How To Ask a Question Via Email

While the webcast is airing live (Wednesdays at 7pm Eastern), you can send a question by email to question@intheirboots.com.

To get your question on the air, you should clearly list the following information in the body of the email:

1) Your first name.

2) Your location: City and State, or City and Country.

3) Your question, worded clearly and concisely.

Please keep your question as short as possible. Try to keep it under ten words.

Please double-check your grammar and spelling. If we can't understand the question we can't answer it!

Comments, essays and critiques will not be aired via this venue.

Questions can only be received while our webcast is airing live (Wednesdays at 7pm Eastern). Emails sent during any other time will not be read.

For all other communication please visit our Contacts Page.

How To Call in Using a Webcam or Video Chat Program

You can Video Chat with our host and guests live during any webcast. If you have any video chat capable computer or phone you can call in and participate in the live discussion. You can use Aol Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo Messenger, iChat, Windows Live Messenger or Skype.

Technical Requirements:

Set up your IM software and camera according to the manufacturers instructions. At the very least you will need to have a high-speed internet connection, a webcast video camera that can clearly see your face, a microphone that is close enough to you to pick up your voice, and a set of headphones to listen to the feed without hearing feedback.

How does it work?

First send a Video Chat request to our show producer at 'itbmac5'. With most IM software you would do this by adding a buddy called 'itbmac5' and then clicking the "Video" button, next to the buddy name. Some programs will vary.

When our producer answers your call, you will see her on the video screen. She will ask you for your name and location and what you would like to ask our host and/or guests. Be patient, it's busy behind the camera and you will have to listen carefully and respond promptly.

At this point our producer will hang up on you!

Don't panic. That just means that the screening process is over. Just sit back and wait. If we can fit your question into the discussion, you will soon receive a video chat request from our broadcast engineer. It will say something like "Video Chat Request from broadcastichat3. Do you wish to accept?" Accept the call and you are now in the caller queue.

While you're in line you will see a raw video feed of our host, and you will hear him conversing with our other guests. The webcast stream is delayed about 5 seconds, so you will probably hear an echo if you are watching the webcast through your browser.

At this point you should pause the show that is streaming in your browser!

Pay attention now, and don't wander away. Make sure you are wearing headphones and that you can hear the show. Take a look at your video image and make sure that you are well lit and centered in the video image. Sit up. Annunciate clearly. Listen for your name.

At no point will you SEE the other guests through your Video Chat program!

You will only see our host on your video screen, not the actual show feed. The other guests will not be able to see you either, but our host can see everyone and the viewers at home can see whomever is currently involved in the discussion. So when you have a conversation with one or more of our guests you will have to listen carefully to their answers and respond promptly.

Listen for your name!

You will not be given a visual cue that you are on the air. Our host will say something to the effect of "And now we have a question from Abby from North Carolina. Abby what's your question?" If your name is Abby and you live in North Carolina, then that means you're on live. Sit up. Annunciate clearly. And as much as possible look into the camera, not your computer screen!

Be courteous and allow time for others to speak. Keep all discourse civil, calm and respectful. Which brings us to:

Codes of conduct!

We are not restricted by FCC broadcast regulations, so there is no list of "the seven dirty words you can't say on In Their Boots," but our host and engineer will promptly drop and BLOCK anyone who's behavior is lewd, threatening or disrespectful. Mostly these guidelines are common-sense for anyone who's ever had a conversation in public, but here they are anyway:

- Do not threaten harm to any person on the show or off the show.

- Do not use hurtful terms for anyone's race, religion, gender or orientation.

- Do not make sexual advances toward anyone on the show.

- Do not make any lewd gestures or reveal nudity to the camera.

- Do not point the camera at photos, charicatures, other people or anything besides yourself, unless asked to.

- Do not filibuster the conversation, or talk over others.

- Do not call anyone hurtful names.

- Do not make gratuitous political speeches that are outside the topic of discussion.

- Do not slouch and mumble.

- Do not reveal state secrets.

Here are some guidelines for things you SHOULD do:

- Do smile and be pleasant.

- Do have a good time.

- Do compliment others and thank them for their service and positive actions.

- Do sit up and look into the camera.

- Do sit in a well-lit, relatively quiet place, such as a sunny patio or a well-lit living room.

- Do speak clearly and strongly.

- Do speak passionately about the causes, issues and groups that you believe in.

- Do inform others of ways that they can get involved and make the world a better place!

Thank you for your support of In Their Boots,

and for making our community yours!