Dear friends,
I wanted to give you a heads-up on my response to your numerous comments and give you a choice of where to go from here.
First, thanks a lot for all your comments. And, no, no, no, no, no – I do not sound like Bibi Netanyahu! Or do I? :-)
Seriously, your comments were useful and I will follow your suggestions:
Technical:
1) I will increase the microphone gain
2) I will decrease the encoding bitrate
3) I will rework and improve the mp3’s metadata
Hosting:
Here I need your feedback. The options are:
1) Mediafire and/or 4Share: free and more or less okay, though far from good
2) YouTube: check out here and see for yourself. I personally don’t like this solution at all, but I can keep doing it just to reach more people
3) Soundcloud: that is the best option, by far. See for yourself here. Problem: for free, SC only gives me 3 hours max, 3 podcasts and, I think, 1000 downloads plus other restriction. See the SC plans here. Frankly, the only logical option with SC is to get a “Go Unlimited” plan, but that is $135 a year. So, here is my appeal to donors and sponsors: if you send me that money, I will get that plan and we will get by far the best solution. If you do donate, please indicate “for podcast” in the notes. As soon as I get $135 I will let you know by a post here.
Structure:
1) I will keep the Q&A format just to make sure that there is interest for you – the listeners – and because that is very dynamic and informal. If needed, I will use a full podcast to reply just to one question, but the normal format will be “as many questions as possible”.
2) Show length: I will keep that flexible. Why decide that in advance? Let’s see what comes in. I think that somewhere in the range of 60 minutes is perfect, but that will be a target, not a rule.
3) Music. If promise not to speak over any music, can I still play a little something before (very short) and after (a tad loner) the show? I have to confess that I love music above any other form of art. I have played acoustic jazz guitar for years and I want to share music with everybody, especially my friends. I do believe that music is a universal language (yes, I am a romantic idealist) and it also is an expression of emotions, often emotions which cannot be put in words. And Dostoevsky was right – beauty will save the world. So unless you really hate it, I would like to keep a little music into and a musical show end (which you can ignore). Deal?
Scheduling:
1) I my target would be to have a podcast every 2 weeks. I cannot promise that this will happen, but I will try.
2) One week before the podcast I will post an announcement for the upcoming podcast and ask for questions. You will have one week to ask anything you want on any topic you chose, and then I will collect these questions right before recording.
Posting:
1) Until the new blog is fixed (they are working on it) I will use the Google Sites page to post the links to the podcast along with the show notes. As soon as the new blog is fixed, I will move the podcast posting page to the new blog.
Extra information:
1) I will write up some short show notes for each podcast with, for example, links to sources I mentioned, the spelling of names, or any other reference material.
So that’s the plan. Let me know if you approve or if you have other views or suggestions. My goal is to give you a podcast you will really enjoy and find interesting. Please let me know what you think.
Kind regards to all,
The Saker
Saker Message:
Can we give questions for the next one yet? I’m interested in your take on the role (mischief) played by NGO’s, Albert Einstein Institute Gene Sharp et. al in Russia.
60min is too short! You can talk for as long as you want. The purpose of the podcast should be to inform people and not to entertain them. I don’t want the podcast to be just an accumulation of quick snippets of information, instead I would prefer if you really go into the depth of a topic and all the details.
Podcast: love the music! was that “Hava Nagila” in the background? ( teasing). Agree on music–the Orthodox funeral music you posted awhile back for the Odessa martyrs was beyond words in its heart/grief/ soul-in-human-condition redemptive power. Thanks
Agreed—keep it simple, flowing, open spontaneous, free and true to self…that makes for the effectiveness of it
Dear Saker
Technical :
The idea of lowering bitrate is good , since there will ne no real sound degradation in speech , which is the most important part of the podcast
You can also try to improbe the voice brilliance by giving a + 3 db on the 4000Hz equ band , a very easy processing ability of allmost every recording program/
Watch for the proximity popping effect , especially if you raise the mic gain.
Those two last tips , even if tou do not use any mic compression could give more intelligibility.
Hosting :
Option 1 would do for the vast majority of us listeners . Easy to use , always free and available . Allows for the broader possible audience
Structure :
The Q and A format is optimal for this kind of podcasts . the lenght of a little less than an hour of podcast1 is good , but as you noted it depends on available time , issues undertaken , etc and so flexibility is the word . Music could be used as an intro , as a very subtle “carpet” and at the end . Next time take an Ibanez and play a Django theme yourself
Scheduling and Posting
I suppose that some of your readers would appreciate an announcment by a post of the next podcast to come ( once every fortnight is enough except for sudden and critical events ).
Questions could be asked and when the podcast is ready a post could announce the new entry , giving the links
Extra info
a very good idea that transforms the podcast to a quasi lecture
Thanks again for the good job
The Greek supporter you already know
Hi again!
In my opinion:
> It would be better if the legth of the podcast is around 30 minutes. That helps to hold a more “restless” public i think, and keeps an open window to show it on the air on a radio, for example.
> The format and Q&A’s selected could be more or less centered on a particular topic, approaching to a chronicle.
> Ivoox could be an option to soundcloud ;)
> The use of a particular theme/rythm gives some “identity” to the speech.
> Example of a chronicle that some people here in Chile manage to hear almost every Sunday in a radio (a group of “fans” has created an ivoox account to upload them, the journalist himself is a bit “oldie” and doesn’t know about the infinite Internet tools.
http://www.ivoox.com/ruperto-concha-2-noviembre-2014-audios-mp3_rf_3687587_1.html
(WARNING: ¡Está en español!)
Chaeers!
Have you considered google drive or better still “Internet Archive” (Archive.org).
Internet Archive, your stuff would never be deleted and its 100% free and more or less unlimited download etc. Limitations is once uploaded it’s I do not believe you can remove the content or replace audio file.
Google Hosting
http://www.labnol.org/internet/host-podcasts-on-google-drive/28227/
http://www.labnol.org/internet/publish-podcast-on-itunes/28226/
Other sites:
http://www.ourmedia.org
https://www.podomatic.com/
davidius
http://www.zippyshare.com/
Easy to use. Free. Limit 200 Mb.
I use it all the time without problems
I was very impressed by your podcast (the first podcast I listened to in my life!).
Be proud of your voice! you speak the truth, while Netanyahu (he has a different voice, but also a rich bariton) is more like Saruman in the Harry Potter story and only uses it to speak untruth.
Looking forward for more!
Saker
Play your guitar, sing or yodel. Just make it at the beginning and end.
Sent in a Paypal donation for the Soundcloud deal.
Don’t limit the Podcasts to just Q&A. If there’s some significant topic you want to expound on, give it five or ten minutes. Your asides, references and recommendations were enriching components of the first podcast.
With the 4shared app I was able to easily download the podcast to my computer and listen to it later. Yes, you sounded just like Netanyahu. What are your views?
Thanks for you valuable insight and information.
Martins URL link was the only one that worked for me (in Africa).
I really enjoyed the podcast.
You have a well modulated voice – but DO NOT sound like the ZioNazi Netanyahu.
Much gratitude for all you do.
Soundcloud has the option to gift a plan for a year.
As I don’t like the other options to donate something to you I never had and I would be glad to try and gift Pro Unlimited to you.
just upload it to http://depositfiles.com
it’s the most stable, fast, and non-trojan filehost on the planet.
also, putting it on youtube will get you more fans, but that could also be done 1-2 days later by a fan who might want to include a few slides.
Excellent Saker. If the clarity of your diction occurs to you as a problem, you will fix it.
Unless you get inspired, do ditch the music – contemptuous, meaningless = aggravating.
~1h is fine with me. Music at the beginning or end is fine too.
I agree with Larchmonter’s suggestion that you should not hesitate to include subjects that you feel are important – it’s your experience and outlook who are the integrating factors here.
And I am sure you sing better than Bibi :-))
Hey Saker, I just paid for the Soundcloud account in full ($135). If it’s too much already given that others have already donated, feel free to use it for something else. Enjoy and let us hear some more interesting podcasts :)
My question for the next one is a bit unrelated to Ukraine/Novorussia as in those questions I regularly follow many RU sources like Cassad etc and think I’m pretty well informed.
Rather it’s one about the US. Opinions on the US vary widely between even very sharp analysts, scientists etc. Many say that the debt is gigantic, trade deficit enormous, the dollar a paper tiger with only hot air behind it etc, and that the system will inevitably collapse sometime soon.
But many others – including pragmatic and sharp people like e.g. even Strelkov, or Lopatnikov – say that the US is overall winning, doing what it pleases, still firmly in control, still attracts the best minds from all over the world, etc. i.e. Lopatnikov says the debt is no problem since basically US can service it at a rate below the average world inflation, and it doesn’t intend to pay it back anyway, ever. And US science is, overall, the real deal (done mostly not by native Americans, but nevertheless – the country reaps the results).
So, what would be your 20-30 year forecast? Will the US dramatically lose control and power? Will the dollar collapse? Or will it still remain a unipolar US-controlled world?
In fact your voice is superb, an outstanding voice for radio and for speaking in general. Great tone, timbre, and range of expression. It enhances the effectiveness of the ideas expressed.
Youtube is the best choice, by all means, as the main purpose here surely is to reach people’s eyes, ears and minds. A high tech choice is going to create a small enclave of listeners, but loses a crucial connection to the potential mainstream audience.
Also, I would like to request your feedback on an idea I am developing for how alternative and international media can neatly bypass the aggressive matrix of news censorship in the so-called mainstream–to put their own information and viewpoints in front of American and European eyes.
The details are too long for a comment post, and should be communicated privately. Does this blog have private messaging, or is there a way to communicate by email?
I want to second what someone in the earlier thread recommended for hosting: MEGA. That’s the service with which Kim Dotcom tries to prove the concept that a filehoster cannot be held accountable for the files he shares (see wikipedia), to have a better legal case against his extradiction the U.S. demand from New Zealand. Fully encrypted cutting edge technology, without annoying ads or traps that try to make you download something else, and you get 50GB(!) storing space for free, with no bandwidth limitation I know of. The latter shouldn’t matter as MEGA uses already a quarter or so of the whole internet traffic of New Zealand.
Alternatively, archive.org like recommended above would also be a good service and maybe even more future-save than MEGA with Dotcom’s money and ego behind it.
Enjoyed the first episode and look forward to what’S coming.
Saker, for my part, deal with the music!
I also love music as an expression of feelings, ideas, sensations or for inspiration ….
That is why I usually put a link to a song when the situation or person inspires me to do so and, as you say, to forget for a while the pain and horror that sometimes is able to release the human being with the beauty of that it is also capable.
I also will appreciate the notes post podcast since I am not able to understand everything perfectly.
On technical issues about the sound and about clouds and hosts for the podcast, I have no idea.
Thank you for all.
It has to be youtube. That being said, if you don’t use a webcam (you should use a webcom), either use a _fix_ image (no move, let the eye rest, the bird would do) or if you start to illustrate, do it with real editing. No black due to wrong cropping, not cut letters etc.
@palmtoptiger:Hey Saker, I just paid for the Soundcloud account in full ($135)
Yes, I saw that, just made a post about this too. Friend, thanks a lot!!! This is my favorite solution and I think that the community will love it too.
My question for the next one is a bit unrelated to Ukraine/Novorussia as in those questions I regularly follow many RU sources like Cassad etc and think I’m pretty well informed. Rather it’s one about the US.
That is a fascinating issue. Is that okay if I discuss it during the next podcast rather than post a reply here? In fact, this is exactly the kind of question which deserves a podcast-reply and not just a couple of short paragraphs in the comments section. It is only fair that I would thus tackle it in the next podcast, ok?
Cheers and thanks a lot,
The Saker
-Ingrid-
Hi Saker,
Would’nt it be nice if you play a little guitar music, maybe even your own composition (ofcourse I am not sure if you compose music your self)? A kind of tune which is played every time at the beginning and ending of the podcast. Especially while you can express your self in a totally different way. I think that can add something special and I really would appreciate that.
Warm regards from Holland. I recently read you were born here.
@Saker
> That is a fascinating issue. Is that okay if I discuss it during the next podcast rather than post a reply
> here? In fact, this is exactly the kind of question which deserves a podcast-reply and not just a couple of
> short paragraphs in the comments section. It is only fair that I would thus tackle it in the next podcast, ok?
of course. discuss it anytime you like, in any form you like. I am really only here because I like your thinking, your style, your writing, and, most recently, your podcasts. I would love to hear a detailed, thoughtful reply to my question above, with all kinds of factors considered in a full-length podcast. I think it would be very interesting to lots of people in the US, too. for my part I’ll anticipate that podcast very much, since, different from Ukraine or Russia, I have only a rather remote idea of the US (been there just a few times for short business visits) and I have really no idea how it will develop internally in the next 10-20 years. your view on that would really be most interesting.
Agree with Anonymous 20:10. You have an excellent radio voice! Just listened to the Youtube upload and the vid is very aesthetically pleasing. What a great artistic use of all the falcon-themed banner ideas people submitted. I hope you also continue to upload future podcasts to Youtube so you can reach a wider audience, but you just have to ignore the immature comments that some smartasses might post for lolz. That’s the only downside. Can’t always keep pesky varmints out of the Vineyard.
oops!!! Saruman- Lord of the rings, not Harry Potter..
(correction on my comment of 05 November, 2014 17:04)
Did the NAF defense scare the generals in Kiev away from an offensive on election day?
Music is good! As long as it’s not constantly in the background when you’re talking, but on its own at the start/end.
I’m not sure why you feel the need to decrease the audio quality, I guess some people have slow connections? Ah well, we’ll see how it sounds I guess.
Music is not quite a universal language, but it’s probably closer than many other things! There IS such a concept as “musical language” (just like there are “visual languages”), and they’re not entirely mutually intelligible! An excellent, scholarly look at the topic is the book “Music, Language, and the Brain” by Aniruddh D. Patel. I also highly recommend this review of the book on Amazon, which could be an academic essay all by itself:
http://www.amazon.com/review/RYAQ49ABEPH2Y/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0195123751&nodeID=283155&store=books#wasThisHelpful
Hi Saker
I want to say that you have really opened my eyes
To looking at the world in a different way.
Your take on life is astounding.
At one time, yielding to the different
Values that people pursue
But at the same time remaining true
To the basic principles of humanity.
I am also deeply thankful
That you are kind enough to share
Your perceptions of the world
Around you.
I cannot even begin to imagine
The circumstances that brought about
This view point.
But I suspect that it took
A lot of pain and anguish
In your personal life.
You are a wonderful person
Not afraid to put your frailty
Out in the open.
I am therefore
So glad that I found your blog
And feel privileged
To share your thoughts.
@Anonymous:
But I suspect that it took
A lot of pain and anguish
In your personal life.
Indeed, it did. I was very moved by your kind and perceptive words, thanks you so much for them. I will say that if pain was the price to pay to maybe be able to see the truth just a little better, and to shed some illusions, then it was well worth the price. And the understanding and support of people like you make it worth 10’000 times over.
Kindest regards and sincere thanks,
The Saker
I dont care if you sound like Bibbi, I dont listen to Bibbi. Thank you for the wonderful podcast. You are informed and knowledgeable. Really I thought you would have an accent. Cant wait for the next podcast. You did an excellent job with the first.