YouTube has been around for almost ten years now. (Which means it'll be heading up to big school soon...)
When it first started I don't think the creators Hurley, Chen and Karim had any idea that it would eventually earn them almost $400million each, change the face of file sharing and be responsible for the pressure sores on several million teenagers' backsides, caused by an overdose of PewDiePie or Smosh.
(Actually, the story goes that YouTube started because these three PayPal employees were having difficulty getting the video of Janet Jackson's boob falling out at the 2004 Superbowl, for anyone who hasn't seen the image, check here).
But the impact of YouTube is even greater than that. It is being used regularly to combat crime, to raise awareness and to bring people together.
Remember Brian Bates, video vigilante. I mentioned him back in May, as the guy who's made it his mission to catch people having sex with prostitutes in public places. Then there's the guy who caught a toilet paper litterer: it's not a major crime, but still it's toilet paper...
What YouTube does is let people share their experiences, and name and shame any offenders. You can argue among yourselves about whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. But it is what it is.
YouTube can be a force for good, or a force for bad, depending on how you use it. If you use it to make the world a better place, then everybody wins.
Local News
West Cumbria might be a long way from the big cities, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have value. Romar Innovate Ltd (up at Hensingham), is helping the fight against Ebola by making protective suits for the doctors and nurses who are treating the sick and the dying. Without those suits (which are disposable, and staff can go through four or five a day), there is a much greater risk of the doctors and nurses becoming infected themselves.
The lesson is that you don't have to live in Manchester or London to make a difference, people right here in Copeland are saving lives.
The full story is here
And Finally...
Seeing as how it's Halloween today, here's a video of a prank going wrong. Awesome.
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