NORK nukes, GoogTube, Blogger blues and other news
Posted: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 12:50 AM by Will Femia
Between the North Korea nuke test, Google's purchase of YouTube, and lingering developments in the Foley story, the blogosphere is nearly blown off its hinges.
The North Korean nuclear test is the story that feels most important to me. I love the idea of finding the site on Google Earth, as mentioned in Sunday's Times. The location is reportedly 41.279 N by 129.087 E, which is confirmed by the earthquake data. I also eventually found a direct link to it in the Google Earth community's Military section. NOTE: This is talking about Google Earth, not Google maps. In case you're not familiar, it's a free download of essentially a virtual globe. Clicking the link automatically opens the Google Earth app.
For all the searching, however, I'm not sure I see what they're trying to point out.
I admit I was impressed with the 4.2 number on the earthquake chart. I've never felt and earthquake, but that seems like a pretty big number. As it turns out, a lot of people who know better disagree, leaving a lot of speculation about just what North Korea blew up under that mountain. Among those who aren't freaking out, the word is that we're waiting for "radionuclide data" to find out more on the blast.
The skepticism is easier to understand when you see this video of the largest underground nuclear blast ever. I don't think that's 4.2.
Speaking of skepticism, Best Google/YouTube headline goes to Defamer for "Google Pays $1.65 Billion For Nonexclusive Online Rebroadcast Rights To 'Studio 60' Promo Clips." I like that one because like Mark Cuban I'm a little skeptical about what Google is getting and I can't avoid the too-much-of-a-good-thing feeling that I also associated with old Napster.
Even though the news is all over the place now, I'm including a link to TechCrunch since that's where the story broke and such breakings of news should be rewarded with links. He's also got notes on the official media phone call press conference.
Here's a Google YouTube angle you're not likely to see in the mainstream press. I've read that many on the political right feel that YouTube is an agent of the left, primarily (as far as I know) because they removed a Michelle Malkin video from their site. For the people holding this belief, the Google/YouTube marriage has political implications.
Since the press release makes it sound like YouTube is not going to change at all, one wonders if the point of the merge has something to with applying search to video.
That seems likely in the context of Microsoft's recent Blinkx news: "Microsoft will be using Blinkx technology to power video search within MSN and Live.com."
At the end of last week the Online News Association held its annual conference. Most of the scuttlebutt I heard from folks in attendance was about the closing panel, which reportedly strayed off topic and came down to bloggers on the panel bashing journalists. A quick look at the day's links show fingers pointing to Michael Arrington, who tells his version of events here.
Though some are viewing the whole matter in the context of the heavily beaten blogging vs journalism horse, Thomas Hawk's comments highlight the fact that the real difference is between the tech community and journalists. Even though blogging has been pretty universally embraced by journalism at this point, that doesn't satisfy the tech community whose interests and tastes are not only underserved by mainstream media, but whose ideas are largely ignored even as the technology they develop gains mainstream acceptance.
The official rules for calling shotgun.
This note from a Marine in Iraq is a little long but reads quickly. Since I found myself having read through the whole thing without realizing it, I figured it was worth recommending.
Lightning exits woman's bottom - I heard Olbermann read this one on Countdown tonight but even reading the story myself I don't believe it. I can't help but think this is the first thing she came up with when the doctor in the emergency room asked, "How did you get these burns on your anus??"
Speaking of things I have trouble believing, The Future of Tires.......Tweels - Would the driving public ever feel comfortable driving on a set of these?
New-to-me term: Ecological debt day. Apparently environmental activists have found a way to calculate a day each year when global consumption of resources exceeds the Earth's ability to generate new resources. Since the debt can't really be paid, the point is to look at how quickly we reach the date each year.
A week's worth of Japanese street artists drawing and redrawing a piece on the wall. Lapsed to 6 minutes.
Rumors of Battlestar Galactica moving to NBC. All I can say to that is DUH! For the life of me I can't understand why NBC would have so many great shows on its sister networks and not take any for itself as its ratings slide. Dead Zone on Sci Fi would also be a good pick. Monk? Psych? (USA Network) Even the 4400 is preferable to those bug eating shows. Project Runway? That new million dollar house show? (Bravo) I don't think I've ever met anyone from the NBC entertainment division, but if I did I'd have to mention that I watch more of their sister network shows than their primary network shows.
If a real estate developer sent you an e-mail (not really spam because you signed up for it) and included on the CC line the e-mail addresses of 1086 other people who had also signed up for it, for what price would you sell the list, if at all?
Super slow-mo face slap. Wow, look how his nose flaps.
Here's another with a guy with water in his cheeks for that "Rocky" effect.
