The Gastrocast

Steve Jobs’ (CEO of Apple Computers) announcements about podcasting at the 2005 WWDC (Worldwide Developer’s Conference) may have been a minor part of the Keynote Speech, but I think they have huge ramifications. Long has there been talk about the money making potentials of podcasting, and lately people have been speculating about the chance to earn through the iTunes 99 Cent per track motiff. This however, seems to have been swept off the table by the Keynote. Jobs very clearly stated that the podcasts obtained through the upcoming iTunes interface could be had for FREE. Now there may be subtle marketing chances, but I think this is a clear choice for the promotion of podcasting, rather than the profiting from.



A really cool sidebar to this presentation is that it seems that it will be easier to bookmark a podcast track. Jobs demonstrated an Apple podcast wherein the picture in iTunes for the podcast changed along with the band’s music which was being played at that point in the podcast–this is huge. Both for podcasters who play a range of bands–their cover art can flow along with the track.  But it also is huge for a guy like me–now I can stream my food preperation photos along with the audio where they belong–more like a keynote. I’ll really have to get my shit together to coordinate all that. . . .I’m excited.



Another subtle comment made in the presentation was about enabling both iTunes and iPods with new features favoring Podcasting. Could this be a foreshadowing of what Dave WIner has on his wish list? An iPod which has all the necessary components to aggregate podcasts on its own would make me leap right out an sell something so I could afford to buy one. . . .

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This article asks whether it is alright to feed school children pizza for their lunch? Typically schools’ are saying yes, while parents are shouting NO. Smart but for all the wrong reasons.

Yes, school kids should have a nutritious meal as long as they are held captive there. I hesitate to say balanced because I feel ‘balanced’ should be viewed in terms of a day, not a specific meal. . . .However, the schools should not be taking the place of the family–inotherwords, one lunch a day does not a diet make. Parents should be educating children about what they eat, and schools should be offering healthy options to reinforce this. It does not good for the parent to shoot their kids out the door with a handful of poptarts for the kids to have a low sugar, fat reduced veggie burger at lunch and then race off to Mc D’s for a greaseburger on their way home to the third night of Mac and Cheese.



Pizza does have a place in our diets. Even in the school cafeteria. However, we have to get away from the Domino’s notion of pizza–a grease fest on cardboard. Chucky Cheese, and any other chain pizza place need to wake up and get with the program–more topings at a lower price is not only not healthy it’s just bad economics.



The Podchef’s vision: Pizza should at most have three toppings–Sauce, Cheese and One main item. Fresh dough should be used–it only takes 45 minutes to raise. The dough should only be made from flour, yeast, water and salt. The freshest ingredients should be used. Our pizza Maghretta is loved by all the kids around: Crust, mozzarella, sliced tomatoes baked at 500F for 8-10min. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chopped Basil. Done and Gone. Pepperoni Pizzza and black olives, fresh–raw tomato sauce and cheese. Done; "Can I have some more. . . ."  Fresh, simple, pure. Little grease or fat necessary.



Oh, and don’t serve it every day! Take three slices once a week and call me about a Luau.

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