They’ve kept the news quiet, but YouTube has finally started accepting the 960×720p HD resolution! This is huge because webcam makers like Logitech use 960×720p to record ¹ HD video, and until this happened these videos would not play in HD on YouTube.

What’s even better is that now I don’t have to hide a 960×720p video within a 1280×720p video by encoding the video at the higher resolution and letterboxing it. Now, I can just encode the video, like I normally do, and upload it. Way to go YouTube!

UPDATE 1/13/10 at 10:58 AM: The VIDEO NOW HAS 1,000 VIEWS!!
Update 1/13/10 at 5:09 AM: The video is now up to 958 views.
Update 1/12/10 at 8:20 PM: The video is now up to 862 views.
Update 1/12/10 at 2:41 PM: The video is now up to 823 views.
Update 1/12/10 at 10:03 AM: The video is now up to 746 views.
Update 1/11/10 at 10:00 PM: The video is now up to 645 views.
Update 1/11/10 at 1:22 PM: The video is now up to 559 views.
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was quoted in a forthcoming book (Game Change), by journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, as saying – privately – that then presidential hopeful Barack Obama could be successful as a candidate because of his light skin and ability NOT to speak “Negro dialect” unless he wanted to. The video has been up for just 19 hours, but it has already gotten 298 views and 54 comments.

I posted a video commentary on YouTube giving my take on the growing scandal/debacle. If you don’t have time to watch the video (about 9 minutes long), here’s the nutshell version: What Reid said is true and is not new, because Black Americans have been talking about this for generations. I don’t think he owes anyone an explanation or an apology, because I don’t think he has anything to apologize for. Agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments.

This is my third time living in Atlanta, and I don’t remember it ever snowing. We’ve had flurries, but nothing sticking. Last night’s snow is still on the ground, despite it being very sunny outside. For the last few weeks, Atlanta has not lived up to it’s nickname, Hotlanta!

I started back video blogging, but yet AGAIN, I don’t know if YouTube is the right place for me to host my videos. I want to place my vlogs on this blog, but I don’t want to eat up my storage space by hosting them myself, so that’s where YouTube comes in. If I don’t want my videos accessible by anyone on YouTube, I can make them private, and embed them over here, so that’s not the issue either. The issue is that unless one is uploading a HD video, the quality of YouTube’s videos leave much to be desired – even with their new default high quality encoding.

When I record a video, before it’s uploaded to YouTube, it has to be encoded. By the time YouTube gets finished re-encoding it for their system, the quality has suffered. So, since I have to encode the videos no matter what I do, I’m thinking of just quitting YouTube and hosting the videos on my Silverlight hosting account.

I have a 10 gigabyte Silverlight video hosting account provided for free from Microsoft that is sitting unused. I could encode my videos for Silverlight’s specs and upload them there. The best part is that the Silverlight storage is just storage – my videos won’t be re-encoded resulting in a degradation in quality. The end result is SHARP, CLEAR videos of high quality.

Hmmm… I have some thinking to do.

I don’t get accused of being an ABW (angry black woman) or BBW (bitter black woman) because I’m neither. It seems the issue with me is that my standards are “too high”. Nevermind that I don’t have unrealistic standards like height requirements or a list of “approved” jobs/careers. I think that to many men, my standards are too high simply because I have them.

Many are used to dealing with women with no standards, so they’ve gotten spoiled and lazy and think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. But, the thing is is that men have standards as well, and if a woman doesn’t meet them, they will NOT give us that same benefit of the doubt they want us to give them. They simply move on to the next one. But, when I do the same thing I’m wrong. That’s crazy as hell.

I made up my mind that for 2010 I was just going to do what I do, and not even think about men or relationships too much. I’m content being single and free, and there’s nothing wrong with a maintenance man for the time being.

This blog ran into a minor technical difficulty, and I had to track the problem down and fix it. My apologies if in the last 10 minutes you witnessed 3-4 rapid design changes. I had to find out if the problem was a design issue or a code issue before I knew where to look to fix it. Sorry for any inconvenience!

It’s COLD in Atlanta. Just.Friggin’.Cold. Right now, at 11:15 in the morning, it’s 22 degrees outside. Today’s high is supposed to reach 37 degrees. I was supposed to have dinner with one of my BFF’s today, but she won’t have any moolah until after 6 PM. Sunset is at 5:46 PM today, and the temp is supposed to drop to 19 degrees. NINETEEN DEGREES! Unbleepingbelievable! Uhmmmm, my public transpo dependent behind is staying in the house.

She and I are going to have to try for tomorrow (43/24) or next Monday (48/29). As much as I want to sit down and catch up with my sisterfriend, it’s just too cold. She might have her kids in tow, so I definitely don’t want those babies out in 19 degree weather waiting for MARTA.

Just some things that have made their way through my mind…

I’m really enjoying The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty. I’m glad the family has allowed us to get to know them as people. Marlon seems so even tempered and down to earth, not to mention he’s a cut up. He lives here in the Atlanta area, and I would love to get to meet him. Maybe I’ll run into him somewhere. Jackie clearly enjoys being the eldest brother and having the clout that comes with that. I like that he isn’t afraid to take on Jermaine.

Tito… hmm… what can I say about Tito? I looove his swagger! Tito is just cool as hell without even trying. The man is 56 years old, but I’d get with him. Damn, I feel traitorous (and somewhat skanky) because I think his son Taryll is HOT as all hell, and I’d get with him too, LOL. My only issue with Tito is that I think his girlfriend is fugly. He could do so much better than her. I ain’t sayin’ that’s me, at all. I’m just sayin’ the chick is funny looking and he’s TITO JACKSON and can do so much better. Where is RANDY? I know he wasn’t in the J5, but he was in The Jacksons in their later years. He should be included. However, I understand there may be some unresolved issues, and bad blood, between him and Jermaine.

So far, the only two people I’m not really feeling are Jermaine and Siggie. Jermaine’s uber-sensitive, conceited, selfish, prima donna ass is always complaining about something, and I’m trippin’ on Siggie for wanting to rap. I mean, seriously?! What is ‘Dealz’ going to rap about? Being a rich kid and never wanting for anything? Rap is about STRUGGLE (or at least it used to be). What has Siggie/Dealz had to overcome? Is he a ‘conscious’ rapper (which would be very cool)? Or, is he another rapper lauding the virtues of hedonism and excess? Whatev, Sigmund, Jr.

Last thing about the Jackson family… Why is it we hear about all these Jackson offspring trying to get into the entertainment industry, but hear nothing about any who have focused on higher education instead? This family should have some lawyers, doctors, professors, etc by now.

I recently found out that I fall within the income range to receive free medical care and prescriptions from Grady Hospital, so I let COBRA go. With the COBRA subsidy, I was spending close to $400 a month between premiums, doctor visits, and prescriptions. Without the subsidy, I’d pay around $650 a month. With Grady, I’ll pay nothing. I was SHOCKED to find this out, because I fully expected to contribute something to my health care costs. But, far be it for me to look a proverbial gift horse in the mouth.

I only had 6 months of COBRA eligibility left, anyway. The insurance company said at the end of the 18 month term I could convert to an individual policy, but with all my pre-existing conditions, I’m sure I would not have been able to afford their premium. And, even if I could, I’d be paying more for less coverage, have higher co-pays, and higher deductibles, etc. It’s in my best interest to get on with Grady. Yeah, I’ll have long waits to see the doctor and to pick up my meds, but a couple of good books and my iPod will help.

The women were silly and the statistics were shaky. Where was the breakdown of ineligible black women? You know, the ones who don’t have HS diplomas, the jailbirds, the lesbians, and the ones who were otherwise unfit for marriage? If that kind of breakdown had been done, I’m sure there still would have been more women than men fit for marriage, but I doubt the margin would have been as wide.

I think all the attention being given to the “plight” of the “successful” black woman is a result of what I’m calling the Michelle Obama effect. She is well liked and respected, and suddenly all black women are no longer lumped under the same stereotyped umbrella: hypersexualized, lazy, electric babymakers. Suddenly, “America” (a euphemism for white people) realizes that there are some driven, accomplished black women out here… and OMG, they’re not going to have a Barack of their own. THE HORROR! Sigh.