16
Aug
Since the dawn of time, man has speculated about the truth of the Universe. Where do we come from? Why are we here? What is in the center of the earth? Which is better, cake or pie?
At Balticon 44 Sir John Cmar, and Professor Jared Axelrod revealed that truth. And now, through the power of Interweb, they bring the Truth About The Universe to you!
From the official Balticon Program:
JR Blackwell, Laura Burns, John Cmar and Jared Axelrod present both historical misinformation and lies they made up on the fly in this discussion about the nature of the universe. From the smallest microbe to the biggest gas giant, learn how things aren’t–but could be–presented by a panel of experts. Just, don’t believe anything they say. Moderator Arioch Morningstar.
The Truth About The Universe was performed live at Balticon 44. Slides were created by Laura Burns and @jrblackwellJ.R. Blackwell. The dialog was improvised on the spot by John Cmar, Jared Alexrod, and Arioch Morningstar. Music, editting, and introduction by Chooch Schubert.
Special thanks to Paul Fischer and the Baltimore Science Fiction Society
The following alternative download formats are available on Archive.org:
- Full resolution mpeg2 [302 MB] version
- Compressed mpeg4 [46.6 mb] suitable for Apple iDevices – it can be added to podcast feeds
- Open Ogg Theora [43.7] format that can be played on most Linux systems as well as other OSes if they have the codecs loaded
- Finally I split it in half and uploaded them to YouTube (they have a 15 minute limit per video) for people that are more comfortable with YouTube streaming/embedding (Part 1, Part 2)
30
Jul
Our contract is almost up with T-Mobile which means it’s time to pick a new phone. Sure, we could keep going on with the phones we have… I mean they still work and everything.. but where’s the fun in that?!
Our current phones are the G1 which was the first Google Android phone. This has been a great little phone. It has it’s limitations* and quirks, but all in all it’s been the best phone I’ve ever owned. So I really want to stick with Android for the upgrade. I am leaning towards going back to Verizon (the carrier we had before moving to T-Mobile) but that is still up for grabs at this point. It’s going to depend on a balance of phones and available plans.
To help on deciding which phones to go with I’ve created a spreadsheet to compare all of the Android phones that are currently on the market, or are right around the corner. Some are discontinued but left on the list for comparison and completeness.
You can view the document as a webpage with this link. You can also access it as a spreadsheet in Google Docs which will allow you to export to a number of formats (csv, excel, etc).
We originally made the jump to T-Mobile specifically to get the first Android phone since it was an exclusive (yes, my wife is the bomb diggity that she’d let me drag us to other carriers to satiate geek lust). I’ve been happy over-all with the service and call quality and the pricing is good. But I’m finding spotty 3G service in a lot of areas that I frequent. That’s the reason I’m thinking of going back to Verizon. It seems theirs is the network to beat when it comes to data coverage.
Sprint has decent coverage and a speed boost with their “4G**” phones, but Verizon is building out their “4G**” network now and it should be in full swing by the time our new contract comes up and it’s time to buy a phone that is compatible with the new system.
* Regarding the G1′s limitations: I always thought that the problem with the phone being sluggish at times was the CPU. It ends up that it’s really the amount of memory! There are several newer phones that have basically the same CPU (Verizon’s Droid Eris, T-Mobile’s Cliq, Sprint’s Hero) but people don’t seem to complain about the speed. Then I realized the reason is that they have twice the amount of RAM!! Through some 7337 Haxx0r Skillz (yes, that is sarcasm) I rooted my phone and installed an app to increase the clock speed of my CPU, add swap memory, and compress the memory giving it more space overall and the little thing flies!
I removed some of the stuff because it adds wear & tear to the memory card and chews the battery life. But it gave me a taste of what the current generation of phone hardware will feel like. Along this vein I also added in custom software to upgrade the phone from the T-Mobile supplied Android 1.6 (Cupcake) to the current Android 2.2 (Froyo) to try out the features. Wow, it’s like a whole new world and I can’t wait to upgrade!
** I placed 4G in quotes because the 4G consortium has not ratified the standard yet so none of the carriers can official call theirs “4G networks”. Sprint uses WiMAX which has been taking a lot of hits lately (Intel just gave up on it, for instance) and Verizon is using LTE (which actually looks like it will be the official standard). Sprint took a huge risk in that if the standard does not include WiMAX they’ll look silly, but will probably keep on calling it that. I don’t believe that Verizon has official announced their upgrades and are just calling it their LTE Network… for now.
23
Jul
For some reason while driving into the office I was contemplating how the BP oil spill, while tragic and well covered by the media on it’s own, was greatly amplified by Twitter and the fake BP PR account. Given the nautical nature of everybody’s favorite over capacity message I was inspired to create the BP Fail Whale during lunch today.
BP Fail Whale
Feel free to copy, share, remix, point and laugh, whatever.. Like everything else on the site this is Creative Commons (non-commercial, attribution, share-alike)
You can grab a 200×200 square version appropriate as a Twitter/forum/social media avatar here
And a full resolution version suitable for printing, framing, and giving to grandma is available here
28
Jun
[Update] Now includes video, below
The place was packed
I was ecstatic to attend my first Cory Doctorow reading/signing yesterday at Red Emma’s bookstore. The small bookstore/coffeehouse was packed so tight that there was continued difficulty to open/close the front door to let more people in. The place has some amazing circulation, though, as it didn’t get stuffy or uncomfortably hot.
I made my way to the back of the store during the Q&A to buy an iced tea and a copy of Cory’s new book For The Win, and with luck was the third in line to get the book autographed. I can’t wait to start reading it as I loved the short story it was based on titled Anda’s Game.
The tea was quite good and if I lived closer to Baltimore I could see relaxing at Red Emma’s for a drink while browsing, reading, or writing.
From the back of the store
Tonight Cory will be speaking at the New America Foundation thanks to Thomas Gideon, CopyNight, and Public Knowledge. Cory will be “discussing his dystopian vision of the growing conflict between free speech and the democratic principles of the Internet and the business aims of commercial media giants”.
As a matter of fact, I need to get packed up and start heading over. Perhaps I’ll see you there!
[Update] The speaking event was great. I had heard the ideas and anecdotes before, but it was a charge to see them presented live. Thomas gave a wonderful introduction and the place was packed.
New America Foundation has an excellent space for this kind of thing. They had light refreshments available, lots of space in the main room, and monitors/speakers for people who had to overflow into the lobby. I ended up arriving quite a bit early so it was just me and the folks setting up at first, but it didn’t take long for some familiar faces to show up. All in all I think there were about 150 people in attendance.
I have finally finished posting all of the materials from the Audio Excellence in Podcasting workshop we presented at Balticon 44. The three hour session was a lot of fun and I believe that the attendees got a lot out of the session. There were some really great questions and interactions and we covered somethings to a deeper degree than originally planned.
We didn’t get through all of the planned material, but the pace and discussion was based on how the audience was doing with the information and we have many notes and changes to bring a tighter program to Balticon next year.
Thanks to our panelists: Arioch Morningstar, J. Daniel Sawyer, and John Taylor Williams for sharing their time and knowledge.
Special thanks to Thomas Gideon for the loan of his recording gear since my morning brain fog forgot mine in the hotel room!
Next Wednesday we will be playing a live acoustic show in Alexandria, Virginia. The show is in support of a fund raiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I didn’t realize until yesterday that the day we will be playing is actually the one year anniversary of my brother Jamie’s death from cancer.
I cannot think of a better way to honor his memory – an amazing musician – than playing live and supporting this cause. Jamie had synovial sarcoma which is a soft tissue cancer, whereas Leukemia & Lymphoma Society support blood cancers – but hey – any progress made to eradicate ONE of these bastards is a win against all of them!
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: The Light Horse at 715 King Street in Alexandria, Virginia
Here are the details from the Facebook event page:
Please come out and support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as we raise funds to help prevent blood cancers! Brett and I will be participating in The Nations Triathlon on September 12th. YES,That means swimming in the Potomac!!
The Light Horse has been very generous to host this event. There will be music by Phil Rossi and the Awakening,acoustic by Steve Bowes (personal friend of Trish’s), and Claire Gilbride . Also, our close friend John Krahulic will be bringing in his brew Holy Brew, the liquid confession!
Guest Bartender!! Devon McTavish from DC United!
Hope all can make it for a great cause. If you cannot make the event, please feel free to make a donation at http://bit.ly/a2231t
24
May
After almost 20 years of playing with myself, I’ve joined a band.
I’ve been twice married, lived in three different states, and had a son since the last time I played music with other people. It’s been a long road to get here, but it feels fantastic (even if a bit terrifying). The band in question is “Phil Rossi and the Awakening”, led by author and hoopy frood Phil Rossi.
We’ve got a live show at Balticon (in … five days! _gulp_) in which time I need to finish learning 13 songs with one full band rehearsal on Wednesday.
Yeah…. live without a net 
Some history for those interested:
I started playing music when I was a kid. I don’t remember the age (probably 8 or 9) but we always had a piano in the house while growing up and I would sit at that piano and perform grand concerts. In my head they were grand, to anybody listening it was probably a cacophony of notes, hand slaps, and howls. My brother was an amazing guitarist and his strumming, singing, and full band rehearsals were a constant in my life.
When I got a little bit older my mom bought me a SynSonics drum pad and I spent countless hours hammering out drum beats. For a short time I played trombone at school before buying a bass guitar. I initially chose bass because everybody wanted to be a guitarist, or a singer, or a drummer. Why jump into something that’s going to be saturated with other people? This has actually served me well since you can usually swing a cat and hit a guitarist, but good bass players are harder to come by.
I came to realize later that I had a deeper connection to playing bass though. I’ve always been drawn to rhythm and percussion and bass is intimately tied to these. In high school I started jamming with friends. I also played around with my friends guitars, figuring out Metallica, Helloween, and Iron Maiden riffs. I had a decent knack for playing songs by ear. A friend of a friend came by my place to hear me play a little bass on a combo amp I had in my garage. He liked what he heard and invited me to try out for the band at his place.
In a classic scenario, I showed up and plugged into the current bass players rig (who wasn’t there at the time) and we played a couple tunes. They asked if I wanted to join the band and called him to come and get his stuff! We played together for several years and enjoyed a decent amount of success. Through circumstances I won’t go into now, we missed out on a possible recording deal and shortly thereafter the band broke up. Well, a member of the band left anyway and the rest of us wanted to start something new, rather than continue on with the old name.
We played together in side projects and substituted in friends bands when they had members out sick or whatever but didn’t make any significant progress. Not to say we didn’t have a great time and write some awesome songs! But we grew up.. and I ended up getting married and moving out of state.
That was the last time I played with anybody. And since bass is pretty damn boring to play alone, I largely abandoned it. I continued to fiddle with music off and on, playing electric guitar, programing drum loops and virtual synth instruments, but it was always a back-burnered activity, falling behind other pursuits.
Lately I’ve been embracing the creative – largely due to urging and inspiration from my wife – I’ve been writing fiction, I’ve been writing music, and I’ve been reaching out to other artists. The opportunity came to play with Phil and though it seemed like things would never line up, I made it over for a jam session and it was exhilarating. I felt like I could barely string two notes together for a bit as I was clearing out the cobwebs, but Phil and his drummer Keith were very encouraging and complimentary and it was a blast.
That’s my story.. no morals, no big take away.. Just, I’ll never forget the strength of a loving partner, and will cherish the communion of a rock groove with a group of like minded explorers. I can’t wait to get to the next practice!
5
May
I can’t wait to get to Balticon this Memorial Day weekend (May 28-31, 2010) and honored to once again participate as a panelist, performer, and moderator.
Here is a list of the events I will be participating in. Come on by and say hello- I’d love to meet you! The schedule is pretty stable, but there is always a possibility that some of the times or rooms may change – so please check back before heading out to make sure you’ve got current info.
Being a Parent in the World of New Media and Social Networking
When: Friday 9:00pm – 10:00pm
Where: DerbyTransparency vs. Reality
Being a parent alone can be hard enough, but in the world of New Media and Social Networking, there are some good things out there – and some bad things. We’ll talk about the various issues that parents have to deal with regards to New Media, as both listeners and creators, what’s out there for kids, and what measures parents can go to protect their children.
Into The Blender, Live
When: Friday 11:00pm – Midnight
Where: ChesapeakeDealing with blended families
Chooch, Viv, and possibly a special guest discuss parenting; blended families (children from previous marriages); dealing with school, work, long distance family relationships; pop culture; gaming, and gadgetry geekiness.
Master’s Session: Audio Excellence in Podcasting
When: Saturday 9:00am – 12:00pm
Where: DerbyPresented by professional audio engineers
Master’s Session: Audio Excellence in Podcasting Our panel of professional audio engineers will discuss various topics surrounding audio engineering. They will help you get the best sound out of the equipment you have, help you pick the next piece of important equipment within your budget, and help you avoid burnout by streamlining your workflow to shorten the time you spend editing audio.
NaNoWriMo for Noobs
When: Saturday 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Where: ChesapeakeHow it was won or lost
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a motivational novel-writing program for anyone who has wanted to write a novel but doesn’t know how to get started. The program provides guidelines, structure and countless tools for success yet many still do not complete the 50,000 words required to be a winner. This panel of NaNoWriMo participants and winners will discuss their strategies for success, and if finishing even matters.
Live Metamor City
When: Saturday 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Where: ChesapeakeSF/Urban Fantasy/Noir radio drama
Metamor City is a gritty mega-metropolis where the buildings soar hundreds of meters above ground and humans rub shoulders with vampires, shapeshifters, and even stranger beings. Come listen as creator Chris Lester and his all-star cast perform a live radio drama — complete with music and sound effects — and enter a world like nothing you’ve ever seen. A Q&A session with Chris will follow the performance
Phil Rossi and the Awakening
When: Saturday 9:00pm – 10:00pm
Where: Garden RoomRock Concert
I will be performing as part of Phil’s band in the Garden Room for an hour of rock and roll. This will be my first time performing live in over 15 years! (gulp)
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Prom
When: Saturday 11:00pm – 2:00am
Where: DerbyPirates, fairies, etc. This is what we wanted our prom to be…
This is the prom where geeks rule and freak flags fly. Come as your favorite fantasy or sci-fi character, and the very best costumes will be rewarded. Don’t have a partner? Throw on an undershirt and bring a toaster – bam, you’re Chief Tyrol! Tee Morris is the returning DJ, and Podcasting’s Rich Sigfrit returns as the Master of Ceremonies. This event is hosted by Chooch and Viv of the Into the Blender podcast.
May 28-31, 2010
21
Feb
Podcast: Download (6.8MB)
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Just a quick plug for a web event happening next week called The Boom Effect. The event will start on Saturday, February 27th at 10AM Eastern time via UStream.
This charity drive is a live, online auction to raise money for the trust fund of Tee Morris’ daughter who lost her mother on January 5, 2010. There will be at least 5 hours of entertainment hosted by Podcasting’s Rich Sigfrit. We’ll be in the live audience cheering everybody on, and likely on camera on the main feed as well. It’s shaping up to be a really fun time. You’ll be able to bid from the chat room, through e-mail, proxy-bid on the website, and I think via video or audio on Skype or UStream.
And with over 70 items up for auction (so far!!) there is something for everyone to get excited about and bid for! Everything from jewelry, to pictures, paintings by celebrities, custom music, book dedications, food, clothes, signed DVDs and books, knitwear, and even Mozart’s Balls!! Seriously, go check out everything up for auction!
Hope to see you there!
31
Oct
Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:38 — 6.3MB)
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As an early Halloween treat, I’m pleased to bring you The Zombie Connection.
Lyrics: Kim Fortuner and Patrick E. McLean
Vocals: Kim Fortuner
Guitar: Tim Dodge
Orchestra and production: Chooch Schubert
The song was originally written and recorded at Dragon*Con 2009 in about 30 minutes. Tim and Kim agreed to record clean versions of their parts and let me wrap other instruments and sound effects around them.
enjoy!