“…there’s no strong brand in podcasting – except for iTunes. And iTunes doesn’t really care about podcasting. Which means there’s an opportunity there. The podcast format is still brilliant…” – Peter Van Dijck

I think the first mistake made in podcast-land is considering it something different. Different than a blog, different than radio, different than video, different than an mp3 file, different than a conversation. That made the world very small, lame, and self-defeating. ‘Podcast’ rides atop all those things.

Hell, technically, all you have to do is make use of the ‘enclosure’ tag to be a podcast. Yes, as a communication form, the best ones have their own aesthetic and aren’t just ‘time-shifted’. But the idea of a podcast directory is as unmaintainable as a locked iPhone.

The Twittergram work I did a while back reminded me of the podcast-client that I’d like to see. It’s on the list of things to revisit after I launch this other app. Why? Cause it rides atop.

When we moved from Chicago almost 5 years ago, I got a lot of snickers and jeers from my co-workers. Completely understandable given that Chicago sees itself as the second city and all the reports of Mayor Daley trying to make it into NY without the bad parts.

It’s the quality of life that separates the Twin Cities from that cross-country rivalry. That’s continually highlighted in the recent WSJ article: The Twin Cities Hit ‘Critical Coolness’.

The quote, “It’s such a get-out-there and do something culture,” reminds me of Rex‘s MSP vs SEA comparison (can’t find the like right now) – everyone in MSP has a side project.

UPDATE: Rex’s comment reminded me that MSP has far more in common with PDX and SEA than ORD. But if you’ve spent anytime in the PNW you already know that. There’s been times that I’ve wondered if there’s some sorta high-speed tunnel between MSP and PDX.

I saw these two tweets side-by-side over the weekend. I read them fast and thought that spin and Calacanis were talking about the same product. It’s a floor cleaner, it’s a desert topping, it’s a publishing channel, it’s a weight loss supplement.

Despite not having written in a while, I’ve gotten some excellent comments on the look of this site.

“…I don’t know if that’s artsy or what, but I wasn’t all that impressed.”

and the more concise:

“conspicously vacant”

Perhaps suck.com had the same problem 😉

Either way, this site’s role has changed, and it needs to do more than it did when I refreshed it last.

Also, last week kicked off the full kitchen remodel here at HQ. In an effort to minimize stress, anxiety, and any jinxes, I’m holding off writing about it until it’s over.