not with a bang...

I did not come away from this course with the web design expertise I might have been hoping for (ten week course completed: $90,000 a year job please), but that is only because I wildly underestimated the amount of time and work required to nail down even the basics of these tools and web design.  That said, I feel I understand enough now that I know where to find these tools, that I could use them if I devoted myself more deeply to them, and most of all, the computer is far less scary that it was ten weeks ago.

I might not be ready to be a pioneer in Digital History, but I do understand much more of the basic language when I hear people talk about computers, so I don’t have to stand there quietly, nodding my head, pretending like I understand what they’re talking about until I find a chance to change the subject.  I also know how to take care of simple hurdles, such as transferring file types and downloading files on Zamzar or citations via Zotero.  My html knowledge is still week, but now I can see what pieces of sites look like in code and copy them, even if I still have a hard time changing the code to what I want it to look like.

Finally, I’m much more comfortable with the simple functions of my computer itself.  My Mac is only eight weeks old and I feel like I know it better than I did in 20 years of having a PC.  I had a lot of fun playing with iMovie and Garage Band and know they won’t be a problem when it comes time to use those tools for my podcast.  In fact, I plan to make each podcast into mini-documentary as well to post on YouTube.  It’s quick, easy and fun to make a Ken Burns style movie and will be able to reach that many more people.  Here’s a video I made for my old band, Holy Toledo.  It’s crude, but I’m getting better.

I know my Omeka site is lacking, but again, I feel like I understand the basics should I ever need to use Omeka in the future.  Seeing as there isn’t a practical use for my page beyond this class I had a hard time committing the time I probably should have into taking full advantage of the Omeka.

Thanks of this class I already know that I will be using Square Space (see blog five) when it comes time to build my site because it has all the simple tools for web design and each page looks unique and not “bloggy”.  I have the option of using html there, but now I know exactly the task I will be taking on if I attempt to do so.  In other words, I won’t be nearly as cocky as I was ten weeks ago.

Mike Burton is the new John Smith

When I was very little I remember arguing with my mom about the possibility of there being somebody else in the world who shared my name.  We happened to be in line at a video store and to prove her point she asked the clerk to show my how many other Michael Burtons had accounts there.  In a town of about 20,000 people, at that single video store there was no less than nine other Michael Burtons!  (Granted, this would have been about 1983, so this would have been the only video store into town, but consider how many Michael Burtons probably didn’t even own VCR’s yet).  I was devastated to have my individuality striped away so unceremoniously, to have my unique snowflake of an existence crushed under the cruel boot heel of… wait, did you say snowflake?  Ho... ho…hold up.  How the hell is Santa going to find me among the multitudes of Michael Burtons spread across this globe?  He just writes all that stuff on a piece of parchment with a quill.  This is why I didn’t get that bike last year, isn’t it?  I didn’t throw I tantrum, externally anyway.  Inside, I had the first existential crisis of my young life and I might not have been able to verbalize it then, but on some level I knew that God was dead.

Perhaps it wasn’t quite that dramatic, but the digital age has brought a new problem to those with a mundane moniker.  Establishing a web presence can make or break a career these days.  When one Googles Mike Burton, the first hit is for a comedian with the name who starts by saying he should not be confused with the other Mike Burton who is also a comedian.  And then are a number of the sites by or about other MB’s who are more famous than me for one reason or another.

If you need further proof of possible confusion, about a year ago I was asked to join a group called Mike Burton Forever, composed of about 60 men who share my name.  I joined, of course, and found them to be a pretty decent and predominantly wacky bunch of dudes (the grand plan of the group was to have our own convention in Las Vegas and all check into the same hotel on the same day, just to watch the staff melt down in frustration).  I’ve “friended” couple other MB’s, which has made awkward posts if one of us “likes” the other’s status or photos.

The solution is as obvious as it is painful to contemplate: I need to start going by my full name, Michael Bryant Burton.  Facebook, blogs, school work, websites, podcasts, any potential material I put my name to probably should attached to Michael Bryant Burton.  When Googling that name there are two exact hits.  My own Flickr account (that I don’t remember putting my full name on) and a Facebook page for some guy in North Carolina, who frankly looks like a complete tool.  And, of course he is, Michael Bryant Burton sounds like a tool.  Like a guy who wears a sweaters tied over his shoulders, enjoys completive rowing and recreational nerd punching.  That, or he’s an aging hipster who describes himself a screen-print artist, wears a corduroy jacket and a soul patch, hits on younger girls by offering them clove cigarettes.

Ugh. But it’s the only name I have, or only three names.  Unless I come up with a great pseudonym to work under (perhaps Wes Mantooth, Funkminster Buller or Doris Kearns Goodwin), but how many historians use pennames?

I’d really like your feedback on this.  It is potentially a huge change and actually has me a little stressed.  Thanks.

Alaska Packers’ Association in Alameda

I'm phoning this blog in and simply submitting my research report to the Alameda Museum to give them information to go with some paintings they have of the Alaska Packer fleet in Alameda.

The Alaska Packers’ Association was founded in San Francisco in 1891.  They fished and canned salmon in Alaska in the Spring, Summer and early Fall and distributed their products throughout California.  In 1904, the APA built the Fortman Maria on the Alameda side of the Oakland/Alameda estuary.  They used the estuary to anchor their “Star Fleet” of ships during winter months, giving the strip water the name, Alaska Basin. 

In 1916, the APA merged with the Oakland based California Packing Corporation (CalPack), who sold their products (mostly fruits and vegetables) under the name Del Monte.   As time went on the Alaska Packer name was mostly phased out as they were considered a subsidiary of CalPack.  The company moved it’s base of operations to Seattle in the early 1930’s and, in 1967, the company would officially change its name to the Del Monte Corporation.   Salmon production saw a dramatic decline from the 1950’s to 1980’s as Alaska waters were over fished, brining up the price and turning most consumers to buying cheaper tuna.  In 1982, Del Monte sold what was left of the Alaska Packers to ConArga, of Omaha, Nebraska.

Over the years, the APA wielded considerable influence in Bay Area politics and development.  In 1923, during the debate over the construction of a tunnel that would run below the estuary, connecting Alameda and Oakland, the APA announced they would construct a two million dollar ship and rail terminal in Alameda, but only if the proposed tunnel was built.  The swing bridge that was in used at the time on the West End often disrupted boat traffic in and out of the Alaska Basin.  The Posey Tube was approved in 1923, began construction in 1925 and was completed in 1928.

In 1925, the large, new shipping facility was opened along the Alaska Basin.  The Encinal Terminals eventually would have its own birthing basin, three dockside transit sheds and a huge warehouse along a set of rail tracks that ran to Oakland and all points beyond.  The vast Del Monte Warehouse, considered the crown jewel of the facility, was completed in 1927 and still stands today on Buena Vista Avenue.  Littlejohn Park was built in the former Del Monte parking lot in the 1970s.

Podcast Test and so much more

First of all, this took way longer than it looks like.  My plan was just to record a test podcast with GarageBand.  Many hours later, I realized there was no way of uploading the end product to this blog, but with YouTube.  So I went back into iMovie.  Well, you literally can't make a movie there without some visual components.  That was a whole new rabbit hole.  I could not resist all the bells and whistles, like the neat transitions and the "Ken Burns effect".   And once committed to that, well, then I really had to time the pictures to what I was saying in the podcast.  There must be a easier way to do this than... ugh... well, let's just say I don't know that easier way yet.
Here's what I learned:
- how to use GarageBand somewhat.
- how to use iMovie better.
- the speech disorder I forgot to mention, but defiantly suffer from, is mumbling.
- I need to buy a microphone.
- scripts are absolutely necessary.
- everything that I learned today will surely be erased by the beer I drank while doing it.

Please give me notes on places I can improve (I know the voice volume is a little low):

my first video & comparison shopping for site builders

The music here is by some friends of mine in a band called The Donkeys from San Diego.  They're the ones writing the "theme" song to my podcast to play at the top of and end of each episode (I told you I get ahead of myself).  Yes, I could write and record a song myself for this purpose, but it would surely suffer from the fact that I'm the one who wrote and recorded it.  The Donkeys are not only good friends and one of my favorite bands, but to me they sound like an audible distillation of California.

GoDaddy vs. WordPress vs. SquareSpace

Aside from spending hours figuring out how to work the iMovie feature on my new computer to make this movie, I've been combing the internet for the best place to buy a domain name and build a website.  I asked everybody I know who runs a site and was mostly recommended to Squarespace, Wordpress, and GoDaddy.

- I went to GoDaddy first (name recognition, I suppose).  I went through the process of putting everything I thought I'd need into a cart and the price came to about $140 for a year.  Though most of the items were not explained very well and everything was presented as being essential.  Then a friend accurately described GoDaddy as, "the Turkish Market of web registration - they have everything you need if you know what you're doing, but you're pretty likely to walk out feeling ripped off and resentful. They'll try to upsell you at every turn and if you ever decide you want to leave them, they'll hold you down. I know people that have been trying to get out of GoDaddy for YEARS with no success. They also supported SOPA and PIPA and their owner hunts Elephants for game... so y'know, there's that."  Obviously, the idea of getting tied into a service that rips you off and doesn't let you leave is not appealing.  I imaged going into a McDonald's only find your locked inside forever, only eating McDonald's until you decide it's a kinder fate to starve to death.  The fact they supported restricting internet freedoms and have a douchebag for owner leaves a bad taste in my mouth (as McDonald's will do), but is not necessarily enough to deter me.  The king of Spain apparently hunts elephants too, and I love Spain.
An example of GoDaddy website is the Donkey's site.  They're quite happy with it, but their record label pays for it.

- Wordpress (this link is for their "theme directory") allows you to download their templates for free and then you can use that on any domain name you buy.  Hover and NameCheap are places that sell cheap domain names, but don't have any site building tools.  The WordPress tools seem very easy to use; just as simple as the WordPress and Blogger blogs we've been using (though we have had problems there inserting code).  My only complaint about Wordpress is their templates look very much like... well, templates.  They all have a "bloggy" sort of look, which isn't bad per se, but I feel like if you want your site to stand out WordPress might not be the best option.  That said, this will probably be that path I take.
An example of the WordPress website is my friend, Brent's English teaching site.

- The path I'd like to take is SquareSpace.  Sleek, simple, with only two pricing packages and helpful tutorial videos.  The site building tools are just as simple as as WordPress, but comes with a lot more options and capabilities.  It appears that you could design a unique and great looking site without learning a bit of code (though inserting code is very easy).  The only problem is those two pricing plans are $96 and $192 for a year.  And, wouldn't you know it, I think I would need to premium plan.  This really appeals to me because the unlimited storage and broadband, which is perfect for a podcast.
An example of a SquareSpace site is 9thFloorRadio.  I don't think they take full advantage of the style SquareSpace is capable of, but you can see the ridiculous amount of multimedia they manage on this site.  9thFloorRadio is Laney College's television and radio station available only online (I used to host a music show there when I went to Laney and am still friends with the manager).  Not only can you stream the audio shows live all day long, but you can download any show as a podcast.  Though because they have so many shows they use a separate podcast host, Liberated Syndication Pro.  The school pays the bill for SquareSpace and the podcast host.

excuse me... my mind was just blown.

This isn't an official post.  I'm just telling you guys this because at the moment you are the only people I can think of who might care:
For the last couple weeks I've been doing a bit of research into a family called the Lutgen's who lived in Alameda from 1883 to some point in the early 1910s.  There is no reason for me to go into detail about them, but the patriarch was a liquor wholesaler whose company was based in San Francisco.  In fact, almost every hit I've gotten on Mr. John Lutgen have been turn-of-the-century ads for the Wichman, Lugten & Co.  I know the ads well enough that I can spot one just by glancing at a newspaper page.  But in all this time I never really looked at the address of Wichman, Lugten & Co, until I just noticed 431 Clay Street.   And then in clicked.  That is exactly where I've worked for the last eight years!  The address to my hotel (The Le Meridien Hotel) is on Battery St, but if there was a 431 Clay, we would be it.  I know it's menial, but this felt like the historical equivalent of suddenly seeing somebody you know on a nationally syndicated television show, like The Colbert Report or something.
I remembered seeing a picture of 1906 earthquake damaged warehouse at the corner of Clay and Battery and hoped it was Wichman, Lutgan & Co.  I found the picture, but it was a tobacco and cigar warehouse.  I think it was across the street.  Damn.

Is it bad form to hope for the destruction of livelihoods and property of people who died a century ago just so you can get a small thrill from saying, "I know where that is!"?
(I'd make a poll asking that question, but once again the CHMN site is being fickle)

getting hitched

I am the bride who has the font on her wedding invitations picked out before going on the first date.  California history is my potential husband, who likes me, but keeps saying we really need to get to know each other better before we start making plans.  And you all are my bridesmaids, who are going to have to listen to me yammer on for the next six weeks about every piece of minutia on my mad rush to the alter (btw, ladies! I picked out the most amazing band to play the wedding, but more on that once I actually get the song).

Speaking of alters, I had always thought the word libation to simply be another word for an alcoholic beverage, but I figured if I’m naming my podcast The Bear Flag Libation, I should have a better idea of the actual meaning.  It turns out a libation is any liquid that is used as a ritual offering to a god or the dead, usually poured out on a grave or alter.  So when you pour out some of your 40 oz. of Old English malt liquor on to the sidewalk for all your dead homies… that is a libation!  I like this meaning and that sealed the deal with the name.

To strain this wedding metaphor even further, I wanted your guys’ opinion on where I should get the knot tied and do my inaugural episode.  I even created a nice looking poll from the CHNM tool builder that asks this question, but does not record any votes (see below post).  Deciding where and when to begin a history is a tricky thing; here is the case for my top five prospective starting points:

Sonoma- An obvious choice considering the title of the project is taken from the Bear Flag Revolt, which took place in Sonoma in June of 1846.  Though the reports that eventually reached Washington DC described the incident as a siege of “a well-fortified presidio”, the truth was the American settlers had rode into the unmanned town in the middle of the night and simply knocked on the door of Commander Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo.  Despite Vallejo’s hospitality in opening his wine and brandy stores to the motley group of Los Osos (the Bears), they took him captive and sent him off to explorer and “topographer”, Captain John C. Fremont.  The rebels that stayed in Sonoma raised an ad-hoc flag with the picture of a bear and a red star and declared California it’s own free republic, making Sonoma the first American capital of the soon-to-be state (well... not really).

Monterey- The first capital of Alta California in the Spanish and Mexican eras (from 1877-1846), however it seems in the later years what little Californio government there was, was run out of Los Angeles.  There are also some good stories here in the lead up to the Mexican-American War, with Commodore Thomas Jones jumping the gun by four years and seizing the city under belief the war had started.  Also, Fremont shows up again a few months before the war to nonsensically provoke a standoff with General Jose Casto.  Monterey is the spot where the U.S. would officially claim California in July of 1846.

Bolinas- home of the actual oldest bar in California: Smiley’s Schooner Saloon, established in 1849.  I already wrote a piece of Smiley’s for the Boozing By the Bay blog, so makes my job a little easier.  It's also very near the place Sir Francis Drake landed in 1579 and declared the region to be "Nove Albionis" (New Britain).

Dana Point- Besides the fact that Richard Henry Dana gives a lot of insight into what California was like before there were­ many Americans here, there is my own sentimental value in Dana Point, having grown up there.  The first bar that I was ever served booze in was actually in Lubbock, Texas, but that’s another and unrelated story, but the second bar was a place called Turks in the Dana Point Harbor.  I believe I’m older than this bar, but it’s the only dive in town and was known as the place they don’t look at your ID too close.  Turk himself is an interesting character because he was this huge, burly old guy with a white beard that had been a B-movie actor in the 40’s and 50’s.  He always played a pirate or sailor or rapscallion of some sort.  I think there is a good angle about the contrast between R.H. Dana (true rugged sailor and icon of California History) and Turk (the Hollywood image of a rugged sailor, but Hollywood images are just as important to California history than the real deals).
 

Sutter’s Fort- I still don’t know much about the eccentric Swiss adventure and impresario who established New Helvetia (New Switzerland) at the spot where Sacramento now stands.  I’ve heard he had sailed up the Sacramento River from the San Francisco Bay with the plans of carving his own empire out of the unsettled and wild American West (ala Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now).  I know his was the first non-native settlement in the Central Valley.  He seems to have been of the dodgy sort, always swearing his loyalty and giving aid to both the Mexicans and the Americans at the same time.  It’s interesting that he was able to safely hedge his bets for so long and see who came out the winner.

So hopefully you guys can help me chose a good place to begin.  I’d have you vote on that nice looking poll below, but unfortunately my technological inadequacies outweigh my ambition.  So I said screw it and started a twitter feed: https://twitter.com/#!/BearFlagHistory.