Consumer Compares Digital Voice Recorders (MP3 format, line-in option)

As a rule, I don’t review products. But after 10 years of fighting to find the right digital voice recorders, its time someone else avoided
waisting hundreds of dollars like I have.

Q: What’s the best MP3 recorder?

A: It depends on the purpose. I need three kinds of digital recorders in my work. The three intended purposes are: bootlegging live music (or recording my band / acoustic songwriting), high quality interviews for podcasts (or someday… editing my own episode of This American Life), and third – I need a simple and featureless MP3 recorder that I can put in the hands of children in an African village whose members have never even used door knobs or latch keys, and still end up with recordings. If you have seen the Flip Video Camera – it is so simple it achieves that goal for video. So why is there nothing like that for audio?

For Bootlegs and live music:

The expensive solution is the Edirol ($270 in 2010). For a cheap alternative (under $100) – You want an MP3 recorder with an external line input. The two companies to look at are the Cowon iAudio U2 and the iRiver T20/T30/T60. Unfortunately, the simplest and easiest models are out of print, so it’s Ebay or nothing now. I’ve used the 1GB iAudio U2 for years without trouble. I bought a $60 stereo lapel mic and plugged it into the 1/8" input.

For Interviews:

For transcribing, many MP3 players come with voice recorders. These are fine for recording yourself, but don’t expect to hear what the professor says in a room of 100. Look at using Dragon to auto-transcribe you audio notes – it is worth the expense. If you want to broadcast or podcast these interviews later, always use a lapel mic with a long wire. iAudio and iRiver are sufficient here. with a high quality stereo lapel mic clipped to my own collar or shirt pocket, I can record conversations 6 feet away with good enough quality for a podcast. Editing the audio is another hassle. If you have recommendations on editors – I’m all ears!

Note: I also used an Archos 20 GB MP3 recorder in 2003. It was fair but the hard drive inside created a lot of stray noise. Flash MP3 recorders are much quieter and had a longer battery life.

Simplest MP3 recorder:

None meet my standard yet, of being able to leave it with a novice who speaks another language and return with quality data, or any data. All of these offer too many options. The best feature of all is recording while listening to the levels on headphones. For conversations, nearly everyone can reposition the mic to improve the quality without any need to adjust levels, bitrate, etc. If I made a FlipCam MP3 audio recorder, I would default it to 128 kpbs 44kHz MP3 recordings and drop the ability to change these setting altogether. I would also make the device auto-offer to copy all recordings to your PC when you plug it in.

Overall recommendation?

I’ve tried several MP3 recorders and the Edirol is the best. Even the entry-level model has the best built-in mic I’ve ever heard. I insisted the office get a model with a line-in 1/8" mic jack but it was unnecessary. Our $300 mic isn’t any better than the built-in one you get for less than that.

The user interface is simple enough to use. Most people can use the edirol with coaching, but it looks complicated. One very smart person was at a loss when the hidden buttons on the back got switched from low to hi sensitivity on the mic. So it is too feature heavy for novices, and the search for a truly simple "hit play and stop" recorder continues.

But if you want to record field interviews in the Sahara and turn around and get a drum circle, this one will do both better than any other. I own 3 mics designed for each situation – but the Edirol does all three with a crazy-good amplifier. I usually have the input set at 25% sensitivity on the high-sens setting for conversations. Works even in buses and streets at 12%. At maximum sens you can spy on conversations down the street.

[Via http://chewychunks.wordpress.com]

Stones on a Roll

“We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe.”

Down a long dusty road in the far distance, blurred by the heat, two bare-footed siblings gradually traipse into focus. The sister slinks casually in her sundress and wide-brimmed hat, gazing at the sky; the brother hides shyly behind a beard, bearing the masculine, weather-worn skin of a beach bum. This is how one might visualise ANGUS & JULIA STONE; world weary, laden with burdens and emotional baggage but tempered by their uplifting globetrotting experiences.

In his travels, Angus Stone seems to have adopted a local town’s quirks for his solo project, Lady of the Sunshine, evidenced by the recording of the album, Smoking Gun, in a concrete silo. Once again, with Julia this time for their new album Down the Way, it seems that recording in a less than conventional space is par for the course. “We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe,” he admits. “There’s a place called Golant; it’s on a river fort and the only way to get to the [sawmill] studio is by boat on mid-tide, or you walk along the railway track. You walk in a line and it’s a bit like Stand By Me. That studio had a lot of moments and you could feel its presence.”

Angus displays a chameleon-like approach to touring, which may stem from his willingness to engage in cultural and musical events, sharing, “I think it’s important for you, as someone that’s playing the songs and doing the shows, to voice that you want some time after or before [performing] to chill and get to know the place or the music that’s being played.”

This approach seems to have given the duo enough focus and experience to naturally produce a second ethereal work of art. Angus explains, “sometimes you’re so close [to the album’s songs] it’s blurred. I think when you’re that close it’s because you’re focussing on the songs individually. That’s good because you’re really looking hard at the songs and asking how they make you feel… when you go in and you haven’t focussed on how you’re going to work the song, it’s naïve and raw and there’s a lot of honesty that comes through from that.”

Following last year’s quiet release of Smoking Gun it’s rewarding to see that true to his chameleon form, the dynamic with Julia has only strengthened. As Angus puts it, “we write so much, Julia and I, that with Lady of the Sunshine I had a couple of bags of songs that suited certain styles… I was keeping them stored for myself. But I think with Julia and I, anything we do with writing is only going to help.”

Angus and Julia have certainly proven their worth in musical weight with a beautiful follow up release. While the recording of the video clip for Big Jet Plane commences and triple j frequently rotates Black Crow, it’s easy to see that the coming year will be another goodie for the Stones.

Angus & Julia Stone perform at the ANU Bar on Tuesday March 16. Tickets through Ticketek.

Author: Peter Rosewarne

Angus & Julia Stone – Silver Coin

[Via http://ahasbeenthatneverwas.wordpress.com]

Jeremy C. Shipp

jeremy c. shipp

what is your name?

My name is Jeremy C. Shipp. Some call me Jer-Bear. The clowns in my attic call me Dinner. But they’re only kidding. I think. I hope.

how would you describe what you do?

I write weird stories from my heart, my mind, my soul, my gut, my spleen. I also spend quite a bit of time living my life in a semi-haunted farmhouse with my wife, my kittens, the aforementioned clowns, and an army of yard gnomes.
what are you currently working on?

I’m living and breathing a new story collection called Fungus of the Heart. Also, I’m creating a few new novels, a comic script, a short film, and other projects.
what has had the greatest influence on your work?

Playing pretend with my brothers as a kid. We would come up with complicated plots and complex characters and we would have fun living in a strange world for a while. And I’m still having a blast doing this. Only now people call me a weird little writer instead of a weird little kid.
what is the greatest misconception about you or your work?

Most people who read my tales understand the meaning of my work. But there are those who hear that I write dark fiction, and assume that I’m an evil person with evil intentions. Some people seem to believe that those who write about disrespectful behaviors are somehow condoning those behaviors. But when I write a dark tale, I’m showing people the horrifying consequences of sexism or racism or hierarchical thought, etc. I’m doing what I can do shine a light on the darkness. I’m trying to do my small part to make our world a better place.

what do you see as the main strengths and weaknesses of the medium you work in?

primarily, I write weird tales, and utilizing such a medium, I can take my readers to strange, unbelievable worlds. And when my characters react to the unbelievable in believable ways, then my characters help to suspend the disbelief of my readers. I don’t really think about art in terms of weakness. Every medium is different, with different powers.
how has technology impacted upon the work you do?

I tend to write about the horrors spawned by civilization and technology, at times, plays a part in those horrors. And so, technology affects the subject matter of my work. In addition, technology is constantly changing the way people read my stories.

what’s the greatest piece of advice you would like to pass on?

Advice for aspiring writers: Never give up.

Advice for everyone in the world: Never tickle an attic clown.

where can we find you online?

http://www.jeremycshipp.com

http://www.twitter.com/JeremyCShipp

http://www.facebook.com/JeremyCShipp

And you can read a bunch of free stories of mine here:

http://jeremycshipp.com/onlinestories.htm
what are you reading at the moment?

A bunch of Bizarro books, as well as Breathers by S.G. Browne, Holes by Louis Sachar, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson, and a couple others.
what are you listening to at the moment?

A Fine Frenzy, Anathallo, The Innocence Mission, Regina Spektor, Yusuf Islam, the theme song from Mr. Belvedere and Charles in Charge.

anything else we should know?

You should know:

1. I have stories forthcoming in Cemetery Dance, Apex Magazine, and other wonderful publications.

2. Boo Berry is more dangerous than he looks.

3. Vicki, from Small Wonder, is secretly plotting to destroy all of humankind.

4. Hedgehogs love to eat carrots.

5. The sound of one hand clapping is: PLINK PLINK PLINK.

[Via http://intoviews.wordpress.com]

Interviews/Employment

It’s not enough to just apply for jobs, even though that’s important. You need to thoroughly prepare for the entire hiring process, so you can ace the interview and secure a job offer. These resources, including interview questions and answers, interview attire, types of job interviews, interview tips, thank you letters, following up, background checks, and salary negotiations, will help you get hired.

1. Types of Interviews
2. How to Interview
3. Job Interview Tips
4. Interview Questions / Answers
5. Interview Attire
6. Thank You Letters
7. Interview Follow Up
8. References
9. Background Checks

1. Job Offers
2. Wages and Salary
3. Employee Benefits
4. Employee Privacy
5. Employment Information
6. Fired / Termination From Employment
7. Resignation
8. Unemployment

Types of Interviews

It’s important to be aware of the various types of job interviews, so you’re prepared to effectively interview. Here are all the details on behavioral interviews, exit interviews, group interviews, phone and video interviews, second interviews, and dining interviews.

• Behavioral Interviews
• Dining Interviews
• Exit Interviews
• Group Interviews
• Individual Interview

• Informational Interview
• Phone Interview
• Second Interview
• Teen Interview Tips
• Video Interview

How to Interview

Successful interviewing is essential to getting a job offer. That means practicing interview questions and answers, dressing in appropriate interview attire, and, being able to present your skills and experience to a prospective employer.

• Job Interview Guide
• Acing the Interview
• Video: How to Impress the Interviewer
• Behavioral Interviewing
• Interviewing in Public
• Interviewing While Dining

• Non-Verbal Interviewing Skills
• Second Interviews
• Successful Interviewing
• Top Interview Blunders
• Video: Preparing For an Interview
• Video: Interview Body Language

Job Interview Tips

Job interviewing never seems to get any easier – even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count. Review these interview tips and suggestions so you can dazzle your potential employer and ace the interview.

• Job Interview Tips
• Interview Etiquette
• Interviewing in Public
• Job Interview Tips Videos
• Check Out the Company
• Handle a Panel Interview
• Improve Your Interview Technique
• Lunch and Dinner Interviews

[Via http://blog.localjobs.com]

Better Know a Farm Manager: Peter Beck MC '12

When Peter Beck wanted to learn about organic farming, he went to the source: Eliot Coleman’s Four Seasons Farm in Maine. Coleman is the author of New Organic Grower, the text by which countless sustainable farms (including our own Yale Farm) are run. Now Peter works at the Farm, where all this winter he’s been heading up our crop planning in preparation for the spring and summer. Peter also loves the local cheese store/restaurant Caseus so much that he eats there at least once every couple of weeks! Here’s an interview with a guy who really loves food and farming:

Peter Beck/Morse/2012/Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

What made you want to be a farm manager?
I wanted to be a Farm Manager to learn more about running, teaching at, and working on a small-scale organic farm.

What’s your favorite vegetable?
Brussels Sprouts.

What’s your favorite dish to cook?
Pasta alla carbonara or pollo al mattone.

What fruit or veggie best typifies you?
Kale (hmm, I’m not sure if kale actually typifies me [or what that means], but I do love to eat it).

Describe a fun/hard/exceptional story from working at the Farm.
After the Young Farmer’s Conference in New York, Jacki and I brought back seeds from a heritage wheat plant that has been out of fashion for a half a century (at least). We planted a few of them way too late in the season in a back corner of our North hoophouse, not thinking anything would come up. After getting back from winter break, we saw every one of the seeds had sprouted, and we’ll have our first very very small crop of experimental wheat plants this spring to make a pound of flour for a truly Yale Farm pizza.

What’s your favorite food cause? Why?
My favorite food cause may be that of the incredibly hardworking English (and Naked) chef Jamie Oliver. His goal is so simple and so achievable: teach more people about food and cooking. That’s it — no patronizing moral or cheffy pretension. There are a lot of interesting and important causes out there related to food and sustainability, but I really think that Jamie is on to something important. If more people cook, enjoy, and appreciate food, then those family cooks and amateur food-lovers will fix many of the problems with our food system themselves.

Tell us about other work you’ve done in the world of food and farming.
I spent a year cooking in restaurants in Tuscany and Rome, and spent the summer farming for Eliot Coleman at his Four Season Farm in Maine, before starting work at the Yale Farm this fall. Most importantly though, I cook as often as I can, for friends and family, at school and at home.

[Via http://yalesustainablefoodproject.wordpress.com]

The man, the myth HENRY ROLLINS

 

Hey all, here is a interview i did with henry rollins, a huge influence on me.  Unfortunately, i didnt get a chance to ask more questions. So im a little bit bummed out about how it turned out. Anyway some interesting response’s none the less.  I hope you enjoy it.  Keep reading!

 

How are you? And what’s happening over your side of the world?
I just finished a lot of shows in Europe and am about to start a lot of shows in America. I have been travelling all over for several weeks and it’s been very interesting, frustrating and everything else.

You are coming to Australia soon, on your talking tour. Not to give away any secrets, but can you tell me a little about what you might want to talk about?
I will talk about a lot of the places I have been to and things happening in America with our unending bullshit.

What do you think about the Australian Government trying to filter the internet (like China do) in this country and Iran banning Google Gmail. We will have one of the highest level of filtration anywhere in the world?
I must say, I am surprised and very disappointed. I would think that Rudd would have made better decisions than to treat his people like sheep. Truly, Australia is one of the last places you would think this kind of thing would happen. I have been following it all online and the hacker crew are very inspiring.

How do you form your talks? Is there any method to the madness?
Yes, much method. I don’t want to go onstage and waste anyone’s time. I plan out what I want to say and get into it. I think some planning is the right idea; otherwise, things can go sideways.

You seem like a pretty unapologetic man, is there anything you regret saying or doing?
How are you staying fit at the moment? Do you still lift weights?
 I have made many mistakes. I would rather take the beating than have regret. I train about 5 days a week with weights and cardio.

Do you listen to much music? Is so what have been listening to lately? Any Australian bands you know and like?
I have a radio show. I am always checking out bands whenever possible. I am listening to a lot of music from a thing called The Nurse With Wound List. A lot of interesting stuff that I have never heard before. I will be getting Kim Salmon’s new album when I get there as well as Rowland Howard’s last one.

My girlfriend talks about the Melbourne hardcore scene in 2002/3 and how much fun it was to go to shows with friends and have a good time. But it’s since changed; people are judged for what they wear, who they know, how long they’ve been “in the scene”, etc. where do you, if at all, think hardcore went wrong?
I think any scene falls prey to that kind of thing. It’s what happens when things get too familiar, the contempt sets in and you start commenting on clothing. I say just go to the show and have a great time, past that, it’s a little too precious to waste time on. Life is short.

As i understand it Ian MacKaye early on dabble in a zine? Did you ever work on or do your own zine?
I don’t know that about Ian. I do my own zine, all my books are nothing but overgrown zines.

Do you ever get nostalgic about early days of hardcore? The confrontation of the music (ideals) and the frontier culture you and the early hardcore bands started? Or just the unknown element to it all?
I have fond memories of the early days of the DC scene. Things were small and you knew that it was happening and it was a great thing to be a part of when being young. Youth is a great thing, knowing that you have so much life ahead of you and that so much is still to come. Holding onto that curiosity is the challenge of adulthood, I think. It has been for me.

Do you feel there is a band, from the early hardcore days, that has slipped under the radar and you feel more people should know about?
That scene has been pretty well documented. I can’t think of any band that is not on some site somewhere.

What piss’s you off lately?
My country’s inability to allow its residents to have a decent health care plan so they don’t have to live in fear of getting sick.

What do you think of Obama’s administration?
I think he walked into a bad situation. I wish he was a lot more forceful. He will never make friends with those who oppose him and he keeps trying. Meanwhile, time is wasting. He put more soldiers into Afghanistan, I don’t like that. I don’t want to be in Iraq anymore, Gitmo either. Things are not moving in the direction I want them to. That’s a lot to do with Democrats not having the spine to get things done. I think Obama could be a four year president. 

I just finished watching season 2 of Sons of Anarchy. Which is an awesome show, so congratulations. How was it being a part of that? And was it difficult filming that rape scene?
It was a great thing for me. I had a great time, the cast and crew were great. The rape scene was over quickly thankfully. It was the best time I have ever had in an acting job.

Have you ever questioned your ability to control your own life? And felt helpless? If so when?
I can’t think of a situation in my life where I felt that way. I guess that would be an addiction situation or something? I have had some hard times as we all have but I handled it and am still here.

[Via http://unabletoconvey.wordpress.com]

Interview Trip – Day 14

I can hardly believe I’m still in Virginia. Before I traveled, I had a week’s worth of interviews scheduled. I’ve had at least one interview every day for two weeks (excluding weekends). I was planning on heading home tomorrow, but secured another interview for Monday. I am very grateful for so many wonderful opportunities even though it has been mentally exhausting.

I’ve been very fortunate to have been housed by friends in the area. I’ve been living with three girls in their two bedroom apartment for the past two weeks. They were so amazingly hospitable and wonderful, but I felt I couldn’t possibly stay any longer. I had already extended my stay once. So, I’m kind of in limbo, staying at one place, waiting for another to open. I hate feeling like a burden, but so appreciate not having to pay for a hotel.

Interviews have gone very well! Even my informational interviewers have been open and wonderful with sharing advice and contacts in the area. Networking has landed me additional interviews. I’ve had two call back interviews and am waiting to hear results from both of those. A few of my informational interviews have even said, “I’d hire you if I had the work/money.” (Though I’m not sure how much value to put in those comments – it’s easy to say that when you don’t have the work or money…)

I was able to secure one interview through a positing I found on Craigslist.com. I haven’t used Craiglist before this trip – I’ve always thought it to be unreliable. However, I’ve learned many places post on Craiglist because it’s free.

The weather in Virginia has been cold, but I’ve only seen snow two days. There is talk of another crazy storm coming soon, so hopefully I’ll be able to slip out in clear weather and roads on my trip back home. Michigan has been getting a lot of snow this week, so it’s a good thing my trip was extended as this would not have been a good weekend for travel.

[Via http://thecareersearch.wordpress.com]