A couple of webloggers are raising money for an unfortunate teenager humiliated worldwide after a private video of his energetic lightsaber moves was leaked to the Net.
Webloggers Andy Baio and Jish Mukerji launched a fundraiser Friday for the young man they call the "Star Wars Kid," whose home video has been downloaded millions of times and watched by people all over the world.
The video shows a lone, overweight teenager fighting a mock battle with a broomstick lightsaber. In the two-minute video, the teenager twirls the broomstick ever more energetically while generating his own lightsaber sound effects. The video, which is obviously not for public consumption, is amusing and excruciating.
Baio and Mukerji, who linked to their video from their weblogs, identify the Star Wars Kid as a 15-year-old French Canadian named Ghyslain. Because Ghyslain is a minor, the pair is protecting his identity. Ghyslain couldn't be reached for comment.
By Friday afternoon, the webloggers' fund had received more than 100 individual donations totaling nearly $1,000. The pair also has received donations of software and a T-shirt. They plan to buy Ghyslain an Apple iPod and some accessories.
Screenshot: >> Click here <<
Video: Star Wars Kid Movies
News source: wired.com
Webloggers Andy Baio and Jish Mukerji launched a fundraiser Friday for the young man they call the "Star Wars Kid," whose home video has been downloaded millions of times and watched by people all over the world.
The video shows a lone, overweight teenager fighting a mock battle with a broomstick lightsaber. In the two-minute video, the teenager twirls the broomstick ever more energetically while generating his own lightsaber sound effects. The video, which is obviously not for public consumption, is amusing and excruciating.
Baio and Mukerji, who linked to their video from their weblogs, identify the Star Wars Kid as a 15-year-old French Canadian named Ghyslain. Because Ghyslain is a minor, the pair is protecting his identity. Ghyslain couldn't be reached for comment.
By Friday afternoon, the webloggers' fund had received more than 100 individual donations totaling nearly $1,000. The pair also has received donations of software and a T-shirt. They plan to buy Ghyslain an Apple iPod and some accessories.
Screenshot: >> Click here << Video: Star Wars Kid Movies News source: wired.com
CAUGHT OFF GUARD
The International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the global trade organization that represents the music industry, was caught off guard by the launch. An IFPI spokesman said they were reviewing the site, but had not decided if they would be taking action against it.
Puretunes will sell subscriptions allowing consumers to download songs by virtue of licensing agreements it has struck with various Spanish trade associations that represent performers and recording artists.
Puretunes will compensate the artists and labels from subscription proceeds, Siguenza said.
The site carries thousands of songs from Madonna to the Beatles. Consumers can download songs in hourly blocks.
Eight hours of downloads cost $3.99 while unlimited downloads for a month cost $24.99, a steep discount from industry-sanctioned services such as Pressplay and those operated by Britain's OD2.
Siguenza said the new service does not need individual authorization from the major music labels, a point the industry is likely to contest as they have insisted Web sites wanting to sell downloads secure the appropriate licensing contracts.
In fact, a number of labels have sued another Spanish firm, Weblisten.com, that has been selling music online.
Adding to the intrigue, Puretunes has signed Grokster, the free file-swapping network that won a recent U.S. legal decision against the music labels, as a marketing partner. Grokster will get a cut of sales leads it brings to Puretunes.
"We've been doing everything we can to sell authorized music and basically this has been our only option," said Wayne Rosso, president of Grokster. "We're out to prove a point: we can sell the music."
Last edited by 22076 on 21 May 2003 - 02:14
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