Campus POLITICO

I don’t think I have really ever understood what the “CAMPUS” page on Politico was.  Is it for students? Is it for teachers? Is it for aspiring journalists, like a “Politico University?” So I decided to click the “CAMPUS” tab and see what was going on.

…nothing’s really going on here.

It just looks like an abridged version of Politico’s home page; a few headlines that I guess college kids would probably be interested in. You know, hot topics, like abortion and donuts … I don’t see any hip college language though…I was kinda looking forward to that.

But what’s actually cool (and college) about this page is that it has a box on the lower left part of the page that lists the top campus headlines from College Media Network aka MTVU aka the poorly designed Daily Free Press site here at BU.

Here’s a shot of it:

Basically it lists the top stories from campus newspapers across the country. Which I think is pretty cool.

Maybe they’ll post one of Tiffany Ledner’s columns from The Muse section of the Freep??? Fingers crossed.

This Campus page also includes a link to widgetbox.com where you can get a Campus Politico widget that lists the college headlines and puts it on your blog. That’s pretty cool. I think Politico is in the right direction with this one, getting students and young people involved with their site. They’re not there yet, but they are on their way.

(I would have pasted the embed code for the Campus Politico widget in this blogpost, but wordpress is still being really lame about embedding stuff because it could be malicious code!!! What are they talking about?!?! MySpace let’s you embed code and they’re doing great!!! No spam there!!! And everybody still uses it!!!…right?…do they?)

 

 

I Can Shoot Better Video than Politico

On Politico’s main page today they had a story entitled, “Economy Hurts Book Parties.”

I thought to myself, “WTF does that mean?” So of course I had to check it out.

What I saw was a crappy video about a small party celebrating author Matt Continetti’s new book, “The Persecution of Sarah Palin.”

It looked like it was shot with a Flip video camera, which is fine, but camera shake was making me sick (should have used a tripod, like I realized after shooting my video on the South End Dog Park with my Kodak Zi8). And it sounded like the cameraman was using the Flip’s on camera mic which everyone knows sucks. And there was no editing to make it look at least a little bit professional. The cameraman just shot it, asked a couple questions and cut it up. It was full of jump cuts.

Basically what I’m saying is that my whole Jo540 Media class can shoot better video than this and many of them learned how to make video news stories from just one 3 hour class.

There was no story to this video, in fact, there was no news. It look like some crappy PR video advertising this book about Sarah Palin. This makes me not want to read it.Why is this even on Politico??? The written stuff under the video is even more embarrassing. The authors of this story ranked different aspects of the party on a scale of 1-5, including a categories like “Booze” and “Fun Factor.” Fun Factor? You’re at a stupid book party for a stupid book about Sarah Palin! ZERO FUN!!!

If this is what it takes to make online videos for a major news website like Politico.com, then my whole Jo540 will have no problem finding jobs when they graduate.

A Quick Look at Boston’s Most Popular Dog Park in the South End

I shot this using the new Kodak Zi8. I had some problems with the audio (my RadioShack mic stopped started to crap out while I was filming), so I apologize for the sound quality.

Enjoy!!!

The Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space at Peter’s Park in the South End, Boston:

 

 

Politico’s Multimedia Problems

Politico’s Multimedia page is lacking.

Sure there are a lot of videos and photo galleries, but they’re lacking in something that’s so important to today’s multimedia journalism!

THE AUDIO SLIDESHOW!!!

They have countless videos, photo galleries that are updated weekly, but only 8 Audio Slideshows.

And look at some of their slideshow topics:

Some of these topics are old and outdated. Politico has made only 8 slideshows and never updates this section!

That seems so bizarre to me because the audio slideshow is so popular in the journalism world and it’s such a powerful medium.

All of Politico’s slideshows were made using Sounslides, which all multimedia and photojournalism students learn today. It’s such and easy program that there is no reason Politico shouldn’t be utilizing it.

So I have a proposal to Politico: Hire me to make your Audio Slideshows!!! You really have nothing to lose by hiring me.

 

…wow I didn’t know it could be this easy to get a job after college. If Politico needs multimedia people then think of all the other news sites that need them too. The future is looking brighter everyday!

Politico’s Top 10 Political Masks for Halloween

I’m so glad Politico did this. It’s about time! It’s relevant to what the site is about, yet funny at the same time! What a concept!!!

Here’s Politico’s top 10 list of political Halloween masks with commentary from me:

1o. Barack Obama

Of course, at # 10 on Politico’s list is President Barack Obama and of course it doesn’t even really look like him…this particular mask is from buycostumes.com and it kind of makes me uncomfortable. At least it’s better than this mask. This one  kind of makes him look like elephant man. (BuyCostumes.com for $19.99)

9. Sarah Palin

I guess the only thing about this that looks like Sarah Palin are the glasses. They could have done a much better job with this. This is what it looks like on when it’s on someone’s head. Not the best. (CostumeKingdom.com for $29.95)

8. Hillary Clinton

Where are her bottom teeth? That’s all I have to say…(BuyCostumes.com for $14.99)

7. John McCain

Even though he last the 2008 election McCain still knows how to party! For $16.99 at BuyCostumes.com you can be the life of your Halloween party.

6. Michelle Obama

Is this the best they could do? Seriously? Where are the whites of her eyes? It looks like I’m starring into two black holes of nothingness. I guess this is what you get for $16.99 (from BuyCostumes.com).

5. Bill Clinton

Really? Yeah…this is a little outdated and not funny. I guess if you, no…no it’s not funny. But if you want it for some strange reason it’s on sale for $14.99 on BuyCostumes.com.

4. Glenn Beck Diaper Mask

This one was created by the people at www.ep.tc and is avalible for free to download. They have four images: two in color and and two in black and white. Just print them out, stick them on a pair of adult diapers, put it over your head and you’re ready to go!

3. John Edwards

You can cheat on your wife with women all over the country with this $0.29 paper mask from BuyCostumes.com! Look at that face! He could never tell a lie!

2.

If you’re going to buy this mask you’re probably going to need this to go along with it:

Come on, we’re trying to make this costume look as real as possible.

(BuyCostumes.com for Vampire costume: $54.99, BadPlanet.com for Cheney: $22.99)

1. Mitt Romney

I have nothing funny to say about this mask. I just have a question. Why would you want to be Mitt Romney for Halloween? What’s wrong with you? (BuyCostumes.com for $4.99)

Spitzer Space Telescope and Sarah Mullin head out to sea

I had the chance to sit in on a practice with Boston University’s own folk sensation Spitzer Space Telescope and his friend Sarah Mullin Wednesday night as they practiced for “A Night of Sea Songs” show taking place on Saturday at 7:30 pm at the Democracy Center in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass.

Poster for Saturday’s Event:

Here’s a slideshow of the practice session Spitzer Space Telescope and Sarah Mullin had on Wednesday night:

Doesn’t work? Click here.

myspace.com/spitzerspacetelescope

myspace.com/mamabirdrecordingco

Thaddeus McCotter Rocks Out

When I was on Politico.com and saw that a republican congressman, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), broke a Guinness World Record for shredding the gnar (playing guitar) I had to make a comment about it.

A picture from Politico.com of McCotter playing the axe.

Back in March McCotter played at a benefit concert for the Michigan’s auto industry at AJ’s Music Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan that lasted 288 hours. That’s 12 days!!! The record was for the longest concert by multiple artists.

Dr. Zaius and the Bright Eyes, McCotter’s brother’s band, helped McCotter rock out. And no, McCotter’s brother isn’t actually Dr. Zaius and his back up band isn’t Bright Eyes.

But HEY! If you don’t believe me that McCotter shred, check out his YouTube page: RepMcCotter YouTube

And here are some videos of McCotter jamming out at the benefit concert that broke the world record (all on his youtube page).

He also plays in a group called the “Second Amendments” (wtf?) who are, according to his Youtube page, “a bipartisan Rock/Country Band made up of 5 members of Congress. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Thad McCotter (R-MI), Dave Weldon (R-FL), Jon Porter (R-NV), and Kenny Hulshof (R-MO).” (wtf?!?!!?!) I have to see these guys when come play at the Paradise this winter.
Here’s a video of them playing a benefit concert for Farm Aid:

It reminds me of my high school when the the science teachers formed a band playing Beatles covers and performing them at school functions.

I kinda wish now his brother was actually Dr. Zaius…

But congrats to you McCotter on your world record! You really do know how to rock out over there on capital hill! \m/

What’s with all these Hitler comparisons???

Since the begining of the semester, every couple of weeks I see the crazy LaRouche supporters up and down Commonwealth Ave. holding signs and handing out pamphlets with a picture of President Obama with a Hitler mustache. First off, I think that picture is disgusting. Comparing our president to Hitler? What was that thing called???…oh yeah, the Holocaust.

Comparisons like this keep popping up all over the place. When I was on Politico.com today I saw a headline that said, “GOP Tweets clip of Hitler praising Pelosi.” Of course I had to click it to see what it was about.

Apparently the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) tweeted (yes they have a twitter) this Tuesday morning`: “Funny Video: Moonbattery: Hitler Reacts to ObamaCare Maneuvers.” The video is a clip from the the 2004 movie “Der Untergang,” which depicts the final days of World War II and Hitler’s life. In the clip, according to the fake subtles, Hitler praises Nancy Pelosi for sharing his views of health care reform and for not caring about the American people.

This and all the other Hitler comparisons are in bad taste. They’re not even clever or funny.

Yeah, we get it, if Hitler = bad and Obama = bad then that means Obama = Hitler…or something stupid like that. HAHA!!! SO FUNNY!!!

I think the GOP are the only people who find Carlos Mencia funny.

So, of course, because if they didn’t they would look like even bigger assholes, the NRCC apologized:

(From Politico.com)

UPDATE: NRCC spokesman John Randall says they have pulled down the Tweet and offered a mea culpa:

“We saw the video this morning and thought, like other parodies, that it was funny,” Randall just told me. “In 20-20 hindsight, we realized it was in poor taste and pulled it down… I don’t want anyone to think we’re comparing Democrats to Nazis and to Hitler.”

—————–

These are the only people that can make comparing people to Nazis funny.

Halloween Eats

The Daily Free Press’s weekly food columnist, Tiffany Ledner, took me into the kitchen Wednesday to show me how to make some quick and fun treats for Halloween.

Here’s a slideshow of what we made and how we made it:

Read Tiffany’s latest article for the Daily Free Press HERE!!!

And remember to read her column every week at DailyFreePress.com under THE MUSE.

Tiffany’s Blog

Photoshop Phunnys

While cruising through Politico.com today I came accross a post by Josh Kraushaar on his blog “The Scorecard” entitled, “Grayson says he’s the only truth-teller in DC.” –as in Florida congressman Alan Grayson (D)–the one who basically said Republicans want senior citizens to die–

In the post was this picture:

Do you get it????

It’s a joke via photo manipulation!!!
(In case you didn’t get it: it’s “a spoof of the movie ‘The Invention of Lying’ and features a picture of Ricky Gervais with Alan Grayson’s head Photoshopped on the actor’s body.” – Kraushaar)

Pretty funny ehhhh????…I didn’t get it at first either…it’s ok…kind of stupid…
I think I could have done a better photoshop job, and I’m not that good at photoshop.

It turns out Grayson is sending this picture out in e-mails for fundraising.
I don’t know, it’s kind of clever I guess. The movie reference is going to become dated real fast, so that kind of ruins the whole thing.

I think politicians should just stick to real pictures of themselves looking doofy:

Boston.com

BostonHerald.com

Blogs.redding.com