Dave Morris NewsOK.com Blogging Community

Last night, browsing through TechCrunch, I read about Google releasing a video chat feature.

I installed it this morning. Works well, of course your friends have to have cams and Gmail and be in Gchat (pretty much like with AIM or iChat), but many of my contacts don’t use Google’s features in this way.

The real advantage of this is simple: it comes from Google. Which usually means more reliability and common sense functionality. Also, it allows those using Gmail for their email to use one application instead of multiple.

One roadblock I encountered was even by detaching the chat, when I closed (not quit) my Safari browser my conversation died too. No doubt user error and lack of time getting used to it.

Dave Cathey is The Oklahoman's new food editor, succeeding Sharon Dowell who worked as the newspaper's main food reporter for decades.

Cathey is bringing a new approach and is launching a video series. I shot his intro in our Studio B last week. He dropped off a tape of his chili making prowess. I combined about 13 minutes of b-roll/kitchen action/complete with barking dogs in the background into a roughly five minute video, using fast motion in FCP at about 450 percent.

Was just watching a video interview with the NY Times’ digital director last night. Today, she’s leaving the Times for NPR. A second big name player in the industry going to NPR.

From paidContent.org:

Vivian Schiller, the longtime head of NYTimes.com’s digital efforts, has left the company, and has joined National Public Radio as its new CEO. She succeeds Dennis Haarsager, who has served as interim CEO since March, after Ken Stern left abruptly after internal discord. Also recently, Kinsey Wilson, the executive editor of USA Today and previously the editor of USAToday.com, left the paper and joined NPR as its digital head.

Schiller oversaw the Times’ great video content. They focus more on documentary-style videos instead of chasing breaking news. And they do a great job. They recently shifted to Brightcove, the same company that hosts NewsOK.com’s videos.

Saw this on Vimeo’s HD channel today…

Motion Jam from Stanley Wood on Vimeo.

Saw this last month, just now got around to reading it.
Looks like ESPN.com will launch a redesign in January, this according to paidContent.org.

ESPN.com is slated to get a major redesign this January, John Skipper, the sports networks’ EVP of Content, told ContentNext Media’s EconSports conference. In a Q&A with NYT TV sports and business reporter Richard Sandomir, Skipper said that the revamp will be video-centric, including a larger video player and a new navigational scheme. He also talked about ESPN’s various content platforms, including how important (yet still nascent) ESPN360 is, how ESPN The Magazine is faring in the horrid economy, and even what the company would do better than NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) if it got the Olympic bid.

ESPN says it posts between 125 and 150 video clips a day. I mean, that’s just showing off. But it does illustrate their depth of content and the partnerships they have with the major sports leagues, notably excluding the NFL and its footage.

By comparison, NewsOK cranks out and posts around 100 video clips a week.

Here’s my favorite quote from this article, and one I applaud big-time, as they talk about getting rights to the Olympics from NBC:

“We (ESPN) don’t believe we’re serving sports fans by making them wait four or five hours to see an event, which is why we show Euro soccer in the afternoon, and we just got rights to cricket in India, which we think will be a good product for 3 am. We’re not anti-time zone in our company, and we know that there are lots of sports fans up at all times of the day.”

At the Ford Center tonight, shooting post game of the OKC Thunder (1-4) and Atlanta Hawks (4-0). Atlanta is one of three teams heading into Sunday’s play without a loss, Utah was also undefeated but fell at Madison Square Garden to Jamal Crawford and the Knicks.

The Hawks feature the smooth, high-scoring Joe Johnson and point guard Mike Bibby.

OKC is coming off a loss at Utah on Friday night. The Thunder gave up 21 straight points in the first quarter en route to a 29 point first half. They did pour in 68 second half points.

UPDATE (6:33 pm): I’m impressed with the Ford Center wifi. I’d heard others say it was spotty, but it’s fast and responsive tonight.

UPDATE (6:35 pm): OKC is off to a sluggish start. 1:24 to go in the 1stQ: ATL 17, OKC 9, and Chris Wilcox just went down.

UPDATE (6:39 pm): End of first, ATL 22, OKC 14. The Thunder Girls take the floor to Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.”

UPDATE (6:50 pm): Good to run into Matthew Wells and Bill Waugh in the pressroom. I worked with Matthew at NEWS 9, one of their many ace photogs. Bill was photo editor at The Oklahoman a few years ago. Matthew is with the Thunder now, I think Bill is with Reuters.

UPDATE (6:51 pm): Watching game from pressroom, TV broadcasters are talking up Russell Westbrook, who is having a strong game so far. ATL 28, OKC 25 with 7:30 left in the first half.

UPDATE (7:02 pm): Wifi for the laptop is cooking, but the iPhone gets no reception down here. Fail.

UPDATE (7:03 pm): Westbrook in double figures with 11 points, game tied.

UPDATE (7:04 pm): Good news, bad news. Thunder has ralled to tie the game at 30-30 with 5:15 to go. Crowd is going nuts. Wilcox has a sprained right knee.

UPDATE (7:05 pm): Crowd groans as the Hawks drains a corner 3-ball to go up 33-30.

UPDATE (7:06 pm): Darnell Mayberry comes in the pressroom, reports the “boys are playing hard.” Indeed, Thunder takes its first lead and then increases it to 41-38 with less than a minute. Atlanta has led by as many as 11 tonight.

UPDATE (7:07 pm): Halftime: Thunder 41, Atlanta 38. Crowd is into it.

UPDATE (7:26 pm): Was expecting a larger crush for the free food during halftime by the press. Guess they learned there are no cookies.

UPDATE (7:27 pm): The Thunder is holding strong so far, Wilcox is back on the bench in uniform. Mike Baldwin reporting he’s not sure if he’ll play.

UPDATE (7:30 pm): Game going back and forth. Atlanta retook a 3 point lead at 50-47, Thunder now up 52-50 with 6:29 in the 3rd.

UPDATE (7:31 pm): Robert Swift makes his 2008-09 Thunder debut, checking into the game.

UPDATE (7:32 pm): Durant getting it going, 11 points so far after a right elbow swish. 54-52 Thunder with 5:22 left in the 3Q, timeout.

UPDATE (7;36 pm): Crowd almost had their moment: Swift snared the rebound, fed Earl Watson for the break, Watson dribble-drive and lob to Desmond Mason for the attempted jam. Broken up, Thunder ball.

UPDATE (7:40 pm): Lots of up and down play. Lots of missed shots, kicked balls and turnovers. 2:07 left in the third, Thunder up 56-53.

UPDATE (7:43 pm): Swift still in the game after the break. Durant cans a long jumper, Thunder up 58-53, with 1:14 left in the quarter.

UPDATE (7:48 pm): End of the third quarter, Thunder leads 62-58. Swift just scored to beat the buzzer. He has played three minutes and has three rebounds. Could OKC be looking at its second win of the season?

UPDATE (7:51 pm): Swift starts the fourth quarter. Broadcasters just said Swift might be the most intelligent player on the team.

UPDATE (7:54 pm): Thunder holding strong, up 64-62 with 10:11 to play.

UPDATE (7:55 pm): Monte Williams jumper ties it for Atlanta, Durant loses it, Thunder foul at the other end, two free throws by Maurice Evans and its 66-64 Atlanta with 9:18 to go.

UPDATE (7:57 pm): Mason powers up and over Evans to tie it at 66-66. Westbrook with a thunderous two-handed dunk off a feed from Jeff Green, Thunder goes up 68-66. Timeout

UPDATE (8:01 pm): Joe Johnson has 21 points, 11 in the second half and the last two on free throws. We’re tied at 68-68.

UPDATE (8:04 pm): Durant with a nice drive, finishing with a floating right handed lay-up. Thunder up 75-68, biggest lead of the night.

UPDATE (8:06 pm): 18,231 is the announced attendance, not quite a sellout. I’m off to the post game area to get set up for PJ’s comments.

UPDATE (8:09 pm): Cliff Murray with nine fourth quarter points and a seven point Thunder lead is gone. We’re tied 77-77 with 4:50 left.

UPDATE (8:12 pm): The Thunder has a dozen offensive rebounds. Good effort by the bigs tonight.

UPDATE (8:13 pm): ATL’s Williams bangs home another three. He has 13 this quarter. Atlanta up 80-77 with 3:31 to go.

UPDATE: Watched the remainder of the game in the press conference room, waiting for the game to end and coach P.J. Carlesimo to give his thoughts. Atlanta stuck around long enough in this game to be there to close it out at the end. They have a little more experience at this than the Thunder.

Final score: Atlanta 89, OKC 85.

Played a duo gig with J. Falcon Powell last night in Bricktown. The scene of the crime: Nonna’s Purple Bar. Good crowd for a three hour set. Two different ladies were celebrating their 30th birthday’s, which always makes for a festive time. Good staff there, very friendly and helpful. And this is key when playing places - sometimes the bar staff is not so friendly or helpful. Some places are easy to load-in, Nonna’s is not so much. First, you valet park out front, then load-in is back through the kitchen up the service elevator then snake around the hallway to a corner of the bar. Again, everyone from the valet to the chefs to the hostesses were top notch peeps.

So what if you went to a 70’s disco costume party, let’s just say it was for the Norman Arts Council, and no one else dressed up. Uh, yeah, good times. At least we won that $10 Chik-Fil-A gift certificate for best costume, and I’m not going to turn that down ever. I will Eat Mor Chiken.

“Disco Fever” is the Norman Arts Council’s main fundraiser of the year, although they have other money generating events.

I’d say about 100 people attended, only one in a massive wig.

We used Mogulus to host our live streaming election coverage Tuesday night. Today, they posted a note on their blog of 35+ “big media” companies to use their service. Mogulus works well for us most of the time. We had a hiccup during our 8 pm segment. But they have been pretty reliable and allow for great functionality.

We must be getting close to the holidays.

Starbucks does a great job of marketing. They extend their brand in many directions, perhaps expanding too quickly and outgrowing their markets. However, they typically have a good grasp on the seasons and their customers’ tastes during certain periods of the year.

So now when you pull through a drive thru at Starbucks - and let’s face it, the drive thru at Starbucks is remarkably fast, compared with Subway for example - your coffee is contained by the festive red holiday design, complete with pine trees and doves.

Maybe it’s the little things, commercial as they may be, that you notice at the end of a long week.