Chatty Cathy.

Babbling Brooks.

It would seem that the world of communication – specifically talking – was fated from the moment my name hit the birth certificate.

Truth is I got tired of talking to myself.

So I figured I’d share.

LinkTV - Giving the world a voice
August 02, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

Before you read any further, please know this.

On the left to right political spectrum I admit fully, wholly and down to the very marrow of my bones to an inclination leaning more to the left than not. But I'm a pragmatist above all. And given a compelling set of facts and convincing argument I'm more than willing to alter my view.

That said, in my opinion, one would have to have lived the last eight years with their head inserted firmly and deeply up their own posterior to not have at least some acceptance of the following:

Our nation has behaved poorly - on a good day - for years. And it's time to grow up, take some accountability and be responsible ... not only for ourselves but for those whose lives upon which we have had, are having and will continue to have such tectonic impact.

Disclaimer (of sorts) aside, I hope you'll read on...

Several months ago I had the pleasure of crossing paths with a fascinating and inspirational group of people. They call themselves "refugees from Broadcast television news."

To be honest, I don't recall if they gave themselves this descriptor or if I created it after our first meeting at their offices over near the old Barbary Coast. But now, having had the pleasure of working with them a bit, I have to say that it fits.

The organization is LinkTV. And the team there is comprised by seasoned veterans whose collective experience ranges from newsroom and programming to management and distribution ... and they add to the mix a deep passion for social media, social change and an understanding of technology.

With their network, this group brought together the best of all worlds. They truly approach news and story-telling from as global a perspective as possible. And more so than almost any media organization I've experienced (at least in TV), the LinkTV crew truly embraces what they clearly feel is a moral imperative ... Television without borders.

Imagine the joy it gives me to be able to say that not only do I respect their work, but that I have a chance to work with them!

In partnership with Seesmic, LinkTV seeks to expand the conversation about truly global issues ... literally. Using Seesmic's video conversation technology, LinkTV expanded its Dear American Voter project -- a campaign to engage the world in a truly international discourse about key issues here that have ripple effects around the globe.

The following conversation tackles a topic that makes me alternately angry and sick-to-my-stomach -- the impact that the faltering US economy has internationally.

These are strong voices - and they're voices you won't hear on every single newscast (sick of sound bites anyone?) ... And thanks to the Seesmic platform - you can actually engage and join the discussion.

If you're already using Seesmic, clicking "reply" will prompt you to login. If you don't have a Seesmic account, don't sweat it. The window will prompt you to create one - but it's only your name, email and a username ... you won't leave this site, and you won't get spammed.

I promise.

And if video commenting just isn't your thing, you can leave a text comment below too.

Either way, I hope you'll get involved!

The Truth is Coming - X-Files Film Conversation
July 02, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

Okay. I admit it. I am a huge X-Files fan.

A ridiculously huge X-Files fan.

As in, I own the first five seasons on DVD, a copy of the first movie, along with a rather embarrassing array of merchandising products.

So when we were approached (we being the gang at Seesmic) about working with 20th Century Fox to participate in a very exciting project for the new X-Files movie, I just about fell out of my chair.

The connection came through one of Seesmic's core community members, Gia Milinovich. She's a blogger, producer and recently worked on the Indiana Jones 4 press junket - a project which also included Seesmic!

Long story short - I went to LA, met with the superb team at 20th Century Fox, and then we started talking about integrating Seesmic into a chat widget they were already developing. As these things go, it turned out that a better option was to build them a branded, standalone version of our threaded conversation player.

So we did.

The idea is simple. The first post of this thread is a trailer for the film. The rest is all conversation among fans!

In addition to this player being available standalone on their site, there will also be a link to it from the text chat widget that they developed - a widget that's now embedded on 2,300 sites!

The truth is out there ... and now so is the conversation...

Gay Marriage - A Monumental Time in California
June 24, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

As a rule I'm quite the optimist. Well, perhaps more of a pragmatic realist, but in the end I'll always view the glass half full. Even with that I have to admit I wasn't entirely sure that I would see this in my lifetime.

I'm damn glad I was wrong.

On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court struck down a previous ruling that had rendered gay marriage against the law. In doing so, the gates were opened for what then took place on June 17, 2008 - the first LEGAL marriages in California.

The superb content crew at Seesmic tackled this topic by sitting down with someone who I describe as being a combination of a cyclone and a warm hug - Kate Kendell - Executive Director of NCLR.

This conversation thread starts with the promo for Rachael Joy's Newspop episode in which she interviews Kate. While the "live" session with Kate is done, you can still join the conversation. Click on reply - if you don't have a Seesmic account it will prompt you to register (don't worry it's easy). You can join the discussion. I'm going to see what I can do about getting some folks at NCLR and EQCA to join up on Seesmic and perhaps dip into this conversation on occasion to answer questions.

So sit back, take a listen, then lean forward and get involved!

What a tangled web we weave ...
June 19, 2008 in | Comments (0)

Stitching together one's digital identity through the myriad social network options is, to say the least, exhausting. And no wonder ... if you thought maintaining your carbon-based world relationships was hard, just try to balance all those networks.

For a funny perspective, check this out:

A video to watch and to please forward
May 28, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

I'm sitting in the lobby at D: All Things Digital with the fabulous Yossi Vardi. He pointed me to a video on YouTube of Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper speaking on the 60th Anniversary of Israel.

It's a very moving, very powerful speech.

Harper is going to Israel at the end of June. Yossi has a call to action - to have this video reach 100,000 views before Harper gets to Ben Gurion airport.

So ... how about we help him out?

You can watch the video right here ... and for your ease of forwarding, here's the link to send out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRwWMJ1NLbM

Poetry on Seesmic
May 26, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

Something has shifted.

For months now as Seesmic's user base has grown, it's been a slow creep to find faces in the timeline who I knew from the real world.

Yesterday I logged in to find someone who I'd met in a business meeting days before. In that meeting, we talked about various ways people were using the platform. He specifically asked me about performance art, even more specifically he asked about poetry and spoken word.

And there he was - sharing a very cool poem called "Chinatown."

Here's his post:

Watching his post made me think there's a market for some sort of computer teleprompter into which you can feed text so that you can look directly into your computer camera while you recite something like this. Or maybe some sort of clip or rack that holds the copy just above your monitor.

In any case, I felt compelled to share a poem of my own. Well not something I wrote, but something that I love. It's a piece by Pablo Neruda entitled "Leaning into the Afternoons".

What New Media Means ...
March 31, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

This evening I have the pleasure of taking part in a panel discussion about the role of new media in today's ever-crowded content landscape.

It's sponsored by WISE, and the objective is to help propagate the already rapidly expanding world of blogs and new media - specifically among a female audience.

My fellow panelists include some people whose work I respect quite a bit ... and some others I'll have the pleasure of meeting for the first time.

The panel moderator, Zennie Abraham, asked each of us to give a little overview - by video - on our definition of new media as a "warm-up" of sorts for our panel.

Here's what he posted this morning:

Speak and ye shall be heard - Oklahoma Legislator caught gay bashing
March 15, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

To be a public person in this day and age - hell to be anyone in this day and age - and not be aware that anything and everything you say outside of the comfort of your home may be subject to capture by photo, video or audio and then splattered on the Internet ... well ... you're just being naive.

I'm not suggesting it's always a good thing. Nor am I suggesting people's privacy shouldn't be respected. But in the spirit of erring on the side of transparency, openness and freedom of speech, I have to say I think that the upside of the Internet as monster megaphone is more accountability for those who choose to behave badly.

Just ask George Allen. His "Macaca" incident derailed any chance he had at running for President, and torpedoed his ability to hold office for anything other than a white supremacist organization in the future.

Yes, cameras and microphones are everywhere, and while those who live in the entertainment world fall prey to prying lenses all the time, I personally believe that for those in political office that magnifying glass becomes all the more powerful. And why not. After all - they're supposed to be representing others.

One state legislator in Oklahoma apparently didn't get the memo.

More...

Interviewed on PodTech about Seesmic at SXSW
March 10, 2008 in News & Events | Comments (0)

Today was a crazy busy day at SXSW. Meetings seemingly non-stop, I got to see a few sessions and then there were the interviews.

This one was done by Stephanie Agresta for PodTech.

Getting my tarot cards read at SXSW
March 08, 2008 in Personalities & Profiles | Comments (0)

So there I am ... walking around the Seesmic VIP lounge at SXSW when I meet yet another Seesmic user - Roxanne Darling. She's based in Hawaii and was sitting at a table doing Tarot readings!

There's a particular issue that's been on my mind the last week or two, so I looked to the Tarot for guidance.

I think I'll take the advice ...