Chris Leone

Google has been trying to find a way to monetize Youtube - and I think they just nailed it. They’re calling it “sponsored videos.” It sounds very similar to the adwords model. A user who wants instant visibility can place a bid on selected search terms. Then when a viewer enters a search query, their video shows up under the sponsored video category. Whether or not their video shows up depends on how much their willing to bid for the keyphrase and likely some form of quality measurement.

Why this should succeed: This is very analogous to the SEO/PPC model in Google. If you want INSTANT visibility on the top page, you have to pay your way there (i.e. PPC, aka sponsored results). Organic listings, ESPECIALLY front page listings, take time to achieve. Anyone who wants their video seen now, whether it be a Fortune 500 company or a tiny garage band trying to get their music out there, can seize this opportunity for high visibility. Youtube previously existed solely on the organic model, but now users have options. If they want it now, they can get it - if the price is right
 

Here’s an example: If you’re a garage band with a 90’s grunge sound, you should bid on the terms “Nirvana,” “Smashing Pumpkins,” “Mudhoney,” “Sunny Day Real Estate,” etc. This way you can directly target your potential listening audience.

In the 60’s, NASA inspired an entire generation with its race to the moon. It was a tangible, exciting, and heavily covered story that reached every television set. In a way I wish I could have been around to experience such an accomplishment. From what I’m told, those who were around felt connected to the story. They knew the astronaut’s names. There was a massive human element to all this ’science stuff.’

According to NASA, it will be ten years before the next moon mission. The current missions aren’t as glamorous so as a result, they don’t receive much press. They are, however, just as important and exciting.

NASA has found a way to engage both the science community and other more casual followers of the space program such as myself: they personified their Martian and galactic robot explorers with Twitter.

The concept is simple. An earthling tweets what the little robotic explorer is experiencing and doing - and does so in the ‘voice’ of the robot.

This is successful on two levels. First, it provides the quick and simple communication that is inherent with Twitter. I was more informed on this particular mission than any other mission in my lifetime. I didn’t have to read through boring press releases to get to the juicy stuff. The tweets were digestible and informative.

But even more importantly; beyond all the science jibba jabba was the personification of the Mars Lander itself.

I watched a Star Wars science documentary earlier tonight. It analyzed the technology of the Star Wars universe and how it is/could be applied in our world. In truth, several of the technologies seen in original trilogy were the inspiration for modern day scientists and engineers. Possibly one of the biggest breakthroughs was when Lucas gave R2-D2 and C-3PO distinct personalities.

He made them more than droids. He made them characters. Characters with traits and personalities. This critical element allows us to sympathize with them; empathize with them. The field of robotics is inspired by the human element Lucas gave R2 and C-3PO in 1977. In 2008, NASA applied this formula to @MarsPhoenix, @CassiniSaturn, @Marsrovers, and @Marssciencelab and went beyond the entertainment value. They have engaged a community and created a following in the name of science and exploration.

Unfortunately, the engaging human element became even more real when our good friend @MarsPhoenix sent his last tweet. The Martian winter finally caught up with him.

We all knew it was coming.

He prepared us with an explanation of what he was facing, what it would do to his circuits, and how it’s unlikely he’ll be able to wake up when the seasons turn warm again (approx 12 months from now, since Martian seasons are twice as long Earth’s).

He took enough time to say his farewells. He even held a user submitted epitaph contest. When he had more to say than the 140 character Twitter limit would allow, he guest blogged on Gizmodo. Knowing his ultimate fate, he wrote a final entry that was only to be posted after his time had come to an end. The article can be found below.

I’ll admit, it got me a little teary eyed. This was a little bot I felt like I had come to know. I sent him messages wishing him luck. But most importantly, I learned from him.

This is about connection. This is about engagement. And NASA just hit it out of the park.

Phoenix guest blogging on Giz:
Hello World, Phoenix Lander Here
This is What Landing On Mars Feels Like
Martian Ice Is Why I’m Alive and Why I’m Dying
This is My Farewell Transmission From Mars

Phoenix Epitaph Contest

NASA Explorers on Twitter

@MarsPhoenix
@CassiniSaturn
@Marsrovers
@Marssciencelab

As a follow up to my last post about trying to recycle in Richmond, VA, I’d like to share with you my experience of what it took to do the right thing in this town. 

As a recap, I live in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Finding a place to recycle my empty bottles and glass has turned into much more of an effort than it should be - even for a guy willing to go through the effort.

In my kitchen, an empty moving box temporally housed over one month’s worth of empty ginger beer glasses, wine bottles, water bottles, etc. I could no longer deny that it was time to time to get rid of it all and the trash dumpster was not an option.

I drive a VW coupe. It’s new and it’s clean and I didn’t want to chance dirty bottles flying around in my backseat, so I enlisted the help of my buddy and his pickup truck on a beautiful sunday afternoon to drive me to the closest recycling depot - about three miles away. 

Turns out, this particular recycle location was closed on Sundays. In a totally non-intentional effort of making someone’s Monday start of worse than it needs to, I left my boxes at the gate. I figured if I brought them the 2.97 miles here, they could anchor the last .03. 

Here’s a quick list of why this experience is a very poor reflection of Richmond’s recycling efforts.

• No convenient access within or around my building
• No convenient access within my block
• The need to travel by motor vehicle to deposit my recycling
• Recycling can be dirty so I had to ask a friend for help
• The nearest location was closed on the most convenient day for me (and I’m assuming several others) to toss their recycle. 

I can deal with these “inconveniences” but the point is other people can not. People, especially when they are apathetic, take the easier solution. In this case, that means plastic and glass in the trash.

Here’s another Richmond Recycle folly. When I Google “Richmond Recycle,” the first two organic results are for Richmond, British Columbia and Richmond, UK. This wouldn’t be an issue except organic results are affected by my location. If I’m in Richmond, Virginia, my organic results should be filtered to reflect relevant Richmond, Virginia recycle pages - regardless of whether or not I type Virginia in my search query. Apparently, the presence of Richmond, Virginia recycle is so scarce on the internet that it still doesn’t show at the top.

That doesn’t give me confidence the situation is going to get any better anytime soon.