Circled in red is the day pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training in Arizona. Today, we ventured over to Scottsdale Stadium to see the Giants 2007 hurlers in their tune-up sessions. Of course, our #1 mission was to see Barry Zito. As this clip shows, we were not disappointed. The position players reports next week--we'll be back (as well as to other Major League camps in the area).

In the UK, on the 11t h hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, the nation commemorates those who served in World War I and II with two minutes of silence. The 11-11-11 marks the time of the signing of the armistice that ended WWII. This shot was taken in The Tube, where those on the platform either stood silently or quietly went about their way. As you note, most folks are wearing poppies that are sold with the proceeds going to war veterans.

Krispy Kreme might be opening its doors in China, but here in Arizona, they have closed all eight outlets. I saw the news in the paper this morning, so we headed over to the closest K2 to see if it’s fact or fiction.

I have been in the technology and media business for about 30 years. I have seen the growing impact on society of the Web culture, but today, I am convinced more than ever that it has changed everything forever. A family member was one of those killed in the horrific shootings in Seattle, and for the past hour, I have been unraveling the story. No, I have not been unraveling it from The Seattle Times or P-I or even a local radio or TV station. I have been to The Stranger and Myspace. None of the “traditional media” sources have the details. If you want to know the facts, the inside story and even the names of the victims (not publicly released), you have to go to these two sites for starters.

 

I had the chilling experience of going to our family member’s Myspace and seeing notes posted to his space in memoriam to the young man. I went to the comments posted on The Stranger--the ultimate example of consumer-generated news reporting--and found a TV reporter looking for the inside story—the story she could not get going the old-fashioned route. Even the online versions of the city's two big papers are not able to keep up with the reporting found in these alternative sources.

 

I am not sure what all of this means. I do know that for those who lives are being shaped in the bask of today’s media spotlight; this is proof that the old way of getting news and information is neither timely nor relevant. I know I am changed from this experience, but so is media. Forever.

There is lots of talk about a number of new media players which will soon be entering the market to compete with the iPod. Hey, why not, it’s a free market. But, here are some issues that these hopeful entrants must consider:

1.    Any new player must support open MPEG-4, the lingua franca of the videoblogging world.
2.    Any new player must have open MP3 support to facilitate podcasters and listeners.
3.    Any new player company must have some tools to empower community sharing of content.
4.    Any new player company must have some capabilities to empower consumer creators, such as easy MPEG-4 editing tools for videobloggers (like iMovie) and for podcasters (like Garageband).

And that’s just for starters…

There’s a growing problem with all the video communities (Youtube, vSocial, etc..). Those who upload videos to the communities do not understand that offering a 10 second clip of “Family Guy,” some obscure European TV commercial or 20 seconds of their favorite “SNL” bit is NOT consumer generated content. It is consumer ripped off content. I find it frustrating when so many consumer creators are trying to use these communities as a venue to experiment with video and test this exciting medium. At some point, TV networks will figure out a way for consumers to license clips of TV shows for creative purposes, but we're not there now.

 

For a second, let’s overlook the fact that ripping off commercial TV is illegal. More important, it’s boring. VERY BORING. I implore these communities to start taking these clips off their sites and/or institute filters that find and delete them. Actually, one of the better things about Google’s video upload service, is that they attempt to nuke these ripped off clips before they make their way to the Google video search index. Sometimes, the filter is on too strong and legit stuff gets nuked, but that’s OK.

 

If I want to watch “Family Guy,” I’ll tune to Fox; that’s where it belongs. NOT on the video community sites.

The for sale sign is headed for Knight Ridder's newspaper properties. Who is likely to buy the papers? Here's a wild guess...Yahoo! or Google. Both companies can use their powerful online business to fuel a newspaper company, but in a greatly reduced form. Leveraging the print channel for ads as an add-on to the Web (there's a novel concept) could work, but not with all the reporters, editors, presses, unuions, trucks, etc.. that would come with the deal.

It's a long shot, but don't rule it out.

As promised, here’s a more in-depth look at The New York Marathon. A few postscript notes: It was cool to see the number of people walking around New York in the subsequent days proudly displaying their old medals (indicating they finished the race).  Also, on my flight from LGA (New York) to DEN (Denver), there was a woman who was inured in the race. She had to be taken on board in some sort of device that slides down the aisle and literally delivers the injured party to his/her seat. I tried to hear her tell her tale of woe, but the noise of the 757 muffled her comments.

 

Shooting video at the New York City Marathon was, so far, the highlight of my eight months of videoblogging. The best thing about it is that the clips need very little explanation. Here are two clips that speak for themselves. I will string a bunch together into a “movie” with titles when I have access to my PowerBook and the wonderful iMovie application.

 

It looks like Knight Ridder's largest shareholder wants the company on the auction block. Could be just a scare tactic, but if not, it will send ripples through publishers' executive suites worldwide.

 

Yes, another trip to Peoria. No, I am not running for mayor of the city. Today, TS and I (and about 100 other folks) saw the Desert Dogs get whalloped by the home standing Saguaros. Lots of miscues, not the least of which was from future D-back shortstop Stephen Drew. Brad Eldred, a first baseman who played much of the season for the Bucs in Pittsburgh, hit two home runs.

Three more games in the next two days. Stay tuned.

My annual Fall League birthday baseball game was a day late, but full of excitement nonetheless. It was the Surprise (nee Scottsdale) Scorpions at the Peoria Saguaros. First viewing of the Scorpions this year, and it’s a team filled with talent: Brandon Wood, Kendry Morales, Michael Bourn, Jared Weaver, etc..

 

This clip provides an overview of the game and then some up-close shots of a few players, most notable Alex Gordon (No. 2 pick in the most recent draft) and Brandon Wood (he of 43 minor league homers this past season), a graduate of Horizon High School in Phoenix (and former top draft pick of the Angels). By the way, if you want to get a glimpse at a future Cy Young candidate, look at Jared Weaver (also of the Angels). He was a No. 1 pick who held out an entire season before signing. He is the real deal with major heat plus a wicked, major league curve.

 

 

One of the highlights of the game between the Peoria Saguaros and Surprise Scorpions was getting to see Phillies prospect Scott Mathieson. I had the good fortune to meet Scott’s father Doug, who was in town coaching Team BC (Players from British Columbia, Canada) as it competed in the Arizona Fall Classic, a baseball tournament held at the Peoria complex (where the Mariners and Padres train). The tournament is for top high school players from throughout North America.

 

Doug Mathieson is also the coach responsible for Adam Loewen (also in Fall league), Jeff Francis, Larry Walker and young Giants pitcher Morgan Brinson. Brinson was featured in a video clip from Arizona Rookie League.

 

Scott is a budding prospect in the Phillies organization, playing this season in A ball at Clearwater. With 114 K's in 111 innings this past season, I'd say he's the classic power pitcher destined for Citizens Bank Park. He’s invited to big league training camp for '06, but the smart money says he starts the season in Reading. Hey, it could be worse; Reading is the granddaddy of all shopping outlet cities and has the best (I mean best) pretzels in the U.S. Oh, by the way, Mathieson did not have one of his better outings today; he gave up a handful of runs and the score was 10-10 when we left in the 7^th.

 

Here’s something you won’t find on local Phoenix TV stations until they get around to their ho-hum coverage of the news: Empty Bowls, an annual charitable event in commemoration of World Hunger Day. Here’s a clip from the Empty Bowls event in Carefree, Arizona. The event also had a silent auction and was adjacent to the weekly farmers market (sadly in need of some good greens vendors.)

 

This quote from the Washington Post on citizen journalism. Think the company is feeling the pressure from the success of Backfence?

"Can't tell you when, but we're working on a handful of other ways to engage users, and among them is allowing for submission of content from outside sources. But there are a lot of details to be worked out before we're ready to go live."

I was asked by a local TV station to take down a video clip I shot at the station as part of a charity event. It was an on air, in-studio cut-away in which a representative from one of the nation’s most significant charitable organizations aimed at eliminating one of the most frightening illnesses in the world, was being interviewed. I did not show anything about the TV station that would be competitive or secretive to competitors. Somehow, the clip upset the station.

 

As part of my participation in the keynote speech here in Orlando at the Gartner Symposium, I talked about the changing face of media and how these changes scare incumbent media companies. I’d say that instead of worrying about consumer content creators looking to spread the message of those raising money to conquer dreaded illness, TV stations should get their act together and join the content revolution.

What better way to spend Columbus Day than watching an Arizona Fall League game. Today, the Peoria Saguaros hosted the powerful Phoenix Desert Dogs.  We came to see the Dogs, last year’s AFL champion. That team features a host of future stars including Stephen Drew (Diamondbacks), Greg Miller and Andy LaRoche (Dodgers), Andre Ethier and Daric Barton (Athletics) and Jarrod Saltalmacchia (Braves).

 

I avoided the long in-game shots which I need to hold off on until I get a camera with a more powerful zoom. Instead, I focused on the players before the game. Saltalmacchia (whose name I butchered in the clip) is going to be a favorite. He has a big smile and was quite warm to the young fans. He even spoke to me.

 

As you might imagine, much of my focus was on Stephen Drew of the Diamondbacks. Drew did not disappoint; he hit a monster three-run homer onto the lawn in right field. In baseball terms, he was worth all $4 million-plus the D-backs spent.

 

One final note: leaving the park, we spotted Jenny Finch, softball superstar, sitting in the stands. She is married to Casey Daigle, a minor league pitcher with the Diamondbacks. (BTW, he was a very friendly guy with the the fans before the game).

 

I am on Fall League hiatus until Oct. 21st, my birthday. I have been to an AZ Fall League game on my birthday each of the past four years.

 

 

 

This weekend (Oct. 7^th and 8^th) marks the grand opening of the Carefree Farmers Market. As you can see, it’s a small gathering of vendors so far, but one of the sellers told my wife more vendors will be at the market once the market in Cottonwood is over.

 

What better day for the opening of our Fall League season. Sunny and about 100 degrees and the Peoria Saguaros hosted the Peoria Javelinas at Peoria Stadium (naturally). Last time we were at that stadium, we saw the Mariners and White Sox in Spring Training with Felix Hernandez on the hill. Today, we saw lots of great young talent with the Javelinas pounding the Saguaros 13-3 (when we left in the 8^th inning).

 

We saw homers galore (one captured on the video clip here) by such future stars as Mariners No. 1 pick Jeff Clement as well as by Rockies budding star Ian Stewart, Diamondbacks’ minor league sensation Dan Uggla and Michael Johnson, a hulking first baseman from the Padres.

 

There was a crowd of about 100, which is decent for a weekday Fall League game. We’ll be back next Monday to see a game in Surpirse.

 

Today marks our first game of the Arizona Fall League season. It is, without question, one of baseball's best-kept secrets. I will post videos here, but have started another blog devoted only to Fall League.

Stay tuned!

What was once a small market of dreamers now is getting serious? I saw a post to the Videobloggers group on Yahoo! pointing me to CNET’s download.com where they are now accepting and showcasing videos, including consumer created content. Today, the site will stream content, but it says soon it will be hosting content. Are we witnessing the return of Richard Hart and CNET TV? (Just kidding)

My wife and I have been anxious to donate household goods such as toiletries and clothing to the hurricane survivors who now are living at the Phoenix Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum (aka The Madhouse on McDowell, former home of the Phoenix Suns). Showing the power of the Web’s ability to virally get the word out, we heard via email from one of our fellow District 7 Democrats that the local Air America affiliate, KKXT, was accepting new household goods. And so, we were on our way. Believe me, it's just the start! There were lots of people donating goods at the radio station, all of whom heard through the Web--the greatest agent for getting the word out.

 

Wherein Allen and Mike try to understand the effect of Katrina on the NO media. Will papers make a permanent jump to all digital -- or primarily digital -- by necessity?

 

We had The Wiener Dog Nationals circled on our calendar. Held at the Phoenix Greyhound Park (third annual), it’s an event in which dachshunds compete in “races” to benefit Arizona Adopt a Greyhound. Last year, I had a lot of pictures on a former blog, but tonight, the videos will do it even greater justice. It’s fun to watch these crazy legged little animals run their hearts out.

 

We were introduced to the event last year when my wife met the owner of Squirt (her name is J.D. Ecker) outside a supermarket. She was raising money for her guy to race and that led us to head down to the park. In this video montage, Squirt is the sweet dachshund who is wearing a hot dog bun. He’s difficult to miss.

 

The timing was a little off as the monsoon rains came shortly after the first heat. The races are interspersed throughout the night between the greyhound heats. I will not watch the “real” dog races; the concept gives me the willies

I put all the factors together: he has a home in Scottsdale; he played college baseball here; it’s nice and warm; his team is playing here. Maybe, just maybe, Barry Bonds was warming up (so to speak) in the Phoenix area to come back and play for the San Francisco Giants in the final weeks of the season.

 

This morning, we went on the hunt for Barry Bonds.

 

I wonder—was I better off in the ‘60s when I could see in a minute-by-minute sequence the horrors of Vietnam and the frightening inner-city turmoil of race riots across the nation? I saw Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite and their peers serve me filtered casualty reports. I saw those flags behind Dan Rather list the number of dead with surrealistic body counts; when our numbers were less than the other guys, I felt good. But I was 10 and our TV has three channels. There was no Web. For that matter, there were no computers. In fact, it took a minute for my family’s black & white TV to warm up. Were those the days?

 

Or, is it today, where I have three PCs running as well as two TVs, one playing inside one of my PCs. I got to blogs to see first hand accounts—pictures and stories. I see unfiltered news and pictures and videos from the front lines. I see some guy on CNN proclaim it’s darned near the end of the world. If I were 10 years old today, what would I be thinking?

 

I have mostly applause for the media coverage of Hurricane Katrina; it’s been fairly honest and through, although I believe the networks must label LIVE TV shots from looped shots. I saw that guy being carried away in a bucket by a helicopter 100 times yesterday. Was it live, or Memorex ®? The TV-Web fusion creates enough of a confusion of place and time; we need our media to be accurate in its labeling.

 

Lastly, I want the Times-Picayune, the print voice of New Orleans to use technology to create a digital newspaper. They need to use Extensis’ Deja-Vu technology or Zinio to get a “newspaper” put together without a printing press. It would help add context to the outpouring of soul-less content flooding the channel.

I have mentioned it before in my other blogs, but I have this goal of running for Congress in Arizona (District 7) sometime after my daughter goes off to college. To that end, my wife and I are active in the Arizona Democratic Party and are precinct committeemen for our district.

 

Tonight, we attended the “Win in your Own Backyard” dinner for the Maricopa County Democratic Party. The food was lousy (as food is at political events), but it was worth it to see Governor Janet Napolitano speak. The governor was poised, charismatic, articulate and vibrant. How many politicians could be described in that manner?

 

In this clip from the event, the governor is introduced by Judy Kennedy, chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party.

It's no joke. Despite it's caveat, Current TV is rather daring to suggest everyday people shoot video of the impact of the hurricane. I am a huge believer in citizen journalism, but covering a Category 4/5 Hurricane is a job for experienced reporters.

Current Studio members,

Category 5 Katrina is bearing down on New Orleans and we'd like your
perspective. What are people in your town saying about the disaster
coming across the water? Are they all tuning in or only vaguely
aware of what's going on?

Most people never experience anything like this, except through TV.
Have you been through a hurricane or an evacuation before? What's it
like?
What did you leave behind?

We are NOT looking for you to put yourself in harm's way -- there is
real danger out there. This is not about the weather correspondent
tied  to a tree; there is loss happening right now, and we want to
connect with real voices and perspectives.

Upload anything you shoot to the Current Studio --

At least that's what's on the MSNBC Website.

My wife, daughter and I showed our support for Cindy Sheehan, the mother of the late Casey Sheehan, who died in 2004 in Iraq in service to our country. We were part of  one of more than 1,400 candlelight vigils tonight across the United States. Sheehan is camped outside President Bush’s home in Crawford, Texas, waiting for a chance to speak to him about her son... wanting to know his life was not lost in vain.

 

We went to the vigil held at 24^th Street and Camelback in Phoenix. It was a peaceful yet vocal protest. There were candles, placards and cheers as cars went by honking their horns in support.

 

The footage here is raw. I wanted to approximate the feel of the event. Whether or not you agree with Sheehan, you have to admire her courage and the strength of those who came out on a 99-degree evening to show their support.

 

By the way, I beat the local TV news by more than an hour with this footage!

 

A vital part of “The Summer of Baseball” (which sadly is at an end) was our tour of the two New York City baseball parks—Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium. It was my second trip to Shea and first to Yankee Stadium. I liked the fact that you exit the 7 Train and there you are—right smack at Shea.

 

So, in retrospect, since the first week of June, we visited Bank One Ball Park; Camden Yards; Citizens Bank Park; Shea and Yankee Stadium. Let’s not forget The Sandcastle (Atlantic City) and the pre-Spring Training home of the SF Giants where we witnessed a number of Arizona Rookie League games.

 

Number one? I have to go with Citizens Bank Park with Camden Yards close behind. Overall, though, neither is as cool at SBC Park (nee Pac Bell).  Hopefully, I can nail some video from SBC sometime soon.

 

We had a heck of a time finding it, but the statue commemorating "the kiss" at the VJ-Day celebration in Times Square, is temporarily at 44th and Broadway in New York. The statue, created by J. Seward Johnson replicated the Eisenstadt picture that appeared in Life magazine in 1945. The woman in the kiss--Edith Shain--was on hand a few days ago for the unveiling.

At 1:30 this Sunday, to honor the men and women of the armed forces, there will be a "Pucker Up for Peace"  kiss-in at the site of the statue.

 

After the guitar smashing, the crowd swelled in front of the Hard Rock Café. Some folks said that Bruce Springsteen was leaving the building, but it was Little Steven (aka Steve Van Zandt) standing in front doing some obligatory interviews. Like millions of others, I know Van Zandt as Silvio Dante from The Sopranos.