The former Burien couple that was charged last week with filming themselves raping their 4-year old daughter pleaded “not guilty” Tuesday (Nov. 10th) in King County Superior Court.
Hollie Beston, 31, of Burien, was arrested along with her ex-husband, Brian Beston, 36, of Kent by Seattle Police recently after the FBI learned of the sex crime from the recipient of the photos, a man facing child-molestation charges in Southern California.
Charging papers say the two provided live streaming video of the rape of their child over the internet to the California man, who alerted authorities as part of his therapy. Documents also claim that Brian Beston admitted repeatedly raping the girl, and that Hollie Beston admitted taking photos and videos of the crimes.
According to investigators, Beston was offering the girl online to have sex with the California man and streamed the live abuse to prove the authenticity of the offer.
You can now get free wi-fi at Sea-Tac Airport, courtesy of Google, which announced Tuesday that it is now sponsoring free wireless access at 47 airports around the US.
Sea-Tac’s free offer (along with Burbank Airport), are considered “indefinite,” while the others are scheduled to expire Jan. 15, 2010.
According to the Google Free Wi-Fi website:
When you’re traveling this holiday season, you can enjoy free WiFi at 47 participating airports and on every Virgin America flight. Just bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected to family and friends for free while you travel now through January 15, 2010.
The promotion, in cooperation with three wireless carriers, is clearly a marketing effort to use free Wi-Fi to boost the Google brand.
Just be careful when logging on though – many hackers have set up “Free Wi-Fi” networks in public places, so make sure you’re actually hopping on board the Google one.
Burien’s own Puget Sound Skills Center announced Monday (Oct. 19th) that it is now offering online classes in the hopes of better serving students who want to gain skills for the growing information technology job market.
The IT market is consistently listed in the top three sectors for future job growth.
Students who enroll can earn college credits as well as qualify for nationally recognized industry certifications.
“This is an exciting step for our school,” said Skills Center Director Sue Shields. ‘The online option for information technology opens opportunities for students who have previously not been able to take advantage of all that PSSC has to offer. Scheduling conflicts simply disappear when a student is able to participate in the program on their own time.”
Computer Network Systems (CNS) instructor Jim McMurchie added: “Distance-learning courses can be completed by students with a relatively current computer and internet access. All software required is provided by the school.” He went on to say, “The best part is that PSSC is part of the public school system so, these courses are offered to students at no charge.”
Examples of courses that will be offered online include:
- Computer-Aided Design
- Cisco Networking and Microsoft IT Academies
- Basic computer hardware and software
- Basic networks
A student can elect to complete the course entirely online or in a blended-learning format which involves doing the majority of the coursework online wtih a limited number of sessions at PSSC for hands-on labs and review.
This Computer Network Systems program is the latest addition to PSSC’s online offerings. Other programs include:
- Digital Media Production
- Engineering Design
- Leadership and Management in Business
Interested students should contact the Skills Center at 206-631-7300 or at their webiste: www.pugetsoundsc.org.
Puget Sound Skills Center is located at 18010 8th Avenue South in Burien, and it serves students from Highline and Federal Way Public Schools, Fife, Tahoma, and Tukwila School Districts and is hosted by Highline Public Schools.
Beginning Saturday (Sept. 19th), Burien’s John F. Kennedy High School’s football games will be broadcast on the internet for the second season, thanks to Ronnie Wald of Waldcast.net.
If you can’t make it to Highline Stadium, you can listen to Saturday’s game against Evergreen (start time is 1:30pm), by clicking here.
Here’s a re-published Q&A with Ronnie Wald (originally posted Sept. 7, 2008), Founder/Broadcaster of Waldcast.net:
Q: Has anyone ever broadcast football games for JFK High before?
A: We’re entering a new realm here…MOST high schools have not attempted this. Thanks to the internet, we’re now introducing a new way of thinking–yes, now local high schools can have play by play of their games on a regular basis. When, I started packaging broadcasts for california high schools in the 80’s, the only available avenue was contracting with a (not always agreeable) local radio station. We have now eliminated the middle man in that “terrestial” radio outlet–as waldcast.net becomes, in effect, the radio station…internet radio, that is.
Q: Will you be doing the play-by-play from the stadium or will someone else?
A: I handle the play by play duties which dovetails nicely with the moniker of the network.
Q: How long has Waldcast been doing high school sports?
A: After 27 years in sports play by play and hundreds of lifetime broadcasts under my belt–it all seems like one big blue mist to me. Let me say that for the last five years, the significant moment in my career was breaking away from local radio stations by creating my own network with waldcast.net. I now work wherever and whenever I choose and cut my own deals with teams. Ad rates fall significantly with a “waldcast” since we obviously don’t have the radio overhead. Also, we offer so much more in that any computer “around the world” can now listen to a Kennedy Football game–that includes you in burien or a grandma in denver–there’s just no limit. Additionally, we have a free archive where players and coaches’ who missed the broadcast the first time can come back and relive the memories over and over again. Plus, at midnight after the webcast, I have numbers that show how many were listening and where. That adds real value to my marketing push with local sponsors. In fact, thanks to the research, waldcast.net has now been heard in 49 states and over 20 foreign countries..not bad for a humble, little one-man network!
Q: Are you expanding into the Northwest with JFK games?
A: I’ve come to the Northwest to gauge the interest and partner with one of the finest prep programs in Washington at Kennedy. Thanks to the mobility of the internet..I can travel to wherever i’m needed to get the job done..right now I am needed in Burien. I literally carry this network “on my back”.
Q: How does internet broadcasting work? Is it a big operation?
A: It can be an overextended, major operation if you try to follow an example of a major network. What I’ve perfected is the one-man network where play by play, engineering and commercials are all merged in into a somewhat chaotic whole. People compliment me on how I work at such a high level while juggling all the jobs that joe buck and bob costas never have to concern themselves with.
Q: What does it take for an internet user to listen to games live?
A: Not much…just download the QuickTime Audio Player (Windows Media won’t work). There’s also a link for the free download on our game menu.
Q: What does the future hold for internet broadcasting?
A: I feel like Columbus who is first to make a claim in this brave “new world”. It won’t be too long before everybody will get on the bandwagon and offer “live streaming” of any game, anywhere. Once the “genie is out of the bottle” it will become an accepted fact that if–you have a stadium and a game and fans…you will naturally offer a broadcast component..which will be as omnipresent as hot dogs or the marching band. The only trump card with all this perpetual streaming: what will be the quality of the given broadcast product? Your choice..quantity or quality? Its a great thing if you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other..and easier on the listeners’ ears..if you have both.
Q: What other work have you done?
A: My Northwest connections include broadcasts from Gongaza, Seattle Pacific, University of Portland, Portland State, and from University of Idaho and Boise State. In 2006, Seattle University hired me to provide webcasts of their softball team in the NCAA regional in California. Another example of the power of the web…the redhawks didn’t want to fly a broadcaster down to Stanislaus state..so, there I was..ready to broadcast on a moment’s notice.
Sure, the internet sometimes has you flying off the seat of your pants..but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Most of all we try to have fun on the these games and really highlight the student athlete. I know the emails I get from appreciative parents makes it all worth it.
Kennedy’s football schedule:
| 9/3 |
@ Puyallup
|
7:00 |
| 9/12 | vs. Tyee | 1:30* |
| 9/19 | @ Evergreen | 1:30* |
| 9/26 | vs. Highline | 1:30* |
| 10/2 | @ Foster | 7:00 |
| 10/9 | vs. Renton | 7:00* |
| 10/16 | @ Lindbergh | 7:00 |
| 10/22 | @ Hazen | 7:00 |
| 10/29 | vs. Mt Rainier | 7:00* |
More info on Kennedy’s football team can be found here.
More info on the webcasts can be found at Waldcast.net.
by Recently the B-Town Blog’s business model was soundly endorsed by Seattle’s KOMO/Fisher Broadcasting, when they launched numerous “local blogs” of their own.
We, along with other community news providers (read what fellow local blog CapitolHillSeattle.com had to say about their experience with them here, or what CentralDistrictNews.com said here) enjoyed for a while KOMO’s attempts at “local journalism,” which ofentimes has consisted of the apparent copying of our stories (we know this because their IP addresses are traceable, we know they subscribe to our RSS feed, and we’ve read their nearly-identical stories, many of which were posted shortly after we posted ours) and even possibly using our graphics, then posting Burien-related news as “their own.”
But we’re not all that upset about our stories getting copied (nobody “owns” the news) – this happens all the time online, and heck, we’ve even gotten leads from other sources ourselves. All we request is simple attribution and a link, which we try to give every time we use an external news source. It’s just common courtesy, and is actually good for both parties.
No, what takes the cake regarding KOMO happened Tuesday, Sept. 15th, when we received the following email from a “Derek Smathers“:
Name: Derek Smathers
Email: kcjn101@yahoo.com
Subject: The look at B-town is b-rate!
Message: Geez-Reading your blog is like reading the yellow pages. Could you put a few more ads in there? At least all I have to do is move on, no finding it clogging my porch or having to lug it to the recycle bin.
News I need. Junk ads I don’t!
IP: 208.73.29.10
HOST: mail2.fsci.com
Seems Derek forgot one little thing – when you email a website, your IP address is recorded. A simple IP Address lookup of 208.73.29.10 revealed that good ol’ Derek actually sent this directly from within Fisher Broadcasting:
Now we won’t get into any kind of flame war with Derek, since it clearly wouldn’t be fair, but we would like to point out one thing to KOMO, as well as our Readers and Advertisers:
WE DON’T CONSIDER OUR ADVERTISERS AS “JUNK ADS”!
I’m sure that many of our Advertisers are already very familiar with KOMO’s practices – since KOMO apparently posted numerous placeholder/make-believe ads WITHOUT EVEN ASKING THE BUSINESSES USED IN THE ADS, then called them to “sell” them the very placeholder ad(s) they had already posted – not to mention calling BTB Advertisers directly and asking them to cancel their accounts with us and go with them.
Now comes this ill-advised email from within Fisher/KOMO, telling us that our website is full of “junk ads,” which insults the very businesses they want to do business with!
Does this Escher-esque irony crack anyone else up as much as it does me?
August 2009 was another record traffic month for The B-Town Blog, and like we did in July, we’d like to shout out a huge THANK YOU all our beloved B-Town Blog Readers and Advertisers for another record-setting month of traffic:
- 31,298 Unique Visitors – a +25% increase over July!
- 51,596 Page Views – a +5.5% increase over July!
That translates to an overall average of nearly 1,000 Unique Visitors and over 1,600 Page Views per day for the lifespan of this website (launched in Dec. 2007), along with a current average visit length of 2:12.
Here are the most recent stats from Sitemeter, a widely-used, independent website that tracks internet traffic:
We’d also like to remind both our Readers and potential Advertisers about our unique, totally transparent website traffic statistics.
“Transparent” means that, at any time, you can click on one of at least three statistics links in the footer of the website (at the bottom of any page), and see what kind of traffic we’re getting.
That’s right – we have no intention of hiding any information from you, our Readers, nor from our Advertisers or potential Advertisers.
Sure, it’s a risky move, but we think in this modern internet news era, it’s worth it, and quite frankly, something that not many others will dare do.
And we challenge our local media competitors to do the same, especially those who claim they get “…more readers than any local website.”
Click on a logo below to see our stats (keep in mind that statistics vary with each independent measuring company, something that’s not in our control):
If you’d like more information on our Advertising solutions, please don’t hesitate to email us!
We’d like to take a moment to thank all our wonderful B-Town Blog Readers for making June, 2009 our best month ever!:
- 19,951 Unique Visitors – a +26.1% increase over May!
- 40,575 Page Views – a +37% increase over May!
That translates to an overall average of over 850 Unique Visitors and nearly 1,800 Page Views per day for the lifespan of this website, along with an average visit length of 2:54.
Here are the stats from Sitemeter, a widely-used, independent website that tracks internet traffic:
We’d also like to take this opportunity to announce, that along with our new website design, effective immediately we will be totally transparent about all our website traffic statistics.
This means that, at any time, you can click on one of at least three statistics links in the footer of the website (at the bottom of any page), and see what kind of traffic we’re getting.
That’s right – we have no intention of hiding any information from you, our Readers, nor from our Advertisers or potential Advertisers.
Sure, it’s a risky move, but we think in this modern internet news era, it’s worth it, and quite frankly, something that not many others will dare do.
And we challenge our local media competitors to do the same, especially those who claim they get “…more readers than any local website.”
Click on a logo below to see our stats (keep in mind that statistics vary with each independent measuring company, something that’s not in our control):
And while we’re at it, an additional, huge shout-out goes out to our Photographer, and now-Wordpress guru Michael Brunk, who did an amazing job of re-designing our website, which has resulted in some additional magic mojo that’s driving more traffic.
If you have any thoughts on our recent re-design, or want more information on our Advertising solutions, please don’t hesitate to email us!
Despite starting off with a somewhat-controversial April Fool’s issue where every story was fake (re-live the silliness here), April 2009 was by far the best month ever for The B-Town Blog, and for that we’d like to say:
THANK YOU READERS!
As you can see in the statistics chart below, our April traffic continued to grow to record numbers, at a steady clip of +24% for Unique Visitors (19,108) and +18% for Pageviews (over 33,000!):
Since January of this year, the number of Unique Visitors for The B-Town Blog is up by nearly +49% and +55% for Pageviews.
And since launching, our daily traffic growth has been an almost-unfathomable +7,249%!
We credit our recent traffic surge to a few things:
- Our ridiculous Aprils Fool’s issue became a viral hit, tripling our traffic over two full days.
- After doing an online survey, we decided to re-focus on frequently-updated Local News and Event Listings, something we strongly believe our local media competition isn’t doing well.
- Our continued, focused online paid Advertising efforts using Google AdWords.
- Our ongoing focus on being involved in the community, from being an active member of Discover Burien and the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce to holding various fundraisers.
- Viral marketing efforts using Facebook and Twitter (we have some secrets too that we’re now offering on a Social Media Consultation Service, where we’ll help your business utilize these amazing tools).
- Our recent :30-second TV spot that aired locally on CNN via Comcast Spotlight.
- Sponsorship of the Highline Vintage Jazz Festival, which gave us eight radio mentions on KPLU.
- The hiring of freelance journalists who bring more unique, credible coverage exclusive to The B-Town Blog (you can help us continue this cause by donating to our “Freelance Fund” which goes directly to them).
Like last year, we have a booth at the Burien Farmer’s Market, where we will serve as the one and only “official blog.” Come on by every Thursday between 11am and 3pm – we’ll be on 10th Ave SW between SW 151st and SW 152nd (and at the new location when it moves to Burien Town Square), so come over and say hi!
We’d also like to extend a special shout-out to all our Advertisers, as they are the ones who have taken a chance on our product, and hopefully are seeing rewards.
If you’re a business considering Advertising, email us for our brand new Media Kit, which includes some amazing testimonials from happy Advertisers like the Highline Athletic Club and others.
Again, thanks for being a Reader of The B-Town Blog – keep in mind we’re still in our infancy and there are a lot of great new elements coming soon!
| Apr ’09 |
| 23 |
| 6:00 pm |
Every second and fourth Thursday night, the good folks at Burien’s Cafe Mundi (located at 447 SW 152nd downtown) turn over their mics and stage to regular B-Towners for Open Mic night, and since this Thursday (April 23rd) is the fourth one of the month you can expect to see lots of poetry, music and comedy.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Open Mic Night at Cafe Mundi
WHEN: Thurs., April 23rd (every 2nd and 4th Thursday), with sign-ups starting at 6pm and open mic at 6:30pm
WHERE: 447 SW 152nd in downtown Burien (map below)
COST: No cover charge!
INFO: 16 and over please, under 16 with Guardian.
Café Mundi opened in January and serves espresso drinks, tropical shakes, Latin American fast food such as empanadas, arepas and Spanish tortillas.
We also have desserts.
Everything is made locally, using organic ingredients whenever possible.
Café Mundi also offers Internet access and will soon offer free Wi-Fi. Currently we have computers that people can use (1/2 hour free with purchase of a coffee drink) or they can bring in laptops and be connected via ethernet.
View Larger Map
BREAKING NEWS: In an emergency afternoon session, the Burien City Council voted today to impose a 20 percent internet tax on all users within the city boundaries.
“With the downturn in the economy we are continually looking for alternative sources of income,” said a city official via email. “We can’t install any more red light cameras now, and since most of our residents just sit in their double-wides surfing the internet, we thought this could be a great source of additional revenue.”
While discussions of increased sales tax, gas tax and coffee tax were all discussed, the internet was the resounding favorite for most widespread usage in the community.
“We know this may be shocking to some residents, which is why we decided to not implement our 35 percent tax on cell phone use in the city until late May 2009,” said another official, this time via Twitter.
Burien residents will see the new internet tax on their next statement from their internet provider. The tax will vary for users depending on their frequency of use and local relevance of websites they view.
One rather unusual aspect of this new tax is that, effective Monday, April 8th, all previously-free internet-connected computers at area libraries will function only via $2 bills inserted into newly-installed money slots. For $2, users will receive eight minutes of website use.
Percentages of tax increase will range from 5%-20%, with more locally-relevant websites like The B-Town Blog resulting in a 17.9% tax for all Readers. On the low end of the scale, where Readers can actually earn tax revenue for “reading” will be websites lacking in any local relevance, such as this one.
“On the bright side, some internet users may actually make money for reading locally-irrelevant websites chock full of old news, typographical errors, and mid-90s style web layout,” stated another official on her Facebook page.
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009, will be the final print edition of The Seattle P-I, which is transitioning over to an online-only venture.
The local angle for this area is that several P-I staffers live in the Burien area, including Managing Editor David McCumber, as well as Layout Editor Gene Achziger, who is a Des Moines resident.
We met Gene at the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, where we spoke with him about his job at the P-I, the future of newspapers, websites, blogging and much more.
One interesting thing we learned about Gene is that his Redondo house is rather prolific, as it’s got the old Bubbleator Elevator dome from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair in the front yard as a greenhouse!
We wish Gene and any other former P-I staffers the best of luck, and being true journalists at heart, we’ll miss the printed version, and we wish the online one the best of luck!
Here’s some info on the Bubbleator, courtesy Wikimapia.org:
The Bubbleator, a plexiglass sphere that worked as an elevator between floors of the fair’s Washington State Coliseum (now KeyArena), has been flourishing as a greenhouse built into a Des Moines residence since 1987.
After the fair, the Bubbleator was moved to the Center House, but was removed during a remodel.
Current owner Gene Achziger, a P-I layout editor, located the structure, stored in pieces, in a warehouse in 1984. At that time, it was owned by Children’s Hospital. The hospital was unable to come up with a life for the dome, so it was sold to Achziger for $1,000.
Here’s a Google Street View of Gene’s Bubbleator, which we rode when we were kids, and to us is as iconic as the P-I’s globe, the Space Needle, Bobo the stuffed gorilla, hydroplanes, J.P. Patches and about 100 other local northwest treasures:
We’re proud to unveil our latest Local Blog, for our southerly neighbor Des Moines:
It will be updated frequently with Local News, Feature Stories, History, Events, Photos, Videos, Webcams and more for this exciting and beautiful waterfront city of over 29,000 residents.
Here’s our press release:
PUBLISHERS OF THE B-TOWN BLOG ANNOUNCE THEIR LATEST NEIGHBORHOOD WEBSITE: “THE WATERLAND BLOG” FOR DES MOINES
LOL Dudez, LLC, the Publishers of The B-Town (Burien) Blog, announced today their latest neighborhood website for the city of Des Moines, WA:
The Waterland Blog (http://www.waterlandblog.com).
“We believe that Des Moines is one of the most exciting communities around, and we’re striving to make this blog reflect that,” said Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer. “While editing the B-Town Blog, I’ve noticed a lot of news and event information for Des Moines, so launching this website was not only logical – it was necessary.”
The Waterland Blog is the sixth local website published by parent company LOL Dudez, which was founded by Schaefer in Dec. of 2007; its other properties include:
“With the continued decline of traditional media like newspapers, coupled with the tremendous growth and use of the internet as a daily news source, it wasn’t a hard decision to create this website,” Schaefer said from his Burien office. “Our goal is to become the main source for local news, events, reviews, photos, videos and more for Des Moines.”
The Waterland Blog is also seeking Contributors who know the Des Moines area. Writers, Photographers, Filmmakers, and anyone who has anything relevant to the “Waterland Community” are encouraged to email Schaefer directly at editor@waterlandblog.com.
They’re also seeking local businesses to Advertise and reach a growing, broadband-using affluent local audience. More info can be found here: http://www.waterlandblog.com/advertise.
Currently, flagship site The B-Town Blog receives over 12,000 Unique Visitors per month, with a Nov.-Dec. ‘08 growth rate of nearly 38%.
For more information, please contact Scott Schaefer at (206) 248-2565 or via email:
editor@waterlandblog.com.#
We recently upgraded our Commenting functions, this making it easier to Comment on stories, and we invite all our Readers to try them out and see how they work.
Our goal at The B-Town Blog has always been to create an open, interactive online community where all Readers have the power to speak up and share their thoughts, and this is another step in that direction, so we hope you give it a try.
Some simple rules to be aware of when it comes to Commenting:
- Please be civil and respectful. We still control what Comments get posted/deleted.
- Spam filters are still in effect, so don’t even think about spamming us.
- Other Readers can rank your “Reputation Value” up or down. This serves as a quick overview of a Commenter’s history and reputation, and is based on the quantity and judged quality of the comments.
Here are directions on how to Comment on a story:
- Click on the text link “Comments” posted at the bottom of each story.
- On specific story pages (ie: this link here), scroll down to the very bottom of the post, where you can now easily Comment on each story. Here’s an example of what the Commenting section looks like:
- You can just type in your thoughts, click on “Submit Comment” and your comment will show up – it’s that easy.
- You can create a profile (even include a photo) that other Readers can view by registering when you post a Comment.
- You can also get the RSS Feed for Comments on specific stories and follow discussions that way.
- You can vote on and rank other’s “Reputation Value” by clicking on the little thumbs-up or thumbs-down icons on the right header of each comment.
- We reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments and spam, so please don’t try anything funny.
Hey everyone – the City of Burien’s new website is live online!
To put it all into context, let’s first take a look at a screenshot of the old website:
And now, the new one:
Our initial reactions are:
THE GOOD:
- Does this mean Burien has a (gulp) new logo? Could new “Welcome to Burien” signs be far behind?
- It’s much easier to navigate.
- Much higher production values.
- The photo slideshow is tres’ groovy.
- Burien finally looks beautiful and cool, and not like some lame 70s clipart enclave.
- If I didn’t already live here, this would make me more inclined to consider moving (hmmm…maybe that should be in the “Bad” category?)
THE BAD:
- Where’s the prominent link to the B-Town Blog on the front page??? We’re not even on their “Quicklinks” page. Grrr…
- The previous city website link/URL (http://www.ci.burien.wa.us/) No. Longer. Works. (hey website team you need to do a re-direct – stat!)
- The “Home” navigation button is not intuitively placed (like most ‘net users, we’re used to finding it in the upper left of the upper nav menu).
- There are still other links-within-pages that cause some confusion.
- The streaming video of the council meetings still requires just Windows Media. Well, at least it’s not RealMedia…
- The Calendar of Events page shows no events going on. Hey, we know Burien’s a sleepy town but there has to be something going on, right?
- The fancypants cursive
graphic navigation choices are hard to read.
So…what are your thoughts?
Email us, or Post A Comment below…
Twitter is the new black, even though their mascot is a blue bird.
And since we’re oh so ding dang fashionable at the B-Town Blog, we now use it as well.
Daily.
Hourly.
Sometimes even…minutely.
You should too – it’s a great way to get breaking news, unusual links, insight into your friends and more, and once you start using it you’ll become addicted.
Here’s a sample of some of the Tweets we follow:
Burien Parks- New York Times
- Seattle P-I
- Monica Guzman (of the P-I)
- Ron Sims
- KEXP
- News Headlines
- and many more
Every story we write gets Tweeted, which means you can read some before they’re even posted to the site.
We’ve installed an add-on for Firefox called Twitterfox, which allows you to see Tweets as they come in via a small pop-up window in the bottom right of the browser, which is pretty handy when you’re looking for breaking news (like say on election night).
So…follow your original B-Town Burien Blog here.
And we’ll probably end up following you too (especially if you’re in the Burien area).
For the first time ever, Burien’s John F. Kennedy High School football games are being broadcast on the internet, thanks to Ronnie Wald of Waldcast.net.
To listen to Saturday’s game against Kentwood at Qwest Field (which Kennedy lost 28-14), click here.
To see a current schedule of games, click here.
To listen archived previous games, click here.
Here’s a Q&A with Ronnie Wald, Founder/Broadcaster of Waldcast.net:
Q: Has anyone ever broadcast football games for JFK High before?
A: We’re entering a new realm here…MOST high schools have not attempted this. Thanks to the internet, we’re now introducing a new way of thinking–yes, now local high schools can have play by play of their games on a regular basis. When, I started packaging broadcasts for california high schools in the 80’s, the only available avenue was contracting with a (not always agreeable) local radio station. We have now eliminated the middle man in that “terrestial” radio outlet–as waldcast.net becomes, in effect, the radio station…internet radio, that is.
Q: Will you be doing the play-by-play from the stadium or will someone else?
A: I handle the play by play duties which dovetails nicely with the moniker of the network.
Q: How long has Waldcast been doing high school sports?
A: After 27 years in sports play by play and hundreds of lifetime broadcasts under my belt–it all seems like one big blue mist to me. Let me say that for the last five years, the significant moment in my career was breaking away from local radio stations by creating my own network with waldcast.net. I now work wherever and whenever I choose and cut my own deals with teams. Ad rates fall significantly with a “waldcast” since we obviously don’t have the radio overhead. Also, we offer so much more in that any computer “around the world” can now listen to a Kennedy Football game–that includes you in burien or a grandma in denver–there’s just no limit. Additionally, we have a free archive where players and coaches’ who missed the broadcast the first time can come back and relive the memories over and over again. Plus, at midnight after the webcast, I have numbers that show how many were listening and where. That adds real value to my marketing push with local sponsors. In fact, thanks to the research, waldcast.net has now been heard in 49 states and over 20 foreign countries..not bad for a humble, little one-man network!
Q: Are you expanding into the Northwest with JFK games?
A: I’ve come to the Northwest to gauge the interest and partner with one of the finest prep programs in Washington at Kennedy. Thanks to the mobility of the internet..I can travel to wherever i’m needed to get the job done..right now I am needed in Burien. I literally carry this network “on my back”.
Q: How does internet broadcasting work? Is it a big operation?
A: It can be an overextended, major operation if you try to follow an example of a major network. What I’ve perfected is the one-man network where play by play, engineering and commercials are all merged in into a somewhat chaotic whole. People compliment me on how I work at such a high level while juggling all the jobs that joe buck and bob costas never have to concern themselves with.
Q: What does it take for an internet user to listen to games live?
A: Not much…just download the QuickTime Audio Player (Windows Media won’t work). There’s also a link for the free download on our game menu.
Q: What does the future hold for internet broadcasting?
A: I feel like Columbus who is first to make a claim in this brave “new world”. It won’t be too long before everybody will get on the bandwagon and offer “live streaming” of any game, anywhere. Once the “genie is out of the bottle” it will become an accepted fact that if–you have a stadium and a game and fans…you will naturally offer a broadcast component..which will be as omnipresent as hot dogs or the marching band. The only trump card with all this perpetual streaming: what will be the quality of the given broadcast product? Your choice..quantity or quality? Its a great thing if you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other..and easier on the listeners’ ears..if you have both.
Q: What other work have you done?
A: My Northwest connections include broadcasts from Gongaza, Seattle Pacific, University of Portland, Portland State, and from University of Idaho and Boise State. In 2006, Seattle University hired me to provide webcasts of their softball team in the NCAA regional in California. Another example of the power of the web…the redhawks didn’t want to fly a broadcaster down to Stanislaus state..so, there I was..ready to broadcast on a moment’s notice.
Sure, the internet sometimes has you flying off the seat of your pants..but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Most of all we try to have fun on the these games and really highlight the student athlete. I know the emails I get from appreciative parents makes it all worth it.
Kennedy’s football schedule:
9/12 @ Tyee 7:00* 9/20 vs. Evergreen 1:30* 9/26 @ Highline 7:00* 10/4 vs. Foster 1:30* 10/10 @ Renton 7:00 10/16 vs. Lindbergh 7:00* 10/24 vs. Hazen 7:00* 10/30 @ Mt Rainier 7:00* * Games at Highline Stadium
More info on Kennedy’s football team can be found here.
More info on the webcasts can be found at Waldcast.net.
Found on seattle-tacoma craigslist > seattle > computers & tech:
You may be familiar with the cult-like, time-and-life-sucking online video game called “World of Warcraft.”
Or not (in which case we congratulate you for staying sane).
Regardless, apparently in this totally virtual game you can create your own totally virtual (as in non-existent) characters.
Some people do this, then sell their totally virtual (non-existent) characters for cold hard ca$h dolla.
That’s what this guy is trying to do, and we thought it was an unusual ad worth a look.
Bonus points if you can understand any of the language used in this classified:
UD 70 Priest on US server Chogall.
has 2/5 S2 barely ever play him he has A Violet Netherdrake.
If interested selling the account will include box all the original goodies (Keycode for wow instruction book) His server transfer is up and he is on PVP server so he can go anywhere u want him to go.
If interested call me @ 206-290-6284 my name is brighton.
oh and im only willing to do this transaction face to face as to ensure security no paypal money wires. no sneaky sh*t this is all legit.
Burien retail legend (and all-around great guy) Dan the Sausageman has just released his first “Viral Video” into the wild, which we are proudly posting here for your viewing enjoyment.
It’s a simple, typical tale really:
- Girl goes on national TV Dating Show and has to choose between three different bachelors
- Only problem is…they’re all sausages!
- Who will she choose? There’s only one way to find out – watch the video (and don’t forget to take advantage of Dan’s special offer at the end!):
[EDITOR'S NOTE/DISCLOSURE: This video was co-written and directed by none other than B-Town Blog Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer, who worked with both Dan and his lovely wife Claudia (the Bachelorette) and friend Mark Neuman to produce this video. Special thanks to Mick from Mick Kelly's Irish Pub for his charming-yet-genuine Irish accent voiceover work at the end!]
