Matt's Blog

Murdoch Fail

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:49:19 PST

Matthew Trevithick
Websites? What for?

Once their content charging scheme is in effect, Rupert Murdoch says newspapers in his News Corp company empire - The Sun, The Times (UK), The Wall Street Journal etc. - will begin removing his papers' stories from Google's index, as means of "encouraging people to pay for content online." In an interview with Sky News Australia, Murdoch said that the blocking plans would begin, once the company had begun the process of charging users for reading their content.

There's only one drawback with this plan. Can Murdoch not see that once he has enacted these plans, he is all but removing himself from the largest source of web traffic on the internet - thus - decreasing the chances that people will even visit his websites? Let alone, pay to read content from them?

This must not be a fun prospect for future advertisers. If the company your paying to display ads on, is - in essence - slashing the chances that your ads will be seen in the first place, simple logic would conclude that said company might think twice about advertising with your website(s).

Secondly, Murdoch has Google, and its news aggregator Google News all wrong. Unless there is another hidden side to it, Google and Google News are sending users towards his websites, thus increasing ad revenue.

Maybe I have it all wrong?

Guardian UK

[insert something here]

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:25 PST

Matthew Trevithick
Rammblings. Nothing but.

It's a shame really. I always used to post entries about certain topics on this blog, but as of late, I haven't really been in the mood. It's not that my opinions have vanished into thin air, it's just that I can't comprehend how in the world I would put them all into text. And believe me, I'm opinionated. For some reason, whenever I blog or rant or what have you, I always find myself trailing off into unrelated tangents full of oddly-worded sentences and awkwardly-started introductions. My ability to write, and write well for that matter, has diminished noticeably in the last few months - probably - due to my lack of motivation.

Hopefully, soon, I will start posting again. I just need some ideas.

MT

My Letter to the UWO Archives

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:38:58 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
*Hopes he gets a response!

I wrote this letter to the archives of the University of Western Ontario. They have a massive collection of historical and archived photographs, and my idea was to make them accessable to everyone on the internet. What do you think?

It would be a great service to many in the city, if the archives, which are vastly unknown and unseen by the people who live here, were made accessible via the internet. Finding a way to digitally showcase the photographs accumulated in the archive of both the LFPress Archive and others (LFPress archive with permission of course) would be a great help to people who want to see what life was once like in the city, and for those who have never seen anything like it before. People love seeing their city in the past, and having the chance to compare past to present.

A good example of what I'm talking about, can be found on the Flickr of the New York Public Library (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/), and on its digital website, that offers users the ability to look through over 700,000 archived images, for free. (http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm).

If theft is an issue, watermarking of images, or simply the restriction of high-resolution versions is an option. Flickr, when disabling the option of making images downloadable, makes it impossible to "right-click > save" images off of the photos page.

I write, not to say that you should do this, but to offer it as an idea, hopefully for the near future.

Matt

Do you think this is a good idea? Google has been doing things like this with LIFE Magazine - posting their entire 10 million photo collection online for all to see, as well as making every single LIFE publication readable in its entirety. London citizens deserve to learn and see their city in its historical past, and I can see no other way to do it, then to do this.

Comment.

WWF Denounces "Tsunami" Ad

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:04:14 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!

Apparently some people didn't get the memo - 9/11 is still considered a tragedy.

The Brazilian advertising agency DDB Brasil pitched the ad "Tsunami" to the World Wildlife Fund, which depicts dozens of commercial jets flying in the direction of Lower Manhattan, and the promiment World Trade Center towers, under the tag "The Tsunami Killed 100 Times More People Than 9/11.” The New York Times' online "City Room" blog posted the following:

The World Wildlife Fund on Tuesday condemned an unauthorized advertisement that depicted dozens of planes heading into Lower Manhattan, with a tag line reading, “The Tsunami Killed 100 Times More People Than 9/11.”

The ad had been pitched to the Brazilian branch of the World Wildlife Fund by an advertising agency and rejected, said Steve Ertel, a spokesman for the group. “It was a concept to our office in Brazil and it was rejected. From that point, we have not been able to get a hold of the agency to find out how it got out.”

(more... via City Room Blog)

Apparently the agency totally forgot that exploiting one tragedy in hopes of preventing another, usually (and by usually - I mean NEVER) works.

The World Wildlife Fund released a statement Tuesday afternoon:

The concept was summarily rejected by W.W.F. and should never have seen the light of day. It is an unauthorized use of our logo and we are aggressively pursuing action to have it removed from Web sites where it is being currently featured.

(WWF)

According to "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" - (September 1, 2009) the advertising agency, after having the submitted ad rejected, entered it into an advertising awards competition, where they ended up winning an award. One problem - they forgot to take out the WWF logo. [link] [link]. According to the OneClub website, the credits for the advertisment are as follows:

Tsunami

Client
WWF

Agency
DDB Brasil / Sao Paulo

Art Director
Guilherme Jahara

Creative Director
Sergio Valente, Rodolfo Sampaio, Julio Andery, Guilherme Jahara

Writer
Rodolfo Sampaio, Adriano Mattos

09255A

Huzzah for Corporate Crap!

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:48:06 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
Get Off My Lawn You Damn Kids!

From time to time, I may utter under my breath, a sad and disappointed sigh, when thinking about what's considered popular in our day and age amongst people of my demographic. It tends to echo to others as that of a 'gloaty/boastful/cynical' tone, exposing a side of myself that shouldn't be making an appearance, until well into my senior years (it is the seniors, after all, that sigh about these types of things.) I don't do it for the sake of annoyance, or the sake of ego-boosting on my part. I do it because I genuinely want to know:

Why is whats popular now, popular?

Having never given much consideration to music that rotates on Much, MTV, and the Billboard Charts, I wouldn't have the slightest idea why songs that repeat the same lyrics over and over again (I Gotta Feeling anyone?) are appealing to my generation; aptly named "the Facebook generation" or, as I like to call it, "the NOW generation," (because everything has to be now, Now, NOW apparently.)

When I would critique the music choices of the people I used to eat lunch with, I would always feel this sense of guilt. It's their music choice, who am I to judge or complain about what they choose to listen to? It's none of my business. But I felt, as a music lover and as someone who can't stand the capitalization and repetitiveness of popular music, I had to give my opinion, no matter how harsh it sounded (or how harsh it didn't appear to sound in my head.) This would usually result in replies like "what makes indie so great?" or "who cares?" or "stop talking Matt, I'm trying to finish a project."

When hearing the first rebuttal, I could never really think of a snappy enough comeback to explain to them, just why I thought their music was lesser in stature than the music I listened to. Maybe I just didn't like the idea of how most bands who are popular (those who tend to make the most profits) are usually just in it for the money.

Because when you look at the bigger picture, it does seem that way. The mega-selling music performers don't really seem to be in it for the pleasure of making a decent album, and instead, try to produce and write it in the way that would result in the most amount of record sales. These songs usually contain the same overused hip-hop beat, feature the words "club" "club" and "girl" (in conjunction with the words "ass" "club" and "sex" in that form or another) are overproduced with layers upon layers of god-awful, ear-bleeding Auto-Tune (poor T. Pain) and all, in the end, sound alike (well, them and those screamo-emo bands. Notice every singer has the same high pitched voice?)

Indie music may not necessarily be 'better' but it, in most cases, is certainly more 'music-oriented' in the sense that they focus more about the quality, over quantity [of sales]. This is more apparent with bands who release albums that are usually non-charted, but are otherwise critically acclaimed.

Most bands who are high on the Billboard charts (like those of Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, and Demi Lovato who are all signed to Disney's "Hollywood Records" label) are usually contained and limited within their music contract. The record company usually wants the band to sound a certain way (a way that is popular at that time) which will, in turn, result in more record sales, as it is more recognizable to that demographic. (This would be why so many Disney bands sound the same. The corporation is scared of floating away from its poppy/shit sounding genre.)

It just all, in the end, makes me sad to think that bands and performers with actual talent and creativity, are never recognized like they deserve. That the recognizable faces and acts, will always be on the charts, until they fade away due to an unpopular single or album. (Maybe it was too "experimental"?)

I just have one question for the acts that are popular. Acts like Flo Rida, Lady Gaga, Soulja Boy (what a joke) and the recently garbage sounding Black Eyed Peas. Is this what you want future generations to look back on when they see what was popular now? Is this the kind of music that you want to be famous for? Is this the kind of music, that you want to implant in the history of popular culture?

If the answer is yes, then we just might all be screwed.

-------------------------

Songs I Recommend

(at the moment)

Fences by Phoenix

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb/Don't You Evah/Black Like Me by Spoon (or anything by Spoon)

Brainy by The National (or anything by the National really)

Everyone is Guilty by Akron/Family

Cherry Blossom Girl/Mer du Japon/Kelly Watch the Stars by Air

Hooting and Howling by Wild Beasts

While You Wait for the Others by Grizzly Bear

Fire by Kasabian

The Whole Frickin "Manners" album by Passion Pit (hard to choose a favourite)

We Are the People/Delta Bay/Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun

With You Forever/Baby/Come Together by Pnau

Said So What/New Man by French Kicks

We've Been Had/Four Provinces by The Walkmen

The Whole Fricken "Parc Avenue" album by Plants and Animals

The Whole Fricken "Seldom Seen Kid" album by Elbow

The Whole Fricken "Fleet Foxes" album by Fleet Foxes

*whew... I think that's good for now. Seriously, check out these songs.

Updates Later

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:15:10 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
Where has the time gone?

I have realized that my lack of recent posting has shown. I have been busy with projects and essays for school that are more important at the moment than updating the blog with random rants and tangents about things.

I will post in the summer, when I have more free time to let my mind stew about various topics.

Maybe I will post before then.

Whenever I can find the time.

Cheers

Matt

Opinion: Fox News Lies in the Journalistic Gutter

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:01:36 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
Fox News: Here's a Nice Hot Cuppa Misinformation!

You can't expect much in terms of journalistic integrity when it comes to Fox News, I mean they are Fox News after all. Journalistic integrity is a term never before heard, nor understood, by anybody who walks within the walls of its Manhattan headquarters. Since its creation in 1996, the network has been known for its conservative bias, and its denial of said bias; though anybody that graduated elementary school could tell you that Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Bill Orally (sorry, that's O'Reilly) have never been fair nor balanced, as much as the station touted so. During the Bush administration, the network periodically accepted, and read on-air, right-wing talking points from both the White House [1], and the right-wing fringe organization the Media Research Center, run by the near-delusional Brent Bozell [2], showing that when it came to real hard hitting news, the station was being spoon fed propaganda, which it inevitably regurgitated to its viewers.

News Corp. - owners of Fox News and numerous other journalistic institutions like the New York Post and, unfortunately, the Wall Street Journal to name a few - is headed by Rupert Murdoch, a global media powerhouse, famous in the name of turning once honest and well noted publications, into tabloid rags you later find littered amongst the trash on a subway platform. A prime example, the Wall Street Journal; the voice of business America and Wall Street, had in 2007, its owners and publishers (the Dow Jones company) acquired by Murdoch's media conglomerate. It still is highly touted as a newspaper of record, but little nuggets of conservative bias have been popping up here and there since [3][4].

It's obvious that Fox News and its counterparts along the News Corp. ladder, have, in short, never been those to stick to the facts, but instead rely on (as Stephen Colbert would say truthiness: truth that comes from the gut [5].) Their use of political talking points and more, opinion/rambling based journalism, have in recent times caused them to lose the reputation as a fact-based news station, if they ever had that reputation to begin with. The cable channel has frequently come under fire for controversial remarks made by its presenters, and pundits (a simple YouTube search yields numerous clips that can be used as examples.) So it's not to ones surprise that one of their hosts may, and will, say something so offensive and over the line, that a even a whole country is left demanding an apology. Because that is just what happened.

During Fox News Channel's 3AM "comedy-talk show" 'Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld,' Gutfeld made crass remarks about Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie's recent comment that the military (Canadian Forces) may need a year to recover after Canada's mission in Afghanistan ends in 2011. "Meaning, the Canadian military wants to take a breather to do some yoga, paint landscapes, run on the beach in gorgeous white Capri pants," he said. Fellow panelist and comedian Doug Benson piped in "I didn't even know they were in the war ... I thought that's where you go if you don't want to fight. Go chill in Canada." [6] They continued to mock the RCMP, and noted that since we 'didn't have an army', if the US ever pondered the idea of invading a western country, now would be the time to do it.

Greg Gutfeld is the former editor of the UK edition of the mens magazine "MAXIM" as well as "Stuff." Watching previous episodes of the show on the programs website, also noting the time it airs, its safe to say that the program doesn't have a large amount of viewers on the Fox News lineup. Unfortunatly it is still watched by 390,000 viewers, on average, according to Neilsen. Defense Minister Peter MacKay appeared on CTV Newsnet early Monday, saying "It's crass, it's insensitive, it's in fact disgusting given the timing where Canada is just receiving back four fallen heroes here at CFB Trenton," [7] noting that the comment came just days before news broke that 4 more Canadian soldiers had died in Afghanistan. Master Cpl. Scott Vernelli, Cpl. Tyler Crooks, Trooper Jack Bouthillier, and Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes, were killed in two separate IED blasts on Friday, injuring another five soldiers, bringing the total count of Canadian soldiers killed to 116. [8] Its curious to wonder just how many viewers see the show as either a 'satirical commentary' or 'hard hitting opinion,' but it should be noted that the show is not meant to be taken as a serious news or opinion show, thankfully.

Because of the remark, Gutfeld has since apologized: "The March 17th episode of Red Eye included a segment discussing Canada's plan for a 'synchronized break,' which was in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts ... However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize." [9]

This is an opinion piece.

Sources:
1 - ThinkProgress.org
2 - Media Matters for America
3 - ThinkProgress.org
4 - The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC - Mar. 20, 2009)
5 - Merriam Webster Online
6/9 - CBC News (Same article)
7 - CTV News
8 - CBC News

Facebook Changes Again, 94% Hate It.

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:10:17 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
I Love You Just the Way You are Baby!

Oh it was only yesterday, when Facebook decided to change the websites appearance. The hullabaloo, the anger, the resulting Facebook groups all devoted to changing the website back to the way it was, its like it was all a dream.

Facebook has been one to change its looks. Between the time I joined, and today, the website has 'revamped' itself a total of 4 times, including the change they unveiled a week ago.

The new Facebook is one that screams similarity to the popular website Twitter, the mini-blogging site, that gives you 140 characters to answer the question, "What are you doing?" A note of similarity, is Facebook's new status question "What's on your mind?" No doubt that similarity was intentional.

According to a third-party application available on the Facebook website, that asks users to rate the new home page / profile redesign with either a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down," it was found that 94% of the nearly 800,000 voters, voted with a "thumbs down."[1] Never has there been such a bad backlash against a Facebook redesign. Even the one that sparked a plethora of "Change Facebook Back!" groups was still eventually accepted. Most of the people who voted, left a comment alongside, usually centered around "I was just getting used to the other Facebook!"

Some are saying that the voting system is rigged, because the only people who would add the application in the first place, would be people who are highly opinionated about the redesign. But unfortunately for Zuckerberg (the man behind the behemoth) it shows just how users will respond, when your best intentions, should have just been intentions to begin with.

What a Rush of Idiocy

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:59:39 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
Just a quick rant..

If the idea of having 13.5 million people listen to your incoherent ramblings on a weekly basis sounds daunting, then there is one man you should ask for advice. Every week, in his underground Florida studio, where no common logic can find him, he sits in front of his golden microphone, and talks to one of the largest groups of radio listeners in America. Who is this man? I'm talking about Rush Limbaugh.

It seems evident that the loudest voice in America, is – as it also appears, the loudest voice in the Republican party – is Rush Limbaugh, not only because he has been the talking head that has stirred up controversy for so long, but because now he thinks he is leading the GOP. The idea of Rush leading has already garnered a resignation request on the current head of the GOP, Michael Steele, by Ada Fisher, North Carolina's national committeewoman, on the basis of Steele ‘eroding confidence in the GOP.’

Its no Doubt that Steele has tried some off the wall tactics to get Republicans to look like something other than Republicans, by using such ideas as applying party principles to “urban-surburban hip-hop settings.” But if Steele resigned, who would take his place? Limbaugh, or the guy who created the “Barack the Magic Negro” CD that was passed around as a Christmas gift.

His previous remarks about Michael J. Fox “faking” the shaking that occurs from his Parkinson’s medication, his rant about feminists and that the whole idea of feminism was “… established to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream,” as well as that whole “Barack the Magic Negro” thing (which he played on his show), have never stirred up as much controversy as the one he said in January, amidst a falling economy, lost jobs and the like. “I Hope Obama Fails.”

At a time like this, he wants Obama to fail? Should he be more specific on the basis of, what exactly it is that he wants to fail, the President himself, or liberalism, because if its coming from Rush, you never quite know. Its one thing to want someone to fail, but to want a president to fail, at a time like this, is basically saying you want the country to fail along with him. Should Barack Obama even try and reach out to the Republican side? Every time he does, it seems the Republicans don't even want to bother looking for solutions.

It seems now that comedian Rush Limbaugh probably likes the idea of being the head honcho of the most embarrassing political party in America. The party that in the last eight years, started a war on false pretenses (and with the wrong country), created an education system that did leave children behind, put America in an economic recession, and tortured innocent people alive in a military base in Cuba, to name a few. If he were to run the GOP, his listeners – the white middle-aged, christian conservative demographic – would most likely be so overjoyed that their leader was taking charge, they might as well be shouting “Rush Rush Rush,” till the cow came home. That cow, being Rush Limbaugh.

Scientists Develop New Battery: Charge Cellphone in Seconds

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:16:34 PDT

Two researchers have developed battery cells that can charge up in less time than it takes to read the first two sentences of this article. The work could eventually produce ultra-fast power packs for everything from laptop computers to electric vehicles.

read more | digg story

WMG + YouTube = <3

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:18:33 PDT

Matthew Trevithick
Fuck the RIAA. Seriously. Do a Google search. Its stupid what they do.

Now, I for one, am all for Copyright. Well, maybe not copyright - more Creative Commons (I have more freedom of how I license my work). It keeps my art, such as photos and text from being improperly cited, or stolen and labeled under someone elses name. I like having things protected, and not in Public Domain. Which is where I can see Warner Music Group (WMG)'s problem with YouTube.

Every day, hundreds if not (possibly) thousands of videos are uploaded onto the video website, that include WMG artists' work, and nearly every time, it was done without prior permission from Warner. So, you may see your videos muted, or deleted completely, just because you didn't get permission to use the material in the video.

But that's where my problem starts.

Warner Music Group complains, even bitches, about the fact that their client's work is posted for free. Muting videos is the only way to go for them - never mind the fact that it completely mutes everything and not just the work in question. But as they continue to whine like a baby, they unfortunately lose points on the front that they don't make it easy to obtain permission.

That's what really aggravates me about the whole music industry in general. Everything is copyrighted, and locked down by a barrage of lawyers and people in suits, blocking requests left and right. Currently, the only way to acquire permission to use copyrighted work, is to call the Music Label directly, talk to a flack lawyer for a half an hour, and shell out licensing fees. Fees that usually cost hundreds of dollars.

And normal YouTube uploaders don't have hundreds of dollars to spend buying licensing fees, to put music in a video they just wanted to show their friends. If you hadn't noticed, that is why people use YouTube in the first place. To share, and to save.

Its pointless. Users who are uploading material (namely music) aren't doing it to get famous, or get profits - for one they can't - they are just doing it to share it with the world. This Warner Music Group, is called "free promotion", and you should take it like a child who doesn't know the answer to a question - smile and nod. Because with free promotion, who is winning here? Is it the person who's sharing the video, or is it the music label that's saving thousands if not millions of dollars? Especially in these tough economic times, you should see who has the advantage.

I started this rant, initially because one of my videos was muted on YouTube. Now I have to delete it, as they won't let me upload another to take its place. The annoying this about the whole thing, is that they didn't even tell me they muted it in the first place! They didn't send me an email or anything! Bad YouTube.

Warner Music Group. If you want people to stop posting copyrighted material that is created by your labels' clients, then make it easier for average people to get permission in the first place. Don't hide behind your lawyers in a lame attempt at grabbing fees and royalties. The artists themselves wouldn't be that selfish. Not the Proclaimers anyway.

Oh, the fuck the RIAA - you corrupt piece of shit.

Obama, it's Official.

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:23:18 PST

Matthew Trevithick
CHAANGE?
Last Updated: Jan 21, 2009 - 11:23 PM

America has entered a new age in history, as Barack Obama was sworn into the White House, as Americas 44th President early Tuesday. The day was not only noted as historical because of the racial progress made, as Obama is the first President (who happens to be black, as Colin Powell eloquently put it), but because no other President in the history of the United States, has sparked such a frenzy among citizens.

In frigid temperatures, an estimated 2 million spectators squeezed into Washington’s National Mall, to watch the 44th President get sworn in; the crowd stretching all the way from the Capitol, to the Lincoln Memorial – one of the largest gatherings in American political history.

During the inaugural proceedings, which took place at about 11:30 AM EST, many familiar faces were seen – the remaining former Presidents, Carter, H.W. Bush, Clinton, and now W. Bush, showed up and made their way to the VIP seating, which overlooked the podium. Cheney was succumbed to a wheelchair, due to a back ache he acquired by lifting boxes on Monday. A special ramp was constructed for Cheney, as they wheeled him out of the White House, and into the limo that would take him to the Capitol. Barack and George W. followed shortly after.

Obama didn’t sugar coat the current economic status during his Inaugural speech. “Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age,” he said. He also noted the racial progress made, describing himself as a “man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant.”

He spoke to the crowd for about 20 minutes, after having taken the oath of office on the bible used by Lincoln back in 1861, at his first inaugural. No mention on what caused the fumble between Obama and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts. The right-wing pundits are already questioning Obama’s legitimacy as President, due to the accidental communication breakdown between Obama and Roberts – even though Obama officially became 44th President at noon – 8 minutes prior to the fumble. Roberts insisted on giving the Oath, without using notes. A move, he might reconsider doing for other events. Obama, Wednesday evening, had Roberts repeat the Oath of Office a second time, making sure that Obama was sworn in under the Constitution properly.

Even though the day represented joy, and a new change in American politics, sad news came during the Inaugural lunch at the Capitol, as news agencies learned that Senator Ted Kennedy, whom was diagnosed with Brain Cancer in May of last year, collapsed from a seizure. He was quickly attended to by Secret Service agents, and was taken away on a stretcher to a waiting Ambulance in under 10 minutes. It was reported that Kennedy was seen awake and talking at Washington Hospital Center, where he is still under care. Obama made mention of Kennedy during the luncheon, when he went to the podium to talk, “This is a joyous time, but also a sobering time. Our prayers are with him and his wife, Vicki.”

President Bush departed aboard the helicopter Marine One, which lifted off from the Capitol’s east side, transporting the Former President to Andrews Air Force base in Maryland. From there, Air Force One would carry the Former President and First Lady to Texas – a destination where Bush spent an unusually large amount of his presidency.

Fans lined along Pennsylvania Avenue, as the Presidential motorcade, with bullet-proof limos, SUVs, and secret service in full force, drove towards the White House. An unusual and un-timed move occurred during the parade, when Barack and Michelle exited the motorcade limo, much earlier than scheduled, to walk and wave to the crowd. No word yet of what was going through the Secret Service’s mind as this was going on.

After the new Presidential Family have observed the finish of the parade, and gone back inside where no press camera can see them, the Obama’s can look forward to a full night of celebration – at one of Washington’s numerous Inauguration Parties. They are scheduled to be finished at 2:30 in the morning. It's going to be a long night.

2009 MT News. This article is copyrighted under Creative Commons.

Coast Guard Releases Hudson Crash Video

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 08:49:19 PST

Earlier today, the US Coast Guard released new video footage, of the US Airways flight, landing on the Hudson River. Actual video!

read more | digg story

A Short Conclusion

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:13:09 PST

Matthew Trevithick
I wrote this late at night, cut me slack..

For the last 8 years, George W. Bush ran the country with a rickety wheel. He didn't always know where he was going, or why he was going, but he was just going. Come Tuesday, he will be going, going to Prairie Chapel Ranch, where - during his Presidency, he spent a combined total of 490 days, about 15 months over 77 visits of his 8 years in office.[1] When President Bush leaves the White House, President-Elect Barack H. Obama will move in along with his wife Michelle and his two daughters. The first African American to become President of the United States.

An estimated 2 million people are expected to show up in Washington to watch Obama's Inauguration at the Capitol [2], most of them standing in the -1 degree weather, as only 28,000 seats were available.

A long and tiresome road, has finally come to an end - 2 years on the campaign trail, full of hope, change, and Palin. Oh how we shall miss Palin, and her "small town, average Joe" ways. I put them in quotes, as the idea of them actually being considered fact is a bit of a stretch.

As the Bush reign winds down to a fortunate, and long awaited conclusion, history will judge the former President, not as a savior - not as a leader, but as an embarrassment. It had been speculated that the main cause of the global negative view of the United States, was all caused by a man in an oval shaped office. Sure makes you think just how much power that seat holds.

Lets just hope the plateau Obama has been lifted on, doesn't decide to break. No pressure, eh?

Breathe easy.

(Some) Acapellas of Famous Songs

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:23:43 PST

Matthew Trevithick
Can you hear me?

These are a few famous songs you have probably heard before, but you've never heard them like this. Isolated vocals of the main singers. I will add more as time goes.

Click on the songs you wish to listen to.

Praying for a Cure - It Don't Work.. (Who knew!?)

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:35:53 PST

A couple accused of letting their infant daughter die by relying on prayer, rather than medicine, say charges should be dropped as they infringe on their right to practice their religion.

read more | digg story

My Cat in a Poem

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:17:07 PST

Matthew Trevithick
My cat wants cheeseburger

I wrote this in about 6 minutes for a quick journal entry. It's about my cat, whom, rumour has it, could literally eat the entire state of Texas, and still have room for Mississippi. Watch out southerners.

My cat has a never ending gullet
It goes from here to there
If we do not fill up his bowl
He gives us a mean stare

But when we fill it to the top
With slimy fishy muck
He eats it so damn fast
That he just throws it all back up.

My cat, in a poem.

Twilight; Love for a Work of Fiction.

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:17:48 PST

Matthew Trevithick
I LOVE YOU... I think

Now just a bit of a pre-note, I have not read the book, these are assumptions brought on from witnessing the flash mobs on television, and just how I and numerous other guys feel.

When Twilight was released a few weeks ago in film form, most of the country - and numerous oblivious parents - had no idea just how wacko this thing would end up getting. I'm pretty sure I speak for many when I ask why girls think Twilight is such a good book? I, personally, haven't read it and I don't intend on it - but from the past few weeks of hearing nothing but 'Cullen Obsession' and the like, I've gathered enough information to make this post, and not get attacked from it.

Robert Pattinson, the good looking, looks like he just got out of bed Brit, plays the lead role in the movie, the vampire Edward Cullen. Now sufficient to say, they must have done an immense number of auditions to find that "Awkwardly Flawless Individual", but it seems Pattinson was the best in their minds to take the part. Pattinson himself hasn't been in numerous roles, as his career only spans back to 2004, but his lead role in the teen-girl fantasy Twilight, is sure to boost him further into the Hollywood scene. Fan-sites have already popped up in his name - robertpattinson.org claims to be the "The 1st and Most Extensive Site on the Web" in terms of Robert Pattinson obsession - apparently it was online even before he was announced to play Cullen!

So far, just by typing his name, about 10 stalkerish fan sites pop up on just the first page alone, something Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame will have to try hard to match; but its not the amount of websites devoted to following everything this man does that worries me and others. It's how people perceive him.

Robert, in one straight forward answer, is not Edward Cullen, nor will he ever be. He is not like his character, he is not flawless, and he is not a vampire. But still, thousands upon millions of teenage girls seem to think he is. When they scream "I love you Robert!" they're only saying that, because they have fallen in love with the fictional character he portrays. Cullen's lack of cons, and the fact that he - oh so nicely decided not to rip your face off - seems to be the turn on of the moment.

So frankly, guys like me can't compete. I'll say it again - we can't. Girls who have read Twilight with the intention that someone out there is waiting for them, are going to have their standards drove so high, that Normies aren't going to stand a chance. Face it, you've already made up your minds. You love Edward Cullen, a fictional character that doesn't exist. You believe that, since boring old Bella found someone mahh-velous, flawless, and with a body Meyer can't stop describing, you will too.

Now, I don't want to be that jackass that has to go and 'ruin our fun' (ie: your fantasies) but I'm just here to tell you the truth. Even Pattinson wants you to stop. Hell, he still doesn't understand why girls keep shouting that they love him, when they know nothing of him.

But I digress, do what you wish. But us guys will be waiting over here when you finally snap to reality.

P.S. Didn't Edward treat Bella like shit at the beginning of the book? Or does the fact that he saved her make it forgettable..

WTF!? - Wal-Mart Employee Killed by Charging 'Stampede' of Shoppers

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:00:44 PST

Matthew Trevithick
Sorry! Can't help you! Theres a 40' on sale for $2000

The NY Times reported yesterday that 34 year old Jdimypai Damour, a temporary employee at the Valley Stream, NY Wal-Mart, was crushed by a running stampede of shoppers, during their 'Black Friday' sale. When the doors opened at 5am, shoppers charged through the front door, knocking it off while sending Damour to the ground. As he lay on the floor, hundreds of people walked past him, over him or around him, to get to the store's Black Friday bargains.

Even after police arrived, the fact that officers were there didn't deter customers from reaching their goal. Customers continued to stream into the store, shoving and pushing police who were trying to give Damour CPR.

Kimberly Cribbs, who witnessed the stampede, said shoppers were acting like "savages."

"When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling `I've been on line since yesterday morning,'" she said. "They kept shopping."

When Damour arrived at the hospital, at 6:03am he was pronounced dead. The exact cause of his death has yet to be determined.

So, if I'm not correct, people now a days are more concerned with the amount of money they save on consumer products, then helping someone who got knocked down because of a mob of crazy customers. Is this just not the textbook example of how materialistic a society we are? Yes, the economy is in the shitter, and great deals are something that is fairly important in order to save money - but is that a reasonable excuse to let shit like this happen?

Give me a break.

F*@!: CRTC Allows Bell to Continue Internet Throttling

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:58:08 PST

Peter Nowak
CBC News

Bell Canada Inc. is not breaking any laws by slowing internet speeds and will be allowed to continue throttling its customers, the CRTC has ruled.

The phone company, Canada's biggest internet service provider with two million high-speed customers, has shown that it needs to be able to manage its network in order to prevent congestion, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said in a decision released Thursday.

Bell will therefore be able to continue slowing the internet access it sells to smaller wholesale companies, as well as to its own retail subscribers. The company will be required to give its wholesale customers 30 days notice when it wants to implement changes to its network management practices.

“Based on the evidence before us, we found that the measures employed by Bell Canada to manage its network were not discriminatory," said CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein in a release. "Bell Canada applied the same traffic-shaping practices to wholesale customers as it did to its own retail customers,”

The regulator's investigation, which began in May, was limited to Bell's wholesale practice and did not consider whether internet throttling should be allowed in general.

As such, the CRTC also announced it was opening a new probe into the larger issue of throttling, which is also done by other large internet service providers such as Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Inc. Interested parties will have until Feb. 16 to submit their thoughts and a public hearing will be held on July 6 in Gatineau, Que.

"The broader issue of internet traffic management raises a number of questions that affect both end-users and service providers,” von Finckenstein said. “We have decided to hold a separate proceeding to consider both wholesale and retail issues. Its main purpose will be to address the extent to which internet service providers can manage the traffic on their networks in accordance with the Telecommunications Act.”

Bell and the others say they need to throttle customers who use peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent because they are causing congestion on their networks.

More: CBC News.ca

_______________________________
My Say

A dark day in history - where the most incompetent government agency this country has ever seen, has taken side with the telecom company - where they [telecom company] will continue to fuck their customers out of money and time. Way to go douchebags.

HOLY CRAP. Google Putting all LIFE Photos Online

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:28:18 PST

Matthew Trevithick
A Photographers Dream.

Holy Crap..

In a stunning move today, LIFE Magazine and Google, announced that over the next few months, every single photo, etching, drawing, etc that has ever appeared in, or been taken by LIFE Magazine - will be available on Google Images. The photo # count? Just about 10 MILLION.

In a statement made by Google today:

The Zapruder film of the Kennedy assassination; The Mansell Collection from London; Dahlstrom glass plates of New York and environs from the 1880s; and the entire works left to the collection from LIFE photographers Alfred Eisenstaedt, Gjon Mili, and Nina Leen. These are just some of the things you'll see in Google Image Search today.

We're excited to announce the availability of never-before-seen images from the LIFE photo archive. This effort to bring offline images online was inspired by our mission to organize all the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. This collection of newly-digitized images includes photos and etchings produced and owned by LIFE dating all the way back to the 1750s.

Only a very small percentage of these images have ever been published. The rest have been sitting in dusty archives in the form of negatives, slides, glass plates, etchings, and prints. We're digitizing them so that everyone can easily experience these fascinating moments in time. Today about 20 percent of the collection is online; during the next few months, we will be adding the entire LIFE archive — about 10 million photos.

Source: Google Blog

Photos like the Omaha Beach landings of Normandy, the dusty old photos of a lost New York, and everything in between - is available online now. More will be added over the coming months.

Example: American's Land on Beaches of Normandy

In Other News: Nash, Alston, Barnes suspended (NBA)

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:11:41 PST

Retrieved from ESPN
Link at bottom

NEW YORK -- The NBA has suspended Steve Nash and Matt Barnes of Phoenix and Rafer Alston of Houstonfor their roles in a fight.

Alston and Barnes were suspended for two games without pay and Nash for one. The league also fined Shaquille O'Neal $35,000 and Tracy McGrady $25,000 on Friday for their actions during the Rockets' 94-82 win in Phoenix on Wednesday.

Barnes knocked back Alston with his shoulder late in the third quarter, and Alston charged him. Nash ran in and was pushed back by McGrady, who was shoved down by O'Neal.

Nash was cited for "escalating the altercation." He and Barnes will miss Friday's game at Sacramento, and Barnes will sit Sunday against Detroit. Alston will miss games Friday against San Antonio and Saturday against New Orleans.

Source: ESPN

VIDEO-----------------

Mad TV Officially Sacked

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:58:22 PST

By Michael Schneider
Variety

Fox is closing the book on "Mad TV" after 14 seasons.

Net confirmed Wednesday that the Saturday night sketch series, which had barely escaped cancellation in recent years, will end its run at the end of this season.

News comes soon after Fox announced plans to end the run of another long-running comedy franchise, "King of the Hill." But just as "King" may land a new home at ABC, the producers behind "Mad TV" are mulling ways to keep their show alive.

"There's been great interest in recent years," said exec producer David Salzman. "We've had a number of networks inquire as to whether the show was coming off Fox and saying that they'd be interested. We have not started to talk to them yet, but now is the time to begin those conversations. I think we have real prospects, but you never know, especially given the economy."

According to Salzman, production on "Mad TV," which received a shortened order this season, was set to wrap by December. The net decided to inform the show's producers of its decision now, rather than in May, in order to give them a chance to end the series with a bang.

"This will give us a proper sendoff, a chance to promote the finale and bring back old cast members," Salzman said.

Fox told Salzman the decision to ax the show was an economic one.

"They said it was too expensive for a daypart where dollars have been shrinking," he said. "Their thought was, the show is what the show is, and that essence needs to be maintained -- but it's hard to produce as big and ambitious a show as ours for less money than they're paying now."

In potentially shopping the show to other broadcast or cable outlets, Salzman said he'll look at ways to modify production and bring down costs.

Meanwhile, Comedy Central's deal to air reruns of "Mad TV" expires at the end of the year. Salzman said he hopes to find a net interested both in producing new episodes and airing the show's 326-episode library.

More: Variety Magazine

'60 Minutes' Crew Attacked in China

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:04:58 PST

Retrieved from CBS News

60 Minutes Crew Gets Roughed Up Reporting on Electronic Waste Shipped Illegally From U.S.

When 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley and his crew went to China to record the black market dismantling of electronic waste, or "e-waste," the experience was almost as hazardous for the 60 Minutes team as working with the toxic material is for poor Chinese workers.

Jumped by a gang of men overseeing the e-waste operations who tried to take the CBS team's cameras, Pelley’s crew managed to escape and bring back footage of the hazardous activities. Pelley's investigation will be broadcast this Sunday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

The Chinese attackers were trying to protect a lucrative business of mining the e-waste-junked computers, televisions and other old electronic products-for valuable components, including gold. "They're afraid of being found out. This is smuggling. This is illegal," says Jim Puckett, founder of the Basel Action Network, a group working to stop the dumping of toxic materials in poor countries that certifies ethical e-waste recyclers in the United States. "A lot of people are turning a blind eye here. And if somebody makes enough noise, they're afraid this is all going to dry up."

E-waste workers in Guiyu, China, where Pelley's team videotaped, put up with the dangerous conditions for the $8 a day the job pays. They use caustic chemicals and burn the plastic parts to get at the valuable components, often releasing toxins that they not only inhale, but release into the air, the ground and the water. Potable water must now be trucked into Guiyu and scientists have discovered that the city has the highest levels of cancer-causing dioxins in the world. Pregnancies in Guiyu are six times more likely to result in miscarriages, and seven out of 10 children there have too much lead in their blood.

Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, outlines the e-waste pollutants and their effects. "Lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and polyvinyl chloride, all of these materials have known toxicological effects that range from brain damage, kidney disease, to mutations, cancers," he tells Pelley. And there's no shortage of refuse that contains these hazardous materials. "We throw out about 130,000 computers every day in the United States...we throw out over 100 million cell phones every year," says Hershkowitz.

A great deal of this American e-waste winds up in places like Guiyu. In fact, even some companies promising to recycle it safely will illegally export it, as 60 Minutes reveals. While visiting a Colorado recycling operation, 60 Minutes videotaped and noted the serial number of a container full of cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors, generally illegal to export because of high lead content. The container was then shipped to Hong Kong, where local law prohibits the import of toxic e-waste.

When Pelley confronted him with evidence of the export, the owner of the Colorado recycling company denied filling the shipping container found on his lot and says his company would not sell scrap CRT monitors or television screens overseas.

But 60 Minutes learned that the company, and 42 other American firms just like it, were recently caught in a government sting. They all offered to break the law by selling such e-waste when solicited by a federal agent posing as a foreign importer.

--------------------------------------------------------Matt's Blog

Video clip of the incident.

OBAMA WINS

matthewjamestrevithick@gmail.com (Matthew Trevithick) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:50:39 PST

From the Associated Press
Source: AP

ABC News

By DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president Tuesday night in a historic triumph that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself.

The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his victory by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states - Ohio, Florida, Virginia and Iowa.

A huge crowd in Grant Park in Chicago erupted in jubilation at the news of Obama's victory. Some wept. McCain called his former rival to concede defeat - and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House. "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly," McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona.

Obama and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009. As the 44th president, Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession, and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.

The popular vote was close, but not the count in the Electoral College, where it mattered most.

There, Obama's audacious decision to contest McCain in states that hadn't gone Democratic in years paid rich dividends. Obama has said his first order of presidential business will be to tackle the economy. He has also pledged to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.

Fellow Democrats rode his coattails to larger majorities in both houses of Congress. They defeated incumbent Republicans and won open seats by turn. The 47-year-old Illinois senator was little known just four years ago. A widely praised speech at the Democratic National Convention, delivered when he was merely a candidate for the Senate, changed that.

Overnight he became a sought-after surrogate campaigner, and he had scarcely settled into his Senate seat when he began preparing for his run for the White House.

A survey of voters leaving polling places on Tuesday showed the economy was by far the top Election Day issue. Six in 10 voters said so, and none of the other top issues - energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care - was picked by more than one in 10.

"May God bless whoever wins tonight," President Bush told dinner guests at the White House, where his tenure runs out on Jan. 20. The Democratic leaders of Congress celebrated in Washington.

"It is not a mandate for a party or ideology but a mandate for change," said Senate Majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Said Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California: "Tonight the American people have called for a new direction. They have called for change in America."

Shortly after 11 p.m. in the East, The Associated Press count showed Obama with 338 electoral vote, well over the 270 needed for victory. McCain had 127 after winning states that comprised the normal Republican base. The nationwide popular vote was remarkably close. Totals from 58 percent of the nation's precincts showed Obama with 51 percent and McCain with 47.9.

Interviews with voters suggested that almost six in 10 women were backing Obama nationwide, while men leaned his way by a narrow margin. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004. The results of the AP survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters. Democrats also acclaimed Senate successes by former Gov. Mark Warner in Virginia, Rep. Tom Udall in New Mexico and Rep. Mark Udall in Colorado. All won seats left open by Republican retirements.

In New Hampshire, former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen defeated Republican Sen. John Sununu in a rematch of their 2002 race, and Sen. Elizabeth Dole fell to Democrat Kay Hagan in North Carolina.

Democrats also looked for gains in the House. They found their first in Florida, defeating Rep. Tom Feeney, and another in Connecticut, where 22-year veteran Chris Shays was swept away by the Democratic tide. The resurgent Democrats also elected a governor in one of the nation's traditional bellwether states when Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon won his race.