I'm famous! It blows my mind.

Let me Preface this by stating that I don't make videos to put on Youtube.... I use it as a "cloud computing" backup.

BUT, that being said... I think I should start putting videos on youtube, and see if I can't get a following. Let me tell you my story...

So throughout the last few years, I have found it nice to record video from my Canon SD 700 Camera. Sometimes pictures just don't cut it, for example, when we taped some teachers to a wall... I could have just taken some pictures, but a video truly captures the essence of the moment. Another prime example are concerts. The lighting is too dark for a good picture, and who wants to be the dude who just sits around and takes pictures... not me... So I like taking video footage of concerts. 

So afterwards... I've been posting my videos on youtube. Well... As it turns out, the buyout of youtube.com by Google Co. has provided some good news for us -- the end consumer. Google has combined the stastical systems already in place to each user. This service is called YouTube "Insight" gives hosters the ability to track their popularity, view count, and most interesting to me, the geographical locations that are watching their videos (or just one video) the most. For example... I never would have guessed, but a decent portion of my views (perhaps 5%) come from Sweden. Also interestingly enough, about all of those views come from a few of my Obama videos. Sure enough... with some handy google searching I discovered the answer -- a Swedish website that hosts videos has my videos uploaded to it, and embedded into the HTML. SWEET!

What is equally interesting is the global spread. Sure the Middle East doesn't have very many views... but there have been three views from Saudi Arabia of my videos, which, while small, still boggles my mind. There are actually few countries in the world that DON'T have at least one view. Moldovia happens to be lacking, as well as Turkmenistan. Oh well... I'll survive. 

Even within the United States, my viewership is quite spread. Of course I do poll heavily in Wisconsin, but the second largest state is California, which, at one point, posted over 30 views of my video's in one day. That kind of RAW power excites me. The ability to connect to so many people -- without even trying to -- amazes and bewilders me. Of course my blog hasn't been as lucky. While, yes, the counter did get reset, and therefore I probably am at 2000 views, I doubt many are "fans" and even less "read" what I write. Still... blogging and posting videos on youtube fulfill a higher purpose -- the storage of human events, and experiences. The simple fact that for the rest of time (or at least until shit really hits the fan), my goofyish expression as I flip on a megaphone in the library can be seen by anthropologists 200 years from now as evidence of a free and open culture, unlike that which the oppressive robot regime opparates under. 

So when I grow old... my children can go and watch me do stupid stuff. It'll be fun! 

Also... best of luck to Dylan, I just learned of what happened today, and its really sad. Really sad. You've got my heart buddy. Good luck! Make sure you let who you love know it. You never know what can happen.

Thanks,

Guthrie