Opening up the margins

This week’s CBC Radio tech column is all about digital marginalia.

Opening up the margins by misener

The cbc.ca/tech version is up right now, too.

Alternative for alternative’s sake

Back in the early part of the last decade, when I was studying at Dalhousie and King’s, I spent a big chunk of my time at the small but mighty CKDU, our (then) 50-watt campus/community radio station.

My time there was, in a word, formational. I knew I wanted to make radio, but the thing was, I had absolutely no idea how. Radio was this thing that I loved — something I knew I wanted to be a part of — but its inner workings were still very much a mystery to me.

At CKDU, I met a ton of really smart, talented people who helped me learn. They showed me how to cut tape, and use a mixing board, and speak into a microphone without popping my Ps. They turned me onto new music, and new radio shows, and new people. They let me host the weekly countdown show (which came with the perk of having my name published in The Coast every week!). They let me experiment on the radio, making my own silly little This American Life rip-off show.

Though I’m no longer actively involved in campus/community radio, I still believe strongly in its mission. CKDU’s was (and still is):

to act as an alternative to public (CBC) and commercial radio stations. We offer programming that can not be found elsewhere on the airwaves in Halifax.

Why mention this? This week, Ryerson University (my alma mater and yes, current employer) held a referendum on creating a new campus radio station, to replace the now-defunct CKLN. The students overwhelmingly voted yes.

Congratulations to everyone who wanted this thing. Can’t wait to tune in.

The value of Google’s post-earthquake Person Finder

This week’s CBC tech column is all about online tools that are being used in the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey. I interviewed Google Person Finder‘s technical lead, Ka-Ping Yee:

The value of Google’s post-earthquake Person Finder by misener

The cbc.ca/tech/ version is up now, too.

The Golden Age of Complaining?

This week’s CBC tech column (I know, I know, I haven’t been vigilant in posting them here — that’s what the podcast is for) is all about small business and social media.

According to David-Michel Davies, we live in a “golden age of complaining.” Davies, who is the executive director of Webby Awards, attributes this to social media. As part of CBC’s Small Business Week coverage, I wanted to find out what this golden age of complaining means for Canadian small businesses, so I called up Montreal-based digital marketer Mitch Joel.

The Golden Age of Complaining? by misener

The cbc.ca/tech version is up now, too.

A love story, told through beer, now on our wall

The day Jenna and I met, we drank 50.

When we flew to the other side of the world to get married, we drank Steigl.

And when we got back, we drank PBR with our friends and family in her parents’ backyard.

I’m thankful that Dave Murray makes prints, that Tom visited us so they’d catch our eye on the wall in Telegramme, and that Rae lent me her drill. And, of course, thankful I have Jenna.