April 24, 2008
Google Earth Outreach Aides U.N. Track Refugees and Save Lives
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Google is practicing what they preach. Their motto of "don't be evil" implies going above and beyond the corporate standard for ethical practices and becoming a socially conscious and proactive organization. And that is exactly what they have done.
Google Earth allows its users to go anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings. Utilizing this technology, Google Earth has created an Outreach Program to aide nonprofit and public service groups by enabling people to view causes and situations that otherwise, would be hard to contextualize.
What's best part of Google Earth's Outreach program? Its working. Google Earth Outreach has recently teamed up with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, providing satellite views of refugee camps, along with stories of relocation. These images and stories have impassioned others to join in the cause, inevitably saving more lives and bringing awareness to an important global issue.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 23, 2008
Chinese Internet Nationalism Spreads on the Web
A stir of Chinese Internet Nationalism has sprung up to combat the harsh criticisms from the Western world.
The Web has been shining a spotlight on political and social issues facing China due to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games taking place in Beijing and the unrest in Tibet.
Both sides of the Chinese conflicts have taken the movement to the Web, voicing outrage or concerns through YouTube channels and online petitions.
Many Tibetan sympathizers feel that the Internet is doing nothing more than keeping the Chinese government accountable for their sweeping promises of human rights reform made last August in order to win the bid for the Olympics.
Ironically, one of the main criticisms that the Chinese government is facing from the Western world is its use of Internet censorship. Now, they are censoring Chinese patriots from using the Internet to combat Western critcisms and voicing nationalistic views.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 16, 2008
The Washington Game Takes a Hit Online
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To the dismay of the 2008 Presidential Candidates, the Net unveils many of their distressing links to special interest groups, specifically oil companies.
Opensecrets.org reveals that in the 2008 Presidential Race, Hilary Clinton has accepted the most lobbyist money, $865,290. Republican candidate John McCain came in second place, accepting $590,952, and Barack Obama fell low on the list with $115,163 in lobbyist contributions.
McCain is taking the hardest hit online, with an entire diagram built to highlight his enormous lobbyist ties. It seems that McCain’s entire staff consists of current and former lobbyists with interests in companies ranging from the NRA to General Motors.
In preparation for an intense PA primary on April 22, both Clinton and Obama have been slinging online ad’s claiming the other is accepting funds and supporting lobbying interests from oil companies. Lobbyists have been puppeteers in Washington, pulling strings and making politicians dance.
But rest assured, even if politicians are salivating for the money being fanned in their faces by oil companies and special interest groups, watchdogs all over the Net are ready to expose their impious connections.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 10, 2008
An Obama Minute
Obama supporters have launched a new grassroots campaign to raise one million dollars in less than one minute.
On April 21st at 1pm, the day before the PA primary,10,000 individuals are expected to donate 100 dollars in less than sixty seconds, raising one million dollars for Obama’s campaign.
Individuals can pre-register, guaranteeing a spot in this million dollar minute campaign. All of the donations made will go directly to Barack Obama’s campaign through “An Obama Minute” fundraising page on the Campaign’s website.
The “Obama Minute” campaign has spread from a fundraising page on MyBarackObama.com to LinkedIn and Facebook. The Facebook group has reached 67 members so far, with 12 days to go before the PA primary.
Can Obama’s campaign raise one million dollars in sixty seconds? Well, they sure are going to try. And with Obama’s track record for online fundraising, does anyone doubt this goal will be reached?
Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 08, 2008
YouTube Keeps Press Accurate in 2008 Election
Sen. Barack Obama called on YouTube to defend himself in a USA Today interview with Meredith Vieira.
The Internets’ role in politics has become so standard in the 2008 Presidential Election process that Presidential hopefuls reference tools on the Net.
Prior to the much anticipated hearing with Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Baghdad, and the American ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan C. Crocker, Vieira questioned Sen. Obama’s 16 month timetable for leaving Iraq.
Comparing Iraq exit strategies of each candidate, Viera brought up a NYTimes article which accused Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton of libeling Sen. McCain, alluding to the idea that McCain favors “100 years of war in Iraq".
Obama quickly shot down the accusation, saying “That’s just not accurate, Meredith. We can pull up the quotes on YouTube.”
While the Internet and YouTube have proven to make or break political careers, Obama has continued to effectively use the Net as a campaign tool, promoting transparency, communication, and accountability in the 2008 Presidential Election coverage.
It makes us wonder, Does Obama have stock in YouTube?
Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 03, 2008
Obama Does It Again: $40 Million In March
Barack Obama raised over $40 million in campaign contributions in March.The $40 million came from over 442,000 contributors, making an average donation of $96 dollars.
Although less than the $55 million in February, $45 million raised online, Sen. Obama still has Sen. Clinton beat when it comes to fundraising. Clinton's campaign will not release official March fundraising figures until April 20, but a source has reported that Sen. Clinton generated $20 million in donations. At the end of February, Clinton owed $8.7 million to several campaign sources, and came into March with $11.8 million to spend in the primary compared to Sen. Obama's starting amount of $30.5 million.
Barack Obama lost steam in March due to two primary losses to Clinton, but has recently earned prominent endorsements from several public figures including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, and most recently Lee Hamilton, a former Indiana congressman and U.S. authority on foreign relations and national security.
David Plouffe, Sen. Obama's campaign Manager stated:
"Many of our contributors are volunteering for the campaign, making our campaign the largest grass-roots army in recent political history"
Howard Wolfsen, Sen. Clinton communications director, was not worried, saying the Sen. Obama has outraised their campaign before. Pointing to Clinton's online base of support, Mr. Wolfson said Sen. Clinton raised almost $1 million from online fundraising on March 31st, and that she will have the funding she needs to continue in the Presidential race.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
