Tonight's cuppa: Irish breakfast tea (good anytime!)
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Sarah Palin for her TLC series "Sarah Palin's Alaska," and since then a lot of controversy and comment has swirled around that show, but certainly no more than has been swirling around the fact that her eldest daughter, Bristol, has made it to the final round of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" (the last performance show and the last results show air Monday and Tuesday, respectively).
As I talked about in a previous blog post, this isn't the show's first time dealing with a controversy -- far from it.
Also, in a story in the New York Daily News, "Dancing" executive producer Conrad Green explained some of how the voting, particularly the online voting, is managed.
According to Green, there are internal controls that prevent multiple voting from the same computer, no matter how many e-mail addresses the user registers at ABC.com.
Green told the Daily News: "It is possible to register lots of email addresses, but the IP address identifies which computer sent it. If that does happen, we wipe out [those votes]."
(UPDATE: In another interview, this time for EW.com, Green reiterates many of the same points about the voting, plus talking about Palin's dancing ability and possible fan base).
So, however many votes Bristol Palin is getting, "Dancing" believes she's coming by them the usual way.
Tonight, I got an email from Sarah Palin, stating: "Bristol's work ethic and dedication to improving, as led by the most patient and competent partner -- Mark Ballas -- have combined to illustrate a compelling and inspiring story. Viewers have voted to see that journey continue each week, and Bristol is humbled by the support."
Mrs. Palin also clued me in to a fascinating blog post by former "Dancing" competitor and retired Internet mogul Mark Cuban, called "How Dancing With the Stars Voting Works -- Why Bristol Pallin (sic) Could Win Easily."
Beginning with the statement, "First, let me say that the scoring process for Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is fair. It is honest. It's just not obvious," the post goes on, with great mathematical precision, to detail how the judges' scores are combined with the viewer votes to determine who advances.
Using quotes from the "Dancing" website that outline the voting formulas, Cuban goes on to examine the process in depth.
I'm no math whiz (which is why I'm a writer), but Cuban seems to know what he's talking about.
I doubt that Cuban's post (or a mother's support) will change the minds of many who believe the voting has been unfairly influenced, but Cuban offers an illuminating glimpse into just how the numbers add up, from someone who's been on the ballroom floor.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Sarah Palin for her TLC series "Sarah Palin's Alaska," and since then a lot of controversy and comment has swirled around that show, but certainly no more than has been swirling around the fact that her eldest daughter, Bristol, has made it to the final round of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" (the last performance show and the last results show air Monday and Tuesday, respectively).As I talked about in a previous blog post, this isn't the show's first time dealing with a controversy -- far from it.
Also, in a story in the New York Daily News, "Dancing" executive producer Conrad Green explained some of how the voting, particularly the online voting, is managed.
According to Green, there are internal controls that prevent multiple voting from the same computer, no matter how many e-mail addresses the user registers at ABC.com.
Green told the Daily News: "It is possible to register lots of email addresses, but the IP address identifies which computer sent it. If that does happen, we wipe out [those votes]."
(UPDATE: In another interview, this time for EW.com, Green reiterates many of the same points about the voting, plus talking about Palin's dancing ability and possible fan base).
So, however many votes Bristol Palin is getting, "Dancing" believes she's coming by them the usual way.
Tonight, I got an email from Sarah Palin, stating: "Bristol's work ethic and dedication to improving, as led by the most patient and competent partner -- Mark Ballas -- have combined to illustrate a compelling and inspiring story. Viewers have voted to see that journey continue each week, and Bristol is humbled by the support."
Mrs. Palin also clued me in to a fascinating blog post by former "Dancing" competitor and retired Internet mogul Mark Cuban, called "How Dancing With the Stars Voting Works -- Why Bristol Pallin (sic) Could Win Easily."
Beginning with the statement, "First, let me say that the scoring process for Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is fair. It is honest. It's just not obvious," the post goes on, with great mathematical precision, to detail how the judges' scores are combined with the viewer votes to determine who advances.
Using quotes from the "Dancing" website that outline the voting formulas, Cuban goes on to examine the process in depth.
I'm no math whiz (which is why I'm a writer), but Cuban seems to know what he's talking about.
I doubt that Cuban's post (or a mother's support) will change the minds of many who believe the voting has been unfairly influenced, but Cuban offers an illuminating glimpse into just how the numbers add up, from someone who's been on the ballroom floor.
Controlling by IP address is not really enough.
Most Internet service providers charge extra for a "static" IP address, i.e. one that is not subject to change. By default, a computer is assigned an address from a pool of available addresses when it connects to its service provider. Typically, that address is good for 48 hours, but the operator of the computer can have it "release" that address, and then apply again. Normally the computer would then get the same address back, but there is a simple method (which I won't detail here in public) that for at least some ISPs will get the ISP's software to assign a different IP address.
There may or may not be an application out there which allows non-technical fans to do this repeatedly. If there is, it could account for some people getting told that their votes have already been used up.
I amazes me that those complaining believe that they are the only ones getting the message that they have already cast all the votes they can from a particular phone line! I generally split my votes between Kyle and Bristol, with 1/3 going to Kyle and 2/3 going to Bristol...I like to root for the underdogs! LOL But this past Monday I was only able to get two phone calls through before I was told that I had used all my votes for my land line...and I got NO calls through on my cell phone or my sons cell phone! Both Bristol and Kyles lines were so busy that my calls would not go through. I just attributed both the busy signals and the miscounting of my votes up to busy voting lines...it never occurred to me that anyone was blocking Bristol or Kyles line...but maybe they were! After all, if there is anything the left does well it is to falsely accuse their opposition of doing the very thing they are doing themselves!
I will vote as many times as I can for Bristol. Libs keep exploding. Bristol will win the Mirror Ball Trophy!
Last week I was unable to vote even once. Either the phone just kept ringing without anybody answering or AT&T would cut in and ask for the access code.
I truly hope that the best dancers will win the Morror Bell Trophy and that it will not go to a sympathy vote. Brandy and Max were far superior dancers than Bristol and Mark.
get over yourself. This isn't about left or right, you idiot.