I want to be there! I want to see what's happening! I want to get stoked about YearlyKos like I did last year!
But it ain't happening . . .
I'm a business owner, an activist, a money contributor, and a liberalprogressive.
Last summer, while I was working, I could jump on my computer watch live streams of the panels, see recorded panels and get updates on the latest news. I was happy to pay for access and would have paid ten times as much as I did for that access.
This year, Bupkis! (hat tip Tony Snow)
I registered for UStream.tv and what do I get? Choppy video taken from the back of the auditorium. The chat feature works intermittently.
The first photos of the event were blurry cellphone pics. Why do people think their cell phone photos are of any value at all, except to catch a glimpse of world leaders being executed.
I registered and paid for Second Life to find that I need to spend a few hours learning the program to participate. Frankly I spent two hours walking around in circles or crashing into people on my Segway while trying to figure out how to get to Progressive Island. And then I have to explain to my wife that "I'M NOT PLAYING A GAME, I'M WATCHING YEARLYKOS!"
Go to the YearlyKos Convention website and there isn't even a link to the crappy UStream videos unless you dig for it.
Isn't this cutting the "people" participation out of the people powered movement?
Why is it such a struggle this year?
I would gladly pay to have full access to video, streaming or not, chat and transcripts of the panels. I would steer people that don't normally observe or participate in politics to the convention.
Please make YearlyKos more accessible next year. I hope to attend next year but if I can't, I want to get fired up and participate as best I can at home.
Peace!