tagged w/ Current.com Team
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Read this or regret. How is this rated so highly with this lame introduction?
It speaks for itself.
http://bit.ly/1rN1JhRead this or regret. How is this rated so highly with this lame introduction?
It... more
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Congrats on reaching case 20000. Here is a lil something to celebrate it being assigned to Kelly.Congrats on reaching case 20000. Here is a lil something to celebrate it being... more
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It's 1:29am here in San Francisco, and we've just pushed out the groups release! We're all anxiously creating our groups...and of course enjoying some baklava at the same time. :)It's 1:29am here in San Francisco, and we've just pushed out the groups release! We're... more
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From the article:
"There have been layoffs at Current Media, the cable network co-founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
A source close to Current told CNET News on Tuesday that 20 percent of the staff has been cut, and that some of the layoffs will take place now and others in January. Current had announced less than a day ago that it had partnered with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. to bring its network to Canada.
A statement from Current indicates that the number of employees cut is lower than the 20 percent that our source provided: "Approximately 60 positions have been eliminated in the company's three U.S. offices, and approximately 30 new positions created," the statement read. "Many of those whose positions were eliminated have been placed in the new positions. Current will have approximately 410 employees (after these staffing adjustments)."
Current's plans for an initial public offering are on hold, employees have told CNET News. The company filed for an IPO in January.
Approached outside the company's San Francisco headquarters, one laid-off Current employee said that she hadn't seen it coming.
"Not only was this uncalled for, but there was continuous deliberation during the last two or three months," the former employee said. "Every meeting we've had with the VP of our department has been a lot of 'Don't worry, your positions are secure.' And that has been repeated for the last two to three months.""
:(From the article:
"There have been layoffs at Current Media, the cable network... more
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A little bird told me Current was laying off a bunch of people! Here's the link from twitter:
"Two sources confirm to me tonight that CurrentTV, Al Gore’s bold venture into user-generated-content (UGC) for TV, is going to announce layoffs Tuesday in both its San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.
According to these sources, the company’s top-level execs spent the weekend discussing which staffers to lay off. Apparently, there is tension between the northern office, which houses both the senior management group and the post-production staff, and the southern-based studio and ad sales units.
(So what else is new? Every media organization I’ve ever worked in has had tension between its SF and the LA bureaus. This is California, after all.)
As part of the impending transition at CurrentTV, one source says the company is going to drop its shorter UGC videos in favor of the more traditional 30 minute programs that have long dominated television programming across all channels."A little bird told me Current was laying off a bunch of people! Here's the link from... more
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Been wondering why CURRENT has been acting funny lately. C'mon, hire those guys back! They're all makin this happen! Plus, they've promised to get rid of the sock puppets, not the real hard workers!
Much luck to you people and hope you find a job fast...its a hard one out there. Many companies cutting back..DHL the latest, now our current! oh gosh. when is it gonna stop!!! Anyway, here's the article....
Current Media confirmed Tuesday that it will cut 30 positions overall as part of a restructuring intended to better emphasize interaction between cable network Current TV and its website.
Founded in 2005 by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt as a TV network programmed with user-generated content, Current has eliminated a total of 60 positions across its San Francisco HQ, and New York and L.A. offices.
Some of those whose positions were eliminated were redeployed among 30 new roles that were created. Current has 410 employees after the staffing adjustments.
"These changes enable Current Media to reduce its cost structure, thereby assuring that it will be comfortably profitable in 2009 regardless of the depth and length of the recession," a company statement said.Been wondering why CURRENT has been acting funny lately. C'mon, hire those guys back!... more
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newest member of our Ad Ops team - DON'T call him "Willy".
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sforte
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added this
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1 year ago
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Here's a quick video of swag being prepped to ship...
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TheSpacebarIsBrokenSoImTypingLikeThis.BUUUURRRRNNNNIIIIINNNNGGGGMMMAAAANNN!!!!WishYouWereHere(orIfYoureComing...CantWaitToSeeYou!)TheSpacebarIsBrokenSoImTypingLikeThis.BUUUURRRRNNNNIIIIINNNNGGGGMMMAAAANNN!!!!WishYouWe... more
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from the media dome.
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saskia
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1 year ago
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Another week has flown passed us like a whirlwind, and while people are still focused on the Olympics, it does seem like the buzz has died down a bit now that Michael Phelps has closed out his quest for gold.
Of course, that didn’t put an end to any of the controversies coming out of the Beijing Olympic games.
Hackers unearth more underage gymnast allegations:
http://current.com/items/89222275_
Olympics aside, this was certainly an interesting week in Current:News. Some stories of note include a tangled child support settlement, the sudden shutdown of MP3 sharing site Muxtape, canine morality, energy implications of windmills in NYC, demands for mandatory sick days, and the discussion of polygamy as a secret to a longer life. It was a packed week, so if you missed any of these take a look:
16-yr-old to pay child support to 19-yr-old mom:
http://current.com/items/89213469_
R.I.P. Muxtape:
http://current.com/items/89193344_
Living with humans has taught dogs morals, say scientists
http://current.com/items/89223042_
Bloomberg proposes windmills on New York City bridges, skyscrapers…
http://current.com/items/89219683_
Multiple states push for mandatory paid sick days
http://current.com/items/89219922_
Polygamy: the key to a long life?
http://current.com/items/89218114_
// VC2 Leaderboard Update //
On the VC2 Leaderboard front, we want to give a hearty congratulations to VC2 producer Sareye for her pod, “Mad About Gas? Dunk a Shell Employee.” It was this week’s leaderboard winner, so I clipped it to this post for everyone to check out. Way to go!
// Top Commented Stories on Current.com //
Have you ever wonder what the most discussed stories are on Current.com? Do you ever find yourself asking, “What was everyone discussing this week?” Well, have no fear, I’m going to start recapping the top commented stories each week in our recap posts. Here goes:
USDA refuses to ban sick "downer" cows from U.S. food supply
http://current.com/items/89212057_
This story clocked in at 70 responses. There were many comments that stuck with me from this thread, but elegua’s really sums it up:
“scary. mad cow can have a 30 year gestation period. let's see who's around in 2038.“
Obama takes issue with McCain's definition of 'rich'
http://current.com/items/89214533_
With a title like this, it’s no wonder this story gathered 73 responses. Much of the discussion centered on determining whether McCain’s comment was taken out of context. What do you think?
Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18?
http://current.com/items/89218300_
Umm, this one seemed destined for popularity. This was well-clipped item by ivxx that asks the simple question, and that resulted in an 83 response discussion. Very nice!
HS Principal outs teenage lesbian to parents
http://current.com/items/89221845_
The mix of privacy rights violations and the handling of the situation culminated in 124 responses from the community, making this the most discussed story on Current this week.
Did any other stories grab your attention this week? Clip them in a response below, and let us know what made them compelling to you. That’s it for this week!
Mario
Online Community Team
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/mario_a
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaAnother week has flown passed us like a whirlwind, and while people are still focused... more
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As Funky Fingers (our own Internet superhero aka Lo_Rew) declares, the second round of swag has started to turn up on community members' doorsteps, and we've already received some awesome photo and video responses. Check them out here: http://current.com/teeparty
It’s difficult to escape the pull of the Olympic Games for many reasons. For many, the games are a draw for reasons of pure nostalgia, but who can honestly ignore the debate being spurred by the Chinese government stigma?
In and out of the Current community, sentiments range from viewership protest to how many medals Michael Phelps has secured. All of this amidst stories about Weightlifting injuries, medals ceremony protests, the Russia-Georgia conflict, and the stories of underage Chinese gymnasts. It’s been a busy week.
In case you happened to miss any of it, here are a few stories to take a look at:
Records suggest Chinese gymnasts might be underage
http://current.com/items/89189372_
Angry Swede throws down medal, quits on Olympic award stand
http://current.com/items/89201825_
Olympic weightlifting accident
http://current.com/items/89200648_
Liveblogging from inside Georgia
http://current.com/items/89201974_
Reporter shot on live TV
http://current.com/items/89202093_
NBC going after Olympic broadcasts on the Internet
http://current.com/items/89188863_
Russian and Georgian Olympic shooters hug in Beijing as their countries fight
http://current.com/items/89188985_
However, there is so much more going on out there. If you missed the Arrested in Tibet story you really should take a few minutes to read through it. It’s a long read, but well worth it.
Sadly, we had a trio of deaths in August. Many heard about the passing of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, but few heard that movie film composer Lou Teicher also passed away.
Use of themes like rape and violence in art came up in reference to the forthcoming Quentin Tarantino film, Inglorious Bastards, and high school literature. Are these themes appropriate, or should there be a line? Either way, who should be consuming this type of material, and should there be a restriction at all? Check out the stories and join the discussion.
The story that absolutely came out of left field for me this week was the discovery of documents detailing Julia Child’s involvement in a WWII-era spy ring. Mindblowing, in that I don’t think anyone could’ve seen this one coming. It makes total sense, but wow. I was floored.
If you missed them the first go-round, check these stories out here:
Arrested in Tibet
A young American’s journey of fear: http://current.com/items/89201020_
Current Remembers
Bernie Mac
http://current.com/items/89193344_
Isaac Hayes
http://current.com/items/89193345_
Lou Teicher
http://current.com/items/89178064_
Tarantino takes on Hitler and WWII Germany
http://current.com/items/89201880_
Rape and adult themes in literature: Should high schoolers read them?
http://current.com/items/89199503_
Documents: Julia Child part of WWII era spy ring
http://current.com/items/89199452_
In effort to tidy up the profile a bit, I played around with a new avatar creation system that has been making its way around the circles these days: http://faceyourmanga.com/. Try it out!
That’s all for this week. Let me know which stories caught your eye this week in a comment. Thanks for reading!
Mario
Online Community Team
Subscribe to Current.com blog updates: http://recp.rm05.net/servlet/SignUpForm?f=154944
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/mario_a
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter? http://twitter.com/manimaAs Funky Fingers (our own Internet superhero aka Lo_Rew) declares, the second round of... more
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TV’s in trouble. It might be terminal, but don’t lose hope. Using their cable and satellite TV network along with their social news website, Current is experimenting across both media, looking for a cure. It seems obvious that bringing web-style interactivity to the passive TV screen is the answer, but… what does this mean? Rod Naber and Dan Levine of Current will show you what they’ve learned — what’s worked and what hasn’t — and what they’re doing next.TV’s in trouble. It might be terminal, but don’t lose hope. Using their cable and... more
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sforte
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1 year ago
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This time around, the theme will focus on Creative Commons in the realm of film and media. We've got an all-star line-up of inspiring folks who will be talking about how CC and open and shared culture are all vital and exciting components of the media world.
The night will start off with Jolene Pinder, an Associate Producer at Arts Engine, Inc. in NYC. Jolene will be screening a short CC-licensed film and talking about the various ways in which Arts Engine uses CC licenses.
Next, CC's very own Creative Director, Eric Steuer, will be talking about the soon to be launched film maker's toolkit.
And last but not least, Robin Sloan, Product Strategist from Current TV will wrap up the evening.
----- See http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/929001/ for all the details!This time around, the theme will focus on Creative Commons in the realm of film and... more
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sforte
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added this
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1 year ago
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What happens when you wander the current office trying to get people to try Bacon Mints, the perfect after breakfast mint?
You don't make many friends, as it turns out. Apparently, they "taste like burning" or "smoked band-aids"What happens when you wander the current office trying to get people to try Bacon... more
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It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the new and improved VC2 Leaderboard has returned. We've also thrown in a bonus gift of a brand-new advanced uploading tool.
// So what’s the deal with this Leaderboard I keep hearing about? //
The VC2 Leaderboard features all Viewer Created Content (VC2) uploads to Current.com. You, the Current community, vote on these videos and move them up or down the Leaderboard based on popularity. Each week, a Leaderboard champion will be selected on Thursday, at 5 pm PST.
The video at #1 when the countdown hits 0:0:0 is featured on Current.com. Leaderboard winners will be offered a minimum of $1,000 for the purchase of the video, and we'll consider it for air on Current TV.
To watch and vote, head over to Viewer Uploads: http://current.com/uploads
Want more details? Check out our FAQ: http://current.com/s/faq.htm#what_is_the_vc2_leaderboard
// You mentioned a new upload tool… //
We're also launching a brand-new advanced upload tool. Our new uploader features a streamlined design, and will upload videos up to 60 minutes in length. Just like before, you’ll need to use Safari if you’re a Mac user, or Firefox or Internet Explorer on a PC.
You'll also be prompted to download a Flix plug-in the first time you upload. If you have any problems, please let us know by emailing us at support [at] current [dot] com.
Steph
Online Community Team
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the new and improved VC2 Leaderboard... more
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1. The ability to post images, video, articles that I find while browsing iPhone's Safari browser and with a click of a button, "Make It Current". It may not be possible to physically add this button to Safari, so the only way I can imagine this being done is opening the current.com app, typing in the URL of the video/article/image and clicking "Make Current". This would be a lot of work to memorize or write down the URL path. (unless a copy/paste feature from Safari to the CDC app happens) Although copy/paste on the iPhone would make A LOT of Apps more useful.
2. The ability to watch all videos that are on current.com. It wouldn't be too difficult to take all of our Pods and export them into a iPhone friendly format, but would be tougher to do for viewer-uploaded clips that are in Flash or from a webcam. If we had the technology to take any clip from CDC and automatically transcode it on the fly for the iPhone would be awesome.
3. As many features from the regular CDC site like checking out the TV schedule, suggesting articles to friends, voting up and down submissions.
4. an interface that is user-friendly for the small iPhone screen. (big text, easy to touch buttons, limited gfx (banners, ads, backgrounds that will take longer to load on 3G and EDGE)
5. using GPS location services, find out what area I'm in and display articles/videos/images that are "Current" in this area. This would be AWESOME. (a feature similar to this on our regular site where the user types in their zip code and has a section of CDC for local news)
6. The ability to bookmark/Favorite CDC content that i like and would like to access in the future without having to search for it
7. Poll of the day! I love polls.
8. Obviously the ability to leave comments would be nice.
9. A mini "best-of" pod for people who don't have time to watch several pods on their phone (maybe while on the bus or on their lunch break) A 5 minute pod that shows highlights from infoMania, supernews, Fix, pods? Update this on a daily/weekly basis.
10. The ability to take a picture with your iPhone and upload it to current.com. (although there should be a reason to upload a photo - don't want CDC to be filled with crappy cell phone pics) Maybe if there was a CDC Group of "Show us your car" or "live from Macworld 2009" (where any first hand photos/experiences would be VERY "Current" and interesting to the current community)
That's my list, how about yours?1. The ability to post images, video, articles that I find while browsing iPhone's... more
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this is how we do it
(Graphic Design by Tim Palmer)
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SusanB
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1 year ago
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Photo by brianfit: http://flickr.com/photos/brian-fitzgerald/1715178329/
We’ve recently had several contributions from community superstar JanforGore regarding genetic modification of foods/dairy by corporate giant Monsanto. Due to a combination of reasons, these stories have not made Current:News…yet.
I say “yet,” because that doesn’t mean that Monsanto stories are not eligible.
All of these Monsanto stories were contributed to Current, and several different things happened. Some of these stories were out of date, and others were biased with unconfirmed sources, as detailed in Part 1, these two instances are still acceptable on Current.com, but we can’t put those stories on TV so our online programming team acted accordingly. In those cases, a story will remain visible, and over time move down in popularity.
However, a good chunk of these Monsanto stories fell victim to sockpuppet gaming. Over the past couple months, we’ve identified a number of profiles on Current.com that appear to be used solely to vote up/down certain stories.
These profiles are commonly referred to as sockpuppet accounts, and they are basically multiple accounts, created by one (or more) people for the sole purpose of gaming content and attacking others on social sites like Current.com.
Here is more information on them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_sock_puppet
We don’t know what the specific motivation was behind each instance, but some potential motivations could include: a dislike of a specific topic, a grudge against a specific user, or just the desire to game things down in an attempt to make room for their own submissions.
Whichever the case may be, this sort of thing is unacceptable on Current.com.
Yes, we influence stories based on our ability to produce them for broadcast television, but our hand is intended to be much more subtle and less jarring. Sure, our algorithmic soup has needed seasoning in the past, and we will continue to add ingredients to it in the future.
One thing we will not do is target specific community members or specific stories based on grudges, attempts to censor, or outright spite.
Since it appears that our word will always be pitted against that of the silent majority, we’ve decided that the best course of action is to show you the profiles suspected of sockpuppeting votes and let you decide for yourselves.
Here is a list of profiles that set off our radar. If you notice your name on this list, and you feel that there is a mistake, please private message me on Current and we can discuss the details.
janam
thezackattack
jazzercise
Waughtang
NavidM
TommyCo
MikeyBball
Aligirl
BigJoeB
stevebocco
johnmcstupid
riverdeer
fuckbush
mccain08
911insidejob
joefac3
alibi23
manny12
gman2008
arts69
prez08
circletime
mamabuzz
dmpny
garyTree
tommyb123
infoart
dascoop
freedpod
nuttyone
queendbee
patriotgames1
cubbingabout
Eirianaltt
poohkits
debbieclarke
traceyjones
adyen
vokred
attila13
fasz
hulye
ruppen
seggfej
balkay
krakat
berzs
bolondnagy
altil
cseresz
czobel
ertuir
maldoror13
cammcharg
lampion
moradl
majom
miloss
marhabanda
manokocs
makacs
mikkamakka
merspal
majmok
This, of course, is not a finite list. I’d like to point everyone to the section of our terms of service regarding registration, and also take a look at our community standards, specifically the section discussing “ganging up/harassment” behavior.
Terms of service: http://current.com/s/terms.htm
Community standards: http://current.com/s/community_standards.htm
While invisible, using sockpuppet accounts to vote heavily against someone’s story due to a grudge, or simply because you dislike the subject, is certainly a form of ganging up.
Please share your thoughts with us. As a community, we all aspire to reach the same goals regardless of how our personal perspectives differ from one another. Only through communication and understanding can we reach and achieve these goals.
Mario
Online Community Team
Photo by brianfit: http://flickr.com/photos/brian-fitzgerald/1715178329/
We’ve... more
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A collection of Polaroids, one per day, from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997. There’s no author listed, no contact info, and no other indication as to where these came from. So, naturally, I started looking through the photos. I was stunned by what I found.
In 1979 the photos start casually, with pictures of friends, picnics, dinners, and so on...
By Chris Higgins:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/author/chris/A collection of Polaroids, one per day, from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997.... more
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sforte
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1 year ago
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