12.19.08
Posted in Blog Posts, Politics and Public Affairs, Random Personal Nonsense at 2:45 pm by Shelly
Shorter, more frequent blog posts: New Year’s resolution, or crazy pipe dream? Dunno yet.
I’ve been thinking about several topics this week, and here’s my a quick roundup.
- My dad continues to struggle. From rehab this week, where he had been struggling to get stronger and recover from both a stroke and a brain injury caused by a fall, he went to the hospital when an ulcer began to bleed. It’s really hard for him to be confined (and that’s the way he feels it) in hospitals. And my mom is sooooo tired.
- Christmas is coming, yo. No one is expecting me to be filled with the Christmas spirit this year, so that’s good. Not angry, just not feelin it. I have been avoiding conversations about gift-giving and holiday preparations though. Some things for the kids in our family, and helping my mom work through dad’s illness is about all I really think is important. But our tree does look nice, thanks to Frank.
- Perennial Austin City Council candidate Jennifer Gale passed away this week at the age of 47. For the most part, reaction from my fellow citizens has been kind and good. Even the City Council saw fit to honor her, which I thought showed tremendous class. Not every city would accept a homeless, transgendered singer of songs and runner for offices, and, to tell the truth, some folks in Austin did not always welcome Jennifer Gale. I didn’t know her or much of her story, but I did kick in $20 over at Burnt Orange Report’s House the Homeless donation page.
- The Obama cabinet is complete, and he’s getting lots of points for picking a middle-of-the-road, ethnically diverse group of people. Um, how is it good to have so many legislators and politicians in the cabinet? I would actually like to see people who know something about running large bureaucracies in there. It’s cool with me that the president and vice president are senators, but I would prefer some managers in the cabinet.
- Macworld Expo is coming right up. I won’t be there. Haven’t missed one since 1991. I would go, if only to keep the streak alive. But I really don’t have work reasons to go, and I’m feeling frugal, too. I’m sure that I’ll think about going two or three more times before the end of the year, as party and event announcements come my way, and friends ask about my plans. So far, I’m staying strong.
- Dang, I really need to do some podcasting.
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12.11.08
Posted in Blog Posts, New Media and Tech, Podcasting at 9:29 am by Shelly
As promised, here’s part 2 of my prescription for the newly podcast-infused BlogWorld Expo. Check out part 1 here:
Thriving in spite of Vegas. Opinions about Las Vegas vary. For many, the bright lights and myriad attractions confer bigness and importance on a trade show. More people will come, the theory goes, to combine work with pleasure, and more people from all over the country will be able to find discounted travel options. But Vegas is not conducive to community-building. From the awkward layout of the LV Hilton/convention center, to the sheer size of the venues, Vegas tends to swallow people and communities up. That certainly happened at this year’s NME. and BlogWorld Expo, from my observations of the 2007 event, was far less focused on interactions between people and groups than it was on the content of its events, and its “name” speakers. Making recommendations on this topic is hardest, because you must essentially offer people compelling reasons not to wander away from the trade show. And that’s incredibly difficult.
BlogWorld-sponsored social events and BOF sessions, as I’ve already suggested, will help. and it may be that scheduling more informal events inside the cavernous convention center would keep people together. Finally, using the SXSW model of pre-expo meetups around the country could help attendees make connections in their own areas before they arrive in Vegas, giving them pre-made connections that stem from their commitment to supporting Blogworld Expo.
Loosen up and think outside the box. From my perspective, BlogWorld is a less welcoming and open environment than NME has been. There, I said it! Even in its first year, BlogWorld seemed burdened by the hierarchy of blogging’s A-list, and a set of relationships that existed long before the show began. It lacked the genuine enthusiasm and innovation of BlogHer, or the community focus of NME. It was, in short, a bit of an old boys’ club, that was also burdened by some procedural weirdness, such as onerous session signup and verification measures, and keynote sessions held in dark, echo-filled spaces. I also sensed a lack of participant diversity, despite the event’s heavy focus on political blogging. In a nutshell, I did not feel that BlogWorld Expo met my needs as a publisher who does not operate within the celebrity strata of the blogging world.
Spend some time at a BlogHer event. Even in an environment where I knew few attendees, the contagious enthusiasm of attendees, and willingness of organizers to engage all comers, whatever their blogging specialty or level of fame and expertise, came through. The show was efficiently run, but laid back.Use the addition of podcasters to broaden the speaker pool, focusing, as I suggested previously, on tech, content development and business topics.
Listen to passionate podcasters. If podcasting is to become a vital part of the BlogWorld experience, the event’s organizers need to integrate the collective wisdom of the podcasting world to build good conference programming and exhibit hall experiences. Besides the kinds of technical content I wrote about yesterday, I see great opportunity for podcasters to learn how blogging and other media tools and methods can be used to build their shows, their brands, and their world domination infrastructure.
Seek out formal and informal advisors from within podcasting; people who can enhance conference content, exhibit hall programs, and after-hours social opportunities. These advisors should represent monetizers, hobbyists, techies, advertising brokers; the widest possible range of podcasters and podcast businesspeople. Survey Tim Bourquin’s mailing list to find out what past NME attendees want and don’t want. Use social media tools to facilitate open discussions between now and next year’s expo.
I wish Rick Calvert and BlogWorld Expo a lot of success. I also recognize that Rick is first and foremost trying to run a business. I sincerely believe that excellent content and attendee experiences are the first requirements for a successful event.
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12.10.08
Posted in Blog Posts, New Media and Tech, Podcasting at 11:23 am by Shelly
In a move that was first rumored back in 2007, Tim Bourquin has sold the trade show he created, New Media Expo, to BlogWorld, producers of BlogWorld Expo (link currently not working).
The 2008 New Media Expo, the fourth annual event that was aimed primarily at podcasters, did not quite live up to expectations, and Bourquin had not announced a 2009 event, leading to speculation that the show would either disappear or be moved from Las Vegas to a more conducive venue.
I’ll be honest with you here. I’m fighting the temptation to rain on the BlogWorld Expo parade, even before I hear what organizers might have planned. It’s not that I begrudge Bourquin’s desire to cut his losses, or to recognize that the NME cannot continue in its present form. Under the circumstances, Tim did the right thing. He ran a good event that earned the support of podcasters, ranging from the most committed monetizers to the strong contingent of community-oriented folk, both business-focused, and hobbyists. He listened to the suggestions of many podcasters and would-be podcasters and worked hard to weave socializing, technical and corporate-focused sessions, and exhibits into a trade show and conference that worked on many levels, and for many budgets.
The parade-raining part comes in as I consider the difference between NME and BlogWrold’s content and zeitgeist. I firmly believe that if BlogWorld is to truly embrace the podcasting side of new media, its producers will need to learn from Tim, and from those of us who supported and benefitted from New Media Expo.
Here’s the first of a two-part to-do list for integrating the best of NME into BlogWorld Expo.
Community, community, community. I’ve argued among friends that podcasting isn’t really an example of social media. But it is true that from the very beginning of the medium, producers were creating and participating in communities, building things collaboratively, creating meetup groups, attending PodCamps, and referring to themselves collectively as “the community”. The social aspect of podcasting, I would argue, earned the first Podcast Expo (later to become NME) more broad acceptance than it otherwise would have had, giving the show the push it needed.
BlogWorld Expo should develop or encourage more social events, both on and off the exhibit floor, and encourage show sponsors to get involved, too. Conference sessions should feature speakers with roots in podcasting; people whose names and reputations were built by working actively with other audio and video producers.
Strong podcasting-specific content. Like many trade shows, BlogWorld Expo organizes its conference into tracks. Many of these are focused on content genres; politics, military blogging, mommy blogging, etc. Of course, there are also plenty of sessions about blog advertising and other business strategies. Podcasters will certainly gain from the expertise of bloggers, but their needs diverge in some key areas. Podcasting has a strong technical component, for one thing, and the BlogWorld folks will need to incorporate these topics into their session tracks. To this point, podcasters have been less likely than bloggers to organize themselves around the content genres they work in. The exception to this rule are the sci-fi/spec fiction producers, who have not only built podcasting tracks at Dragon*Con and Balticon, but have even gone so far as to hand out awards within their ranks.
BlogWorld organizers should do two things with regard to genre-focused producers: rely on the leaders of the spec fiction podcasting community for advice, and develop Birds of a Feather, or SIG sessions where genre podcasters can meet informally and exchange meaningful advice and information.
Continued technical focus. I’m a geek. I like to sit in sessions where the slides or live demos feature waveforms, or where a presenter does “show and tell” with a table full of podcast gear. Both new and experienced podcasters need outlets for their technical questions and discoveries. As podcasting has matured, the number of opportunities for tech talk aimed at wannabe producers have diminished. Even the PodCamp movement, where larger discussions of social media and marketing have, to some extent, smothered discussion of podcasting, has de-emphasized the tech.
BlogWorld has an opportunity not only to help NME refugees get their tech on, but to empower its blogger base to begin podcasting. Tech sessins at the begining and advanced level, led by experienced podcasters and audio/video producers, should occupy their own conference track.
Coming next, loosen up, listen, and ignore Vegas.
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12.03.08
Posted in Blog Posts, Random Personal Nonsense at 1:49 pm by Shelly
I have been tagged yet again, this time by Daryl. At least I don’t have to do much work. This is called the Sixth Photo Meme. If you’re a Flickr user, go to the sixth page of your photostream, choose the sixth photo and post to your site.
We ran across this unusual sight one morning while eating at the Taco Shack, here in Austin. The dog’s owner sat nearby while everyone in the pace made a fuss.
I tag Tim & Nanette, Charles, Matt, Dan & CJ, and the other Matt.
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11.28.08
Posted in Blog Posts at 4:44 pm by Shelly
My online friends have been a real help to me in the past few days. Thank you all. A hospital room is a decidedly offline place; not very connected at all to the usual kinds of communication and trappings of a plugged-in life. So when I come back to my computer, it’s both comforting to find you here, and jarring to the part of me that has just left the institutional environment.
Dad did indeed have a stroke; two small ones, actually. Various tests and scans are ongoing, and he’ll have a heart scan on Monday (Monday is a long way away when you’re in the hospital) to examine the back of his heart for any damage or clots. When he is released from the hospital, he’ll have to spend some time in a rehab facility.
Being in the hospital and under the control of others would have been tough for my father under the best of circumstances. But with a droopy left side, and bouts of confusion, it is pretty harrowing. He doesn’t want to be there, and he gets agitated about that. It’s our job to keep him calm, be with him, advocate for him, and remain sane ourselves. Difficult stuff.
Thanks again to all of you who have reached out to me. It really, truly means a lot.
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11.26.08
Posted in Blog Posts at 9:25 am by Shelly
Good news first. My dad is alert, awake, and cranky about being stuck in a hospital bed.
This post is mostly about getting the basic info out to all the wonderful people who have been supporting me and my family with prayers, virtual hugs, and best wishes. Thank you all. It means a lot. I’ll post more later about how we’re all feeling. My coping mechanism is to be very focused and to try to ask the right questions.
Last night around dinnertime, my dad, who uses a wheelchair, was unable to get himself from his recliner into the wheelchair, and my mom was unable to move him. He was very weak, especially on his left side. It is possible that he had felt this way for some time. My dad is not one to let anyone know when he’s not feeling well. He’s a “tough it out” kind of guy.
While trying again to get himself out of his chair, dad ended up on the floor, and, because of his extreme weakness, mom called EMS. From her description, Frank and I suspected a stroke, though the EMS people initially said they didn’t think so. His heartbeat was irregular.Frank and I met them at the house and followed to the hospital, where my sister (who had been maddeningly stuck in traffic) met us. Dad had an EKG, chest x-ray and CAT scan, and was finally put into a hospital room five or six hours after arriving. One of the doctors did suspect it could have been a stroke or something to do with his heart, but the EKG and CAT scan were inconclusive.
This morning, he’s having an MRI and other tests. My sister and mother are there now, and I’ll take over for my sis later in the day.
Thank you all again for your concern and support.
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10.27.08
Posted in Announcements, Podcasting at 10:45 am by Shelly
Lately I’ve found that Saturday and Sunday afternoons are podcast prime time. I posted two shows this weekend, so go out and get em if you want em.
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10.14.08
Posted in Blog Posts, New Media and Tech, Politics and Public Affairs at 10:40 am by Shelly
I met RocketBoom founder Andrew Baron in the press room at Portable Media Expo in 2006. He recorded one of those “This is Andrew, and you’re listening to…” IDs for a podcast I was producing. Later, as managing editor of Blogger & Podcaster, I interviewed Andrew for a feature I was planning. The article was killed by higher powers, unfortunately. What I didn’t know when our paths crossed, was that I had a much older connection to Andrew. In 1991, when I worked for the Texas Attorney General’s Office, I met a wonderful woman named Joan Baron. Joan is Andrew’s aunt, sister of his father, Dallas attorney Fred Baron. Joan, like me, was “passing through” state government, which made for a simultaneously detached and earnest approach to the place and to the work. We talked politics. A lot! We snarked about the byzantine and petty ways of state agency project planning, and the foibles of people who worked the bureaucracy in cynical ways. Joan talked a lot about her brother Fred, a high-powered lawyer who had made his reputation (and a lot of money) going after companies who had exposed workers to asbestos. Fred was a big-time Democratic party fundraiser, and flew folks like Texas Governor Ann Richards around in his plane. I got the sense that Fred was a larger than life figure in their family.
Joan and I remained friends when I moved to California. Homesick as I was, I returned to Austin often, and spent many evenings drinking beer with Joan and her then-husband, Doug, and ranting about politics and over-crowding in California. Those were good times, and kept me sane during a tough patch in my own life.
I made the connection between the Texas Barons and the new media Baron in the most devastating way possible. The tech media world, and my Twitter stream, is buzzing today with the news that Fred Baron has final stage multiple myeloma, and that his son Andrew is working to convince drug maker Biogen to allow Fred to be treated with Tysabri, a drug that is not approved for Fred’s illness, but that has been shown to have promise in experiments.
From Andrew’s post:
In what can only be defined as a miracle in timing, a few days ago, one of his doctors who has been studying his tumor cells in the lab for years found an antibody with an exact match: Tysabri which is manufactured by your company, Biogen Idec. In the test tube, it attached to the antigens on the surface of the tumor 100%.
Though the drug has never been used before in this way, and because time is running out, the head of the FDA, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach has granted special approval for use of the drug for this purpose but you have personally decided “no”.
Andrew Baron asks his blog readers to contact Biogen CEO James Mullen or anyone else at the company they may know, to plead that the drug be approved for use by Fred Baron’s doctors. He is also seeking support from elected officials, as well as treatment alternatives.
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09.11.08
Posted in Blog Posts, Politics and Public Affairs at 3:03 pm by Shelly
I was reading a Robert Scoble blog post just now. Honestly, that’s something I try to avoid, but what can I say, I’m very click-y today.
Scoble was reminding us of his idea that the United States needs a chief technology officer (CTO)., and that he thinks Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig is just the guy to take that on. While I’m not hear to advocate for or against Mr. Lessig being offered such a position, the idea reminded me of something that is critical in my personal political decision-making, particularly at the presidential level, who will run the government with creativity and innovation?
Think about something for a second. If a presidential candidate tells you he or she will fix health care, and you believe him or her, you also have to believe that the “fix” will get through the gauntlet of lobbyists, interest groups, congressional pork-grabbers, and hammering of the opposing party. Because even if the candidate’s proposal is a good idea, the other party will not want to offer up a victory. So, assuming the candidate does pass that health care plan, it will, in all likelihood, be less than the promise was, and will leave a bad taste in the mouths of many ordinary citizens who drank Kool-Aid during a political campaign.
Ditto any other campaign-born initiative that requires the passage of legislation and/or major overhauls to the structure of government entities.
On the other hand, a president can make a big mark on domestic and foreign policy within the executive branch, both by appointing smart, honest, innovative agency heads, and establishing opportunities for new ideas to flourish within and across those agencies that the president controls. A smart energy secretary could, for example, direct appropriated funds to pilot projects that support research into a particular plug-in hybrid technology. A health policy czar could hire department heads whose backgrounds are in public health, and who therefore focus on preventative care for the uninsured (saves money), cessation of bad habits like drug use (reduces both mortality and crime), or AIDS prevention within the next generation of gay teens. Creative-thinking state department section heads could forestall military interaction with under-developed economies by promote US trade before China swoops in. And a national CTO could rewrite the structure of technology planning and acquisition within the federal government, integrating lon-germ planning efforts, and allowing procurers to buy and install new technology with a quicker turn-around.
No presidential candidate could or would run on issues like making sure the IRS computer system is not obsolete before it is installed, or developing effective information management tools for government managers on the go. But a president whose hiring priorities emphasized innovation and gave executives the authority to overturn systems that do not work would arguably do more to improve the effectiveness of the way government functions than almost anything else, especially if passing legislation is involved.
I believe Barack Obama is much more likely to seek out innovators than is John McCain. For one thing, the recent ideological steamroller that is the current Republican administration has a lot to do with my interest in this topic. The last eight years are littered with examples of ideology, political loyalty and/or cronyism trumping competence in the hiring of executive branch leaders. For all his recent talk of change, McCain’s reliance on lobbyists and other Washington hacks as advisors does not lead me to believe that toppling the current infrastructure and replacing it with the best and the brightest is at the top of his list, or, quite frankly, anywhere on it. Obama certainly has his share of politically connected types, but you’ll also find a good many academics, former diplomats and others who actually want to do the work of making government better, more efficient, more responsive, and more sure-footed, especially when it comes to technology.
As Thomas Frank points out in his new book, Wrecking Crew, a large strain of the conservative movement has no interest in making it better. In extreme cases, they actively seek to break government, in order to further their efforts to destroy support for its work. In less extreme cases, the “smaller government” mantra that seems to be tattooed onto the forehead of many Republican appointees means they’ll lack the enthusiasm or the creativity to be good at their jobs. And people who aren’t suited to their jobs, or don’t like their jobs, tend not to be motivated to do them well.
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09.09.08
Posted in Blog Posts, New Media and Tech at 2:40 pm by Shelly
Am I really the only person who finds Apple’s frequent tinkering with the iPod nano design tedious? The first nano had physical problems (read, it got scratched a lot), the second was a thing of beauty, the third was chunky and awkward, and the fourth, well, I haven’t seen one, so I’m withholding judgment. Other than an altered menu system and the ability to play video (do y’all play video on your nanos?) it’s essentially the same device that was released in 2005.
I love the nano. In all versions, the size was just about right, both physically, and in terms of storage. It is (for Apple) affordable, and it’s mostly a pretty tough little device. But unlike the iPhone or iPod Touch, which really does need to progress along a design and technology curve at frequent intervals, the regular rejiggering of the nano line just doesn’t feel necessary. I’m a happy second gen nano owner. In fact, it might just be my favorite iPod, all things considered. It does its thing and it does it well. And I think my little blue friend is plenty good-looking.
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