Obama does stand-up. Where is this man f...

Obama does stand-up. Where is this man from? He cracks jokes, he rips into bush, he alludes to "Mother fucker" in one of his jokes (without saying it). Honestly, where is this man from?

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The DA, social media and the masses

I need to say this out loud and as bluntly as I can. It's cool that the DA are trying to get social with social media and a newly launched website but are we "social media experts" all so far up our own arses that we can't see that in the big picture of the 2009 elections the DA's social media campaign is relatively insignificant.What the DA is trying to do is actually COMPETE IN THE 2009 ELECTIONS. I am extremely curious to figure out how the DA's social media campaign fits in to the bigger picture of their general election campaign.I'm not convinced that social media is going to make much of a difference in the numbers that the DA is looking for as the official opposition for the 2009 elections. I think that it's essential that they are in the space of social networks, mobile activity and engaging with an online community. But let us get real here for a second, when we say "engaging with an online community", who do you think we are talking about? Is it 500 000 South Africans with broadband access? I don't think so. My 20 or so friends who aren't particularly active online have never seen or engaged with DA online. So what's the point? When we talk about engaging with social media we are probably, effectively talking about 20 000 or so people at an absolute push. I stand to be corrected here, these numbers are thumbsucked so please correct me if you know the figures.Why should we be criticising the DA, analysing their every move and be excruciatingly anal about the things they do and the way they do it online? It's actually ridiculous.I asked Helen Zille a question online a few days back on twitter. I was wondering what her stance is on Cope integrating politics and religion. I didn't receive a reply. But let's be honest Helen Zille is competing in one of the most important elections since our democracy came in to existence, what the hell difference does it make if she answers my question? I want her to do the best job she can do in POLITICS not in social media to be perfectly frank.And don't try and pull the Obama card here. We are not the USA, we cannot claim to be and we should try to be. This would lead us in to all sorts of confusion and trouble. We are, majority of the SA population, without Internet and in need of some very distinct things, one of which is not social media let me tell you. The important things right now, in the build-up to election day 2009 (22 April) is to keep the focus of this election on the people, the rights, the voting, elections, masses and not on social media unfortunately.Many people have covered, blogged and written about the DA and what they are doing online. It's quite interesting to me that there isn't much hype, noise or talk around the other political parties. Yet the DA is getting it in the neck. It's like we, the online community, are berating one of the few political parties who bothered to actually make an effort. Why are we not giving the other parties hell as openly as the DA? Why does it matter? Surely our countries democracy is more important than proper use of Facebook, social tools and multimedia?I am interested to know how much money has been put in to the DA's social media campaign and what sort of return of investment they have and will receive? I wonder if in our country that money could not be better used somewhere else? Marketing the DA differently to a wider audience? Because let me tell you, if we all praise and hail the DA as the online guru's in politics but they get trumped in the election then I will feel betrayed by social media and so will they.Walter wrote that the DA's response has him puzzled well my response is simple, in South African politics I would be more concerned if the DA was spending more time answering the social media folk than concentrating on their political campaign. We, as social media people, need to get over ourselves and look at all of this in context.I want democracy, I want a viable opposition and I want leaders who can engage without being sidetracked from what is important. I also want politics and religion to be separate but that's another story that shall be told at another time.

Vote

The big day is almost here for the USA. So....vote.

Gays shouldn't be in the army

Wow, I had never heard of Chris Crocker before. Until today that is.Do yourself a favour and have a laugh at this young fellow, visit youtube and search for his name. Watch some of his ranting. The Britney vids are my favourite and the most scary of the lot.In the video below he goes on about gay people not having to fight in the war. It's an interesting thought but hard to take seriously coming from him/her:

Spock scares the daylights out of me

After seeing The Bourne Ultimatum (TBU) today and visiting the next generation website, Spock, I am officially concerned.TBU was a good movie about espionage and the US of A. How one man brought down a black-ops department that was killing off US citizens amongst others. Nice concept, realistic implementation of core spy concepts surrounding the CIA, NSA, ASAP, RSVP and any other acronym you can think of. Cool stuff.But then I stumble upon (yet again) Spock. I have visited Spock before but had a bad feeling about the core idea behind this website.From the site:

Spock is the online leader in personal search, helping users find and discover people. With over one hundred million people already indexed and millions added every day, Spock is building the broadest and deepest people specific search engine.

Over a hundred-flipping-million people categorised already? That is frightening stuff if it is true. I am not naive, I am well aware of the fact that my information is online and anyone who wants to find me can, it's not particularly difficult.Today I revisited my Spock experience and I am terribly frightened. In essence my experience of Spock is one of personal indexing. What I mean by this is that they subtly ask you to add information about yourself by answering some questions. Questions such as what colour hair you have, where you were born and what colour eyes you have are standard. I don't like giving out this information. I am not being forced to at all, but the concept makes me uncomfortable.I am now searchable among 100 000 000 other people. That's a lot of people.Now let's get paranoid for a second. Lets assume that the Spock website is funded by a company, Clearstone Venture Partners who's CEO could possibly be (in some far off parallel reality) related to the director of a special operation within the CIA. Now this gent in the CIA has direct access to over 100 000 000 people on the spock website. That scares me. It scares me when I think about passport restrictions being whispered around the world. It scares me when I think about Arabs in the UK and US and the types of lives they are being forced to lead thanks to the colour of their skin and place of their birth. It scares me to think that the only people who are safe are those who have never touched the internet or anything to do with a network of any sorts. It saddens me to think of the possible impact that this sort of website could have on all online pundits and enthusiasts alike.I am interested to see where Spock goes. Lastly, what's with that name, Spock?

MTV Adverts Banned By US Government

The following three adverts were apparently banned by the US government after a single screening. I am not sure how true this is but these ads are brilliant and effective nonetheless:Text next to the towers: “2.863 people died”Text next to the guy: “40 milllion of HIV infected in the world.”“The world united against terrorism. It should also be united against AIDS”.Next to the towers: “2.863 people died”Next to the kid:: “824 million people starving in the world”.“The world united against terrorism. It should also be united against HUNGER.”Next to the towers: “2.863 people died”Next to the old man: “630 million of homeless people in the world”.“The world united against terrorism. It should also be united against POVERTY”.

Saddam gets it

Saddam Hussein has been handed the death penalty. He has been handed the knot. And I guess it's no big surprise really to anyone who knows almost anything about politics and the U.S of A.He was found guilty of murder, forced deportation and torture. The interesting and strange thing I find, it is fairly obvious, is that he is being put to death for crimes that took place more than 20 years ago. Rather late than never I always say. Hey?Look at him in all his great glory. This picture is courtesy of Sky News as well as the info above.But (yes there's always a but) Jen sent me another article, something a bit more interesting, another take on things, if you will. I'm gonna give you the abridged version here. Read the full story if you like. And it goes a little something like this:

1. It'll make the security situation worse.
2. It'll make Saddam a martyr.
3. The court has also awarded a death sentence to itself.
4. The trial's fairness is dubious.
5. The new regime is squandering a chance to prove it's better than the old one.
6. The death penalty is just wrong.

In short, if Saddam gets it (and he will) then groups rallying for Saddam will lose it, worse than Saddam loses it. They will go absolutely mental all up in there and shit will hit the fan-eth. Civil unrest is certainly on the cards. Saddam looks shit hot, albeit dead, for dying for his cause. His supporters grow stronger and braver and others become more cautious and confused. The involved prosecutors, judges and families are sure to pay for their insolence. Some have already died (murdered if you choose) and others surely will. Death penalties are morally questionable. Aren't they? And finally, the trial wasn't all that legit now was it?I think this can be seen as a small victory on the battle field but a great loss for the war.*Certain inserts have been lifted from Dominic Knight. Follow the link above for the full story.

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