Sarah Palin Posted This to Twitter...

Her quote:

SarahPalinUSA Think Obama's tax policies are wise? Watch this... http://youtu.be/Xj7nRc3_EG0

You know what occurs to me?  This is not the way our tax system works.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj7nRc3_EG0]

I enjoyed reading the YouTube comments as well.  Some of my favorites:

Dear Lee, Please send this to Obama. 

If Sarah Palin likes it, you know it must be a gross simplification.

What would really happen if this was truly based on US tax policy is that Man #10 would take all sorts of tax deductions and tax credits and end up getting back $25 dollars, and then he'd fire of all his American drinking buddies, move his drinking operation overseas, and only lay out $15 dollars for drinks while still getting $25 back from Uncle Sam.

Sarah Palin sucks man, don't talk to her lee

If this took place in in a Tea Party bar the 4th and 5th guy would be complaining that they should all drink piss instead.

I love your eye contact with the camera

Do you think having books behind you gives you credibility? This story doesn't change the fact that wealth has been migrating from the middle class to the richest Americans over the past 30 years while jobs (not rich people) go out of the country.

This is the dumbest argument ever! Hypothetically, a poor man gets $100 income and a rich man gets $1million income. Both get a 20% tax refund. The poor man can use the $20 to feed his family, and the rich man can use his $200,000 to buy a new Bentley? Although proportionally, the tax breaks are the same, this tax breaks are so much more important for the poor than for the rich. Ever heard of the Law Of Diminishing Marginal Utility?

I have a problem with your bar stool story. In my experience the first 4 men do not drink for nothing but are PAID to drink. I know a guy who refuses to live with his girlfriend with whom he has 3 children. For this she is getting cash, housing, heating and food dollar assistanced from the government in addition to her part time job. And he spends his money on pot.

So the entire justification for the rich receiving higher tax breaks is that if they didn't they'd move away and stop paying taxes altogether?

The woman who posted this could be our next President.

Run for the hills.

 

-B

Kinetic Typography

I've been a fan of well done kinetic typography (music or spoken word put to motion) for a while. This is by far the best one I have seen. I watched it three times, and each time noticed things I hadn't before.

Phenomenal work.  I'm sure it was hours of labor-intensive work with Adobe's After Effects, but well worth the effort.

Devote the next three and a half minutes of your life to it.

Jonathan Coulton's "Shop Vac" (art and animation done by Jarrett Heather)

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/17419652 w=640&h=360]

[Found via Daring Fireball]

Many churches are starting to use this moving text idea in worship services as a means of projecting lyrics for congregational singing. Sometimes it is done well.  Most of the time, it is annoying.

This clip above proves that it is possible to do, and to do well. We are a visual culture, and perhaps the lyrical display of text can add to the intention of the song...so as to be better understood.

I thought that it was worth sharing.

 

-B

On Bruno Mars

I often feel bad about posting so many videos. I feel like it is the way in which we all communicate now a days, so it seems fitting. You may know Bruno Mars (or Peter Gene Hernandez). Or have heard his stuff. If you haven't at least heard his name, you've been living under a rock.

Here's the deal with him: He is phenomenal. He is 25 years old, from Hawaii, and has been somewhat of an instant success. Let me list the songs that he has had a hand in since his career took off:

[I've had to edit this list three times to add to it....when Glee covers four of your songs in a season...and you're not Madonna...you've got something big]

You may be thinking to yourself, that's a lot of songs in the space of a year for one guy.

Yes it is.  All radio hits.  All extremely successful.  Allison and I have a joke that "Just the Way You Are" is on every time we are in the car.  Because it is.

In watching some of the YouTube clips (and there are tons) it is more possible to see the talent that this kid actually possesses.  Whether it is in an interview situation, remixing Nirvana and Michael Jackson, doing requests at a live acoustic show, or straight up covering Michael (tell me his voice doesn't sound so close to Michael's); this kid's got it.

What strikes me though, is the content of the songs.  With the songs that he explicitly sings on (do not count Flo Rida's song or Cee-lo's), the content is not the typical stuff that our trashy culture has been putting out recently.

The songs are about love, with eyes only for one, considering beauty (without the need to change), fixing the world if you had the money, and the lengths that one would go to for another.  It is refreshing to see an artist become popular and not have all of their songs be about sex, drugs, or getting shot.  It also helps when they are good at what they do. I feel as if we need lots more of THIS type of influence (not perfect, religious, or anything by any means...but good, somewhat wholesome music) in our culture and on our radios.

This isn't to say that his songs are clear of foul language and worldly desires, but they seem a bit...more real than a lot of the other stuff on the radio.  I find it intriguing to say the least.

If only he could stay off the crack.

If he can keep clean, he's gonna be huge.  Bigger than he is now, for sure.  There aren't a lot of people in the world with this kind of talent and charisma.

Don't believe me?  Watch this:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk]

BTW, his album is $5.99 on Amazon for a limited time.  Eat it up.

-B

djay for iPad

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuQl8T6ZHmE] Are there other djay apps on the iPad?  Sure.  But, I've used this one on the Mac and it is easily one of the best.

Most importantly, to me:

Seamless AirPlay integration (wirelessly transmit your mix to AppleTV or AirPort Express station)

So...imagine this.  The djay can be walking around the house, mixing the music, in realtime, sent straight to the house system wirelessly through AirPlay.

Seems pretty darn cool.

Welp, there goes $19.99 of the coming iTunes gift card money ;-)

-B

All To Us

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdCd7XpS91U&] Precious cornerstone, sure foundation You are faithful to the end We are waiting, on You, Jesus We believe You're all to us

Let the glory of Your name be the passion of the Church Let the righteousness of God be a holy flame that burns Let the saving love of Christ be the measure of our lives We believe You're all to us

Only Son of God sent from Heaven Hope and mercy at the cross You are everything, You're the Promise Jesus, You are all to us

You're all to us You're all to us You're all to us Yes, You are

When this passing world is over We will see You face to face And forever we will worship Jesus, You are all to us

YouTube Sensations Meet One Another

Many people advocate that the advent of technology has hurt our society in many ways. It is fair to say that society has changed because of it, and that in the wrong hands technology can be hurtful and destructive. However, there are so many upsides to our progression as a society, I kind of feel like it is worth the fight. In example, see below. We have two groups (one PS22 and the other Greyson Michael Chance) who had talents that were discovered on YouTube. They have both been able to do things that they might not otherwise have been able to do (perform for the President or Ellen Degeneres), had they not have posted the videos of them singing.

The connection is astounding.

Watch the reactions of the choir when they realize who it is that is in their presence.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEJFOs1maNM&]

It's as if they don't realize that many of their own videos are viral (given, it may be a different set of kids, but it is still the same group with the same attention to the same name).

I keep having this feeling that this type of connection and interaction (and sharing among the world via the Internet) can do a lot for the betterment of society. It can seem scary at times, because it makes it easier to disconnect from each other rather than to connect, but in the long run it can do things for us that we couldn't have otherwise done.

Better yet, think about how much technology's presence has progressed from the days in which it began. Tech and computers no longer have the "geek" label in the ways that it did before. More and more people are being referred to as "gamers" not because they own an XBox and play Halo, but because they own an iPhone or iPod. Sure, it has changed quite a bit, but it has helped to reach far more people.

I tend to think that the use of technology has helped us become more aware of problems in the world and society and has raised new voices that might have been marginalized otherwise.

And it has helped us discover new talent.

Technology, and the analogies that stem from it, reacher a wider audience than ever before and it is growing faster and faster. How do we embrace it and not let it destroy us?

-B

They're At It Again...

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKG4B7wFJUo] I gotta admit, these are good ads. And funny too.

-B

 

You know, it occurs to me though that they are REALLY pushing this video chat over non-wifi connections thing. The iPhone has FaceTime and it works REALLY well. They don't even mention a specific app (that I could see) to video chat with someone else. The problem with those too (I know, I use most of them) is that none of them are good. Yes, FaceTime has to be over wifi, but the video is always clear, the audio loud, and the experience good.  Everything I've tried with Android capable apps...sucks.  Plain and simple.  The video cuts in and out, the audio is too quiet, it doesn't handle slow connections well at all. I think it is time for FaceTime for Android. Suck it up Apple, it's better for all of us.

It Is A Sad Pitch-Corrected World

I'd like you to compare and contrast these two videos. Pay special attention to the last clip. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjCLQaTFXx0&]

And... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DeL3AzkbRk&]

If the last one had been in an American Idol audition, he'd have definitely made TV, and definitely been asked to leave.

Absolutely awful. Millions watch his YouTube channel. When will we begin to study again how to sing in key, on pitch, and with feeling? Seems pretty basic.

-B

Forget You

Glee has a reputation for overproducing recordings of their singers. It usually makes the songs more pleasant to listen to and, honestly, adds to the humor of the show a little bit. Glee is in that area of being believable and not at all at the same time. I you can live in that space happily, you'll really enjoy the show. I guess this week Gwyneth Paltrow is guest appearing.

Many celebrities have guest appeared on the show since its beginning and almost all have sung a solo.

Gwyneth Paltrow sings "Forget You" this week.

The song is great. (I mean I can't publish that I think the text is great, because in its original form, it's highly inappropriate) but the song is catchy and funny.

You may disagree, but I think this recording sucks. Its the worst auto-tune I've heard in a long time. I don't even think this is her voice. Doesn't sound like it. It's so computerized that it is hard to believe that their musical directors let it go. Can she even sing?

Judge for yourself.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XyKVetF2kk&]

-B

Patriotism

When we start equating patriotism with things like this instead of our old definitions I'll be happy. Just because someone stands for the pledge of allegiance, doesn't make them a patriot. It is, like soldiers, putting your actions where your mouth is.

You fight for this country? You are a patriot.

You help a child learn that hard work and discipline will make you a better person? You're a patriot.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzPQWL1J8wg&sns=em]

I don't know if this is some sort of promotional video that Auburn put together to publicize the social work of Cam Newton (there was lots of material like this for Tim Tebow).

In any event, people who give of themselves for others, no matter their profession or hobby, are patriots.

And it is about time this country came to this realization.

-B

White iPhone 4

Please excuse the harsh language in this clip and know that it may not be safe for all listeners in all situations. Most of the language is bleeped out. I thought it was hilarious.

Background: Apple announced the iPhone 4 in two colors. When it came to market, only black was available. They have recently announced that the White iPhone 4 will not available until next summer. Many many people are upset.

Behold, the parody:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d09yWG2fSBg&]

-B

TMobile Calls Out the iPhone.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KmfXupi9cg&] ...or AT&T.

Tmobile, in desperation to not become irrelevant, has done a substantial amount of work in the areas of expanding their network and trying to keep up with the Droid phones of Verizon.

If, however, a deal was in the works to bring the iPhone to TMobile (something I think they would definitely go for) they probably would not have released this commercial.

If you have ever used FaceTime, you know how easy it is and how well it works with a good wifi connection. You also know that when you get a weaker wifi connection or a slower one, the video quality and framerate becomes embarrassingly bad. The iPhone, too, has apps approved on the App store that allow a user to video call via 3G services. The quality is nothing in comparison to FaceTime. Not even close. Slow connections=poor experience.

Besides, every single carrier has moved away from the "unlimited" data model. If you think you have unlimited, you were either grandfathered in or there is a cap and you didn't read the fine print. It would not be necessary to remind you of how much data off of a 3G or 4G network the phone would use to video chat.

Waiting until the kinks can be worked out hasn't seemed to hurt Apple.

-B

The Burn a Koran Song

If you make it all the way through this video...something is wrong with you. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKF1ifwB-FA]

"Barack Osama Homo Bin Laden"

This kind of stuff is still happening and unfortunately social media sites are giving credence to this type of talk and "entertainment".  Like it or not, this guy's YouTube channel gets views, not a ton, but it does.

It will get a few views because I posted it.  Does view count mean that it's good or right? You'll be tempted to say no, but think about whether or not you go to a restaurant that has no cars in the parking lot as opposed to a restaurant that is packed.

There is a reason things are popular.

This is a sad sad world.

-B

 

PS - For the record, I thought this was a joke.  As far as I can tell, it is real. Very real.

America as the "Force for Good"

Got this in an email. Thoughts? [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNUc8nuo7HI&]

Is America the force for good in our world?

Should it be the church instead?

Auschwitz was rescued by military forces, not peaceful forces. Is that a good thing? Would peace have ever prevailed?

What does it mean to be American in today's world?

Are we the same country with the same values that we had originally?

-B