An earthquake that registered over 8.0 on the Richter scale (some report 8.3) struck in the Pacific ocean between Samoa and American Samoa earlier today, setting off a massive tsunami, which sent residents fleeing for their lives. Villages have been flattened, and dozens have been killed.
This weekend, Organizing for America and the DNC launched the "Health Reform Video Challenge," which asks Americans to state their case for passing health care reform in 2009 through a 30-second YouTube video. All or part of the winner's video may be used in a television ad associated with the DNC's health reform campaign.
On the main contest page, OFA offers a few suggestions for citizens who don't know what to make a video about. They include creating an endorsement of Obama's plan, sharing a personal story about health care struggles, and calling out opponents of reform.
Videos must be submitted here by October 18.
This afternoon, at the closing session of the Clinton Global Initiative, Secretary Clinton introduced the U.S. government's new global food security initiative. In conjunction with her announcement, the U.S. State Department and actor Matt Damon have released this video to raise awareness about global hunger among children:
Reports straight from Tegucigalpa, Honduras have been coming into YouTube this week - as the country wavers in the face of unrest.
This one's gonna get some traction... someone captured a group of school kids being taught songs to honor President Obama. Respecting your country's leader is one thing... but the lyrics, "Mm, Mm, Mm, Barack Hussien Obama" are just... weird.
Videos are starting to come in from the streets of Pittsburgh where the G-20 summit is being held this week. Police have reportedly clashed with protesters today, who tried to approach the convention center where the world leaders were meeting without permission.
Here's some footage just uploaded by eyewitnesses:
Pittsburgh G20 - Police use LRAD
Police threaten protesters at g20
G20 Video - Ethiopians Dispersed by Police
Never has a community service video raced to the top of YouTube's "Most Popular" list faster than this video of Chris Brown, serving his 180-day court-ordered community service for beating ex-girlfriend Rihanna:
The video, which has close to 300,000 views, depicts Brown clearing weeds at police horse stables in Virginia. At about :56, he appears to be heckled by a man wearing a "Break the Cycle, Stop Teen Violence" t-shirt.
Ann Minch, a Bank of America customer in California, wasn't happy when BOA upped her interest rate from 13 to 30 percent. So of course, she went to YouTube and declared a debtor's revolt. After over 250,000 views, the bank changed her rate back (no word on whether the video influenced their decision).
Learn more from CBS News, and check out her passionate video here:
Watch this incredible video of a massive dust storm that took place in Broken Hill, Australia. A woman inside her house is filming the storm as the daytime sky turns completely pitch black.
If you had the chance to address the entire United Nations General Assembly, what advice would you give world leaders on how to make a better, safer world? That's the question that George Clooney and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon are asking you in the U.N.'s latest video initiative on YouTube. If they chose your three-minute video response as a winner, you'll become a "citizen ambassador" to the U.N., and travel there to meet with the Secretary-General on U.N. Day on October 23rd.
The deadline for submissions is October 10th. Learn more from Mr. Clooney in this video:
The 2009 recipients of the MacArthur "genius" grants were awarded yesterday to 24 "creative" American citizens living in the United States. All of the grant winners will receive $500,000 to use however they like. Several made short videos about their life's work, which you can view on the MacArthur Foundation's YouTube channel.
