Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Kricfalusi Goodness!

Oh Joy! Ren and Stimpy creator John K. has a blog! You can see some of his new stuff also please leave a comment. According to Bill:
"The volume of comments helps him on his quest for investors. Apparently the Adult Party Cartoon series (some episodes were shown on Spike TV) is coming out on DVD soon!"
Thanks to Bill for the link.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Weekend Article About Podcasting (Jawbone Featured)

For those of you interested in reading the article written by our friend Chad at the Medina Gazette for show 97, what follows is a transcript. Unfortunately, there are no digital copies online to read. So here is the article in whole. Thanks Chad!

(BTW, I look like I'm turning into a werewolf in this photo. Unfortunately, this is how I look most of the time. Kinda sad really. Also, I just recieved the paper copy of the paper and this photo is HUGE! There are also a few nice photos of Nora and I. Pretty interesting stuff.)
----

Listeners plug into digital podcasts like Jawbone Radio at any time
by Chad Buterbaugh

Podcasting has disseminated through Cleveland. This form of new media has officially gone mainstream.

But before exploring the world of Jawbone Radio, the Lakewood podcast that recently celebrated its first birthday, here's a brief evolution.

By 1995, the Internet was a regular-schmuck utility available to anyone with a phone line. Codgers working in the television, radio and print industries asked not for whom the bell tolled.

People started building Web pages from the comfort of home. These dealt with important socio-political issues of the day, like "Lord of the Rings" references in Led Zeppelin lyrics. However, some lacked the wherewithal to design whole databases. For them, a simpler technology soon arose — blogging.

Blogs, short for Weblogs, were user-run message boards about a broad array of subjects. All the blogger had to do was maintain the board, post the occasional message and respond to messages posted by other surfers. Banter ensued. Yet still there was a thirst for something more complex.

Enter podcasting, the happy medium between blogs and Web design. Podcasts are bite-size audio files of music, talk or both. They sound a lot like radio programs, but unlike radio, they're created with digital technology, which makes them downloadable and easy to archive. This gives listeners the benefit of plugging in whenever they want instead of having to bend around a programming schedule.

Check this out. If you like jazz, go to www.redjazz.com. Inside of five minutes you'll hip-deep in guitar so mellow it could melt wood. What's more, you'll get an exclusive interview with the guy that plays it, one Barry Greene. And if you like what Mr. Greene has to offer, you can revisit him every time you're online.

Now, back to Lakewood.

Len and Nora Peralta are the husband-and-wife team behind Jawbone Radio, a weekly podcast they produce from their attic. Len runs his advertising business from home, and Nora does the accounting. After the work day is over, and after their five kids have been put to bed, the couple climbs the steps up and up, past the bedrooms and into a space where they're still two Baldwin-Wallace undergrads producing a late-night radio show.

They sit on opposite sides of a Starfleet Command-style computer table that's loaded with an Apple PowerBook, an iMac flatscreen and a clunky old PC that Len "dumps stuff on when he runs out of space." Amidst a jungle of wires stand several Star Wars action figures.

Len's counterbalance is Nora, his wife of 13 years. She plays the foil to her energetic husband. If he tries to keep a program schedule, she tries to mix it up. Nora grins constantly. After a year, she' still bemused by Len's show.

And it does belong to him, as far as maintenance goes. After every recording session, he uploads the show onto the Internet. Later, he tidies up the Jawbone blog and checks the Jawbone e-mail account. No advertisers, no money. This is DIY all the way.

"It's the reinvention of radio," he said. "It really is on the cusp of listeners taking back their content."

Together, the Peraltas mix up an inviting charm — Len with his "Warcraft" references, Nora with her sleepy Cleveland accent. Their brand of talk entertainment is the same kind you'd get from your co-workers. They discuss Valentine's Day presents, the face transplant lady and what's really up with "American Idol." And they do it mercilessly, just like you would.

The familiar topics have earned Jawbone a true-blue fan base around the city and as far away as Australia. In a way, Jawbone has the world's ear, which keeps them friendly but guarded. (Once, Nora had to publicly apologize to a French-Canadian for a misunderstanding about body odor.)

"It's kind of hard for me to believe that anybody's listening, which is why it's so easy for me to be glib," she explained.

It's a big podcast, but the technology is still new, and Len isn't that impressed. Bragging about your podcast is like saying you're a tall midget, he quipped.

Actually, Jawbone has no way to count every listener. What numbers they have are guesstimates based on fan response and tracking software . A good way to put it in perspective is with a BBC report from last July, where entertainment writer Darren Waters gave Jawbone the nod as a podcast worth listening to.

Then there's Len's bit of investigative journalism, entitled "In Search of Bill Watterson." In the 16-minute podcast from November, he attempted to unearth new information on Watterson, the "Calvin and Hobbes" creator who hasn't given an interview in more than a decade. It has become Jawbone's most downloaded show at more than 5,000 hits.

On Feb. 11, Jawbone turned 1 year old. A day later, Len and Nora recorded their 97 th show. Both agree that 2005 was the year of experimentation. This year, they believe podcasting will go corporate.

"There are some shows that are starting to get sponsors," Nora said. "My prediction is that there are going to be some practical business uses for podcasts."

Not a bad guess. Major networks have begun distributing content via podcast in the past year. So have some magazines and daily newspapers. Even General Electric has produced podcasts aimed at listeners within the company.

So that puts big media outlets in the same camp as attic podcasters like the Peraltas. In theory, both have the power to speak to a worldwide audience. That's why Gary Hanson, a journalism professor at Kent State University, agrees that the next step is to figure out how podcasts can make money.

"Like a lot of the other new media, there's still some question as to what the business model would be for it," Hanson said. "That's an area that, like a lot of the Web, is still up for debate."

Yet no matter how many corporate giants pop off their own podcasts, it's still a technology that's super-accessible to the average person. GarageBand, for example, is a program that comes standard with most Apple computers. It has all the basic podcast-making tools.

Still have questions? Then check out the MacCast, a podcast that covers all things Apple. Now entering its third year, it's run by a private user completely independent of Apple Computer, Inc. Hanson listens to shows like that and wonders how long it will take for companies to corporatize the new medium.

"What happens when the delivery system changes?" he questioned. "Will the revenue stream follow?"

Right now, Jawbone isn't getting paid. Nora doesn't expect that to change in the future, and while Len would like to make the show viable, he's happy enough doing it as a hobby for now. The focus isn't on money, which might be the attraction of this entire virtual community — all are welcome.

Like Len said, "Anybody who has some extra cash, broadband, a decent computer and a mike can sit down and start expressing some views."
Printed with permission of the Medina Gazette.

Another Lousy Day With Nora

From the More Interpretative Reading Dept: Jawbone's Own Nora had the pleasure of being a part of David Kodeski's podcast project Another Lousy Day, a series of diaries from the early 60's read aloud by as many as 730 different women. The project has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered:
"A few years ago, Chicago writer David Kodeski found two diaries from 1960 and 1961 in a resale shop. The diaries' author, a single, working woman who lived on the city's South Side, wrote meticulously about her everyday life: how she flirted with her co-workers, fought with her Dad, shopped for things she didn't need, and searched for happiness as she worried about her weight and hairdo."


Nora's featured reading appears on the Feb 28th edition of the podcast. You can check out the podcast here.

ON EDIT: Due to some health issues with Mr. Kodeski, the entry read by Nora was posted on March 2. Be sure to check out the podcast!

Friday, February 24, 2006

Chokeback Mountain: The Movie

Wow...when I said we were up for an Oscar on show 99, who knew it would lead to this? Apparently, our answer to Cleveland being the Asthmatic Capital of the World has inspired some folks. Here's a little movie submitted by the brother of one of our Irish fans, Liam. Utterly Delightful!

Apparently, it's also been submitted into the Lionhead Studios Motion Picture Awards Warrington Film Festival! How cool is that?

Check it out here.

World Of Warcraft: The New Golf?


WOW seems to have a growing influence not just on gaming geeks, but also on some real power players. Case in point:
We've all heard the rumors: Dave Chappelle loves World of Warcraft. So does Jon Stewart. Asia Carrera kills in Unreal Tournament. But it turns out that perhaps another group of power-players are addicted to WoW - high-tech entrepreneurs, big-idea folks, internet movers and shakers. Is WoW turning into a place where they can meet and find each other?

Check out the story here. Thanks to Knightwise for the link.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Interpretative Readings of They Might Be Giants


For those of you who can't get enough our interpretative readings, you're in luck. On show 99, Nora mentioned that we had done some interpretive "readings" of They Might Be Giants songs a la their movie "Gigantic". The readings are now posted online in podcast format for your listening pleasure. You can hear our renditions of "No" and "Experimental Film" on a podcast called They Now. It's hosted by Bryan and he plays TMBG covers and songs that sound like TMBG. Along with us, you'll also hear our friend Brian Ibbott from Coverville reading "Kiss Me Son of God." After hearing the news that Brian read that song, I did a collective V8 Slap, wishing I had done that song instead.

You can check out the show here. Thanks to Bryan for the opportunity.

Jawbone #99: The Show Before 100


Show 99. Just one away from Show 100. We're pulling out all the stops here, folks.

Tonight's show, we catch up with our old friend, John Hodgman, we answer a ton of listener e-mails and voice mails especially one about Cleveland and Asthma and we generally get all giddy about doing these next few milestone shows. We are on the verge of making a very important announcement regarding the future of this show. So make sure to keep listening. And if you haven't subscribed yet, do it now. All this and the music of The Dead Milkmen! It's almost too much to take.

RUNNING TIME: 50:50
SHOW NOTES:

Links:
Comedy4Cast
John Hodgman
Geek Heirarchy
Scott Johnson
The Residents
Manic Mommies
Treks In Sci-Fi
The USS Nightmare
Whatever Happened to Chi-Chi's?

Music:
The Dead Milkmen | The Thing That Only Eats Hippies ( A request from Bill)
And buy their stuff at Itunes!

RSS feed.
Download now.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Katamari Blockacy


Katamari Blockacy (PS2)
Originally uploaded by skinny coder

Wow...a Flickr group dedicated to Lego recreations of favorite video games. You gotta love people with time on their hands. Thanks to DJ Hojo for this dee-licious link!

Listener Survey

Hey gang. Do Nora and I a favor and take a few minutes to take a quick survey about Jawbone. This will help us figure out some stuff about you and your listening habits. It's short, sweet and non-invasive, we promise. Please answer honestly! Thanks in advance, it would mean a lot us.

Take the Survey Now.

Want A Sports Related Podcast Name?


Buy it on Ebay.

The Pickleman himself is selling a ton of sports related podcast domains, all for a cool $1.5 mil. He's not sure if they will sell, but it should be fun watching this auction to say the very least.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

The Return Of Caption This

With the advent of the brand new commenting system, I thought what better way to test it than with a rousing game of Caption This.

Have fun!

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Jawbone #98: How To Survive A Robot Uprising

Tonight's guest on Jawbone is Dr. Daniel Wilson, author of the book How To Survive A Robot Uprising. He gives some very good advice about surviving an onslaught of two tons of mechanical terror and what to do to protect yourself from the wrath of the machines.

This is a repost of an earlier show. We were having some issues with this particular show, so if you have gotten this show before, our apologies.











RUNNING TIME: 33:06
SHOW NOTES:

Links:
How To Survive A Robot Uprising
Carnegie Mellon
NYT Article about Dr. Wilson
Sushi Radio
Thomas Lennon (robot)
Ben Garant (also a robot)

Music:
All Your Base Are Belong To Us

Where to show Jawbone some love:
Vote for us at Podcast Alley
Add Us To Your Faves At Podcast Pickle
Review us at Yahoo or at Itunes

RSS feed.
Download now.

New Comment System, New Look

If you've been visiting the blog the last 24 hours, you'll see that we've switched things up a little bit here. We have a new template for the blog as well as a new comment system that is powered by Haloscan. Feel free to test out the new system and let us know what you think. Is it easier? More difficult? And how do you like the new look? So many questions. So little time.

BTW, I am aware that this site looks a little crazy in Internet Explorer. I don't recommend you use IE if you're a Windows user. If you haven't already switched, go and download the Firefox browser.

Also, for now, until the transition is completely made, you can make comments via either with the new Haloscan system or with the Blogger system. One of the main reasons of the switch to Haloscan is because this particular template did not support word verification to combat spam. Hopefully it will prove to be effective as we move forward. Thanks for bearing with us!

Friday, February 17, 2006

The Best of Jawbone: Fat Guy In the Basement

On the road to 100, there are some memories.

Many people ask us, why is Neil the Fat Guy in the basement? And this show is why. We explain our plans to turn Neil into our own personal fat guy in that we would cut out during the upcoming holiday season.

If you've heard this show already, sorry about that. I'm really just doing this to see if the new feed works.

Enjoy!

RSS feed.
Download now.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Drake's Really Does Make You Suicidal

From Mark in NJ:
Len & Nora,

I thought your Drakes "jingle" was a hoax until I saw their new packaging (photo attached). Keep up the good work & happy 100th show!



See? They really do make you want to die! Thanks for the photo, Mark!

Jawbone: Unedited

The rumor mill is wldly churning around plans for our show 100, so it seems. And unbeknownst to me, the podosphere has been chattering away. I tried to quell some of these swirling unthruths and perhaps even create a few of my own, with a quick appearance on the latest episode of Unedited: The Extensively Edited Podcast for Podcasters. I let the host, Chad of Me and the Bean fame, in on a few tidbits about show 100. (Whatever could it be??!) Rev up the salivation machine and listen into the show here.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

How Much Is This Blog Worth? Part 2

Woo hoo! It's fixed!


My blog is worth $55,324.92.
How much is your blog worth?

All Will Be Revealed


We're just three shows away from 100. What does that mean for the future of Jawbone? We're not really sure. But we'll have some fun getting there at least. Changed up the main banner for the site as we move closer to 100. Hopefully this won't be a big disappointment. We'll try our damndest to not let everyone down.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Happy Valentine's Day From Jawbone!

To all our blog readers and listeners, happy Valentine's Day! Go out and buy yourself some spicy sausage.

Get Your Geek On

On our last show, we discussed being a geek and whether I was one. Well, as it turns out, being a geek isn't all that bad. In fact, quite the opposite. Read this article and see for yourself.

Thanks to Kristin for the link!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Jawbone #97: Happy Birthday, Jawbone

It's our birthday and whoa...the press is onto us. Tonight, our special guest is Chad from the Medina Gazette. Listen in as he does a story about us for an upcoming edition of the paper.




RUNNING TIME: 43:06
SHOW NOTES:

Links:
Jonathan Coulton
Melamed Riley Advertising
Podcheck
Face Transplant Story
The Tale of Happy Birthday
Kevin Seconds Pawdcast
Manic Mommies
Hometown Tales Dinner
Robot Uprising
Flash Mobs

Music:
The Descendents | Nothing With You

Where to show Jawbone some love:
Vote for us at Podcast Alley
Add Us To Your Faves At Podcast Pickle
Review us at Yahoo or at Itunes

RSS feed.
Download now.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Jawbone #96.5: The Cincy Podcast Summit

Here's a special treat for the weekend: A Jawbone Minicast! On today's minicast, we document our meeting with actual podcasting legend, Brian Ibbott of the world's most popular music podcast, Coverville. Listen as we discuss Brian's eating habits, our influence on the podcasting world, the changes we plan on making to the podworld and much, much more. It's a tantalizing audio document that you really shouldn't miss.

And if you can't get enough of us hanging with Mr. Ibbott, check out the latest episode of Coverville, where Nora and I sit in as special guests, discuss our favorite cover songs and everything else that Brian didn't edit out.



BTW, you'll notice this show is considered part of show 96, my solocast. So this does not count toward the 100 show total. That's for the benefit of those keeping score. A real live show will be coming later this weekend. Stay tuned!

Also, Jawbone turns one year old today. Just thought you'd like to know that. You know, if you wanted to send us birthday wishes and all...

RUNNING TIME: 19:56
SHOW NOTES:

Music:
Beatallica | A Garage Dayz Night

Where to show Jawbone some love:
Vote for us at Podcast Alley
Add Us To Your Faves At Podcast Pickle
Review us at Yahoo or at Itunes

RSS feed.
Download now.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Friday, February 03, 2006

Go Amanda and Andrew, Go! Part 2

I think we may have a winner in our breakout internet celebrity race, none other than Amanda from Rocketboom. She appeared as herself during last night's CSI and you can't buy better PR than that. Well done.

Incidentally, I was faked out and thought Amanda was playing the detective earlier in the show. That chick looked a lot like her. Did anyone else think that? Anywho, here's the appearance. Way to go, guys.

Jawbone #96: Hot Solocast Action!

My guest host didn't work out, so it's a solocast tonight. Nora is out of town, so I try to pull a Dan Klass or a Lance Anderson and fail miserably.




RUNNING TIME: 32:09
SHOW NOTES:

Links:
Hometown Tales
WBWC
The Bitterest Pill
Verge of the Fringe
Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo
Lakewood, Ohio
The Art of Robert Ullman
Game On!
Rob's Hobo Drawing
Random Signals
The Airwolf Emoticon: \A/

Where to show Jawbone some love:
Vote for us at Podcast Alley
Add Us To Your Faves At Podcast Pickle
Review us at Yahoo or at Itunes

Music:
Minus Vince | Far Away From Near

RSS feed.
Download now.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

More Caption This!

Here's another photo, this time submitted by DJ Hojo: