Current Blog UK
- Closed Topic: Look around, vote and respond but you need an invitation to add
What on Earth’s going on around here? Just because the Current team is busy beavering away and drinking lots of cups of tea, it doesn’t mean we can’t keep you updated on what’s happening on the channel and the website here in the UK and Ireland. This is the place for you to stay in the know about all things Current. It’s also the place for you to speak up when you've got a complaint or a suggestion, or give us a hearty round of applause if you think we've earned it. Let the dialogue begin!
-
-
What on earth is My Current?
This week we've got mighty crocks, mighty money, mighty Taliban fire and as well as all that we'll tell you all about My Current.
/////////////////////////////
My tip of the week is to for you guys to get back on first name terms with My Current. It gives you a personalised news feed by showing all the stories that your friends have been interacting with so you get a great idea of what is happening in your current world. If you’re interested in Barbie dolls and fishing reels, then find someone else who likes those things and follow them on current. You’ll soon build your very own micro-community dedicated to the things you like. So get into My Current and prune the people you follow so you're following people with similar interests.
http://www.current.com/mycurrent
And remember, VOTE, this is your website, so if you don’t like something being on the front page then make sure you cast your vote. On the flip side, if you want to see more of something on current then share the topic with your friends and get voting on it! As ever, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
/////////////////////////////////
http://current.com/items/89358138_british_oap_snatched_...
DonkeyPong told the current crowds that a British OAP had been snatched by a crocodile in the Australian outback. Nasty stuff, especially when the pictures emerged showing just how massive the croc was! Matt512 wins the “weird interpretation” award for his enlightening comment, “Why did they take the crocodile away? I'd be pissed if I ate a chicken, then 10 large chickens came to my house and tied me up and took me away.”
http://current.com/items/89360224_itv_to_embed_ads_into...
MrKASADY clipped a story from the Daily Mail this week that those sneaky chaps at ITV are planning on embedding advertisements directly into our TV shows! There weren’t many positive messages coming back in about this story, so I think Earth_Corporation summed it up well, “This is truly sick”.
http://current.com/items/89350710_tv_presenters_dive_fo...
Mista_G told us about Ant and Dec’s brush with danger while they were in Afghanistan presenting a Pride of Britain Bravery Award. It was brave of them to show up, since they had to run for cover when the Taliban attacked Camp Bastion in Helmand Province. The comments took on an air of scepticism about the story, some suggesting it was all spin, tallmansam declaired “oh no not our lovely ant and dec! what would we do if we had no more saturday night takeaway!”
http://current.com/items/89355007_lottery_teen_to_be_na...
Finally there was the news brought to us by nhkis about the lucky 19 year old Ianthe Fullagar who won £7 million on the EuroMillions lottery and then thought it was a good idea to have a press conference about it before she went to University. Good idea? PurpleFox didn’t think so, “Eek, if I'd won that much money I wouldn't want everyone to know about it… Good luck to her though - hope she puts it to better use than some previous teen (or even adult) winners.”
///////////////////
ONE LAST TIP! If you think someone on your contact list will like this blog, then share it with them via the share this tool towards the bottom of the page!
Editor's Picks
http://current.com/topics/88803638_editor_s_picks
Follow us on Twitter
http://twitter.com/CurrentUK This week we've got mighty crocks, mighty money, mighty Taliban fire and as well as all that we'll tell you all about My Cur... more -
This week on Current.com - (22nd to 26th of September)
Happy Friday!
Tired of looking like an 'Awaiting Icon' plaque? This weeks tip is about changing your profile picture. Here's how to upload or change your Current profile picture? Here a 44 second Pod explaining exactly how to! http://current.com/items/89330318_change_profile_pictur...
This week on our sublime site Toshiba clipped a story in which a Scarborough chippy owner was charging traffic wardens ten per cent more for meals - because they keep booking him! Steve Mawer, 54, said he has been unfairly ticketed fifty times behind his shop although he has a council parking permit. He has refused to pay the fines and is to face court ///// User stewiegriffin commented: 'Apparently there is a small hole on the lower back of a traffic warden if you fill it with expanding builders foam they stop working'
http://current.com/items/89326609_chippy_batters_traffi...
Whilst London is currently gripped by the inquest into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station. The film poster for Righteous Kill (DeNiro and Pacino's latest veteran-cop-buddy flick) boasted 'There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot" - all of a sudden the tagline started to look a lot less funny ///// User nellolivia commented 'This is one of those moments when a Marketers heart sinks. I'm sure this wasn't planned. The agency should remove the poster immediately, issue and apology and make a donation to the appropriate charity'
http://current.com/items/89337785_film_poster_blunder_u...
Meanwhile, The Queen was placing an order fort the biggest wind turbine in the world. I'm guess her Majesties advisors were slowly becoming more aware of the present Global Warming nightmare scenario. Under the new climate regime we would forcibly be reclassified a Mediterranean nation. Yep, that means Premiere league bullfighting, sleeping all afternoon and eating everything a-la garlic! //// User fiat_lux088 commented 'The Queen is brilliant. I'm just waiting for the rest of the world to try and top that record'
http://current.com/items/89333987_the_queen_buys_world_...
*** ALSO on CURRENT ***
GrandKnow2 delivered a story on a pedal powered rollercoaster in which a Japanese amusement park, The Skycycle at Washuzan Highland Park in Okayam upped the ante on eco-friendliness. http://current.com/items/89340184_pedal_powered_japanes...
Kierand posted a paralyzing and upsetting story in which twin sisters from Sweden ran in front of oncoming traffic here in the UK after wrestling with the police. http://current.com/items/89341624_swedish_twins_dice_wi... J_Jammer commented 'I would be devastated if I ever hit someone. I haven't even hit an animal. I hope to never do that'
JJ3000 posted The latest viral from the Italian Fashion house Diesel. Exclaiming '.. a little close to the 'bone' don't you think?'
http://current.com/items/89337913_diesel_sfw_xxx_fashio...
Keep on keeping!
Mr_Costello
Online UK
http://current.com/people/Mr_Costello Happy Friday! ... more -
Current and Twestival (the UK's first Twitter Festival)
With the excitement building for the Hack the Debate series on Current.com http://current.com/topics/88834922_hack_the_debate) we took a team outing to the interestingly titled Twestival to make some connections with the whos who of the UK Twitter scene.
For those of you not yet familiar with the service, Twitter is a micro-blogging platform, allowing short messages of 140 character to be broadcast to a wide ranging audience.
Events such as Twestival have the potential to really put the UK social media scene on the map. I know here at Current UK we often look on enviously at the multitude of vibrant networking events our San Francisco colleagues enjoy.
Being social media butterflies we love a good party here at Current UK and when that party includes the opportunity to talk till we are hoarse and make connections with other like minded individuals it is difficult to keep us away. It is with these elements we found ourselves deep underground on a Thursday night.
The idea behind the event was to bring together fun people, fresh ideas and a few surprises in an unforgettable event and all whilst helping to raise money for The Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields, a community centre based in Trafalgar Square that works with homeless people.
http://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/
Whether by design or luck the location turned out to be perfect. Hosting a party for social media types in a basement insured that conversation flowed. iPhones and mobiles became cameras for the evening with all communication functions disabled. We bought our tickets for the raffle and entered the breach, lubricated liberally with some free wine we got stuck in. Introductions were made, conversations flowed and we all floated around on a sea of optimism and ideas.
We met so many interesting people and had so many connections that it would be impossible to name check everyone involved and all the planning that went into the event. But Current UK would certainly like to extend a hearty congratulations to all those who had a hand in it. All in all a really successful event that has us eager for more.
Finally in what can only be described as the cherry on the cake, I managed to win a star prize in the raffle, kindly donated by www.sixdegreespr.com so left with a big grin and a Nintendo Wii under my arm.*
*Friday afternoon productivity is going to be seriously below average. With the excitement building for the Hack the Debate series on Current.com (http://current.com/topics/88834922_hack_the_debate) we too... more -
Current: We're in your iTunes, take us with you!
Have you heard of the Apple iTunes store? Of course you have. Did you know that you can download television shows, movies, and music from the iTunes store? Ummm, duh!
Have you ever asked yourself, "Self, why can't I download my favorite pods from Current so I can watch them any time I want?"
If you have, well then today is your day. Believe it or not, we've been working tirelessly to get this little venture out the gate, but the time has finally come -- Current is available on iTunes. That means you can now subscribe to podcasts of our shows, sync them to your favorite Apple device, and take us with you wherever you go.
Let me tell you, it's been a thrill watching our stuff on my iPhone during the morning and evening commutes. Oh, and the best part? All of this is FREE!
We're starting things off with six different shows to subscribe to:
- Vanguard
- SuperNews
- infoMania: Tech Report
- infoMania: Viral Video Film School
- Street Styles
- Best of Current TV
Did we mention this is FREE?? :)
We'll be adding more shows over time, so stay tuned. For those of you who are Sarah Haskins/Target Women fans, make sure you subscribe to Best of Current TV.
You can check us out on iTunes here: http://itunes.com/CurrentTV
Let us know what you think!
Mario
Online Community Team
______________________
Subscribe to our blog: 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/manima Have you heard of the Apple iTunes store? Of course you have. Did you know that you can download television shows, movies, and music f... more -
This week (15/9-19/9) in Current + Current.com tip of the week!
Click through for this week's staff's top tip on how to get your stories noticed, all the stories from this week that you really can't afford to miss, as well all the juicy details of when to watch your favourite shows on Current TV.
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
Stories not getting much traction? Want more people to see your stuff? Topic Tags could be your new best friend!
Adding as many relevant topic tags as you can will help your item get the maximum exposure possible. And with more people seeing it, it hopefully means more people will be commenting and voting on it, and we all know what that means - a better chance of your item making it onto Current: News!
It's best to start with one of our main topic channels first:
* News and Politics
* Entertainment
* Tech
* Sex and Love
* Earth and Science
* Art and Style
* Sports
Then narrow it down, think about topics that are associated with it, include names of people involved in the stories, the country where the article comes from if it's an international story and even some descriptive tags that you think are suitable. If it's a wacky item, give it some 'WTF' and 'Crazy' tags. If it's a research study, let us know what the study was on as well as the fact it's a research study. All the tags you add will only help in getting your items seen.
*** ONE WEEK, LOADS OF GREAT STORIES ***
Like every week, the Current community have been adding some great stories. Check below for a small selection of some of our favourites.
Internet founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee warned us on web disinformation, saying that there needs to be a way to help people separate rumour from real science:
http://current.com/items/89303694_sir_tim_berners_lee_w...
(Posted by Toshiba)
Dialling 999 is for emergencies only. Your bunny not having floppy ears isn't an emergency:
http://current.com/items/89304478_dial_999_for_bunny
(Posted by GrandKnow2)
Mickey Mouse is "one of Satan' soldiers" and "must die" according to a radical Muslim Cleric:
http://current.com/items/89305399_mickey_mouse_must_die...
(Posted by Rwylie)
After the mergers of a number of US banks, the UK follows suit with Lloyds TSB and HBOS becoming one 'colossal British bank'
http://current.com/items/89312880_when_2_become_1_hbos_...
(Posted by Mista_G)
A Swiss chef is offering up an unusual delicacy, food made with human breast milk. Yummy!
http://current.com/items/89311557_would_you_eat_a_meal_...
(Posted by JanaPokana)
And how could we forget about this week's most important story; it's talk like a pirate day! Arrrr! Shiver me timbers!:
http://current.com/items/89318156_ahoy_it_s_talk_like_a...
(Posted by abbym0308)
*** ELSEWHERE ON CURRENT ***
The very first UK VCAM competition is now up and running and looking for your viewer created ads!
http://current.com/topics/88837900_resistance_2_vcam
As well as the VCAM we have an exciting new season of shows on Current TV. Make sure you don’t miss Bloodshed and Brotherhood which premieres live from 9.30pm Saturday 20th and runs for a whole week.
For a sneak preview check out the topic page:
http://current.com/topics/88833161_bloodshed_and_brothe...
*** ON CURRENT TV ***
- Sky 183, Virgin 155
Catch your other favourite shows on Current TV at these times:
Infomania....................................Fridays 7pm and midnight
Brand spanking new...................Tuesdays 11pm
Random Play with Graeme.........Weekdays 4pm
Zara Presents.............................Weekdays 5pm
Vanguard....................................Sunday 9pm
Countdown.................................Weekdays 11am
Matt, Online Editorial Team
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/mattbrawn
Follow the UK Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/currentUK
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mattbrawn
Photo: From FlickR user Donna Cymek Click through for this week's staff's top tip on how to get your stories noticed, all the stories from this week that you re... more -
Introducing the UK's first VCAM & Bloodshed and Brotherhood!
We have so many exciting things happening at Current towers that we simply could not wait any longer to give you your next instalment of the UK blog.
We are pleased to announce our first ever VCAM for the epic PS3 title Resistance 2.
VCAMs are viewer-created advertising messages. Current TV and PlayStation are working together to allow you to make a fun ad for the upcoming PS3 release Resistance 2. Get your thinking caps on, polish off your camera lense and get ready to earn £1000.
Simply think of a great idea and get shooting. For more information visit the topic page below.
http://current.com/topics/88837900_resistance_2_vcam
We even have a thread to share your best ideas.
http://current.com/items/89310896_short_on_ideas_why_no...
*** Bloodshed and Brotherhood ***
As well as the VCAM we have an exciting new season of shows on Current TV. Make sure you don’t miss Bloodshed and Brotherhood which premieres live (and for a week) from 9.30pm Saturday 20th.
In the lead up to Peace Day on Sunday 21st September, Current’s globetrotting reporters and citizen journalists take their cameras deep into the heart of some of the world’s worst conflicts; from the warfields of Darfur and Iraq to the backstreets of London they show you what life is like for people living with conflict everyday, as well as the people who are committing their lives to resolving it, as we ask, can there ever be a resolution to the many wars we wage?
Let us know your favourite pods by voting and commenting. For more information follow the link
http://current.com/topics/88833161_bloodshed_and_brothe...
As always if you have any comments on this post then please feel free to add them below. We have so many exciting things happening at Current towers that we simply could not wait any longer to give you your next instalment ... more -
This week (6/9-12/9) in Current + Current.com tip of the week!
Read on for:
Current.com staff's weekly tip on how to get the best out of this site,
The week's stories that you won't want to go into the weekend without knowing about,
Some exciting info on when to watch your favourite shows on Current TV,
And why you should be a follower of the new twitter feed just for U.K.
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
Want to be on TV? Then we want your pretty face! Instead of type-type-typing out your thoughtful and insightful responses, fire up your webcam and use your voice! If the story you comment on is picked for TV, a webcam comment is a surefire way to get your views broadcast to the viewing massive.
Our webcam plug-in is super easy to use and doesn’t require you to be skilled orator either –– it gives you as many takes as you need. You get 60 seconds to make your point. If it’s picked for TV, we’ll use about 12 seconds, so sprinkle your response with some super snappy sound bytes. Spread your words!
*** KEEP THOSE GREAT STORIES COMING ***
A lot of news happens in one short week but luckily the Current.com community and editors make sure as much as possible gets covered. Here are some of the notable stories that hit the site this week:
Scientists at CERN ignored death threats and a looming black hole poised to suck us out of existence and successfully turned on the Large Hadron Collider.
http://current.com/items/89287236_lhc_goes_live
(clipped by EddieStarr)
The world voted (in a BBC poll) and they want Obama for the US presidency. Gordon Brown also endorsed Obama (in so many words), drawing a load of criticism and mockery from the Conservatives.
http://current.com/items/89287320_the_rest_of_the_world...
(clipped by abbym0308)
http://current.com/items/89287657_mccain_team_mocks_gor...
(clipped by rwylie)
Italians have decided that “cool” is definitely not a cool word, but a blemish on their beautiful language.
http://current.com/items/89285619_italians_vote_for_ugl...
(clipped by rwylie)
Google’s latest initiative sets its sights on dusty old microfiche… millions of newspapers to be indexed on the web.
http://current.com/items/89282259_google_to_index_milli...
(clipped by adamhirsch)
PA Consulting misplaced personal details of the UK’s entire prison population. But that shouldn’t prevent them from managing the database of details on England’s 11 million children… wait. What?
http://current.com/items/89295375_prisoner_data_loss_fi...
(clipped by toshiba)
Jedi mind tricks have gone the way of academia. *Light saber not included in course materials.
http://current.com/items/89292154_university_offers_cou...
(clipped by JJ3000)
Sausage and spice rub wielding burglar gets arrested in his pants.
http://current.com/items/89280777_police_burglar_whacks...
(clipped by ihateyou)
***FOLLOW CURRENT UK ON TWITTER***
We just launched a new twitter feed for all things Current UK! It's like the American Revolution in reverse. (Ok, we still love our Current friends in the US, but sometimes we just need a little time to talk about ourselves). Come, be a follower:
http://twitter.com/CurrentUK
*** ON CURRENT TV ***
- Sky 183, Virgin 155
Catch your favourite shows on Current TV at these times:
Infomania....................................Fridays 7pm and midnight
Brand spanking new...................Tuesdays 11pm
Random Play with Graeme.........Weekdays 4pm
Zara Presents.............................Weekdays 5pm
Vanguard....................................Sunday 9pm
Countdown.................................Weekdays 11am
Got something you want to share with us? Post below or drop me a line....
Abby, Online Editorial Team
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/abbym0308
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abbym0308
Editor's Picks: http://current.com/topics/88803638_editor_s_picks Read on for: Current.com staff's weekly tip on how to get the best out of this site, ... more -
This week (1/9-5/9) in Current + Current.com tip of the week!
Read on for:
Current.com staff's weekly tip on how to get the best out of this site,
The week's stories that you won't want to go into the weekend without knowing about,
Some exciting info on when to watch your favourite shows on Current TV,
Why we're all going to imminently die because of that pesky Large Hadron Collider.
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
The best way to get the Current.com community excited about a story you're posting is to let us know your thoughts in your own words.
Please avoid cutting and pasting text straight from another site: those other sites could have a copyright to prevent people doing exactly that. It also means people don't find out exactly what you think of the story and Current.com is all about people deciding what news is important to them and sparking up conversation about it. Journalists already have enough of a platform - this is your chance to let us know what YOU think.
*** ONE WEEK, LOTS OF GREAT STORIES ***
A lot of news happens in one short week but luckily the Current.com community and editors make sure as much as possible gets covered. Here are some of the notable stories that hit the site this week:
In a world... one legendary voice... will be greatly missed: Don LaFontaine dies at 68
http://current.com/items/89260559_voiceover_artist_don_...
(Posted by ebindelglass)
Google launches Chrome browser. Mac users feel rare PC-envy
http://current.com/items/89263940_7_great_things_about_...
(Posted by richjm)
Man City consider a whopping £134m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo
http://current.com/items/89261230_manchester_city_targe...
(Posted by born4thesurf)
'Gang spotter guide' for parents released by government.
http://current.com/items/89260154_gang_spotter_guide_fo...
(Posted by CleftAsunder)
Police to get non-violent, Home Alone inspired weapons?
http://current.com/items/89271223_stick_em_up_cop_glue_...
(Posted by Foraggio)
3 year detox programme cures elephant of heroin addiction. Yep, heroin.
http://current.com/items/89268253_elephant_no_longer_ch...
(Posted by AceHardchester)
Putin bravely saves TV crew from escaped tiger in definitely-not-staged drama
http://current.com/items/89257715_putin_saves_tv_crew_f...
(Posted by CleftAsunder)
Nigerian man to divorce 82 wives, leaving him with 4 more than is necessary
http://current.com/items/89258686_nigerian_man_to_divor...
(Posted by rwylie)
Weirdest couple ever: Jacko and Pamela Anderson. Um, what?
http://current.com/items/89263927_has_the_king_of_pop_m...
(Posted by compaqman)
*** ON CURRENT TV ***
Sigur Ros @ MoMA: Sunday 7th, 9.30pm: Current TV - Sky 183, Virgin 155
Catch your favourite shows on Current TV at these times:
Infomania....................................Fridays 7pm and midnight
Brand spanking new...................Tuesdays 11pm
Random Play with Graeme.........Weekdays 4pm
Zara Presents.............................Weekdays 5pm
Vanguard....................................Sunday 9pm
Countdown.................................Weekdays 11am
*** WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! OR ARE WE? ***
The Large Hadron Collider gets started up on Wednesday and some people fear it'll create powerful black holes that suck the entire world up, destroying it for ever.
The final word on the matter goes to Manchester Uni's Prof. Brian Cox: "Anyone who thinks the LHC will destroy the world is a tw*t."
http://current.com/items/89271710_scientists_get_death_...
(Posted by buttcrack)
Got something you want to share with us? Post below or drop me a line....
Rich, Online Editorial Team
Connect on Current.com: http://current.com/people/richjm
Follow the Current.com team on Twitter: http://twitter.com/current
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/richjm
Editor's Picks: http://current.com/topics/88803638_editor_s_picks Read on for: Current.com staff's weekly tip on how to get the best out of this site, ... more -
Crowning the unofficial world champion of bicycle thieves..
This weeks events proved that Democratic attempts to move the press debates away from race haven't quite succeeded. It came with little surprise that Michelle Obama hailed her husband an extraordinary president; and succeeded in attracting a wealth of mixed press reports. The general consensus seems to be that she ticked all the right boxes, emphasising her husband's self-effacing beginnings and lauding American values. Wired.com called the speech "heartfelt and earthy", reporting that her words were met with "almost universal praise" on the social network Facebook.. with even a Republican eulogizing the couple!
Speaking of Facebook - writer, producer and co-creator of The West Wing is in the process of assembling a film about the initiation of Facebook. "I've just agreed to write a movie for Sony and producer Scott Rudin about how Facebook was invented," Sorkin wrote in his intro to the group page on the network itself http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33807262256&r... which has already flocked up 4,100 members. Feel free to chime in and give the man some advice on to make this errr.. suspenseful motion picture.
*** ALSO on CURRENT ***
Purplefox delivered 'How Lego builds its little people' which brought back some fond memories of the playground, and a little sigh of relief that the simple joys of childhood haven't yet been eaten by Playstation http://current.com/items/89234654_how_lego_builds_its_l....
In Toronto, the world's biggest bike thief was arrested. Igor Kenk had helped himself to 2.396 bikes; crowning him the unofficial world champion of bicycle thieves. http://current.com/items/89231071_record_setting_thief_... (posted by Octoguy)
Meanwhile in The UK, Cambridgeshire Police instructed burglary victims Lloyd and Suzanne Bishop to investigate the incident themselves .. ripping from the couple their last two shreds of dignity. http://current.com/items/89241408_police_text_couple_as... (posted by phillyharper)
Girls kissing girls is the latest trend! - http://current.com/items/89240369_heteroflexible_girls_... (posted by TravG73)
Scientists discover why flies are so hard to swat! - http://current.com/items/89247673_scientists_discover_w... (posted by dkincheloe)
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
When you are posting a new submission or filing something into a new topic, you'll see a blank box waiting for you to fill it with text. Based on the text you enter, we'll suggest possible topics for you to choose (on a drop down menu). But if we don't suggest something, or what we suggest isn't what you're looking for, just enter the topic you really, really want and hit 'add' - that topic page will be created for you. The more topics applied to your posting, the more exposure that posting will gain - but please be sure to keep these relevant! And remember, the best way to get your content seen is to tag it with one of the main topics in the navigation bar that's at the top of the site (i.e. news and politics, entertainment etc). What goes without saying - leveling up on comments and clips is your fastest way to be given swag. I have posted some clips below in the hope my M&S spoof will impel you to post an unforeseen wealth of material.
Have a top weekend and keep on keeping!
Mr_Costello
Online UK
http://current.com/people/Mr_Costello This weeks events proved that Democratic attempts to move the press debates away from race haven't quite succeeded. It came with ... more -
Celebrating the long weekend like a gold medal!
A week in news moves fairly fast and this week has been no different. Olympic records have been shattered, humans have been helping computers read books and sexual imagery has been everywhere.
The UK Current community has been clipping some great stories this week, generating a wealth of discussion and definitely getting ever closer to that awesome swag hidden away in the Current vault. Jealous? You don’t need to be, get clipping and you to could be opening a parcel from Current.
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
Want to get the most comments on your story? Avoid duplications, be first!
The best place to start when clipping is to do a quick search on Current.com to see if anyone else has already clipped a version of the story. If it's a popular news item, you have to be quick to be current. No one wants to see the same tired story repeated so if someone has already added a version of the story, but you feel your link has new and better information, try adding it as a comment on the original item instead.
As always levelling up on comments and clips is your fastest way to swag and Mr_Costello has kindly provided us with some handy clips (see below).
*** Also on CURRENT ***
With all the wet weather it may come as a shock that the UK has been exposed as one of the biggest importers of water. With the dramatic shortages of water across the world this is vital resource should be something we all treasure.
http://current.com/items/89219262_revealed_the_massive_... (posted by Toshiba)
Usain Bolt is the pride of Jamaica after grabbing gold in 100m and 200m.
http://current.com/items/89208327_man_runs_fast (posted by Owwwmykneecap)
http://current.com/items/89219886_thundering_bolt_smash... (posted by Mr_Costello)
Team GB picks up 18 golds, making this the most successful Olympics for over 100 years.
http://current.com/items/89226448_team_gb_now_has_18_go... (posted by rwylie)
Did you realise that you have helped to scan hundreds of books?
http://current.com/items/89221254_if_you_use_the_web_yo... (posted by DeliatheArtist)
Sex sells. The imagery is certainly everywhere but how does this effect our culture and behaviour?
http://current.com/items/89221007_widespread_sexual_ima... (also posted by DeliatheArtist)
and finally…
The Empire is coming, run for your life…..
http://current.com/items/89204971_death_star_over_san_f... (posted by mhorn)
Got something you want to share with us? Post below or drop me a line....
Richard – Beta_Boy
Still dancing like Usain Bolt!
Online Community Team
www.twitter.com/Beta_Boy A week in news moves fairly fast and this week has been no different. Olympic records have been shattered, humans have been helping co... more -
It is never too late to make it count! Are you a sinner or a winner?
The Olympics are not the only massive event drawing to a close. The inaugural UK, VC2 Leaderboard winner is due to be selected this week!
What is VC2? Well for those of you who missed the recent blog post http://current.com/items/89175574_the_return_of_the_vc2... here is the lowdown. The VC2 Leaderboard features all Viewer Created Content (VC2) uploads to Current.com. You, as a valued member of the community can vote and comment on the pods and as you do they move up or down the Leaderboard based on popularity.
Each month, a Leaderboard winner is selected and they will win a whopping £1000 if their pod is broadcast to the nation on Current TV.
So what are you waiting for? Grab a camera and get shooting or head to the Leaderboard and make your opinion count.
Stay Current!
Richard – Beta_Boy
www.twitter.com/Beta_Boy
Online Community Team The Olympics are not the only massive event drawing to a close. The inaugural UK, VC2 Leaderboard winner is due to be selected this we... more -
Another exciting week here at Current TV towers…
Being British I find it easy to view the Olympics with more than an air of cynicism (mainly due to our lack of medals for decent events). However, it has been impossible not to have been sucked in to the sheer drama in and around the event. The opening ceremony is exposed as fake, Michael Phelps dominates in the pool, Hungarian weight lifters hurt themselves and China continue to try and keep Tibet out of the news.
Elsewhere this week it has been hard to ignore the ongoing issues with Russia and Georgia with every Western leader giving their opinion. Finally, closer to home, news has been just as eventful with the Tories telling everyone to move down south, A-Level results continuing to improve and Prince Charles criticising GM food again.
The community has welcomed more than a few members this week so I find myself compelled to hand out some tips on how to get the most out of Current. Many of you have asked questions about your profile and how you can personalise it. The first place to start is the top right hand corner of the page. Click on “account” and follow it through to “edit picture” under “public profile”, then simply change it up!
If you have any suggestions on where to get some awesome avatars I’d love to hear from you. Why not share your links with everyone below?
If you want to make the news rather than just being a voyeur there is a wealth of swag available to you. Mr_Costello on the UK Community Team has put together some clips and added them to last week’s blog:
http://current.com/items/89182094_blag_the_swag_it_ain_...
That’s about enough from me this week, as always if you have any questions, queries or tips I’m here to answer. This is an open thread so feel free to ask below.
Fake Ceremony
http://current.com/items/89193852_olympic_ceremony_sing...
http://current.com/items/89190548_were_the_fireworks_in...
Michael Phelps:
http://current.com/items/89196761_michael_phelps_has_do...
Hungarian Weight Lifter
http://current.com/items/89200648_olympic_weightlifting...
Tibet protests
http://current.com/items/89200125_protests_elicit_less_...
And finally….What the hell is Steve McClaren doing?
http://current.com/items/89204667_schteve_mcclaren_turn...
Richard – Beta_Boy
UK Community Manager
Follow me on Twitter?
http://twitter.com/Beta_Boy Being British I find it easy to view the Olympics with more than an air of cynicism (mainly due to our lack of medals for decent event... more -
Blag the swag it ain't no drag!
As a recent newcomer to the Current:News family, it has taken some time for me to get to grips with all the amazing possibilities this site presents. I can think of no better way to introduce myself to you all than to provide a brief recap of all the reasons Current.com is my (and should be your) home.
Current.com is the home for viewer influenced and created content. Current.com presents the opportunity to shape the news by contributing news stories, blog posts, videos, and other influential content that you find on the Internet. Through these contributions and votes, VC2 uploads, and VCAMs, you can play an influential role helping us determine what gets aired on Current TV.
Still not enough for you? We appreciate that the glory of TV is not everything but who can turn down some free swag. On Current:News, we have a variety of levels for you to achieve. These levels all come with a wealth of incentives and prizes for those who become community leaders. Mario, our community wizard in the US has kindly written a detailed blog post on how these levels can be achieved.
http://current.com/items/89169526_leveling_up_is_your_t...
The higher the level the better the swag, so don’t delay.
*** TIP OF THE WEEK ***
We have some handy tools to help you get started with clipping, so why not give them a try. My favourite is the browser button:
http://current.com/s/make_current.htm
Simply drag and drop the button on to your browser and you can clip any story, any time!
*** POD OF THE WEEK ***
As a massive Sigur Ros fan, I really can't look much further than this fantastic pod.
http://current.com/items/89173668_sigur_r_s_moma
This is my favourite, but what about yours?
*** Also on CURRENT ***
The fabulous UK leaderboard has finally arrived, giving you an opportunity to turn your skills in to cash.
http://current.com/items/89175574_the_return_of_the_vc2...
As always if you have any questions do not hesitate to drop me a line or even post below!
Richard – Beta_Boy
Online Community Team
www.twitter.com/Beta_Boy
Photo by Vidiot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vidiot/69075298/ As a recent newcomer to the Current:News family, it has taken some time for me to get to grips with all the amazing possibilities this... more -
The Return of the VC2 Leaderboard!
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for - the new and improved VC2 monthly UK Leaderboard has finally returned! What’s more, we’re also throwing in the bonus gift of a brand-new and advanced upload tool.
// So what’s the deal with this Leaderboard I keep hearing about? //
The VC2 Leaderboard features all the Viewer Created Content (VC2) uploaded to Current.com. You, the Current community, vote on these videos and they move them up or down the Leaderboard based on their popularity.
At 5pm (GMT) on the third Thursday of every month, the uploaded video ranked #1 when the countdown hits 00:00:00 will be offered £1000 for the purchase of the video and which will be aired on Current TV.
Want more details? Check out our FAQ: http://current.com/s/faq.htm#what_is_the_vc2_leaderboar...
// You mentioned a new upload tool… //
That’s right. 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.
Richard – Beta_Boy
www.twitter.com/Beta_Boy
Online Community Team It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for - the new and improved VC2 monthly UK Leaderboard has finally returned! What’s more, we’re ... more -
Current voting: Something…is…not…right. (Part 1)
Introductions to new companies are always an experience and I can safely say the one I have received for Current has been unforgettable. I have been forced to pretend I own a sex robot, witnessed my first earthquake and had a near death experience with a tramp. If this is a sign of things to come I have truly landed at my spiritual home.
As the new UK Community Manager for Current, I hoped to start off with something light and friendly and in time I assure you I will. However, it would appear something has been brewing in the community for some time and when the community demands answers, we really must respond. Fellow community colleague Mario from the US has written an excellent riposte to recent issues within the community.
As with all things Current if you have any feedback, questions or simply want to say hello then please feel free to drop me a line.
Beta_Boy
Online Community Team
Current voting: Something…is…not…right. (Part 1)
Members of our community have noticed peculiar behavior involving stories in the Current:News popular stream. As a result some concerns have been raised regarding staff censorship, corporate shills, and other nefarious plots to corrupt our dear community.
The specific points of contention are:
- Current staff appears to be censoring stories that are critical of government, conspiracy focused, or about touchy subjects
- Specific community members are under fire, being singled out, or are being persecuted by staff or other community members
- Corporate stooges are infiltrating Current.com to silence specific stories from being seen
Before we respond to the concerns directly, we want to make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to the ethos of Current:News.
Current:News is a collaborative effort between all members of our community. This includes you, your connections, even Current staff members.
We’ve discussed this in a previous post, please take a minute to read it: http://current.com/items/89036777_
Another point of reference here is our FAQs: http://current.com/s/faq.htm#What_is_Current_News
// What do you mean by collaborative? //
You guys submit the stories, everyone votes them around, and our online programming team shapes the popular stories into an hourly Current:News television product.
While we all want Current:News to change the way information is reported, we also must produce a product with integrity. Current: News must contain information that is credible, timely, unbiased and diverse. It should also, ideally, represent the interests of a broad group of people, and act as a carrot for enticing new users into participating with us.
To help in this, we have a team of online programming editors who help check the credibility of sources, timeliness of stories, and availability of broadcast-able content before cutting together a new Current:News pod for TV.
// So, you censor then? //
No. We occasionally take stories out of the running for Current:News, but nothing ever disappears from the site unless it has violated our community standards.
As we’ve mentioned before, we will take stories out of the running if: the story is not timely, the story is a repeat of something we’ve already covered, we can’t confirm credibility of sources in time, or we can’t get rights to air a clip.
We can’t always air media on TV that we don’t have the rights to rebroadcast.
// But some older stories were ignored by mainstream media, and they are still relevant, I say! //
You’re right. These stories may still be relevant – especially if widely ignored by mainstream media. However, without a timely new peg these stories do not belong in a product called Current:News
Want to talk about specifics? Of course you do! Let’s move on to Part 2
http://current.com/items/89151998_current_voting_someth... Introductions to new companies are always an experience and I can safely say the one I have received for Current has been unforgettabl... more -
Got an iPhone? Make it Current!
Since the launch of the iPhone, and the crazy cool App Store, we've been fielding questions like, "Hey, where's the Current.com iPhone app?" and "What's up with Current on the iPhone?"
Well, we're not quite ready for an iPhone app, but we're working on it. In the meantime, you can still use your iPhone to contribute to Current.com by adding a "Make Current" bookmarklet to your Safari bookmarks, and then syncing your bookmarks to your iPhone.
Simple, right? Well, just in case I threw together a quick how-to. Take a gander and get set up to contribute to Current from anywhere your iPhone has signal.
Speaking of Current.com iPhone apps -- what would your ideal app do? Would it be able to shoot video while streaming to Current.com? What about voting and commenting on the latest rising stories in Current:News? Or, would it make coffee and balance your check book?
Tell us your ideas in a response below.
Mario
Online Community Team Since the launch of the iPhone, and the crazy cool App Store, we've been fielding questions like, "Hey, where's the Cur... more -
Updated profiles and a brand new level -- Picked for TV
Howdy Current community, our latest release brings a few updates to profile pages and a brand new level to Current.com – Picked for TV. Community members can now level up based on the number of times their submissions have been picked for TV, in addition to leveling up as a commentator with comments and votes, a producer with VC2 and VCAM uploads, and a contributor with link submissions from blogs, news sites, online videos, etc.
Head over to your profile and check out the new layout in the upper right corner. There you will now find three tabs worth of goodness – levels, achievements, and activity.
Here is a quick rundown of our levels:
// Picked for TV //
Picked for TV is tracked with pink squares – each time you make it on TV in Current:News, VCAM, or VC2 you’ll increase your chance of leveling up!
// Producer //
Producer is now periwinkle blue – level up by uploading VCAM or VC2 eligible videos!
// Contributor //
Contributor is sticking with orange squares – submitting news stories, blog posts, and other links move you up in level.
// Commentator //
Commentators are represented with teal squares – comment and/or vote 5 times in one day, and you’ll earn a kudos point. The more kudos you collect, the more you level up.
You'll also notice that the level badges next to avatars on the homepage and in responses have been updated to show four tracks instead of three. The corresponding color for each level will light up for each bar, so it is easy to tell where other community members are in terms of leveling on Current.
We've added an achievements tab on the profile tab to call out which of your submissions made it on TV by type, whether it be a VC2 pod, a VCAM, or a Current:News item or response. Think of achievements as your own personal trophy case for your TV accomplishments. Once something you’ve submitted makes it on TV, your achievements will update in this tab. Check it out!
We’ve received several requests for a better way to look at your personal activity on Current.com. The community wants to keep track of what they've done, and it also helps to see what someone else has contributed. So, we added the Activity tab to track how many total contributions you’ve added, responses you’ve left, videos you’ve uploaded, webcams you’ve recorded, and votes you’ve submitted. Take a look and let us know what you think.
// So, I got an email...What's going on with level 2 swag?? //
We’ve got some good news! The swag train is just about loaded and ready to leave the station. We’ve run into a couple hold-ups along the way, but things have been sorted out and we are poised send some Current goodies your way.
One of the cool things heading your way are Current laptop stickers made by StickerGiant. You can check out the design on their blog: http://www.stickergiant.com/blog/?p=323
Let us know what you think by leaving a response below.
Best,
Mario
Online Community Team Howdy Current community, our latest release brings a few updates to profile pages and a brand new level to Current.com – Picked for TV... more -
So you wanna be a homepage hero
There you are, surfing the internet, and you finally find it. That great story, the one that makes you laugh/cry/cheer. You want to share it with all your friends and post it to Current.com—but how to make your item stand out from the crowd?
Here are some tips to help you make your posts to Current even more eye-catching.
1) Give it a catchy title
The title is the first thing people are going to look at, so make sure yours is a good one. You want to give enough information to lure someone in, but you don’t want to tell the entire story. Something short and witty that sums up the story is always good. (And we won’t turn down a good pop culture reference either.)
2) Find the best link
Let’s face it, the Internet is repetitive, and you’ll often find the same story posted a lot of places. Check around to see if there are different or more complete versions of the story you’re linking to; sure, a short story pulled from a newsfeed is great, but an in-depth piece from a local paper is even better. Some of the places we look for breaking news are CNN http://www.cnn.com/ and NPR http://www.npr.org/. If you have other great sources for breaking news, share them in the comments!
3) Did someone already add this?
Do a quick search on Current.com to see if anyone else has already clipped a version of the story, especially if it's a popular news item. Let's face it, 20 stories in a row about the same thing would be pretty boring. If someone has already added a version of the story, but your link has new or better information, try adding it as a comment on the original item instead.
4) A picture is worth a thousand words
Make sure you’re using the best image to go with your item. If the image that is selected automatically isn’t the one you want, use the “choose other media” link under the preview image to browse for more, or add an image from elsewhere on the web. If you’re adding a video, make sure you have the image that shows the player selected. Can’t find an image? Flickr is a great source for images that are available to use under the Creative Commons License. Find Flickr Creative Commons here: http://flickr.com/creativecommons/
5) What makes this interesting?
That’s what we want to know! Don’t just copy and paste the entire article; sure, that tells us what’s going on, but it doesn’t tell us why you think it should be on Current. Instead, summarize or quote the most interesting parts and then let us know what you think about it.
6) Tag it!
A great way to get your story seen is by adding topic tags—but choose wisely. Add as many relevant topics as you can think of, but resist the temptation to add topics just because they’re popular. Make sure that the topics really are related to the story, and be as specific as you can. Something like news is a pretty big topic, so you might want to consider adding more tags—is it entertainment news? International news? Politics? Just make sure the topics apply; no one wants to find the entertainment topic cluttered up with science news, or to head over to the WTF topic looking for something bizarre only to find endless stories on politics. Add topics wisely!
So, what are you waiting for? Go out and start clipping!
Photo by Randy Son of Robert http://flickr.com/photos/randysonofrobert/1154746963/ There you are, surfing the internet, and you finally find it. That great story, the one that makes you laugh/cry/cheer. You want to sh... more -
Let’s talk staff participation, algorithmic soup, and Current:News
Hey everyone. Concerns regarding staff participation and perceived “selective censorship” in Current:News have been bubbling up, and I’d like to try and clear the air a bit. We’ll need to work together to get things running smoothly, and this boils down to a boatload of time spent discussing the issues in play. So let’s dive in!
// Staff Participation on Current //
Current staffers are a part of the community. We vote, comment, and contribute stories. Some staff submissions become popular. Others fall into obscurity like many others. In the end, Current:News is about participatory news, and we all work together to determine what gets reported.
Current staff includes our large broadcast team and our online team of developers, designers, product and community teams, and most importantly for the purposes of this conversation, an editorial team.
// Why did this story jump up / get featured over another? What gives? //
Whenever major news breaks across the world, we get flooded with similar submissions on Current. Our editors focus on making sure that the same type of story doesn’t get reported several times over, that what we report makes interesting television, and that the items reported are credible and accurate.
They only intentionally place a story on the home page in rare cases of breaking news. When I say breaking, I mean major political decrees, losses of human life, convictions and other jury verdicts, etc. When we do this, you’ll see a bright red “Breaking News” badge next to the story. We promise to use this power responsibly.
Does Current staff ever push content down? Yes. Because popular stories on Current make it to TV, we take an active role in making sure that each newscast comprises of compelling news based on your contributions. Sometimes stories cannot be aired on TV – not because we don’t like the story, but because some have already been reported, don’t make gripping television, or are inappropriate for TV.
We don’t do it often, we’d like to do it even less, and our intent is to reduce this practice as our algorithm improves. Still, we should do a better job communicating this—and we will.
// What is this “algorithmic soup” you speak of? // <
-
