Archive for June, 2011

The Importance of Good Hardware


2011
06.21

Tuesday marked the first time anyone can recall there being a Pagan Press Conference, a press conference specifically for Pagan media. I, along with Rev. Don Lewis of the Pagans Tonight show, Iris Firemoon of The Firefly Chronicles, Cara Shultz of PNC Minnesota, and Star Foster of Patheos.com were present for the press conference recording with video and audio.

The Wild Hunt posted a post-produced version of Star Foster’s audio today, you can take a listen at:

http://www.archive.org/details/PatrickMccollumQaAtPaganSpiritGathering2011

I have posted a version of the separate audio I recorded using a different recording device at:

http://www.archive.org/download/PaganPeople/PatrickPressConference.mp3

While Jason invested more post-production effort, there are still screeches in the audio sounding like someone tuning to a different station on an old-time AM radio. My audio, despite no post-production other than noise removal, lacks those artifacts.

Why the difference? Different portable audio recorders have different microphones (unidirectional vs. omnidirectional – a summary on this topic is available at this third party website). However, an important factor is the ability of a recorder to reduce background noise. Many portable recorders tend to be telescoping or omnidirectional, thus being terrible because they pickup all background sound. While that is mere microphone design, many newer recorders have built-in noise reduction technologies that make a difference, as illustrated in the above audio. Just something to keep in mind when you want to move to the next latest and greatest recorder for your show.

Court to test case of “Secretly” recording people


2011
06.12

As some of you may know, the laws across the United States can be rather bizarre at times. For example, if someone walks up to you, and you interview them on camera but forget to say that you are recording them, you may be committing a crime depending on your jurisdiction. For example, this precise scenario would land you in legal trouble in the state of Illinois, where Pagan Spirit Gathering is taking place this year.

Well, the US Court of Appeals may soon put an end (or stamp of approval) on this silliness. When a recording device is in plain and obvious view, people should realize they’re being recorded, right? What about if it’s a cell phone camera vs. something that looks like only a video camera? Or does this silliness only need to happen in limited circumstances? That’s the foundation of a trial currently in progress. Though this case focuses on recording law enforcement, it could potentially apply to what we do as podcasters, vidcasters and YouTubers.

Link to Ars Technica story summarizing what’s going on: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/06/if-you-pull-out-your.ars

Pagan Values Month


2011
06.11

Below is the message from Pax about June as Pagan Values Month. I urge all our listeners to contact their favorite Proud Pagan Podcaster to do a show on their favorite Pagan Value.

 

Friends,

We must not be afraid to discuss the values and virtues and ethics we have discovered in our contemporary Pagan faiths. There are enough books on rituals and spells and prayers to last us a few generations… lets start writing works on confronting poverty and hunger from Pagan perspectives. Let us set aside the fear of prejudice, and the once glamorous but now tattered and worn mantle of the outsider and the rebel, and take pride in ourselves and our faiths, in our works and lives and worship and in our Pagan communities and our larger communities.

You can learn more about the event by going here, http://paganvalues.wordpress.com/about/

When you get your contribution written/recorded and posted in June put a link to it in the comments stream at the 2011 Event Facebook Page
(http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218455848171650&notif_t=event_wall#wall_posts)

or in the comments stream of the event announcement at The Pagan Values Blogject
(http://paganvalues.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/3rd-annual-pagan-values-blogging-and-podcasting-month-june-2011/)

Tags such as “PVE2011″ and “Pagan Values” are also encouraged to aid in archiving and searching for contributions. If you feel so moved, please share this event with any and all you feel would like the opportunity to share with the global Pagan community.

Thank you for your time and consideration,
Pax / Geoffrey Stewart
http://chrysalis1witchesjourney.wordpress.com/
Witchery = “”witch*er*y/ n. 1 witchcraft. 2. power exercised by beauty or eloquence or the like.”” ~Oxford American Dictionary of Current English New American Edition (2000)

 

About Paganism


2011
06.10

So I was looking over RT.com (Russia Today’s website). One thing I was struck by is this non-mainstream TV channel has some interesting features, like learning Russian and learning more about Russia and its history even though most of its US content is related to events in the US.

Given that we are PaganPodcasting.org, I was thinking – maybe we could put something together like this. However, since we’re podcasters, we could just link to episodes that cover the Pagan 101.

Does your show have any Pagan 101 episodes like “What is Paganism?” If so, please post links directly to those episodes here for inclusion into the website. Given that our website is increasingly referenced by those not walking the Pagan paths, I think this would be an excellent resource to make available. Best of all, we’ve probably already put together the materials and it’s just a matter of linking to it. As a perk, you may gain a few new listeners :) .

Thanks!

PPSM2 RSVP Deadline Approaching!


2011
06.08

Hey Podkin! Remember, Midsummer (June 22) is the cut-off date to RSVP for PPSM2 in September! If you’re on the fence as to whether you can attend, but you’re pretty sure that you’ll be able to work it out, then let us know by Midsummer! You can always back out in case of a personal or financial emergency later, but you cannot RSVP after Midsummer!

 

So, please, if you want to be one of the Podkin for this year’s Supermoot, send an email to either Fire Lyte (IncitingARiotPodcast@gmail.com) or Velma (Velma@WitchesBrewHaHa.com) letting us know that you’d like to be attending. We need the official head count by Midsummer (June 22) so that we can get that to the suppliers who are donating swag. Also, we will need to know how many rooms to continue reserving, etc.

 

See you in Salem!

 

FL & VN

PaganPodkin.com