Click Here originally published December 2003 in The Panther
By Lee C. Sonko
“Spam, spam, spam, egg and spam.” The comedy troupe Monty Python’s Flying Circus performed a skit some 25 years ago where an unfortunate restaurant goer had no choice but to order a meal that had spam in it because that was pretty much all that was on the menu. If you haven’t seen the skit, I highly recommend it. It’s pretty darn funny. The name of that ham-inspired product has been co-opted by the computer world. Here is a definition of “spam” from the American Heritage Dictionary, “Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.” Continue reading ‘Click Here December 2003: Spam Spam Spam Egg and Spam’ »
Sure, it’s easy to upload your company’s videos and your friend’s videos to Youtube. It’s hosted for free and can stand virtually unlimited downloads. But I can do that right here at my web provider without giving my content to a third party… who -might- be around in 5 years and -might- keep the links to my content the same for 5 years, without selling out to Youtube’s advertising.
Yes, you’ll get more exposure by posting to Youtube. And using their limitless bandwidth for high-bandwidth applications is nice. But you should post locally and then consider posting to Youtube as part of your marketing plan or “emergency bandwidth plan”. Always link back to the original content. It’s just too easy to give the “keys to the store” to too many people.
Update 3-13-08: I just read this article about Youtube. It reminds me of Kozmo.com in the dot com era.
Rex Wong, chief executive of Next.TV (formerly Dave Networks)… says, it costs a provider about $2.50 for every 1,000 views of a user-generated three-minute video clip. But that clip will bring in just $1 or so in banner ad revenue, he says. In other words, says Wong, profit can only be made when clips are getting tens of thousands of views.
So let me get this straight: it costs $2.50 to serve 1,000 views… and that generates $1 in revenue. (1-2.5=-1.5) And if we do that a whole lot, we’ll make it up in volume! Yeah.
In 2008 we are creating Mutopia our latest collaborative project. It will celebrate the innovation and spirit of our community. Infusing form with greater dynamism and interactivity. Every participant brings new ideas to the work which manifest in fire and animation.
STRUCTURE
13 Seedpods
97’ x 60’ installation footprint
Made of cast aluminium, steel, copper, fire, and light
An interactive LED illumination system throughout installation
Human activated movement controls, via hand cranks and levers
INTERACTIVITY
Mutopia is a participant controlled fire art installation. An individual can initiate sequenced patterns for the fire effects, LED lights and steam. Interactivity is multi-layered in the installation activated via custom buttons, sonar sensors, hand cranks and levers.
You are going to LOVE it!
My favorite part (thus far, nothing is built) is the “Liquid fuel canopy misters”. It’s not too different from a wonderfully dangerous effect I was playing with that I call Fire Fog. Rosa Anna and Mills’ idea is safer than mine but it’ll rock nonetheless!
Went on 2 pretty good appointments, driving around the entire Bay (SF->San Jose->Oakland->SF) weee, I’m dizzy…
Met our new neighbor Samantha. The welcome committee (Laurie, Cindy and myself) offered her and her friends celery as an official welcome committee gift. Had Sam over for leftover Tartine bread pudding. Aaron told of his amazing and harrowing journey bringing Shani to Boston (where she eventually met Charlotte) involving unbearable heat, “No Vacancy, Go Away” signs on hotels in Peabody, MA, crossing deep underground rivers and very little sleep. Had terrific Hungarian chicken and spaetzle. Had wonderful home-made (Trader Joes mix + blueberries) cup-cakes. Had all manner of people in the apartment in and out… Laurie, Rick, Samantha, Cindy, Aaron.
Went to BootieSF with Charlotte, Rick and Aaron. Turns out that Aaron is a darn high-energy and fun dancer. Daydreamed a lot to mashups involving 80’s tunes (apparently, I still remember all the words to 99 Red Balloons). Got out a lot of energy dancing like a fool. Saw just 10 minutes of Trademark G’s show
Sunday
Saw Rick’s groovy Oakland pad complete with geektronics, tube amps, vinyl records and giant screen TV.
Went shooting at Chabot gun range with Charlotte, having a simply wonderful drive with the top down over swooping roads. And quite a bit of fun shooting. Met 2 shooters in the next stall and tried their Walter P38. Vowed to get a speed loader since our thumbs were killing us by the end of shooting.
Isn’t it odd that this downright silly post follows such a very very serious post about Lucille Rathyen. Some truths: You’re born. You live. You die. How well that middle part goes is entirely up to you.
I’d pay at LEAST $25 to see a 300 meter long banana in geostationary orbit over Texas. I put myself in for $25 and said I’d chip in more when they answered a couple questions like what the actual conditions for “success” were.
Are you in? (update 3-10-12: sadly, the geostationarybananaovertexas.com website exists no more so I removed the link)
Lucille Rathyen was one of the two teachers in the early years of the Gifted and Talented program (renamed “Learning Unlimited” a few years later) in West Milford New Jersey. I spent many hours with Lucille and Cassie Lewis in middle school. This very well-spent time made a long lasting impression on me.
A few years ago, most of the first group of G&T kids got together at Cassie’s house for a very enjoyable reunion. I just looked over the photos and saw photos of these childhood friends all grown up.
This email came to me yesterday from Cassie.
I am saddened to inform you that Lucille passed away from a long bout with cancer last night. Her husband, Ralph, called this morning and said she was at home with her family and hospice. I last saw her a few weeks ago, just before she was scheduled for a final MRI to see is anything else might be done.
Lucille remained spirited and optimistic throughout the ordeal. She told me whatever happens is out of her control; the source of her illness unexplainable…some things just happen in life. She was grateful for the life she led, her family, friends and those years in LU and was making the most of the time she had left.
She will be cremated; Ralph will schedule a memorial service in the next week or so. If you’d like to send a note, the address is:
[contact Lee for the address]
I hope this reaches some of you, at least. I don’t have all updated addresses or emails…apologies to those I missed. I contacted the Hazens and Jim
Paretti’s mom. So please pass the word to any others. Feel free to email me or telephone ([contact Lee for the phone number]) if you wish.
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT!
A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (General Motors) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River . Both teams practised long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.
On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.