From the monthly archives:

January 2010

Beyond The Hype: Can Technology Save The Day?

by Elena on January 27, 2010

Lately I’ve been spending lots of time reading and writing about the changing media landscape. My nerdy inclinations find the topic endlessly fascinating, and I’m not the only one. Everyone is talking about the future of publishing, and hypothesizing how things will change.

This past weekend I wrote a post about the New York Times’ plan to start charging its readers. Because online news sites have been providing free content for years now there isn’t a sufficient revenue stream to sustain company costs. Needless to say, social networking, blogs, microblogs, and the digital lifestyle has all led to the decline in print news, but what can we expect in the future?

Some believe the future lies in distribution. Today Steve Jobs revealed the name of the Apple tablet that everyone has been buzzing about. The iPad is a device somewhere in between a smart phone and a laptop. It has a battery life of 10 hours, much longer than most netbooks, even my little powerful one sitting atop my desk. Without belaboring the discussion about the iPad , I’ll leave that for the tech whizzes that know what they are talking about, I wanted to discuss the ways new technology is expected to change the distribution of media.

Many are wondering if this little expensive device can save the publishing industry. The New York Times has already signed on, as well as other publishers, without really knowing what to expect from this 10 inch iPad, but hoping that it will provide some sort of additional revenue. Many compare the struggling publishing world to the struggling music industry and the problems it faced years ago. One can argue that iTunes vastly affected the way people obtain music, but to say that it saved the music industry would be an exaggeration.

One important distinction we have to make is the difference between the art and distribution. Creating music is an art (let’s forget about lipsynching and autotune for a second and focus on real music). Apple did not reinvent the music scene, but they made it possible for someone to make money off of it (whether or not it benefits Apple more than the music industry or the artists is another discussion).

Just like making music is an art, writing is a craft that one can learn. Not Apple nor Amazon, nor any other tech company, can reinvent the medium itself. What they can do however, is innovate the way we receive media. There are endless options to chose from, which is why big companies are starting to get anxious. Despite the vast choices, however, people will continue to have opinions and will buy and use products they deem worthy and of value, remarkable products that Seth Godin describes. People who value high quality journalism will pay the price to get it, but there will be some growing pains to get there. As media changes, as well as the marketplace, consumers are looking for something more than a mediocre fix and that is where the art comes in. Just like artists in the music industry are starting to think of innovative ways to distribute and make a living from their craft, writers and publishers will do the same. No matter if I read the morning news on my computer, a newpaper, or my fancy new Apple iPad, I will be reading content written by a person, a journalist, a freelancer, or a blogger. What I hold in my hands won’t change that.

Image via: James Jordan

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Weekly Photo: Children Playing in Cuernavaca Mexico

by Elena on January 27, 2010

Children Playing in Cuernavaca Mexico

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Free Speech in Blogging – Bloggers in Jail for Saying What’s on Their Minds

by Elena on January 25, 2010

Free speech is a human right. It is something that most people don’t even think about as the go about their daily lives. I know I don’t. For the most part we can say whatever we want, in whatever snarky tone we want, and we won’t get in trouble for it. Matters get sticky when you talk constantly about hate or you threaten individuals, the government, or society on some level, but for the most part we won’t get put in jail for saying what’s on our minds. Not everyone is so lucky. There are people around the world who get tossed in jail for doing what I do everyday, blog. I found out about the large number of bloggers in jail (over 60) after reading a post on Polo Bastards. Polo Bastards is an interesting site, unlike the usual travel sites you will find, that writes about parts of the world most people don’t think about visiting.

Yoani Sanchez writes her blog Generation Y from Havana Cuba in an effort to “let me say, in this space, what is forbidden to me in my civic action.” She writes mostly from hotels where internet often costs upwards of $7 an hour. In Cuba only senior officials and foreign residents can contract an internet service, leaving most of the population isolated. The Cuban government filters her blog on the island, however their are greatest risks than silence, where some countries inhibit free speech by using jail time and even torture.

Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman is an Egyptian blogger who was sentenced to 4 years in prison for speaking his mind on his blog. He is charged with. “(1) Spreading data and malicious rumors that disrupt public security; (2) Defaming the President of Egypt; (3) Incitement to overthrow the regime upon hatred and contempt; (4) Incitement to hate Islam and breach of the public peace standards; (5) Highlighting inappropriate aspects that harm the reputation of Egypt and spreading them to the public.” On the Free Kareem website you can find out all the information you need about his case. On the site’s blog you will get up to date information, such as how he has been denied visits from his lawyer for the third time. You will also find pictures, videos, music, and letters in support of Kareem, such as the song written by Ethiopian singer Meklit Hadero.

If you want to get involved or wish to contact Kareem you can do so through the Free Kareem website. In order to keep up Kareem’s spirit’s, the Free Kareem Coalition, a group of young bloggers and college students committed to free speech, appreciates any letter sent to Kareem. You can send a letter directly or through their contact page which they will mail to him. If you decide to write a letter make sure not to write anything that will aggravate prison officials (they read all letters first). It will only make matters worse for him. Did you write to Kareem?All images via: Free Kareem

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Will You Pay for Your News? The New York Times Is Counting on It

by Elena on January 23, 2010

We are a spoiled bunch. With just the punch of the enter button on your keyboard you are seconds away from the answer to any question you may have. How much does it cost to buy a condo in Long Island City? How many calories are in kumquats? What the heck is ROI? Online users are accustomed to unlimited access to free information on the web. With social networking sites like Twitter, it is possible to get updates on the latest news events, in 140 characters or less. This is a small part of the reason why the New York Times’ new business plan is causing such a stir. The New York Times plans to charge its most loyal readers, readers who will not doubt go over the set amount of free articles each month. Don’t worry just yet; the plan won’t kick in until 2011.

From a purely business standpoint it makes sense that a newspaper of the Times’ size would charge people to read its content, but as we know, the online world works differently than the print world. If you want the print version sent to your door everyday, you expect to pay for it; however if you want to read the online version every morning before you check your email, you expect it to be free. I mean why not? Most everything else is free online.

The prevalent business model for online media has generally been to offer free content to readers and to rely on advertising dollars in order to stay afloat. This has put some strain on well-established and new publications alike. Staff writers get cut and freelance writers make less money, hence the reason most writers are turning to unconventional methods to support themselves. There is no doubt that media is changing, as it has many times before, people just have to figure out a way to change with it. The question is, how do we do it?

While publications are suffering in general, The New York Times is of course very different than your small local paper or your daily blog reads. It is much more costly to run such a huge operation, with reporters all over the world, as well as writers, editors, line editors, deliverymen, and distributors. As Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research states, Google ads can’t pay for everything:

The notion that the enormous cost of real news-gathering might be supported by the ad load of display advertising down the side of the page, or by the revenue share from having a Google search box in the corner of the page, or even by a 15-second teaser from Geico prior to a news clip, is idiotic on its face.

He is right. It is crazy to think that the high cost of maintaining such an operation can be covered by advertising, and if it can’t, how else can it support its daily operation? David Firestone, a deputy national news editor elaborates this point. “As painful as it will be at the beginning, we have to get rid of the notion that high-quality news comes free.”

The New York Times is worried about many things. Their biggest worry is simply whether or not people are willing to pay for their news. The changes won’t affect the occasional reader who stumbles upon an article after searching Google News, but rather the avid readers of the Times who return day after day. Will these readers turn their back on the publication? Another worry is of course ad dollars. If the paper loses some of its audience, it will inevitably lose some advertising dollars. It is risky, but with revenues down, they have to do something.

Some publications have found success in charging their readers. Cook’s Illustrated charges its readers for unlimited access to their database of recipes. If you check out their website you will notice something very strange. There is absolutely no outside advertising, yet they were able to grow 30% in 2008. This strategy works well for niche markets, but the Times is not for a niche market with its breadth of topics and news stories. The Times will have to find a balance between subscribers and advertising.

Now this begs the question, would you pay for high quality news or other high profile news sources like the New York Times? Sure people may say that they will pay, but when the time comes will they really pay up, or will they be looking elsewhere to get their news fix? Other papers currently use the paywall method, such as the Wall Street Journal and Newsday. The Times has tried to charge its online readers in the past, without much success. From 2005 to 2007 the newspaper started TimesSelect which charged for its editorials and columns. Columnists such as Maureen Dowd and Tom Friedman began to complain about their drop in readership. Friedman noted that reader’s abroad, in particular readers from China and India, stopped reading his content because it became too expensive, especially for a country where $50 is a huge investment.

On a personal level I can relate to both sides of the argument. Out of pure selfishness, I understand the draw of free content. Times are rough and I want as much free information as the next guy. As a writer who has been in contact with many publications that are having a hard time paying its contributors, I understand the importance of paying for high quality content. I also believe that if a product is remarkable, then people will pay for it. You may lose some consumers here and there, but it seems absurd to continue offering free products forever.

One thing that is certain in our information saturated world, industries are changing and little good has come from freaking out. The music industry didn’t gain much from trying to sue every person that downloaded music illegally, and while it’s true that the music industry is struggling, products such as iTunes and Pandora has managed to keep people paying for their music. We can stream free movies online, but that hasn’t stopped people from going to see movies on the big screen (Avatar already topped 500 million in the US). Late night television has suffered in the ratings (such as Conan) because of its ever fickle audience; however other shows (even some non reality shows) have managed to gain large popularity by breaking the mold, such as Fox’s Glee. What companies need to do is figure out new ways to reach consumers and hold their attention, which may be easier said than done, what with all the options we have to chose from. Despite the blogs and new sites popping up, there is still space for a respected and high quality news outlet like the Times, where reporters are at the scene and are expected to exemplify a certain quality of excellence, even though they too make mistakes. I don’t see this type of reporting changing anytime soon.

Image via: paalia

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Travel Won’t Answer Your Problems

by Elena on January 21, 2010

I met with an old friend this week. We sat over a western omelet, fulfilling the ritual catch-up, reminiscing about the past and predicting our future. It is interesting when you meet with someone after a long period time of being apart, especially if that person knows you well. In a way they can gauge how much you’ve changed, or how much you’ve stayed the same.

Like some people, he thought vacation was going to be his escape, maybe even a small answer to all his frustrations and worries. He learned quickly that this wasn’t the case. He had been looking forward to his trip and when his expectations didn’t live up to reality, he was inevitably disappointed. He returned home, back to his routine, spending hours and days in his place of business, disillusioned by his travels.

This got me thinking about the expectations we have when go abroad. If you’ve traveled a lot you may start to feel overwhelmed. Churches and cathedrals all start to look the same and you may even begin to get a little pretentious. My vacation spot is way better than yours. I went to Machu Picchu way before it became one of the New 7 Wonders. Long term travelers can also be perceived as running away from responsibilities, problems, or the ‘real’ world. People may ask what exactly it is that you are looking for or running away from. These are difficult questions to answer because we all travel for different reasons and in different ways. Because of limited vacation time, most Americans travel for short periods of time. Some of us may want to get drunk in Cancun, while others want to climb mountains, learn a language, or live abroad.

In my experience, one of the great things about going away is the feeling you get when you leave a place behind. It isn’t completely rational, it’s probably not entirely healthy either, but there is nothing like knowing that tomorrow you will be somewhere new. Not everyone will agree of course, but when you get that itch you will recognize it right away.

For this reason it is easy to think that once you’re gone all your troubles will be left behind. Of course this isn’t always the case. Similar to the way some people may find comfort in a brisk jog around their neighborhood, or more appropriately a couple pints of beer, travel comforts too, but as we know a carton of Ben & Jerry’s won’t get rid of the problem and neither will picking up and flying to the South Pacific.

Traveling isn’t always easy. I’m not talking about a resort vacation with a massage therapist and daily yoga, that seems rather easy to me, but rather the decision to travel long term and see the world, often on a budget. You won’t get the comfort and amenities of home and you will spend significant periods of time away from family and friends. What travel can do, however, is bring you in contact with a different way of thinking. Read Rick Steve’s Travel as a Political Act if you want to get inspired. He talks about the ways travel can broaden your perspective and help you answer some of the pressing questions and problems you have back home. Experiencing something outside of your comfort zone may be difficult at first, but it will teach you something.

Travel itself won’t answer your problems, but it can aid you in figuring out just what you want to do in life, what makes you happy, and what situations you can handle. It can help you grow, and frankly, like a small carton of Ben & Jerry’s it can make you feel a hell of a lot better, at least in the moment.

Image via: alicepopkorn

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Weekly Photo: Vancouver Cloudy Skyline

by Elena on January 20, 2010

This picture was taken from Stanley Park in Vancouver, on a particularly cloudy day.

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Granada and The Tales of the Alhambra

by Elena on January 14, 2010

What does it take to be first online to get into the Alhambra? If you avoid the reasonable route of getting your tickets in advance, like other more responsible travelers, then you will have to wait in line, a really really long line.

After a couple days in Seville we made our way to Granada with a vague plan of interest and no guidebooks. The heat of summer in the Spanish south had sucked out all of our energy, and a small part of us had no desire but to sit around drinking freshly squeezed orange juice under one of the makeshift sun blockers in the streets of Seville. Needless to say we were not prepared for our excursion to the Alhambra. We arrived, somewhat brazenly, to the entrance of the palace shortly after 8am. The line was impressive, so long and winding we couldn’t see the unlucky chaps at the end of it all. Even they were luckier than we were. We were not getting in that day. Our only other choice was to arrive unreasonably early the next day and wait in line. Although many people assured us that we need only arrive a couple hours before the ticket booth opened at 8am, my cousin wanted to be one of the first people on line, hence arriving so early you might as well take a sleeping bag. At first I felt guilty that he was ‘taking one for the team’ and going to stand in line to ensure our entrance into one of the most remarkable sights in the world just about when I was entering my REM cycle, but then the clock started buzzing at 3am. You try waking up at 3am with jet lag, travel fatigue, and a sudden bout of I’m not a morning person. He left the hostel sometime after 2am and was behind only two other groups, a group of hippie Spaniards who had slept at the entrance overnight and a friendly Moroccan family who offered him some coffee brewed from homegrown coffee beans.

The Alhambra is definitely worth the wait. We were able to enjoy the benefit of entering early, as well as an early entrance time into the Nasrid Palace. The gardens are better enjoyed if you visit them in the afternoon. The sun can be brutal, but the flowers look their best under the sun’s rays. Alhambra means red fortress, and it certainly looks like a fortress when viewed from lookout point San Nicolas. You would think that this fortress would be filled with medieval Christian architecture rather than its distinctly arabesque designs. Originally an Islamic palace, it eventually fell into the hands of the Christian kings after the fall of the Islamic Empire in Spain.

The Alhambra is big but you can easily see everything in one day. The following are the major sites that you mustn’t miss.

Palacio Nazaries (Nasrid Palace)
The Nasrid Palace is one of the most elaborate and recognizable Islamic structures in all of Europe. It is known for the intricate stucco work, painted tile walls, and extensive courtyards. The palaces inside the Alhambra were erected for the Muslim sultans of Granada. In this palace you can walk though ceremony rooms, courtyards, private residences, and offices. As well as the time slot they give you to enter the Alhambra, you will also have a time slot for entering the Palacio Nazaries. Once you get inside you don’t have to worry about time for the rest of your visit.

The Court of Myrtles is an iconic image of the Alhambra and the Nasrid Palace. The Moors loved incorporating patios into their architecture. There are many theories as to what this particular court was used for. Some say that the sultan’s harem were kept upstairs behind the windows with wooden screens, after all, it isn’t appropriate for the sultan’s harem to be seen by other men. Others simply believe that the upstairs was used during the cooler winter months and the outdoor courtyard was used in the summer.

There are twelve lions around a fountain in the Court of Lions. The twelve lions were a gift from a prominent Jewish leader at the time. Granada had an extensive Jewish population, and a rich history of Christians, Muslims, and Jews living together, sometimes not in harmony. As for the significance of the twelve lions, historians aren’t certain, but they probably represent the 12 tribes of Israel. The lions were later turned into a clock that spouted water out of a different lion’s mouth according to the time of day. The clock no longer works after the Christian conquerors took it apart to see how it worked. Unfortunately, on my most recent visit to the Alhambra, the lions were taken away to be restored. The good news is that they are coming back soon, sometime in 2010.

Washington Irving penned his legendary story, Tales of the Alhambra, from within the Alhambra’s very walls. Irving’s work helped introduce western audiences to the treasures of the Alhambra.

Alcazaba
The Alcazaba is the fort of the Alhambra. Alhambra itself means fortress, making the Alcazaba the original Alhambra. It is the oldest and hence the most ruined of structures. This fort was used to defend the small town within the Alhambra wall. If you climb the high structures you will get amazing views of the Sierra Nevada, the city of Granada, and the Albazin.

Generalife Gardens
The Generalife Gardens are a short walk away on the opposite side of the grounds. If you have time to kill before your assigned entrance into the Nasrid Palace, you should make your way to these gardens and Generalife Palace.These gardens were planted in an overzealous effort to create a paradise on earth. The flowers, shrubbery, and fountains are all said to have kept their Moorish character. Fruits and vegetables were also grown for the inhabitants of the palaces. The sultan is said to have enjoyed the Generalife Palace during the summer, when he could roam around the gardens and enjoys its fruits and flowers.El Partal is right at the entrance of the Generalife Gardens. Here you will find another large courtyard with a pond. I imagine these ponds help keep the area cool during the hot summer months. They seem to do the trick.

Charles V’s Palace
The Alhambra wasn’t always under Islamic rule. Muslim Spain slowly came to an end, and Granada eventually fell from Islamic rule in 1492, when Ferdinand and Isabella took over Granada and the surrounding areas. When the Christians came into the power, they built their own structures, as conquering parties often do, within the Alhambra walls. Charles V constructed this palace with the money from the taxed Muslim population, another way of exerting Christian authority, and rubbing some salt on their wounds.

Buying Tickets For the Alhambra

The best choice is to buy your tickets ahead of time on www.alhambra-tickets.es. Buying ahead of time will ensure that you won’t have to wait long on the line or risk not getting in at all.
You could always wait in line like we did. This of course means that you will be up inconceivably early during high season and reasonably early during low season.
Book with your hotel or hostel. Sometimes hotels put aside tickets for their guests.
Pay for a tour. This of course is the more expensive option, but if you have no other choice it could be well worth it. Go to a local travel agency or hotel and see what tours are available.

When you buy a ticket, you are given an appointment time when you can enter the Alhambra and Nasrid palace. This prevents overcrowding. Make sure to arrive an hour before your assigned appointment to enter the Alhambra because you will most likely be waiting awhile on line (even if you bought your ticket ahead of time).

The floors of the Palace of Charles V are rather slippery. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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Weekly Photo: Alhambra in Granada Spain

by Elena on January 13, 2010

The Alhambra is a Moorish palace that sits atop the Spanish city of Granada and is by far one of the most spectacular sites to see in Spain. The inside of the Alhambra is impressive even for the most seasoned traveler. The view from afar, at the Mirador de San Nicolas, is also memorable. If you are lucky, you may get the chance to hear some flamenco.

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Looking Forward In 2010

by Elena on January 8, 2010

The word resolution can be intimidating. Someone who is resolute is firm and determined, bold and steady. That is a lot to live up to if you ask me. Most of the time, on the journey to figuring out career, happiness, the meaning of life, people are more likely to waver than stay firmly planted in their decisions. Resolutions are usually made because of our very nature to teeter back and forth. Should I eat the cupcake? Should I not eat the cupcake? Trust me, you should eat the cupcake.

2009 was a big year for me because I made the decision to start pursuing this crazy idea of writing for a living. The end of my stint in Montreal, meant I return to NJ and look for a job. It was then that I decided to take matters into my own hands. This blog, and a few others along the way, got me into the habit of writing. It is a great discipline and there is no better teacher than practicing on a frequent basis. You yourself are accountable for your success. This site has been a huge learning experience for me, in many ways. In 2010 I hope to expand my audience, gain more contacts within the industry, travel more, and basically do the things that make me happy and keep me jonesin.

In 2010 you can expect…

A new photography section, including travel photography and other pictures that strikes my fancy.
A growing travel and city guide section.
More personal travelogues.
Articles on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Articles on working in new media and the freelance world.
More South America and Mexico.

I have a lot to be grateful for in this past year. I was able to visit South America for the first time in my life and wander about Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. I saw sites like Machu Picchu, Salar de Uyuni, and Mendoza’s wine country. I ate some of the best beef you could imagine, and got a serious bout of altitude sickness that didn’t completely ruin my digestive system. I wrote extensively about my two road trips to Montreal and this year I will write more about South America and the time I spent in Mexico.

In 2010 I’m looking forward to…

Becoming a Digital Nomad – This is still one of the main goals that inspired this website. I continue to be inspired by so many people on the web like Timothy Ferris, Nomadic Matt, Chris Guillebeau, Christine Gilbert, and the Frugal Traveler.

Using 80-20 Principle – So this Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, came up with the idea that 80% of all effects come from about 20% of causes. That means 80% of your finished work comes from about 20% of the effort you put in. Now here’s a thought. What would happen if you spent more time on the 20% effort that actually gets the job done. Well you would save a lot more time and headaches, that’s what. I plan to test out the theory and find out exactly what 20% of effort I put into daily activities has the most desired result.

Deconstructing a New Language and Refreshing the Old – The techniques to learning a language is very popular topic among travelers. Writers, like Tim Ferris, claim that language classes don’t work, that you can learn any language in as little as 3 months, even 1 hour. Based on a recommendation from a friend, I picked up the book How To Learn a Language in 7 Days, by Ramon Campayo. (I wasn’t able to find an English version). I want to experiment various theories of learning a language and see if it is possible to quicken the process. Maybe we have approached the process incorrectly. I would like to chose two languages, one that will be fairly easy because I already speak Spanish, and another that will be more difficult because it doesn’t use the roman alphabet. So I’m thinking Portuguese and Hindi.

Becoming a Master Cook (in my kitchen) and Gourmand - I decided to keep my expectations high learn not only to cook, but to cook well, so well in fact that people are licking their fingers and begging for more. It won’t be easy, as I’ve learned with a few mishaps in the kitchen, but it is enjoyable. Food has always been a very important part of my life, beyond the whole nourishment and daily bread aspect. Eat Drink & Travel documents it.

Writing an EBook – This year I will get started on my eBook and post it on this site. I have a bunch of ideas and I still haven’t selected the exact one yet, but it will be in a similar vain to the content found on my sites.

Less Clutter Less Junk – Toss it! That’s my new mantra. I will finally get rid of my pack-rat tendencies and move on to having a simpler, less cluttered life. Hmm I should probably start with my pile of fashion magazines.

Figuring out my Canon Rebel XSi - It seems only fitting, since I included the photographs of one of my favorite photographers on this post, that I think about finally figuring out my new camera! This year I want to get more technical, pick up a few books, and finally conquer the art of Photoshop.

Oh and at some point I want to lie on my back on a beach of pebbles with an umbrella over my head.

Do you remember this song? I think it came out around the mid 90s. Jesse from Rising Bean used the Baz Luhrmann song “Sunscreen” in his video documenting his various trips around the world.

Image above : Henri Cartier-Bresson Dieppe, 1929

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Weekly Photo: Tango in Buenos Aires

by Elena on January 6, 2010

This picture was taken in the basement at Cafe Tortoni, one of the most popular cafes in Buenos Aires. Each night you can watch a tango performance in this legendary peña, a place where people come together to eat, drink and watch performances. Cafe Tortoni is also a part of Argentina history with impressive clientele like literary great Jorge Luis Borges and tango legend Carlos Gardel.

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