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tagged w/ Joshua Heller
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The rickrollings continue
I am a victim. I've been duped more times than anyone I know by an insidious scheme trolling the internet: The Rickroll.
The rickroll achieved widespread popularity by the fall of 2008. This internet phenomenon officially jumped the shark when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made a video rickrolling constituents.
In this post-rickroll era, I've been attacked more than a dozen times. The culprit, one man. A friend who'd been (involuntarily) off-the-grid. I suspect when he was reintegrated into the general population he discovered this meme, and has been duping me ever since. I've become wary of every link he sends me, but yesterday, he got me again.
My name is Josh Heller, and I was telephone rickrolld.
For an extensive study on rickrolling visit Know Your Meme.I am a victim. I've been duped more times than anyone I know by an insidious... more-
- joshuaheller
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- 2 years ago
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Semi-nude moms, bad math, Canadian English and some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs (#17)
People call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILworthy at all. I attempt to find WINness in everything. This is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
There is no way that this is a FAIL. The composition is incredible! The magenta borders really accent the figure's thighs.
At this level of competitive gameplay, your opponents will distract you with anything they can think of. If you succumb to that alleged-WIN in the corner, you will FAIL.
These firefighters are hardworking professionals. They work long hours, to do jobs most of us couldn't. But lunch starts at noon, everyday. No exceptions!
I know you think puns are stupid, but that's when humans think of them. It's amazing that this cat can even comprehend puns, let alone write one. She calls this performance "CAT-ctus". What further brilliance can we expect from this tiny feline?
This picture points out the inadequacies of the tenure system at American universities. Facts change over time, and professors must adapt. I say hire new instructors, so we can finally find out what 4 & 3 make.
I know you don't support Canadian autonomy, but this is a joke. The owners of this laminated sheet are humorously noting the nuances of Canadian English. You should learn for yourself. One day you might want to convince a girl from Edmonton, that you're from Calgary, and you do not want to slip up.
Hey buddy don't worry, you're still safe. That's not her real mouth. She's just wearing a mask with a cartoon face on it. She's not going to infect you.
Catch up on your FAILs that aren’t FAILS.
- Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #16
- SFTIDTAF #15
- SFTIDTAF #14
- SFTIDTAF #13
- SFTIDTAF #12
- More STIDTAF
People call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILworthy at all. I attempt to find... more-
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- 1 year ago
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Helmets, spokesmodels, fonts, haircuts and some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs (#16)
So, some people like to call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILs at all. I try to look for the glimmer of goodness in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
This isn't so much of a FAIL as it is a supreme dedication to irony. Some might say "your child will be seriously injured if he IS NOT wearing a helmet." This father says "my child will be seriously injured because he IS wearing a helmet."
Before the internet, the only way police agencies caught child predators was by selling fake copies of child pornography at Sam Goody. When Sam Goody filed for bankruptcy, they had to develop new strategies.
This is not a FAIL. If you support diversity, you should support Pepsi's first furry / s&m spokesmodel. This is a huge development for that community.
Yes, they wrote SAFETY SHOP in Impact font. Yes, that is the font most associated with FAILs. That does not make this picture FAIL worthy.
This is only a FAIL if the woman visits the Serengeti. She will either be confused for an ostrich, and mauled by lions. Or she will be confused for a lioness, and join their den. This isn't so bad but I bet it'd be really hard to check your e-mail.
Okay, I'll admit it... that's an ugly statue. FAIL accepted!
Are you really going to be the person to tell this guy that his head-sized muscle is a FAIL? If he finds your IP address, it's squashing time.
Catch up on your FAILs that aren’t FAILS.
- Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #15
- SFTIDTAF #14
- SFTIDTAF #13
- SFTIDTAF #12
- More STIDTAF
So, some people like to call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILs at all. I try... more-
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- 1 year ago
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Pompadours, slurpees, condoms, and some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs (#15)
So, some people like to call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILs at all. I try to look for the glimmer of goodness in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
Most structures need mortar and steel to stand. This man has constructed a fully functioning Pompadour with no more than hairspray and elbow grease.
C'mon this isn't a FAIL. They say that unemployment rates are surging amongst youth. Clearly this young man is rolling in dough. Don't knock this young entrepreneur.
NOT A FAIL! As the 16th century English poet Christopher Marlowe once wrote: "Tis but an honour, to be granted glorious death from a Slurpee machine."
I know you say that you're "morally opposed" to big box stores, but it's so inconvenient to go downtown just for hookers. This store opened literally around the corner, I think you should really just check it out. I know that you'll really appreciate the discounts.
Do you want your kid to give your kid more air? Have you tested the playpen to make sure he doesn't go whoopsies? Did you double check? If the structure is sound this isn't a FAIL. Next!
UGH! I can't get over the abstinence-only sex education community. Let me make this clear: IF YOU GO ON A PICNIC WITHOUT CONDOMS, YOU WILL COME BACK PREGNANT!
This isn't a FAIL. It's a great example of someone adhering to the values of sustainability. When most people get junk mail, they normally just throw it out. This individual decided to prank-the-f*ck out of her roommate, by filling their Camry with coupons.
This is only a FAIL because you both went through the window. Honey how many times do I have to tell you? We have a door! The only time you should use a window, is in case of fire. And if this were a fire, your laughter would be completely inappropriate.
Catch up on your FAILs that aren’t FAILS.
- Some FAILs that I don’t think are FAILs #14
- SFTIDTAF #13
- SFTIDTAF #12
- SFTIDTAF #11
- More STIDTAF
So, some people like to call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILs at all. I try... more-
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Background acting
What goes through an actor's mind, during a performance? This is the type of question James Lipton asks his guests on Inside the Actor's Studio. I had a chance to sit down with one of the great background actors of our time.
You might remember his background dancing on the White Hot Top 5 and Target Women. Last night on the Rotten Tomatoes Show, he was featured in his most prominent role to date.
Current_Comedy This video was really funny. Brett and Ellen had stellar performances. You were just in the background. What would you say to critics who don't believe that you influenced the quality of this piece?
JoshuaHeller I'd have to agree with them. I was checking out my new smartphone the whole time.
CC but there were certainly moments when you emoted.
JH Oh that's true. For example Brett asked the camera "Does anybody know what jump back means?" It was so easy for me to react the way I did, because I had no idea what it meant.
CC You seemed really excited when the final verdict came through and Ferris Bueller was declared cool. Was that acting or reacting?
JH Again I was reacting earnestly. Maybe I got a teency bit more excited, because the cameras were rolling.
CC What would you say to young people looking to break into the field?
JH I'd say get a job in the media industry. Sit at your desk, and if someone asks if you want to be an extra. Say yes.What goes through an actor's mind, during a performance? This is the type of... more-
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- 2 years ago
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Songs I have listened to in 2009.
So everyone knows that I am totally hilarious, as well as a brilliant writer. Not everyone is aware that I'm also one of the coolest dudes who works for the internet. How does one measure coolness? Aside from impeccable style (I can assure you that I do wear Chuck Taylors and ironic sweaters) you are cool based on what music you listen to.
I've visited Brooklyn Vegan and I listen to Morning Becomes Eclectic. I've heard tons of cool dude jams. So this is my playlist of great songs from this year.
1. The Gossip - Heavy Cross
I saw naked posters of Beth Ditto on the streets of London, when I was doing a quick stint at the offices of Current UK. I was all like "wow they are much more tolerant in England to let her be a sex symbol." I realized that statement made me seem like a sexist body fascist, so when someone handed The Gossip's album to me, I gave an earnest listen. Then I was all like "I now understand why she's a sex symbol." It's a disco album played with punk rock instruments. Plus it's produced by Rick Rubin. I liked it so much that I tweeted about it.
2. Baaba Maal - Television
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese superstar, who has crafted this beautiful song. It packs a simple guitar riff with lots of percussive shakers, and the women singing things in French that I can almost understand. I believe "Télévision" translates to "TV" in anglais. I wonder if all Senegalese TV is as surreal as this.
3. IMS - Yo Digo Baila
I love this Instituto Mexicano del Sonido track. Techno basslines accented by tuba samples, kills it every time. A few months ago I wrote about rebajadas, a genre of slowed-down Cumbias in Northern Mexico. I emailed IMS to ask if he thought my correlation to Houton's Chopp'd and Screwed was accurate. He wrote back saying that I was totally wrong. He was really nice about it though.
4. Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind
So here's the part of my cool dude list, where I laud mainstream rap music, as if to tell my compatriots that hip hop is cool for hipsters to like. But you already knew that this is one of the best tracks of the year. Perhaps you don't have those same nostalgic feelings that I have for New York, but surely you can agree that this is the best anthem for the piano since Bennie and The Jets. If that doesn't get you, did you know there are allegations that Jay-Z is a freemason planning a New World Order?
5. Chairlift - Bruises
6. Matt & Kim - Daylight
Okay so I put both these songs on my 2009 list, but I feel like a real jerk because they both came out in 2008. As a consolation I did listen to them in 2009 also.
7. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home
Maybe it's just because I live in Los Angeles, but this is the most buzzed about band in these parts. There are like nine hundred members in this band. This song sounds like a party at my parent's non-existent cabin in the foothills of Mount Shasta. Everyone showed up in a great mood with instruments, and whiskey. I tried to see these guys on Halloween, but we ended up waiting too long for Macaroni and Cheese sandwiches, and missed 95% of their set. There's always 2010.
8. Sleigh Bells - Ring Ring
Dude, you're clipping. That's what happens when you record louder than the recording device can record. Sleigh Bells doesn't give a shit. The lady-part of this duo was a teen popstar-turned-teacher. The dude was in a hardcore band. This song is so addictive. I guess its those rappy vocals over that Funkadelic sample. I think this band will get huge in 2010. I mean they were able to get industry bigwigs watch them perform late at night in Bushwick.
9. Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time
Oh snap upon further research this jam came out in 2008 too. I'm beginning to look like a not very cool dude.
10. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Clearly Brian Wilson cloned himself, and sent this clone to infiltrate the Brooklyn music scene. Grizzly Bear is the result. Thank you for this track, science.
11. SALEM x Gucci Mane - Round One
This dark ethereal remix of dope rap, is sublime. I listened to it so many times. If I were writing a dramatic promo for this track this would be the copy: “In 1999 people used to make jokes about electroclash/gangsta rap remixes. In 2009 people stopped joking.”
12. Phoenix - 1901
I know that Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is on everyone's "best of list." To make this "best of list" different I made sure to put their second most popular song, so as to increase my indie credibility. But this song is still really good.
13. The xx - Islands
This is one of those songs that was playing everywhere I went, and it took me months to realize that it was the xx. Now that I figured it out, I know why they will become superstars.
14. Woods - Rain On
This is cinematic music, even if you aren't making a movie. You can listen to this song on your iPod walking down a rainy street, and feel like your life is somehow more meaningful. I mean it's not any more meaningful, it'll just seem that way, and perception is 9/10ths of the law.
15. Fool’s Gold - Surprise Hotel
Which white band performing African pop do you like the best? My answer is LA based Fool's Gold, because they know how to party a lot better than those stuffy Columbia grads, Vampire Weekend.
16. Dan Deacon - Snookered
I used to say that Dan Deacon is what would happen to me if I let myself go. That's not entirely true. Though I would be more fat and bald, I still wouldn't be able to make beautiful music from broken children's instruments. This eight-minute behemoth builds in a way you wouldn't necessarily expect from the man behind Crystal Cat.
17. Kid British - Sunny Days
This song sounds like it was recorded by Electric Light Orchestra, if they knew how to rap. The lyrics are about a dude who is sad, but you wouldn't know that by the upbeat nature of this jam. Why not get the whole album, and impress all your stateside friends.
That's my list. I'd like to wish a happy new year to cool dudes and ladies everywhere.So everyone knows that I am totally hilarious, as well as a brilliant writer. Not... more-
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Humor Studies - Appropriate Incongruity
I have at times in my life been strangely obsessed with that which makes us laugh.
In college I wrote a ninety page thesis on the way that people use humor in their daily lives. I just found a box of books from that era, so I've rekindled my interest with this ongoing series in humor studies.
Today we will be discussing appropriate incongruity as it is understood in Elliott Oring's 2003 book Engaging Humor.
"the perception of an appropriate relationship between categories that would ordinarily be regarded as incongruous."
Previous adventures in Humor Studies: Can a landscape be funny?I have at times in my life been strangely obsessed with that which makes us laugh.... more-
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- 2 years ago
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Turkey FAILs and other thematic FAILs that I don't think are FAILs
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. I'm used to finding FAILs that I don't think are really FAILs. Usually I give you the most up-to-date, but I've gotten in the spirit, and I'd like to present you with my some thematic FAILs that I don't think are really FAILs.
If I remember the Thanksgiving story correctly, Native Americans helped the colonists. They used their laser guns to kill bears. The colonists were impressed by the Native American bodysuits, which they soon appropriated to make wetsuits for their annual surf contest.
Do you really hate vegetables so much that you wouldn't eat dessert if it were shaped like that? Other-food-shaped-dessert is the future of dinner. I'm expecting a turkey shaped flan for Thanksgiving dinner.
I'll agree that this is a semi-FAIL "nonsense" is meant to be baked or steamed. Boiling and frying "nonsense" is sheer... balderdash!
It's like momma always said "we're gonna have gravy, by any means necessary."
How did these turkeys FAIL? Oh it's because you're sooooo politically correct that you disagree with tricking the blind. No matter how socially unacceptable, these turkeys lives are on the line, ask yourself, what would you do?
Okay I guess this a pretty epic FAIL. My mom always starts our Thanksgiving dinner at 10pm on the dot, so you tell me how are we going to get our Whopper Meal this year? Very frustrating, I guess we'll just have to celebrate Thanksgiving at another franchise. Hello Big Mac Meal.Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. I'm used to finding FAILs that I... more-
- joshuaheller
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- 1 year ago
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Humor Studies: Can a landscape be funny?
In college I did a lot of research in humor studies. In this video I give an introduction to humor studies, and I read from Laughter by Henri Bergson.
"The first point to which attention should be called is that the comic does not exist outside the pale of what is strictly human. A landscape may be beautiful, charming and sublime, or insignificant and ugly; it will never be laughable. You may laugh at an animal, but only because you have detected in it some human attitude or expression. You may laugh at a hat, but what you are making fun of, in this case, is not the piece of felt or straw, but the shape that men have given it,--the human caprice whose mould it has assumed."
-Bergson, Laughter, Chapter 1, Section I
Are there other topics in Humor Studies that you're interested in? Maybe I have a book about it.
Bibliography:
- Henri Bergson - Laughter
- The International Society for Humor Studies
- Local Monarchs of Davis
In college I did a lot of research in humor studies. In this video I give an... more-
- joshuaheller
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Cookies, Santa Claus, Anchor Man, and some FAILs, that I don’t think are FAILs (#9)
Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL. I try to find the good in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
Current.com user Smurph25 and his whole family are on the right track in thinking that this is not a FAIL. The building simply wants to keep some things in and some things out. They want to make sure that people can enter, and that elephants cannot. Just because you escaped from the zoo, does not mean you are welcome in our courtyard.
FAIL really? Okay so maybe you didn't like the movie when you first saw it. And maybe you didn't like it when your roommate Evan quoted it every five minutes. But you totally loved it when you watched it again. It happened to me. As for the tattoo, totally legit, but he should have added to it, like with some cool dude sunglasses or something.
Not a FAIL. There's only one proctologist on the North Pole. Sure he's a snow man, but he is totally qualified. That being said, I do agree that it's a bit unprofessional to have a doctor's office in the middle of Target, but hey it's one of the few places on the North Pole with ample lighting.
Oh are you that dedicated to buying things? I thought you were anti-capitalist. I saw you at the anarchist bookstore ranting about Abbie Hoffman's concept of The Free Store and now you're railing fun of people who embody this ethic? Shame on you, and the hypocritical values you embody. You sir are the FAIL in this scenario.
This item costs £1.99, which signifies that this is a British product. British English is funny, they call astronauts: pirates. Conversely, Blackbeard is the most famous astronaut in all of Britain.
This is absolutely not a FAIL. This is part of Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade's campaign to put a McDonald's in every home.
Who cares about your cooking sheet, the cookies are ready!
FAIL? Yeah right! This baby's dad probably got so many high fives from this hilarious picture he took of his son reading this Lads' mag.Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL.... more-
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- 1 year ago
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Strippers, elections, corn-based energy and some FAILs, that I don’t think are FAILs (#7)
This is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are FAILs. Because not every FAIL is really a FAIL.
It's that age old dispute: the stripper versus the gamers. These Russian strippers were hired to distract Counter-Strike players, during an important LAN party. They FAILed, thus allowing the gamers to score maximum points.
How did this sign FAIL? It suggested that rocks might fall, and rocks fell. You could get away with some clever points if you had the same picture but with no boulder in the middle of the road.
I guess they're making an interesting point: Indecision is FAILure. But what if the bill they were voting on was awkwardly worded. Politicians will muck up the way a bill is worded to gain more votes for the opposition. A vote for no, meant a vote for yes.
This isn't a FAIL at all, they've probably just relocated to the corner of April and Perch.
Thank you to Current user Nettle, for finding this non-FAIL. I'm going to agree with her on this. There are many places in the world where it's actually easier for a cow to get a motorcycle license than a human. The passenger is doing the right and LEGAL thing by letting his heifer drive.
Are you really going to tell me it's a FAIL to sign your name on a hurdle? This guy probably just won a race, and he's gone back to write his name on the final hurdle he had to jump over. Oh it's fine for Banksy to draw anywhere, but when an athlete engages in graffiti it's a FAIL? C'mon, end this double standard.
Some amateur scientists took the idea of powering a car with corn to the next level. I'm told that clipping three de-kerneled corncobs to your battery, will make your car much more efficient than you ever could have imagined.
Do you have some FAILs, that you don't think are FAILs? Add them to the Current Group: Some FAILs that aren't FAILs.This is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are FAILs. Because not... more-
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Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #5
Occasionally people call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL. I look for the glimmer of goodness in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
This guy worked hard every day of his life to become a VP at a huge insurance firm. The hard work paid off, and now he can impress all, y'all with this sick ride. You only call this a FAIL because you're so gosh darn jealous.
I know you're acting like everything Chris Brown does is a FAIL. But he's holding a very cute puppy, and unless that dog has rabies, is not a FAIL!
Is there a better way to teach health students the miracle of life, then by illustrating it on a cake? It's like that old saying: "all knowledge stems from Angel Food".
You read it wrong. Not only are they offering you free internet, they're also offering a free Hi-Fi stereo receiver WITH phonograph, Edison would be so proud!!!! Bring your square-dancing 78s to room 216, and we'll have such an irreverent party!
The FAIL lies in misunderstanding the sign. But I think we can sort this out. To the writers of this sign, I know by writing "no bikes" you also implied "no SUVs" but I think that the driver missed the implication. Perhaps the driver was from a low-context culture, where things need to be expressed more explicitly. Cultural sensitivity, learn it bro!
Why is this a FAIL, when you know that Google rights all of your wrongs?
Question, where are your nails? This is only raunchy if they are on your crotch. I'll give you a partial FAIL, because they call this the "grand opening" but it's been there for six months.
I guess this shows the endemic FAILs perpetrated by predatory lenders. This toddler can barely do anything without her pacifier, and she's already $38,375 in debt. Why did the financial institution give her such a huge credit limit? They knew she's ineligible to work, on account of strict US child labor laws.
Oh so sagging isn't cool anymore? C'mon sagging was awesome in junior high. By sagging below his knees, this fellow is taking us into the future of fashion.
What? Everyone in Denver loves Brian!Occasionally people call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL. I look... more-
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Some FAILs, that I don’t think are FAILs #4
Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL. I try to find the glimmer of goodness in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
Apparently Ashton Kutcher told January Jones that she was going to FAIL, to this day she's impact font, has never been superimposed over her image.
Yeah, I know $20 for a bracelet? FAIL.
I do see the FAIL here, but its not the fault of Fazio's Finest, or the supermarket. It's really the result of the grape industry. We all know that "Champagne Grapes" are actually Black Corinth grapes, a type of currant. To sell better they've named them after a famous sparkly wine. Champagne is normally made from Chardonnay grapes, and never Black Corinth grapes. Sorry if we all cant be viticulture and enologists, bro.
Business is business, you have to hit that .88OZ NET WT by any means necessary.
The Wikipedia Flavor recipe keeps changing. Some chefs decide to use chili peppers, others add too much MSG. But why all the focus on C14? For just a dollar more you can get item C18, that Black Bean Sauce is consistently delicious.
Well, where do you think mail men sleep? Duh.
So what, a fire truck falls into a sinkhole like every other day. I'm sure they all have insurance. The real FAIL here, is that this actually happened in my neighborhood. After we ate dinner one night, my mom wanted to investigate. I resisted, because I had to pee, but she was driving. So while she was trying to be a looky-loo, meanwhile I dreadfully had to use the loo. (British Pun FAIL alert)
The phrase "banda adeziva cu multiple utilizari" is Romanian for "tape with multiple uses." If you're ever in Bucharest do as the locals do: repair tents, bind trees, and kidnap accountants.
How is this a FAIL, you can sort of see this chick's nipple?
Duh, this place doesn't really do all those things. It's really a bar in Denton, Texas, they still has a geocities home page. There is no way this is a FAIL, check out all these sick ass animated gifs:
Not bad dude.
Do you know of some FAILs, that you don't think are FAILs? Send them over and I'll have a look.Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL.... more-
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Some FAILs, that I don’t think are FAILs #3
Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL. I try to find the glimmer of goodness in everything, so this is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
I'm not very familiar with Sailor Moon, but how could this costume be a FAIL, if I recognized that he was dressed as Sailor Moon? The costume clearly is effective, so it is a WIN.
Yeah right. How could having fun with the WHOLE family possibly be a FAIL?
This person didn't FAIL at locking their wi-fi signal, they WIN at figuring out how to name their network. Nobody can use my signal without a password, but it's still called LINKSYS, and creativity is what counts in this world.
Yeah I get it, they spelled "your" AND "for" wrong, but they spelled 1/5th of the words correctly!
The cat always asks if he can haz cheeseburger. What does he do when he finally gets it? He takes a bite, and then goes back to eating cat food. C'mon bro, that's a waste of $1.25. FAIL.
I'm not a building inspector, so I'm not concerned that those thermoses over the counter don't adhere to municipal standards. Big whoop maybe, but FAIL definitely not.
The wrath of Venom is something that Spider Man might fear, but why should we? Perhaps this is only a FAIL because this person hasn't made the switch from VHS to DVD. Consider that DVD itself is a dead format though, maybe he streams video through NetFlix. Duh.
I know what you're thinking. This is a FAIL, because the architect is invoking ideas from Ionic temple design, while implementing columns from the Corinthian period. Well first off, we aren't all Greek architectural scholars, bro. And secondly, it's not totally inconceivable that early Corinthian architecture might use Ionic structure, as that was the previously dominant style.
Check out the previous editions:
Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #1
Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #2Sometimes people decide to call things FAILs, when they aren’t really that FAIL.... more-
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Featuring on Current: What do we look for? -- [Editorial Guidelines]
Earlier today one of our community members raised a question that immediately reminded me of a drafted post sitting in my to-do pile. So I dusted this sucker off and refreshed it with some new information for all to read. Over on the announcement of our new submission tool, 02 commented:
"You guys never put my submissions up at all. It would seem as though a plan were afoot to force only designated providers - while the promise is held as Bullshit."
This isn't a anything new; in general people get a little confused when it comes to what gets featured on Current.com. It's not uncommon to find out that people either don't understand, or worse, their misunderstanding leads them to believe that there is a secret agenda conspiring against them behind-the-scenes. Trust me, this is just not the case. Our editorial team is relatively small on Current.com, especially in comparison with some of the more editorially driven sites out there. We see Current.com as a joint partnership between our internal team, and the community that frequents the site. While we produce content for TV, the amount of content we produce for the web is fairly small in comparison with what our community produces on a daily basis. Here's how things shake out:
Each channel on Current.com has a corresponding online producer who is responsible for featuring content and producing content via blog posts and original video. If you don't know them yet, here's the list:
News
Andrew Fitzgerald
Movies
John Lichman
Music
Shana Naomi Krochmal
Green
Leah Lamb
Tech
Sarah Lane
Comedy
Josh Heller
Each channel has an editorialized section called a playlist. The playlist is at the top of the channel, and the first story in the playlist is featured on the homepage (in the first slot of the corresponding channel module). I've posted about this before, so get the full breakdown here. I manage this team, and together with some off hours help from the online community team we editorialize the featured sections on the Current.com homepage and the channels with a combination of community submitted stories and original Current content. When it comes to up-to-the-minute news and stories we look to you guys, the Current community. But I'm sure it would help considerably to understand what we look for exactly when featuring content. How do we make our decisions? What goes into the process?
Editorial Guidelines
When we pick stories for featuring, we look at a combination of things including: interesting-ness, popularity, relevance, and trending. These can seem fairly vague, so let me explain:
Interesting-ness
These are stories that are potentially under reported, but have unique angle that could spark worthwhile discussions.
Popularity
These are ongoing mainstream stories that are also picking up page views, comments, and votes on Current. We take a look at these and determine which ones to feature throughout the day.
Relevance
As expected, stories get repeatedly submitted from different sources outside of Current. When we find a story that is feature worthy, we consider whether or not the story is still relevant (timely), and we also take a look at the overall submissions on Current while asking the following questions:
Is this the first version of the story?
Is there a newer version of this story that has updates, developments, or new information?
Trending
Sometimes a story on Current is not popular with the mainstream crowd, but is picking up steam on Current via discussion, page views, and votes. We identify this trend and feature these stories.
Ok, this covers how we recognize stories in the system, but what about the barebones requirements for a story in order to be featured? Specifically, a story needs a title and a description to be submitted, but depending upon how you support your story may or may not include a piece of media (image, video, etc.) If a story doesn't have media, we can't feature it. If you pick a source without media, you could always pick something from the Creative Commons on Flickr (be sure to abide by Creative Commons licenses and give credit back to the photographer wherever applicable) or you could simply record a quick webcam and upload that with a link to the source in your story description. Additionally, some sources are quite simply better than others. If you submit a blog post from an unknown source with no links to factual research, you'll be less likely to get featured when compared to a story with deep links and research to back up the story. So, now that you have an idea about how we pick stories for featured spots on Current, let's look at 02's latest submission from 10 days ago. Here are the details: Anthropologist Peter McAllister: "The Science of the Inadequate Modern Male." This is a great story, and definitely could have been feature worthy based on interesting-ness given a couple circumstances. It doesn't fall into the popular designation, but that's OK. We love unique stories. Where it gets the hook is in the relevance department. You see the same story was already submitted to Current by another community member. Here's a search on the last name "McAllister" (sorted by most recent). As you can see, remanns version of the story preceded 02's by 5 days. If any version of the story were to be featured, it would've been remanns version because the two stories contain identical information. As it turns out, neither version of the story was actually featured, and this has to do with the trending portion of our process. Discussion on these two stories never really picked up, and both had relatively low votes and page views. When compared to other stories trending in the system at the time, both were seconded to other stories submitted that were a better fit with our featuring designations. There are a whole slew of variables that play into this process which can only add to the confusion for some of you out there. Here are some commonly asked questions: Q: "I see <$user>'s stories featured ALL. THE. TIME. Admit it, you play favorites."
I really wish there were an easy way to convey this to everyone, but the simple fact is that the more active (and attentive to breaking news) a community member is, the more likely their stories will be featured. Volume and timing is everything. We actively go out of our way consider stories from new or underrepresented members of the community. If you're a rock star at finding stories before everyone else, I'd ask that you share your tips with the rest of the crowd. Find someone in the community who isn't commonly featured and give them some pointers. Additionally, if you're finding yourself on the short end of the stick as far as featuring is concerned, look to some of the regular faces you see in the featured spots. Go ahead, message them, ask them for pointers, or just make a friend. One thing is certain, the more you put into the system on a regular basis, the more likely you'll find yourself featured on the homepage.
Q: "Why do you guys push all content down that doesn't fall in line with your agenda?"
It's easy to believe that something like this is true, but it's just not in line with reality. First, we don't have an agenda in play when selecting stories. We routinely hang all personal biases up at the door with our coats when we come into work. True, we select stories to feature based on the criteria I listed before, but we do not actively push content down in popularity. Period. There are typically two reasons why content appears to be pushed down: It is voted down by the community. It is improperly added to groups that it shouldn't be. For example, a story about marijuana legalization added to News, Music, Movies, Green, Tech, and Comedy will commonly get removed from Music, Movies, Green, Tech, and Comedy.
Q: "I added this story already, why isn't mine featured?"
Many times this can come down some of our minimum requirements. As I mentioned before, there are times when a story has newly developing information, or there has been an update to the larger story (different angle, etc.). In these cases we will feature a newer version of the story, tweak the title of the original post (depending upon whether or not the story is still relevant), or unfeature it altogether if neither option works. If you are an avid contributor to Current.com, there could be cases where you are already featured for one story, and we wish to feature another story that you also happened to submit before anyone else. In these cases we might make an exception and feature another lesser known community member despite your story being technically first.
Q: "You changed my title, what gives?"
In previous posts I've mentioned that we will update headlines to meet AP Style, but on occasion we also need to actually re-word a title because a story has changed and no new story has been published to reflect the change, the title is just plain wrong, or the title leaves out key information about the discussion/story submitted. In these cases we always reach out to the original poster and notify them of the change via comment on the item (so everyone else can see) or via private message.
Q: "I thought featured stories were for news, why is [enter story type here] featured? I demand it be pulled!"
This is one question that will not go away, but I'll state again that "Current Stories" (on the Current.com homepage) is not strictly dedicated to news content. If it's news you want, then Current News is the place to be. Make it your homepage, and you'll never be the wiser to the varied mix of stories in "Current Stories." For those of you who don't mind the occasional crunch berry in your Capt. Crunch, you'll find that we feature a variety of stories ranging from recent episodes or sneak peeks of Current TV content alongside any story that meets our featuring criteria on Current regardless of type or group.
Q: "So, with all of these online producers blogging and producing video, does that mean Current is less about community contributions now?"
No, not at all. Our online producers are here to provide a bit of direction in some ways, while making sure that areas like News are not overrun with Britney Spears-style news. In addition, some of our more tradition aspects of community contribution will be making their way into each channel as time goes on. For example, The Rotten Tomatoes Show is closely aligned with Movies, and the show is largely comprised of community webcam reviews of the prior week's releases. If you want to participate and potentially get on TV, well then Current Movies is the place to hang out. John is also brewing up a Current Movies-specific plan involving written movie reviews, so keep an eye out for that as well. Shana just posted about Common's video pick from the "Make Common's Day" call out on the Current Music blog. This was sort of like a hybrid between a VCAM and a VC2 piece, where producers created a video for Common using greenscreen footage he shot while visiting the Current offices in LA. Andrew is prepping to embark on a deep Current News investigation that will include REQUIRE the participation of news-minded community members both on and off Current.com in order to be successful. He's finalizing the topic for the investigation, and a look at some of his recent blog posts will clue you into the direction that's taking shape. When this is fully underway, he'll lay out the details on the Current News blog. Lastly, when these folks blog they are pulling from both community contributions on Current AND content from our TV network. Think of these blog posts as our online playground where you're guys' content gets married to Current TV content -- all contextualized under trends going on in our world. And most importantly, Current community members are the key to making it all happen.
So, there it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps explain some of the question you, and others, may have about the site. We're going to be doing a lot of growing over the next few months, and we want you along for the ride. As always, shoot feedback and recommendations our way via comments here or posts on Get Satisfaction. Thanks for reading and contributing. Earlier today one of our community members raised a question that immediately... more-
- mario_a
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- 2 years ago
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Featuring on Current: What do we look for? — [Editorial Guidelines]
We get questions about our featuring and editorial practices on a regular basis. So, it felt like the right time to open the doors, spell out our policies, and make sure everyone understands what goes on behind closed doors with regards to editorial decisions. Here's a snippet from the blog post:
"Our editorial team is relatively small on Current.com, especially in comparison with some of the more editorially driven sites out there. We see Current.com as a joint partnership between our internal team, and the community that frequents the site. While we produce content for TV, the amount of content we produce for the web is fairly small in comparison with what our community produces on a daily basis."
To read the details behind our processes and guidelines, please make the jump over to the blog post.
Sources:
Featuring on Current: What do we look for? — [Editorial Guidelines] -- Current.com Blog
http://blogs.current.com/currentdotcom/2009/10/30/featuring-on-current-what-do-we-look-for-editorial-guidelines/
L'ecrivain by gilles chiroleu on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/porcherie/3192488394/?editedcomment=1#comment72157622696422188We get questions about our featuring and editorial practices on a regular basis. So,... more-
- mario_a
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- 2 years ago
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I'm a Final Cut Pro
I just took a class so I could edit videos better.-
- joshuaheller
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- 2 years ago
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Welcome to the Current Comedy Group!
In this video, I help explain what this whole groups thing is about.
SPECIAL ADDED BONUS!
I provide with Tip #2 on how to use groups.In this video, I help explain what this whole groups thing is about. SPECIAL ADDED... more-
- joshuaheller
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- 2 years ago
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- 8 comments
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My return to the piano..
I used to write a lot of songs.-
- joshuaheller
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- 2 years ago
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- 3 comments
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Heller's Shape Challenge
Join Joshua Heller, Current TV's bearded media darling in the workout that revolutionised the home video and astonished staff at the Current UK office. While some may say he is a bit outdated, this piece can still provide fitness enthusiasts with a fun and effective way to lose weight and feel great. So startle your fellow office workers and go for the burn!
Now remember - Play the music that best motivates you. Push yourself, but know your limit. Don't take stretches too forcefully, or push your breathing ability, do movements smoothly and with control.
[[[ Coming soon: Heller's Californian healthy eating plan ]]]Join Joshua Heller, Current TV's bearded media darling in the workout that... more-
- Mr_Costello
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- 2 years ago
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