508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s panel includes Bruce Russell, Cha-Cha Connor, and Brendan Melican.
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Cha-Cha mourns the closing of the Java Hut; Worcester gets traffic cameras; Mike speculates that the Main South Alliance for Public Safety is a diabolical Freemasonic conspiracy; the benches in Federal Square are gone. Mike: “David Hitch is the worst editorial cartoonist in the country.” (Typical witless example.) Also: Worcester City Councilors promise a citizen revolution.
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Not on the podcast: My hero Edmund Hillary has died. I love that there’s no photo of him being the first man atop Everest, just Tenzing Norgay, either because he forgot to ask TN to take one, or because he didn’t think it was important enough to show TN how to use the camera. I also love that his first words upon returning to base camp were: “Well, George, we finally knocked the bastard off.” A true adventurer.
The city’s committee on public safety issued a total of 44 reports to the city council this past week. There were so many reports that they had to spread them across two agenda item numbers, 18 and 19, because there are only 26 letters in the alphabet to designate agenda number sub-items.
When I first noticed how many items the committee on public safety had submitted for council consideration, my only thought was how many times all these items required Konnie Lukes to say, “all those in favor?… opposed?… so voted”
Now, after listening to the podcast, I see this blitz of bureaucratic bullshit as a tactic to prevent the immanentization of the eschaton.
Here’s a link to the Journal of the City Council for 1-8-08:
http://www.ci.worcester.ma.us/ccocalendars/City%20Council/2008/20080108.htm
On Indymedia:
“City Hall is simply too full of hypocrites. Ask the city manager or the council about issues concerning, police complaint records, issues concerning fire or police unions, the Roosevelt museum or blues club at Union Station, private business dealing with code regs or even about the cable contract, and all of a sudden the City seems an awful lot like the EPA of contention. City Hall is full of inside deals, do what we say attitude, spiteful retribution, and controlling power mongers. Who are they all kidding?
Now, hitting up the Feds for support is nothing more than a smoke screen to hide a shell game. In the end the same taxpayer will foot the bill. What is needed are regulatory controls to prevent manufacturers from selling poisonous or toxic products. Stronger regs are also needed in pharmaceutical pricing, health insurance, telecommunications, and any manufacturing that produces something dangerous to the environment or an individual’s health. Charge these cash cow companies not the tax paying little guy. Why is there no one with guts enough to take the needed stance?
God we need some real leadership.”
Dave Winer: The debate about the worth of podcasting
Doc Searls: Improved listening
The Internet Archive download stats seem to be working again, and it looks like 35 people listened to the last 508. So whether or not I can make money at it, would I get together with my friends on a Friday morning if 35 people were willing to come listen to us? Absolutely. And doing the podcast is easier than organizing an event like that. But if 35 people got together to talk about the City in person, I wouldn’t end up talking for 1/3 of the time, more like 1/30 of the time, and so the conversation would probably be a lot better. People always talk about participation inequality on the net. I think about 10% of the listeners have posted a comment at some point, which is outstanding, and some have even blogged responses to the show. It’s a start, but if I had any goal for the next 4 months of the podcast (besides making it more interesting and relevant) it would be to bring more people into the conversation.
Mike,
I just wish there were some way for me to listen regularly without tying up our phone line for hours. Those of us who still use dial-ups are just sort of out of luck on it, which is too bad, because it sounds like your conversations are great!
Tracy: Have you tried the lo-fi versions? I’m curious as to how long they take to download.
Lo-fi 508:
http://del.icio.us/delnieve/508_16kb
I haven’t. I will, though, and I’ll get back to you!
Hey, that works real time! Thanks!
@Tracy: Glad it worked. If anyone else has feedback on the lo-fi version, lemme know. I could make it even smaller, but at some point the sound will get unlistenable.