Radio for the blind and print-disabled

Posted on June 15, 2008 by Steve Mays

The Kansas Audio-Reader Network is “a reading and information service for blind, visually impaired, and print disabled individuals in Kansas and western Missouri. Services are offered free of charge to anyone in our listening area who is unable to read normal printed material.”

AUDIO: Excerpt from audio-reader network 6 min MP3

This would seem to be an invaluable service for those who cannot read a newspaper. I wonder what impact, if any, the Internet is having on services like this. I understand that not everyone has a computer and access to the web but that number is shrinking daily.

I assume the blind or visually impaired can have the text on any web page translated to spoken audio. While this would give the user more control over the information she consumes, it might be more… entertaining? …to have a human read it aloud. Or why not have both.

Mike Spooner: Creator of Worlds

Posted on May 29, 2008 by Steve Mays

Michael_spooner Remember that kid that sat behind you grade school that was always drawing? Ever wonder what happened to him? Well, if he (or she) was as talented as Michael Spooner, he did okay.

Michael (we knew him as Mike back then) and I were classmates 45 years ago in Kennett, MO. Michael and I ran in different crowds but Kennett was a small place and everybody knew everybody.

In a previous post I mentioned that Michael stumbled across smays.com a few days ago and pinged me. He included some old snapshots and his resume, to let me know what he’s been up to.

He got into animation as a Layout Artist with Ralph Bakshi’s feature production of Tolkien’s, Lord of the Rings. He spent some years at Disney where he worked on –just to name a few– Goof Troop, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Emperor’s New Groove, Treasure Planet and Lilo and Stitch. He also assisted on early development design of Dreamworks’ Shrek. And he Co-Art Directed Warner Brothers first full-length animated feature, Quest for Camelot. If you have kids or an appreciation for animation, check out his bio. He was also kind enough to share a dozen or so examples of his work.

Treasure475

I called Michael up this morning and asked him to share some of his adventures and we wound up talking for an hour. I’ve cut the interview into three segments about about 20 minutes each.

AUDIO: Interview Part 1

AUDIO: Interview Part 2

AUDIO: Interview Part 3

Today, Michael owns Spoonerville Animation Design, an independent visual development studio, providing both traditional and CGI design concepts and lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with his writer-wife Beverly, and son Philip.

Michael is a visiting artist and lecturer, presenting in universities, art schools and animation studios throughout the United States.

This week’s surreal phone call

Posted on May 3, 2008 by Steve Mays

This call is so bizarre on so many levels. As I listened to what the nice lady was proposing, I caught myself wondering where I could come up with a decent Cher outfit and would “Sonny” and I have enough time to rehearse a couple songs.

AUDIO: Strangest phone call of the day 4 min MP3

Fallout shelter radio ads

Posted on March 28, 2008 by Steve Mays

I remember well the back-yard fallout shelter craze (mania?). The family that lived behind us had one. It was clearly large enough for just one family but it was considered uncool to talk about who would live and who would die. And we lived in the landing approach path to the Strategic Air Command base in Blytheville, AR. Generally considered a prime target for a Russki ICBM.

The nice folks at DinosaurGardens.com have posted some creative radio spots for Survive-All Fallout Shelters. (“Civil defense approved, FHA approved, no money down, five years to pay!”)

Interview: Jason Rodgers, Fez-o-rama

Posted on March 28, 2008 by Steve Mays

With one of his custom designed fezzes sitting comfortably on my head, I got Jason Rodgers on the Skype horn today to find out the story behind the fezmonger and Fez-o-rama.

Some are born to the fez, others are called. I believe Jason falls into the latter group. I was surprised –don’t ask me why– to learn that Jason is trained in fashion design and might have written a text book or two.

I asked him about celebrity clients, his favorite designs, The Cult of the Eye, his fictional partner, “Joe,” and ukuleles.

AUDIO: Interview with Jason Rogers 11 min MP3

Jason is the newest member of The Royal and Exalted Order of the Fez.

TajTunes: Singing Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2008 by Steve Mays

I got a call from India this afternoon. It was a singing telegram from Barb. A charming lady (with some backup by Mr. Baboo) sang the tune below. The story behind the website it equally entertaining. That they can do this for just $5 is pretty amazing.

“I’m So Happy”

I love it when you call me… (ring-a-ling-a-ling)
I love it when you sing… (lah lah lah lah LAH)
I love it when you hold my hand… (Awwwwww…)
And even when you cry… (wah wah wah)

I’m so happy. I’m so happy.
I’m so happy when I’m with you.
I’m so happy. I’m so happy.
I hope I make you happy too.

I love it when we spend time… (tick tock, tick tock)
I love it when we laugh… (hah hah hah)
I love it when we hug and kiss… (smooch)
And even when we fight…. (you jerk!)

I’m so happy. I’m so happy.
I’m so happy when I’m with you.
I’m so happy. I’m so happy.
I hope I make you happy too.

Oh yeah… I hope I make you happy too…
Oh yeah… I hope I make you happy too!

This American Life: Poker Pros

Posted on September 17, 2007 by Steve Mays

“Ira travels to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker, gets hooked, and tries to figure out what it would mean if he ditched his job in radio to become a professional card player. What he learns: a professional gambler can suffer two heartbreaking losses back-to-back, costing him over $100,000, and moments later, at the casino bar, calculate the million-to-one odds of his unlikely losses…in his head.”

By all means, go to the This American Life website and listen to the program there. (26 minutes) As always, this is brilliant story telling, but it’s a must-listen for anyone that ever thought they’d like to play cards for a living.

iPhone Confessions: George Kopp (Week One)

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Steve Mays

George is a serious Techno Boy. He has a geek job with the state for his day job (all Windows) and moonlights on Macs (and some PC’s) for love (and a little money).

George knew he’d eventually own an iPhone but thought he could wait awhile. He made the mistake of stopping by the AT&T store (Day Two) for a look-see and wound up springing for the 8 gig model.

George’s love-of-all-things-Mac is tempered by his no-bullshit-geek-o-rocity. By that I mean, he expects much from his techno-toys. But once he got the iPhone in his sweaty little hands, it was prom night. I got caught up in that as we talked and had to edit our chat more than I intended. Sorry, George.

Listen/Download: 5:30 MP3

iPhone Confessions: Dave Morris (Week One)

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Steve Mays

Dave Morris is the voice of great radio stations and television stations, film studios, syndicated shows and more. World wide. I know this because it says so on his website. He’s also a blogger (a good one). And a gadget junkie.

He was one of those crazies standing in line the day the iPhone went on sale, so we called him up for a report on Week One.

Unlike some of the others we’ve chatted with for this series, Dave is not a Mac guy. Windows all the way. But he’s only slightly less “gushy” about Apple’s latest creation.

Download/Listen: 12 min MP3

iPhone Confessions: Tom Piper (Week One)

Posted on July 6, 2007 by Steve Mays

If the hype surrounding the iPhone hasn’t subsided yet, it will soon. Then what? Once the new has worn off this Next New Thing, will users still love ’em, or will they –like your mom’s cooking– be taken for granted. Or, worse yet, will the shortcomings (so well chronicled) become annoying and tiresome?

Tom Piper Those are some of the questions I hope to answer with a series of interviews I’m calling The iPhone Confessions. Brief visits with a few friends who took the iPhone plunge. Are they still gushing at the end of Week One? Or grumbling?

We’ll start with a visit with Tom Piper, a looonnnggg time Mac enthusiast and Early Adopter (LTMEEA). He was there when the iPhone was announced and in line to buy one of the first batch. The interview runs about 12 minutes.