TubetheVote.com

TubetheVote.com, a next-generation, non-partisan website that presents both sides of the issues being debated in the presidential campaigns, launched today. An online platform that aggregates media- and user-generated coverage of the campaigns and candidates, TubetheVote.com's side-by-side layouts and ease of navigation empower voters to see the most important election issues in one place, and decide for themselves what the "truth" really is.

"TubetheVote distills the innumerable daily news stories and endless spin about each campaign into the most telling summary of the day's events, as judged by citizen journalists," said Michael Maier, co-creator.

TubeTheVote combines the best of new media, pulling content from YouTube, Twitter, the blogosphere and other new media sites to create the
first web 2.0 political magazine. Students and scholars from journalism departments at Michigan State University, Florida A&M University, University of Texas, and Midwestern State University are active participants in providing editorial content, along with several interns.

"We created TubetheVote.com not to create news but to assemble traditional and nontraditional coverage from both sides of the political aisle," said co-creator Eric Sinoway. "With such significant differences of ideology in play, we felt it was important that people be able access and respond to what's been said by the candidates, media, and even by citizen journalists. After seeing all sides, users can make their own, more fully informed decisions in this historic election."

TubetheVote.com is updated daily, offering a fresh take on existing internet content, with sections including:

• Top or Flop - Recounts the most memorable event of the day for each campaign - both the good and the bad
• 100% Biased - Shows the most skewed coverage on both sides of the aisle
• Twitter - Highlights user-generated "tweets" about the most popular election topics
• Sleeping with the Enemy - Exposes party insiders as they publicly criticize their own
• Best Parody - Highlights the silly, fun - but telling - comedic impressions of the campaigns
• Quote Quiz - Tests voters' knowledge of their candidates: who said what?
• User Videos - A platform for anyone to upload or view a favorite video of campaign 2008.

 

TubetheVote.com is not a business. It accepts no advertising and has no profit motive. It is a non-partisan platform that brings the unprecedented interest in the US election - and massive public discourse about it - to a new level. The project was conceived at the inception of the 2008 campaigns by entrepreneur Eric Sinoway and European journalist and Blogform founder Michael Maier. The pair recognized that although the internet would play an unprecedented role in the election, there seemed to be no single online resource where voters could monitor both sides of the discussion in a simple, user-friendly manner.

TubetheVote.com has a sleek, 3-D design built in Flash and uses open API technology to stream material from YouTube and Twitter to the site. The design of the site is intuitive, and feels more like the iPhone than a traditional website.

For more information, please visit http://www.TubetheVote.com.

Kanye West arrested at LAX

Rapper Kanye West was arrested this morning at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of vandalism and his road manager was arrested on suspicion of vandalism and battery after the two men reportedly confronted a photographer and smashed the man's camera, authorities said.

The incident took place about 7:50 a.m. outside the passenger security screening area in Terminal 4, said LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles.
Initial reports said the incident involved "a commercial photographer, 'paparazzi' " and a camera worth more than $10,000, according to Castles.

Castles said authorities were interviewing several witnesses. West was taken by police to the LAPD's Pacific Division jail where Castles said he was expected to be booked.

At least part of the incident was apparently filmed by a TMZ cameraman who was at the airport, the celebrity gossip website said this morning.
The incident caused delays of about 15 to 20 minutes for passengers waiting to get through security. People waiting in line could see West, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, standing at the top of the stairs with about 10 police officers nearby.

A security guard told those waiting that there had been a loud argument between West and photographers.
West, 31, rose to fame on the success of his debut album, "The College Dropout," which was released in 2004 and was a Grammy nominee for album of the year.

He is known for flashes of temper and for speaking his mind. During a telethon to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, West said: " George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Late last year his mother, Donda West, 58, died after undergoing cosmetic surgery in a case that drew scrutiny of the surgeon who performed the procedures.

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