Archive for the 'The Top 9' Category

The top 9 simple steps to making your own podcast from scratch

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nick marino
on March 15, 2010
in The Top 9
. 0 Comments

Recently, someone asked me to tell their friend how to start a podcast from scratch — this person had no website, no content, no audio editing program, and no nothing except for the desire to podcast. If you find that you’re in that same situation, then here’s what I suggest:

9. To share your podcast online, you either need to get a webspace hosting plan or start a Libsyn (or other pay-for-podcasting) account. Personally, I recommend that you get a hosting plan, start a WordPress powered blog, and install the podPress plugin to broadcast your audio.

8. Get a USB mic or use your computer’s built-in microphone.

7. To record your audio and edit stuff together, use Audacity.

6. In Audacity’s “Preferences,” make sure you’re recording in mono. File size will be an issue down the line, and recording in mono will help keep the size down. (BTW, unless you’re doing video, never record at 48.000 kHz — always 44.100 kHz!!!)

5. For some compression and editing tips if you’re using a Mac, check out my Podcast Pointers: Taking the Noise Out blog post. If you’re on a PC, it’s not quite as easy. SORRY! (But I do love the “Hard Limiter” effect for basic compression in the PC version of Audacity — hope that helps.)

4. Export the edited audio out of Audacity as a .WAV or .AIF file and import it into iTunes.

3. In iTunes, set your “Import Settings” in “Preferences” to convert the imported audio into an mp3. Since podcasts normally run long and create large files, you have to make sure that the audio file isn’t too huge. I suggest using mp3 settings of 80 kbs / 22.050 kHz / stereo channels / joint stereo mode / no smart encoding adjustments. (The joint stereo setting is important because it condenses the file size where possible!)

2. To get the audio file onto your webspace, you should probably use an FTP program (though some services will also offer the option to upload the audio for you — just remember that the file may take some time to upload!). For FTP, I recommend using Filezilla. FTP is, of course, it’s own beast if you’ve never used it before, but it’s not that hard and there are tons of tutorials that can help you.

1. Anyway, there’s A LOT more to it than that, but those are the basics. As a final step, I recommend that you look up some more tutorials to fine tune your podcasting experience. I have a somewhat-tutorial of my own on Google Knol called Creating a Podcast. Good luck and feel free to shoot me an email if you need any podcasting advice!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = podcasting is for lovers.

The Top 9 Rock Guitarists (According to Nick Marino, Not Scott Mervis)

Published
by
nick marino
on March 1, 2010
in The Top 9
. 3 Comments

All I gotta say is, “Sorry Scotty, I disagree.”

9. José Luis Pardo

8. Dennis Coffey

7. Roger Troutman

6. Ray Parker, Jr.

5. Ron Wood

4. Ernie Isley

3. Eddie Van Halen

2. Steve Cropper

1. Jimi Hendrix

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = SWEET RIFF, DUDE!

The top 9 REAL reasons why Teabaggers hate Captain America

Published
by
nick marino
on February 22, 2010
in The Top 9
. 2 Comments

Teabaggers (*snicker*) don’t really hate Captain America for using one of their own signs in his comic book. I mean, that would just be stupid AND hypocritical, right?

Here are the REAL reasons Teabaggers (I can’t believe they actually call themselves that!) hate Captain America and always will:

9. Captain America drinks coffee, not tea.

8. On occassion, his comic book is written by radical left-wing super-liberals.

7. He was dead for the past couple years and missed the whole Sarah Palin thing.

6. His superhero partner is (or at least WAS) a social worker. HARLEM PORK BARREL POLITICS!

5. Captain America ran for president AND he watched Nixon kill himself.

4. There’s a good chance that the A on his forehead actually stands for “frAnce.”

3. His on-again/off-again Federal salary is just another example of out-of-control government spending.

2. That 90s Captain America movie totally sucked.

1. His shield is a circle, the same symbol liberals, gays, and cartoon lions use to describe life.

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Patriotic

The top 9 sports that need to be added to the Olympics

Published
by
nick marino
on February 15, 2010
in The Top 9
. 3 Comments

Honorable mention to Bloody Knuckles. It’s fun, but not quite sporting enough to be Olympic yet.

9. Thumb Wrestling - This is a true art and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s a game of psychological cunning and digit dexterity. Imagine the awesome closeups that’d be necessary to show this sport on TV. Riviting!

8. Chess - You would think this game of ultimate strategy would be part of the Olympic lineup, but, alas, it’s been shunned. Looks like the World Chess Federation isn’t nearly as methodical and plotting as they need to be if they can’t even get a spot up there next to curling.

7. Cornhole - This is the youngest of these new age Olympic contenders. Frankly, this sport is probably way too frat house and tailgate right now for the Olympics, but it could ripe for the gaming.

6. Darts - Darts is to archery as ping pong is to tennis. So why not let darts go Olympic? Plus, this would actually be fun to watch on TV, I bet.

5. Billiards - It’s the sport of hustlers and boring weird old people alike. Everyone from the toughest to the dorkiest can play billiards, thus making this potential Olympic competition rather interesting.

4. Butts Up - The ultimate “don’t fuck it up!” schoolyard game. It’s sort of like handball mixed with execution by firing squad.

3. Pillow Fighting - Is there anyone out there who hasn’t had a pillow fight or some sort of equivalent battle? This might just be the most universal of all games; the ultimate lowest common denominator of sports. Plus, I think it’d be fun if there was a “slumber party” theme to the uniforms.

2. Bowling - Believe it or not, bowling isn’t an offical Olympic sport. It’s been a “demonstration sport,” meaning it’s often exhbited at the Olympic Games, but never for a medal.

1. Beer Pong - Shit, if the beer’s the problem, then just call it cup pong or something else. Anyway, thanks to the USA being home to college students from across the Earth, imagine how many people the world over are now champions of this international sport??? Of course, it would be controversial… but that might actually cause people to watch the Olympics out of interest instead of “there’s nothing else on TV” boredom.

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Olympic

The Top 9 Super Bowl XLIV TV Commercials

Published
by
nick marino
on February 7, 2010
in The Top 9
. 5 Comments

Honorable mentions to Bud Light: “Lost” island party and Emerald Nuts and Pop Secret: “let’s get aquatic”. Now here’s your Super Bowl 44 advertising champions!

9. Motorola: Megan Fox bathing

8. Doritos: “keep your hands off my momma”

7. Kia Sorento: toy’s night out

6. Bridgestone: whale in a pickup truck

5. Boost: Boost Mobile Shuffle

4. Snickers: “playing like Betty White”

3. truTV: Punxsutawney Polamalu

2. Late Show with David Letterman: Dave, Oprah, and Leno

1. Denny’s: Free Grand Slam screaming chickens

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = XLIV

The Top 9 Greatest War Machine and Rhodey Rhodes Stories

Published
by
nick marino
on January 31, 2010
in The Top 9
. 10 Comments

(NOTE: Most of the series below are marked with “v1″ to indicate which run the stories come from — basically, every book listed here has had multiple #1 issues released under the same title except for Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. (yes, even U.S War Machine had two volumes))

For the back story on these tales and more, check out Superhero History: War Machine.

9. Iron Man v1 #169-171 (first Rhodey as Iron Man, along with his second adventure in the Iron Man armor)

8. War Machine v1 #1-7 and 11 (first solo War Machine run minus crossovers; Rhodey leads Worldwatch)

7. The Crew v1 #1-7 (Rhodey avenges the death of his sister and makes some new friends in the process)

6. War Machine v1 #8 and Iron Man v1 #310 (first War Machine vs. Iron Man)

5. Iron Man v1 #281-283 (first appearance of the War Machine armor, worn by Tony Stark)

4. Iron Man v1 #300 and Marvel Comics Presents v1 #151-155 (introduces a street gang called the War Machines and events send Rhodey on a crusade to clean up the streets)

3. U.S. War Machine v1 #1-12 (alternate MAX continuity with a fleet of War Machines working for S.H.I.E.L.D.)

2. Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. #33-35 (a.k.a. War Machine: Weapon of S.H.I.E.L.D.; War Machine vs. Skrulls)

1. Iron Man v1 #284-291 (first Rhodey in War Machine armor; first Iron Man and War Machine team up)

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = War Machine.

The Top 9 Things I’ll Miss About The Jersey Shore

Published
by
neal
on January 25, 2010
in TV and The Top 9
. 0 Comments

9 episodes of The Jersey Shore, that’s all MTV saw fit to bless us with. Sadly, the show is over and I’m stuck with reruns. What to do? How about a Top 9 recounting my favorite Dirty Shore craziness? This also allows me to not write a real column this week. Fist pump that baby!

9. Angelina – Really, who walks out on an MTV reality show?
8. Vinny’s total milquetoastness and utter irrelevance to the show
7. Ron Ron Juice – or maybe not
6. JWOWW’s Battle dancing
5. GTL! GTL! GTL! – Because summer should revolve around gym, tanning, and laundry, right?
4. Snooki’s hottub antics – although, someone at MTV told me that Snookin for Love is all but greenlit
3. Creepin, grenades, and grenade launchers
2. THE SITUATION
1. The Snooki punch

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 > pants.

The Top 9 Movies I’m Looking Forward to in 2010

Published
by
nick marino
on January 18, 2010
in The Top 9
. 1 Comment

9. Predators

8. Death at a Funeral

7. Grown Ups

6. Repo Men

5. Megamind

4. The Eagle Path

3. Tron: Legacy

2. Iron Man 2

1. I Love You Phillip Morris

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = pants.

The Top 9 Characters Introduced in Street Fighter III

Published
by
nick marino
on December 25, 2009
in The Top 9
. 7 Comments

Honorable mention to Chun-Li for being the best Street Fighter II character in Street Fighter III (if not THE best character in the game series):

9. Twelve
8. Q
7. Urien
6. Necro
5. Elena
4. Sean
3. Yun
2. Ibuki
1. Oro

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Neal hates math.

The Top 9 Comics I Read in 2009

Published
by
nick marino
on December 18, 2009
in The Top 9
. 5 Comments

Just a quick FYI — this post in no way affects the AudioShocker’s 2009 YOU DON’T SUCK Awards. This is a just a personal list of books I read this year that I loved. Doesn’t mean they came out this year — this is just my favorite of what I experienced this year.

9. Tales of the TMNT #64 (very excellent Mikey issue)
8. Uncanny X-Men #287 (first story where we really see Bishop’s timeline)
7. Infinity War #1 (love that opening scene!)
6. Surfer Silver #35 (love the plot twist!)
5. Wet Moon 5 (love that ending scene!)
4. Gello Apocalypse (in particular, the story starting with the Charlie Brown cover)
3. Iron Man #261 (OMG! awesome parallel plot storytelling by JRjr)
2. G-Man: Cape Crisis (can’t just pick one issue!)
1. Iron Man #306 (love me some Len Kaminski arc and this issue blew my mind)

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Neal hates math.