Wednesday, July 9, 2008

YouTube

I had never consciously gone to the YouTube website. Occasionaly the local news would highlight a video or a friend would send a link. My first real exposure to the site was when this web 2.o exploration project began with the YouTube message from our PBCLS Director, John Callahan.

I explored YouTube at home last evening. It is amazing. It includes a community, a blog, and many, many videos. Our suggested search was to begin with a hobby. I searched three (I have many hobbies).

"Field Day" linked immediately to the ARRL Field Day videos promoting and celebrating the nationwide June 28 - 29 emergency drill. Some of the videos were very professional - some very casual.

My second search was "knitting". Very technical videos - professional level - were immediately available. I had seen some of these from the Ravelry site. The topics include knitting backward, cast on, and bind off. The camera-work is very good.

My third - and final - search was for German Shepherd. Once again, the videos ranged from professional to homebrew. I enjoyed visiting each. The one video that I chose to write about starred Faith, the two-legged dog. Faith was born without her front legs and has learned to walk on her hind legs - both hopping and strolling like a human. She stars in several videos. Her story is charming and inspirational. Her owner is a very talented and compassionate woman. (Another video shows the joyful reunion after Faith was put on the wrong plane and later reunited with her owner.)

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