Today is a very unique day in the world. The United States of America is one of only TWO countries that has a day set aside each year to give thanks to God above for everything He has done to bless us (in spite of our not deserving one single thing from him short of destruction).
I find it interesting that our Christian heritage passed through several countries before it came to these shores 500 years ago. Yet, of all of those countries, only US and Canada have found it necessary to honor God with thanksgiving.
Even more interesting is this little tidbit of information. In the King James translation of the Bible, the word "thank" appears 139 times.
• The word thanks appears 73 times
• The word thanksgiving appears 28 times
• The word thank appears 27 times
• The word thanked appears 3 times
• The word thankful appears 3 times
• The word thanksgivings appears 2 times
• The word thankfulness appears 1 time
• The word thanking appears 1 time
• The word thankworthy appears 1 time
That being said... I think we've turned the national day of thanksgiving into something besides its original intent. Its now more a day of feasting (to a point of selfish gluttony) football (to a point of selfish lack of control) and preparing for Black Friday (which, by its very definition is antithetical to the description God gives us of the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).
I must say that I am thankful of the fact that our economy started its downturn just prior to last year's Thanksgiving holiday. If you look at the reports, it seems that this Thanksgiving has our economy in a better situation than last year's Thanksgiving... I'm not sure I believe all of those reports, but that's what they're saying.
I can't help but think that God has used this economy to bring us back to our knees... to look to Him for answers and guidance. Not to a party, not to a power, not to an economical answer, but to HIM. I pray that during this National Day of Thanksgiving, we will do just that... look to God for the answers... seek His face for opportunities... and thank Him for all that He has already done for and to this nation of ours.
In that light... here's my list of things I'm thankful for today:
I am thankful for
a wonderful, supportive family;
the privilege to live in one of the most beautiful parts of this land of the free and home of the brave;
to have men and women laying their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we so casually take for granted;
a nation that understands the high importance of thankfulness;
the opportunity to strike out on my own and start my own business;
for the wonderful things that have happened to me in the past six months;
for God's guiding hands all along the way;
for God's grace - sent to me in the form of my Heavenly Father, who loves me and never lets me go;
His Son, Jesus the Christ who took the Father's punishment for my wrongs;
the Holy Spirit, who comforts me and guides me;
and God's Holy Word that instructs me... even when I don't want to be instructed at times.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Why Use Social Media?
I've had a few people these past few months wonder out loud why I would do what I'm doing with GadsdenMetro.com and BrotherPhilTV. Its simple, if you think about it...
I like playing in the middle of the road. :)
No, really... I do... you don't get ahead of the game if you stay on the sidewalk. The REAL speed is in the road! And where is the road in journalism, ministry and media? As much as we all will probably hate to admit it, its on the "information superhighway."
As much as the internet has done to shuck that nomenclature, it really is a good visual explanation of what is going on with all of those 1's and 0's that pass through the ether.
There are people who are traveling on the frontage roads who like to turn off the road regularly to see what they might find. Those might be my mom, who tries Facebook and skype to see if they will help her communicate with her grandchildren and children.
There are those who get on the interstate because they have a long commute. These are the people who use the internet as a replacement for long-distance communication. Skype users, for instance, who would much rather use the screen sharing tools and video conferencing tools available to avoid traveling an hour to handle one small consulting job. Or, technology users who use video conferencing tools to expand their business around the globe without ever having to leave their homes.
Power users are more like drivers on the German Autobahn. They speed up and down the various paths of the internet, using everything they can, getting on and off of ramps as quickly as possible. These people have multiple webmail accounts, multiple social networking tools, several tabs open on their browser (which, more likely than not is the latest open source browser available and NEVER IE) of choice, is chatting with people using several chat applications, uses open source software as much as possible, and dreams of the day when smart phones and the high-speed wireless networks required to handle them properly are just a part of everyday life for everyone.
All of these users use the information highway to some extent or the other.
Each type may interact, on various levels, with each other. The difference is the degree to which they use the internet to do so.
In the years to come, I believe that everyone will use the internet completely for communication.
Even the casual observer recognizes that traditional print newspapers are on their way out. Heck, even the government toyed with the idea of bailing out the newspaper business this past year in the US.
Some in the industry predict that the daily newspaper will be essentially an extinct species (see graph). I think the death knell for local daily newspapers is abou 5-10 years away.
But, I don't think newspapers are the only mass communication businesses that will suffer at the hands of the internet. Radio stations are already fighting the Recording Industry over charges to pay for music, now that the internet has really hurt the old, traditional model of music distributorships. The increased costs of doing business will force radio stations to make hard, economic choices.
Which will it be? A large, expensive radio transmitter that limits their signal to a small piece of this terrestrial plane, or $500 or so per month to push their programming out all over the world? The scale of economy is quite unbelievable, if you ask me.
Who needs LPFM, or LPTV for that matter, when you can do everything you were doing with those signals with an audio or video stream for exponentially less costs? No more expensive transmitters, and no more expensive power bills each month. Eliminate those two expenses, and paying RIAA and the rest of them becomes much more palatable to a business owner.
That's why I believe that websites like hulu.com and others will force local tv stations to leave their transmitters behind within about 15 years (when they pay off that HUGE government mandated HDTV transmitter they just purchased).
So, why would I want to WORK for a business (newspaper, radio, TV) that probably won't be around when I get of retirement age? ESPECIALLY when I can work for myself and lead the pack?
GadsdenMetro.com and BrotherPhilTV.com are, as of yet, unrealized leaders in the market of global community oriented niche sites. I can focus only on Gadsden news at GadsdenMetro.com because I know that the al.com's of the world will cover the state news well. They can focus only on aggregating the best state-wide news because they know that the FoxNews.com and CNN.com's of the world will cover the national and international news.
We all do what we are experts at and maximize our partnerships with each other, as well as our individual profitability!
GadsdenMetro.com will continue to expand. We're already looking at how to add sports and entertainment coverage to our websites. We're studying and trying to set up a way to quickly, efficiently and effectively add video news coverage to our site. BrotherPhilTV.com will eventually be a local programming source for online video.
Already, BPTV is using this philosophy with the BPTV: Live at MoonSong Thursday night web-show. This musical variety show features (mostly) local musical acts who are already performing, some who are also writing their own music. Local acts like Danny Moon, Jim Cox, Shonna Burgess and 17 year old Mandolin player Josh Palmer have all performed at BPTV: Live at MoonSong.
In the next few weeks, that show will be turned over to Danny and his friends at MoonSong, giving him an opportunity to showcase even more local musicians and promote his business and website without the current host (me) forgetting something and getting in the way. But, that content will be a regular addition to Gadsden's first online only TV station - BrotherPhilTV. It will be available as a running stream and for on-demand viewing through BrotherPhilTV.com.
Other programs are in the works: a technology help-desk program, a sports talk show, a political talk show, and, maybe even some comedic shows featuring area high school students as writers, actors, producers and production crew... its all part of the vision of BrotherPhilTV.com
Eventually, content producers in Hollywood will recognize that it doesn't matter WHERE their video is seen (TV or internet), as long as it is seen... even then, I still like the idea of allowing local producers to develop family-friendly programming for the general public to see!
And THAT is why I'm doing what I do with BrotherPhilTV.com and GadsdenMetro.com
Phillip
I like playing in the middle of the road. :)
No, really... I do... you don't get ahead of the game if you stay on the sidewalk. The REAL speed is in the road! And where is the road in journalism, ministry and media? As much as we all will probably hate to admit it, its on the "information superhighway."
As much as the internet has done to shuck that nomenclature, it really is a good visual explanation of what is going on with all of those 1's and 0's that pass through the ether.
There are people who are traveling on the frontage roads who like to turn off the road regularly to see what they might find. Those might be my mom, who tries Facebook and skype to see if they will help her communicate with her grandchildren and children.
There are those who get on the interstate because they have a long commute. These are the people who use the internet as a replacement for long-distance communication. Skype users, for instance, who would much rather use the screen sharing tools and video conferencing tools available to avoid traveling an hour to handle one small consulting job. Or, technology users who use video conferencing tools to expand their business around the globe without ever having to leave their homes.
Power users are more like drivers on the German Autobahn. They speed up and down the various paths of the internet, using everything they can, getting on and off of ramps as quickly as possible. These people have multiple webmail accounts, multiple social networking tools, several tabs open on their browser (which, more likely than not is the latest open source browser available and NEVER IE) of choice, is chatting with people using several chat applications, uses open source software as much as possible, and dreams of the day when smart phones and the high-speed wireless networks required to handle them properly are just a part of everyday life for everyone.
All of these users use the information highway to some extent or the other.
Each type may interact, on various levels, with each other. The difference is the degree to which they use the internet to do so.
In the years to come, I believe that everyone will use the internet completely for communication.
Even the casual observer recognizes that traditional print newspapers are on their way out. Heck, even the government toyed with the idea of bailing out the newspaper business this past year in the US.
Some in the industry predict that the daily newspaper will be essentially an extinct species (see graph). I think the death knell for local daily newspapers is abou 5-10 years away.
But, I don't think newspapers are the only mass communication businesses that will suffer at the hands of the internet. Radio stations are already fighting the Recording Industry over charges to pay for music, now that the internet has really hurt the old, traditional model of music distributorships. The increased costs of doing business will force radio stations to make hard, economic choices.
Which will it be? A large, expensive radio transmitter that limits their signal to a small piece of this terrestrial plane, or $500 or so per month to push their programming out all over the world? The scale of economy is quite unbelievable, if you ask me.
Who needs LPFM, or LPTV for that matter, when you can do everything you were doing with those signals with an audio or video stream for exponentially less costs? No more expensive transmitters, and no more expensive power bills each month. Eliminate those two expenses, and paying RIAA and the rest of them becomes much more palatable to a business owner.
That's why I believe that websites like hulu.com and others will force local tv stations to leave their transmitters behind within about 15 years (when they pay off that HUGE government mandated HDTV transmitter they just purchased).
So, why would I want to WORK for a business (newspaper, radio, TV) that probably won't be around when I get of retirement age? ESPECIALLY when I can work for myself and lead the pack?
GadsdenMetro.com and BrotherPhilTV.com are, as of yet, unrealized leaders in the market of global community oriented niche sites. I can focus only on Gadsden news at GadsdenMetro.com because I know that the al.com's of the world will cover the state news well. They can focus only on aggregating the best state-wide news because they know that the FoxNews.com and CNN.com's of the world will cover the national and international news.
We all do what we are experts at and maximize our partnerships with each other, as well as our individual profitability!
GadsdenMetro.com will continue to expand. We're already looking at how to add sports and entertainment coverage to our websites. We're studying and trying to set up a way to quickly, efficiently and effectively add video news coverage to our site. BrotherPhilTV.com will eventually be a local programming source for online video.
Already, BPTV is using this philosophy with the BPTV: Live at MoonSong Thursday night web-show. This musical variety show features (mostly) local musical acts who are already performing, some who are also writing their own music. Local acts like Danny Moon, Jim Cox, Shonna Burgess and 17 year old Mandolin player Josh Palmer have all performed at BPTV: Live at MoonSong.
In the next few weeks, that show will be turned over to Danny and his friends at MoonSong, giving him an opportunity to showcase even more local musicians and promote his business and website without the current host (me) forgetting something and getting in the way. But, that content will be a regular addition to Gadsden's first online only TV station - BrotherPhilTV. It will be available as a running stream and for on-demand viewing through BrotherPhilTV.com.
Other programs are in the works: a technology help-desk program, a sports talk show, a political talk show, and, maybe even some comedic shows featuring area high school students as writers, actors, producers and production crew... its all part of the vision of BrotherPhilTV.com
Eventually, content producers in Hollywood will recognize that it doesn't matter WHERE their video is seen (TV or internet), as long as it is seen... even then, I still like the idea of allowing local producers to develop family-friendly programming for the general public to see!
And THAT is why I'm doing what I do with BrotherPhilTV.com and GadsdenMetro.com
Phillip
Monday, November 16, 2009
BPTV Video Festival Nomination #1
OK!!!
You know that BPTV is a HUGE fan of helping local musical artists develop an audience... that's what BPTV PLUS (You): Live at MoonSong Cafe is all about! Well... I also want to help local media artists develop an audience, too!
So... while I can't offer a prize (yet), I WILL start featuring some local media artists on BPTV and here in my blog. Its sort of a "BPTV Media/Film Festival." Here are the rules:
1. Unlike the example video (posted below), it must be produced in the Gadsden Metro area by people from the Gadsden Metro area.
2. It must be "family friendly." Here's the rule in its most basic terms.... if you wouldn't want your beautiful, old, genteel grandmother type person knowing you made a video like that... we don't want to know about it either!
3. It can be nominated by yourself, or by someone who can put me into contact with you to approve its posting in the online BPTV Media/Film Festival.
4. It must be short enough to be posted (in your own channel) on YouTube.
5. If it is entered into the online BPTV Media/Film Festival, we'd like to have a link to our website posted in your description... its not required, but we'd like it, anyway :)
Here's an example of a cool video that a student in Texas did using stop motion... there are a ton of things you could do... but this is just one type of creative short film I'm talking about!
You know that BPTV is a HUGE fan of helping local musical artists develop an audience... that's what BPTV PLUS (You): Live at MoonSong Cafe is all about! Well... I also want to help local media artists develop an audience, too!
So... while I can't offer a prize (yet), I WILL start featuring some local media artists on BPTV and here in my blog. Its sort of a "BPTV Media/Film Festival." Here are the rules:
1. Unlike the example video (posted below), it must be produced in the Gadsden Metro area by people from the Gadsden Metro area.
2. It must be "family friendly." Here's the rule in its most basic terms.... if you wouldn't want your beautiful, old, genteel grandmother type person knowing you made a video like that... we don't want to know about it either!
3. It can be nominated by yourself, or by someone who can put me into contact with you to approve its posting in the online BPTV Media/Film Festival.
4. It must be short enough to be posted (in your own channel) on YouTube.
5. If it is entered into the online BPTV Media/Film Festival, we'd like to have a link to our website posted in your description... its not required, but we'd like it, anyway :)
Here's an example of a cool video that a student in Texas did using stop motion... there are a ton of things you could do... but this is just one type of creative short film I'm talking about!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Getting Ready for the Really Big Show
BrotherPhilTV is pleased to be traveling up the road to Noccalula Mountain tonight.
For the third week in a row, GadsdenMetro is sponsoring the Moonsong Cafe Variety Show featuring local singer/songwriters Jim Cox, and Danny Moon, and other special guests.
BrotherPhil has been presenting his own style of music for a few months now on the regular BrotherPhilTV show. That show has garnered some local attention from radio hosts, local businesses and even a few local dignitaries. But, things got even more interesting when a meeting with Cox and another local businessman resulted in a phone call to Moon to set up the first ever BPTV + (You) show from the stage of MoonSong Cafe on Noccalula Road.
Cox has been singing for years in Gadsden. Back when the Alabama Princess was floating up and down the Coosa River, Cox was the featured musician on the riverboat dinner cruises, and he has performed in churches and at other events throughout the area.
Recently, Cox has starting writing songs based on his faith and convictions that some things need to change in our society and culture if we are to survive as the great nation we have been. Cox also performs a number of more familiar songs, ranging from the Eagles to Neil Diamond to favorite church songs.
Moon, longtime known for his musicianship and for his ability to sell musical equipment at Gadsden Music Company, started Moonsong Cafe two years ago. Until recently, the cafe was only open on Fridays and Saturdays, with an occasional group renting the facility out on other nights of the week.
Three weeks ago, MoonSong was invaded by the crew of BrotherPhilTV and things haven't changed since. With growing crowds each week, BrotherPhilTV has introduced a new audience to the wonderful atmosphere and food of MoonSong Music Cafe.
So, if you're tired of flipping the remote on Thursday nights, trying to disprove the REM song that there's 52 channels and nothing on, get in your car and drive up the mountain toward Noccalula Falls. When you get to the curve in the middle of Noccalula Road, turn left into the MoonSong Cafe parking lot and walk right in. There's no cover charge, but a donation is more than welcome to cover the expenses (Alabama Power ain't cheap these days, you know!), and make sure you buy a (non-alcoholic) drink, and order a wonderful sandwich.
The show starts at 8 p.m. and continues to 10 p.m., sometimes later. Come on out and join us, we'd love to meet you, and entertain you, and even introduce you to some little known local talent that might just blow your socks off!
Scheduled to appear tonight:
Jim Cox
Danny Moon
Josh Palmer
Phillip Swindall
For the third week in a row, GadsdenMetro is sponsoring the Moonsong Cafe Variety Show featuring local singer/songwriters Jim Cox, and Danny Moon, and other special guests.
BrotherPhil has been presenting his own style of music for a few months now on the regular BrotherPhilTV show. That show has garnered some local attention from radio hosts, local businesses and even a few local dignitaries. But, things got even more interesting when a meeting with Cox and another local businessman resulted in a phone call to Moon to set up the first ever BPTV + (You) show from the stage of MoonSong Cafe on Noccalula Road.
Cox has been singing for years in Gadsden. Back when the Alabama Princess was floating up and down the Coosa River, Cox was the featured musician on the riverboat dinner cruises, and he has performed in churches and at other events throughout the area.
Recently, Cox has starting writing songs based on his faith and convictions that some things need to change in our society and culture if we are to survive as the great nation we have been. Cox also performs a number of more familiar songs, ranging from the Eagles to Neil Diamond to favorite church songs.
Moon, longtime known for his musicianship and for his ability to sell musical equipment at Gadsden Music Company, started Moonsong Cafe two years ago. Until recently, the cafe was only open on Fridays and Saturdays, with an occasional group renting the facility out on other nights of the week.
Three weeks ago, MoonSong was invaded by the crew of BrotherPhilTV and things haven't changed since. With growing crowds each week, BrotherPhilTV has introduced a new audience to the wonderful atmosphere and food of MoonSong Music Cafe.
So, if you're tired of flipping the remote on Thursday nights, trying to disprove the REM song that there's 52 channels and nothing on, get in your car and drive up the mountain toward Noccalula Falls. When you get to the curve in the middle of Noccalula Road, turn left into the MoonSong Cafe parking lot and walk right in. There's no cover charge, but a donation is more than welcome to cover the expenses (Alabama Power ain't cheap these days, you know!), and make sure you buy a (non-alcoholic) drink, and order a wonderful sandwich.
The show starts at 8 p.m. and continues to 10 p.m., sometimes later. Come on out and join us, we'd love to meet you, and entertain you, and even introduce you to some little known local talent that might just blow your socks off!
Scheduled to appear tonight:
Jim Cox
Danny Moon
Josh Palmer
Phillip Swindall
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
BPTV WILL BE LIVE AT MOONSONG
BPTV will be live before a "studio audience" this Thursday at Gadsden's MoonSong Songwriters and Acoustic Music Cafe.
We are doing a live variety show every Thursday night at Moonsong with Danny Moon, Jim Cox, Phillip Swindall and friends from the Gadsden area who are local musicians.
There is no cover charge, so if you'd like to come up and enjoy the fun, good music and great fun, just drive up Noccalula Road until you get to the sharp right hand curve when the two lanes merges into one. Turn left in the middle of that curve and you're at MoonSong!!!!
Visit us!
We are doing a live variety show every Thursday night at Moonsong with Danny Moon, Jim Cox, Phillip Swindall and friends from the Gadsden area who are local musicians.
There is no cover charge, so if you'd like to come up and enjoy the fun, good music and great fun, just drive up Noccalula Road until you get to the sharp right hand curve when the two lanes merges into one. Turn left in the middle of that curve and you're at MoonSong!!!!
Visit us!
This is a test post
This is a new test of my BPTV blog site.... we are looking to test this on C4.
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC
"Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?"
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