Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Baxter Loves Cheese

By popular demand, Baxter is back. I am again working at the offices of Iron Creative in San Francisco. Baxter never forgets a face, or a source of bacon. I didn't have bacon today, but did have cheese.


Cheese Please!

I gave him a little piece of cheddar, but Baxter needs to watch his figure so his daddy cut off the supply of cheese. With that proclamation, I took a video of a cheese-less Baxter walking off into the sunset. Not to be rebuffed, he would later return to see if the embargo on cheese had been lifted. It had not, but Baxter does make a strong case for ending the prohibition on cheese for guard dogs.


PS. Click here to see Iron Creative's award winning e-card for Blueprint Ventures. It is a funny holiday tale about the origins of the Snoman.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Baxter Loves Bacon

Guard dog and fellow bacon lover Baxter came over to visit me today. Baxter protects the offices of Iron Creative Communications in San Francisco with a ferocious, criminals-be-warned tail wag.


Do you have bacon?

Baxter is always happy to meet you at the door with puppy-dog eyes and a wet nose. If you are having writer's block, scratching Baxter's head is a sure-fire remedy. When you need an emergency cure to a loss of inspiration, Baxter suggests that you bring bacon. With bacon, Baxter will not only be a friend for life, but he will do tricks. They aren't great tricks mind you, but for a hard working guard dog, they are pretty good. Click here to see a video of Baxter the guard dog doing tricks.

Friday, May 05, 2006

Introducing VRS Interpreter 113F

I have received a lot of positive response about the use of SightSpeed for video relay services. Thanks everyone!

One of the key things that people notice about LifeLinks' use of SightSpeed is that you can pick your own interpreter. This is a brand new concept for the industry, and a feature that members of the deaf community really like.


Hi, I'm Lifelinks interpreter #113

Click here to watch a video introduction from interpreter 113F. To contact her directly for your VRS needs, simply add 113FLLVRS@lifelinks.net to your SightSpeed contact list and she would be happy to relay your calls.

VRS is a free service provided to deaf individuals who use American Sign Language as their primary means of communication. To learn more about deaf relay services, check out this article by Ryan Singel about vrs services.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Thank a Teacher

My favorite non-profit is DonorsChoose.org. With a generous gift from Bank of America, they launched their San Francisco Challenge campaign. They have selected the most innovative school projects and have funded 50% of them. When you fund the other half, the project will be brought to life!

All you need to do is click the button below and see the projects that Bank of America has already half-funded. B of A has already committed their money to the projects. All you have to do is fund the other half. What a great way to thank a teacher!



San Francisco Chronicle is also featuring the DonorsChoose SF Challenge launch in Christopher Caen's popular weekly column. With such a great way to help teachers, what's not to love?

Press Coverage about the Deaf using SightSpeed for Video Relay

As I reported earlier in this blog, members of the deaf community are using SightSpeed to communicate with each other, and to reach the hearing via video relay. Now Ryan Singel has written an article about it; "Deaf, Perhaps, But Not Mute".

Ryan writes about the "VRS service from LifeLinks, which provides the deaf with a broadband connection, a webcam and video-phone software from SightSpeed. LifeLinks provides VRS translators, but the deaf can also use the software for free calls to other deaf people."