camera | Croncast - Life is Show Prep

Think differently about RSS and its uses

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:18:54 -0400

It's been quite a while since I wrote a blog post and it was time to get down with the reality that some things can't be said in 140 characters or less.

Over the weekend, as some of you may of you noticed, I live photo blogged my Saturday afternoon date with Betsy and our trip to Goodwill. For me it was a time to watch Betsy as she navigated her adopted habitat and to see her operate in a way that is far from the norm in our everyday lives.

I knew this was going to be an interesting experience. Why not share it in as many ways as possible (distribution to: Flickr, Twitter, blog and RSS) with as many people as possible? One input with multiple outputs across the various Croncast audiences.

Making it happen is a lot easier than you think with email and RSS.

First. it is the camera phone that takes decent photos. Second, is the phones ability to send email with photo attachments. Third, is a place to email the photos that has an RSS feed or other API connectivity to other applications. Tons of sites like Flickr, Seesmic and Tumblr offer these and can even do some of the distribution for you. Get these three things in place and sharing your experiences in near real-time has never been easier.

Currently, it does take a little more skill to distribute the photos to Twitter. However, if you get creative you can breathe life into photos that wouldn't normally have existed after it was consumed/viewed in a photo sharing site or through an RSS reader. It is worth the effort to figure this out, it's the next stage of content distribution online.

How do I know? Google Reader shared feeds are the perfect example. Typically once someone reads a post in their reader it has reached the end of the line. But if someone shares it with Google Reader it then gets added to the individual users shared RSS feed and resyndicated. A new life for that content. The same goes for photos that end up in Flickr or a Flickr RSS feed.

In my case, live photo blogging and my ability to cast a wider net wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the Flickr RSS feed from my account. It is the magic API that feeds (pun intended) the river of resyndication that allows me to give that new life to our content.

Here's how it goes down:

1. Upload photo from phone to Flickr with subject line used as image title
2. In the body under the photo begin with an asterisk (*) if I want the photo, title and description to be a blog post also
3. In the body under the photo begin with a carat (^) if I want the title and a link to be a tweet
4. Add both asterisk and carat (*^) for blog and twitter
5. A PHP script grabs the Flickr RSS feed and reads it for asterisks and carats every two minutes and sends the photo, title and description where it needs to go
6. If it goes to the blog the title and description will be run through a keyword generations script
7. If it goes to Twitter only the title is sent and a shortened url is created to link to the photo

What all of this does is allow me to create multiple channels of distribution that can reach the different audiences that follow us. There is a bit of overlap with multiple audience members subscribed to the same services but quite a few are not. We have the Twitter audience, the blog audience, the flickr audience and the RSS audience. We also have our podcast audience but they are not really a part of this type of delivery

Summary: Look for ways to utilize sites like Flickr as a content management portal, if even from your mobile phone, to cast a wider net across your network. Work to find that one point of contact that has the lowest threshold for allowing you to get your media and thoughts online with the ability to resyndicate your content without having to lift a finger. Well, too many fingers. And make sure that it has an RSS feed!

Tags: flickr live photo blogging RSS as API seesmic tumblr twitter

Season 21 Ep 22: The Mexico Part 1

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:51:06 -0400

Croncast - 2009-03-23.mp3
Show: #522
Length: 32:12
Size: 29.6 mb
Format: mp3

Show us some love and leave us a review at iTunes

Back from the Mexico
This here would be part 1 of a multi-part series
This is where we take you on our vaction with us
I think I've been drinking excessively
She sweats the daiquiri
For those of you caught up, you know that we weren't around last week
We were on Betsy's Wheel of Fortune vaction to Mexico
Best part - it was free
I'll get to the parts where you nearly broke down
Props on the plastic plants you bought
Excellent investment for returning home
Growing up in a silk jungle
Dusty cornflower blue carnations
These flowers are special
They will be here forever
At some point you know that your mother-in-law will show up
Thank you for admitting that you didn't want to go with me
You can't relax for your life
Right, I can't do it
My biggest concern was the webernets close at hand
I had to have wi-fi
And your gear
One laptop, a netbook, iPhone, Treo, Camera and tons of cables
There you are a big nerd
That's just the way that it was
I don't want to take him on a vacation
What happens if you don't have them and need them?
Getting on Facebook drunk is a bad idea
They have an international speaking doctor on staff
Mayan vs Spanish vs English
He had watched 6 seasons of ER
The Swedish Slenders came up with Continental airplane designs
Hulking massive dude in the cramped seat typing on a toy computer
The women sitting behind you Mr B inspired them
They had their own "Baby Daddy Con '09"
Loose women? Is that what you are trying to say
The entire flight "My Baby Daddy..." the entire trip
The way they talked about them you would expect their baby daddies to be titans of industry
Best job I ever had was working at the shrimp hut
Needless to say that they didn't have any kids with them
Was excited she got to run cash register
Maybe in 2010 Baby Daddy Con '10 will be on your next flight
Keynote speaker will address "fertility in tough times"
If Jeanie were here
We would have started drinking and laughed at the girls
The best in flight entertainment
I am fixated on the Mayan the thing
It's a cultural thing
Continental bathrooms in the terminals, good god
I needed a ladder to get down to the urnial to pee
Not on the plane, baby
They were out to make you out to feel like 7'5
Continental "Making you feel like a big man."
Mexican customs
Betsy comes to a complete stop and follows directions
Abiding by the rules while no one else is
Move it, chocha
Chocha is now my new middle name
Why didn't we plan for a ride to resort?
Jumping on the newbies
Look, fat people on spring break
Kris gets into protection mode
We roll outside to get on your Grey Line minibus
Only two people heading in our direction
The girls from Montana
We're out there chatting for an hour as we wait
They pull up in a baja raced VW Jetta
Us and the girls pile in
The driver waits outside reading the directions the girls gave him
Twenty minutes later he gets back in the car
Little did we know what was written on that paper
If they had given to me, I would have kicked them to the curb
Find out what was on that paper on Wednesday

Tags: Mexican Vacation Dreams Tulum Baby Daddy Con daiquiri mix chocha

sundown flowers #4

Sun, 04 May 2008 19:34:53 -0400

singing backup to the yellow was this blue player.

i mentioned in the other photo post about wondering how the digital camera changed the color of the purple flowers, well, in this shot it was true to life with the blue and yellow in this shot.

i wonder if it could be something in the flower itself and the way it reflects light?

Tags: blue yellow shot flowers life

sundown flowers 5

Sun, 04 May 2008 19:33:40 -0400

i need to learn more about cameras and the software that runs them.

why?

the camera picked up an amazing neon like hue from these flower and they weren't nearly this vibrant in real life.

Tags: flower hue neon weren vibrant

Season 20 Ep 11: Eyeless dolls, Bolex at Goodwill, How did you know?

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:20:55 -0400

Croncast - 2008-05-02.mp3
Show: #486
Length: 31:00
Size: 21.3 mb
Format: mp3

Show us some love and leave us a review at iTunes

Special note: Betsy and Jeanie are having a meetup in San Francisco May 21, 2008 at House of Shields 39 New Montgomery St., Time: 6:30 p.m., stop and have a drink or two!

Short show notes, sorry
The greatest goodwill find of all time
Sure it is
So was the Kirby vacuum
It's a Bolex Video Camera
Spooky stuff on this show
"How did you know?"
I can see you there with two hand fulls of dirt
What about the eyeless dolls?

Tags: Bolex video camera Kirby Vacuum eyeless dolls spooky

dual cam shoot by @chrisbrogan with passionate interviewee

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:44:02 -0400

about to step in front of camera.

Anyone know the interviewee? he was very into it.

Tags: interviewee step camera front passionate

lethargic bee

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:20:10 -0400

On my quick walk this afternoon I came across this bee on the wooden bridge in the park.

It was still for a while and I got this shot. The others were really blurry. My camera seems to be having focusing issues even when in manual mode.

Tags: bee lethargic camera focus sony dsc-r1

Maggers and the dude

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:33:44 -0400

Maggie, aka Gigi, hanging with her favorite of the dogs, Zeus.

Camera is missing anti-green eye flash.

Tags: missing camera anti green flash

Are you going to CES?

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:24:20 -0500

If you are making the trip to Vegas for CES 2008 next week I'd like to ask that you do me a favor. You ready?

Maybe it is two favors.

Keep your eyes peeled for:

1) cell phones that have a 5 megapixels or greater camera with a flash and a full QWERTY keypad
2) digital cameras 10+ megapixels that offer evdo, edge, wimax (what have you for connectivity) built in

I know a couple of you will be there and if you see either of these types of products about ping me to let me know if they exist or there is something even cooler along those lines.

In return I will look up to the nights sky and name a star after you. If that won't work then a show shout out and some linkage are in order.

Tags: 10 megapixel CES 2008 Las Vegas evdo edge wimax

Am I, are you, killing photography as art?

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 08:08:31 -0500

JD Lasica had a short post about a Newsweek article by Peter Plagens, "Is Photography Dead?", that caught my attention. With my recent flickr addiction and new found ability to find amazing photographs, art quality, at least once a minute simply by refreshing the public timeline, I thought this piece would be spot on.

Turns out, not so much. But a great start to a discussion, yes.

Article summary and writer's argument in a single sentence:

"The advent of digital technology only exacerbated photography's flight into fable."

Reader comment that sums it up accurately (there are ton but this one works):

"With the advances in digital cameras and film, I think the art of photography is accessible to more than it has ever been today."

Read the article comments.

Tags: photography Peter Plagens JD Lasica digital photography photo art

What is the best camera phone?

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:42:45 -0500

I'm going to be returning my iPhone to my former employer and want to continue mobile live photo blogging. Sure I have my Treo but the photo quality isn't in the same ballpark as the iPhone.

I've looked online at the Sony Ericsson K800i which is supposed to be the best mobile camera. This is great but it is missing a QWERTY keyboard which make the blogging part much easier than having to click the 7 on my phone 4 times to get to the letter S. Lots of letter 's' in the English language.

I've also looked at the Nokia N95 and the Sony Ericsson K850i but sans keyboard I am not as excited.

Do you know of any alternatives that might have a 3.2 megapixel or higher camera and a full keyboard? Maybe something that has yet to be released? How about a camera with EVDO or EDGE support?

Tags: camera phone Sony Ericsson K800i Nokia N95 Sony Ericsson K850i camera phone with qwerty

suited and on the way

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:41:04 -0500

Took this while on my way to an interview.

I got some serious jowling in this photo.

Never again will I pill my neck back to get my head in a shot and the camera out of it.

Tags: back head shot camera neck

Think differently about RSS and its uses

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:39:03 -0500

Over the weekend, as some of you may of you noticed, I live photo blogged my Saturday afternoon date with Betsy and our trip to Goodwill. For me it was a time to watch Betsy as she navigated her adopted habitat and to see her operate in a way that is far from the norm in our everyday lives.

I knew this was going to be an interesting experience. Why not share it in as many ways as possible (distribution to: Flickr, Twitter, blog and RSS) with as many people as possible? One input with multiple outputs across the various Croncast audiences.

Making it happen is a lot easier than you think with email and RSS.

First. it is the camera phone that takes decent photos. Second, is the phones ability to send email with photo attachments. Third, is a place to email the photos that has an RSS feed or other API connectivity to other applications. Tons of sites like Flickr, Seesmic and Tumblr offer these and can even do some of the distribution for you. Get these three things in place and sharing your experiences in near real-time has never been easier.

Currently, it does take a little more skill to distribute the photos to Twitter. However, if you get creative you can breathe life into photos that wouldn't normally have existed after it was consumed/viewed in a photo sharing site or through an RSS reader. It is worth the effort to figure this out, it's the next stage of content distribution online.

How do I know? Google Reader shared feeds are the perfect example. Typically once someone reads a post in their reader it has reached the end of the line. But if someone shares it with Google Reader it then gets added to the individual users shared RSS feed and resyndicated. A new life for that content. The same goes for photos that end up in Flickr or a Flickr RSS feed.

In my case, live photo blogging and my ability to cast a wider net wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the Flickr RSS feed from my account. It is the magic API that feeds (pun intended) the river of resyndication that allows me to give that new life to our content.

Here's how it goes down:

1. Upload photo from phone to Flickr with subject line used as image title
2. In the body under the photo begin with an asterisk (*) if I want the photo, title and description to be a blog post also
3. In the body under the photo begin with a carat (^) if I want the title and a link to be a tweet
4. Add both asterisk and carat (*^) for blog and twitter
5. A PHP script grabs the Flickr RSS feed and reads it for asterisks and carats every two minutes and sends the photo, title and description where it needs to go
6. If it goes to the blog the title and description will be run through a keyword generations script
7. If it goes to Twitter only the title is sent and a shortened url is created to link to the photo

What all of this does is allow me to create multiple channels of distribution that can reach the different audiences that follow us. There is a bit of overlap with multiple audience members subscribed to the same services but quite a few are not. We have the Twitter audience, the blog audience, the flickr audience and the RSS audience. We also have our podcast audience but they are not really a part of this type of delivery

Summary: Look for ways to utilize sites like Flickr as a content management portal, if even from your mobile phone, to cast a wider net across your network. Work to find that one point of contact that has the lowest threshold for allowing you to get your media and thoughts online with the ability to resyndicate your content without having to lift a finger. Well, too many fingers. And make sure that it has an RSS feed!

Tags: live photo blogging RSS as API flickr twitter seesmic tumblr

Betsy and her husband Kris Oct 05, 2007

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:24:12 -0400

Croncast - 2007-10-05.mp3
Show: #418
Length: 30:21
Size: 20.8mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris Oct 05, 2007

Show us some love and leave us a review at iTunes

It's TFF . . . Tell a Friend Friday
Here's what we got going on
Tons of comments coming in
Today will not be typical show . . . we're reading comments
Lots of entries in my haphazard Google contest
Finding the ones that were for the contest were hard
Now we need to figure out who the hell these people are
Not like your legs are broken
Just your Jaguar
It is the saddest looking thing
Tags are expired, hood ornament torn off, license plate holder Magic Erasered and leaking oil
Did I mention I haven't driven it for about 3 months?
The voting at Blogger's Choice Awards is difficult
Thanks to everyone who visited
We're gonna read the comments and contest entries
Comment - You parents can find you if they want.
Saggy Balls 101 wants to party
Comment - No need for video
He's a purist, like a biker
I would do it as a three camera shoot
5 minute wrap up of week
Comment - The karma comment
I full well expect it
Since I didn't swallow the scope I am not on same page
After they listen to about 3 of these shows, guaranteed
We've had this discussion
Bottom line, I expect it and would respect their decision
Keeping grammy close enough to make things normal
You never cared about me
Let's move on before we bore everyone
Comment - Curl that gun hand into a fist
Comment - Kid getting picked on
Same thing that they were doing already
Mob of gigantic kids jacked up Captain Crunch and Cartoon Network
While he is eating his Kix and watching PBS Sprout
Not to say that my kids are any different
You were picked on as a kids too
Yeah, it made me funnier
Hope your kids use it as material later
When I wrote it on my folder I meant it
Grunge stick figures
You're psycho
Move forward please
Our whole meeting . . . there were many times
I would have caught you slow driving in front of my house
Lesson in beatup karma
The pom-pom squad is not the delicate flowers
Doubt there was delicate flower that hadn't been had in your school
Vickie got her ass kicked by this girl
What brought this on? I know you sister
I'm not saying that it was provoked
My parents came together and went to school
Vickie is now planning class reunion
She gets a hunk of the class list
I tried to find the girl . . . but couldn't after her last arrest
She was offering sexual favors at the court house to pay her tickets
Attorney's are perfect
There is no client, paternity privaleg
Comment - When exactly were you two cool?
Part of my psychosis thinking I have been cool since birth
Probably a social disorder
I proved that I am not cool by taking you to nerd convention
Elbow deep in the back of a goat
Don't you remember goat cervix bangles?
I invented those
My dad was on Montel
And my baby sitter was Cindy Crawford
People have know me for 20-30 minutes before I tell them
We both have a lot of self-confidence
We went through crazy shit together
Captain of the pom-pom squad is not cool
Maybe in Sycamore
They went to drink out of the cow tank

Contest entries - if anyone of these is yours leave a comment with your email and I will get back to you to get your address for stickers

We read all of these on the show and tell some stories in between

1) croncast geek star kris and smoking Betsy are you still doing that? How are you going to locate a winner? by name? Robert
2) kris smith a man who can survive betsy
3) kris smith a man who gets locked in the basement by his loveing family
4) kris smith living the dream in naperville
5) croncast rockin to van halen
6) kris, this is your mom, I have a knife to send to maggie! give me your address!
7) worm farm sex
8) croncast betsy cow print
9) croncast betsy loves dawn
10) croncast Kris -"How are you going to know who submits the search?" -Kore Peterson -"The first to leave a comment for you via google."
11) croncast Kris get out of the basement and live life
12) croncast Kris loves John Elway Dodge
13) pics of sweet ASS street racing cars
14) betsy hates blue hair death to dawn
15) kris, out of puffy cuff goodle ideas
16) puffy cuffs are sexy
17) nerd bearded kris
18) +croncast Leave the comedy to Betsy
19) (kris betsy croncast) -"The blubbery bald bear's brawny baby batter befouled the bountiful, bodacious, bouncing boobies of betsy"

Audience Survey, please fill this out for us
Look for the graphic on "Audience Survey" on the main page

STICKERS!
Here's what it will look like . . . inside the red area with rounded corners
To get your sticker send $2.00 support from the site or get 3 stickers for $5.00

Tags: Cartoon Network Magic Eraser TFF Evo Terra goat cervix bangles

Kris and Betsy Smith

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:15:48 -0400

Betsy and I smiling for the camera as NME was wrapping up.

Thanks to Craig for getting this shot.

Also need to say thanks to everyone that we hung out with and shared meals with. Cheers.

Tags: betsy say need hung meals

Smartphone absurdity, I want just one

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:23:33 -0400

I didn't realize how absurd this smartphone crap was until the day before yesterday. We have a potential client using Blackberries as podcast players. Which was no big deal since I worked on a solution a few years ago at my day job but I needed to get the same version as the client. Hence a new radiation hot spot for my palm.

Now in the house:

1 Treo 700 (mine, Verizon)
1 xv6700 (Betsy, Verizon)
1 iPhone (work, AT&T)
1 Blackberry 8703e (work, Sprint)

Two of them are for work, like I marked them above, but it is ridiculous. They all do like one thing better than the others, one carrier's plan is better priced or the network makes all the difference. What do I mean?

Best sounding as a phone:
1. Treo
2. iPhone
3. Blackberry
4. xv6700 (horrible)

Ease of use as a phone:
1. iPhone (my mother-in-law could use it)
2. Treo
3. Blackberry
4. xv6700 (need 3 hands to make a call)

Ease of use overall:
1. iPhone
2. Blackberry
3. Treo
4. xv6700

Best OS:
1. xv6700 (windows mobile 5.0, too bad everything else about it sucks)
2. iPhone
3. Treo
4. Blackberry

Best media playback:
1. iPhone (wonder why?)
2. xv6700
3. Treo
4. Blackberry

Best keypad:
1. Blackberry (update: thanks Garrick for pointing out I misspelled it the first time -LOL)
2. Treo
3. xv6700
4. iPhone (it's pretty . . . hard to use quickly)

Best sms device:
1. Treo
2. Blackberry
3. xv6700
4. iPhone

Best email device:
1. Blackberry
2. Treo (would be third if AT&T edge were faster)
3. iPhone (on wifi this is second)
4. xv6700

Best web device (network):
1. Treo (doubles as EV-DO modem, love it)
2. xv6700 (doubles as EV-DO modem, never used it)
3. iPhone
4. Blackberry (locked into a special start page, blah and doubles as EVDO modem but Sprint rates are insane)

Best web device (wifi):
1. iPhone (experience much like real browsing
2. xv6700 (fast but reformats pages)
The other two are AWOL with no wifi capability

Best camera:
1. iPhone
2. Treo
3. xv6700
Blackberry is without

Best network:
1. Verizon
2. Sprint
3. AT&T

Best overall:
1. iPhone
2. Treo
3. Blackberry
4. xv6700

Taking all of this into consideration and my experience with all four operating systems and form factors, I have decided that my ultimate phone and carrier combo would look something like this:

An iPhone on Verizon's network, use as EV-DO modem, with an add on keypad and GPS onboard. That would get an 'ooh la la' and an amen.

Tags: iPhone xv6700 Treo 700 Blackberry 8703e Verizon EVDO Sprint GPS

Betsy and her husband Kris Aug 01, 2007

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:42:30 -0400

Croncast - 2007-08-01.mp3
Show: #392
Length: 1:05:10
Size: 44.7mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris Aug 01, 2007

Join Croncast Cronies . . . thanks to all those signed up already!.

We've made it into the month of August
You've now crossed into Elk Mountain Resort and Valhalla Shooting Club
Sure you don't want to bitch about Boulder some more?
I like Boulder, there are just some things I don't
We roll up and there is a guard tower
Was he standing there with a rifle?
No, Mr B
It is a gorgeous view
Flanked by beauty
The guard comes ambling up to the Volvo
Your names ladies?
We give them, remember this
"Do you ladies have any firearms with you?"
No firearms in this Volvo
This wagon is clear
He gives us directions
We roll on up
Elk Mountain Resort is beautiful
The valet pulls it four feet away and parks
The woman on hotels.com just kept complaining about it
She is nuts
Jeannie says the place is like Annie
Everyone stands to greet you as you walk in
Then there was Santa Claus
A dude with a white beard and red suit?
No, he had a uniform and a "I love my job smile"
He's got hot towels on a silver platter
He looks at me and says, "Mrs. Smith would you like a towel?"
He looks at Jeannie, "Mrs. Smith would you like a towel?"
Shit, the deal is sealed, we are the dykes
Welcome to first class
It took us 9 hours from Boulder
We'll make everything guided for you
What time would you ladies like dinner?
This Mrs. Smith would like to eat before 7:30
Mrs. Smith and I would like to eat in 45 minutes
Santa has an ear piece and a chest mic
He talks into it and poof the bell hop appears
We get to our room and the view is gorgeous
If you don't like it dial "0"
The bed looks like a cloud from heaven
I got Wal-Mart sheets
Jeanie, "We have robes!"
Hers and hers robes would have been nice
So we get dressed for dinner
It was intimidating, we felt like we didn't fit
Then I bust out the gift certificate
We wanted to play it cool
Sure, you want to fit in
They were nicer than your grandma who hasn't see you in three years
Every time you walk in the door the staff stands
Oh, are you ladies here for dinner?
I'll announce you, then he speaks into his lapel, "The Smiths are here for dinner."
You haven't told them yet?
No I was waiting for Jeannie
Who's the man, the big footed one with a bad perm
Are there any other guests at the resort?
Two other men not talking
There were 10 total guests at the resort
We order our dinner and they ask for drinks
My mom always orders the house wine, the cheap stuff
I'll have a Mountain Dew won't go over well
Jeannie hates red wine but follows Betsy's lead
Hi, I'm Chef Jeff, which house wine is best for you?
They start bringing out bread baskets and baked stuff
Chef Jeff is like, "Fuck dude! I worked on that all day and you can't say it."
I look at Jeannie, I can tell she doesn't like it
Been there and done that
Jeannie is woofing it down
I have to eat at least half of it
The two men eating alone are now joined by someone I recognize
The owner that I had seen on The Daily Show
Kris if you kick it up a notch we can do this every weekend
He comes over to the table
Asks what activities we are going to do
ATV's and shooting
We are the only resort in the entire world to have access for ATV's
Jeannie, "I love the outdoors but I can't go up high"
Our ATV's are automatic
They've thought of everything
Yes, everything
On the ride you will come to a place called Top of the World
So high that airplanes will fly below
Then he launches in to the special lights
These are based on the biologic make up of a lobster's eye
They are used to melt the snow to make an ice tunnel
Mr. Foreman continues to talk about the press they have gotten
A book on the NYT Best Sellers list is based at Elk Mountain Resort
He had me sold . . . I wanted to kiss a bear and drive to the top of the world
Why would you think that you couldn't do something?
Tom Foreman makes you believe that you can do anything
Enter the rest of the guests
Three sets of couples that look like my neighbors
Fit soccer moms?
Yes, Kris
I just drove 4 states over to get away from them
Now they are going to spoil my mountain view
Mr. Foreman goes over to the new couples
The super sweet firebox
Then our food comes
Every time there was another opportunity to be put in our place
We were still really awkward
Betsy has a bowl of puss and I get a bowl of noodles
It was couscous Jeannie
Jeannie starts to panic, all I get are these noodles
Campbell's has everything including broth
Then they bring the broth
After that they bring out dinner
The whole thing was terrific
Except that we were both completely terrified
To get over the petrification of being treated so well and Elk Mountain Resort stay more nights
Kris you are the king of upgrade
So after dinner Santa jumps up
We get our bill after dinner
Betsy goes white
Shut up Jeannie, I'll tell you later
The one thing you can't return is food
What I was freaking out about was that our house wine turned out to be $18 a glass
From their perspective, the lesbians aren't satisfied
Chef Jeff asks if dinner was to their liking
Then Thomas comes over and asks
After that the waitress comes up
Sure, they are trained like the CIA to read unhappiness
What would you ladies like to do?
We would like a jacuzzi?
Our eyes meet and we realize . . . they aren't out to get us . . . they are out to spoil us
Drinking our sangria in the hot tub
The cheap wine was awesome
Betsy took 100 pics of the tops of trees
At the Boulder art fair there was a dude with aspen photos
So we retire to the room and Jeannie puts on a robe
Sliding into the bed of heaven
Mrs. Smith, this is going to be the greatest night of my life
The greatest part of this is that I have no kids to wake me up
Betsy wakes up at 6:01 for coffee and viewing birds that were probably released for my pleasure
Do you know how much this is costing per minute? Get up Jeannie
We decide to take a hike
We start to walk by workers that gardening
When they see you they stop, stand, smile and ask you if you need anything
Landscapers saw us, they froze like deer
When we went by them they commenced working again
Tom has thought of everything
When a crossed eyed man in golf cart tells you "good luck" heed his warning
People are freezing along the trail "I'm a tree. I'm a tree. I'm a tree"
Maybe the trail was made for someone who came one time
Betsy, they did not release cows into the national forest for you to view
Queue the cattle
Someone left it on the comment card no doubt
Gotta watch out for the feral cows
Jeannie was petrified of them
Now you know why he told you good luck
That guy used to not be cross eyed till a cow incident
We can hear them shrieking and yelling
There they are . . . the soccer moms on the zip line
Whew, my Nike sports bra is twisted
We are on our way back
Jeannie freezes as we stand on Have you told anyone that you are not Mrs. Smith?
I see two brown ears rising out of this draining ditch
Out jumps a giant mule deer
Betsy chases it to take it's photo
The lesbians are crazy!
What are the lesbians doing now?
Time for lunch on the patio
We need some cigarettes and an ashtray
"Can I have an ashtray?"
She speaks into her cleavage mic
Around the corner, "I'm on it"
I know it is fun to play spies but this is weird
It was awesome though, instant ashtray
Lesbians are on porch, queue deer
Queue the geese
Then the soccer moms come bouncing back fit and tan
"Where are you guys from?"
Bloomington. "We are going to drive through there."
Their husbands, reserved and uptight
Screw it, this is all about me
I am going to make the soccer moms laugh
She swore that she was thirsty and all the sudden water showed up
"Guess how many kids we have?"
I don't know this is a game?
We have 10 combined?
How many are girls?
One
Then they struck a bad ass soccer mom pose
They brought things like running shoes
Betsy brought Crocs and sandals
Perfect lesbian gear
The soccer moms told us that the ATV's were awesome
We get ready to go and Misha shows up
I have done this ride 500 times and not lost 1 person yet
She takes out these top gun flight suits
I brought you the biggest ones we have
Betsy, "Of course mine won't zip up"
Jeannie, "neither will mine"
Jeannie you rock!
This could be customer service boot camp
Their motto must be "we are not going to tell you no"
They actually import vans from Europe to fit through their gates
Probably because it is more aesthetically pleasing
This is my new motto, "It is all about me"
Betsy gives me the thumbs up and then hits a tree
So we're going up the mountain
Jeannie is flying behind Misha
Betsy is stuck
I look down and my left hand has the brake so tight that I won't move
When you got on the quad the Unitarian in you took over
It was trying to save you
Oh, I'm sorry when was the last time you drove an ATV up a mountain
Betsy is trying to avoid the sticks
"Mam, that is an all terrain vehicle. Run over the sticks."
Hitting trees really hurts
Right before we get to The Top of the World
I look up and it is all Aspens and cattle
Jeannie starts to freak
Get me past that cow so fast
I am getting away from that cow so fast
Kris, we got to the top of mountain
You can see Utah, three mountain ranges at 9000 ft
We both had brown mustaches
It added to the lesbianism
Every time Betsy talks to the staff it is about her husbands and kids
Talk into your chest, the lesbians are not lesbians
These people are awesome
Misha ran a camp for bad ass kids
Like outward bound? Way scarier
Working at Elk Mountain Resort is top of the food chain
You have got to put in your time
John of course is an ex-Navy Seal
He is bad ass
You feel amazingly comfortable and slightly scared
I love men like that. Don't you Jeannie
Sure, he was handsome too
OK, time for this podcast to end
We ended on the ATV's and it was time to drink
Don't hand the truck driver the bottle
Four or five inches of vodka
Kris, we almost drank an entire bottle of vodka
Jeannie is naked in a robe and slippers
We are ripped
You are so awesome . . . No, you are so awesome
I look at clock and it is 9:00 p.m. and we haven't eaten
We dial "0" and they tell us that the dining room is still open for us
We arrive and there are flames to the ceiling
Chef Jeff is making bananas foster
The soccer moms start to speak to us
Betsy with her vodka mouth
"Are we going to be on your webcast?", soccer moms
Jeannie loves it when I get out of control
"We should introduce ourselves"
No that is OK, I already have a name for you, "The bad ass soccer moms"
It could go either way
Then the leader dies laughing
Right, there has to be an Alpha mom in the group
Yes, the one with the longest Escalade, the EXT
So Chef Jeff comes over
Betsy, "A-1 Jeff we're trashed. Can I call you Chef Jeff from now on"
That's not chatting it up that is drunk babble
Chef Jeff really made it
We don't go to gourmet restaurants and have the chef talk to us for 40 minutes
It was entirely phenomenal
Kris, I know we have talked about how I challenged the Russian to a vodka drinking contest
Can I take it back when you order the most expensive item on the menu?
And I was on the urge of vomiting
Kobe beef times 2 with bananas foster
Betsy looks at me like you better eat that bitch
Chef Jeff is buying us drinks
And I have to deny him because now I can't see him
I don't know where I am at
We stumble back to our room
There is that point, where you realize that I am done my man
Jeannie deals with Betsy, I am sick
I will lay in the bed of heaven
Betsy has the her cigarettes and the camera around her neck
You ticked me off
You don't like me anymore?
I'll like you tomorrow
You just ripped my underwear and are out of control
I proceed to go to the most beautiful bathroom in the states
And I don't even have to use my muscles
I have an exorcism of the most expensive meal I have ever ate
More babbling from Betsy
Typical Betsy move, "I made myself throw up"
This is the best planned bathroom of all time
6 feet from toilet to wall on a slate floor
Betsy made a bed right there with a Turkish robe
And I fell asleep on that cold stone slate floor and it felt so good
As I was falling asleep I thought to myself . . .
I love John, Misha, Chef Jeff and I love Tom the most
Why? Because he was smart enough to put a twin bed in the water closet
I don't know what we were thinking by drinking so much
I have nicotine and alcohol poisoning . . . I need to dial "0"
We have to do another show for Valhalla
It was the most emotional day of Jeannie's life
Sorry about your underwear dude
I'll get you a Target gift certificate
These were Victoria Secret
Do you know how much stuff I will have to find and sell from Goodwill?
Final installment of Elk Mountain Resort and Valhalla comes your way tomorrow!

Audience Survey, please fill this out for us
Look for the graphic on "Audience Survey" on the main page

Tags: kobe beef bananas foster Elk Mountain Resort Valhalla Shooting Club Chef Jeff bad ass soccer moms

If I were Johnny Drama

Wed, 02 May 2007 10:25:30 -0400

Some of you will get the title and for those who don't it's a reference to a character on HBO's Entourage.

The show is 30 minutes of fluff, glitz and Jeremy Piven spazzing out. And 99.9 percent the time there is no real value beyond some laughs, but not this last week.

I can't believe that I am even still thinking about this.

Regardless, Drama was faced with a decision to fight a bare knuckles champ or grovel on his knees for forgiveness in front of a couple hundred people. He chose to drop to his knees. Then gets "Got" as part of a hidden camera show.

I keep thinking what would I do in that situation? And my response has been . . . I would have taken the beating. It's just my personality and always taking the difficult path.

It's strange how show about nothing can be cheap therapy ;-).

Tags: Entourage Johnny Drama Jermey Piven Pauly Shore

Betsy and her husband Kris Feb 05, 2007

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:28:52 -0500

Croncast - 2007-02-05.mp3

Show: #335
Length: 31:09
Size: 21.4mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris February 05, 2007

Read the iTunes comments for me
Who couldn't use an ego boost before ni-ni's
I learned this about Betsy
What is their format called?
But you know all the songs . . . when the hell do you listen?
Betsy knows all the words and Maggie groovin
The tunes were inappropriate for the kids
Add that to the Super Bowl commercials
That commercial brought out more awkward silence nation wide than anyone else
People will just have awkward silence with Snickers bars from now on
The Doritos commercial?
Oooooh spicy
I wish I could drown myself in the salsa verde
Another awkward pause between mothers and children
Elliot asks what happened? Bed time happened. That's what happened
The innuendo and violence
Go Daddy commercials
The naked chicks at the podcast party didn't work on you Kris
Joining forces to work in your underwear
I do have the camera up here
I been doing that Jetsons thing
You're not down here making cheese
Actually I am
We could sell the floor sweepings to Kraft
Wearing man Jammies on my trip this week
I'll be in Boulder for the rest of the week working
Betsy toying with idea of renting a house in Boulder for the summer
Rent, plus mortgage
I watch too much Oprah not steal money from you
Instead of spending it she's putting it away
Saving money is Betsy's new addiction
Who are you to speak?
Around tax time, when I think about the money that went through my fingers
Nickelodeon hell on earth hotel
Any listeners been there? Let us know what it is like.
I've seen pictures of Disney and they are creepy
Happy people who have been thoroughly checked to walk around in cute costumes
I got county fair instead
Is there a place with carnies all year 'round
I can press charges or you can work at Dollywood
An entire venue dedicated to roach clip collections
It is cold in Chicago
Hear that? Hear that? . . . all we say in Betsy's car now
Yes it is back . . . no doubt that they pulled it apart
The Slowsky tale of woe
Bad car karma
You have your own show
I have done it right this year with attorney help
Looking for a Volvo replacement
Take the puff out of your cuff Mr. Bears
I've gotten used to the heated seats

Tags: Slowsky tale of woe Bad car karma Doritos Super Bowl commercial Boulder trip iTunes comments

Betsy and her husband Kris Dec 01, 2006

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 07:42:50 -0500

Croncast - 2006-12-01.mp3

Show: #308
Length: 25:15
Size: 17.3 mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris December 01, 2006

I am way under the weather today and it isn't just the snow. My voice is really tore up in this show and I have to force my voice quite a bit. Not to mention, there is not a real Kris laugh in the show. When I laugh for real I cough like an emphysemic grandfather.

I ask Betsy to do the intro
Kris is on Death's door
I've got Tasmanian Bird Flu
Tell the people what you had for lunch
I just wanted a hamburger then it turned into a big mac
Kris's blood is like a milk-shake
I don't want to talk about your French thing
What is really interesting in the email that you got
"I'm so famous"
I really gotta hire a nanny
The assistance position may be paid soon, Vickie. You can apply.
State run television
They want to follow Betsy around for a day and broadcast it in France
Betsy wants a first class flight to Paris . . . lol
It would be very funny if we followed you all day
It should be the week before Christmas
We've never done a video podcast, we'll just use their's
A search for Elmo TMX's?
She doesn't know what she is getting into
It's ok if we don't get one
Why don't you try to write an email in France?
Disruptive for an entire day
This is what I do
I sit in the snow and shiver and drink coffee
I know 10,000 French people are laughing at me right now
Chasing the furry red vibrator
The breaking story will go to the French
The NBC Dateline candid camera for pedophiles
The storm is coming, get milk
The Goodwill 'Beast'
The swinging boobs, denim shirt . . . in my line of work you've got to hold it together
No bra and makes a quick left for an out of the back item
She could breastfeed a snake standing up
The slightly played with or brand new for the holiday
Kris' car gets horrible gas mileage
He needs a sweet hybrid car
It's just not for me
I could go for a Tesla
"You may have a great weekend, but what are you bringing home with you?"
Thanks for all the donations again!!!!!!

Tags: Tasmanian Bird Flu TF3 TV Elmo TMX Hunt Goodwill Beast breastfeed a snake

Betsy and her husband Kris Nov 20, 2006

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 06:59:19 -0500

Croncast - 2006-11-20.mp3

Show: #304
Length: 29:42
Size: 20.4 mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris November 20, 2006

It's a comments show thanks to Nick T.
Is Nick T. real?
Kris doesn't think so
Not gonna break down that wall
Betsy is gonna read the email
Turns out she reads it in a Tiny Tim voice
"Nick . . . our kids are in bed. It's my time to be an adult"
"What is compelling about our show to a 10 year old"
Nick is Kris from the future
The allure of 30 year olds hanging out on the cul de sac
Did Nick's parents put him up to it?
Betsy says she swears a lot for an adult
Betsy, "My life revolves around sippy cups and wiping people."
If it is real I am all for it
I new I was never going to get a job in the FBI
What would I do if the kids were awake
Elliot knows the Goodwill employees by name and length of employment
Do you think we should stop swearing?
No
Kris lays down the documentation of what we documented when we started the podcast
Betsy wants to stop selling junk and sell cars
She could take smoking up again and drink on the job
In 2006 with the Pomade in the hair . . . creepy
Her male co-workers would be in for it
The man really make all the big decisions
Man soap and deodorant
Too much hygienic responsibility for one man to take
High fa luting tooth brushes for the bear
It's too easy not gonna turn that one around on you
Being repossessed with your car
Ben's "Barf" comment
Barf means snow

When you gave that presentation in 5th grade did you show photo
Let me tell you about my dad's Nova
It was a grass killer, worm farm starter and plant holder
The old school steering wheel
The back seat was plywood with foam on top covered in denim
Did you wear a seat belt or bungee cord?
I was free range
Stuck my leg in the door and got leg closed in door
And Kris puked immediately
It hurt like the "dickens" . . . just for Nick T.
Mustache of grass 10 inches high
What happened to the Nova?
It eventually was removed upon municipal ordinance
It was the beginning of my worm farm days
Running the hose under the car at dusk to come and collect night -crawlers
The microphone comment and email . . . this is special
Congratulations to Dave and to Dave and Melissa
I'm sure he became more attractive after he opened the envelope
Kris would be a malpractice lawyer for patients suing cosmetic surgeons
Words of advice from Kris, go after Dr. 90210
Betsy can relate
"We need a hot cameraman," Betsy
PodCampWest talk on Wednesday

Tags: Barf detergent Dr. 90210 PodCampWest rusty chevy nova plywood car seat

Betsy and her husband Kris Aug 04, 2006

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 07:04:48 -0400

Croncast - 2006-08-04.mp3

Show: #258
Length: 36:29
Size: 25.0 mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris August 04, 2006

Deep voice slow intro
Deluge lately of email
Betsy's email at hotmail is the best way to get her to respond
Best way to get a response is to leave a comment for us at the site
I did some math today . . . 300th Croncast will be November 10, 2006
It's two days from my birthday
Show 299 will be the two year anniversary of Croncast
What should we do for our 300th show? Leave us a comment
I want to see Mr. Bear bump and grind from belly dance lessons
What is a video camera?
We could do a best of, listener best of . . . a collective
Stepping on the baby bunnies funny and offensive at same time to people
Betsy can understand stepping on bunnies
Running over her husband all over his head
How can you compare a cheating spouse to a baby bunny
Women got the evil gene
Your kind of women
Betsy claims to be tired
"Bear, can I drive your car"
Slowsky seems to be having issues
Please tell me you didn't hit somebody
Betsy goes on a "house walk" in Plainfield
What you get for your money
The whole thing is an advertisement
"If you have to ask you can't afford it" . . . bullshit middle class notion
Polite middle class people don't talk about money
Instead they spend their time speculating and gossiping
Kris has had it with Betsy's embellishing when it involves him in a story
He asks her to tell the truth . . . "Yeah, you're right."
She crushed me after last Friday's show
Don't act like that is super cake for you
"It's not my fault that you fall victim to my manipulation over and over again"
If you don't ask you will never know
Betsy says asking about money is tacky
It's all about being in power
You just don't it . . . Kris disagrees
Name that situation
Back in Milwaukee
Bars in basements
The high risk personality
This could be our 300th episode . . . calling Betsy on her shit
She changes the subject
Betsy in a polyester Panda shirt
The Gumby bunny (story next show)
California was a terrible place to raise children
The prison gig and taking your kids with you
Kris is doing well
Anyone who knew me 10 years ago probably thinks I'm hanging gutters in Florida

Tags: Croncast Mr. Bear Betsy Smith evil women Milwaukee

Betsy and her husband Kris Aug 02, 2006

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 06:27:35 -0400

Croncast - 2006-08-02.mp3

Show: #257
Length: 30:39
Size: 21.0 mb
Format: mp3

Betsy and her husband Kris August 02, 2006

It's August and it is hot
Global warming isn't real
I believe like our president we need to wait, the future will let us know
Let's burn some fossil fuel bitches
I will drive my Hummer til it's 127 outside, I'll just turn up the AC
Without Maggie being with us when we record we swear more
The lawn mowing boys
Well they aren't boys they are college age
Cursed with a beautiful backyard that takes work, not for us
Butterfly Garden
I was gonna take pictures of the yard but camera battery is dead
Swearing and swearing more
You're being inappropriate with me lady
He is like an honor roll student who now has to work for a burnout
"I didn't know people like you actually grew up and owned houses"
He knows we don't fit, they all do within 15 minutes
National Night Out
Hanging with the neighbors and their kids
Building a stronger safer neighborhood
Letting the kids ride in the cop cars
Weird electrical hum in Bestys mic for about 3 minutes
Betsy won't end the shows on a loving note
"Good night Hugh, I love you"
I am sure their was some office love
Betsy likes to have nothing the same, ever
Just look at this like a suggestion
The difference between actors and reality stars
They are competition
Enamoration (made up word) of the King of Cars Guy . . . Betsy is infatuated with Chop
"We would both have something to talk about because we both have reality shows"
Kris gets bright red
"That bastard. Chop you're going down. You're destroying my family. Some man in Las Vegas who sells used cars. He's taking my wife from me . . . and my life."
If you find someone attractive on a reality show don't tell your spouse
Is Jeremy Piven ok to tell you I like as Ari?
Wait, he did a reality show
Betsy asks who I think is hot
My reply, the chics on the tattoo reality shows
If we were just friends I would fly you to Vegas for a tattoo
"I hear Towbin Dodge is around here someplace"
I know your motive Betsy
I don't look like Chop. Betsy thinks separated at birth . . . say what?
He's a well groomed Bears
Betsy really likes this guy
Mike Rowe is rad but sometimes comes off as an ass, don't we all
The stay in school remark to the ore shoveler guy
Our turn to come off as asses
Transgender understanding
The human condition
When you can't figure it out
Looking for bulges
I don't get it, I pegged you for a boy but it doesn't matter but I can't but it together
The Madonna concert
Take me to Fry's it is my concert
Now I know what it is like when I take people to Goodwill
Strangers at Goodwill talking to my kids, turns out they are buddies

Tags: King of Cars Chop Goodwill Towbin Dodge Jeremy Piven National Night Out

Croncast - Betsy and her husband Kris 144

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 07:21:01 -0500

Croncast - 2005-11-04.mp3

Show: #185
Length: 34:33
Size: 23.7 mb
Format: mp3

Croncast - Betsy and her husband Kris 144

Show Notes

You wanted it . . . Kris with hair

And Betsy with Maggers

Intro by Regis from The Unemployment Line - Thanks Regis!
Betsy goes crazy with the camera
Kris holds baby at the beginning of the show
Racking up the daddy points
Bush 1 or 2
Not voted back in
Thinking with the baby in your lap
One year of our lives recorded
Now Betsy can't run for office
Sciontology (hehehe)
Video netcasting by NBC5
Kris's balding dome, not so bald these days
A dance named after Kris
I'll do anything for you
Podcast Expo
12 years, two kids, Kris is responsible for it
Funding more #2 meals
Giving the baby a piece of paper
Beef jerky haning from your chest
Primary food sources
Worst places vaginas have been
Somehow to Betsy feet are worse
Officials have access to the goods, Magic Johnson and Eddie Murphy

Tags: kris betsy baby croncast regis

Croncast - Betsy and her husband Kris 141

Fri, 28 Oct 2005 05:54:51 -0400

Croncast - 2005-10-28.mp3

Show: #182
Length: 39:56
Size: 27.4 mb
Format: mp3

Croncast - Betsy and her husband Kris 141

Show Notes

The mime
Calling each other 47 times a day
Kris' birthday party events balloon volleyball and jello through a straw races
The Geriatric games
More chest hair than head hair
The digital camera fiasco
Telling a nerd they did good could be the most dangerous thing a person can do
We're not buying today
Prints only from the camera store
He's making prints from a Nikon D50 8 mpx
Kris' rats nest hair
Why didn't somone tell me I need to brush my hair
My hair looks like a pelt
I can't do the bald guy with a goatee anymore
Detriment in Chicago during winter
Balding over-weight men with goatess are the dominant species in this planet
Kris' goatee is like a shrub hiding a rotting porch
There is a podcast voice
Betsy is going to put her dipthong to work at the telephone porn line
Well, okay der bear
It is pledge and donation time again
Cyclical with NPR
Server money is needed
Betsy says $4 per month doesn't make sense, $5 a month or $9.95 is better
The kids aren't yours
The one year anniversary of Croncast is coming
Doing the show 3 times a week is difficult
Kris has other projects to work on podcasting and not
Croncast will be moving to one day a week starting November 14
Send your audio or email of your Croncast memories
Harriet Mier, "liberals will rue the day that she didn't get the job"
New segment, "Goodwill Tonight" Betsy does sound effects
Visual a steam sterilizer and a triple stroller
I'm taking it to Goodwill to teach you a lesson
Screaming serpent roller coaster and rippin rocket
Betsy takes on an 11 year old girl at Goodwill
Someone took her on, she was the home team
First born kids are sibling slappers
Kris apologizes to his brother who is ripped
The hariest, largest woman in Goodwill
Time to scurry away with the baby
Dart them and take their stuff?
Betsy decides to stalk the family
Applies social work principles to get what she wants
Situation assessment for procurement
Lowlights of the old days
Why people don't want to remember the worst times
People work through it and move on and react out of fear
If you look behind you feel like it can happen again
A lack of empathy
Falling back on family if it is an option
Social service programs
How did Betsy make this political
A bit too harsh

Tags: betsy kris croncast hair work