UnionBook

Can you tell I am easily obsessed with the latest gadget?

I recorded some speeches and some interviews at yesterday's Day of Mourning event in Cobourg (Ontario). It was windy, there's some of that in the recordings, but they're still useable.

Anyone any tips on reducing the wind interference?

One of several US employer-side lawyers who have noticed UB. This guy is quite twisted in his reasoning. See HERE.

The Switcheasy Thumbtack that is. The size of a plastic pushpin, it's a $13USD microphone that allows Nano 4G and Touch 2G owners to record on their iPods. There are mics that get slightly better reviews, but none as small.

Or near as cheap either. Which, given that my thought is to encourage 'citizen journalism' amongst union members, is a far bigger deal.

It will be a while before I check it out other than indoors and under near ideal conditions, but so far, so good. I'm actually rather impressed, but that initial take may be the gadget freak in me coming out (not that it is ever far from the surface). Clarity, recording levels and sensitivity/distance - all quite good. Given the physical design and size I'm a little concerned about how it will perform in a wind, and it'll be interesting to see and hear how it handles lots of background noise.

More later here on those points.

The idea is to have it and my iPod handy to record quick and dirty interviews and such which can then be sent on to a podder or two. And then to convince millions others to do the same...

Our kinda thing, no?

Join or just read HERE.

The biggest obstacle to a torrent of citizen journalism in podcast form is gathering content. A good podcast needs a lot of volunteers out there collecting material and sending it on to the editing/production team.

The available pools of volunteers for progressive podcasts are usually enthused about an issue and involved for that reason. Not because they are all geeked-out over the technical aspects of production and such.

With a little coaching anyone can learn to do a reasonable interview and it doesn't take much experience to record a rally or a speech or a talk. So the barriers to greater participation are almost always tech and/or financial.

The threshold on both has been high. Getting lower, but not fast enough.

This little gizmo is one of several now available that allows anyone with a recent release iPod to get out there and start recording. Making anyone with an iPod in a potential citizen journalist.

By 'anyone with an iPod' I mean everyone in my family from the grandkids on up the age ladder, plus everyone at my local Y, plus everyone I work with, plus everyone on every flight I take or bus I ride on, plus...

http://www.switcheasy.com/products/ThumbTacks/ThumbTacks.php

There are some reviews out on the Thumbtack mic already. I first heard about it from some Italian comrades at CGIL who were very enthused, but have yet to receive mine. But soon, very soon.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is running a contest similar to LabourStart's annual event.  CUPE local websites are eligible and, as with the global Labour Website of the Year contest, the winners are determined by popular vote.

A nice idea and a great way to boost traffic to local union websites because, unlike judged awards, this one encourages local union webstewards to organize their members to get online and vote.

http://cupe.ca/sitenews/CUPE-wsoty

En francais:

http://scfp.ca/sitenews/scfp-swsa

David Empey (UWOSA President) has just launched a really useful site for Canadian trade unionists looking for current shop floor news and opinion.

Here you can see, collected in one place, daily summaries of postings on union or union-related blogs across Canada.  The site is just recently up but already features regular postings from several union bloggers, including Larry Hubich, President of the SFL.

Drop by for a read or to suggest a blog for inclusion.

http://www.unionblogs.ca/