"The Digital Sweatshop How Traditional Media Exploits New Media"

This is a blog, yes it is, but I am not writing for profit or a career but alot of writers and bloggers I know are or would like to, so why is it that I feel the online world a digital sweatshop?

 Traditional media of which I work in was and is slow to discover and recognize social media. Some outlets are being dragged into it kicking and screaming, like  so many spoiled luddites. Other outlets see social media for what it is right now, a all you can eat buffet of free content.

  It is both the fault of bloggers and the greedy traditional media who in these times of poor ratings / circulations see blood in the water and use our independent social media writers like Nike uses 8 year old Vietnamese kids to make $200 sneakers. They exploit bloggers and attract them with a promised audience and little more. Some times they will throw you a bone like our local daily throw away paper The Metro News who promises free coffee from Blenz in return for blog posts. This is like being told you have a job and only paying you in goats.

 They are not the only ones, lots of media have jumped on the digital sweatshop and are exploiting our writers, photographers, videographers. Just look at CNN's very popular i-reporters who are given a tee-shirt and a thank you while CNN saves money hires less staff, and make ad money off the backs of social media.

 Are Bloggers to blame? Yes in the sick dysfunctional way that only a chronically abused spouse could. It is time for social media to say enough is enough. To say if you love my content pay me! And not pennies a word. It is also the fault of writers seeking attention and fame who will undercut other writers / bloggers for working for crap pay & or a few free dinners or swag. Stop it you are only cutting your own necks open.

 There are those who make a living blogging or should I say Advertising in list form. These folks hide their mercenary behavior in blog form and also take advantage of bloggers in their community by occasionally throwing them a bone of access. This is like eating your own kind.

 It is time for bloggers and others in social media to stand up and say no, no pay no words, no images, no access that I have but the big guy either will not pay for or does not understand. Enough of the Digital Sweatshop of which we get angry about when it is a physical one. You all write write about this, the largest exploitation of writers since the penny a word writers of the 40s.

Why Haiti when I have Cancer?

 A couple of friends were asking me why I would choose to delay my treatments to go and cover the devastation in Haiti after the earthquake today.

 Funny is was a no brainer, I am a journalist I have always been a journalist I have covered 6 wars, and numerous natural disasters. I am not a hero, no not at all, i do not seek fame I am behind the camera. It is a dedication to helping people the best way I know, through the moving image. The best way to help Haiti or any other place that is in distress is to show it to the world. TV images can move people to act.

picture by A.P.

 I am concerned with my health, yes but I will trade a few months off my life if i can do good somewhere else. I am single, no kids, little surviving family. My employer was not happy with me, but in the end they respected my decision. I am grateful to them for that. My job is important to me I believe in what I do, now is a time that I have to do it.

I am not seeking for anyone to give me props, yes my decision to do thing might impact my life. But the lives of others out weigh mine

"Packing list for a Disturbed TVJournalist"

I am off the Uganda for work I guess once again it is getting weird in this tropical paradise.....

Having been traveling like this to non tourist destinations for years now I have perfected my packing list based on climate both political and environmental, chances of being shot, ability to obtain comfort items and chances of catching something that will either make my dick fall off, bugs grow under my skin, shit myself for weeks, or some other hideous aliment that seems to enjoy living in Africa and inflicting pain on visiting Canadian Alcoholically inclined Jews.

This is my time proven list;

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   Luggage: No time for Hermes or those huge hard side luggage that all the ESL students from japan seem to use. My sturdy north face rubberized duffel (doubles as a body bag or body parts bag) My Osprey Backpack with Canadian flag sewn on and PRESS in big letters, Laptop bag and Camera bag.
   
   
   
   
   
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   Electronic toys: (Not my Fleshlight I leave that at home) 1 Blackberry Bold, 1) i-phone for twittering, music 1) Iridium 9505A Satellite Phone since Cell phone coverage is spotty at best in africa ( can you hear me now local despot or war lord) l.e.d headlamp and flashlight. 1)Macbook pro (never leaves hotel or is shown in public) 1) Panasonic Tough Book ( you can beat people with these in the water while in a sand storm and still see facebook updates, truly brilliant). 1) digital point and shoot. ( can be used as bribe to local police )
   
   
   
   
   
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   Personal Stuff: You have to be careful here as I know I am known to over pack but some things you just don't leave home without. 2 toothbrushs in case one touches anything other than my mouth. 5 rolls of flattened toilet paper ( my tender butt needs luxury) 1 bottle of Imodium for the watery poo that will always appear. 1) leatherman tool, 1) carbon flick knife. I used to bring deodorant but soon realized that it is way tooo hot and humid and the smell of it attracts bugs see hideous ailments in above paragraph. 2 pairs of sunglasses, 2 pairs of reading glasses, 2 pairs of shot glasses ( you never know) 1 Cheap wrist watch, 1 fake Rolex or brietling ( for bribery reasons) sunblock, condoms not lubricated ( for my blackberry and i-phone silly , even I am not stupid enough to have casual sex in Africa). Various pain killers and anti-botics, and a small first aid kit.
   Clothing or Dressing the news Monkey:
   Clothing choice is important, remember that Africa is well Africa hot, dogs spontaneously combust on the streets from the heat and it is so humid that you almost need gills instead of lungs. I avoid any brand names, you can get killed for some labels and for others like Ed hardy should be killed. So no Kenneth Coles tux for me.
   4 Mountain hardware convertible pants, less like a drop top more like shorts and pants they are spants! (Nothing in or little in cotton it wets wet and stays wet) 4 Mountain hardwear shirts. 4 pairs of lovely merino wool undies to keep the boys dry and cool, 10 pairs of smart wool socks, (smart wool makes the best socks in the world and in the US as well) a couple of tee shirts, tube webbing belt that can be used as a tourniquet if I or someone else loses a much loved limb. And a tilly endurable's hat ( it is a trademark of Canadian traveling everwhere) Footwear, very very important especially in air that has the consitancey and smell of bad chicken soup. 1 pair of Solomen hiking boots, 1)pair of soloman gortex trail trainers, one pair of keen sandals, and finally flip flops for the showers, if there are any again see above paragraph for bugs and aliments. If there are showers one never knows.
   Extras & Safety;
   Things I bring for my little remaining sanity, and or the kids. It is all about the kids isn't it? 1royal blue flak jacket with PRESS on front and back and 1 Kevlar helmet in case the locals go loco. 1) waterproof thumbdrive with my passport info and contact info, 1) set of dog tags, I am O+ if anyone cares. Water proof matches, and a lighter 2 Novels for my third world country reading pleasure. And my water filter with nalgene bottle
   For the kids I always bring lots of pens, pencils, notebooks, and a few solar calculators and wind up radios. I also bring a chargeable small photo printer so I can take pictures of the kids and give them the photos.
   This list does not include all the TV equipment
   So I personally travel with around 150lbs for my American friends and 68 kilos for the rest of the world and to my backwards English friends almost 11 stones. I have it down to a science, no extras no fluff, and nothing that I cannot leave in an instant if I need to. Packing for the airport is important as I do not like body cavity searches no matter what my friend Barney says.....
   So next time you travel, and I hope you all will. Do not get stressed about what to bring on your trip to Europe or Florida. You most likely can pack everything you think you need and still not fill up my bags.
   Next; my trip to Uganda