Disqus - Latest Comments for Chef Mark

Re: Here is what is wrong with Podshow (and maybe how to fix it)

Chef Mark — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:06:12 -0000

Mr Penn, as usual, you have many well thought out and expressed points. And I thank you for including me in your list of quality shows (BTW, the URL you gave was for my personal chef service..the show is best found at www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com)

In many ways, Podshow has made itself into a touchstone by being the first and the biggest to do many of the things they're doing. That by it's nature will draw alot of ire and criticism. And, like any other large ship, it's a lot harder to turn around than a little dingy. We all liked the maneuverability of the dingy, but we also like the amenities of the yacht.

As annoying as the preroll ads are (and I think it's ESSENTIAL that they listen to audience members complaints about these), the very fact that they created a campaign around making improvements, and are having fun with it is laudable. You make an excellent point that this tactic may not work with all the content, and there should be 3 or 4 scenarios, and different targeting campaigns for the same final goal. Business or religious podcasts will be better served with a different approach.

And Les Zaldor, we should all have such a problem...

Re: Here is what is wrong with Podshow (and maybe how to fix it)

Chef Mark — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:13:41 -0000

Good point, Kathryn.

And while Tartan Mark's point is well taken, I think it's just a low blow to equate being open about smoking pot to being fiscally irresponsible. Other companies are likely run by guys doing 8 balls and smoking crack with train tracks running up their arms, but we just don't know about it. Adam's openness in this case isn't a sign of malfeasance, just that he's honest about his use of a common drug that many also use. (and no, I'm not an apologist, Adam's a big boy, I just think that this line of discussion obfuscates the real issue, which is an important one)

Re: Here is what is wrong with Podshow (and maybe how to fix it)

Chef Mark — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 17:02:29 -0000

(I'm cross posting this comment from Jersey Todd's blog to keep the conversation going here....)

Todd, your heartfelt post is quite touching. Rest assured, no one thinks you're a whore. A slut, yes, but a whore, no, and in the social media world, it's all about slutting yourself around, no?

Kidding aside, I agree with you that it's easy to lay all the criticism about everything within this podcasting space at the feet of the most prominent player...further proof that they're doing something right by being the 800-pound gorilla in the room.

The biggest thing I get out of your post is a reminder that the relationships we've already built within the network and between ourselves as podcasters is as valuable if not more valuable than the residual effect of promotion we can get from being mentioned on the DSC or such.

We as podcasters that are part of the podshow family need to generate ideas and share them, implementing them in our own podcasts. This is how so many great things have come about in this community, ie - Bum Rush The Charts.

So let's all get out there and generate great content and great ideas, and keep the conversation going, not sitting at the soda fountain waiting for stardom to come aknockin'!

Re: Icanhazurpersonaldata - The Q TrustVirus and How Bad a Trust Virus could be

Chef Mark — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 02:28:01 -0000

Very thought provoking and chilling post, Chris. You have thought through some scary stuff that I think many of us have not considered when joining networks. It makes me glad that I didn't join Quechup, but what's to say it can't happen on facebook? It means that we as users have ti pressure the owners of these sites to block any scripting that does any automatic sending of data without a dialogue box.

Since it's so easy to create applications for facebook, for example, will it even be possible for the owners to monitor the scripts for this kind of malware?

Re: Once You Step Up, You Can Never Go Back

Chef Mark — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:23:17 -0000

engaging others in your possibility is the key to having that possibility become reality.

You can have literally ANYTHING you want if you authentically get people to engage in it and see it as a possibility for themselves.

And also, integrity: Do what you say you're going to do, it's the key to all success in life.

Re: Watch this Justin.tv video from PodCamp NYC

Chef Mark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:00:54 -0000

As you know, I've long been an advocate of making the contract a little more two sided. If it means charging people some price to get them to come, rather than RSVP'ing, and then leaving the organizers with an event that's 1/3 the size they expected, I'm all for it.

Even with an admission fee, you will still get children who don't know how to behave at events.

This kind of behavior is an insult, and a stain on our community. They actually called Whitney names on their blog for pointing out to them (quite nicely, I might add) that they are THIEVES!

You have to register for their site to leave a comment there, and I won't do that. Good for you, Chris for calling them out on it.

When idiots and jerks behave badly, most good people just cluck their tongues and do nothing. I think that's a mistake. It takes a few good people like you to stand up for what's right, and then you'll quickly see that the majority won't tolerate it. They're just all afraid of being the first to speak up.

These "lifecasters" are supposedly trying to make new media a full time job. They won't succeed with antics like these.

Re: Watch this Justin.tv video from PodCamp NYC

Chef Mark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:29:14 -0000

Hear Hear, John!

Re: Watch this Justin.tv video from PodCamp NYC

Chef Mark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:41:31 -0000

I don't think that Chris is suggesting a price as a means of "punishing" anyone, but merely to make it clear to people that this is a serious undertaking for all involved, and that it's JUST as rude and inappropriate to Register for the event and then not bother to show up as is is to hijack a sponsor table.

People don't seem to be in an uproar over the fact that just about EVERY podcamp has had a pretty appalling attendance rate: Not that the number of people there wasn't great, but that the number of people who PROMISED to be there and didn't come is pretty high. We simply can't keep having events where that happens. The sponsor support will dry up pretty quickly if we're significantly under-delivering on attendees vs. what was anticipated.

So whether you're doing this as a hobby or as a profession, it's important to get serious about it.

Re: Watch this Justin.tv video from PodCamp NYC

Chef Mark — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:09:25 -0000

C'mon, man. You expect everyone to believe that poor innocent you had NO CLUE that those were sponsor tables?? HMMMM, how about the fact that the ENTIRE hallway was lined with sponsors???

There's absolutely a common sense aspect to this, and any reasonable person would understand the distinction between "hey, take pictures and record the sessions", and "feel free to take any place you like."

Usually, when I enter another's space for the first time, I try to get a feel for the way things are done. You obviously didn't do that.

And don't try to make this about "how poorly advertised" the event was, in your view. That's irrelevant to your poor behavior. You could have apologized for (even unwittingly) doing something that was seen as insensitive and rude to many others.

And even if you would interpret Whitney's manner as brusque, or even rude, how do you justify calling her that name? Do you kiss your mother with that same mouth?

I know, why don't you show that clip TO your mother, and see what she thinks?

Re: Throwing down a challenge to PodCamp Philly

Chef Mark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:55:40 -0000

You Got it!

Re: Throwing down a challenge to PodCamp Philly

Chef Mark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:57:45 -0000

OK, I'm definitely having a hard time posting my video reply! Tried last night, it didn't take, and then I tried again earlier and you see the mess of code above! Here's the link:

http://seesmic.com/v/yebl2eGHFz

Re: Link Bait or Ignorance? A Reporter Gets Spanish Wine Wrong

Chef Mark — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:14:41 -0000

This type of article should come as no surprise. Much of our so-called journalism is based on a chauvinistic notion that somehow every culture's goal in life is to mimic "us", whether the "us' in question is America, or the established franco-influenced "haute culture". As you point out, the goal of these winemakers is not to imitate or strive to be like someone else, but to be the highest expression of ITSELF, with all it's uniqueness.

There are those of us who get that the enormous diversity of culinary and cultural expression on the micro-regional level is where the beauty of human expression is really to be found. We're not stuck in a silly competitive game of Hollywoodization that implies that everyone and everything is competing to be #1, whatever absurdly twisted interpretation of what single thing we all should be striving for.

Don't succumb to the bait, just keep doing your work. People are noticing, and appreciate the service you're providing by helping us to dig deeper, and get a better understanding of the micro-regional differences within Spain, and how by trying to compare Spanish wines to Bordeaux, we miss the point.

Re: Who is the Wine World’s Anna Nicole Smith?

Chef Mark — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:26:22 -0000

3 words: California Cabernet Sauvignon

Re: ‘Journey’s End’ Review and Therapy Session

Chef Mark — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:50:16 -0000

I couldn't resist waiting for next week and SciFi, Dana. This is me after YouTubing it until 3:48 AM! Amazing. I'll have to sleep on it. Poor Donna. Yay Gwen, Yay Martha & Jack & Mickey, too! (I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now!!)

Re: YouTube Marketing 2- Kodak

Chef Mark — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:41:39 -0000

freakin' Annie Liebowitz!

Re: What Tom Could Learn from Facebook

Chef Mark — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:52:12 -0000

Hear hear, Chris!!

I get press releases all the time, and in many instances, they can be the lifeblood of running a media business speaking about the food and wine industry.

However, when someone I've never heard of, from a PR firm I've never heard of, blind emails me a press release on a PRODUCT I've never heard of, it only makes it worse when in their email, they seem to EXPECT that I will cover the product. Hey, I'm LOOKING for cool new products and people to talk about all the time, and I welcome these releases. But yeah, it really ticks me off when they act like they're doing us a favor just letting us know they exist.

You say it right with the "fart in my face" comment, since in some of these instances, the person sending the email has clearly NO understanding of what we do or who we are. When they say something like "could you ask your editor if you can write about XYZ", it shows that they haven't even bothered to look at our website to learn that we OWN the company!

I guess they figure that since they are sending out a bunch of emails, that any corner they can cut to get it done more quickly is worth it, and that casting a wider net is better than throwing out a single line to the right person. What PR people must undersand is that their job is not just to try to get as many as people as possible to read a pre-digested press release, but to generate positive understanding and goodwill for their clients.

Re: What Tom Could Learn from Facebook

Chef Mark — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:09:45 -0000

Good point to bring up, Seth.

However, the "new" part if how we're doing this stuff from a technical perspective, not the "how to interact with people and understand human nature" part.

Sure, the "old" way may be to do it like this, but it ignores that it's just plain common sense to approach someone in a way that shows that you get WHO they are.

Dale Carnegie even wrote a book about it!

Re: What Tom Could Learn from Facebook

Chef Mark — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:30:25 -0000

Anna, I don't think that anyone would argue that companies shouldn't use press releases, nor that they should personalize them all. I think the issue at hand is about making a specific request from someone using a blind press release and request, and in so doing, showing that you don't know (or care) about the person you're making the request of.

I just got a blind press release that I loved, because it told me about an event that's coming up that I didn't know about. But if the PR guy had sent it and written a salutation lke "dear editor, you should write about this, but not until tomorrow", I would have had a similar reaction to Chris'

Re: What Tom Could Learn from Facebook

Chef Mark — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:34:36 -0000

It's irrelevant whether Chris works for a competitor of yours. That doesn't detract from the point, which is that you clearly didn't do your research before carpet bombing your press release. In fact, it only makes it even clearer that you didn't do your homework. If you had, you probably would have known that Chris works for your competitor, and not wanted him to get the heads up on your news.

Re: The UNOFFICIAL Guide to PodCamp NYC

Chef Mark — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 01:14:34 -0000

Here's my unofficial restaurant guide tot he Penn Station neighborhood! Enjoy all.

http://remarkablymark.blogspot.com/2007/04/rest...

Re: Facebook Podcast Player

Chef Mark — Tue, 29 May 2007 17:07:01 -0000

Dude, you are the undisputed KING!