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MSN 6.0 for the Mac isn’t my new best friend

I use a variety of chat clients. Anyone who does the same knows how much of a pain in the ass this is. I’ve tried those all-in-one things that people cobble together, but let’s be honest about them, alright? They’re crap. Nothing has been made that can truly do with the original version can do. Stability is always questionable, and it never looks pretty. Setup can be a pain, and cross-platform communication is painful.

So MSN 6.0 came out yesterday for the Mac. Great. Yet another version that doesn’t have what it needs to have, and it works worse than the previous one. No video or audio support, and there is this “Windows Live” thing that you can click on. Everytime I do that, it screws up. Gotta quit out and relaunch.

This is the only chat program Rebecca has while she’s at work, and it gets oh so better. MSN will decide to not even send out messages back and forth sometimes. Whole conversations will get mucked up, and we’re left clueless as to what the other person is saying or if either of us got the message at all.

I think that out of all the cients I use, MSN is the most unreliable. The words “Microsoft” and “Mac” probably tells all, but if you’re going to put something new out, make it work. Making it look better doesn’t help things at all.

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Podcast Ready vs. Apple vs. the telephone game

It’s been interesting to watch this unfold over the past few days. There are some folks that have been waiting for the moment to jump on Apple over everything they are doing within the world of digital media, DRM, copyright, trademarks, and so on. This is no exception.

Apple Computer has slapped Podcast Ready with a “cease and desist” letter, claiming that the terms “Podcast Ready” and “myPodder” infringe Apple’s trademarks, and that they cause confusion among consumers. The company has been cracking down on use of the word “pod” by all sorts of parties, even though its trademark is for the word “iPod.”

Podcast Ready CEO Russel Holliman said he’d consider dropping the name myPodder if he had to, but “Podcast Ready”? If that’s infringement, Apple is claiming that it owns the word “podcast.” Sure, the word originated with the word iPod, but most people now see it as a general term for downloadable audio shows that isn’t affiliated with one brand more than another.

Coincidentally, Apple’s letter arrived the day before Podcast Ready unveiled a new version of its software — one that works with the iPod. [wired]

The full version of this letter to Podcast Ready can be found on their site here. The debate is beginning to subside, and the way it has unfolded opens up a couple of observations.

The majority of folks reporting this took this as Apple making the move to trademark the term “podcast” so that no one can use it without their permission. Upon reading the full text of the letting from Apple’s lawyers, this isn’t exactly what this action is intending to do. However, people jumped on it and began bashing the move without getting the full story. In fact, the words “cease and desist” never appear. That didn’t stop the bloggers and podcasters from slamming Apple’s legal action against Podcast Ready.

Podcast411 released a special, soapbox episode[listen] about this issue, and it digs deep into the issue. In fact, Rob did his research, got a copy of the letter, talked to people at the U.S. Patent Office, and reviews how media organizations poorly reported this news. I had a feeling that there was more to this story, and this appears to be the truth. Adam Curry examined the issue as well on a recent episode of the Daily Source Code[dsc#468] and echoes what Rob said on Podcast 411.

Simply put, Apple is defending their right to what they have legally trademarked. “Podcast” is not under threat, and no one can trademark something that exists in the public doman. That’s like someone trying to get a patent on “television” or “radio”, and there is no way that will happen.

There are some folks that take issue with the word “pod” itself, as Apple claims trademark over it. To that, some say the name for the medium should change. I’m sorry, but “netcasting” is the worst thing I have ever heard. It sounds too similar, in meaning, to streaming. Podcasting is what it has come to be. You’ll be hard pressed to change it now.

The last thing I take issue with is the way that so many reporters took up this story without getting all their facts in check. Wired.com posted a follow up to the story above, with a copy of the letter to Podcast Ready. Not once did they mention anything about getting clarification on the matter by actually seeing a copy of the request from Apple’s legal team. There’s poor journalism going on here.

Regardless, Podcast Ready now has more publicity than it could have ever imagined.

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Chicago has a secret radio project that’s about to launch

I have a friend who works at Chicago Public Radio that clued me into something that is happening there. SecretRadioProject.com doesn’t give a whole lot of details, and the information that I was getting from Paul left me with more questions than answers. That’s just because I started throwing out some technical questions, and he isn’t the most technical type of guy.

Chicago will soon be home to a new radio station that is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before.

It’s a creative free-for-all, with no shows and no stuffy time slots. Engaging hosts guide you through the day – whether you stop in for an hour or a quick coffee break.

Every time you tune in, you’ll hear something new and surprising – music, interviews, shout outs, essays and more. All with a local bent and an unmistakably Chicago voice.

And the best part: this radio comes from you. You’re the creator, deejay, producer and editor.

Give us your take on what’s happening in your neighborhood. Share your deepest thoughts, confessions and opinions about your world. Upload audio to our website and tune in as we play it for all of Chicago and the world to hear.

It’s two-way radio: an ongoing conversation with Chicago. Radio of, by and for us all. [secretradioproject]

Paul also added something to the effect that it will be all new content with a YouTube like archive, uploaded from anyone and everyone. This won’t be tied to NPR but will be very tied to the Chicago metro area. However, this will be a service of Chicago Public Radio.

It’s very interesting to hear about, and Paul went offline before I could IM anymore answers out of him. Regardless, the scope of the project is daunting. Radio is in desperate need of rethinking how to exist within a world of changing media. This could be the best experiment I have seen yet to try and do just that.

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William Elliot Whitmore is coming to Vancouver

Whitmore (photo credit: cucamonga.be)I was parsing through my iTunes library when I came across the two albums that I have by William Elliot Whitmore[wiki]. When I did the public radio thing back in the states, he was a guest a few times on the show that we did at a local coffee house every Friday. Super nice, and one of those artists that were able to detract my attention from the levels on the mixer and completely pull me into his performance. Not too shabby for ten in the morning.

I thought I’d check him out on the web to see what he’s up to. He’s originally from southeast Iowa, so southeast that he grew up on the “penninsula” of the state, surrounded by the Mississippi and Des Moines River. These roots make their way into his music from time to time, but that’s not why I’m a fan of his music. Some people say Tom Waits or Johnny Cash when they talk about him, but I think that’s way off. He’s William Elliot Whitmore. Once you get to see him perform, you get it.

Whitemore (credit: ranhar2[flickr])Quite fortunately, he’s coming to Vancouver. October 5th at the Red Room. With hope, I’ll be able to make it out to see him.

Whitmore is my age. When I shook his hand to introduce myself as his sound guy, I thought that his voice might still be suffering from just waking up not long ago. Deep, raspy, and almost struggling for air. That’s just how he talks. How or why, I’m not sure, but whiskey might have something to do with it.

I set up three mics for him. One for his vocals, another for his banjo or guitar, and a third for his foot. He stomps the floor as he plays, getting the stage to boom like a kick drum. Head tilted up and eyes closed, it was like magic. On his song “Cold and Dead”, he doesn’t play anything. It’s just him singing. It gets me when I’m listening to the recording, just like I did the day I saw him perform it.

Oh sure, you might think that it sounds lame. Guy from Iowa with a banjo on stage. Tell that to all the fans of the hardcore band, Ten Grand[wiki], that have become some of his biggest followers. Imagine going out to a show in some of the seediest clubs in Europe with the intention of seeing a band with loud guitar noise and screaming, only to see this guy come on stage as the opening act. It happened many times, and people loved him.

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RadioZoom Episode #113 – Hockey Talk: Canucks Hockey Blog (canuckshockey.blogspot.com)

Another adventure with interviewing bloggers who publish content about my favorite hockey team, episode #113 is served.

A Skype interview with blogger J.J. Guerrero from the Canucks Hockey Blog, Rebecca and I learn more about the guy behind the blog, why he loves the Vancouver Canucks, and gather some insights about the team. The other interesting thing to note about J.J. is that he worked at GM Place for about nine years as an usher. He has a lot of knowledge about the team other that just loving the guys like we do. We don’t spend a lot of time setting up the episode because it really speaks for itself. If you dig hockey, then you’ll really enjoy this one.

45:02 minutes
radiozoom.net

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Vamos a La Playa

I took four years of Spanish in high school. The one thing that always sticks with me is this song, and I don’t find it overly crazy that I was able to come up with it on YouTube. Discoteques[wiki] nearly had their own unit that we studied in that class, teaching us how to use the language in social settings. I can’t even begin to guess how many times we heard this while doing translations at our desks, and it never got old. Well, at least to me.

Rebecca thought I was half crazy when I would be singing this on the way to the beach this summer. Basically it’s saying… the bombs are dropping, the radioactive wind is blowing and messing up our hair, so let’s go to the beach(o-o-o-o-oh!) and party. Mr. Martin was the best teacher, ever.

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Just another day, but I’m another year older

Canucks vs. Anaheim for my birthdayWhat can I say? It’s been an incredible weekend of birthday happiness.

There was Snow Patrol on Thursday night(which I have yet to make my review post about yet), dinner with my Canadian family on Friday, Mexican food with my Canadian friends on Saturday, and the Canucks vs. Ducks at GM place tonight. I’ve said it a lot already, but you only turn twenty-eight once, right?

There are so many thanks that need to go out to so many people. So many good times were had over the period of four days, not to mention the cards, gifts, and alcohol, consumed or given as presents, from everyone.

Just before the puck dropped tonight at GM Place, my parents called me on my cell. It was a moment of true analogy. The beer we had just purchased was foam all the way to the brim and slightly spilling over as my folks wished me a happy birthday. That’s what today had climaxed to, and I don’t think it could have gotten better than that, not to mention that the Canucks preveiled, 4-3 in a shootout.

Poncho's! As I write this, The Reverend Don Deeley is making his way through his weekly radio show at WYEP in Pittsburgh, dedicating a good portion of the selections my way, all for my birthday. He emailed me to give me a heads up, thinking I wouldn’t be listening, but I’ve been streaming in from the beginning. That means a lot, and I thank you so much, Don. Anytime I can take over airwaves through the use of my voice or a barrage of song requests, I’m so there.

I also want to mention thanks to some fellow bloggers for extending some birthday wishes. J.J. from the Canucks Hockey Blog met up with us ahead of the game tonight, providing me with another, frosty beverage for my other hand. Yvonne sent in an email as well as getting a voicemail from Uncle Weed. Even the woman who cuts my hair called me, but Minoo was more concerned about how Rebecca liked the coloring of her hair after there were some issues with getting that all done.

Rebecca had her hair coloredMost importantly, Rebecca has made this an amazing birthday. This has been the first time that we’ve been able to be together for it, and she has made it more incredible than I could have ever imagined. Everything you could probably imagine about her being a wonderful person is true, but I have that and a lot more with everyday that goes by.

Thanks to everyone. Just because your name isn’t on here and the exact contribution to this weekend isn’t listed, that doesn’t mean that it’s insignificant. There’s just so much, and I’ll keep those for myself. Memories are always the best gift that can be given.

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The Last Kiss goes along steadily

The one thing that Zach Braff[imdb] is going to have to deal with is everything he does, in terms of dramas on the big screen, will be compared to Garden State[imdb]. I’ll admit that I haven’t seen it all the way through, or it might be that I have but not all at once or in chronological order. Everytime I try to sort it out, I get slightly confused. I like to think that I have a good understanding of the whole movie. In fact, I’m just going to pretend that I do.

We did go see The Last Kiss[imdb] last night, and that’s something I can say with absolute clarity. It wasn’t my first choice, but I was nicely entertained by it.

A group of 30 year-olds struggle to adapt to adulthood while their aging parents face middle age. [movies.yahoo]

And that pretty much hits the nail on the head in terms of describing this film. The camera work has some great moments, and the soundtrack has so many sentiments of Garden State. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but Snow Patrol, Coldplay, Aimee Mann, Remy Zero, and Turin Brakes had Zach Braff’s name written all over it. Also makes me think that I would get along with a guy like him.

Overall, I thought it was pretty good. The story kicks off and just keeps going. Problems arise, but I didn’t feel like I was on a ride by any means. There are “moments” that occur to make you think. I would tend to think that a movie like this would lead to a lot of couples having hypothetical, “what if” conversations about their relationship. To that, I say, tread lightly.

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The Reverend has The Mountain Goats on tape

Photo by: mountain-goats.comOne thing that The Mountain Goats[wiki] encourages is taping of their live shows. These things end up getting traded among fans, and you’ll see them posted around various sites on the internet, such as TheMountainGoats.net, for the masses to enjoy.

The Reverend Don Deeley was able to catch their show in Pittsburgh the other day at The Andy Warhol Museum, and you know he got it on tape. He mentioned that it’s not a soundboard recording, but the important thing is that he captured it. The Rev got me introduced to their music from our KRUI days together. You can find his recording on the Internet Archive, and here’s the track listing from the show.

Collection: MountainGoats
Band/Artist: Mountain Goats
Date: September 20, 2006
Venue: The Andy Warhol Museum
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Description

Wild Sage
New Monster Avenue
Love Love Love
Song for Lonely Giants
Your Belgian Things
Cheshire County
Moon Over Goldsboro
Maybe Sprout Wings
In the Hidden Places
Dilaudid
Gameshows Touch Our Lives
You or Your Memory
In Corolla (Peter on guitar)

Encore:
Pet Politics (Silver Jews)
This Year

[archive.org]

The Rev in Stanley ParkAs I post this, I have “We Shall All Be Healed” rolling in the background. Everytime I make my way back to The Mountain Goats, I am finding myself amazed and falling in love all over again. Needless to say, The Rev is much more of a fan than I am. The stories he has relayed to me about the trials and tribulations of John Darnielle[wiki] are fascinating.

I have to throw in a slight Iowa connection here. Darnielle lived in the town of Grinnell for a short period of his life, which is also home to a small college of the same name. I don’t know what it is about this city that lies within viewing distance from Interstate 80 as you drive by, but it’s a tiny hub for music in the area.

Grinnell College has a knack for pulling in some great acts, Death Cab For Cutie, Styrofoam, and John Vanderslice being a few that I can name off the top of my head. Not bad for a town of nearly 10,000 people. It’s also the birth place of Speed of Sauce, a long gone local band that has been a favorite of mine since I saw them open up for The Dismemberment Plan in Iowa City.

About the picture, that is The Rev. We ventured into Stanley Park when he was out here in February. Good times.

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RadioZoom Episode #112 – Slurpees; Birthday Weekend; Canucks Hockey Talk; Vancouver Trivia; MySpace; Weird Al; Miss604 In Print

Recorded in haste, late this afternoon, episode #112 has been posted.

Back to the studio, Rebecca joins me for an episode that we are squeezing in before a busy weekend starts for the both of us. My birthday is coming up on Sunday, and we’ll be attending the Canucks game againt Anaheim in celebration. We get into a variety of topics, including Vancouver Trivia as my one year anniversary in Vancouver is quickly approaching.

As you will learn in this episode, we were crunched for time as we were getting ready to see Snow Patrol in concert a few hours after recording this. Check back to these show notes in case I forgot to add something at the time of posting this. I’ll do my best to update later if I have.

45:33 minutes
radiozoom.net