Hella Solutions blog: "Document. Share. Inspire."

For a short read on how the development of the transistor is what started the popular Silicon Valley, check out this article in today’s Chronicle.

I can’t say that I have ever actually used Yahoo’s podcast service (or anything Yahoo related for that matter) but this might be of interest to audio folks who do any work in the Podcasting arena. Because there are so many effective podcasting services I doubt, or at least hope, this doesn’t hurt anyone’s podcasting endeavors. To read the full article click here.

Ahhhh, the beauty of that thing we cherish most in life…capital. This is where you never grow tired hearing, “This was not a decision that was based on content (of the show)…It was based on financial considerations.” Oh yes, America. A place where cultural value must compete with pop icons and multinational corporations for a spot on the radio dial. A fair fight? Yeah, right…this reminds me of a conversation I was having with a radio producer recently. He had been doing radio for a long time in the States and finally got tired of this uphill and most often futile battle and moved to Germany where this is much, much, MUCH less of an issue. But do we all move to Germany? Seems a bit out of most of our means/desire. So when and how will this “war on culture” be had?

What pray tell got me on this subject today? Well, KQED recently cancelled “the only nationally syndicated public radio program about Asian American affairs.” You can read the article here.

The documentary film “The Bridge” is just begging to be criticized (this may be exactly what the director counted on but it’s hard to tell just where this guy is coming from). The film is about suicide and those that choose San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge as their point of departure. In interviews, the film maker speaks about mixing the beauty of the bridge with the darkness of suicide and such discussions – that’s all fine and well. But what is contentious is the fact that there was a group of camera men and women who sat around the bridge filming in hopes of catching the exact moment when someone jumps {why?}. Considering that jumping from the Golden Gate Brdige is an all too common event it’s kind of like shooting the proverbial fish in a barrel. In this case though you just have to have the perciverance and time. {what value does this capture add to such a film?}

In watching the special features included on the DVD, the people behind the cameras remark that they had cell phones programmed and walkie talkies ready and would immediately call bridge authorities when a jump occurred {uh, but isn’t that a little late}. Did they ever call when they “thought” a jump would occur? That isn’t clear. What is confusing is that they say that they didn’t ever know when a person would jump {this was their kind of ‘defense’} AND that “you could just tell.” My question is, if you could just tell then why not “just call” before the actual jump? Even if you are wrong what’s the harm – obviously, no movie (at least as the director sees it). Is this not taking cinema verite (fly on the wall style) to an extreme limit {beyond limit}? And do you really need to capture someone jumping to make this a compelling story? I personally don’t think that it adds any more than if they had filmed some actors standing around the bridge in comteplative moods (that’s essentially what much of the film is and the most dramatic footage…not the actual jumping).

I never felt any attachment to the subjects and so the film always feels “distant.” One might say that a person would have trouble relating because many of the subjects have some sharp mental disabilities and can therefore be capable of anything. But I don’t think so. I feel like the director took a conscious path about how his movie would be made and it is this path that will keep it from truly being succesful.

While overall the film lacks integrity there are some very strong statements made by a couple of the friends and family members of people who died in the film. The father of one of the bridge’s vitctims is especially compelling. But does that and some pretty cinematography justify the selfish style in which the film was made? I don’t think so…

For some truly inspiring audio interviews check out the PodCast section over at the Ella Baker Center. In particular listen to “Interview with Van Jones from the Big Vision Podcast” – Length: 36.35 – and “Van Jones: Hope at the Crossroads” – Length: 25.00. Van Jones, founder and president of the EBC is beauty beyond words!

Hey BBQ fans, I want to turn you on to a new BBQ joint that has opened in Berkeley, California called Looney’s BBQ! It’s authentic smoked meats, sauces, sides and desserts are almost perfect. The servings are huge and the staff as hospitable as the south can be (but in California). Truly, I know you don’t know me from the next blogger saying how good something is but really…check this place out when you are in Northern California…you won’t regret it.

on the web: http://www.looneysbbq.com/