Every Sunday night at the Brave New Workshop presents, Improv-A-Go-Go. $1 buys you 2 hours of local improv. A good deal no matter how hit and miss the comedy. Tonight’s performance was definitely so: Straight From Uranus started off rough and quickly got their stride. Knowing when to end a scene, improv or otherwise is …
Author Archives: Garrick van Buren
Podcasting is Closer to Voicemail than Radio
Yesterday, I listened to the latest from the Podcast Brothers featuring an interview with Todd Storch. You’ve probably gleaned that I don’t see the viability of an ad subsidized podcast. As I’ve mentioned in the economics of podcasting, existing broadcasters have huge amounts of money sunk into transmitters, spectrum, studios, and talent. The easiest way …
Continue reading “Podcasting is Closer to Voicemail than Radio”
My Car Won’t Run E85, Maybe Yours?
Yesterday, I noticed the signage at the gas station up the street was showing prices for unleaded gasoline and E85, the fuel made of 85% ethanol and just 15% petroleum. E85 can be made from sugar cane, corn, wheat, just about any starch. Here in the midwest the obvious choice is corn. As a quick …
The IKEA Furnishings Subscription Model
I had a couple of apartments completely furnished via IKEA. As I’m sure you know, once assembled Billy isn’t going anywhere. Drooping and wabbly, the Billy entertainment system lasted – to the day – as my last rental lease. Not a bad thing, I didn’t have to move it. Though it did leave me without …
First Crack 45. Cayenne Chris’s Sketch Comedy Podcast
On a beautiful Minneapolis summer day, Cayenne Chris Conroy from Teknikal Diffikulties and I sit down for a backyard-cast to discuss his sketch comedy podcast, creating and keeping track of characters, sound effects, radio theater, the right length for a podcast. Other things we touch on: Little Gray Book Lectures Sam and Jim go to …
Continue reading “First Crack 45. Cayenne Chris’s Sketch Comedy Podcast”
First Crack 44. Building Community, Building Bridges
David Motzenbecker, Mark Hinds, and I talk about how to get a bridge built. Specifically, a pedestrian bridge to re-connect the Bryant and Kingfield neighborhoods of south Minneapolis, two neighborhoods long separated by interstate highway 35W. Listen to Building Community, Building Bridges [33 min]
Lucero Survived the Culling of SXSW Showcase Music
I’ve got a smart iTunes playlist set up entitled ‘Getting Things Done’ – it holds my tried and true favorites, songs that are just the right combination of ‘covering background noise’ (lawn mowers and road construction) and ‘keep me motivated’. Specifically, the list contains tracks I’ve rated greater than 2 stars that aren’t in my …
Continue reading “Lucero Survived the Culling of SXSW Showcase Music”
Podcasting is Ron Popeil for the Radio
Mark Ramsey at Radio Marketing Nexus nails the value of podcasting to business: Podcasting is to Radio spots as infomercials are to TV spots. I’ve used the informercial comparison before, I’m glad others see it also. The traditional model of commerical spots interrupting a regularly scheduled program falls apart in podcasting. Podcasts can shrink and …
A Reel Mower vs A Real Mower
Last year, when we moved into our place, I picked up a Scott Classic reel mower. It seemed like a quiet, environmentally conscious, energy efficient solution. It was the wrong tool for a number of reasons: the Siberian Elm that sheds its branches like a cat, the odd divets perfect for twisting ankles, and dandelions …
The Guthrie’s ‘She Loves Me’ From the Cheap Seats
On a whim this morning, Jen and I caught the Guthrie’s She Loves Me matinee performance. This isn’t the first time we’ve hit the Guthrie rush line, definitely won’t be the last. Getting decent seats (or seats at all) is always a gamble. Last time, excellent seats – front and center. This time, front and …
Continue reading “The Guthrie’s ‘She Loves Me’ From the Cheap Seats”