better on the whole, and there is a nice balance between his glorious hyper-looniness and more downtempo stuff that

VIDEO GAMES

Killzone 2: Oh my lord, I bought this yesterday and the graphics and sound effects probably top any game I've ever played. The gameplay is amazing as well, the multiplyaer super fast-paced, and the levels are killer. HIGHLY recommended.

BOOKS

Cormac McCarthy - Outer Dark: I'm also currently rereading Blood Meridian, but I picked up this one at the store the other day and, while it is definitely not in the same class as the aforementioned classic stylistically, the story (involving incest and 3 killers lurking in the forest) sounds intriguing to say the least.

A healthy debate: OnLive

[Ever since we moved, I've wanted to do some sort of debate feature akin to all the ones we used to have on the forum back in the day. I hope by posting this conversation between The Blumpking and myself (which I hope is half as interesting as I think it is), it will spark the rest of us to get together and talk/argue about something. I've highlighted parts I think are the most interesting, fully knowing reading a conversation between two people might, possibly be boring. Consider it the Sparknotes.

Fair warning: shit gets very geeky -- it's about video games, after all -- but I think it's informative about something that sounds pretty revolutionary. Let us know in the comments if this conversation was as boring as hell or as awesome as hell.]

The Blumpking(2:12:19 PM): you read about onlive
Grish (2:13:19 PM): ohhh yeah
The Blumpking(2:13:34 PM): if that is real, and it works, i regret the 360 instantly
Grish (2:14:13 PM): well if it does work everyone who owns a console/gaming PC regrets it
Grish (2:13:37 PM): it seems like every few years something like that comes about
Grish (2:13:42 PM): and it never works

Remember Phantom's idea for a similar game console? Hint: It failed.

The Blumpking(2:14:09 PM): yeah, i cant figure out how its cost effective for them
The Blumpking(2:14:21 PM): they basically have to have a console for every player
The Blumpking(2:14:24 PM): and then stream it
Grish (2:14:38 PM): and have enormous servers to handle everything
The Blumpking(2:14:45 PM): exactly
Grish (2:14:52 PM): like a million people playing Halo at the same time
Grish (2:14:56 PM): or running Crysis
The Blumpking(2:15:05 PM): like ok, maybe you dont have to manufacture a console for every single person because people wont be online at the same time
Grish (2:15:15 PM): but a lot of people will be
The Blumpking(2:15:25 PM): plus the streaming quality cant be that awesome
The Blumpking(2:15:29 PM): especially at launch
The Blumpking(2:15:38 PM): you're talking huge data centers
Grish (2:15:43 PM): oh yeah
The Blumpking(2:16:58 PM): its the cloud concept in action though
The Blumpking(2:17:00 PM): which is cool
Grish (2:17:03 PM): yeah
Grish (2:17:56 PM): in a perfect world all the console big wigs would work together to put money into this, but come on, that would mean I wouldn't have to buy three consoles every 5-8 years
The Blumpking(2:18:08 PM): exactly
Grish (2:18:09 PM): and games
The Blumpking(2:18:14 PM): its got big developer support
The Blumpking(2:18:22 PM): so they must see it as viable
Grish (2:18:47 PM): I can see why, people are going to pirate shit so you may as well go through this instead
The Blumpking(2:18:51 PM): i mean if devs circumvent the big console makers then they win
Grish (2:18:56 PM): yeah
Grish (2:19:07 PM): especially PC and smaller ones
The Blumpking(2:19:18 PM): for sure
The Blumpking(2:19:36 PM): like theoretically, you should be able to use your pc as a connector as well
Grish (2:19:55 PM): yeah you don't even need that box as long as you have a PC/MAC

Will this change/destroy gaming as we know it?

The Blumpking(2:19:56 PM): if its just streaming input to them and receiving video from them
The Blumpking(2:20:03 PM): not even
The Blumpking(2:20:10 PM): cause your comp wouldn't be doing the computations
Grish (2:20:16 PM): no it's just the screen
The Blumpking(2:20:21 PM): you could use a ghetto comp
The Blumpking(2:20:25 PM): opening it to a huge market
Grish (2:20:55 PM): it would open it to people who can't afford $400 consoles too
The Blumpking(2:21:05 PM): yeah
The Blumpking(2:21:16 PM): although, its gotta be a monthly service
Grish (2:21:20 PM): oh yeah
Grish (2:21:22 PM): but still
The Blumpking(2:21:27 PM): so you wont be able to play when you aren't subscribed
The Blumpking(2:21:34 PM): unlike the current model
Grish (2:22:00 PM): $X/month instead of at least $50-60 two times a month for new games
The Blumpking(2:22:07 PM): yeah
Grish (2:22:08 PM): for the "hardcore" set
The Blumpking(2:22:33 PM): using a wiiware model you cut out the publisher
The Blumpking(2:22:38 PM): since you aren't putting it on the shelves
The Blumpking(2:22:46 PM): more profit direct to the developer
Grish (2:22:54 PM): less on packaging, marketing
The Blumpking(2:23:04 PM): in theory its like the end all, be all of console gaming
Grish (2:23:08 PM): oh yeah
Grish (2:23:21 PM): the IGN writer who wrote it said it would be the end and wasn't kidding at all
The Blumpking(2:23:10 PM): until we get holodecks
Grish (2:24:10 PM): and as far as PC devs go, they could just develop like the most gorgeous game ever, not having to worry if people can run it
The Blumpking(2:24:21 PM): exactly
The Blumpking(2:24:26 PM): it opens the market in a big way
The Blumpking(2:24:41 PM): they let the onlive devs worry about keeping up
The Blumpking(2:24:50 PM): and they just make the best product possible
Grish (2:25:19 PM): exclusivity also becomes a non-issue. It really could be the best thing ever
The Blumpking(2:26:19 PM): unless they go EA on everyone
The Blumpking(2:26:33 PM): and eliminate competition then nickle and dime everyone
Grish (2:26:45 PM): true
Grish (2:28:43 PM): there is much to be done in terms of making people buy into it. Everyone is pretty much where we are: sounds great, now make me believe it will work
The Blumpking(2:28:58 PM): yup
The Blumpking(2:29:14 PM): lag is the biggest factor
The Blumpking(2:29:27 PM): like could you imagine playing the original mario with lag
Grish (2:29:31 PM): hahaha
The Blumpking(2:29:33 PM): wouldn't work
Grish (2:29:35 PM): best thing ever
The Blumpking(2:29:52 PM): end up in the pit every time you went to jump as you ran towards it
Grish (2:30:07 PM): and people will not tolerate that. They'd rather stick with a lag-free console than an awesome, but laggy, game type machine

Wiki Challenge: Wrestlers

Our bootleg copy of "The Wrestler" finally worked last night! (We've been trying once a night for about a month) I thought it was super rad. Not just in story and acting but also in the way the wrestling fans and locker room shop-talk was so dead on. I particularly loved "use! his! leg!!"

In any event, I was looking up certain fave wrestlers of mine on my day off and came across some interesting/funny passages that I feel would be good for another wiki challenge. In all honesty I really just wanted to post number 1 but I figured I'd try to expand it and see what else I could find.

As usual, your answers in the comments.

1 - "Garland normally precedes the Worm with a one-handed or two-handed bulldog. With his opponent rendered unconscious and left supine, Garland turns to face the audience, spreads his arms and pumps his legs. Garland then hops on one leg four times, with the audience generally chanting "W", "O", "R", and "M" in succession as his foot hits the ground. Garland then drops to his stomach and performs the "worm" breakdance move three times, slithering towards his still supine opponent. Upon reaching his opponent, Garland rises to his feet, swings his arms from side to side with the audience generally whooping in time with each undulation, before dropping to his stomach and executing a high-impact chop drop on his opponent's chest" I genuinely laughed out loud at this.

2 - "He had his own brand of perfume called "Arrogance", which was kept in a large atomizer and would be sprayed in the eyes of his opponents to blind them. He also wore a Turquoise sportcoat, complete with a large novelty button that read "Yes, I am a [*****]" to the ring." It's hard to find a great quote without the name appearing somewhere.

3 - "In 1996, Hickenbottom posed in a non-nude layout for Playgirl magazine.[152] It was not until after he posed that he discovered that Playgirl has a mostly homosexual readership, which was seen as humorous by his fellow wrestlers" I was gonna "bleep" the name but you should get props for knowing this guy's particularly funny last name.

4 - "Among his regular partners were Tommy Rich (as "TNT"), Dick Murdoch, and Rocky Johnson. He was also the very first man to press slam and pin Hulk Hogan though Hogan's foot was on the rope and the referee didn't see it.[citation needed]" I love this because 6 moths ago it didn't include the part about the leg on the rope..and I imagine the first guy re-visiting and angrily putting in the "citation needed".

5 - "...which culminated in a European title defense at Backlash, which was also billed as the night of [his] prom (he was said to have just earned a GED). [He]defeated Rios after arriving at ringside in a 1957 Chevrolet, even wrestling in his tuxedo pants and a bow tie" Classic.

And for anyone who reads my other blog, sorry about the lack of posts. I promise I'll put up a great big one tomorrow. Cuz..ya know..I got the big one.

count it

Hiring Yourself: Website design made easy still sucks

This makes the 3rd installment in my little series here about this stupid idea I had that is slowly but surely becoming a pain in the ass. 

After looking over all of my coding platform options and discussing it with my tech consiglieri (again, props to AJ), I've decided to go with Drupal as my platform of choice. This beat out Wordpress, Joomla, and Soapblox for the right to serve my needs. Integral to this choice was the ability to customize the layout and content. A huge plus to this is Drupal's modular design and the amount of support that is out there for it. Drupal developers have created thousands of modules that you can easily integrate into your website. There are hundreds of themes/layouts out there as well, you just have to put it together, customize, and configure. 

Sounds easy right? Well, it was thanks to a great website called Learn by the drop.com. Learn by the drop features some great video tutorials that make it pretty easy to get a quick site going, and I've been using this to slap together a test site that I'm going to use on the 2nd domain that I bought for a resume site. 

This is fantastic until you need to do something outside of what's discussed there. Then its all trial and error and constantly fucking shit up. Which is expected, but when you're fumbling around trying to get a browse button for image upload and you end up breaking things, that's not so fun. This is complicated by a round about administrator interface that seems straight forward but actually isn't. Supposedly, this is being addressed with version 7 of Drupal that is currently in development.

Drupal has a lot of potential for what I want to do. It seems I've lost my ability to pick up new computer things with ease. I'm gonna stick with it though, and try to make progress. More updates to come.

Facebook as a Microcosm for the Modern Age

The New York times ran this article recently about how Facebook is changing, and what issues the Facebook community has had with these changes. The usual issues re: privacy are discussed (I hadn't heard about the Eagles employee who blasted managent for letting Dawkins go on Facebook, only to get fired because one of his Facebook friends who was a higher up in management saw it), but I think the most interesting thing to me is how people are getting mad about how much useless information they are seeing as a result of the new updates. This intrigues me for two reasons:

1. This new emphasis on using Facebook for real-time and more extemporaneous updating that the company seems to think is the future of Facebook mirrors the recent rise of Twitter, which serves a similar function. Now, both of these serve a distinctly different function than other modern technological modes of information sharing/communication in that they are a) impersonal (that is, not real-time person-to-person communication) and b) not as rational and premeditated as, say, a traditonal blog entry or an email. This leads to:

2. Does this information give us a deeper insight into societal change in general? Are current technological trends pushing us towards communication that is both wide-reaching and very impersonal? If so, what is the societal impact of this? I think this would be hard to tell from my own direct experience, because I don't really use Facebook too much anymore and have never used Twitter. But, if I grew up using Facebook and Twitter, I worry that, when it came to meaningful, in-person communication with people, it might be more difficult to express myself if I was used to expressing myself only in such impersonal ways. Additionally, because a Facebook friend or a member of the same online community is distinctly different than a real life "friend", would it become harder for me to distinguish how my interactions with these different people in life should be?