Sandy Supposes....

'Candid Camera' and LSD Collide...

PROMPT: Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1952, the first video recorder was demonstrated by John Mullin and Wayne Johnson in Beverly Hills, California. How would you explain YouTube to these gentlemen?

          YouTube is an all-access theatre of infinite scope, and appeal. It's a twenty-four hour, seven day a week carnival ride with flashing lights, loud music, gawking bystanders, screaming passengers, and addicted thrill-seekers. 'Candid Camera', and LSD collide, collude, and create. A limitless mish-mash of home movies, blooper reels, online journals, how-to instructionals, movie bits, random montages, rants and raves, sound bites, and more morph into a kaleidoscope. YouTube is a warehouse of consumer- generated video. Anyone and everyone contributes film about anything and everything. For many, it's a one-stop hub of entertainment.

         A video recorder is no longer a klunky, heavy piece of machinery. Nowadays, many people tote a hand-held, fit-in-your-pocket marvel known as a cell phone. (We're leap years beyond the 'Get Smart' shoe phone.) It is a tiny computer capable of accessing information from almost anywhere. People receive and initiate phone calls, they converse on the go. Letters and missives are now text messages. Photos may be snapped and stored on this, or sent to others. Everyone is able to record their own videos, and share them. There is no middleman, no specialty shop processes film. YouTube is the virtual repository for videos. YouTube is the computer equivalent of inviting a few close friends to your unveiling of the latest slide show of your recent vacation. It may only be of significance to you, nonetheless you feel compelled to share it.

          Content is varied. It ranges from the sublime and inspirational, to the ridiculous and stupid. Babbling babies, angry oranges, cute kittens, adorable puppies, stumbling skate-boarders, wedding proposals, car accidents, whatever, YouTube has it.