YouTube for Schools, Stanford Online: Liberated Education

In high school, the books fell apart in my hands. Most of our instructional videos were probably made in the '70s -- with the possible exception of the drivers ed program, which profits from frequent updates of the unintentionally hilarious "Red Asphalt" series.

Anywho, YouTube is launching YouTube for Schools, an education program that'll avail access to safe video content for schools. Content providers include Stanford, PBS and TED.

Given the dearth of funding in our public school system, programs like this can be hugely beneficial for teachers hard-up for content.

Another great liberated education experiment is Stanford's online course program, which enables you to follow some of their best courses online. It's free, requires that you do the homework, and enables you to ask professors questions on Google Hangouts. If you pass the class, you get a badge à la Foursquare. I've registered for three starting next year.

None of these efforts are going to change the state of our education system overnight, but they're positive, enterprising steps in the right direction. As for easier access to updated books -- that's in the bag, the 'net and tablets are making quick work of that problem.

FCUK's Youtique: Your YouTube E-Store!

French Connection United Kingdom's gunning for a little social media infamy. It was the first brand (at least, the first we knew of) to dive into ChatRoulette with a campaign targeted specifically to its drive-by lurkers.

Since then, and with help from agency Poke, it's launched Youtique. The latter aims to give you a YouTube-based retail store experience, complete with nurturing how-tos and an efficient path to check-out.



Mimicking either situational comedy or the intimacy of a personal shopping experience (or both?), minimalist how-tos, sometimes featuring stylist Louse Roe, teach users how to "sparkle at a wedding," "look irresistible the morning after," "look awesome in the office" and even "catch a bouquet elegantly." But it isn't all polish and perfect primrose points.

Here's an ironic piece on that most treacherous of social rituals, eating spaghetti in style:



"Buy" buttons appear around halfway through each piece, aiming to profit from an endorphin-charged impulse buy:



Clicking on either button takes you to an e-boutique page dedicated to whatever clothing was featured. Pick your size, make the purchase. It's that easy - maybe deceptively so, as it leaves us all wondering, "Why don't we see more of this?"

Via.

'Every Search is a Quest. Every Quest is a Story.'

VOTW passed me this pretty video about an American expat finding love in Paris. Yeah, it's an old story; but in this case, it's told in the world's second language: Google search.

Embrace the warm fuzzies.* Or embrace the commenter who said:

I think one should be done on someone going vegan. Google definately played a big roll in me going vegan(along with peta)

...yeah.

See more search stories. Note the cinematic way in which new ones are presented. Doesn't it please you that Google and YouTube got hitched?

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*Just so it's clear, I'm touched by this video. But that's because I'm living a cliché.

Grab a Web Cam, Buy a Sac Dress, BE A STAR!

"I should get you Le Sac."

"Le what?!" When The Man™ talks like this to me, I keep hoping he is referring to exotic sex paraphernalia, but he never is.

He frowns, repulsed by my lack of hip. "That American Apparel dress you can wear in many ways?"

Oh right, Le Sac. In shockingly soothing and non-exploitative fashion, American Apparel is disseminating a series of how-tos on how you -- yes, you -- can turn a shapeless sheath with string into a prized fashion investment. Below are a few variations I like.

The Marilyn:



The Grecian:



The Deepest V:



I'm not optimistic that 10-in-one items of clothing actually yield all the mileage they promise. Have you gone beyond the wrap-it-around, knot-behind-neck phase with your pareo? No? Didn't think so. I also had a four-in-one hat that worked all of one-in-one ways.

But the fresh-faced spawn of YouTube seems determined to make Le Sac work. I don't know if it's the recession or what, but you've got somethin' for the racks and somethin' for the lacks -- all uncomfortably ado,* as the French are wont to say.

Check out the luck plant!

Try not to be distracted by the Dralion.

(The last one's an instant classic. Homegirl's slogan is "not a mirror image and armed with a sac dress." If she plans to pay for college with it, Le Sac better be the magic f*cking lamp of dresses.)

Here's another 7-ways-to-wear-it! video for a different American Apparel dress. I'm posting it because it's somewhat chicer than the previous two and features -- wait for it -- free indie music! Nothing rocks vloggers like an ambient tie-in.



Never mind make-up how-tos. Looks like we've got a new cottage industry. Advertisers: taking notes? It can't be that hard to come up with something -- preferably something cheap -- that people can't figure out how to use on their own.

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* This is slang for "adolescent." It's pretty much used the way you'd say "teen."

United Breaks Guitars.

En route to Nebraska, musician Dave Carroll witnessed baggage caddies at United Airlines manhandle his $3500 guitar, resulting in some serious damage.

He pursued the usual channels of complaint, but United didn't cough up any compensation -- so Carrol decided to disseminate a YouTube music video of his experience. It's circulating internets as we speak. (Via et via.)

Fun fact from Ben Kunz of ThoughtGadgets: "The 'United Breaks Guitars' video has spawned 950 additional complaints/comments in 1 day since posting. Yikes."

Reason #4302984302843908 why brands need to closely monitor social media channels -- and, on top of that, pay attention to the customer service experiences clients get on the ground floor. Otherwise, you get a big taste of what social media "gurus" call "the cost of not participating."

'So Billy Got Fired ... So Billy Didn't Have a Job ... So Billy's Wife Had Him Killed.'

I love BooneOakley's new website-cum-YouTube video.

It's cool that there's an agency out there that's willing to try new things, and be seriously fucking funny, without worrying about looking chill or getting some faint-hearted person's panties all in a twist.

Google Adds Search Box to Embedded YouTube Videos

A bit bulky. I like how that big fat bar doesn't appear when the video's playing. Search reappears if you hit the little data button in the lower right-hand corner (the one that lets you gank the link or embed code), as well as when the video is paused.

Like with Hulu (didn't I tell you that was a sassy feature? I totally said that), query results appear inside the embed window. (That means you won't be redirected to YouTube if you run a search.) You can sift through search results, click on videos and watch them without leaving the site you're on.

High-five, GOOG!

Big Brother's Watching, and His Name is Viacom

This news gives me that not-so-fresh feeling.

JOOOOOOOST

I finally got JOOOOOST! (Okay, I didn't *just* get it, I *just* found the time to download it.)

I am juiced. (Ha.) And while I don't think it'll replace Youtube, I'm otherwise ready to pull a Tony Chung and drink the Kool-Aid. Will let you know how all fares when I resurface from free-wheeling geekosity.