Content vs. Availability, the Mad Ban-ers, and Confessions From an Obsessed Blogger-Chef

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What Do People Want?

Finally, another spectacular summer sunset

There has been much discussion and debate about the future — or not — in the world of JTV for months now. Tonight there was continuing debate between Unbelievers and Protectors (see the post published earlier this week about the JTV Caste System and it’s Update).

The Unbelievers were discussing the need for Justin and team to produce more interesting, worthwhile content. The Protectors were striking back with how “successful” Justin has been, that he is surely making money hand over fist, to which the unbelievers said that iJustine was the only reason people come to the site and that without her, JTV will fall painfully on it’s head.

Some said that porn was the only reason people come here, to which I had to scratch my head and wonder if I have luckily missed some illicit content I’d rather not be watching anyway, or if there are viewers with a much different opinion on what makes something fall into the porn category than I do, because the worst I’ve seen here would maybe rate an R rating — based on language.

However, it’s an interesting debate. I thought the fratboys were looking to make this a successful lifecasting portal, that they were soon going to be opening it up to anyone, not just the few, the chosen, the beta testers and once that happens, I can’t see it being about content any longer. I can visualize a site that people come to hang out their lifecasting shingle and that JTV is just the vehicle.

If they want to control content, it will be like television, only different. Determining who should stream would have to become a science. Look at broadcast and cable networks. They don’t pick shows on a whim. It takes teams of people and focus groups and a very well established ratings system to determine what shows will air and when and for how long.

No, I see JTV being something totally different. I look forward to the day when Joe Nobody takes a trip to The Three Gorges Damn in China and takes a ride on the Yangzee river so I can see what it looks like before the gates are opened and flooding begins in the final steps of man’s largest construction project on the planet commences. I’d like to go to the polar ice cap and watch as the effects of global warming (whether caused by man or otherwise) take their toll. I’d like to go along for a picnic on the beaches of the Dead Sea and watch as people splash and play and float on top of the salty water, and I’d like to be a virtual attendee at a Brahmin wedding with all the beautiful regalia in northern India. I would be happy to be a spectator at a rally as my favorite (as yet to be determined) presidential candidate takes to the stump and an observer with those that I am not fond of — so that I can make more informed decisions — decisions based on what I see and hear rather than what the pundits tell me and what I read in the editorial and op-ed sections of the paper.
I would pay to attend a lifecast at Le Cordon Bleu or of a Culinary tour of Vietnam. I don’t need Justin and his band of brothers to determine what should be streamed live. What I do need them for is to ensure that the platform for lifecasters is a solid one. A platform not riddled with outages and fits and starts. That it’s there when I want to tune in and that I can depend on it to be smooth and uninterrupted. I am not one of the many that abhors ads — I am rather the anthesis of this. I am a clicker. If I see an ad that appeals to me, I click and see what is behind the banner, and yes, if I am interested, I go so far as to plunk down my heard-earned money to make a purchase.

They have made great progress since I began watching on Day 3, but there is plenty more to do and they are still at the mercy of cell phone networks for those that take their lifecasts on the road. I just hope that the Unbelievers don’t win this debate, although there will be more JTV’s to choose from in the future.

Banning in iJustine’s Room has become de riguer for the Room Mods

If you missed it, this past week I posted a bit about the JTV Caste structure and an Update the following evening. I think I left out a group that is part of the Devoted, Addicted, Protector classes — the MODERATORS. The vigilante mob that feels it necessary to use their own subjective view to determine who stays and who goes. I was in Justine’s room for a while this evening and bananation was rampant. One name was familiar — someone with the name Jenjen567 (or something close) was on the ban button like a game of Jeopardy — bam! bam! bam! It was tough to determine who was saying what as the lines of chat flew by, but from what I saw, any “offenses” were minor at best. With the number of people in the room and the desire to be recognized by Justine by her followers, it was almost impossible to determine who said what, when. If Jenjen is the same person I think she is, she might want to stick to “interviewing” the fratboys. While those were miserable attempts to do something worthwhile, being a banning queen is pretty worthless.

Steamed Dumplings and Salad

The other wild “ban-er” tonight was Bubbygus. I am going to assume bubby is a guy — like the yiddish term of endearment for grandfather, although it’s not likely this guy/gal is anywhere near that maturity. The comment this guy uses in his ban script is something to the effect of, “Because I don’t like your attitude.” Wow, how very 9th grade of him.

As I understand it, the lifecasters chose their mods, so if this is what Justine wants, so be it, but there’s got to be a better way. Well, I know there’s a better way, but it involves time and commitment, so I doubt any of the lifecasters really want to be bothered.

It’s not like they are being paid to stream.

Confessions

I made no plans for dinner tonight and after contemplating calling for delivery, I decided I would head to my freezer for something I knew would be hot and probably less greasy and soggy than what I could get by picking up the phone and calling a local restaurant.

I usually keep a large package of dumplings in the freezer, which I will often have for breakfast. Those trips to China and the VERY brief move there has yet to wear off and I still love starting my day that way.

I also make my own dumplings, but used up the last of those a couple of weeks ago, so tonight, it was the, although pretty unusual, prepared food route for me. I did make a salad and the dressing, which I will give you the recipe for below. I don’t use measurements, so I am making this up as I go.

1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbls vinegar
1 tsp mirin (Japanese rice wine – it’s thick and sweet)
1 Tbls mayonnaise
1 Tbls grated ginger
1/2 tsp wasabi (you can find this in a tube now or in powder form which you add water to and make a paste)
1 Tbls sesame seeds (I prefer to use the black ones, but either will do. If you use regular, they are better if you “toast” them in a pan for a minute or two

Wisk all ingredients until well combined and smooth. Add sesame seeds at the end.