The Podcast

Interviews with makers, creatives, and friends. Also, strange quizzes about 80s actors.


Oscar the Grouch Lives in the T.A.R.D.I.S.

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Paul and Chris, left to their own devices nerd out about Doctor Who and review some of this fall’s new TV shows.


So Down to Help

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The saucy specimen who joined us this episode via phone is David Sherry. If he was a James Bond character he would be Dr. Gold List. David and his mastermind partner, Allie want to bring Death to the Stock Photo.

  • David was traveling to the Global Instameet in D.C.
  • David & Allie’s approach to the business: create unique content, experiences and sharing those stories. So far they have funded road trips and interviewed other makers.
  • We discuss numbers/analytics vs authentic interaction. How do you measure success?
  • Speaking of authentic interaction, what would happen if you called your friends & family instead of Facebook-ing at them?
  • A discussion of trying to stay connected to all the different social networks brings up the tent project again. You can find Chris & Paul on Cupcake.io, the first tent host.
  • Paul compares social networks to cable channels. ello is a new social network on your dial.
  • David thinks podcasting is a fascinating genre of media, but is it too crowded? Like his approach to his own projects, he suggests unique content. All of us share examples:
  • We talk about the popular use of comedy in brand building. While it works, as the old saying goes, “everyone is a comedian.” David thinks contrasting all that humor with emotional content is a better strategy. Of course, you can do uniquely humorous things. For example, listen to the “ad” at the beginning of this episode (around 1:42) of Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast!
  • David recommends Buffer and MailChimp. While they sound like spammy tools, both products have influenced his strategy to directly phone users/customers and build real relationships & interactions.

Check out Death to the Stock Photo, follow their twitter account for upcoming events and contact David Sherry because he loves interaction and being given a chance to help others create.


The D-Box

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Part deux of our chat with Tony Sarkees, an attorney in Chicago who loves making things at the local hackerspace as much as he loves gaming. We play This is Your Life, compete in a quiz about C64 games and talk gadgets.

  • Tony is the ultimate mobile consumer, switching his SIM card between Android & iPhone for many years. It all started with jailbreaking an iPod Touch.
  • Chris remembers Tony’s many tweets about his Chumby, a cuddly, user-friendly device that our guest believes has no counterpart.
  • Not too long ago, our guest’s friend Newman passed away and Chris is touched by Tony’s tribute to his cat.

Quiz Time

Once again our guest defeats Paul!

  • Paul says, “Yo dawg, do you remember Napster?” We discuss piracy and the maker community.
  • Chris suggests the Stuff You Should Know Podcast about TV ratings.
  • Paul suggests checking out the C.G.P. Grey youtube channel, because learning!
  • Chris’ next project is rebuilding his subwoofer. Did you know you could build your own and probably get something better and less expensive? Everything you need is at Parts Express.
  • Paul is hoping to build a gnarly workspace in his office for all this podcast gear. He’s learning Google Sketch Up to create something.
  • He’s starting the center of the sweet desktop with a rackmount equipment stand.
  • Chris shares a very cool site with open designs, OpenDesk.
  • Thanks to all the listeners who bought one of our Tees! Unfortunately, they are no longer for sale, but you can always request a reprint.

You can find Tony on twitter, his site, the electro bureau or grab some of the things he makes at his shop.

Today’s cartoon goodbye is cool beans. Later, Sausages.


GeoCites on Crack

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On this episode we chat with attorney, gamer and maker Tony Sarkees. He teaches us that copyright laws were actually created to “propagate ideas, encourage creation of new works, inform the public and build a common culture.”

  • Tony is modding his old school Game Boy. Dissected, Painted and let’s get biverted.
  • We talk about the now defunct PMOG/Nethernet and Tony suggests reading Justin’s essay on building online social games.
  • We all bond over the gorgeous gem known as Saugatuck, MI.
  • Pumping Station: One is the Chicago area hackerspace of choice for Tony when he’s making and creating.
  • Tony taught himself CSS to publish a zine online where people can share how gaming and games have affected their lives. Be sure to check out the excellent design and the memoirs featured on electro bureau.
  • Parallax scrolling was the bread & butter of the startup, Scrollkit who got into some legal trouble for showing people how to use their service to create pages like Snow Fall.
  • Chris was looking at about.me and flavors.me in order to build a personal landing page. Tony convinces him otherwise.
  • Our guest recommends hosting a website using Google App Engine instead of purchasing hosting. Let me Duck Duck Go That for you.
  • Tony gives us a lecture on copyright because “it touches every single one of us.” Pay attention! There’s a quiz later. Copyright is actually much more fascinating than you might think.
  • The Statute of Anne was the first copyright law.
  • Moral rights allow creators to control the association of their work in the EU or Canada. That is, “”you can’t use my song in your commercial for your diabolical political party commercials.”“
  • Fan fiction, fan sites and fan art are all actually copyright infringement.
  • Tony talks Android: Netrunner, a Living Card Game by Fantasy Flight Games. Unfortunately, one of the best communities for the game was shut down.
  • Disney has gone from sue happy to relaxed when it comes to copyright infringement.
  • Our guest doesn’t purchase items from Sony because of their rootkit scandal.
  • All of us are confused by the #gamergate situation.
  • Ridiculous Fishing is a game for iOS suggested by our guest.
  • Paul & Tony really like Threes! which has been cloned many, many times because you can’t copyright game rules and mechanics.

You can find Tony on twitter, his site, the electro bureau or grab some of the things he makes at his shop.


Whovian In-Law

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Whovian In-law? This Is An Example of Why I Don’t Listen To The Podcast?

Paul & Chris continue to talk to the Wonder Woman of education and technology, Colette Mondor. They switch gears from teaching & technology to movies, books and of course Doctor Who.