TOGETHEr sEPARATED

Aspartame: Sweet Misery A Poisoned World

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:46:00 +0000

Aspartame: Sweet Misery A Poisoned World

This is the movie that Pepsi and Coca-Cola don’t want you to see.

This documentary is a close examination into what some consider to be a “hoax” –aspartame toxicity. This documentary attempts to look at what is definitively known about aspartame and discovers that the label “hoax” in this case is a dangerous misconception.This controversial documentary is sure to open eyes to the possible dangers of what lurks in our food.
It also unveils one of the most pervasive, insidious forms of corporate negligence in the history of the industrial revolution: the “revolving doors” practices between the FDA and powerful corporations such as Monsanto-subsidiary, Searle.
Upon detailed examination of the process for approving aspartame by the FDA, the film connects Donald Rumsfeld, once the United States Secretary of Defense, to the scene of the crime. Donald Rumsfeld, then CEO of Searle, was part of President Ronald Reagan’s transition team when the FDA’s board of inquiry was overruled by Arthur Hull Hayes, the newly appointed FDA Commissioner, allowing the marketing of aspartame as a food additive.

Relevant links

List of Aspartame Products

Aspartame: Toxicology

Coca-Cola: Pollution in a Bottle?
Nazis, Human Experimentation and Diet Coke
Kellogg’s, Corn Syrup and Cancer
The Green Revolution: Ecologically Devastating

Reported and Edited by: © Mark Steven Lewis

Jason Mraz --I'm Yours

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 04:19:00 +0000

Jason Mraz

live "I'm Yours"

EBS HD

Reported and Edited by: © Mark Steven Lewis

The Great Beyond: LHC will run to end of 2012

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:38:00 +0000

LHC will run to end of 2012 - January 28, 2011

Scientists at CERN are planning to run the world's most powerful particle accelerator an extra year in a bold bid to find the Higgs particle, a critical part of the mechanism believed to endow other particles with mass.

The decision, which we anticipated in December, means that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will run to the end of 2012, rather than stopping in 2011 for a year-long shutdown to upgrade its energy. The plan is the culmination of a week-long meeting in Chamonix, France.

The machine will run at 7TeV through 2011, but could reach 8TeV in 2012 following safety checks. Researchers are concerned about the "copper stabilizers" that support superconducting connections inside the machine. The stabilizers are designed to safely shunt current away from superconducting wires inside the collider, should the wires loose their ability to carry current without resistance. But an investigation following a major accident in 2008raised the possibility that bad solder joints could cause the stabilizers and wire to separate. If that happened, it could lead to a meltdown that would do massive damage to the machine. There are ~~at least 80 bad~~ an unknown number of stabilizers that need fixing, and it will take over a year to complete the repairs (You can read more about the problem in this excellent story by my arch-nemesis Adrian Cho, subscription required).

Those fixes will be needed before the LHC can reach its design energy of 14 TeV, but now, machine physicists believe that it could reach 8 TeV after some safety checks. The plan is to warm up the troubled sectors at the end of this year and pulse current through the machine while watching voltages carefully. That should give researchers a resistance measurement of the copper that will tell them whether its safe to run at 8TeV energies.

You might wonder why researchers at the LHC would choose to run at 7 or 8TeV rather than just making all the necessary fixes and ramping up to 14 TeV? The answer is that particle physics is as much about the quantity of data collected as it is about the energy of the collisions. Researchers think they have a good chance of spotting the Higgs at 7TeV, if they can collect enough collisions, and running the LHC an extra year will give them what they need. Additionally, the machine is running like a dream, and nobody wants to mess with it when it is on a roll.

The Chamonix workshop concludes today, and a final decision is expected by management on Monday afternoon, says CERN spokesperson James Gillies. "The formal decision will be taken then, but it's pretty certain that we will run in 2012."

Reported and Edited by: © Mark Steven Lewis

HOLD IT AGAINST ME

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:20:00 +0000

Britney Spears Newest Video for "Hold It Against Me"
from the album FEMME FATALE

Reported and Edited by: © Mark Steven Lewis

Zach Wahls Speaks About Family

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:14:00 +0000

FDA APPROVED MONSANTO'S NEOTAME...STAY AWAY FROM IT!!

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:54:00 +0000

The Newest Dangerous Sweetener to Hit Your Food Shelves...

By Dr. Mercola

Since 2002 an artificial sweetener called neotame has been approved for use in food and drink products around the world, although so far its use appears to be very limited.
Neotame is a chemical derivative of aspartame, and judging by the chemicals used in its manufacturing, it appears even more toxic than aspartame, although the proponents of neotame claim that increased toxicity is not a concern, because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect.
Neotame is bad science brought to you by the Monsanto Company.
If Monsano truly had nothing to fear with either of these artificial chemical sweeteners, they would have funded rigorous independent testing for safety. To date they have not, and they won't, because virtually every independent analysis of aspartame not conducted by Monsanto partners has revealed a long list of disturbing side effects, mostly neurological in nature.
Monsanto also has now sold the NutraSweet Company to someone else, but the approval of neotame came under Monsanto's ownership, and was most likely a result of Monsanto's cozy relationship with the FDA. More about that in a minute.
My recommendation for neotame is the same as that for aspartame, which is: it should be avoided if you care about your health.

Why is Neotame Dangerous?

Hopefully by now you are aware of the dangers of aspartame, if you aren't, please review this previous article.
But as if aspartame wasn't bad enough, NutraSweet (a Monsanto subsidiary at the time of neotame's approval) "improved" the aspartame formula, making neotame 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose) and 30-60 times sweeter than aspartame.
How did they do this?
In 1998, Monsanto applied for FDA approval for neotame, "based on the aspartame formula" with one critical addition: 3-dimethylbutyl, which just happens to be listed on the EPA's most hazardous chemical list.
So not only is neotame potentially more devastating to your health than aspartame, it is also approved for use in a wider array of food products, including baked goods, because it is more stable at higher temperatures.

What is 3-Dimethylbutyl?

Neotame is manufactured by combining aspartame with 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyd, which was added to block enzymes that break the peptide bond between aspartic acid and phenylalanine, thereby reducing the availability of phenylalanine.
This eliminates the need for a warning on labels directed at people who cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine.
However, 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde is categorized as both highly flammable and an irritant, andcarries risk statements for handling including irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory system.
In other words, the NutraSweet company assures you that neotame is perfectly safe, while at the same time they manufacture neotame through a chemical reaction between aspartame and a substance that is highly flammable and a skin, eye and respiratory irritant (that must be handled with extreme caution by anyone involved in the manufacturing process).
Does this sound like something you want to put into your body?

Why are These Chemicals Approved for Human Consumption?

Many people actually consider the FDA to be a "subsidiary" of the Monsanto Company. It sounds impossible, but when you look at all the Monsanto executives who have gone through the revolving door between private industry and government oversight, a truly disturbing picture emerges of the foxes guarding the henhouse..
The FDA is packed by pro-business, pro-corporation advocates who often have massive conflicts of interest when it comes to protecting the health of the public.
In fact, the revolving door between private industry and government oversight agencies is so well established these days, it has become business as usual to read about scandal, conflicts of interest and blatant pro-industry bias, even when it flies in the face of science or the law.
A few examples include:
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, a former dental amalgam company executive, helped subvert a federal judge's order to label mercury fillings as a hazard to children and pregnant women.

The FDA's top medical-device regulator, Daniel Schultz, resigned following internal dissent over decisions that his critics said were too friendly to industry.

Janet Woodcock, the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, was accused of a massive conflict of interest stemming from an ethics complaint filed by Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The agency's list of corruptions and collusions is now a mile long. And each piece of new legislation aimed to improve its function seems to do just the opposite—making the FDA even more dependent upon financial support by Big Pharma.

Why Aspartame and Neotame are NOT a Dieters Best Friend

On of the biggest marketing and PR tactics for man-made chemical sweeteners has been the claim that they help in the battle against obesity. Folks, they don't. They never have and they never will.
The research and the epidemiologic data suggest the opposite is true, and that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and neotame tend to lead to weight gain. As I've often said, there's more to weight gain or weight loss than mere calorie intake.
One reason for aspartame and neotame's potential to cause weight gain is because phenylalanine and aspartic acid – the two amino acids that make up 90 percent of aspartame and are also present in neotame -- are known to rapidly stimulate the release of insulin and leptin; two hormones that are intricately involved with satiety and fat storage.
Insulin and leptin are also the primary hormones that regulate your metabolism.
So although you're not ingesting calories in the form of sugar, aspartame and neotame can still raise your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels, in turn, are two of the driving forces behind obesity, diabetes, and a number of our current chronic disease epidemics.
Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to it, just as your body can become resistant to insulin, and once that happens, your body can no longer "hear" the hormonal messages instructing your body to stop eating, burn fat, and maintain good sensitivity to sweet tastes in your taste buds.
What happens then?
You remain hungry; you crave sweets, and your body stores more fat.
Leptin-resistance also causes an increase in visceral fat, sending you on a vicious cycle of hunger, fat storage and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and more.

The Real Reason Artificial Sweetener Use Has Exploded

If you want some answers in scenarios like this it is typically useful to follow the money trail. Aspartame currently has the largest market share of all artificial sweeteners, and the people at NutraSweet would like to keep it that way.
Artificial sweeteners cost a great deal less than real sugar, corn syrup or molasses, so the processed food and beverage industry saves money by using LESS of these man-made chemicals to create MORE sweetness in their products.
Neotame is manufactured from aspartame, and builds on aspartame's ability to provide more sweetness from less raw material, as it is 30-60 times sweeter than aspartame.
Unfortunately, one byproduct your body creates by breaking down aspartame is formaldehyde, which is extremely toxic to your health even in very small doses. The NutraSweet Company claims the addition of 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde to aspartame makes it more stable at higher temperatures, and reduces the availability of phenylalanine. But nowhere do they discuss the formation of formaldehyde when your body breaks down aspartame, which is the main ingredient of neotame.
In a search of pubmed.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which has over 11 million medical citations, neotame returns zero double-blind scientific studies on toxicity in humans or animals.
If neotame was indeed completely safe to ingest, you would think the NutraSweet Company would have published at least one double-blind safety study in the public domain? They haven't.
You have to ask yourself "why not?"

Have You Experienced a Bad Aspartame or Neotame Reaction? Be Heard!

Did you know that only a fraction of all adverse food reactions are ever reported to the FDA? This is a problem that only you as the consumer can have an impact upon.
In order to truly alert the FDA to a problem with a product they've approved, they must be notified – by as many people as possible who believe they have experienced a side effect. This mean you can take action against the manufacturers of these chemicals that continue to put your optimal health at risk, if you feel you have had a bad reaction to their product.
I urge you, if you believe you have experienced side effects from aspartame or neotame, let the FDA know about it!
Please go to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator page, find the phone number listed for your state, and report your adverse reaction.
There's no telling just how many reports they might need before considering taking another look at the safety of aspartame or neotame, but the only way to press them is by reporting any and all adverse effects!
And in the meantime, do your health and the health of your family a favor and treat all foods and drinks that contain aspartame or neotame as if they were deleterious to your optimal health. Because, in my opinion, they are.

Performance Appraisal

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:28:00 +0000

Tell me, is your reality so wondrous?

Who am I to say?
To each your own, to find your way.

There are those who know nothing and grow to believe in nothing.
There are those who know and believe they have no opportunity to make a difference.
There are those who know that they are everything and believe it.
There there are those that know the knowing,
Who move quietly through the noise and haste
Making an unseen difference here and there,
Asking nothing in return and believing in the knowing,
Judging not,
Controlling not,
Experiencing the dream of being in an inherited reality which is but an empty stage.
For it is the dream that makes the play and the vision that makes it possible.

Perhaps, one should learn to believe in the power of the dream;
For it is hope that weaves the dream,
It is the twinkle of distant worlds that form the cadence of the night,
It is that rhythm that casts the Milky Way on an unseen loom;
But, our fare is but a cup of sky.

Born in moments of despair,
There are castles in the air
Ancient forests of velvet emerald green, too dark and silent to be real
A handsome someone that makes you feel
And, for real, becomes the air beneath your wings
Carrying you to places where even the wind sings.

A thought within a thought
A dream within a dream;
For, it is thought that forms the Universe'
It is belief in that thought that forms reality,
An entity within that reality continues to exist only as long as you continue to believe in it.

Truly, what a wondrous world it is that stands with the boundaries of the dream ... within existence ... within reality ... where no time returns ... at the end of history ... a time never more ... on an empty stage?

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

#1 New Blog --- Editor's Choice-- Yourgayhusband

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 05:59:00 +0000

My #1 choice

for

New Blogs on the Rise
is

Your Gay Husband

Helpful tips for, saving money, home repair, arts and crafts, love and life, fashion, design, gardening, pet care and many more all from the point of view and experience of a Gay Husband for over 20 years and counting.
_______________________

The newest update as of today is their announcement to add a weekly column called "Fashion Friday" to accessorize (pardon the pun) the blog .
Written by none other than ----
Yourgayhusband's Husband.
Check them out!!
(They obviously have done something right.)

Good going Yourgayhusband

and that goes for your Husband too!

_

HERE IS A PEEK AT THE "FASHION FRIDAY"DEBUT COLUMN
______________________________________

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011
Fashion Friday
YourGayHusband Tip of the Day:
Do it together, it is more Fun !

Today is our first...
FASHION FRIDAY.
The handsome man to your left is no other thanMyGayHusband. He has been in High End retail Fashion for over 20 years. FASHION is his PASSION. His passion started in grade school and was encouraged by his mom. His mom is an artist in her own right. She has always created whether it be making a sweater or coming up with the next big thing. Idigress....He studied Fashion in college and has been actively involved in Fashion ever since. He has been a part of several fashion shows featuring super models such as Christy Turlington [his all time favorite], Music Artists, Fashion Designers and once with BrookeSheilds. He still has the autographed picture from her. A true fan. He is fortunate to have visibility to fashion even before it hits the stores. He can tell you what colors are hot or hem lengths to wear, for the season. He will be able to address the age old question...what does "age appropriate' really mean. MyGayHusband is able to see fashion shows from the likes of Donna Karen and Isaac Mizrahi just to name a few. The stories he could tell. He was at Dallas' renowned Crystal Charity Ball last month and said the fashion was on point that night. Way to represent Dallas !

He will be writing the Fashion Friday blogs. He will tell you when and what to buy, how to get the best price, what color is hot this season, a "How To" section as well what's HOT and what's NOT on the Red Carpet.

what is going on in February....
New Spring Fashions are hitting stores
Best prices on Clearance items from last season..Buy Now !

Make sure to leave a comment or question and it will be addressed next Fashion Friday.

Til Later,
YourGayHusband

Sure looks good guys--Keep it up!!

_________________________________________
Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

15 Aspiring Musicians Who Found Fame Through YouTube [VIDEOS]

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:00:00 +0000

15 Aspiring Musicians Who Found Fame Through YouTube [VIDEOS]

3 days ago by Amy-Mae Elliott50

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Thanks to the wonders of social media, nowadays talent scouts are more likely to find the next big thing online than at the mall. While MySpace was once the place to be discovered, video-sharing uber-site YouTube has since taken over as the wannabe pop star’s place to post.

Whether you’re an indie kid, a pop princess or a rising rocker, it seems pretty clear that uploading your performances to YouTube might well pay off — it certainly did for the folks in the video gallery below.

Here we bring you 15 talented uploaders who found fame via the video sharing site. However, this is not an exhaustive list by any means, so please share any artists you like that made it thanks to YouTube in the comments below.

View As One Page »
Video 1 of 15
1. Avery
Teen star Avery was a big YouTube hit in 2010 with both covers and original material. The latter netted her a Universal record contract (supposedly following a bidding war) after her videos were viewed by A&R folks.

3 Things Any Video Needs to Go Viral

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:56:00 +0000

3 Things Any Video Needs to Go Viral

October 19, 2010 by Dan Greenberg22

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Dan Greenberg is co-founder and CEO of social video advertising company Sharethrough, where he as worked on more than 200 campaigns for top brands such as SONY, Xbox, Victoria’s Secret and LEGO.

Marketers are investing millions of dollars in creating branded video content, from webisodes to viral videos to extended commercials. Why? To engage audiences with authentic, inspiring, entertaining content, and to encourage those viewers to share that content with their friends.

Branded video content works. Recent research conducted by Vizu revealed that viral video can be highly effective in driving purchase intent. For example, one campaign Vizu tested delivered a 110% lift in consumers’ purchase intent, with video viewers two times more likely to purchase than people who hadn’t seen the video campaign.

Of course, the hope of most marketers is not just that people will watch their video, but that they will also share it. At my company, we’ve found that people will often remain watching a video three times longer when it has been shared by a friend, as opposed to finding it themselves on a website. But while shared advertising is considered the Holy Grail, getting people to share is often an elusive goal.

While some say viral video is an art, there are ways you can apply a little science to the process. Here are some attributes common to many successful viral videos and campaigns. They should inform your video strategy, from the types of content you create, to how you distribute the content, to how you optimize it along the way.

1. Psychological Share Motivation

There are three key reasons why users share video content, and tapping in to one of these three basic psychological drivers is essential to creating content that is likely to be shared.

Emotions

Sharing feelings is a basic human need. If your videos capture an emotion that resonates with its audience, users will share it, because they are not just sharing your content — they are sharing the feeling your video has created.
A great example of a campaign that hit an emotional chord with viewers is the above Halo Reach: Deliver Hope, promoting the next installment of the hugely popular Halo franchise. This video paired gripping scenes from the new game with a moving soundtrack to touch both long-time fans as well as new viewers.
Identity and Self Expression
From the books we read and the movies we recommend, to the bands on our Facebook profiles, the content we share online increasingly defines our personality to our friends. In order to influence video sharing, it’s important to ask yourself: “When a user shares this video, what are they saying about themselves?” Your message needs to be clear and it needs to be something people will want to align themselves with, whether it’s a reflection of their humor, fashion sense, tech-savvy or popularity. If users don’t want their friends associating your video with their identity, they won’t share it.
For example, in this video, 8th Continent Soymilk created a very funny scenario that many of us can relate to: Moms who are trying to do their best but sometimes make mistakes. This campaign generated a lot of feedback on Twitter and Facebook along the lines of “this is totally me!” or “this happened with my mom!”
Information
People are hard-wired to teach and learn. Online video is one of the most creative and effective ways to share information. Make a video that includes genuinely new and interesting information, and it will be shared, guaranteed.
A great example of this is the Stand Up 2 Cancer: Change the Odds PSA campaign, which presents information about cancer odds and prevention in a lighthearted, engaging way.
2. Easy Shareability
There are a ton of great, curated video sites popping up on the web that provide ideal audiences for brand content. We are all familiar with YouTube, but the incredible amount of content on the site makes it very easy for your videos and even sponsored buys to be ignored. Make sure you are not overlooking the rising tide of social video sites, such as Vodpod, Devour and PopScreen.
But that’s just the first step in distribution. If you are buying video placements in ad products that are not easily shared, you’ve vastly reduced your chances to generate any viral activity. All video players that house your ad need to have built-in social features that facilitate easy sharing of the content, and ideally, also feature a user’s social connections next to the video content.
For example, the above campaign promoting the Martha Stewart Show on the Hallmark Channel targeted a female audience across highly social web properties.
3. A Data-Driven Strategy
If your goal is to make your video go viral, you need to have some data behind your distribution strategy. Good questions to ask include: What sites generate the highest amount of sharing for the type of content you are making? Which users? What time of day do they share content most often? All of these factors need to be analyzed before you begin your distribution in order to give your video the best chance of going viral right off the bat.
Once your campaign is underway, look at which sites are driving the most shares, what demographics are sharing the most and so on, and start to shift more resources toward what’s working. YouTube offers some great free data options, but taking your analytics further to measure key categories like average view time per video and the share rate will give you a much better picture of what is really going on.
More Web Video Resources from Mashable:
- 10 Memorable Viral Videos of 2010
- 10 Killer Tips for Creating a Branded YouTube Channel
- 5 Indie Films that Couldn’t Be Made Without Social Media
- 10 Incredibly Inspirational Moments on YouTube [VIDEOS]
- 10 Best “Worst” Infomercials on YouTube [VIDEOS]

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

10 Killer Tips for Creating a Branded YouTube Channel

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:53:00 +0000

10 Killer Tips for Creating a Branded YouTube Channel

April 26, 2010 by Catherine-Gail Reinhard20

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Catherine-Gail Reinhard is Executive Producer & Director atVideasa, an award-winning web video agency that creates campaigns on YouTube and emerging media platforms. You can follow her on Twitter @catherine_gail.

There was a time when YouTube was considered a wild-wild west of content — a place where marketers shied away from uploading their commercials, let alone building a branded channel. But these days, YouTube has become more mini-van than stagecoach. From Toyota Sienna’s high-profile television commercials urging consumers to visit their YouTube channel, to (what might be considered the anti-minivan) Harley Davidson’s fan-centric YouTube universe, there has been a noticeable shift in corporate adoption of the platform.

There are many companies now that are hopping on the bandwagon. Just about every corporation and small business is creating a branded channel on YouTube, but there are still relatively few marketers who have managed to harvest the full potential of the platform.

Whether your brand already has a YouTube channel that’s in need of a facelift, or if you’re interested in developing one from scratch, this article will provide some practical tips and valuable tricks to help you kick-start the process.

1. The Test Tube on YouTube

Look at your YouTube channel as a new, exciting learning lab. Be malleable in your approach to both the content and design of the channel. Don’t be concerned with acquiring thousands of friends and subscribers right away. Use this time to test, gather insights, and see what works for your brand and what doesn’t. Unlike your company’s website and traditional marketing collateral, the look and feel of the channel can be changed, tweaked and optimized without a huge investment of time and money.

2. Plotting Global Domination? Check Your Swagger

Ideally, you’ll want to be goal-oriented during the launch (or re-launch) of your channel. Before your itchy little finger goes to hit that “upload” button, consider the needs and goals of your various target audiences, and keep reminding yourself that web video is distinct medium.

Next, think about your marketing objectives and overall brand strategy. Are you using the channel to attract prospects, provide customer support, or build a list of subscribers? Understand that there might not be “one size fits all” content if you are trying to accomplish all three.

Let your strategic goals drive the tactics you use to create and promote videos, and consider whether a paid sponsorship would offer an advantage. If you check out YouTube’s advertising channel, you can get a basic overview of what brands can do with the platform, but be forewarned — the information is a bit heavy-handed on the sales side.

The United States Navy Channel has a wide variety of videos aimed to attract potential recruits. The Navy’s recruitment-focused channel is organized into playlists that target specific groups of recruits with military precision.

3. Avoid Over-commitment Issues

Strongly consider outsourcing. I’ve never met a marketer who wasn’t time-starved. Let’s face it: You probably don’t have time to be uploading content, let alone coming up with titles, descriptions and tags, friending, rating, commenting and optimizing. And I’m giving you fair warning: Entrust this project to a summer intern at your own peril.

While you should allow yourself the flexibility to experiment, YouTube can be a high-profile place to make gaffes, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you’re going to outsource, you might consider looking for a specialist who is already set up and can implement your strategy. Creating web videos and knowing how to market them on YouTube requires a whole different skill set than web development — just because it’s online doesn’t mean that it’s a job for the company that builds your website.

4. Be a Social Media Butterfly

Think of your YouTube channel as an extension of your brand that lives and breathes. You’ll need someone who is dedicated to tending to that page, building your audience by reaching out to fans, and managing your profile online.

Start by searching your brand on YouTube and see what the existing conversation looks like. Then try reaching out to people who already have an affinity for your product or service by commenting on their videos and/or “friending” them. Remember that YouTube is an online community, and if you’re not participating in the dialogue, then you are missing the opportunity for true engagement.

5. Don’t Just Re-purpose Old Content

You should post your television commercials online, but don’t let that be the only content on the channel. Remember that television commercials are designed for a one-way medium, and that while audiences may want the ability to see your commercials on-demand, if that’s all you have to offer, they will never visit your channel again.

And don’t just post your commercial and 15 derivative videos about the making of it, or “director’s cuts” of the same, unless they have legitimate value as content in their own right. YouTube is an opportunity for your brand to go beyond traditional “push” marketing tactics and to create videos that address multiple audiences and a variety of consumer needs.

Intel uses their popular television campaigns as the feature reel on their channel, but they also offer a wide variety of other content, including a look at what it’s like to work at Intel, and video from a game developers conference.

6. Broadcast Your Best Self

Make the feature reel on the channel the most entertaining or best piece of content that you have. If that means that it’s a cleverly written and witty commercial that was originally destined for TV, so be it. If a viewer visits your channel, you’ll only have one chance to impress them with your content, so if you don’t entertain them or offer some overwhelmingly valuable information, you’ll lose an opportunity.

7. Make a Menu of Content to Feed Everyone

Understand that YouTube is a search engine for video. Create tailored content that considers what consumers are searching for or need to know about your products and services. If you play your cards right, when consumers are searching for information about your competitor, they’ll come to your videos first. Instructional and how-to videos that show consumers how to use your product are always a good place to start, but also consider the value of integrating your product into existing YouTube shows and then favoriting those videos on your channel.

8. Juice Your Marketing: Extract Extra Value

YouTube does not exist in a vacuum. Try to integrate your YouTube channel into the rest of your marketing programs and cross reference/promote your content. You can extract more value out of your event marketing if you think about ways to co-produce video content. Remember, integrating marketing channels and initiatives is well known for producing a campaign “multiplier effect.” Whether it’s video shot at a trade show or a promo for an upcoming event, just make sure that the video is well produced and edited for length.

Harley-Davidson took advantage of it’s photo shoot with popular model Marisa Miller for the V-Rod Muscle as an opportunity to get some behind the scenes footage and put together a video for YouTube. Harley definitely got extra value from the photo shoot as the video is one of the most-watched on their YouTube channel.

9. Be Homegrown

Grow your channel instead of “launching” it. If there is any medium that pays attention to grassroots movement, web video is it. And be patient — it takes time to spread the word about your channel, and it takes care and nurturing for it to catch on. Keep releasing content on a regular basis, integrate your YouTube channel into your other marketing efforts, bring your customers extra value, and your presence will grow.

10. Keep the Future in Mind

YouTube was started in early 2005 — look how much has changed in a five-year time span, and how fast web video has progressed. As new technology and distribution channels emerge (like the iPad), try to think about how you can create web video content that will serve your brand into the future. During the production process, you should keep user-experience in mind and plan for the audience to be watching your videos on screens the size of a TV, as well as on their mobile phones.

More YouTube resources from Mashable:

- HOW TO: Boost Your SEO with a YouTube Channel
- How Web Video SEO is Finally Coming of Age
- HOW TO: Add Captions To Your YouTube Videos
- 5 Ways Non-Profits Can Increase Engagement With YouTube
- HOW TO: Create Custom Backgrounds for Twitter, YouTube, & MySpace

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

CAN YOU FEEL IT TOO

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:06:00 +0000

CAN YOU FEEL IT TOO

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

Zen Buddha Beetle

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:04:00 +0000

ZEN BUDDHA

BEETLE

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

3 minutes

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:34:00 +0000

3 MINUTES

About Ross:Ching-----

Hi, my name is Ross Ching.
I’m a graduate of San Diego State University’s film program. My interest in film making began when I was 14 years old making skateboard movies with friends and has morphed into what you see on this site. I suck at writing about myself, so here’s 25 things about me.

1. I wish I had a setting on my twitter that filtered out anyone who wrote “social media”
2. I used to be able to run a lap in 52 seconds. Now a days I’d throw up half way.
3. I think the internet has taught me more about life than any amount of school ever will.
4. I hate weak spoons, cause whenever I scoop ice cream they bend.
5. I can rip a phone book in half. Don’t believe me? Bring a phone book with you the next time you see me.
6. One of the most annoying things anyone can do is flake last minute with a lame excuse.
7. When I was a kid I once ate 9 bowls of ice cream in a day.
8. I once tracked how fast i could go on a snowboard; about 65 mph.
9. I hate when people I hardly ever talk to ask me to fix their computer. If I’m good friends with you, I’ll offer.
10. I judge people by what email account they have. If you use Hotmail I automatically assume that I shouldn’t trust you with anything electronic.
11. When I was a kid, I thought the TV Guide people could tell the future and publish what what was going to appear on tv for the week.
12. The absolute most annoying thing anyone can do is not return a call/email/message.
13. In my last year of college I took about a total of 5 pages of notes.
14. I’ve never stayed awake for more than 23 hours straight.
15. I use cruise control as much as possible; even if I’m driving down a residential street at 25 mph.
16. I hate how commercials are so much louder than the actual shows. It makes me want to buy their product less.
17. If you ever go to an airport and set the metal detector off, I hate you. Is it really that hard to take stuff made of metal out of your pockets?
18. I hate when girls call themselves fat when they’re obviously not.
19. I’m a fan of musicals.
20. I don’t think I could ever go more than a week without the internet.
21. To the people who have bought stuff from spam emails, I hate you.
22. When I was a kid, my parents would tell me I made the best coffee just so I would make it for them.
23. My most creative thinking always comes when I’m driving a car. The problem is that I can’t write these ideas down and I forget a lot of them.
24. I once burned one of my eye brows trying to light gun powder with a match. Luckily I didn’t have thick eye brows so nobody noticed.
25. I once found a quarter on the ground

For music videos and commercials,
contact Jay McMahon @ A Common Thread
310-823-7300 x233

www.acommonthread.tv

___________________________________________________
__________________________________
_______________

I liked the idea of this short story called “The Most Dangerous Game” so I adapted it back when I was in film school, but when I made it back then I didn’t have many people to help me make it so it didn’t turn out too great. After being in the industry and living in LA for a few years now, I got a chance to make new friends and really take advantage of their professional talents.

The producers of the piece, George Wang and Don Le were in talks with Harry Shum Jr. to collaborate on something when I met them. They brought me on the project, and were initially going to do a different idea involving dancing, however, the more we developed the idea, it proved to be not very feasible. That’s when we decided to do this “3 Minutes” idea.

As seen on

wired.com

By Curtis Silver

January 14, 2011 |

8:49 pm |

Categories: Videos

Intense Lightsaber Combat in “3 Minutes”

It turns out that one of the kids from Glee ain’t too shabby with a lightsaber. In this short action film by director Ross Ching, Harry Shum battles Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss with guns and lightsabers. For an independent film, the action and effects are spot-on. The film is called “3 Minutes” and is conveniently – three minutes long. Check out their Facebook page for more information on when the sequel & prequel will be released. I’m guessing they’ll be called “2 Minutes” and “4 minutes” respectively. That pun was dedicated to Matt Blum.

Warning: video contains some graphics elements.
__________________________________________

end

___________________________________________

NOW

----From : Ross:Ching ----

It's finally here! My indie action/thriller short film! I had a blast working on this project and look forward to many more. Hope you guys like it!

To be continued...there will be a prequel and sequel, check the website and stay tuned!

FEATURING:
Harry Shum, Jr. Harry, Hunter #1
Stephen 'tWitch' Boss Steve, Hunter #2
Thaine Allison Old Man
Katrina Law Katrina, Hunter #3
Nick Acosta Dead Hunter

Directed by: Ross Ching
Produced by: George Wang & Don Le

CREW:
1st AD: Danny Do
Writer: Ross Ching
Editor: Ross Ching
Music Composer: Paul Dateh
VFX Supervisor: David Adametz
Stunt Coordinator: Xin Wuku
Stunts (Add'l): Malay
Effects Fabrication Lead: David Nicholson
Effects Fabrication: Timberly Matonic
Gaffer: David Keton
Key Grip: Paolo Ongkeko
Best Boy Grip: Justin Vancho
Boom Operator: Evan Lee Dahl
Sound (Add'l): Paolo Ongkeko
Stylist: Roxy Flores
Stylist Assistant: Raquel Flores
Makeup: Jennifer Luna
Hair: Danielle Starkweather
PA: Katie Soo
Stills Photographer: Nick Acosta
BTS (Add'l): Giordanny Orellana
Craft Services: Adrian Zaw Tiffany Nguyen
Location Manager: Mike Yamamoto
Sponsor: Marshall Electronics Selective Stone

Special Thanks to: Christine Chen Marissa Upchurch Nelson Diaz A Common Thread Mark Fisher, Marshall Electronics Bhoumik Sheth, Hau Lau & Mike Yamamoto, Ryan Weiber...

and of course, all of you, fans, friends, and family! Couldn't do it without you guys, this is for you!

Love,

Harry

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

Red Elation

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:40:00 +0000

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

La Bloer

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:32:00 +0000

Reported and Edited by:
Mark Steven Lewis

Saminal Libare

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:26:00 +0000

Reported and Edited by:
Mark Steven Lewis

The Cancer Report

spaghettimark@gmail.com (DRAGONFLy) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:56:00 +0000

Produced by:

The Health Wyze Report

http://HealthWyze.org

This documentary explains the Rockefeller influence on the health care industry, and particularly how safe alternatives have been silenced in favor of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Going back to the early twentieth century, this movie explains how it all got started, and why we are in our current health care predicament. It then provides cures for those suffering with cancer.

Reported and Edited by: Mark Steven Lewis

TOGETHEr sEPARATED

Aspartame: Sweet Misery A Poisoned World

Aspartame: Sweet Misery A Poisoned World

This is the movie that Pepsi and Coca-Cola don’t want you to see.

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CAN YOU FEEL IT TOO

Zen Buddha Beetle

3 minutes

As seen on

Intense Lightsaber Combat in “3 Minutes”

Red Elation

La Bloer

Saminal Libare

The Cancer Report