SydTheSkeptic's Posts - The Ark2024-03-28T19:37:46ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptichttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2196225909?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=3casw9h7qn1e1&xn_auth=noD'oh! Ark Time is Up? (Maybe Not!)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2016-08-31:2426069:BlogPost:1736262016-08-31T23:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Hey all. I just got word that Ning is upping their fee once again. I'm so grateful to all of you who've helped to keep this boat afloat all these years, but there's no way I can continue considering they're doubling the monthly fee beginning October 1st.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So unless anyone else wants to take the wheel, I'm gonna have to call this place quits the very last week of September. I'm so sorry. I dreaded this moment. I want to send out an email to all members, but I figured I'd wait…</p>
<p>Hey all. I just got word that Ning is upping their fee once again. I'm so grateful to all of you who've helped to keep this boat afloat all these years, but there's no way I can continue considering they're doubling the monthly fee beginning October 1st.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So unless anyone else wants to take the wheel, I'm gonna have to call this place quits the very last week of September. I'm so sorry. I dreaded this moment. I want to send out an email to all members, but I figured I'd wait a couple of weeks so that those who visit more regularly will have a heads up and happen upon this on their own rather than get an impersonal all-call.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Are you guys on Facebook? I'm not a big fan of it (only use it for immediate family members) but I'd be willing to get on there and look for you if it means we could stay connected. </p>
<p></p>
<p>If you have any better ideas, drop 'em here. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Gonna go mope around now.</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>UPDATE: Chig's takin' the wheel! </strong></p>
<p><strong>Gonna go dance now.</strong></p>Site Questiontag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2014-11-12:2426069:BlogPost:1631442014-11-12T05:01:53.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Hello active Arkians.</p>
<p>I have a question for you. Is there a case that can be made to make this a private site?</p>
<p>I'm interested in your ideas on this. Would it change what you post here or the frequency if we did, indeed, put a lid on here?</p>
<p>Or can you make a case to keep it open to the public? It's not like we do anything to actively expand our membership or the view counts. Should we? </p>
<p>I tend to think of us a site where creative video-hobbyists can share their…</p>
<p>Hello active Arkians.</p>
<p>I have a question for you. Is there a case that can be made to make this a private site?</p>
<p>I'm interested in your ideas on this. Would it change what you post here or the frequency if we did, indeed, put a lid on here?</p>
<p>Or can you make a case to keep it open to the public? It's not like we do anything to actively expand our membership or the view counts. Should we? </p>
<p>I tend to think of us a site where creative video-hobbyists can share their talents and their wit without having to sidestep those who are interested in other types of online interactions.</p>
<p>I definitely like how laid-back this site is. As a co-owner, it's easy to moderate and that's largely because the regulars set a more <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">mature</span> creative tone here. Drama folk tend to get shunned so it self-regulates. </p>
<p>And just so ya know, I "suspended" accounts that had no activity at all, as I'm not sure why people would join if they have no intention of interacting. </p>
<p>Your thoughts?</p>
<p></p>August is BlancheNoE's SQUIRREL MONTHtag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2014-08-03:2426069:BlogPost:1578402014-08-03T17:52:31.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Wee'll collect them here, but off-screen dead ones don't count.</p>
<p><iframe height="333" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/102385013" width="500"></iframe>
</p>
<p><strong>From BlancheNoE:</strong></p>
<p><span>All videos posted during squirrel-month MUST have a squirrel in them or they will be deleted and the poster will be ban-hammered for LIFE ! ...mmmmWAHHhhhahah....</span><br></br><span>I OWN THIS MONTH !!!...uh, but I'd be willing to sell it for the right price. I paid a hundred for it but…</span></p>
<p>Wee'll collect them here, but off-screen dead ones don't count.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="333" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/102385013"></iframe>
</p>
<p><strong>From BlancheNoE:</strong></p>
<p><span>All videos posted during squirrel-month MUST have a squirrel in them or they will be deleted and the poster will be ban-hammered for LIFE ! ...mmmmWAHHhhhahah....</span><br/><span>I OWN THIS MONTH !!!...uh, but I'd be willing to sell it for the right price. I paid a hundred for it but I'll take fifty if someone really wants it.</span></p>Booty Drive for the Ark: Adopt a Month (THANKS, ALL!!!)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2014-07-22:2426069:BlogPost:1573662014-07-22T18:00:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8031/8055098748_9b9c4ab5db_z.jpg?width=349" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8031/8055098748_9b9c4ab5db_z.jpg?width=349" width="349"></img></a> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hello mateys,</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">After having been dogged by many of you to help with the cost for keeping the Ark afloat, I'm gonna finally (and humbly) say YES!!! You can help! And thank you!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The cost has been $25 a month. I figured if we can get 11 first-responders to answer the call,…</span></p>
<p><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8031/8055098748_9b9c4ab5db_z.jpg?width=349" target="_blank"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8031/8055098748_9b9c4ab5db_z.jpg?width=349" width="349" class="align-right"/></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hello mateys,</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">After having been dogged by many of you to help with the cost for keeping the Ark afloat, I'm gonna finally (and humbly) say YES!!! You can help! And thank you!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The cost has been $25 a month. I figured if we can get 11 first-responders to answer the call, they can each adopt a month. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Please know that if we don't get all the months filled, I have no intention of shutting this place down. If you're not in a place to contribute, believe me, I <em>completely</em> understand so don't worry over it.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">My paypal address is fearismyfriend@gmail.com</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If a contribution comes in, I'll post a comment below indicating which month that person has adopted, or if you're contributing and you have a particular month in mind, just PM me or drop a comment here.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">I'll update the list below as things change.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Thanks so much!</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Syd</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">AUGUST: BlancheNoe (Squirrel Month)</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3">SEPTEMBER: Geoff (Works in Progress Month)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3">OCTOBER: ThatGirl (FrightFest)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3">NOVEMBER: NatureJunkie (Video Haiku Month)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3">DECEMBER: LtAdams2247 (Christmas Murder Month)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span class="font-size-3">JANUARY: MOTC (One-Minute New Year Month)</span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">FEBRUARY: BlancheNoE (Nobody Make Any Videos Month)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">MARCH: ScottMurray (Hamster Month)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">APRIL: Lima (One Year in Five Minutes Fest)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">MAY:</span> <span style="font-size: 16px;">SydTheSkeptic (Parody Month)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">JUNE: NatureJunkie (DIY Animation Fest)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">JULY: Chig (Chig Tribute Month)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">AUGUST: Chig</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">SEPTEMBER: Chig</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">OCTOBER: Chig</span></p>The Ark Plan?tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2014-04-06:2426069:BlogPost:1552822014-04-06T17:41:12.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiMDSBQHnFs62aO9ehwomnOMcG57gpXrfxAEDhaz8PSrH6Ku8U" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiMDSBQHnFs62aO9ehwomnOMcG57gpXrfxAEDhaz8PSrH6Ku8U"></img></a></p>
<p>Hello Arkians! </p>
<p>Hope all is well on your side of the monitor.</p>
<p>I'm hearing buzz around these here Internetz about another Ning ultimatum coming down the road (early summer) and while I haven't yet gone too deep into what the options are yet, I wanted to first get a raise of hands as to who is still interested in keeping the Ark…</p>
<p><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiMDSBQHnFs62aO9ehwomnOMcG57gpXrfxAEDhaz8PSrH6Ku8U" target="_blank"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiMDSBQHnFs62aO9ehwomnOMcG57gpXrfxAEDhaz8PSrH6Ku8U" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p>Hello Arkians! </p>
<p>Hope all is well on your side of the monitor.</p>
<p>I'm hearing buzz around these here Internetz about another Ning ultimatum coming down the road (early summer) and while I haven't yet gone too deep into what the options are yet, I wanted to first get a raise of hands as to who is still interested in keeping the Ark afloat. </p>
<p>All I need is a YES in the comments below to let me know who's still in this. </p>
<p>If I get roughly a dozen or so, I'll keep at it and will post an update next week (Spring Break!) about the plan as we move ahead (or not).</p>
<p>Your co-cap, Syd.</p>2013 5x5 Festtag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2013-03-01:2426069:BlogPost:1445292013-03-01T05:00:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><span class="font-size-3">Remember the 5x5 videos from a little over a year ago, inspired by <a href="http://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2426069%3ABlogPost%3A130191&commentId=2426069%3AComment%3A130330" target="_blank">Ruth's challenge</a> (who was inspired by an ongoing Vimeo meme)? Then it spread to Vloggerheads. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Five clips, all five seconds each- sometimes they're random, sometimes not so much.…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Remember the 5x5 videos from a little over a year ago, inspired by <a href="http://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2426069%3ABlogPost%3A130191&commentId=2426069%3AComment%3A130330" target="_blank">Ruth's challenge</a> (who was inspired by an ongoing Vimeo meme)? Then it spread to Vloggerheads. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Five clips, all five seconds each- sometimes they're random, sometimes not so much.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Who among us doesn't have otherwise-useless footage cluttering our digital files? </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">It's time for some Spring cleanin' so let's make this a yearly thing (if you're up to it).</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34801205" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</span></p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34801205">5x5</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/thespacemonkey">Spacemonkey</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="291" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34737582" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34737582">My 5x5</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9708591">Jim B</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="375" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34743376" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34743376">Sunday 5x5</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/marielc">Marie</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="375" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35094063" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/35094063">5x5 - Snow Day Cakes</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3268126">BlancheNoE</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="283" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34717628" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34717628">Glisten 5x5</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/syd">Syd</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="375" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/34802291" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/34802291">Adams' 5x5</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/ltadams2247">Peter Adams</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Check <a href="http://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/main/search/search?q=5x5" target="_blank">HERE</a> for more of last year's 5x5's.</span></p>I Think I Just Became an Atheisttag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-04-28:2426069:BlogPost:1362592012-04-28T19:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Just this morning, I'd been journaling and pondering if Darwin's Theory of Evolution could, perhaps, apply to universes (yes, that's plural, lol). I was thinking in fractals, that what's observable in nature is repeated at both smaller and greater levels, and if it's true then why not think beyond our known universe? Why not consider that ours is one of an infinite number...</p>
<p>Then I needed a TedTalk to watch whilst washing my week's worth of dishes, and serendipitously chose this…</p>
<p>Just this morning, I'd been journaling and pondering if Darwin's Theory of Evolution could, perhaps, apply to universes (yes, that's plural, lol). I was thinking in fractals, that what's observable in nature is repeated at both smaller and greater levels, and if it's true then why not think beyond our known universe? Why not consider that ours is one of an infinite number...</p>
<p>Then I needed a TedTalk to watch whilst washing my week's worth of dishes, and serendipitously chose this one:</p>
<p></p>
<p><object width="526" height="374" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2012/Blank/BrianGreene_2012-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/BrianGreene_2012-embed.jpg&vw=512&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1426&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=brian_greene_why_is_our_universe_fine_tuned_for_life;year=2012;theme=peering_into_space;event=TED2012;tag=cosmos;tag=physics;tag=science;tag=universe;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"></param><param name="src" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="pluginspace" value="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></param><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="526" height="374" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2012/Blank/BrianGreene_2012-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/BrianGreene_2012-embed.jpg&vw=512&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1426&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=brian_greene_why_is_our_universe_fine_tuned_for_life;year=2012;theme=peering_into_space;event=TED2012;tag=cosmos;tag=physics;tag=science;tag=universe;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" allowfullscreen="false" allowscriptaccess="never" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"></embed> </object>
</p>
<p>Totally blew my mind!</p>
<p>I'm a believer in multi-universes (I've decided), and am that much further away from a belief in some omnipotent <em>being </em>that hears us when we pray (I was far enough away to begin with). That's not to say our intentions and the energies we put to them don't hold some unknown power. Just sayin' it ain't a "loving or fearsome god". It's physics we haven't comprehended nor crafted "laws" for...yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We're so small and alone. There's a comfort in that, much like what I felt after spending a week in the Grand Canyon, via the Colorado River. I emerged feeling beautifully-small and insignificant. It's not hard to accept if it's reconciled with a belief in the bigger picture- that none of us are actually separate from any<em>thing</em> or any<em>one</em>.</p>
<p>There's still who-knows-what on the other side of this reality, but there is no god as in the one we've been duped to believe exists. THAT god is one of subservience for the sake of civility, and it is, without doubt, at the expense of individual authenticity.</p>
<p>It's interesting how I was only just in the last couple of years beginning to not care so much about the answers to life's big questions, and now <em>this</em>... It feels <em>so </em>right. I would guess that, ironically, it feels as good and as right as a belief in Jesus, the "savior".</p>
<p>I'm even more certain that fear of alone-ness and insignificance is what motivates people more than they know when it comes to their belief systems and their relationships (settling for fear of loneliness or abandonment).</p>
<p>We are, all of us, even in the absence of a god, <em>still</em> connected, which is why I'm throwing this out there into the tiny e-niverse. Tree once referred to it as an act of love, so consider it a love note from me to you, whoever you are.</p>Auto-Complete Tag!tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-03-30:2426069:BlogPost:1352702012-03-30T02:34:39.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>What comes up on your auto-complete when you type a letter into your address bar? </p>
<p><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/ezweb_ne_jp.04D"></img> <strong>LIST YOURS!!!</strong> <img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/ezweb_ne_jp.04D"></img></p>
<p></p>
<p>A= abqslams.org</p>
<p>B= bbc.co.uk </p>
<p>C= cabq.gov </p>
<p>D= dailykos.com</p>
<p>E= edublogs.org</p>
<p>F= facebook.com </p>
<p>G= google.com</p>
<p>H= hippocampus.org</p>
<p>I= ic.org</p>
<p>J= jasonsdeli.com</p>
<p>K= koat.com</p>
<p>L= lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com</p>
<p>M= mindbloom.com</p>
<p>N= netflix.com</p>
<p>O=…</p>
<p>What comes up on your auto-complete when you type a letter into your address bar? </p>
<p><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/ezweb_ne_jp.04D"/> <strong>LIST YOURS!!!</strong> <img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/ezweb_ne_jp.04D"/></p>
<p></p>
<p>A= abqslams.org</p>
<p>B= bbc.co.uk </p>
<p>C= cabq.gov </p>
<p>D= dailykos.com</p>
<p>E= edublogs.org</p>
<p>F= facebook.com </p>
<p>G= google.com</p>
<p>H= hippocampus.org</p>
<p>I= ic.org</p>
<p>J= jasonsdeli.com</p>
<p>K= koat.com</p>
<p>L= lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com</p>
<p>M= mindbloom.com</p>
<p>N= netflix.com</p>
<p>O= openculture.com </p>
<p>P= pinboard.in </p>
<p>Q= thinkquest.org/en </p>
<p>R= rushlimbaugh.com</p>
<p>S= sweetsearch.com</p>
<p>T= twitter.com</p>
<p>U= utne.com </p>
<p>V= vloggerheads.com</p>
<p>W= wikipedia.org</p>
<p>X= explore.org</p>
<p>Y= youtube.com</p>
<p>Z= 7-zip.org</p>Bucking "Politics as Usual": Version 1.0tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-03-21:2426069:BlogPost:1350542012-03-21T07:27:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="http://www.anneofcarversville.com/storage/24Friedman-popupamericans-select.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1311507088125" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" src="http://www.anneofcarversville.com/storage/24Friedman-popupamericans-select.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1311507088125&width=200" width="200"></img></a></p>
<p><em>Written by ME!!</em></p>
<p>Hey, have you heard about <a href="http://www.americanselect.org/" target="_blank">Americans Elect 2012</a>? Two and half million people have, and they're all signed up and ready to change the face of politics. Okay- well, at least that's their hope. No doubt you'll be hearing LOTS more about…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.anneofcarversville.com/storage/24Friedman-popupamericans-select.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1311507088125" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.anneofcarversville.com/storage/24Friedman-popupamericans-select.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1311507088125&width=200" width="200" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p><em>Written by ME!!</em></p>
<p>Hey, have you heard about <a href="http://www.americanselect.org/" target="_blank">Americans Elect 2012</a>? Two and half million people have, and they're all signed up and ready to change the face of politics. Okay- well, at least that's their hope. No doubt you'll be hearing LOTS more about it- maybe not in this coming election, but in 2016, chances are good it'll factor in as a major game changer for the electoral process (and haven't we all been waiting for it?). </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><br/>Americans Elect 2012 is the first-ever online platform that serves as a process for qualifying a non-partisan ticket to run for president of the United States.</strong> Their hope is to put <em>ideas</em> before "party-affiliation" (imagine that!) by taking advantage of crowd-sourced wisdom using social media tools. </p>
<p>Here's what some major news outlets have said about it:</p>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.americanselect.org/news/7-2011/removing-barriers-political-competition" target="_blank">New York Times</a> says, "Make way for the radical center"</li>
<li><a href="https://www.americanselect.org/news/1-2012/msnbc-cnn-washington-post-cspan-feature-americans-elect" target="_blank">CNN</a>: "An unprecedented national online primary"</li>
<li><a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/1260152448001/can-a-third-party-candidate-make-it-in-2012" target="_blank">Fox News</a> says, "This grassroots movement is really catching fire"</li>
</ul>
<p>What makes this super-special is that, while endeavoring to "re-imagine the presidential nomination process," Americans Elect 2012 sidesteps the power-brokers and lobbyists and gives delegates access to the nominees via questions, a communication platform to debate the issues with fellow delegates, and tools to measure ones own priorities against that of the candidates (and more).</p>
<p><em>I know, I know</em>- when I first looked into this, I thought, NEVER will they come up with an online voting process that can't be hacked. Apparently, there is a built-in verification process beyond the digital realm. "Tallies can be manually re-counted, independently audited, and reaffirmed," so says Americans Elect 2012.</p>
<p></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CuYKHnAVJ-Y?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p></p>
<p>Some interesting facts:</p>
<ul>
<li>Finalists must choose a running mate from a different party.</li>
<li>Some of the candidates are well known writers, CEO's, and politicians currently in office. </li>
<li>Even though this is technically a "third party", candidates are not disqualified from running simultaneously in their own party's primary.</li>
<li>Any leader can run, any voter can choose. Party-affiliation doesn't apply.</li>
<li>Two and a half million people have already signed on as delegates, and more candidates from both the Senate and the House are getting involved, even though they risk the ire of their fellow party members who see it as undermining party cohesion (not to mention, their own cash flow).</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>My take on this is that Americans Elect is merely laying some serious groundwork for what will be a robust challenge in the 2016 elections and that this one is considered a test-run to see what wrinkles need smoothing over. From the looks of the <a href="http://www.americanselect.org/who-we-are" target="_blank">Board of Directors</a>, I'd venture to guess they've got enough brain power to get it at least half right the first time. </p>
<p>It's super-easy to sign up as a delegate, but before you can actually take part in the discussions, you have to be "verified" which, considering the v-hood frame of mind, won't go over well with the lot of ya.</p>
<p>Will it work? Is this a sign of things to come for the democratic process? Is the "radical center" a good thing? What are the pitfalls of such a populist movement? What about those without online access? Is it really secure? Can this be the potential game-changer many have predicted, given historic trends around technological advances and political/social revolutions? Was that last sentence overly-nuanced? Will the People emerge en masse from their frackin' Facebook farming hazes and engage if the democratic process was a bookmark away? </p>
<p>I'm way too tired to answer those questions, even if I <i>had</i> the answers. </p>
<p>Guess we'll just have to wait and see. This is, after all, still the great experiment, this elusive thing we call "democracy". But damn if this ain't a great time to be alive and watchin', eh? :o)</p>Love Competitiontag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-02-25:2426069:BlogPost:1341582012-02-25T19:20:48.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/33698394?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/33698394">The Love Competition</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/brenthoff">Brent Hoff</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This is such a sweet little story...</p>
<p>I would WIN this if I was in it, cuz I'd be thinking a lot about YOU GUYS. :o)</p>
<p><iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/33698394?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/33698394">The Love Competition</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/brenthoff">Brent Hoff</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This is such a sweet little story...</p>
<p>I would WIN this if I was in it, cuz I'd be thinking a lot about YOU GUYS. :o)</p>Ahoy, Social Feeds!tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-02-12:2426069:BlogPost:1338712012-02-12T23:00:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="http://www.expeditionr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/facebook_twitter_logo_combo1.png" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="http://www.winedepottucson.com/images/facebook_twitter.png?width=300" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5">I went ahead and enabled the social feeds beta that Ning introduced awhile ago. So now, if you like, you can Tweet stuff or share it on Facebook directly from the Ark. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><br></br></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5">Yay…</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.expeditionr.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/facebook_twitter_logo_combo1.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.winedepottucson.com/images/facebook_twitter.png?width=300" width="300" class="align-right"/></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5">I went ahead and enabled the social feeds beta that Ning introduced awhile ago. So now, if you like, you can Tweet stuff or share it on Facebook directly from the Ark. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5">Yay us!</span></p>
<p></p>Press Pause Playtag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2012-01-16:2426069:BlogPost:1315712012-01-16T08:26:55.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Check this out! It's a recently-produced documentary about how art (music, film, etc.) is much more accessible thanks to the DIY (do it yourself) movement of the last decade. I see many of you as part of that revolution.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-rvlaTg3vPg?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>
<p>Check this out! It's a recently-produced documentary about how art (music, film, etc.) is much more accessible thanks to the DIY (do it yourself) movement of the last decade. I see many of you as part of that revolution.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-rvlaTg3vPg?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</p>Ten Thingstag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-11-24:2426069:BlogPost:1271782011-11-24T17:24:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230514295?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230514295?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> Let's face it, life kinda sucks at times. I'm thinkin' the Buddhists have it right about believing all life begins with suffering. Hell, if that's true then there's nowhere to go but up, right?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I've been a lucky gal my whole life- good friends, good health, a good job, and relatively little strife other…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230514295?profile=original"><img class="align-left" width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230514295?profile=RESIZE_320x320"/></a>Let's face it, life kinda sucks at times. I'm thinkin' the Buddhists have it right about believing all life begins with suffering. Hell, if that's true then there's nowhere to go but up, right?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I've been a lucky gal my whole life- good friends, good health, a good job, and relatively little strife other than what I put on myself most times, so yeah- I'm full o' gratitude about that. I've also had my share of life's tragedies and shit, but ya know what? If anything has pressed upon me the worth of giving thanks for the good stuff, it's THOSE experiences and what lingers ever after.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">So thanks for this continued connection, Arkies. I'm neglectful around making videos but you guys are as much a part of what makes my life colorful as any other joy in my life.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Happy day of gratitude.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/><strong>Here are ten things I'm grateful for, in no particular order:</strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">1. You guys, and this amazing, life-enhancing medium. I don't think most video-sharers fully realize the larger human story they're a continued part of, but I'm grateful to see it, even though I've been neglectful of that particular joy as of late.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">2. My sister Dee and the new path she's taken. She inspired me to make some necessary changes, as did some vloggers who don't know it (I should tell them, though)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">3. TEDtalks and any other venues that don't mention the Kardashians or JerseyShore, and that serve to bring together ideas worth knowing and thinking about for the sake of sustainability and innovation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">4. Whomever started OccupyWallStreet for being, as Howard Zinn would say, that ONE blade of grass (the relentless optimist who stood up against the odds of our collective complicity, apathy, and alienation and turned it around)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><a target="_blank" href="http://static02.mediaite.com/styleite/uploads/2011/11/big32.jpg"><img class="align-right" width="300" src="http://static02.mediaite.com/styleite/uploads/2011/11/big32.jpg?width=300"/></a>5. </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">The pepper-spray cop, who has unwittingly encapsulated what the 99% are up against, and the artists that turn the meme into a catalyst for change</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">6. My boundless curiosity, the reason I've never felt "bored" <--'tis an alien concept</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">7. Music that stirs and transports me, and my own capacity to be blissfully lost in the harmonies</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">8. My colleagues and the students I get to work with every day. They make the sacrifices worth it, which leads to...</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">9. Art therapy, the impetus for finding the elusive line between sacrifice and unnecessary martyrdom and what fuels the engine (and the thing that often brings me back to joys such as video-making). </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">10. </span><span style="font-size: 19px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">Solitude- without which, I'd be far from my<em>self</em>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 19px;">Much gratitude, all.</span></p>The e-Patient Movementtag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-06-30:2426069:BlogPost:1116892011-06-30T02:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><span class="font-size-3">How social networking can help us to save our own lives. --> <a href="http://e-patients.net/" target="_blank">e-Patients Website</a></span></p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="326" width="446"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2010X/Blank/DavedeBronkart_2010X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/DavedeBronkart-2010X.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=1181&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave;year=2011;theme=a_taste_of_tedx;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=medicine_without_borders;event=TEDxMaastricht;tag=Culture;tag=Science;tag=Technology;tag=collaboration;tag=data;tag=health+care;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"></param><param name="src" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><embed allowfullscreen="false" allowscriptaccess="never" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2010X/Blank/DavedeBronkart_2010X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/DavedeBronkart-2010X.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=1181&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave;year=2011;theme=a_taste_of_tedx;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=medicine_without_borders;event=TEDxMaastricht;tag=Culture;tag=Science;tag=Technology;tag=collaboration;tag=data;tag=health+care;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" height="326" src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="446" wmode="opaque"></embed> </object>
<br></br><br></br> …</p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">How social networking can help us to save our own lives. --> <a href="http://e-patients.net/" target="_blank">e-Patients Website</a></span></p>
<p><object height="326" width="446" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2010X/Blank/DavedeBronkart_2010X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/DavedeBronkart-2010X.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=1181&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave;year=2011;theme=a_taste_of_tedx;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=medicine_without_borders;event=TEDxMaastricht;tag=Culture;tag=Science;tag=Technology;tag=collaboration;tag=data;tag=health+care;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"></param><param name="src" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"></param><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><embed wmode="opaque" height="326" width="446" src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2010X/Blank/DavedeBronkart_2010X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/DavedeBronkart-2010X.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=1181&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=dave_debronkart_meet_e_patient_dave;year=2011;theme=a_taste_of_tedx;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=medicine_without_borders;event=TEDxMaastricht;tag=Culture;tag=Science;tag=Technology;tag=collaboration;tag=data;tag=health+care;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> </object>
<br/><br/> :o)</p>Teachers Connecting & A Love Lettertag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-03-20:2426069:BlogPost:1036832011-03-20T18:36:44.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><param name="src" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7806094&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><embed allowfullscreen="false" allowscriptaccess="never" height="300" src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7806094&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" wmode="opaque"></embed> </object>
</p>
<p>One of the reasons I don't vlog as much is that my energies are directed more toward my online professional learning network. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I came across this video of teachers who've basically found what many of us have found here at VH and across the vlogosphere. You listen to them and even though the common denominator among them (us) is "education", the motivations are the same and their experiences have been similar in terms of the online connections…</p>
<p><object height="300" width="400" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><param name="src" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7806094&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param><embed wmode="opaque" height="300" width="400" src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7806094&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> </object>
</p>
<p>One of the reasons I don't vlog as much is that my energies are directed more toward my online professional learning network. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I came across this video of teachers who've basically found what many of us have found here at VH and across the vlogosphere. You listen to them and even though the common denominator among them (us) is "education", the motivations are the same and their experiences have been similar in terms of the online connections developing into offline friendships.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As we often talk about, this online thing's only as meaningful as we want it to be- it's what we make of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I may be more of a blogger these days, but I value the connections I've made here. You guys are the online equivalent of who I hang with on the front porch after a hard day's work. Beer, laughter, friendly debate, songs under the super moon...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Love ya's, and here's to many more moons!</p>Inside Job: Part I (Notes)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-03-17:2426069:BlogPost:1039212011-03-17T02:54:41.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Inside-Job.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-left" height="459" src="http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Inside-Job.jpg?width=300" width="308"></img></a> <span class="font-size-2">My new love is economics. It's one of my weakest areas when it comes to teaching Humanities so I learn when and where I can in order to have a decent-enough depth of knowledge around it.<br></br></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">As it so happens, the Academy Award winner for best documentary, <em>Inside Job,</em> is about the U.S.'s current…</span></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Inside-Job.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Inside-Job.jpg?width=300" width="308" height="459"/></a><span class="font-size-2">My new love is economics. It's one of my weakest areas when it comes to teaching Humanities so I learn when and where I can in order to have a decent-enough depth of knowledge around it.<br/></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">As it so happens, the Academy Award winner for best documentary, <em>Inside Job,</em> is about the U.S.'s current global economic screw-up.<br/></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It has <em>so</em> much information and it's not hard to follow so I'm definitely planning on using it next year (if not this one).<br/></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Undoubtedly, my students will still be grappling with the fallout by the time they graduate (as will their children, most likely), and I want to be real with them enough so that they're prepared to face the current state of the so-called "American Dream". I think it's an excellent lesson in hubris, too. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Anyhow, I started taking notes and figured I'd drop 'em here in the chance that others may benefit. I'd be shocked if anyone actually reads through the whole thing, but there it is. <strong>Cheers</strong></span><strong>!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">___________________________________________________________________________________________</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><i>The global economic crisis of 2008 cost 10,000,000 people their homes, their jobs, or their savings. This is how it happened.</i></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>PRELUDE</b></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>Year 2000</strong>, Iceland</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">A great place to live and raise a family.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Robust economy.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Then comes deregulation.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Banks are privatized.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">2008</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Three banks bring Iceland’s economy to its knees. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Regulators do nothing. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">A third of them are put on the bank’s payrolls.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>PART ONE: HOW WE GOT HERE</b></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">After the Depression, 40 years of economic growth.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Not a single financial crisis. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Industry’s tightly regulated.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Most banks are small local businesses, prohibited from speculating with depositors’ savings.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Investment banks handle stocks and are small investment partnerships.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Partners front money so they shy away from big risks and watch the market carefully.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1980’s</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">financial industry explodes</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Banks go public giving them huge amounts of money to invest.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Partnerships become obsolete. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">People on Wall St start getting rich.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>From 1978 to 2008</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">a banker’s average salary goes from 47 to 100K.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">For everyone else, it starts at 45 and goes up 3K during that same span of time.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1981</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Reagan chooses Don Regan as Treasury Secretary (Merrill Lynch CEO) </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">With support of his party, economists, & financial lobbyists, Reagan begins push for deregulation. </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">George Soros uses the metaphor of an oil tanker to describe the financial sector at this point.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It’s enormous. Compartments (regulation) that kept the oil from sloshin’ around and capsizing the tanker have been taken away.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The tanker now has a much greater probability of sinking, taking with it its precious cargo.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1982</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Savings & Loan companies are successfully deregulated.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Without oversight, they begin making risky investments </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Example: Charles Keating is one S&L financier (now the most well-known).</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">He hires Alan Greenspan as his advisor.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Greenspan praises his “no-risk business sense”</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1986</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">the first financial crisis</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">S & L’s begin losing depositors’ savings.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">100’s of S & L companies fail.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"> Taxpayers pay the cost- 124 billion (and for some, their life’s savings)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">1000’s of S & L execs go to jail, including Keating.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Greenspan goes on to become chairman of US central bank, The Federal Reserve,</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">and is reappointed by Clinton and Bush Jr.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Under Clinton, deregulation continues.<br/></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Treasury Sec. Robert Rubin (Goldman Sachs CEO) and Larry Summers (Harvard economics professor) are key players</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>By late 1990’s</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">financial sector is consolidated into a few gigantic firms that are so large, their failure could threaten the whole system.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Clinton Administration helps them grow even larger.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1998</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">CitiCorp and Travelers merge to form CitiGroup, largest financial services company in the world</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Merger violates the Glass-Steegal Act, passed in 1934, after the Great Depression</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The Act, up to this point, has prevented banks from engaging in risky investment activities with consumer deposits.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Federal Reserve (Greenspan) says nothing, gives them an exemption for a year.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>1999</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Summers and Rubin urge Congress to pass the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (some called it the “CityGroup Relief Act”)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It overturns Glass-Steegal and clears the way for future marketers.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Rubin later makes $126 million as Vice Chairman of Citigroup (hence, the Act’s nickname)</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>Late 1990’s</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The second crisis</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Investment banks fuel a massive bubble in Internet stocks followed by a crash in 2001.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">5 trillion in investments are lost in a short amount of time.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The Securities and Exchange Commission (federal agency created during the Depression to regulate investment banking) does nothing.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Eliot Spitzer (NY Attorney General) investigates.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">He finds that investment firms promoted Internet companies they knew would fail.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Stock analysts were being paid for how much business they brought in.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">What they said publicly was different from what they said privately.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Companies with high ratings had no value.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Investment banks didn’t deny it.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Their defense: Everyone was doing it. In-house analysts should not have been taken seriously by investors.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">2002</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Ten investment firms settle for a total of 1.4 billion (for conflicts in their firm’s stock research) and promise to change their ways.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Bear Sterns 80 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Credit Suisse 200 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Deutsche Bank 80 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">JP Morgan 80 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Lehman Brothers 80 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Merrll Lynch 200 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Morgan Stanley 125 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">UBS 80 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Goldman Sachs 110 million</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Citigroup 400 million</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Since deregulation began, the biggest firms are caught laundering money, defrauding customers, and cooking their books.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">JP Morgan bribes government officials</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Riggs Bank launders money for Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Credit Suisse launders money for Iran’s nuclear & missile program in violation of US sanctions (fined $536 million)</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Citibank helps funnel $100 million worth of drug money out of Mexico</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Freddie Mac commits accounting fraud (fined $125 milion)</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Fannie Mae commits accounting fraud, overstates their worth by $40 billion (fined $400 million)</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">(Clinton’s former budge director, Franklin Reins, receives over $52 mil in bonuses from Fannie Mae leading up to 2006)</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">UBS is caught helping wealthy Americans evade taxes (fined $780 mil) and pleads the Fifth</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">AIG commits fraud, cooks their books and rigs bids ($1.6 billion settlement)</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Citibank, JP Morgan, and Merrill Lynch help Enron to conceal fraud (fined $385 million) </span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">(All are fined but without having to admit wrong-doing).</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">Beginning in the 1990’s</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Deregulation and advances in technology lead to an explosion of complex financial products called “derivatives”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Economists and bankers claim they make markets safer, but in reality, they cause instability.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The Cold War ends, high tech turns to financial markets to work with investment firms (<i>weapons of mass financial destruction</i>)</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Regulators, politicians, and business people poo poo the threat financial innovation poses to the industry.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Using derivatives, bankers start gambling on virtually anything.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">-the rise and fall of oil prices</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">-the bankruptcy of a company</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">-even the weather</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">By the late 1990’s</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">derivatives are a $50 trillion dollar, unregulated market.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">1998</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The CFTC attempts to regulate.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Brooksley Born, former derivatives manager,</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">appointed by Clinton to chair Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC), which oversaw the derivatives market</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">and her Deputy Director, Michael Greenberger, issue a proposal to regulate derivatives.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Clinton’s Treasury Department (Larry Summers) responds by strong-arming them to stop.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Afterwards, Greenspan, Rubin, and FCC Chairman Arthur Levitt issue a statement condemning Born, saying it’s out of the CFTC’s jurisdiction.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">They recommend legislation to keep derivatives unregulated on the basis they’re privately negotiated by professionals so it’s unnecessary.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Born and Greenberger are overruled by Clinton Admin, then by Congress.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Sen. Gramm (R-TX) ultimately pushes legislation through to exempt derivatives from regulation on the basis they unify the market.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">After leaving the Senate, Phil Gramm becomes Vice-Chairman of UBS. His wife serves on the board at Enron.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Larry Summers later makes $20 million as a consultant to a hedge fund that relies heavily on derivatives</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">2000</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Congress passes Commodity Futures Modernization Act (written with the help of financial industry lobbyists), which bans regulation of derivatives.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Use of derivatives and financial innovation explodes</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><strong>2001</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Bush Jr takes office.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Financial sector is now vastly more powerful, profitable, and concentrated than ever before.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b>THERE ARE FIVE INVESTMENT BANKS</b></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Goldman Sachs</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Morgan Stanley</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Lehman Brothers</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Merrill Lynch</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Bear Stearns</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b>TWO FINANCIAL CONGLOMERATES</b></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">CitiGroup</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">JP Morgan</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b>THREE SECURITIES INSURANCE COMPANIES</b></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">AIG</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">MBIA</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">AMBAC</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><b>AND THREE RATINGS AGENCIES</b></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Moody’s</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Standard & Poor’s</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Fitch</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Linking them all together is the “Securitization Food Chain”.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2"><i>Securitization</i> is a new system which connects trillions of dollars in mortgages and other loans with investors all over the world</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It used to be you got a loan from an investor who expected you to pay back. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">It took decades to repay so lenders were careful.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Old system:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">HOME BUYERS--> LOCAL LENDERS</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Now there’s “securitization” whereby the people who make the loan are no longer at risk if there’s a failure to repay.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">New system:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">HOME BUYERS LENDERS INVESTMENT BANKS INVESTORS</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Loan Payments </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--> </span> <span class="font-size-2">--></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">In the new system, LENDERS sell the mortgages to INVESTMENT BANKS.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">INVESTMENT BANKS sell the home mortgages along with other stuff to create “complex derivatives”. </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">Other stuff= corporate buy-out debt, commercial mortgages, car loans, student loans, and credit card debt</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-2">They bundle them all together and call them “CDO’s” (Collateralized Debt Obligations). </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">INVESTMENT BANKS pay RATINGS AGENCIES to rate the CDO’s based on their profitability and then sell them to INVESTORS.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">HOME BUYERS who were previously paying a monthly mortgage to a lender are now paying out to investors from all over the world.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Most are unaware.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The ratings for these CDO bundles go like this:</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Best</span><span class="font-size-2">--></span><span class="font-size-2"> AAA</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Mid</span><span class="font-size-2">--></span> <span class="font-size-2"> BBB</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Junk</span> <span class="font-size-2">--></span><span class="font-size-2"> BB</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">High ratings make CDO’s popular with retirement funds because they only purchase triple A-rated securities</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">The system’s now a ticking time bomb.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-2">LENDERS don’t care anymore whether BORROWERS can repay so they make riskier loans.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">INVESTMENT BANKS go mostly for subprime loans because they carry the highest interest rates promising the most returns.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">And the more CDO’s they sell, the higher their profits.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">RATING AGENCIES (paid by the INVESTMENT BANKS) have no liability or incentive for accurately evaluating CDO ratings.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-2">They give thousands of subprime CDO’s a triple A rating because it pays to do so .</span></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">No regulation, no one seemingly on the hook.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">A green light to pump out more and more loans.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Feeding frenzy in the securitization food chain!</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">2000-2003</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Each year, mortgages quadruple.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-2">2002-2006</span></strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Each year, there’s a huge increase in the riskiest loans (subprime).</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">This leads to a massive increase in predatory lending.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">All incentives for mortgage brokers are based on selling predatory loans (now the most profitable).</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Borrowers are needlessly placed in expensive subprime loans (because the banker makes more),</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">and many loans are knowingly given to people who won’t be able to repay them.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font-size-2">Next…</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">PART II: THE BUBBLE</span></strong></p>
Wisconsin- Wow!tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-02-27:2426069:BlogPost:1026352011-02-27T06:22:11.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>This video gives you a good sense of how BIG Wisconsin's demonstrations are.</p>
<p>Today, despite the freezing snow, 100,000 people stood for worker's rights.</p>
<p>The last four seconds made me…</p>
<p>This video gives you a good sense of how BIG Wisconsin's demonstrations are.</p>
<p>Today, despite the freezing snow, 100,000 people stood for worker's rights.</p>
<p>The last four seconds made me chuckle.</p>
<p><object height="390" width="640" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/b4kvNzuf_EY&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowfullscreen" value="false"></param><embed wmode="opaque" height="390" width="640" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/b4kvNzuf_EY&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"></param></object>
</p>Egypttag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-01-29:2426069:BlogPost:1012292011-01-29T23:28:28.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Egyptians, right now, are taking refuge in their homes (if they're not out protesting). The younger folks are taking up arms to protect their own neighborhoods in defense of looters and armed bandits whom they believe are the ministry's police in disguise (in an attempt to undermine the integrity of the protesters). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inspired by events unfolding in Tunisia, the largely-educated and unemployed activists are demanding the ouster of Mubarak, their dictator since…</p>
<p>Egyptians, right now, are taking refuge in their homes (if they're not out protesting). The younger folks are taking up arms to protect their own neighborhoods in defense of looters and armed bandits whom they believe are the ministry's police in disguise (in an attempt to undermine the integrity of the protesters). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inspired by events unfolding in Tunisia, the largely-educated and unemployed activists are demanding the ouster of Mubarak, their dictator since 1981.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's 2 am, and the police have all but disappeared from the streets. The government has already shut down all communications, including internet, & mobile phones. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is part of a Middle-Eastern revolution toward democracy, NOT a religious-based civil war. For that reason, the U.S. should be in support of this movement. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>My thoughts are with those in the region who aspire to the ideals of democracy and who are attempting to take their country back from greedy and careless tyrants.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just some thoughts. :o)</p>
<p> </p>Bye Bye Star Ratings..?tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-01-23:2426069:BlogPost:1005602011-01-23T21:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Hey Arkians.</p>
<p>I disabled the star ratings on the site. Please let me know if anyone's against this. I figured there really was no need for it other than to show support for one another's efforts, but then, that could just as easily be done by commenting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Let me know, though. If you guys are overwhelmingly for having the star ratings, I'll turn it back on. :o)</p>
<p>Hey Arkians.</p>
<p>I disabled the star ratings on the site. Please let me know if anyone's against this. I figured there really was no need for it other than to show support for one another's efforts, but then, that could just as easily be done by commenting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Let me know, though. If you guys are overwhelmingly for having the star ratings, I'll turn it back on. :o)</p>Amytag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-01-07:2426069:BlogPost:997252011-01-07T01:11:41.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>Thinkin' of you.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/1803956111_4e803def93_o.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/1803956111_4e803def93_o.jpg"/></a></p>
<p>Thinkin' of you.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/1803956111_4e803def93_o.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2160/1803956111_4e803def93_o.jpg"/></a></p>BlancheNoE Video-Thon Fini!tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2011-01-04:2426069:BlogPost:988892011-01-04T02:52:29.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><span class="font-size-6"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><font size="4">'Tis not the destination but the journey.</font></em></span></strong></span></p>
<p><em><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></br></span></font></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2170390230?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2170390230?profile=original" width="160"></img></a> <font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yeah, right. Fuck that!!!! I am…</span></font></p>
<p><span class="font-size-6"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><em><font size="4">'Tis not the destination but the journey.</font></em></span></strong></span></p>
<p><em><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br/></span></font></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2170390230?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2170390230?profile=original" width="160"/></a><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yeah, right. Fuck that!!!! I am <span class="font-size-6"><em>done</em></span><span class="font-size-5">!!! </span></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br/></span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;">30 videos in 30 days!</span></font></p>
<p><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I bow to Grifter, the long-distance vlogger-god who uploaded his 50th consecutive video today. </span></font></p>
<p><em><font size="4"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dude...thanks to you, I'm ashamed to play my Rocky theme and dance a righteous climax to this series.</span></font></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4">I need to thank the 35 members of the Ark and Vloggerheads for pledging up to $30 each. You guys filled the pot to over-flowing and I'm forever grateful to you for embracing the effort and contributing in whatever way you could- whether that was in the form of a deposit or simply a comment on one of the vids. You all rock.<br/></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4">Must be off to rehab now. Got that monkey on my back again, ya know? </font></p>
<p><font size="4">See ya soon! <br/></font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4"><br/></font></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><span style="color: #ff6600;">Contributors</span> <span class="font-size-2"> </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-5"><span class="font-size-2">(hope I didn't miss anyone- please let me know)</span></span></p>
<p><font size="4"> <br/>AllNatural</font></p>
<p><font size="4">AnnelidaFilms<br/>Chig/NerdWhisperer<br/>Dana</font></p>
<p><font size="4">David<br/>Deborah</font></p>
<p><font size="4">DwonDwon</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Flophousepoodle<br/>GeorgeO'Brien</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Helen<br/>JessicaPeanut</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Jfry</font></p>
<p><font size="4">JoAnn<br/>JustAnotherUseName<br/>Marie<br/>McGrawTim123<br/>Michael<br/>mikedelic<br/>NatureJunkie<br/>OG<br/>Photo2010<br/>Ravenlaughs<br/>SensualWhirl</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Shawny<br/></font></p>
<p><font size="4">SillySillyTom<br/>SpaceMonkey1310</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Suja</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Tahlullah<br/>ThaPolarBear</font></p>
<p><font size="4">TomGuariello</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Victoria</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Vitalfinds</font></p>
<p><font size="4">William</font></p>
<p><font size="4">(2 silent pledgers)</font></p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4">And thanks especially to NatureJunkie and PyperMarru for spearheading the drive!</font></p>
<p><span style="color: #ff6600;" class="font-size-4"><font size="4">Amy's PayPal--></font> <span class="font-size-3">amy.blanchenoe@gmail.com</span></span></p>The Human Family Treetag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-12-27:2426069:BlogPost:989342010-12-27T11:21:37.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p>My classes viewed this National Geo special a few days before the holiday break and afterward, it was clear what an impact it had made. The discussion was rife with great questions that will seed this next semester's journey. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It really is eye-opening for those who aren't aware of what's being discovered via the genographic project.</p>
<p>What they're learning is that the merging of many cultures through bloodlines is not so much a "melting pot" but rather one big human…</p>
<p>My classes viewed this National Geo special a few days before the holiday break and afterward, it was clear what an impact it had made. The discussion was rife with great questions that will seed this next semester's journey. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It really is eye-opening for those who aren't aware of what's being discovered via the genographic project.</p>
<p>What they're learning is that the merging of many cultures through bloodlines is not so much a "melting pot" but rather one big human family <strong>reunion</strong>! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Check it out! (follow the video to Youtube to find the rest of it)</p>
<p> </p>30 for 30 Vlogathon for Blanchie (Update)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-12-05:2426069:BlogPost:962182010-12-05T17:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p><a href="http://www.vloggerheads.com/video/lets-put-blanchenoe-in-the" style="font-weight: bold;">Let's Put BlancheNoE in The Hospital</a><br></br><br></br><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2128172973?profile=RESIZE_320x320" style="float: left;" width="300"></img> <font size="4">I'm starting a 30-day vlogathon for Amy (aka BlancheNoE) tonight.<br></br><br></br>Thank you to the 26 vloggers who've pledged. I had hoped for 30, just cuz it went with the 30 theme, but HELL, 26 is awesome!<br></br><br></br>It goes like this: 30 vloggers (okay, 26...) pledge 30 dollars each for 30 videos in the next 30…</font></p>
<p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.vloggerheads.com/video/lets-put-blanchenoe-in-the">Let's Put BlancheNoE in The Hospital</a><br/><br/><img width="300" style="float: left;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2128172973?profile=RESIZE_320x320"/> <font size="4">I'm starting a 30-day vlogathon for Amy (aka BlancheNoE) tonight.<br/><br/>Thank you to the 26 vloggers who've pledged. I had hoped for 30, just cuz it went with the 30 theme, but HELL, 26 is awesome!<br/><br/>It goes like this: 30 vloggers (okay, 26...) pledge 30 dollars each for 30 videos in the next 30 days.<br/><br/>What do you pledgers get in return for joining the "30 for 30" brigade..? Well, I owe LtAdams a booty shake but don't let that scare ya away! There are surprises in store, some collabs, some long-overdue responses, some old school stuff, and some catching-up kinds of things I need to do. There's also a holiday gift (no matter what your holiday) as a show thanks for extending yourselves further (I'm well aware most of you have participated in other pledges).<br/><br/>And of course, you're a continued part of helping to lighten the financial burden of a fellow vlogger who's headed into the hardest stage of a disease that will take her from us if she doesn't get on that list.<br/><br/>This whole big beautiful thing NatureJunkie started may not get Amy a new liver, but it definitely will lessen a bit of what she has to worry about as the threat of losing her job looms closer. It's likely, given the natural progression of this disease, and if she's not placed on the liver transplant list soon, it's inevitable.<br/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">So again, thanks so much to the following vloggers who've pledged:</span><br/>(2 silent pledgers)<br/>AnnelidaFilms<br/>Chig<br/>Dana</font></p>
<p><font size="4">David<br/>Deb</font></p>
<p><font size="4">DwonDwon</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Flophousepoodle<br/>GeorgeO'Brien</font></p>
<p><font size="4">Helen<br/>JessicaPeanut<br/>JoAnn<br/>JustAnotherUseName<br/>Marie<br/>McGrawTim123<br/>Michael<br/>mikedelic<br/>NatureJunkie<br/>OG<br/>Photo2010<br/>Ravenlaughs<br/>SensualWhirl<br/>SillySillyTom<br/>SpaceMonkey1310<br/>Tahlullah<br/>ThaPolarBear<br/>Victoria<br/>Vitalfinds<br/></font></p>30 for 30 Vlogathon for Blanchie :o)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-12-01:2426069:BlogPost:958982010-12-01T03:00:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<p style="text-align:left"><img height="130" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2128174217?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="190"></img></p>
<br />
I haven't vlogged in months.<br />
But beginning Sunday, I'll vlog every day for <b>THIRTY</b> days if I can get <b>THIRTY</b> fellow vloggers to pledge ONE dollar each day I put a video up.<br />
<br />
If this happens, I promise to put as much time, energy, and honesty into the vids as I possibly can.<br />
<br />
I have ideas, promises to keep, bets to pay up (a booty shake, for one..), and lots to talk about.<br />
<br />
I needed something to get me back into it- maybe this is…
<p style="text-align:left"><img width="190" height="130" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2128174217?profile=RESIZE_320x320"/></p>
<br />
I haven't vlogged in months.<br />
But beginning Sunday, I'll vlog every day for <b>THIRTY</b> days if I can get <b>THIRTY</b> fellow vloggers to pledge ONE dollar each day I put a video up.<br />
<br />
If this happens, I promise to put as much time, energy, and honesty into the vids as I possibly can.<br />
<br />
I have ideas, promises to keep, bets to pay up (a booty shake, for one..), and lots to talk about.<br />
<br />
I needed something to get me back into it- maybe this is it.<br />
<br />
Thirty's a lot, though. And times are tough.<br />
<br />
Can we do this?<br />
Are you game?Question (Possible Glitch)tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-09-04:2426069:BlogPost:891082010-09-04T17:35:35.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
Is anyone else not getting the Rich Text option when they create a new blog?<br/>Looks like this:<br/><p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230515313?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<br/><br/>Can you check? <br/>Thanks!<br/>
Is anyone else not getting the Rich Text option when they create a new blog?<br/>Looks like this:<br/><p style="text-align: left;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2230515313?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<br/><br/>Can you check? <br/>Thanks!<br/>Problems with Ningtag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-08-20:2426069:BlogPost:877292010-08-20T08:59:25.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hey everyone.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm seeing some problems since last night, when I switched to the new plan.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><span style="font-weight: bold;">First of all, from here on in, we're embedding videos instead of uploading them directly to the site. That's the only change.…</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hey everyone.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm seeing some problems since last night, when I switched to the new plan.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">First of all, from here on in, we're embedding videos instead of uploading them directly to the site. That's the only change.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm noticing the settings have changed in a way that makes every page look very small. I can hardly read it! I've got a ticket in for that, but Ning's reporting that it's got four times the tickets that it normally has since switching everyone over on these new plans. IDIOTS!!!!! Just as they force everyone to pay up the wazoo for the same friggin' service, they report that they can't help your site right away.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michael's stuff has totally disappeared, too.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">Please let me know if there's anything else you notice so I can be sure to let Ning know.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">Unfortunately, I don't know when they'll get to it but I'll let you know when I hear from them beyond the message-bot that we usually get when filing a ticket.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">And Michael, don't despair. We'll get to the bottom of this.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-weight: bold;">-Syd</span><br/><br/>This Movietag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-08-06:2426069:BlogPost:867972010-08-06T07:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
was great.<br />
<br />
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgRjB8PEDkM&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgRjB8PEDkM&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
<br />
Saw it on Netflix. Truly original and beautiful.
was great.<br />
<br />
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgRjB8PEDkM&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MgRjB8PEDkM&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
<br />
Saw it on Netflix. Truly original and beautiful.VIMEO Group for The ARK- Who wants to test the waters...?tag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-07-11:2426069:BlogPost:849672010-07-11T23:37:33.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
If you'd like to try out Vimeo with us as a group, just to see what it has to offer, request in over at Vimeo:<br/><br/>The group address is:<br/><a href="http://vimeo.com/groups/ark">http://vimeo.com/groups/ark</a><br/><br/>You can see who's on board here:<br/><a href="http://vimeo.com/syd/contacts">http://vimeo.com/syd/contacts</a><br/><br/><br/>Let's see what Vimeo's got to offer :o)<br/>
If you'd like to try out Vimeo with us as a group, just to see what it has to offer, request in over at Vimeo:<br/><br/>The group address is:<br/><a href="http://vimeo.com/groups/ark">http://vimeo.com/groups/ark</a><br/><br/>You can see who's on board here:<br/><a href="http://vimeo.com/syd/contacts">http://vimeo.com/syd/contacts</a><br/><br/><br/>Let's see what Vimeo's got to offer :o)<br/>Ark Updatetag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-07-10:2426069:BlogPost:845782010-07-10T20:26:05.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
<span style="font-weight: bold;">For those of you who don't know, Ning will cease to be a free hosting service on July 20th.</span><br></br><br></br>In order to maintain a Ninglet, if you have one, you'll have to pay about $3 a month to do so and even then, you won't be able to upload videos. <br></br><br></br>Here's a summary of the three plans they're offering >>> <a href="http://about.ning.com/announcement/plans.php">Ning Pricing</a> <br></br><br></br>I've been so busy, I haven't had much time to explore…
<span style="font-weight: bold;">For those of you who don't know, Ning will cease to be a free hosting service on July 20th.</span><br/><br/>In order to maintain a Ninglet, if you have one, you'll have to pay about $3 a month to do so and even then, you won't be able to upload videos. <br/><br/>Here's a summary of the three plans they're offering >>> <a href="http://about.ning.com/announcement/plans.php">Ning Pricing</a> <br/><br/>I've been so busy, I haven't had much time to explore our options as a teeny weeny video-sharing site, but here are the facts:<br/><br/><div style="margin-left: 40px;">1. I've been paying $20 a month to keep the Ark ad-free. That's always been my choice based on my desire to have a home-base that is free of clutter, which is why I never accepted anyone's help to pay for it, even though many have offered (thank you so much for that).<br/><br/></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">2. To maintain the site as it is, it'll no longer be a choice to pay $20 a month and we'd have lots more flexibility with regard to the features (not much, though- just with regard to the design and functionality).<br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">The bad news, HOWEVER, is that we'll no longer be able to upload videos directly to the site. We'll only be able to EMBED.</span> This, to me, is a big deal. We won't lose existing content, it'll all still be here, but we just won't be able to add new content unless it's a video embed from another site.<br/><br/>3. Lastly, In order to still be able to upload to the site, the monthly fee would jump to $50 or there's an option to save %17 by paying the yearly fee of $500. That's a lot. I definitely won't be able to afford that.<br/><br/></div>
I'm giving you guys a few days to respond here and give your thoughts before I let you know what my plan of action is. I may not be able to afford $50 a month, but I could pay one month just to buy us some time to decide on what to do. <br/><br/>Please let me know what you think, even if you've not been active for some time. The more ideas we have, the better. <br/><br/>Thanks Arkians!<br/>-Syd<br/><br/>Vloggerheads Updatetag:lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com,2010-05-28:2426069:BlogPost:799862010-05-28T19:30:00.000ZSydTheSkeptichttps://lovevideoplayhouse.ning.com/profile/SydTheSkeptic
For those few of you who also frequent Vloggerheads, I figured I'd give you an update (or at least communicate what little I know).<br></br><br></br>A couple of days ago, members were signing on only to find that they were entered into someone else's account, even to the degree that they could see their inbox (remind you of something...?) so Tom, the owner, took it offline and sent a query to Ning. It appears that only a few members were affected (whoever was online at the time) and that it took about…
For those few of you who also frequent Vloggerheads, I figured I'd give you an update (or at least communicate what little I know).<br/><br/>A couple of days ago, members were signing on only to find that they were entered into someone else's account, even to the degree that they could see their inbox (remind you of something...?) so Tom, the owner, took it offline and sent a query to Ning. It appears that only a few members were affected (whoever was online at the time) and that it took about an hour from the time the glitch was noticed (or blogged about) to the moment it was taken offline.<br/><br/>Now, for those of you who don't know, VH had a unique code that allowed for video replies and tiered commenting. It was set up by volunteer programmers when VH first started a couple of years ago, but soon after, Ning dropped its "open source" policy due to some disagreements they were having with one of their third-party developers so the programmers could no longer get in there, nor could they tweak it anytime Ning updated their stuff and added new features. So, basically, VH has been frozen in time and has never been updated.<br/><br/>The thing is, no one really wanted to drop the unique coding in favor of the new features- it was what distinguised it from other video-sharing Ning sites. The downside to it, though, was that every time there was an update, VH would come out of it being more glitchy. Emails alerting people to comments on their vids disappeared altogether and then comments started posting out of order, making "discussions" jagged and nonsensical.<br/><br/>So, needless to say, this recent glitch was a very serious event compared to earlier ones. As far as I've heard, the owner (TomGuarriello) has been in contact with people at Ning and it's very likely VH will return without its unique coding. No content will be lost, however, and video comments will no longer be there. Who knows what comment strands will look like, but I can't imagine why anyone would spend time going over old comment strands, so...<br/><br/>That's the latest, anyway.<br/><br/>I've been checking in at TheChatterheads and Limapolooza to keep up.<br/>Links to both those sites can be found on the Ark's link bar at the bottom of the page.<br/><br/>On a happier note (for me, anyway), today was my last day of school, so expect a video update this weekend (long overdue). There's some Ning stuff we need to figure out and I'm also hoping to find some time to dance for LtAdams. Hopefully. A promise is a promise, damn it. Damn those ideas, too, that I think up and then never have the time to be a part of!!! And damn Pypermarru, who's just as full of <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">shit</span> ideas as I am and has also been too busy to make videos (although now she's at least got a public service award to show for her busy-ness...)<br/>