(1) Use this script to override the dependence on libruby1.8 >= 1.8.6.36-1. The idea is to recreate the debian package with an override of the dependency.
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/samizdat-devel/2008-07/msg00001.html

(2) Fix the sync.rb bug if you haven't already done it:

--- /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/sync.rb~  2001-06-06 16:19:33.000000000 +0200
+++ /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/sync.rb   2008-06-22 16:15:57.000000000 +0200
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
   # exceptions
   class Err < StandardError
     def Err.Fail(*opt)
+      Thread.critical = false   # hack for samizdat-0.6.0.20070509-1
       fail self, sprintf(self::Message, *opt)
     end

@@ -129,10 +130,12 @@

   # locking methods.
   def sync_try_lock(mode = EX)
-    return unlock if sync_mode == UN
+#    return unlock if sync_mode == UN
+    return unlock if mode == UN   # samizdat hack

     Thread.critical = true
-    ret = sync_try_lock_sub(sync_mode)
+#    ret = sync_try_lock_sub(sync_mode)
+    ret = sync_try_lock_sub(mode)    # samizdat hack
     Thread.critical = false
     ret
   end

(3) Fix (one line fix) bug 23848:
https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?23848

(4) On etch, something fails for the mahoro front end + the magic file detection library + ruby in detecting flv files. Here is a hack to fix this:

--- s080703/samizdat/lib/samizdat/models/content.rb     2008-06-01 20:38:34.000000000 +0200
+++ /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/samizdat/models/content.rb        2008-07-15 22:45:28.000000000 +0200
@@ -285,6 +285,14 @@
       format = @@mahoro.file(file.path)
     end

+    # etch hack
+    if format == 'application/octet-stream' and
+        file.methods.include? 'content_type' and file.size > 0
+      f = file.content_type.strip   # won't work with FastCGI?
+      format = f if f == 'video/x-flv'
+    end
+
+
     format.nil? and raise RuntimeError,
       _('Failed to detect content type of the uploaded file')

(5) If you wish to apply patches on https://savannah.nongnu.org/patch/?group=samizdat which remain open, then those with [080703-2] or [080703] in the title should work.