Up to Speed: Hulu's Shamanic Travelogue

Richard Linklater and Speed Levitch discussing Hulu's program Up to Speed at SxSW last spring. Photo credit: Andrea Schwalm

When Timothy "Speed" Levitch walked out on stage last spring at South by SouthWest in order to talk about his new Hulu.com project, Up to Speed, his high, nasal voice and peripatetic attire seemed so over the top, I found myself immediately trying to categorize him.
"What is this guy's deal?" I wondered aloud.
The deal, as I quickly learned, is that Speed Levitch is brilliant (also: quirky, joyous, deeply philosophical, and as he acknowledges himself, perhaps just a little schizophrenic).

Directed by Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, School of Rock), Up to Speed is an episodic travelogue that deposits Levitch, a former New York City tour guide, in a different city each week in order to "shamanically visit cities and other textural situations of human collaboration," reveling all the while in "the beauty of the unexpected." In this nonlinear process, viewers learn (for instance) that San Francisco's bucolic Alamo Square is actually the site of a mass grave, and that Frederic Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty, unsettlingly based the face of his iconic creation on his mother while modeling its body on his mistress.
A favorite moment in the program's first episode, "San Francisco: A City Shaped by Earthquakes," shows Speed ruminating upon one positive outcome to emerge from the tragic quake of 1989. According to Levitch, the elevated, double-decked Embarcadero Freeway -- which for decades had divided the city proper from its' neighboring bay -- was crippled beyond repair by the disaster. The city's mayor had no option but to dismantle the structure, once again uniting city and waterfront. As if to say, "Thank you for removing that eyesore," San Francisco's sea lions immediately relocated en masse to the newly-visible Pier 39, where 300 of the animals ultimately became one of San Francisco's biggest tourist attractions.
Levitch reflects:

Perhaps, the sea lions have arrived on this side of the bay to remind us that as much as we are standing on Pier 39, we are standing on Shiva's dance floor of creation and destruction, all of us, human and pinniped alike, subject to the universe's chaotic breath pattern.

In other words, this isn't your average walking tour...
New episodes of Up to Speed will be released each Thursday this month as part of Hulu's ongoing efforts to compete against Netflix and Amazon Prime and I encourage geeks of all stripes to check them out. Caveat: Up to Speed does have some profanity -- often used to surreal effect (ie, embattled redwood trees, strident monuments). In our household of teenagers and teens at heart, colorful language is not necessarily a dealbreaker, so Up to Speed is absolutely considered family-friendly entertainment.
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/46722989[/vimeo]

Samsung or Apple?

Late last week I attended Samsung's "Unpacked 2013" event at Radio City Music Hall in order to take a closer look at the Galaxy S4 smartphone, set for release in April. The experience was mostly positive. Despite selling over 100 million Galaxy SIII phones last year, Samsung continues to grapple with its Apple inferiority complex and overcompensates by offering a dizzying array of new features at each of its launches. This event was no exception. A 45-minute "Broadway-styled" set of skits designed to showcase all of the line's improvements read like an inspired but endless laundry list of the recently-unimaginable. Bigger screen, longer battery life, better camera, faster, more-efficient chip, foreign language translation, eye scrolling, air gesture recognition, dual video capture and call mode (where the person you're speaking with can see your face through the secondary camera and everything around you via the primary camera)...this is a phone that is begging you to be its friend!
So many features were touted and applauded that choosing what to highlight became difficult. However, the S4 upgrades that I think are most significant are its improved primary camera (now 13 megapixels); its coterie of space-age user-tracking functions (including "eye-scrolling" that detects where your eyes are on the screen and will no doubt have Philip K. Dick rolling in his grave); and the promise of a Galaxy S4-compatible, Wii U-style controller that can turn your phone into either a handheld gaming device or a highly portable video game system.
A full list of Galaxy S4 features I liked included:

• A 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display with a pixel density of 441ppi — a genuine improvement over the Galaxy S III's 306ppi display, as well as the iPhone 5's 326ppi retina display.
• A 13 megapixel primary BSI camera with f/2.2 aperture and autofocus.
• A battery that lasts up to 24 hours and will now be able to charge wirelessly using NFC (near field communication).
• New toys for that new camera: Drama Shot will create animated GIFs using the camera's "burst mode," and Sound & Shot will record up to nine seconds of audio to accompany a still photo.
• A Green PHOLED display that sucks less juice from your battery. (As I explained in my review of the Galaxy Note 2 last fall, battery life is extremely important to me.)
• An Exynos 5 Octa eight-core chip, which will feature both a quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 1.8GHz setup and a Cortex-A7 1.2GHz cluster alongside -- which will also contribute to that more-efficient battery usage.
• A glove friendly interface: In other words, the phone will detect touch even through gloves.
• The aforementioned Galaxy S4-compatible controller, also pictured below. The controller will come bundled with eight games, be compatible with 80 additional Android games, and will communicate with televisions via Bluetooth. It is set for release in May. For handheld game play, the controller has an extendable clamp designed to accommodate either the S4 or the Note 2. For gaming on a larger screen, the phone will communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth with any smart TV.

Features I still have questions about:

• The Eye scrolling -- Will my preferences be saved somewhere? Am I giving away privacy for the sake of fingerless page scrolling? Also: Will it keep up with me? I'm a pretty fast reader...
• The Air Gesture -- Is this going to pick up all of my movements and interpret them as actions? Will it become the auto-correct of the user tracking world, performing actions I am not asking for simply because I use my hands when I talk?
• The Dual-Video Capture mode -- Do I want to easily share my surroundings with the person that I'm talking to on the phone?
• The Smart Pause feature that stops video you're watching if your eyes drift away -- What if I simply don't want to watch that portion of the video? What if just-listening is just fine?

Conclusion:
None of the criticisms I've written about here are actually deal breakers. I think that Samsung is actually making a very interesting set of products with its Galaxy series. Furthermore: At this point, I think that Samsung's products are more innovative and playful than Apple's but that Apple has the better app store.

What do you think? Apple or Samsung?

(Initially published on Geekmom.com at Wired.com.)

We all scream for yogurt

 These people have clearly just eaten yogurt.

me:  Ohmygod! I can't believe that I haven't told you about this yogurt I'm eating. It's life-changing!

B:    You know...I remember when you used to be cool.

me:  Okay. First of all, I was never cool, I was depressed. Also, you are not taking me seriously. And that...hurts.

B:     All right, all right. Tell me about the yogurt.

me:  Well first of all I really like the design of the container: it's split so that there's a big section and then a smaller section and the smaller section can fold over so that you can add your topping to the yogurt in the bigger section...

B:    So, it's a complicated yogurt. I can see how that would appeal to you.

me:  I haven't even gotten to the best part yet: the toppings are all wonderful but the best one is...wait for it...

B:   ...

me:   The honey yogurt. You've got your yogurt in the big section and you can either take a tiny spoonful of honey with each spoonful of yogurt or dump the honey in and stir it around. YOU HAVE CHOICES.

B:    Is this what we've come to? Discussing digestive aiding yogurts?

me:   I believe that this is what the poets call "mid-life."

B:   [sigh] Ok, I am convinced.

me:     Excellent! My work here is done.

Do the toys kids play with impact who they become?

A couple of months ago I was invited to a Disney holiday gifts preview where I got the chance to see some really gorgeous princess dress-up gowns — including an ocean blue, tulle-tastic Cinderella gown with twinkly-magical LED lights sewn into the layers. Now, even though I fly my feminist flag high and proud, I’ve personally got no problem with princess-wear. There is nothing wrong with feeling like you look fabulous — and as a Lego-playing, clock-dissecting, sci-fi fan girl 35 years ago I would have absolutely felt gorgeous in that Cinderella gown.

But I also would have loved to have been given instructions so that I could wire the lights in my gown myself. At very least, float me a mechanism so that I could change the speed or color of those sparkly lights — or hey, how about an accompanying kit so that I could accessorize with my very own luminescent faerie wings? See, I would have wanted to do more than just wear that dress, I would have wanted to personalize it — not from some high-flown set of intellectual ideals, but because then I could say, “Yeah, you might have this fantastic dress, too, but I OWN it! I made it even better!”

The gifts and toys we give our children reflect the values we want to share, are imbued implicitly with the dreams we have for them — we seed the playrooms of little boys with Legos and construction sets not just because they’re fun but also with the idea of perhaps sparking a life-long passion: Today you’re building Lego houses, my child; tomorrow, Mama’s solar-heated writing studio!

In the past, though, I’ve wondered: Are we gifting our little girls with the same kinds of opportunities and dreamscapes that we give our sons? Is part of the problem with keeping women in the “STEM pipeline” that young women don’t ever consider STEM careers an option in the first place? If so, do the toys kids play with impact who they become?

This kind of thinking is what drew me to the Goldieblox tent at Maker Faire. Goldieblox is a new toy company currently receiving lots of great press for its highly successful Kickstarter campaign to create toys that aim “to open girls’ minds to what exists beyond the pink aisle at the toy store.”

GoldieBlox founder Debbie Sterling admits that she, herself, didn’t consider a career in engineering until she was an undergraduate at Stanford:

As a young girl I was in Brownies, I was a ballerina, played soccer and liked to draw. Freshman year at Stanford, though, there were some people in my dorm that were studying engineering, and they were always walking around with really cool projects. The voice of my math teacher who had first mentioned engineering to me was replaying in my head, so I decided to try it. I took ME 101 and found out what engineering was and thought it was really cool.

According to Sterling’s research, girls love reading, stories, and characters. That is why the first GoldieBlox toy comes with a book. Girls read Goldie’s story, are introduced to Goldie and her friends, then construct and play with the accompanying pulley-system toy, wedding the characters together with basic principles of engineering as they play.

I don’t know about you, but to me this premise sounds brilliant…

The Blog and Podcast Title that Almost Was

Bag that I covet. Seen at Maker Faire NY. Photo: me.

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE IS LATE NIGHT TEXT MESSAGING...

12:12am (New York)
Andrea
Hey! How are you?


12:13am (Louisiana)
Lish the Dish
insane. pretending I don't have strep, trying to run a $25,000+ book fair, grad school life & everything


12:14am
Andrea
Why are you running a book fair? and where are you going to grad school?


12:15am
Lish the Dish
Always run the school book fair. Have to train a new Barnes & Noble person each year

It's a huge book fair. Not Scholastic metal bins. Decor, theme


12:16am
Andrea
Oh my. Dare I ask? What...is your decor?


12:17am
Lish the Dish
mostly balloons, TG. There are custom riser shelves built by the Father's Club, tablecloths specifically for event. thankfully this year's mom's are going with a basic heart theme

and you


12:17am
Andrea
IDEA! John Green ice sculptures?


12:18am
Lish the Dish
OMG!!!!


12:18am
Andrea
LOL


12:18am
Lish the Dish
More than his books, I just love that John is a truly nice person. and intelligent. and easy on the eyes but too young and a little too conservative for me


12:20am
Andrea
He is the whole ball of wax, agreed. But too young. I don't need that kind of "keeping up with the young 'uns" stress at this juncture. Please accept me as overweight and prone to drinking all of your wine, otherwise we will just have to remain friends.


12:20am
Lish the Dish
so for some reason I just Googled "all the things that have come before" for your blog title


12:20am
Andrea
That is a beautiful title...ATTTHCB

(god bless me)


12:21am
Lish the Dish
Don't see it taken and if you remove quotes -- close to some other things but still not taken

That is one hell of an acronym


12:21am
Andrea
It kind of fits with who I am


12:21am
Lish the Dish
Oh and i'm totally with your previous statement


12:22am
Andrea
The one about "shut up and let me talk or I'll unfriend you?"


12:23am
Lish the Dish
Where the hell is that. I meant the overweight wine drinking one


12:23am
Andrea
Oh, LOL: I thought you meant my Facebook posts

SPEAKING OF WINE

DON'T DRINK AND POST


12:23am
Lish the Dish
I can't "like" a chat statement

I so rarely get to drink as it just makes me hotter and girl it may be the South or I'm in menopause or it's my drugs, but I am always SWEATING

12:25am
Andrea
Oh yes. The hormonal march has commenced north of the Mason Dixon, as well


12:26am
Lish the Dish
But at least you have Fall and Winter.


12:26am
Andrea
FLOP SWEATS FOR THE WIN

Yes. We do have fall and winter. And that makes me superior to you.


12:26am
Lish the Dish
We had a "cool front" in the 60ties temps and now we're back to 80s-90s

It just makes you less sweaty


12:27am
Andrea
In September??? Oh dear God. I would be killing people.


12:27am
Lish the Dish
Just shaved my dog again but I unfortunately can't wear tank tops to work (unpleasant sight as well)


12:28am
Andrea Fotografia
LOL...is your school air conditioned?


12:28am
Lish the Dish
OMG, of course.

We don't live in the Middle Ages


12:28am
Andrea
Well, we apparently do.

Feeling a little less superior.


12:29am
Lish the Dish
But other people can be fine with temp & I'm sweating away


12:29am
Andrea
Clearly you work among the undead.


12:29am
Lish the Dish
Plus the library is a 3 story atrium so it takes awhile to cool down


12:30am
Andrea
Okay, a three story air-conditioned room full of books is pretty much how I envision heaven.


12:30am
Lish the Dish
If I was undead, perhaps vampire instead of zombie, then I would always be pleasantly cool.

The books are only on the first floor. The rest is hot air where everyone can look in and SEE me sweating. It was once a courtyard.

I think I should pursue the vampire outlet.


12:32am
Andrea
I hear you have them by the bucketloads down there

Unless that Anne Rice is a big fat liar


12:32am
Lish the Dish
Have never watched the show or read the books but

oh Anne Rice was before her time

I like ALL THAT CAME BEFORE... Is it taken?


12:35am
Andrea
Right? It has that ALL THINGS CONSIDERED ring to it. In that both phrases start with ALL.


12:35am
Lish the Dish
Well, there is the John 10:8 reference but it continues with "me"

I think you might be in the clear. There is a link to "retro, Vintage, and all that came before" but it's a dead link


12:37am
Andrea
A Book of John reference: my demographic will be DELIGHTED!

Actually, John is my favorite book...


12:37am
Lish the Dish
I'm really liking it. The title of the current Printz winner is "Where Things Come Back" and I love that, too.

Somehow i don't see your demographic being Bible-quoters


12:38am
Andrea
I really should have considered crowd-sourcing the title much earlier in this process. My friends are all brilliant (except for the Republicans...and actually they're pretty brilliant, too, they just annoy me).

FAILED BIBLE QUOTERS. It's a small group, but I see growth potential

OH OH


12:39am
Lish the Dish
I don't know that we are small - FBQ - but not all of them have found you yet.


12:39am
Andrea
SO GUESS WHAT I'M DOING TOMORROW?

You won't guess.

I am heading in to Manhattan


12:40am
Lish the Dish
Having lunch with Kate Middleton?


12:40am
Andrea
to B&H


12:40am
Lish the Dish
Sorry what is B&H

Damn, thought you might get a free wardrobe


12:41am
Andrea
B&H is THE BEST ELECTRONICS STORE IN MANHATTAN


12:42am
Andrea
I'm going to buy some equipment including a digital audio recorder


12:42am
Lish the Dish
Do you get a new Wii? Or i know!!!

An iPhone 5!!!!????!!


12:43am
Andrea
I am NPR bound baby: I want to do news stories

for radio

I have the voice and the hip to waist ratio of a radio person


12:43am
Lish the Dish
Ooooh, I love your voice.


12:43am
Andrea
I am serious about this podcast

(and THANK YOU)


12:44am
Lish the Dish
Do I doubt you?


12:47am
Andrea
so wait

WHERE ARE YOU STUDYING???


12:48am
Lish the Dish
Where? Does that have meaning anymore? It's through the state university and I may be able to test out of two previous courses taken. Of course, this will add HUGE earning addition to my salary.

Almost went to dental hygenist school

Hello? Hello?


12:51am
Andrea
SORRY

I was reviewing our conversation

we are really brilliant conversationalists

and not at all self involved

DENTAL HYGIENIST?

w

t

f???

What happened to the decades of being a librarian??? From which well-meaning relative did THAT come from?


12:53am
Lish the Dish
Hey if the podcast takes off, can I be a guest?


12:53am
Andrea
Already got that planned baby

What if the podcast is a dead flop?

will you still come on?


12:54am
Lish the Dish
No, that was my lack of imagination job but would pay more than I'll make ever.


12:54am
Andrea
I love your laugh till you rasp-choke laugh

I think our audience will find it endearing


12:54am
Lish the Dish
I like flops. Plus you are on a roll -- just keep hoping the Mayans were wrong. Did I tell you that NOLA is having its own Comic Con?


12:54am
Andrea
What? When is this Comic Con? You need to talk to me about theese things


12:55am
Lish the Dish
i do think sometimes people think I am a laugh plant at conferences.

Nov 30-Dec ?

 Hey, you have some welding experience....


12:57am
Andrea
If by experience you mean THAT ONE TIME that is not ever spoken of...


12:57am
Lish the Dish
I could be a SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT!!!


12:57am
Andrea
This is what I'm saying

I wonder how big a pain it is to get credentials there

this year NYCC was so convoluted I said FUHGEDDABOUDIT


12:58am
Lish the Dish
It's getting bigger every year.

12:58am
Andrea
How are you at taking pictures?


12:58am
Lish the Dish
I don't do much with pictures other than take pictures with authors, but would happily video and edit.
Just haven't had time or money for good camera.


1:00am
Andrea
which iphone do you have? I can edit pics


1:00am
Lish the Dish
You mean the one I dropped in the tub?


1:01am
Andrea
No. Because you did not do that.


1:01am
Lish the Dish 
Husband & I just talking about this today.


1:01am
Andrea
your penchant for killing beautiful beautiful Apple products?


1:01am
Lish the Dish
With 5 coming out, prices will drop on 4

I love to read in the tub.


1:01am
Andrea
I think the 4 might be free now


1:01am
Lish the Dish
YES, it is. 4S is $100. and 5 is $200

but we are considering the world of DROID


(Explain that I did a review of the Samsung Galaxy III for GeekMom. Explain that it has been described as talking on a surfboard. Explain that in my middle-aged book, that is not a bad thing...)

1:07am
Lish the Dish
I love huge old phones. Give me the brick size, then I won't lose it in my purse.


1:07am
Andrea
SURF BOARD = GOOD


1:08am
Lish the Dish
Yep, it's the eyes and reading late at night when should be sleeping. Or finishing son's project that i said I would.


1:08am
Andrea
I mean: who TALKS on their phone anymore?


1:08am
Lish the Dish
I hardly do. And i'm not a big text-er either.

I think that's the European in us. Phones were used just to make appointments, even when I was living there in the 90s


1:10am
Andrea
Yes. Let's call it European-ness. Not social anxiety. Not misanthropy.


1:12am
Lish the Dish
My eye doctor said probably next time I'm up for bifocals. BIFOCALS


1:12am
Andrea
That little line on your lenses says to the world WE COULD HAVE SEX AND I WON'T GET KNOCKED UP. PROBABLY.



1:15am
Andrea
Here's the thing I see happening with phones: I think phones are all going to become walled gardens


1:16am
Lish the Dish
I want the cool eyeglasses computers things

oh, love how you can bring it back to the literary


1:16am
Andrea
Flatterer


1:18am
Lish the Dish
THIS.

We shall break down the walls of the gardens, my friend.


1:20am
Andrea
That is simply a beautiful quote

LOL: I think for tonight I should go


1:20am
Lish the Dish
laughing again

me too


1:20am
Andrea
it can only go downhill from here


1:20am
Lish the Dish
oh, so fun! I just snorted so this ends the evening.

Ta


1:21am
Andrea
Sweet dreams