SXSW 2010 Vancouver-Centric Voting Guide

Uncleweed breaks it down with Fuck St@ts, Make Art SXSW 2009

~ Copy/Edit by Chooglyte: Felix Ruttan

This SXSW PanelPicker voting guide is here to bring you up to speed; Vote ends September 4th, anyone can vote,  & signing up is quick and painless over at the SXSW 2010 account creation page.

The peoples weigh in for 30% of the whole SX-bang; And that’s anyone & everyone, even if you’re not planning to attend SXSW 2010. After seeing some of these events, you’ll have plans.

Dave Olson SXSW 2010

Signed up? Check out uncleweed’s solo panel “Hitchiking to the Boardroom”; “An inter-disciplinary conversation distills a decade of working odd jobs in 20+ countries, followed by 14 years of Internet biz endeavors, into unique problem-solving skills as well as inspire attendees with a replenished toolbox of usable tactics”.

Kris Krug/KK and Bev Davis join Dave for “Rock N Roll Photography” 2010. This panel explores how bands and photographers can work together (technically & creativity) to produce images which enhance the artist/fan relationship.

Check out the F@ck Stats, Make Art SXSW 2009 wrap-up elsewhere in the Feast House.

Vancouverites @ SXSW 2010

Robert Scales examines the local movement to secure our right to cover of the Olympic Games in Vancouver with “Social Media and the Olympics: A Case Study”.

John Biehler’s spotlights “the importance of co-creating with your users from a design, business, and user perspective”: “Do Cool Kids Leave When the Suits Arrive?”.

“Whuffaoke and the Magic of the Magic Bus” preps you for an epic, geeked out in the best possible way, roadtrip; Mostly by recounting an epic, geeked out roadtrip via bus converted into a mobile party.

“Your Content is You, Your Website is Dead” & “Listening the the Internet: Online Media Monitoring” by KK gives you a crash course in being awesome on the New Social Nets.

Joy Gugeler pushes to upgrade bandwidth between Print & Web Publishers in “Make Friends with Cannibals: Linking Print & Online Publishers.“

Tara Hunt aims to remind us how rad Karaoke is, and why you should go do it. Right. Now. “Don’t Stop Believin: Why Karaoke WILL Change the World”

SXSW 2010 Music + Film + Interactive + You! March 12th-21st

What’s Next For You?

sixty4media’s darling Rebecca Bollwitt has put together an awesome list “SXSWi PanelPicker – Vancouverites to Look For”, linking even more local talent (who will soon join the list).

With that in mind, don’t hesitate to start your own dig for SXSW 2010, Interactive, Film, and Music faves. Comment with your picks, and not just Vancouver-oriented — Web wide! We’d love to source a huge list of quality entrees; Rep yourself, your fam & friends!

Vote up your faves!

Updates-post-Publish:

Eve And The Serpant What Went Wrong by Pinny Gniwisch, the man behind ice.com.

Rock N Roll Photo Panel Pitch for SXSW Music 2010

Here’s a pitch for a panel for SXSW Music Conference remixed from a panel at Northern Voice 2009 Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09. Like that panel, I’ll moderate a group of experienced band and concerts photographers about a variety of creative and technical and licensing issues.

ROCK 'n ROLL PHOTO. Photo by Uber Lexy

Starting August 10, you’ll have a chance to vote for SXSW Panels and Presentations until Aug. 28th and your vote constitutes a portion of the selection process along with staff and an advisory board.

Read the whole submission below.

Also, for your voting consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10 – Dave Olson

‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug  

Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Panel: Rock N Roll Photography

Madonna's 1st Ever Concert by Bev Davies via Uber Lexy

Blurb:

Photos are an integral part of building a music scene and attracting audience but there’s a chasm between amateur snapshots and pro photos which truly capture the band’s aesthetic. This panel explores how bands and photographers can work together (technically & creativity) to produce images which enhance the artist/fan relationship.

Questions:

1. What do photographers want from bands when shooting them?
2. What can bands do to be better subjects for photographers?
3. What are characteristics of a great band or concert photo?
4. How can photographers get great shots at shows with low light and fast action?
5. What are the differences between shooting for love or money? Does it change your shots?
6. Who are you shooting for? Yourself, the bands, the fans, the future?
7. Everyone has a camera of some kind – how does this change the reasons/importance of your photos?
8. What are rights licensing options for photographers?
9. How can photographers build an audience by sharing and using Creative Commons?
10. How can photographers build relationships with promoters/bands/labels?

Bios:

Dave O presents at SXSW - Photo By KK

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy.

Note: Dave Olson presented  F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 with solid reviews.

Why i am qualified to speak:

I’ve seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on my 7th birthday. I presented this panel at Northern Voice conference in Vancouver BC – recap with video, slides, photos, reviews and live blog.

Also, I gathered up exceptional Panelists:

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1977-85 from DOA to Dead Kennedys to The Clash plus “emerging” major acts like U2, Motorhead and Madonna. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history.

Bev Davies & Kris Krug: Rock 'n Roll Photo @ SXSW. Photo by riacale

Kris Krug regularly shoots bands along with fashion shows, tech conferences, Olympic Games and international travel. Known for his cross-processed style, he shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing, regularly organizes photo walks and contributes to conferences including TedX Shanghai, Gnomedex, PopTech, Petcha Kutcha and Northern Voice.

More about Rock N Roll Photography panel:

Photos are a key component of building a music scene or movement as well as engaging audience for a musical act, but there is a huge difference between some snapshots and photos which capture the band’s aesthetic and essence. Plus, photographers shooting for magazines or freelance don’t always want to share the licensing which allows the band to use the shots for their own promo use.

This panel with noted rock n roll photographers explores how bands and photographers can work together to produce images which thrill the band and inspire the fans. Beyond the technical points of photography, moderator Dave Olson will discuss how the manner of working, point of view, and setting are key contributors to quality results and ask the panelists how they find inspiration, develop a unique style, capture atmosphere, and form working relationships with the artists ~ plus technical tips to get in the pit and make a great rock shot.

Also, for your voting consideration:

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10 – Dave Olson

‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug

Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom – Presentation Pitch for SXSWi10

Find the plane where Awesum & Audience intersect

Here’s my (Dave Olson’s) submission to SXSW Interactive 2010 – Starting August 10, you’ll have a chance to vote for SXSW Panels and Presentations until Aug. 28th and your vote constitutes a portion of the selection process along with staff and an advisory board.

After the enjoyment of presenting F@ck Stats, Make Art spiel at SXSWi 2009 (which garnered favourable reviews BTW), I mulled over my options and have some pretty entertaining in mind which will entice me to dig deep in my older travel files and more modern Internet biz binders of artifacts to support my story-telling.

For F@ck Stat, Make Art, i went fully analog with no projectors, laptops etc. but this time i will  use some photos to share what i have in mind including stories from time spent as mushroom farmer in Japan, beach club host in Guam, searching for the kind in Palau, gathering grapes and chestnuts in Germany or following the Grateful Dead through the hinterlands of America in a VW bus.

Listen to a recap of my SXSW 2009 core conversation and after-hours hi-jinks in SXSW Stories from Middle Earth – Choogle On #79 podcast.

Also for your voting consideration:

• Rock N Roll Photo Panel Pitch for SXSW Music 2010 – Panel with Kris Krug etc. moderated by Dave Olson
• ‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug
• Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Art = craft + intent x integrity

Details of pitch:

Title of panel or presentation (maximum 8 words):

Hitchhiking to the Boardroom

50 word description of this panel / presentation

Not all business lessons are learned in an MBA program, nor management skills gained in seminars. This inter-disciplinary conversation distills a decade of working odd jobs in 20+ countries, followed by 14 years of Internet biz endeavors, into unique problem-solving skills as well as inspire attendees with a replenished toolbox of usable tactics.

10 questions that will be answered in this panel / presentation

1. How can I reach the top without a fancy degree?
2. Why should you bring “yourself” to work?
3. How do you diffuse a$$holes (especially when they are your boss)?
4. How can I find mentors, teachers and miracles?
5. How can I develop recession-proof business ideas?
6. What are the advantages of communicating with an audience in their language?
7. Why should I forget pre-conceptions and surprise myself?
8. Why is an inter-disciplinary perspective important?
9. Why should I consider hitting the road (and not look back)?
10. How can I figure out what truly matters to me – and make it happen?

50-word bio for this speaker

Dave Olson is a world-traveling renaissance guy who has published essays, poetry and fiction, wrote and produced a documentary film, and traveled to 20+ countries working jobs from mushroom farmer to private beach club host. An experienced story-teller, Dave’s presentation style is unique, visually compelling and free of jargon, cheesy buzzwords and bulleted lists.

get out of the cublicle you deserve more! (photo KK)

I am qualified to speak on this topic because:

{pardon the 3rd person} An experienced media pundit, Dave made dozens of TV/radio/newspaper appearances discussing web media technology, public policy activism, entrepreneurship, hockey and more on outlets ranging from CBC to BBC to High Times.

Most recently, he’s worked as a professional web community builder and marketing evangelist for a variety Vancouver web companies.

He regularly speaks at events and conferences about using technology to enable artistic expression and using social media for social change.

He graduated in 2004 from the noted Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington with a degree in Inter-disciplinary studies after studying public policy, philosophy, global affairs and writing – he also attended the Universities of Utah and Guam.

A podcasting pioneer, Dave creates several long-running series including Postcards from Gravelly Beach – a spoken word literature show, Choogle on! – gonzo international sound-seeing adventures, and Canucks Outsider, a wildly-popular audio magazine about Vancouver hockey culture.

Has this person spoken at SXSW before?

Yes – See the recap of F@ck Stats, Make Art at SXSW 2009

Spieling to the People of SXSW 09- photo by KK

The scales of sharing - Free for Taking or Don't Take

Recent Publications:

• Depth Perception (poetry) – 2009
• Letters from Russia (epistolary lit) – 2006
• The First Rule of Longboard Hockey is … – Heads Magazine 2007
• Rebagliati Positive for 2010 – Head Magazine 2006
• Zen Rambling in Japan – Heads Magazine 2006
• Hemp Culture in Japan – Cannabis Culture 2000

For Your SXSW Voting Consideration:

• Rock N Roll Photo Panel Pitch for SXSW Music 2010 – Panel with Kris Krug etc. moderated by Dave Olson
• ‘From a Web of Pages to a Web of Streams’ Presentation for SXSW 2010 – Kris Krug
• Intelligent Online Media Monitoring Tools & Strategies Panel for SXSW Interactive – Kris Krug, Amber Case et al

Rock n’ Roll Photo w/ Bev Davies + Kris Krug at Northern Voice 09

Building A Scene – Rock & Roll Photography Panel Re-cap

Blurb:

Photography isn’t always clean, in a studio with great lighting, patient models, or beautiful subjects.

Iggy Pop decades apart by Kk and Bev Davies at NV09

In a panel with two noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krug, host Dave O will explore how they find inspiration, develop a differentiating style, capture atmosphere, and form relationships with the artists, plus technical tips to make a great rock shot.

They’ll also discuss sharing your work to build a common experience and a “scene” for fans to self-identify with and participate in as well as compare and contrast favourite shots.

Video:

Thanks to Bruce Sharpe – 25 Hour Day via Blip.Tv, who sets up the clip in Rock N Roll Photo:

Using several well-chosen photos of rock ‘n’ roll stars as a backdrop, Dave Olson finds out from noted Vancouver photographers Bev Davies and Kris Krüg how they are permitted access (or not), how they work with the musicians (or not) and what it takes to get that iconic, memorable photo. From Northern Voice 2009.

It takes a minute or two for the video to settle down. Stick with it, it’s worth it!

Slides:

Complete Rock N Roll Photography slidedeck (Google) by Dave Olson featuring photos of Kris Krug and Bev Davies.

Live blog:

Northern Voice 2009 Rock and Roll Photography Kris Krug Dave Olson Bev Davies by Miss 604 Rebecca Bollwitt

Excerpt: I first started delving into the works of the legendary Bev Davies only just over a year ago but after discovering what I have (which is simply scratching the surface) I realized what an important person she is to rock and roll history, along with Vancouver history.

Along with Kris Krug, whose rock photography is recent yet not any less inspiring and captivating, Dave Olson will guide these two through a journey of their craft both on and offline.

Reviews:

Northern Voice – Dean H (SubPop New Media)

I also saw a great talk moderated by Dave Olson on rock ‘n roll photography featuring Kris Krug and Bev Davies. Both of Kris and Bev take fantastic pictures (that you should really take a look at) but, in particular, some of Dev Davies’ early pictures (there are some in a Flickr set here) are must see if you’re a fan of early ‘80’s punk and hardcore. Bev was basically the only one taking pictures at these shows in Vancouver in the early ‘80’s and her collection of shots of DOA, The Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, The Adolescents, Gang of Four, Duff McKagan-era Fastbacks (and on and on and on) are amazing. You may have seen her photography in the punk rock calendar that Nardwuar put together a couple years ago—all the photos in the calendar are her work.

Randy Stewart at Stewtopia: Northern Voice 2009 – Vancouver’s Finest

Dave Olson’s interview with Kris Krug and Bev Davies about rock and roll photography was fantastic. I had met Bev the day before after an intro by Peter Andersen and I had a lovely conversation, but had no idea she was so punk rock. Her pictures speak volumes.

Maryam ghaemmagha​mi Scoble says:

Finally, I especially enjoyed watching Dave Olson interview Bev Davies and Kris Krug about taking photographs from Rock and Roll bands and watching all the historic and amazing photos reel on stage.

Speakers:

KK + Bev Davies in Rock N Roll Photo by Penmachine

Moderator Dave Thorvald Olson is a writer, podcaster and documentarian who frequently appears in media from High Times to CBC to BBC discussing counter-culture, art, hockey, and public policy. He’s seen hundreds of rock shows, published punk rock fanzines, followed the Grateful Dead plus Elvis died on his 7th birthday. (DaveO’s Library)

Bev Davies photographed most every punk rock band in, or through, Vancouver in the 1980’s from DOA to The Clash. Her intimate and distinctive B&Ws, which appeared regularly in the alternative press, captured both the sweat of the band and the excitement of the audience and together form a compelling chronicle of Vancouver’s music history. (Bev on Flickr)

Kris Krug shot dozens of bands at the last 3 SXSW Music fests along shooting everything from fashion shows to tech conferences. Known for his x-processed style, at SXSW he captured evocative, gritty shots from well-known artists like REM and Flaming Lips to emerging acts and shares his shots with Creative Commons licensing to help bands and fans enjoy the experience. (KK on Flickr)

Business in Vancouver tells the True North Media House story

From Business in Vancouver on, Friday, 12 June 2009 in 2010 Gold Rush by Bob Mackin, comes a  discussion about the True North Media House including quotes from Kris Krug and comments about the “Open Letters to VANOC” i published via Raincity Studios in November 2008.

Posted here for archival purposes. Grab Print version as needed.

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Countdown: 35 weeks until the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

VANOC slow to get into new media game

Kris Krug is among a small group of Vancouver new media trailblazers aiming to revolutionize how the Olympic Games are covered in this wild Web 2.0 world.

They have devised the True North Media House, and they say it will also be strong and free.

It’s going to be a Downtown Eastside-based alternative for outlets big and small that don’t qualify to be inside the fence at the main media centre in the Vancouver Convention Centre or in the non-accredited provincial facility at Robson Square.

“With the explosive growth of online journalism, citizen journalism and new forms of journalism, we’re going to have huge demand for the services we’re offering there,” Krug said.

The concept was borne out of meetings last fall among disaffected members of the local new media community. Early on, VANOC was wide-eyed about the new media. Krug and others briefed VANOC executives and staff on a new media day back in 2005. But as the Games approached, things changed.

I remember Krug sitting crestfallen outside the Pan Pacific Hotel last November, ruing the fact that VANOC didn’t let him join in the world press briefing. That week, his Raincity Studios’ colleague Dave Olson extended a hand with his famous “Hello VANOC, we’re nice, local and invite you for a coffee and a talk” open letter.

Any VANOC forays into the virtual world have been on the coattails of telecommunications sponsor Bell. The Cultural Olympiad’s intriguing Canada CODE digital collage is the best example. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are used by many individuals at VANOC, but not VANOC itself.

The reluctance apparently comes from top-down. The IOC has tiptoed around the Internet, not fully embracing the new media. To its credit, it opened its own YouTube channel during the Beijing Games while liberalizing its rules to allow athlete blogs. Krug said the IOC’s top Canadian, Dick Pound, told him that the Internet is the second-biggest threat to the Olympics movement, after performance-enhancing drugs.

“They haven’t figured out how to harness the Internet, so they view it as a cannibalization of their broadcast revenues,” he said. “By not figuring out ways to engage the media, particularly the new media, they’re missing out on a whole generation.”

So Krug is intent on showing the IOC the potential.

“We have lots of people who are stoked abut it. You might have a Swedish ski blogger, and we’ll have the Christians blogging about Christians in the Olympics,” he said. “We’ll have other people who are probably anti-Olympics there, too. It’s like a big house, and everyone’s welcome in. It’s about open access for all these locked out, independent new media.”

Letters from Russia preso video from Northern Voice

Bruce Sharpe (who co-created an essential bit of software for audio production called Levelator and is an all around nice guy) shepherded a project to crowd-source and prepare quality video of Northern Voice 09 including Letters from Russia.

Here’s Bruce’s intro the Letters from Russia post at 25 Hour Day:

Dave Olson talks about the sources of inspiration, the creative process and publishing your work in this lively mixed-media presentation. Watch this and you’ll understand why Dave has been dubbed a “local cultural artifact”. From Northern Voice 2009. Note: Contains adult language.

For more about the spiel and project, visit: Letters from Russia Recap from Northern Voice 09

And from @brucesharpe on Twitter:

Uncle Weed is in fine form as he illuminates the creative process behind Letters from Russia. From #northernvoice09

He and others – including my buddy Dale – made sure to mic up the presenters and set up a good angle for the shots. As the guy on the other end of the lens, i truly appreciate their work to provide a cool artifact from the preso (although i must admit my shock at seeing my decreasing hair follicles!) – my Mom will likely enjoy it as well ;-).

Spieling at SXSW – F@ck Stats, Make Art on March 13, 3:30

Very happy to announce I am the last change to the SXSW Interactive schedule. The goodly Mr. Hugh Forrest called me at home to ask if i was interested in presenting.

Of course, i said “Yes” and will be presenting a Core Conversation called “Fuck Stats Make Art” on March 13th to kick off the legendary fest in Austin, Texas.

You may have caught the original gig at Northern Voice 2008, (Fuck Stats, Make Art recap) – if so, come again since I’ll remix my presentation for maximum amusement and interactivity with the audience. If not, consider attending as i’ll do my best to get you inspired and thinking about big picture stuff throughout the conference.

My preso will be analog with papery bits to explain my stories and thoughts about creativity, inspiration, publishing and finding your/our place in history.

Are you speaking? Please drop a comment so i can stop by and bask in your wisdom.

I’ll be holding forth on March 13 (happy birthday Lt. Magnum) from 3:30 – 4:30 … ahhh here’s the full deets so you can add to your intinerary:

F@ck Stats, Make Art

Room 19B

Friday, March 13th

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Add this to your SXSW Calendar

Via a pictorial journey through his own career of creating grassroots art and publications, renegade social media producer and writer Dave Olson will extol, encourage and explain the importance oftaming the intimidation, solving conundrums and digging deep to muster authentic creative self expression in the digital era.

Dave Olsen  {note to self: ask them to spell my name “Olson”}

Photo of DaveO by Bre Pettis from SXSW08

Are You Worthy? Recapping spiel from Wordcamp Whistler

Last weekend, i was pleased to present at WordCamp Whistler organized by my good pals Duane & Dale (of Brave New Code) and John and Rebecca (of sixty4media).

My spiel was called “Are you Worthy?” or ‘history of publishing from Greeks to geeks’. I also previewed my upcoming Moose Camp and Northern Voice presentations a wee bit.

Audio: Are you Worthy? DaveO’s spiel from Wordcamp Whistler (.mp3, 56M, approx 51:00)

Blurb:

The mighty power of web publishing should not be taken lightly. Traditionally, for stories to reach an audience required navigating layers levels or publishers, printers, editors, distributors but with WordPress, anyone can spread stories to a worldwide audience, instantly, for almost free. Awesome! But do you deserve this power? Of course you do – as long as you make something remarkable.

To make your work rise to the top requires diligent honing of your craft – from writing to photography. Writer and documentarian Dave Olson (AKA uncleweed) will offer reasons to push yourself to create art, as well as share practical methods for finding inspiration and following through to publication.

By exploring other forms of grassroots publishing, and exploring real-life WP examples, you’ll leave with a keen sense of your place in the history of personal expression, and a renewed vigor for making your best stuff ever.

Analog stuff at WordCamp Whistler by Miss604

Video: Kris Krug shot video of the whole presentation and posted it in a playlist in 5 segments for your viewing convenience – Video of Dave Olson Presentation – NerdCamp Whistler 2009 – huge thanks (will post the collection is a separate post). Kris’ blurb:

‘From Greeks to Geeks’ or ‘Are You Worthy?’ http://uncleweed.com/ Dave Olson (@uncleweed) gave a mind-blowing presentation at NerdCamp Whister (AKA WordCamp) about censorship, copyright, content creation, history, beauty, art, and the internet. These 5 videos are the 5 10 minute segments from his talk. If someone wants the pieces to string together please let me know and I’ll get them in your hands.

Tweets/Blogs: The folks really seemed to enjoy the schtick and highlighted favourite bits in Twitter reactions and blog posts. How about a sampler?:

hummingbird604: @uncleweed ’s conceptual Venn Diagram of the intersection of Awesomeness and Audience is here http://bit.ly/8IoN (expand) – #wcw09 Jan 25, 2009 01:06 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

Miss604: @uncleweed just used the word “douchebaggery” #wcw09 I think he’s everyone’s hero at WordCamp Whistler at this point Jan 25, 2009 01:00 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet ·

nataliesisson: No 69 is my player number and it just came through for me as I won some excellent poetry from @Uncleweed at #wcw09 being attendee 69! Jan 25, 2009 01:13 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

arieanna: Powerpoint can kiss @uncleweed’s ass #wcw09 http://twitpic.com/16v8i Jan 25, 2009 01:14 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

gnb: #wcw09 @josiejose’s reproduction of @uncleweed’s venn diagram: The intersection of Awesomeness and Audience http://is.gd/h73M (expand) Jan 25, 2009 01:11 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

baronmunchowsen: not enough bands make colouring books anymore. That’s too bad. @uncleweed killing it at #wcw09. awesome. Jan 25, 2009 12:50 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

ericaha: ‘Anybody who has a story should be telling it.’ @uncleweed wcw09 Jan 25, 2009 12:42 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

Miss604: @uncleweed #wcw09 “instead of HTML and markup, I was using scissors and glue”

Jan 25, 2009 12:45 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

ColleenCoplick: @uncleweed quote “Ulysses was all over the motherfuckin’ bit torrent”. BEST QUOTE of #WCW09, hands down. Jan 25, 2009 12:31 AM GMT · Reply · View Tweet

WordCamp Whistler is Live | Fearless City24 Jan 2009 by raincoaster

And Dave Olson knitted together Aeschylus, Jack Kerouac, Guam, mimeographed punk fanzines, ice cream, heroin, and art in his presentation.

snickerdoodles: Word Camp Whistler…24 Jan 2009 by kerry macleod Here is a photo and poem from today’s final speaker Dave Olson. One of the few I actually followed and understood completely the whole time. He had real props like books.

Random stuff from WordCamp Whistler 200925 Jan 2009 by John Dave Olson ended the day with his talk and had the entire audience hanging on his every word. He invited people to sit up front and close since he wasn’t using the projector…and lots did. It was a great session to end the conference

Photos: Heaps of rad shots (see Uncleweed + WCW09 on flickr) in my new toque and riffing from the mighty tomes hidden in the suitcase.

Awesome fisheye shots by John Biehler, lord of the gadgets

and a few more faves:

by Graham Ballantyne

by TylerIngram

Ianiv and Arieanna

same as above

Thanks to all you came and listened.

Greeks to Geeks Spiel from WordCamp Whistler – video by KK

My WordCamp Whistler cohort and ace Vancouver photographer Kris Krug shot video of my entire “Are you Worthy?” spiel with his new Flipcam and posted it in a YouTube playlist in 5 segments for your viewing convenience – huge thanks!

Video of Dave Olson Presentation – NerdCamp Whistler 2009 playlist

Here’s part 4 to whet your appetite:

Kris’ blurb:

‘From Greeks to Geeks’ or ‘Are You Worthy?’ http://uncleweed.com/ Dave Olson (@uncleweed) gave a mind-blowing presentation at NerdCamp Whister (AKA WordCamp) about censorship, copyright, content creation, history, beauty, art, and the internet.

These 5 videos are the 5 10 minute segments from his talk. If someone wants the pieces to string together please let me know and I’ll get them in your hands.

(Krug shooting Olson by Peter Andersen)

(Olson and Krug by John Bollwitt)

Bonus:

See KK in this sweet fisheye crowd stroll by John Biehler

KK Interviews me at WordCamp Whistler (video)

Be sure to catch KK and Bev Davies in the Rock and Roll photo panel at Northern Voice

Talking about train travel in the Vancouver Courier

I was interviewed (and my loquacious quotes like “super lame”) are included in an article about train travel in the Vancouver Courier.

I am including my quotes and a few other snippets about my pet-rant – inadequate train travel between here and points south as well as the photo by Dan Toulguet so it doesn’t disappear into the internet tubes like my previous photo appearance in this local newspaper. By the way, if someone could pick me up a paper copy, i’d be very pleased.

from the Vancouver Courier article by Robert Alstead, Oct. 22nd, 2008

Slow train coming

Robert Alstead takes a journey north by rail from California and wonders if Canada’s vanished passenger trains will once again carry us from coast to coast – Robert Alstead, Vancouver Courier
Published: Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Print version of Slow Train Coming
Web version of Slow Train Coming

Dave Olson, who works in marketing for Gastown web design company Raincity Studios, travels six or seven times a year by train, on business and pleasure. “I don’t care for jet travel because of the incredible hassle and huge eco-footprint,” says Olson. Like many, he would take the train more if he could. “I like the pace and not having to drive, I like the rhythm and the scenery you normally don’t see, the rail yards and seashores and forgotten neighbourhoods. I find the train-riding experience somehow charming, even poetic and certainly creativity stimulating,” he says.

However, he complains Amtrak’s evening train south is hardly convenient for trips to Olympia or Portland, seeing as travellers must make an overnight stopover in Seattle. The Amtrak Cascades is also infrequent and often booked up. Amtrak does offer several “train buses” which Olson has found “super lame” with long border waits. He’d rather take the car if there are no seats on the train, although it did mean a $124 parking bill and a chipped windshield on a recent three-day trip to Seattle. “I know we would’ve enjoyed some work or playing cards or meditating on the train,” he rues.

##

However, the Amtrak Cascades offers a good example of the difficulties faced in enhancing rail services.

For years, Amtrak has wanted to add a second roundtrip train between Eugene and Vancouver. However, congestion due to heavy freight movement on track this side of the border meant that a new siding needed to be added to allow trains to pass. For six years, Canadian and U.S. officials and railroad owners Burlington Northern Santa Fe had been unable to hammer out a deal over who should pay for the upgrade.

That means that a second Amtrak Cascades has been running only as far as Bellingham. Then in March of last year, spurred on by the onset of the 2010 Olympics, B.C. transportation minister Kevin Falcon announced that he was committing “up to $4.5 million” (reportedly 57 per cent of the upgrade cost) to build the siding.

In June last year, Premier Gordon Campbell marked the new service on the platform at King Street Station in Seattle by exchanging a large symbolic train ticket with Washington Governor Chris Gregoire in a photo op.

The siding was completed months ago. Amtrak is ready to go. But the service hit the buffers due to complications with the Canadian Border Services Agency, which reportedly wants $15,000 per day to clear the train.

Graham says the matter is in the hands of the B.C. government. A spokesperson for the province says it’s a federal government issue. Faith St. John, spokesperson for the CBSA, said she could not comment on the matter “because we are in discussions.” But she did say that “decisions to provide CBSA services at a new location or to expand current services take into account human resource requirements and the ability to provide security and service to the public.”

She could not say when the matter would be resolved.

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See also:

Ranting on about Trains, Buses and Borders – Choogle on podcast #1

Vancouver Courier Newspaper article on the Canucks Outsider podcast

Beers, Seabus and Fave Podcasts – Feasthouse podcast

In response to Dave Delaney (davemadethat.com)’s meme-like inquiry about favorite podcasts – What are you listening to? A podcasting meme – I sit on the rocky banks of Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet drinking a St. Ambroise beer and extol a list of faves podcasts with reasonings and anecdotes about each.

• Dopefiend.co.uk w/Dopecast, Psychonautica, Lefty’s Lounge, Black Beauty’s Bungalow
• Clubside Breakfast Time
• Radio Zoom
• Psychedelic Salon
• Cory Doctorow’s Craphound
• Scarborough Dude
• plus selections from the CBC – Dispatches, Search Engine, Vinyl Cafe and BBC – In Our Time
• and Mosquito Leg Chimpanzee

“What podcasts do you listen to?” podcast (.mp3, 7:07, 6.6.MB)

Dave’s instructions told me to tag 5 people but that sounds kinda heavy so comment and chime in if you want – no big whoop.

Here are some of my podcasts:
Choogle on with Uncleweed – Counter-culture hi-jinks – Feed – iTunes – Blog

Canucks Outsider – Vancouver Hockey Podcast – Feed – iTunes – Blog

Out n’ About with Uncle Weed – Travelin’ man vidcast – Show – Feed – iTunes

Postcards from Gravelly Beach – Spoken word literature – Feed – iTunes – Blog

Olympic Outsider – Winter Sports/culture – Blog – iTunes – Feed

Uncle Weed on Dopefiend.co.uk’s Dopecast

Regular listeners of Choogle on With Uncle Weed have likely got to know my British counter-part The Dopefiend – we’ve recorded a few shows while i visited him and Max Freakout in London and a trip to the seashore in Brighton, then he and Dopegirl allowed me to return the hospitality with a long North Van visit which resulted in a heap of podcasts including visits with Herby, a true herbsman, hunkered down in a boutique grow room.

Current listeners know that Herby fell into some dicey situation with the law and on the newest Dopecast, i discuss Herby’s situation and the importance of knowing your rights including understanding probable cause, your right to an attorney, and why to shut up when the cops starting yapping!

Go grab Dopecast142 and Subscribe to the whole Dopefiend network even in iTunes

Mon, 15 September 2008

On this week’s episode of the Web’s Favourite Cannabis Podcast, the Dopefiend talks to Canadian Cannabis Crusader Uncle Weed about the difficult situation featuring Canadian grower and Dopecast favourite Herbie, forced to spend his weekends in jail thanks to an increasingly tough stance on Cannabis taken by the Canadian authorities, why it’s not as easy as it may sound to some, and why it’s yet more evidence of injustice in the war on drugs.

The Dopefiend then talks to Uncle Weed about the case of Dopecast listener Snoogins who was busted on a marijuana paraphernalia charge, and why it’s important for all stoners to know their rights and to exercise their civil liberties, and also gets his views on the continuing debate over abuse vs experimentation and his thoughts on the recent Big Chill gonzo extravaganza, knowing your own limits and how you have to decide what constitutes abuse on your own terms, whether there is any value in Nitrous Oxide or MDMA, and how important ritual and careful planning is to a successful entheogenic experience.

Download this episode here: http://media.libsyn.com/media/dopecast/Dopecast142.mp3

Tags: dopefiend, uncleweed, choogleon, herby, public policy, aclu, dopecast, podcast