whither the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation?

On March 27, 2009March 28, 2009 By Rick McIn audiocasts, bad news, videocasts2 Comments

Big budget cuts announced for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

For many, many years I’d been a huge fan of their AM radio divison:

CBC Radio loses 121 jobs

About $14.4 million must come out of radio, leading to a reduction of 121 jobs, including 20 in Toronto.

Changes on Radio One include:

* Cancellations of The Inside Track, Outfront and The Point.
* Reduction of regional noon-hour programs to one hour.
* Reductions in drama.

CBC – CBC cuts hit news, drama, sports, radio

But since the introduction of podcasting, I very rarely listen to CBC AM radio.

About the only CBC content I listen to are these show podcasts:

The Inside Track

Definitely Not The Opera

The slashes managed to target one of my favourite shows. Too bad.

Dana sent me a link to one petition – Save Canada’s National Broadcaster.

save-the-cbc

I signed. But truth be told, I’m not all that worked up about it.

The CBC website itself made it difficult for me to find any information on the “crisis”.

That lack of ability to communicate is telling to me.

$29 Apple Earphones with Remote & Mic

On March 21, 2009March 21, 2009 By Rick McIn Apple, audiocasts, product endorsements, videocastsLeave a comment

I’d buy an iPhone. But refuse to lock in to a 3yr contract. (The minimum in Canada.)

But I love my new Touch iPod.

No complaints.

Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation)

I bought an armband case, as I use it a lot for running and cycling.

And — recently — the new Earphones with Remote & Mic. They work perfectly. I can increase and decrease volume. Pause and restart from a tiny, convenient button.

remote

I also use the tiny, convenient microphone for voice notes using a software app called iTalkRecorder. (One of several free options from the iTunes store.)

That’s for documenting my BRILLIANT ideas while out and about.

Leave a comment if you have other recommendations for the iPhone or Touch.

do you need a Kindle?

On February 27, 2009February 25, 2009 By Rick McIn audiocasts, books, product endorsements1 Comment

I don’t.

Because I no longer read.

I pick up very few newspapers or magazines. And almost never read books.

My preferred input source is my ears. I listen to audiocasts including:

Buzz Out Loud

The Economist

NY Times Front Page

MacBreak Weekly

net@night

NPR

On The Media

Slate Magazine

This American Life

This Week in Tech

WNYC Radio Lab

And listen to books on tape. Currently Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux.

But those who still like to use their eyes to read … are quite charmed by the Kindle.

A respected review:

The good:
Slimmer and sleeker looking than the original Kindle; large library of tens of thousands of e-books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs via Amazon’s familiar online store; built-in free wireless “Whispernet” data network–no PC needed; built-in keyboard for notes and navigation; a faster processor speeds up the device; with 2GB of internal memory, it’s capable of storing 1,500 electronic books; font size is adjustable; improved battery life; displays image files and plays MP3 and AAC audio; compatible with Windows and Mac machines; new Text-to-Speech feature allows you to have text read aloud.

The bad:
No expansion slot for adding more memory or accessing files; files such as PDFs and Word documents aren’t natively supported, and need to be converted at 10 cents a pop by Amazon; no protective carrying case included; battery is sealed into the device and isn’t removable; hardware and content is still too expensive.

The bottom line:
While it’s still short of perfection–and has a price tag that’s too high–the Amazon Kindle 2 offers a range of improvements that makes it the best overall e-book reader we’ve seen to date.

Price range: $359.00

CNET

1.9 days of The Great Eastern

On December 3, 2008December 3, 2008 By Rick McIn audiocasts, humour4 Comments

I started listening to the famed CBC Radio Comedy series on Oct. 30th. And finished today, December 3rd.

That’s 45.6hrs of uninterrupted audio.

Wow.

What a fantastic show. I’m not sure what to play on my iPod any more. Anything else will be a let down.

My best memories from the original series had to do with the Legacies of Newfoundland’s Colonial Misadventure: Oougubomban Free State, a former African colony.

… Newfoundlanders are largely ignorant of the plight of our former colonial subjects, not least because our school system continues to suppress the ugly story of Newfoundland’s single, ill-advised colonial enterprise.

Our involvement in Oougubomba dates from 1927, when the British Prime Minister requested that the new Dominion of Newfoundland send troops to the Bomba region to put down tribal conflict that was threatening the interests of English and Ontarian betel-nut planters. Newfoundland’s then foreign secretary, Sir Peyton Osbourne, eager to prove that the new country had “a spot of vim”, and trying to divert public attention from the Furlong’s Confections corruption scandal that was rocking the Monroe government, sent the 4th King’s Own Jowls and Cavalancers Light up the River Bomba. …

my new iPod Touch

On November 17, 2008November 15, 2008 By Rick McIn Apple, audiocasts, videocastsLeave a comment

So far, I LOVE it. (Though I’ve only used half the features.)

With the amount of in transit time I have, it’s perfect for me. Especially while running and biking.

A small speaker has been added since the first generation.

Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation)

If interested in getting one for yourself, watch Apple’s “Guided Tour” video.

The 8GB plays 36hrs of audio, 6hrs of video when fully charged, new.

Main downside is that — unlike the iPhone — the Touch has no GPS. (A battery hog anyway.)

It does have a GPS alternative:

For iPod touch with Maps, the Maps application provides your approximate location using information based on your proximity to known Wi-Fi networks (when on and available). The more accurate the available information, the smaller the circle identifying your position on the map. The feature is not available in all areas. Known Wi-Fi networks are predominantly in urban areas.

There is no microphone on this device. But I plan to add one included with new headphones.

George tells me I need to jailbreak this one to make full advantage.

The Great Eastern – best radio comedy ever

On October 30, 2008October 29, 2008 By Rick McIn audiocasts, humour, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Billed as Newfoundland’s Cultural Magazine, The Great Eastern was an hour long summer replacement show on CBC Radio One for the first two seasons, and then became a half hour regular show for the next three seasons.

Rockin’ Downtown Rocktown Ronnie sent me a CD of the 1994 to 1999 broadcasts as MP3 files.

Fantastic.

I’ve just finished Season 1 and am enjoying it immensely. It’s as smart and sophisticated as The Daily Show, Colbert or Rick Mercer.

It’s a spoof of all lame, self-important local radio affiliates everywhere, propped up by tax dollars.

Paul Moth, the radio host, kept a blog during the production of The Great Eastern, it seems.

Happily, a fan named Gerry Porter maintains a website dedicated to the Great Eastern which includes a full archive of the shows. Episode 1, series 1 starts here if you want to check it out.

Or click the link to hear a sample “historical” clip from the show where the Mayor of St. Johns, NFLD surrenders the city to the Germans.

CBC Radio is too slow, fat and thick to make those classic broadcasts available on their own site. (Someone should parody that company.)

In 2004, the character of Paul Moth was put in a new CBC show called Sunny Days and Nights. Fired from the BCN, Moth gets a temporary job with fictonal CBC affiliate CBNR in the “cottage country” region of Ontario. … The series ran for only one summer.

The Great Eastern – Wikipedia

We miss you Paul!

iPod Touch, microphone headphones

On September 11, 2008September 11, 2008 By Rick McIn Apple, audiocasts, music, product endorsements2 Comments

Note to self: buy in October.

Apple In-Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic – Apple

On Wednesday Apple updated their iPod lineup:

Touch Changes: Minor

The iPod Touch expectedly gets a dramatic price drop that brings it more in line with the iPhone 3G’s pricing, if you want to pay a slightly higher price for a multimedia player that doesn’t have phone capability. The 8GB iPod Touch will sell for $229 ($30 more than a comparable iPhone 3G), while the 16GB model will sell for $299–which means you’ll get double the memory for the price of the old 8GB iPod Touch.

The design of the new iPod Touch remains similar to before, but like the Nano, the Touch thins down compared with its predecessor. The chassis remains contoured stainless steel. The biggest hardware additions: Integrated volume controls on the side, and a built-in speaker (similar to what’s on the iPhone 3G) for casual listening. Jobs said the volume controls were the number one requested feature for the iPod Touch. Also now integrated: Nike + iPod software and receiver; now, you only need to buy the Nike+iPod transmitter for your shoe, and don’t need the extra receiver dongle, as before.

In spite of its thinner profile, the Touch’s battery life is rated for an impressive 36 hours for music, and six hours for video.

PC World

The compelling new feature for me is an easy way to leave myself voice notes (when I get the odd flash of brilliance).

The iPhone is OUT for me now.

Republican Enjoys Paying Huge Health Insurance Premiums

On August 14, 2008 By Rick McIn audiocasts, humourLeave a comment

This is brilliant.

To hear the short audiocast from the Onion, click HERE.

why would a bank loan me $500,000?

On May 29, 2008 By Rick McIn audiocasts, economicsLeave a comment

During the insane housing boom, a frequent talking point I had with friends was: “Something has to go wrong.”

Ever increasing house prices could not continue forever. It was obvious to everyone.

I was certainly surprised to learn — after the subprime mortgage crisis crash — that U.S. banks were giving half million dollar loans to N.I.N.A. folks like me. No income, No Assets.

Where were the regulators?

I’d never understood the process by which everyone in the chain held their nose and signed off on all those bad loans until I heard an audiocast on National Public Radio.

A special program about the housing crisis produced in a special collaboration with NPR news. We explain it all to you. What does the housing crisis have to do with the turmoil on Wall street? Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income?

… to tell the story – the surprisingly entertaining story – of how the US got itself into a housing crisis. They talk to people who were actually working in the housing, banking, finance and mortgage industries, about what they thought during the boom times, and why the bust happened.

This American Life – The Giant Pool of Money

savouring endangered species

On May 28, 2008 By Rick McIn audiocasts, foodLeave a comment

Why are chickens the most numerous bird in the world? They are tasty!

One of those strange but true paradox statements …

Conservation scientist Gary Paul Nabhan knows how to save endangered species: Slice them up and slap them on the grill. …

“If we create local market demand for these — if we take these place-based heritage foods and make them the pride of our fairs and festivals and thanksgivings and picnics again — they will come back from the brink of extinction,” Nabhan said …

Saving Endangered Species One Mouthful at a Time – NPR audiocast

$Saving and Savoring the Continent\'s Most Endangered Foods$