Amber Mac

On a recent trip to British Columbia, I found out that we scored an interview with Kevin Smith while he was in Toronto.  To test our tech set-up, I jumped on the web cam in Vancouver and our team in Toronto met up with the filmmaker in person.  From talk of boobs, death, and toilets, I can honestly say that the 10-minute chat was a memorable one!  Check the show out here and get all the links on citynews.ca/webnation.

I'm off to Halifax for the weekend.  I cannot wait to breathe in the East Coast air, and eat some seafood ;).

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (12)

Click To Play

UPDATE - 10:34pm:  For an entertaining look at tonight's coverage, go here.  I like the 10:30pm update.

UPDATE - 10:20pm:  Here's a great video reaction re: the Ontario election from the West Coast (more info here). 

Tonight I am working the late shift, live blogging our provincial election from 8pm EST tonight (well, right now!) until 12am EST.   Although many of the visitors to this blog might not be from Ontario (or they might be from Ontario, but perhaps they don't care about the election), I am posting a note here because I have never covered an election and I have never really live-blogged an event.  In short, if you have any links, advice, or comments, I would love to hear from you (also, it could be a long evening...if you get my drift ;).  Thankfully my fellow commandN/CityTV colleague is also here monitoring the web with me!

P.S.  Also, I am trying to join a chat swarm in Skype on my PC at work...I don't understand how PCs work!

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (13)

I think this video is appropriate in light of recent news about  a 30-year-old single mom getting fined $222,000 for  "stealing"  24 songs ("the playlist of the century").

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6)

I took science fiction literature in university, so it was a real treat to meet William Gibson and chat with him about his new book.  As for Bob Lefsetz, I am a HUGE fan of his online newsletter (AKA electronic rants);  but, more importantly, it is truly a wonderful thing to see Bob's face on Webnation because we had a looooooooong string of technical problems with his interview (Skype issues, Internet problems, losing tapes, etc.).  Ah, good times!

For all the links to Episode #14, visit citynews.ca/webnation.    

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (10)

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)

I'm in Vancouver.  I am a wee bit tired after an early morning web cam interview with Kevin Smith, a late-morning geekfest with Leo Laporte and Tod Maffin, and a long flight last night.  But, despite my lack of sleep, I am pretty sure that I have read the silliest press release of all time (from a well-known agency that reps Microsoft). 

I have never been rear-ended in a car or stalked, but I'm pretty sure that both are A LOT scarier than having pirated software affect my computer.  Someone please tell me this is a joke?  Someone please tell me that I didn't just get this?  Ever since I read this, I have felt sad, angry, and exposed.  I would pay money to get some background info on these stats.

Here is the press release...

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (24)

Leo Laporte and I will be making an appearance this week in Vancouver, BC on behalf of Future Shop (I stole this entire post from his new blog, love it!).

We’ll be debating LCD vs Plasma and the Future of Television this Thursday, 27 September, from 11:30a-12:30p at the Future Shop store, 1740 West Broadway in Vancouver. The CBC’s Tod Maffin will be moderating (and keeping us from throwing any punches).  FYI - I am on the LCD side of the debate.

There’s very limited seating at the store - it’s first come, first serve - but you can also watch online at FutureShop.ca. Free registration required - limited to the first 1000 registrants.

What do you think?  LCD or Plasma?

P.S. I love Kevin Smith and his boring-ass life.  We just got word that while I'm in Vancouver Thursday morning, hours before the Future Shop event, I am interviewing Mr. Smith about his new book.  The film director is not in Vancouver, but he is in Toronto on Sept. 27th .  He's agreed to do our TV chat via web cam, but this time it will be me on the web cam in my hotel room in BC and Kevin in Toronto with the Webnation camera crew (OK, minus Jane Goodall).  Not many Hollywood types would be game to do an interview like this, but Mr. Smith is a big-time geek (I mean that in the most flattering way!). 

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (21)

One of dozens of "Leave OJ Alone" videos hitting YouTube, all parodies of a Britney fan video.  Lord, the web is much more entertaining than TV!

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Via Waxy.  THX!  Love it, although I'm pretty bad ;).  Oh, in other news, :-) is 25. 

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (7)

I love that CNN.com is perfectly OK writing sensational news stories with grisly details, but they repeatedly replace "Dick" with "Blank" in this one article about the Emmy-nominated SNL skit that they call "(Blank) in a Box."

On the positive side, they do follow up the (Blank) mention with some Britney-related Internet rumours.  Phew. ;-)

If you do want to watch Dick (not Blank) in a Box, here is the link!

March 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8)