a long read
an interesting read
check out http://www.worth1000.com/default.asp
Along with the semi-scary subject matter, there was one part that could mean a more pleasant future TV-watching experience. They talked about product placement working its way into TV shows because more and more people are TiVo-ing out the commercials. I think it would be nice to have that instead of commercials, but doubt it will happen anytime in the near future…
As for customizing video in real time, knowing about it is the first defense. If we know it’s possible, we know to be at least slightly suspect of any piece of video. This might actually lead to more thorough news reporting, as organizations will be required to check their sources more carefully, or otherwise corroborate what they’re showing us.
John, in as much as the absence of commercials would make watching television more pleasant, the fact that product placement is much closer to subliminal and would completely enure us to the fact that we’re being advertised to, is much scarier to me. So much better for the enemy if it’s invisible. Every step that mass produced media takes closer to total hegemony over our minds, is one step we take deeper into fascist corporatocracy.
This, I’m afraid, is complete wishful thinking. We already have direct evidence of manufactured news coming out of the current administration in the Whitehouse, paying journalists to hawk their programs and where is the outcry? Federal government agencies have been producing their own “news” reports pawning them off as unbiased journalism and where is the outcry? To say nothing of the dominance of Michael Jackson in the news over say, the renewal of The Patriot Act.
We are a complacent nation of sheep being fattened for the slaughter by a media in cahoots with the government.
Sorry, gotta run, one of my favorite ER reruns is coming on.
But they’re already doing it. Funny thing is, it’s much more noticeable when they undo it than when they do it. For example, I’m always seeing my laptop (Powerbook) in TV and movies, but usually there’s a piece of tape over the apple on the lid. Or a cereal box that is pointedly never held where we can see the front of it. For me it’s more real if the products are just there like they would be in real life. TV isn’t real life anyway (especially “reality” TV), so what’s the difference if there’s marketing in there?
Put more of it in movies, on the other hand, and I’ll make lots of noise about the $9 I already paid, not including anything from the snack bar! 
It’s funny how both the left and the right complain about “the media” being a mouthpiece for the other side. But what I really want to know, what are we going to watch and talk about after the Michael Jackson trial is over! 
Ummm… how about unicycling?
It is possible to validate that a digital picture taken with a special digital camera has not been altered. This sort of thing is necessary when digital photos are used as evidence in trials. Canon makes a Data Verification Kit for their high end SLR cameras. There are other methods too for different cameras.
Next step will be to do the same for digital video cameras. Then you’d be able to verify that the video has not been altered.
It’s all a bit messy though. It needs to get easier to create digital photos and video that you can verify has not been altered.
What, you mean the contestants on Survivor are actually following a script, and the outcome was decided six months ago in a closed studio?
The next thing you know, you’ll be telling me Neil Armstrong was actually on the moon.
I once was on an island in the South Pacific where the islanders asked me, seriously, if man had actually walked on the moon.