Podcast on podcasting

Here is an audio recording I did of a lecture I gave last week. It is entitled “Podcasting from Linux.” It really is not Linux specific, but it was given at the Pensacola Linux Users Group February meeting.

Here are the notes I handed out at the meeting.

Podcasting from Linux

Software

  • Audacity – for audio editing
  • EasyTag – for tagging your MP3 files
  • Skype
  • WordPress

Hardware

  • Microphones
  • Recorders
  • Mixers
  • Audio Interface

Why podcast?

When to podcast?

What makes a good podcast?

  • Passion!

What makes a bad podcast?

Podcasts as examples

Stories

News

Video

Professionally recorded

Viral

Forums

My podcasts

No end to the joy of owning an old vehicle

Today I started a project that was not anticipated. We started having a strange noise in Tampico, Tamaulipas. It is an odd grinding noise that almost sounds like a bad exhaust leak when we accelerate quickly, and mostly only when turning left. But, the noise goes away as soon as you let off the accelerator. Then, a few days later, I started getting a strange shutter just after the car shifts into third gear.

While listening to Car Talk the other day, they had a caller that had a similar problem (with the shuttering) and they suggested that the problem might be related to a bad motor mount. I crawled up under my truck yesterday and found that the bolt that holds the motor side of the mount to the frame side was broken. Part of the bolt was missing.

I called my uncle and we talked about it a bit. He guessed that it was my left mount that was the problem. When I told him it was the right one he immediately told me that my problem was related to the transmission mount. It was probably worn out. I crawled back under the truck to find out that he was correct in that there was a problem with the transmission mount. The problem was not that it was worn out though, it was because there were no bolts holding the mount to the transmission. They had fallen out.

I remember that I had that mount replaced a couple of years ago. It still looked to be in good shape. Since I had the transmission rebuilt this summer, I know that the bolts have only been missing, at most, 7 months. But more likely they went missing shortly before we started having the strange noise.

Dad, a friend and I got the transmission mount reconnected and one of the motor mounts removed today. We will have to replace that mount and do the replacement on the other side tomorrow. Of course this comes with a whole lot more effort than those 2 sentences can convey.

$20 and 6 hours worth of work and we will be back in business. While I hate having to tinker so much with it, it sure beats a $400 a month car payment.

Uncomfortable breakfast

Last Wednesday morning I had breakfast with a group of men from the missions conference I was in. This conference was held at the church which is connected to the college I attended. One of the men at breakfast happened to be the man who told me I had to withdraw from my college classes 18 years ago because I could not pay my bill. I am not sure what his job title was, but he was the man who had to put the screws to the students when they did not pay.

At this breakfast table there was another missionary who did not know this man. He asked the man what his job in the college was. The older man smiled at me and said “Mr. Peach can tell you what I do.”

You have to understand that he was not being unkind. He and I have a pretty good relationship today. But, to counter his comment I replied with, “He is the person who kicks you out of school when you can’t pay your bill.”

Tagged!

I got tagged by PlaneT3rry to give 7 little known facts about myself.

THE RULES:

  1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
  2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
  3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
  4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
  5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

I am not much for  passing along these kinds of things, but I don’t mind playing along for myself. So, I will be breaking rule 4 and not tagging anyone.

1. I am an amateur radio operator–KU4LL.

2. I have only had 2 girlfriends. The second one I married and the first one and I are still on speaking terms.

3. I used to insist on being in bed by 9:00 so I could be the first person up every day. Now I go to bed last and am still the first person up.

4. I enjoy public speaking and feel like I could speak extemporaneously on just about any subject to any audience. It probably isn’t true, but I love public speaking so much that I would give it a try.

5. I graduated 6th in my high school class…of 6. Didn’t do so well in college either.

6. I play classical guitar. Not very well, but I play.

7. I am great at keeping secrets. My ability stems from the fact that I forget most things that people tell me. If you want my wife to know something you should tell her yourself. If you depend on me to tell her then the message will probably never arrive.

Waving to a blind lady

The reason we made the wild trip to the US is we are in a conference this week. It is a conference we really wanted to attend and the next time they will hold it is in 2 years…just after we return to Mexico for our next term.

Yesterday morning I was asked to speak in a Sunday School class. As I got up to speak a lady waved at me. I thought it was odd, but I waved back. I know it looked strange, but I did not want her to feel awkward for having waved and me not respond with something. I was just doing a short presentation of our ministry and was quickly done and back at my seat. It was then that I remembered who the lady was. She is a blind lady whom we have known for some number of years. She has put on a little weight and therefore I did not recognize her right off.

I started laughing when I remembered who she was. I had been concerned about her waving and me not responding which could make her feel awkward. I was the one who felt awkward then as everyone in the class probably knows her and that there was no need for me to respond with a wave.