2008

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Brian

In this installment of the Technology and the Arts podcast, we share some interesting news, web sites and online resources we have come across recently, including an expanded look at FriendFeed, a video asking Bush or Batman? and Knol, Google’s answer to Wikipedia.nPlus, we discuss the passing of “last lecture” professor Randy Pausch and the emergence of Cuil, the latest search engine to take on Google. Hosts: Brian Kelley and John LeMasney. File size: 19 MB. Time: 39 min., 59 sec.

Show Notes for Technology and the Arts Podcast #40

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Brian

Related Links:

FriendFeed.com/lemasney – John LeMasney’s tumble log.
lemasney.com – John LeMasney’s Web site.
FriendFeed.com/bktandem – Brian Kelley’s tumble log.
Tandem With the Random – Brian Kelley’s blog
Here are some things John talked about:

The birth of his second son, David, on May 16

John’s recent Lyme Disease diagnosis

Even after talking about it in the last podcast, John just can’t get enough of FriendFeed and the concept of lifestreaming and brandstreaming (check out John’s FriendFeed).

Cuil, a search engine developed by former Google engineers, launched this week to great fanfare…John and Brian — and quite a few others — aren’t all that impressed.

Meanwhile, John is a bit more pleased about Knol, Google’s answer to Wikipedia.

John recently ran into Oliver Giller, a Rider alumnus who turned John onto open source software. As a result, John wants to thank him for being such a big influence on his life.

A video that asks the age-old question: Bush or Batman? (see above)

Canada’s open-source answer to Twitter: identi.ca.

Streaming video sites ustream.tv and justin.tv.

John is excited about a live-action “Cowboy Bebop” film that is in the works.

John’s other projects: BeerCritic and NJ Dining Review.

Review site Yelp.com.

Here are some things Brian mentioned:

He will be backing up his friend Christian Beach on a bluegrass version of Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” for an upcoming Main Man Records tribute to 80s hair metal.

Brian is looking forward to his friend Jason Pester’s upcoming visit to New Jersey in August.

Carnegie Mellon University Professor Randy Pausch, who became famous for delivering a “last lecture” on realizing your childhood dreams after being told he had 3-to-6 months to live, passed away at age 47. His speech became the basis for a best-selling book and the video of the lecture has reportedly been watched by more than 10 million people. Thank you for being an inspiration to so many people, Dr. Pausch. You will be missed. Carnegie Mellon remembers Dr. Pausch.

Our friends at Pandora, the Internet radio service, is looking for video testimonials in support of Internet radio and pushing for fair royalty rates for webcasters. Click on the link to learn more.

Ars Technica reports that Yahoo! Music is pulling the plug on its online music store and taking the digital rights management (DRM) license keys with them. If you purchased music from Yahoo, well, you better stock up on CDs and start burning away to keep your purchases usable on new machines after the license key servers go down September 30. UPDATE: After recording the podcast, Yahoo! announced it would offer refunds to affected customers (CNET) and is looking for a way to provide DRM-free versions of the downloads to customers who would rather have music instead of money. Yahoo! may be down right now, but it’s nice to see the company do the right thing in this case.

Check out the Technology and the Arts Events page.

“Last Lecture” Prof. Randy Pausch passes away

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Brian

News broke this morning that Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch, whose inspirational “Last Lecture” was discussed in episodes 20 and 21 of the Technology and the Arts podcast, has died. He was 47.

Dr. Pausch gained international notoriety after he gave a lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 in which he disclosed that he learned he had terminal pancreatic cancer a year earlier, talked about his childhood dreams and how he managed to realize most of those dreams (the one he didn’t realize was playing in the NFL…but soon after the speech, the Pittsburgh Steelers invited him to a training camp session). The inspirational lecture was meant to show his children and others how to achieve their goals in life.

Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Zaslow, a Carnegie Mellon alumnus, attended the lecture and wrote about it. Bloggers and traditional media jumped all over the story, and more than 10 million people have reportedly watched video of the lecture on the Web.

Thank you, Dr. Pausch, for making your last days count for so much. You will be missed, but definitely not forgotten.

Randy Pausch: An Enduring Legacy – Carnegie Mellon

New York Times’ Well Blog.

(T+A #39) Technology and the Arts: 7/16/2008

Posted on July 17, 2008 by Brian

(T+A #39) Technology and the Arts: 7/16/2008

Sorry, this is a few hours late…had some last-minute editing issues. – BK

In this installment of the Technology and the Arts podcast, we share some interesting news, web sites and online resources we have come across recently, including FriendFeed.com, RememberTheMilk.com, and FreeLDAP.org. Plus, we discuss the recent Art All Night event in Trenton, NJ, Radiohead’s innovative “House of Cards” music video, and “The Googling,” a series of Google-based comedy sketch videos by The Vacationeers comedy group, and more. Also, the podcast welcomes back John LeMasney to the program. Hosts: Brian Kelley and John LeMasney. File size: 18 MB. Time: 38 min., 4 sec.

Show Notes for Technology and the Arts Podcast #39

Posted on July 17, 2008 by Brian

Art All Night 2008 - Trenton, NJ

Sorry, this is a few hours late…had some last-minute editing issues. – BK

Related Links:

FriendFeed.com/lemasney – John LeMasney’s tumble log.
lemasney.com – John LeMasney’s Web site.
FriendFeed.com/bktandem – Brian Kelley’s tumble log.
Here are some things John talked about:

The birth of his second son, David, on May 16

John’s recent Lyme Disease diagnosis

FriendFeed.com

RememberTheMilk.com

ArtAllNight, an annual 24-hour arts & music event held in Trenton, NJ, that was held June 21-22, organized by Artworks Trenton. John’s photos. Brian’s photos.

John’s other projects: BeerCritic and NJ Dining Review.

Radiohead’s “House of Cards” video, which uses 3-D plotting technology rather than lights and cameras. There is also a Google Code version that allows you to shape the video’s data yourself.

John is excited about the iPhone 3G

Starbucks store closings.

FreeLDAP.org.

Here are some things Brian mentioned:

He appeared on a live webcast called “Sunday Jams” on July 13, playing accordion and organ for his friend, singer-songwriter Christian Beach. Check out the video here or at the bottom of this post.

Brian went to this year’s XPoNential (XPN) Music Festival in Camden, NJ, July 10-13, and saw a number of great acts, including Joan Osborne, Nicole Atkins, Chuck Prophet, Blind Boys of Alabama, and a whole lot more. Check out Brian’s photos from the event.

Improv Everywhere strikes again with a “Human Mirror” in a NYC subway car.

The Vacationeers present “The Googling,” a series of funny Google-based shorts.

Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame presents the live music webcast, “Live from Daryl’s House.”

There are works of art by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and others on the moon right now, thanks to artist Forrest “Frosty” Myers and a clever NASA engineer’s plan to send art into space with the 1969 Apollo 12 mission.

Check out the Technology and the Arts Events page.

Christian Beach – Live on Sunday Jams, 7/13/08

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Above is a Ustream.tv archive of a live “Sunday Jams” performance by Christian Beach on July 13, 2008. The backing band, which comes on for the fourth song, features Gorgo (mandolin, bass, backing vocals), John Pfeiffer (guitars, dobro), Michael Scotto (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and yours truly (organ, accordion, tambourine).

Set List:
1. Shadows (Christian Beach solo)
2. Cemetery Friends (Christian Beach solo)
3. Don’t Want to Be a Lonely Man (Christian Beach w/ Gorgo)
4. The Finest Day (Christian w/ full band)
5. Great Ideas (Christian w/ full band)
6. Poet of the Great Plains (Christian w/ full band)
7. Song for Matthew (Christian w/ full band)
8. Open Spaces (Christian w/ full band)

(T+A #38) Technology and the Arts: 7/2/2008

Posted on July 2, 2008 by Brian

( T+A #38 ) Technology and the Arts: 7/2/2008

In this installment of the Technology and the Arts podcast, we share some interesting news, web sites and online resources we have come across recently, including the Trons, a robot band out of New Zealand, and the immense visual treat that is “The Wall” at Philadelphia’s new Comcast Center skyscraper. Plus, we discuss the latest cinematic gem from Pixar, “Wall-E”…and more! Hosts: Brian Kelley and John LeMasney. File size: 7 MB. Time: 14 min, 4 sec.

Show Notes for Technology and the Arts Podcast #38

Posted on July 2, 2008 by Brian

Comcast Center Video Wall

Related Links:

crumb.tumblr.com – John LeMasney’s tumble log.
lemasney.com – John LeMasney’s Web site.
bktandem.tumblr.com – Brian Kelley’s tumble log.
Lifestream.fm profiles for John and Brian!
This is another solo podcast for Brian…John was off yet again this week, as he and his wife recently welcomed their second son into the world (but do listen for cameos from John near the end of the podcast).
John has announced his plans to return to the podcast…listen for details!
Here are some things Brian mentioned:

Brian updated some information regarding upcoming shows by (and with) his friend, singer-songwriter Christian Beach (see videos below). Check out Brian’s YouTube playlist of all Christian Beach live videos. Also, check out www.sundayjams.info on July 13 for a special live webcast featuring Christian Beach & Friends (time TBD…check back here later).

BBC One will broadcast the fourth season (or series, for those in the UK) finale of “Doctor Who” this Saturday, July 5…here is a teaser for the episode.

Congratulations to Rider’s own Jason Thompson for getting selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 12th pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. Good luck, Jason!

Check out The Trons, a New Zealand-based, self-playing robot band. Watch The Trons in action (YouTube), and read about them here (Access Atlanta) and here (Under the Radar).

The latest film from Pixar, Wall-E, is another classic…go see it!

The huge, video wall (pictured above, courtesy of Engadget) in the lobby of Philadelphia’s tallest building, the new Comcast Center, is a sight to behold. Read about it here (Engadget) and here (Philly.com)…and watch the YouTube video (and make sure you click on “watch in high quality” when you do).