For Mother’s Day, Ponzi and I picked up a small set of cookware for my mom - who had earlier noted that her pots and pans weren’t perfect. Mom was a bit concerned that the non-stick coating was a health hazard, and did more research with the company:
I talked to Calphalon today and the non-stick surface is different from Teflon. Teflon uses a certain chemical in their non-stick that could cause health problems. Calphalon does not use this chemical. I still have to use non metal utensils and hand wash the pots/pans but I really like all their other features. My cookware is really “Simply” but under Target’s brand is “Essentials”.
BTW, if your Everyday pan is the gray outer color (not stainless steel or enamel, etc) it should be hand washed too as the dishwasher soap could cause a “reaction” on the anodized surface. Also the Everyday is probably has a non stick inner surface too so don’t use metal on it. If you go into Calphalon’s website, there is a really good comparison chart under Products, Products Catalog, Cookware, Infused Anodized.
It’s a bit creepy, but if you think about it - some kind of network port to download / upload information would be quite practical. The brain is a computer of sorts, driven by electricity - stacked with organic memory modules. Imagine being able to do some kind of "offbody" data dump at the push of a node; we could essentially backup the information in our brain… even if we couldn’t reassemble the output intelligently yet. We backup our personal computers, so why not our persons?
I might not put a network jack in the middle of my forehead, but my belly button has been doing nothing since birth (to my knowledge). Of course, a more direct pathway would be through the ear. Some people might beg for wireless, but I wouldn’t want to risk any dropped packets. Is this a Category "4 head" as Mark Ramsey suggests, or is it a "You Don’t Know" jack as first suggested by skidvis? bimmerbuff might call it a "Neuraethernet," and iHedron would name it… the Egonet.
I’d likely also get a port installed in my wife’s body, purchase a crossover cable, and solve our communication issues once and for all.
I’m heading home from Washington DC this morning, and had to take a picture of what awaited me near my gate. I don’t know who to thank for the "Outlet Stands" - either the Reagan Airport or Dunkin Donuts. Either way, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS FOR US!!! There are two other outlets on the other side of this table - as well as a completely separate table that’s to the left of this particular photo.
The last time I had Dunkin Donuts, I was in grade school (yes, THAT long ago). I caved to my inner child - although I’m sure I’ll pay for it later by feeling sick on the plane. And I’m sorry, but Dunkin Donuts coffee ain’t no Peet’s. I had to go with iced coffee since they didn’t have heavy cream - although I almost got an espresso (and might yet before my flight). The wrapper once held a donut with chocolate frosting and colored sprinkles.
Isn’t this soundboard the coolest thing? It was created by live community member desertwarrior. Not only is it fun, it also really underscores my belief in being open about everything I do. He’s taken about 60 clips of things I’ve said and sounds I’ve made, and put them together in this neat little application you can all play with.
There are some content producers who aren’t as unfriendly to their community. They aren’t as open to letting their community to do things like this. I’ve said in the past you can use my Chris heads anytime you want. This just wraps up everything I enjoy about interacting with people on the Web. Until the day comes when I lose my voice… I’ll be able to keep this up.
I don’t know how you all feel about this. If you create content and put it online… do you let the community take the ball and run with it. If you don’t allow it… why? I’m just curious as to why don’t. You’re free to use any of my content. All I ask is a small amount of credit. Embed my videos. Share a link of mine. Use an article I’ve written. Just show me the final product. Send me a .pdf, or a link… just something I can see. Go ahead and use those clips and sound bites. Just be friendly about it, not gross or illegal. Thats just not right. Again, all I ask is you give some type of credit (a link back to my site is fine).
Let’s not go overboard though. The World can only take so much of me. Heck… I can only take so much of me.
The differences between traditional radio and Internet radio are pretty vast. Yes, they are both audio. Everything else is merely the mechanism and limitations of the delivery. With a traditional radio, you can flip between bands and frequencies. You hope to pick up some kind of signal with your antenna that may be within range. With Internet radio… your Internet connection is your antenna. You have no limitations on what you can find.
When we talk about radio, we are talking about some kind of audio, usually live. Online radio is kind of the future of radio. Some argue that Satellite radio is the future, but I disagree. As more and more cars have the ability to connect to the Internet, they will start utilizing Internet radio. I received an email recently from Brian, who asked about more information on Online radio advertising. He had to do a research paper.
What I do here with my live video feed isn’t exactly radio. However, since there is audio and it’s being streamed live… there are similarities. When I have dealt with sponsors in the past, not only have I been transparent about those sponsors. I’ve also used certain hooks that traditional radio has. For instance, if you want a domain name, you want to go to GoDaddy. However, if you want to save 10%, you’ll use the code Chris or Chris1 or Chris2 or even Chris3. Same thing with GoToMeeting. When you do these things, that lets my sponsors know that you found out about them through me. They then know that I am connecting with my audience, and the money they spent to advertise with me was worth it.
Online advertising honestly isn’t that much different than traditional. The only thing that is different is the delivery method. It’s still audio… in some cases it’s more than audio. The audience will be larger with Internet radio, actually. What’s compelling about radio is that it’s live. You need to understand that with Internet radio, you are no longer limited by your antenna. You are only limited by your creativity and talent. When you match that talent with sponsors, you’re going to be happy, with far less overhead. The onus will be on you to draw in and retain an audience to listen to or watch your content.
Richard sent me the following email, which I feel is an excellent discussion point:
You do not come off as a shy person, as I am, but how do you manage to stay so calm and relaxed when you are presenting your live feed to the community? When I give presentations to my classmates, I have the bad habit of speaking too fast and not enunciating my words clearly. You, however, seem very relaxed, you pace yourself, you are easy to understand, and you speak very eloquently while using mature vocabulary. It also appears that you are able to speak very professionally off the top of your head, assuming that you do not write out what you say beforehand. I just really admire the ways you go about presenting information. I was just wondering if you had any tips at all about pacing yourself, focusing on what you are saying, and just staying relaxed. I think this would be a good thing to bring up with the community, unless you already have, because first impressions are very important.
I’ve pretty much been a ham all my life. I’m someone who always upstaged other people. I really enjoy doing the videos every day, for that very reason. Even though I’m energetic about it, I’ve refined my style over the years. I am a perfectionist when I record. I am known to literally do take after take, to get one I am really happy with. I want to always make sure I’m coming across the best way that I can. I’m always cognizant of the fact that most people who see my videos will see them after the fact, instead of live.
Practice, practice, practice… it really does make perfect. In High School, I tried out for what was called “Speech Squad”. Most of the comments I got were along the lines of “SLOW DOWN!”, because I always tended to speak too fast. Being on radio and tv has helped me to really think about what I do and how I do it. I’ve been able to refine my presentation style over the years.
Heck, no matter how much you practice you’re going to be nervous. That’s normal. Tap into that emotion and passion. Do your best to surface your thoughts in a way that is clear, cohesive and coherent. Connect with your intended audience. Even though I tend to throw in those $10.00 words at times, it’s really about what’s in my heart… not my head. For me, it’s about relaying useful information to the world. My approach has always been honest, genuine and transparent. It’s true… sometimes I am over the top. I get excited, and get increasingly louder as more and more thoughts jump into my head. I fall victim to saying “uh” and “Uhm” as much as anyone.
That’s my biggest tip. You don’t have to fill every second with noise. Take a breath. Take a pause. There’s no ‘undo’ button or delete key if you say the wrong word, but you can still correct yourself. You’re human, after all. Don’t try to be too perfect. People will connect with you more when you come across as human and imperfect. Show your passion, put your heart and soul into what you’re doing.
Geoff Smith created the most amazing ring tone for me! He emailed to thank me again for hooking up Cali Lewis and himself during the iYule launch party, and for the video I made regarding this project. He wanted to show me a project that he is doing for the iPhone. The project he is talking about can be found at RingToneFeeder. He recorded this just to thank me for the time I gave to the iYule project.
RingtoneFeeder is a weekly automated delivery of original ringtones exclusively produced and optimized to sound great on the iPhone. When buying content on CD or DVD we have come to expect bonus material as part of the deal - such Special features often include deleted scenes, exclusive sound tracks, bloopers, wallpapers and many other goodies. When you subscribe you will instantly get the latest 5 ringtones released and then at least one new ringtone every week for as long as you remain subscribed. At only $1.98 per month or $19.98 for a full year, it’s a great deal.. and will make you the envy of all your friends.
I’m not only bringing this up to thank Geoff. There is something that many people overlook when they have a presence online… their reputation. The more bad things you do, the more people who will not want to interact with you. They won’t want to talk to you, trust you or believe in you. With online communication, all you have is your reputation. This is why I am as happy-go-lucky as I can be. This is why I reciprocate as many friendships as I can. That’s part of my reputation. What is my rep? To me, I’m all about having fun, meeting people, and helping as many of you as I can. I do my best to maintain a healthy reputation. I’m very transparent about myself, with good reason. I don’t want to ever be perceived as having something to hide.
When I was visiting my family last week in Iowa, my Mom clipped out an article from the Reader’s Digest. My brother also mentioned the same article. My brother Adam is now doing some live streaming of his own! It’s really cool. He’ll listen to some music, and then sketch a picture to go along with it, all on the stream. He’s a great artist, and a lot of fun. So be sure to check him out! Anyway, I digress. What I learned from the article is that there are younger people online who don’t care about their reputation. They are rude, and break rules on nearly every site they join. There are many people who have been kicked off of the University of Iowa’s football team, due to things they posted online that they shouldn’t have.
Too many people have the misconception that things done online cannot impact your “real life”. There are things I did online over ten years ago that I wish I wouldn’t have, of course. I try to stay very cognizant of the fact that anything I do online can be tracked, and leads back to my reputation.
What kind of reputation do you have online? More importantly… what are you doing to keep that reputation intact?
Imagine my surprise when a few friends of mine from the Netherlands emailed to let me know that I was featured in a video about Wikipedia! There was a link in the beginning of their video to a video I had done about Wikipedia, discussing how we can use them as a source to find out truth and information. I’ve often talked about Wikipedia in the past, listing it as a resource that should always be fact-checked. However, it’s the future of information distribution. I feel it falls short in some areas, yes. However, it’s strength far outweighs their weaknesses.
So I went on a search, and came across the video in question on YouTube. The first thing you hear and see after their logo flashes through is the video that we recorded! What the producers decided to do is clip about the bottom half, which eliminates chat and my sponsor logos. Most concerning to me, is they also eliminated credit. We produced this video… and did not get credit. The Truth According to Wikipedia is an amazingly well-produced video.
While I think it’s great that they used and edited my work, I’m very upset that they did not give me credit. It’s quite well done, so on the one hand I’m proud to have been a part of what they’ve come up with. But of course… the other hand is my disappointment in not being asked to use my content, or even so much as giving me credit for my original work. As traditional journalists, they should have given credit where credit is due.
I’m not asking that they take the video down, since it was so well done. But I do think I should get proper credit. If you’re going to use something that another person has produced… give them credit for the work. Ask them if it’s ok to use! Most of the time, I will give you permission, and ask for a copy of what you put together. Is it really the truth, and the right way of doing things by leaving out where you got the information you used?
Jthermane24 from our live chat room writes: “Most of us like to travel. But when travel time comes… so does the electronics packing. I have made a set of top five tips for traveling with electronics.”
If you have a laptop, get a good quality laptop case. You need a sturdy one, so you don’t run the risk of the case or strap breaking, causing you to end up with a damaged laptop. When buying your case, why not take your laptop along? That way, you can see how well it fits inside, and how much room is left over for cords and other items.
Make sure you pack all the power cords for each device you are bringing. Even if you charged said device fully before leaving… bring the cord anyway. You never know when the device might die on you… just when you need it!
If you are traveling with multiple people, buy yourself a backpack to keep all your gadgets in. This way, yours won’t get confused with everyone else’s, and they’ll be easier for you to find when you need them.
Label all of your cords. You can use cheap plain white labels from the local WalMart for this, or even masking tape. Write on the labels what the cord goes to, and even where it plugs into if you aren’t sure you’ll remember.
Make a written list ahead of time of all the devices you are bringing with you. Check each item off as you pack it… and then refer to it when packing up to return home. You won’t forget a device at home OR in your hotel.
TSgt Mark Hansen emailed the other day from halfway around the world:
Hi Chris, I saw your webpage about Vonage and am asking for your help. I am in the Air Force stationed in Korea, and all Vonage users here are banned from using Vonage equipment on the ISP’s network, who offers their own VoiP service. They do this by blocking all port 50 traffic on their network. So basically, all bases in South Korea have this ban in effect. I went with Skype instead…
Anyways, I am trying to FAX a copy of my orders to Vonage so they can release me from the account and reimburse me. (I’m not holding my breath) I spoke to account management the other day and was given 1-732-528-2669 to fax it to them, but this is not a FAX number. I have a suspicion that theyre going to use the excuse that I never sent my orders in… how could I when the number they gave me isn’t a working FAX number?
I was curious to try FAXing over a Vonage line, but certainly never had to deal with FAXing something to them. He followed up almost immediately:
I got another one from Acct. Management… 1-732-834-0189. I havent verified reciept and closure of the account yet, I have to wait 72 hours, then call back to their wonderful customer service staff and verify…
I actually made the rep stay on the line to ensure it was a working FAX, so I called the wife on the calling card and asked her to call the number to see if it was an actual FAX machine… (remember, I havent verified they actually received it, once I do, I’ll let you know).
If you’d like, you can publish it on your site once verified to assist other Vonage victims… er, customers) They said I had to FAX it to them because they don’t have email… Multi Billion corporate entity and they don’t have email… Hmmm.
Anybody else have any experience(s) with Vonage FAXing?
I recently uploaded a one-minute video of my laughing hysterically. In three days’ time, that video has had over 10,000 views on YouTube, and received more than 300 comments. What does it take to generate this kind of traffic? Jeff sent me an email recently, asking me what tips and tricks there are to get content to the top of search engines?
There is no one silver bullet, there are many things you can do. Not all of them will necessarily lead you down the path to success… in terms of views, attention and meeting your goals. I’ve written down three points to answer this. These are things I believe are applicable to everyone who is producing content online. Make sure you just be yourself, that is the most important.
Survey the landscape.
Use the resources at your disposal.
Embrace, empower and extend the community.
For years, you had to rely on your own devices to create content and find a place for that content to exist. These days, with the advent of sites like YouTube, it’s much simpler. I produce a Podcast that can be downloaded onto an MP3 player. I know that the greater impact would be experience on YouTube, more than anywhere on the Internet. In surveying the landscape a few years ago, I realized I needed to start driving my content to YouTube. I didn’t quit my blog … I simply learned to drive traffic to the video site, to learn more about me and what I do. I knew I would get a greater amount of return with video than with written word.
The most important thing is to embrace, empower and extend the community. One of the reasons it is crucial for me to have chat inside the videos that I do is my chat room is the closest thing I have to a live studio audience. The interaction and personal exchange between the chat members adds so much to what I do. It’s all about the community. It’s a connection, whether informative or fun. By connecting with others on many different levels, you will be able to reach out wider and further, driving more traffic to yourself. Don’t treat people like they are some remote foreign object. Treat them as though they are a very important part of your life. Let’s face it… if you’re trying to gain a following, they ARE important to you.
At the time of this recording, I was visiting back home in Iowa at my brother’s house. We’re planning a road trip to Wisconsin to see a concert he had bought tickets for. It sounds like good music, and a lot of fun. Do you enjoy road trips? What should you bring with you on a road trip? Scott sent an email in to give us some tips on things you should bring along.
Power Inverter This plugs into your cigarette lighter in your vehicle, so you can then plug in regular power cords. You would be able to plug in your laptop, or any other device. Watch a DVD while traveling (NOT if you’re driving!).
Music Use an iPod or other MP3 player going over the stero in your vehicle. Who wants to carry a huge stack of CDs with them?
Radar Detector This can help you remember to keep your foot out of it, and save on costly speeding tickets. Legalities vary from state to state, so be careful about using something like this.
GPS Navigation These can be a lifesaver when you’re heading off somewhere new.
Check your car carefully Check your car’s tires, oil, transmission fluid and any other simple maintenance items that could cause problems when on the road.
So what do you recommend when going on a road trip? Send me your thoughts via a comment on this post, or send me an email to chris@pirillo.com.
Is blogging the new form of Journalism? Should bloggers be held to the same standards as the media? Those questions were asked of me recently in an email, and raise a lot of food for thought.
I don’t know that I’d say blogging is a new form of journalism, no. Blogging is certainly a newer type of writing style. Blogging and journalism aren’t exactly the same, but they achieve the same results. A blogger writes out of passion, out of an extreme interest for a particular topic. Should a blogger then be held to the same standards as the media? I don’t think so, necessarily. I guess it depends on what your definition of a journalist is, as opposed to a blogger. The only difference I can see between the two is content. They’re both there to produce content. Bloggers write because they want to. Journalists write to get paid, because it is their job.
How many times have you had this happen? I’ll get a phone call from someone who wants to interview me, or include me in a story. They’ll take up a few hours of my time, asking tons of questions. Then, of course, they use only one thing I said or the story/comments aren’t used correctly. How many times have you been watching television, and the reporter just totally gets it wrong. You’re yelling at the tv, telling the person on the program that they are wrong! It happens all the time.
This is the main difference I see between bloggers and journalists. Bloggers tend to write what they know, think and feel. Journalists are supposed to give facts, and unfortunately don’t always get them correct.
In many ways, the Blogosphere is like this huge editorial board. If a blogger comes out with something excellent, it will spread like wildfire. It will be validated. Many people feel that bloggers should be held to the same standards as the media. But… what makes “the media”? Heck, I am the media as much as anyone else is. So who draws the line? Who decides what is journalism, and what is merely blogging? Who is the boss when it comes to standards for sets of people?
Travel can be expensive, and last-minute travel is even worse! If you’ve ever had to do this, you know it can be a major pain in the pocketbook. I’m in Iowa with my family, and it was a last-minute trip. I had to change plans that were already in place to something completely different in order to come home to Iowa when I did on Friday.
It was costly, to say the least. But, I do have five tips that I jotted down to hopefully save you some money if you ever have to book a last-minute trip.
Search every website that you know of. Don’t just go to one site. That’s crazy. Costs will be different on every site. Even if they pull from the same data, you never know which will have the best cost.
Let them choose the times if you’re flexible. This is a big tip, because it can spell the difference between spending a thousand dollars, and spending three hundred.
Make more connecting flights if you need to. I prefer to fly direct. But if it means a savings a few hundred dollars… I’ll make connecting flights.
Call the airline’s hot line. They may have some kind of special last-minute rate for you. I know it’s possible to get discounts if you’ve had a death in the family, for instance. Ponzi and I were planning to travel elsewhere already. I called the airport, explained my situation. The airline was fantastic. They canceled our other tickets and refunded most of them. They also helped me get a lower rate on my tickets to Iowa, as it was an emergency situation. So call the airline. You may be happily surprised.
Check nearby airports, and possibly drive the remainder. I could have rented a car and driven it home, had a connecting flight cost a lot more. You can literally save hundreds of dollars this way.
All in all, any travel is expensive these days. Do your research, and try to be flexible when at all possible. This can mean the difference of several hundred dollars.
Are Ethics important… especially in relation to Technology. I had an email from Justin, asking questions about Ethics on the Internet.
How would you define the computer Ethics in today’s digital world? Honesty and Transparency. Those are likely the terms you’ll hear thrown about in relation to Ethics. You must be transparent and honest about the things you are doing. The tools to publish are easier to access, and more affordable these days. Ethics isn’t always inherent. It comes down to trusting the person who may be doing or saying something. If you’ve run across a blog post that’s a raving review of a new product… how do you know they have any credibility? How do you know it’s not a paid endorsement if it isn’t disclosed? That’s the point… it wasn’t disclosed. You just have to trust that the author is telling the truth. I tell people exactly what’s going on… I don’t hide anything, much to many people’s chagrin.
Is it important for Social Networking sites to enforce Ethical behavior on said sites? If you’re promoting anything that may be considered illegal, then yes. Sites like YouTube must take care of those issues. Also keep in mind that each website you sign up for has Terms of Use. If you violate those, then the sites can and will pull your content from public view. I’m under the belief that a community will raise more red flags than a website itself. Thankfully, the general population cries “FOUL” when seeing illegal and unethical content. When it comes down to personal attacks… that is unethical behavior. If you don’t like someone because of something they believe in, respond to them appropriately. Attack the opinion, never the person.
Is there a true code of Ethics regarding computer use and practices of it on the Web? You may have seen the movie “Office Space”. It was justified by the perpetrators of this white-collar crime that it’s “only pennies” that they were taking. However, it’s not Ethical behavior. They were stealing money that they weren’t entitled to have. The Code of Ethics that one might adhere to depends on the tool, the technology and the community in which they exist. If you’re going to try to enforce Ethics inside of a community who has none… you’re fighting a losing battle unfortunately. How do you feel when someone creates a piece of Malware? Does that person have Ethics? Maybe they have a different perspective. Where do you draw the line? Who are we to decide what someone else’s Code of Ethics should be?
This is one thing that keeps me live streaming.. it keeps me honest. The Blogosphere keeps everyone honest. If I do or say something wrong… believe me, I hear about it. I get upset more than you would believe when someone accuses me of something I didn’t do. I have a hard time getting past that hurdle. I admit when I’m wrong. I will eat Crow when I need to be. If I made a mistake on the Web, the mistake is there. It’s done. It can’t be removed.
I try my best to live my life by the Golden Rule. “Do unto others…” I give everyone that trust until it’s broken. It’s gotten me in trouble in the past. There are many people out there who can’t be trusted, unfortunately. But then again… there are so many who can be.
