Commanding Chaos for Coworking, Open Source and Creative Communities

February 2006 Posts

New York Magazine's 6-page Guide to Starting a Monetized Blog

Tue, 02/14/2006 - 06:42 -- rprice

The story of starting a blogging business is not a new one: if you listen to as many podcasts and read as many blogs as I do (which is not a large amount), the formula stares you in the face. There have been covers stories in BusinessWeek that caught huge attention for blogs. Whereas a year ago I would not have been able to say so, my dad now knows what blogging is. So when I tell him I am interested in pursuing blogging for money, he didn't shoot down the idea right away.

This week, New York Magazine released a story that is a natural progression in blog reporting: now that everyone knows what blogs are and why they are good, how did the A-list bloggers gain their rank? One thing that had to be done was to establish that there was in fact a rank heirarchy, which is proved with a scientific sampling of 433 blogs: the blogs with the most links are generally higher traffic. Blogs with more links are more popular, charge more for their ads, and... people have heard of them. No joke, it's pretty simple. The thing that stinks about the whole deal is that blog popularity is a self-perpetuating system. The fat keep getting fatter, while the thin are fighting over the table scraps.

Here is the full article:
Blogs to Riches: The Haves and Have-Nots of the Blogging Boom

I am no journalist; if I ever write one of my own blogs, I will have to find something I really care about, and I'll be able to keep up with daily. I actually think there is some serious merit to building a network of media, with separate channels for different classes of consumers. There will never be a blog that caters to everyone, just like there will never be a TV show that everyone watches. With the blogosphere becoming as popular as it is, however, there may come a day when you will get your daily gossip from boing boing or another of the blogs with a high entertainment value.

Quality content won't win you an everlasting place, however. Constent vigilance, shameless self-promotion, making the sale, getting the scoop on the other guy, and of course, social bookmarking will get you everywhere. Getting noticed by the big dogs, getting to the front page of digg, getting an honorable mention on any number of A-list or even B-list blogs, will likely help you get your foot in the door.

Writing crappy posts like this one, however, will likely get me nowhere.

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Dip-taculous!

Sat, 02/11/2006 - 19:17 -- rprice

Ryan’s Black Bean Dip:
I make this dip every year for the Superbowl and many other social gatherings. The fresh basil and the green salsa are what make this dip so great. Don’t forget these ingredients at the store. Also, try this as a burrito filling, as a side dish, or even an omlette topping. Don’t think just any chips will suffice. Store brands don’t hold a candle to the excellence of Manny’s, Tostito’s and other thin crispy varieties. “Nacho” chips are not what I had in mind when I invented this dip. Grab some cerveza and enjoy!

  • 2 cups black beans (or 1 16oz. can bush’s frijoles negros)
  • 1 cup diced tomato (pref. fresh, some canned varieties come with jalapeno)
  • 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)
  • 1/4 cup medium heat salsa verde (green/tomatillo salsa, bottled is ok, not optional)
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil (not optional)
  • 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt (to taste, fresh beans may require more)
  • Optional: 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, diced
  • Optional, at serving: shredded cheddar cheese
  • Optional, at serving: a dollap of sour cream

Drain most of the liquid from any canned products; you may leave some from the black beans. Heat all ingredients in a 300° oven for 20 minutes in an oven-safe dish. Add cheese OR sour cream (not both) if desired, and serve with tortilla chips.

OR heat in a microwave for 4 to 6 minutes, cooking times will vary.

Feeds 4 to 6 people. Recipie works well in double batches, because tomatoes and corn are a single can.

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Dark Crystal Sequel!! Genndy Tartakovsky!

Wed, 02/01/2006 - 06:06 -- rprice

Ever heard of Samurai Jack? Dexter’s Lab? Clone Wars (animated)? Well now you will have The Power of the Dark Crystal!! Amazing!

Not only is someone bringing back a GOOD franchise (not remaking, but continuing), they are getting talented people to work on it! Brian Froud is back. Genndy is the man, and the Orphanage will do animation.

The sequel is only one of several projects exploring the world of The Dark Crystal, a fan favorite that has remained consistently strong with worldwide home video and DVD sales. Other projects include an animated television series, a manga series from Tokyo Pop, and myriad licensed products such as books, apparel and collectible sculptures.

The only other thing I can say is ROCK ON! I mean, Mirror Mask was absolutely the best. Really fantastic, and who knew that college students did all the animation? It was visually stunning (as I’m sure another Brian Froud film will be), and executed beautifully. But most importantly, it embodied the spirit of the Jim Henson Company more than 100 Muppet Wizard of Oz TV shows could. I am overjoyed that they made Mirror Mask, and spectacularly exuberant that the next big deal will be based on the best intellectual property… ever! Yay!

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