Fireside21

YouTube Videos

If you would like to turn off the option to see related videos through your embedded player, simply add “&rel=0″ after the video ID number in the embed code. Here’s an example of what your embed code should look like if you’d like to turn off this feature:

<object width=”425″ height=”350″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/xxxxxx&rel=0″></param><param name=”wmode” value=”transparent”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/xxxxxx&rel=0” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” wmode=”transparent” width=”425″ height=”350″></embed></object>

OR

1. On the right side of each video is the link to the video and the embed code.
   Next to the embed code there is a box that if you hover over should say customize. Click on that box. A box should pop-up below the embed code.
2. The box should have two buttons. One says: Include related videos and the other says Don’t include related videos.
3. Click on the button that says Don’t include Related videos.
4. In the lower right side of the box you can click on the “close” link which should close the pop-up.
5. You can copy the embed code now which will automatically not include related videos. At the end of the video it will say Replay.

Over the last week, the House and Senate have experienced an enormous increase in daily traffic. While in the last 48 hours the www.house.gov, Write Your Rep service and many Member Web sites have gone down, I’m happy to report Fireside21 clients’ Web sites and constituent comment forms have not experienced any problems.

We’re happy that our clients have been able to maintain an open avenue of communication with their constituents via the Web during this important debate.

In addition to having the benefit of our infrastructure, many of our clients have wisely intercepted an influx of emails by posting a Web survey for their constituents. These same offices have instructed staff to submit the same survey on behalf of constituents who call their DC and district offices. This real-time feedback clearly had an impact on yesterday’s vote.

Here’s a glimpse at requests to one of our servers over the last 10 days:

For a little perspective, here is a graph of requests over the last 6 months:

TO ADD/EDIT PHOTOS IN eMANAGER:

1. Click the “Photos” link from the e.Manager homepage.
2. Click the “Add Photo” link from the “Photos” homepage tool bar.
3. Fill out the “Add Photo” form.
4. Select a photo directory from the “Photo Directory” drop down box.
5. Type desired photo name.
6. Type a brief photo description.
7. Type name of the desired photo file for upload or choose file by clicking “Browse” button and then selecting the desired file.
8. Click “Submit” button when finished.

TO ADD A PHOTO IN A TEXT COMPONENT:

1. Right -click on the thumbnail and select copy.
2. Find the page with the text component and click edit.
3. Paste the photo into the text component.

TO RE-SIZE THE PHOTO:

1. Right click on the pasted photo go to Set Image Properties
2. Find the URL in the middle of the page. Scroll through the URL and find the word Thumbnails. (Example: http://representative.house.gov/UploadedPhotos/Thumbnails/bbd7c3d7-0175-473a-85a0-d2811c7cd7ac.jpg)
3. Change the word thumbnails with either: lowresolution (small), mediumresolution (medium), or highresolution (large).  It should look something like: http://representative.house.gov/UploadedPhotos/highresolution/bbd7c3d7-0175-473a-85a0-d2811c7cd7ac.jpg *Make sure you do not erase the forward slash before the word and after the word. *Every time you change the word thumbnails or change from lowresolution to mediumresolution etc. you have to erase the width and height.
4. Click Ok/Update and it should re-size the picture.

Google Alerts is a service that allows users to receive updates (by email) from web sites, blogs and news pages that use keywords of your choice.

A Web alert is an email that lets the user know if new web pages appear in the top twenty results for his/her Google Web search. Users can determine the frequency of the alert as well. Set up your Google Alerts today!

Also recommended: Google Analytics. Google Analytics allows you to recieve detailed statistics on your vistor’s and how they interact with your website. Google Analytics is free and easy-to-use. Some benefits are fast implemenation, custom dashboards, email reports and more! Sign up today: Google Analytics.

Integrated Flash Video

Our video player features the latest flash technology to allow videos to be played directly in any browser. This is a great tool to share floor speeches, news clips, or personal messages recorded by the Congressman with your constituents.

Plus Fireside Web™ video tool provides video embed code to be shared just like YouTube.

Animated Photo Slideshows

Reorganize your photo albums in a clean, attractive and engaging new interface. Instead of clicking to new pages, this photo slideshow lets you browse hundreds of photos with no delays.

The intuitive user interface displays previews, captions and smooth transitions.

Social Bookmarking Tools

Social bookmarks allow constituents to “tag” web pages they find interesting and share them with their friends. Fireside Web™ social bookmark integration provides one-click shortcuts on documents in your new room for all the popular social networds including: Facebook, Digg, Newsvine and Yahoo News.

Through these networks, your site’s content will spread virally through your constituents friend networks.

Interactive Google Maps

Google maps are an engaging and interactive feature for any web site. These maps will not only dress up your site’s district page, but also enhance up your “Visiting Washington” page or be implemented as an “accomplishments” map.

We recently worked with the office of Congressman Mike Rogers to develop an online animation to help communicate his Energy Independence plan. In the three weeks since its launch, Congressman Rogers has received much attention both at home with constituents and here in DC with his colleagues.

Here is a link to the flash animation:

The team at Fireside21 really pulled off quite a feat to deliver the animation from concept to live site in less than two weeks. A big thanks to everyone here who put in the extra hours so that the Congressman was able to launch on schedule.

Here’s a peak at one of the storyboards we did during the development:

The office of Rep. Peter Roskam recently launched a new initiative on their web site to better interact with their constituents.

The Have you ever thought… page solicits legislative ideas from their constituents:

Roskam will be seeking legislative ideas from all of his constituents on what they believe are the solutions to some of the toughest issues our communities face today. While many of the ideas expected to be received will be Federal in nature, several thoughts may be addressed by the State. As such, Roskam invited all state legislators from both political parties who serve his constituents to join him, in hopes that he can refer any offered solutions onto his colleagues on the State level, where appropriate.

This is a simple and effective device to engage constituents. Well done!

We have received a number of calls this week about web video and what Fireside21 has to offer. A Roll Call article last week started the conversation. I’m happy to report that video has always been a part of eManager and is 100% compliant with the franking rules.

Here’s a full run-down of how video works inside of Fireside Web™.

Easy Upload and Playback

• Fireside Web™ allows you to post videos in minutes.
• Videos play in the browser right on your web site.
• Avoid constituents leaving your site.

Viral Sharing

• Fireside Web™ makes it easy for bloggers and media outlets to display your videos by generating unique links and embed code.
• You can embed all your videos on any page of web site.

Franking Compliance

• Fireside21’s video servers are within the House domain.
• Fireside Web™ allows you to have your own private video channel.
• No advertisements or “related” videos.

An article in today’s Roll Call highlights progress being made in revising House rules that hinder web site functionality. I’m glad to hear that these discussions are finally happening and hopefully new recommendations will be implemented soon.

In particular, members of the franking commission who met this week discussed options that would allow YouTube videos to be compliant with the rules:

The commission has asked the House Administration Committee to develop a policy that allows Members to post videos on an outside Web site that “meets requirements which ensure the integrity of the House,” according to an e-mail from commission Chairman Mike Capuano’s (D-Mass.) spokeswoman, Alison Mills.

“It’s a good first step,” said Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is a member of the commission. McCarthy first brought the issue to the commission a year ago, after revamping his Web site and realizing he couldn’t post YouTube videos.

Still, McCarthy said he hopes the commission eventually finds a longer-lasting solution. With new technology and new Web sites popping up every day, the commission should recommend rules that would allow Members to keep up with their constituents, he said.

As the article mentions, there is widespread disregard for the current rules. The fact remains that most of the rules regarding web site and email communication are derived from decades-old language drafted to regulate franked mail and other physical advertising.

The YouTube example is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how these regulations don’t make much sense.

If you want to take a screen-shot of a video or image on your screen follow the below steps.

TO TAKE A SCREEN SHOT

1. Select/find the video, web site or image that you want to clip.
2. If it is a video, click “pause” or “Ctrl P” to stop the video where you want the image.
3. Press the “Ctrl” and “PrtSc” or “PrtPn” (at the same time). This will copy what the screen is currently displaying.

EDIT/CROP THE IMAGE

1. Under the Windows Start Menu: go to All Programs, then Accessories, and click Paint (or use your favorite graphics software).
2. Under the Paint Program: Click on Edit, then Paste. Your screen shot should have pasted into the Paint body.
3. Under Paint: on the left side under the toolbox will see a dotted box. Click on the dotted box and box in the Image of the Video.
4. Once you have the Image boxed in, right-click and Select Copy.
5. Then go to file, New and open a New screen.
6. Using the mouse, drag the box to fit the white box currently in Paint. Make sure the dotted line box matches the white box (background).
7. Click on Edit, then Paste.
8. The Picture should have completely covered the white box which was in the background.

SAVE THE IMAGE

1. Go to File, Save As and type in the File Name. Make sure the file saves as a JPEG.
2. You can save the file on your desktop or under My Documents.

Once you get the hang of it, it is a quick and easy process. This is a great technique to use to put a screen-shot of a video into an email that clicks back to your web site.