In Which I Say Goodbye... Sort Of

May 08, 2009

It's been an incredible year for me at Discovery.com, and a journey that has seemingly whizzed by in an instant. The bad news is that it's time for me to say goodbye. The good news is "sort of."

Before I explain, however, hear this:

The level of talent behind these here digital walls is truly humbling. From the operation's leadership and editors, writers and bloggers to the video, fan site, knowledge site and associate producers, it's impossible not to be impressed. These people make my head a-splode.

They are all going places -- assuming they're not there already -- and I'll sorely miss interacting with them/annoying them on a daily basis. Even if it is from my living room desk in my Guinness pajamas. I kid you not.

So, about that elephant in the room... Why am I leaving?

It has nothing to do with the people I work with, or that I don't love what I do. Au contraire! Honestly, I've seen first-hand for several years how tough it is for companies both big and small to prosper in the online news/media industry. And my sense is that it's not going to get better any time soon. My illustrious colleagues are armed, dangerous and prepared when it comes to this world, but I feel that I still have some teeth-cutting to do.

Reservations aside... The plan that the Discovery.com overlords have built for the future has the potential to revolutionize how online companies bring in that elusive online mother lode of $$$. Furthermore, even though I'm leaving my full-time post as "Space Producer," I intend to keep working with Discovery.com and do what I can in seeing that vision to fruition. So stay tuned!

Ok, next big question: Who will run the show after today?

That's a mixed bag of sorts. After I start my new job as a Web editor at a non-advocacy nonprofit, I'll still be able to help out around here. Hence, the "sort of" up top.

But I do know that the full-time replacement whom the Discovery overlords recently tapped is an astonishingly awesome person, and you'll find out soon enough who that is... Right now I'm not at liberty to say, but if you frequent this blog (or any space sites, for that matter), you'd be as giddy as I am.

Again, running Discovery Space has been incredible -- and I hope that you'll see me around, playing some role or on this spaceship of sorts. Even if it is just swabbing the digital poopdeck.

<3 Dave

Asteroid Tsunamis, Kepler's 1st Photo, Mission to Ceres (Video)

April 20, 2009

Saddle up for this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up, ladies and gents: Asteroid tsunamis aren't as bad as we thought, Kepler planet-hunting telescope sees first light, Scientists want to land on Ceres in the Asteroid Belt, and Colbert gets "treaded" by NASA:

Mars 500, Hubble's Winning Image, Yuri's Night Craziness (Video)

April 06, 2009

In this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up:
Mars500 trial run begins (aka 6 guys stuck in a tube for 105 days), Hubble Space Telescope's winning image of Arp 274 taken, and last but not least some crazy fun Yuri's Night parties:

Volcano from Space, Pee Recycler Fixed, Flowers on the Moon (Video)

March 30, 2009

In this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up: Alaska's Redoubt volcano ash plume is caught billowing from space, Space shuttle Discovery's crew fixes the space station's pee recycling system and returns home, and finally a Google Lunar X PRIZE team wants to grow flowers... on the moon!

Saturn Moon Parade, Gravity Mapper Launches, Space Station (Video)

March 23, 2009

In this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up: The Hubble Space Telescope captures a moon parade around Saturn, GOCE the gravity mapping satellite launches, the International Space Station gets its wings.

'Batty' Shuttle Launch, Space Junk Miss, Moon Face Swap (Video)

March 16, 2009

In this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up: Space shuttle Discovery blasts off (with a bat), Space station has a near miss with space junk, Earth's moon used to face the other way.

Oh, and the nasty, scraggly beard is going bye-bye after this:

Planet-Hunter Launches, Moon Crash, Colbert for Space Station (Video)

March 09, 2009

What's in store for this week's Discovery Space Wrap Up: NASA's earth-like planet-hunting Kepler Telescope launches, China's Chang'e 1 spacecraft bites the moon dust, Stephen Colbert wants his own space station node.

Also of note is that I am working on a grotesque beard to ward off single women -- enjoy:

Climate Change Satellite Crashes, Titan's Weather, Big Bang Evidence (Video)

March 02, 2009

A new week, and a new video (were you expecting otherwise?):

Comet Lulin, Kepler Spacecraft, Milky Way 'Ripples' (Video)

February 23, 2009

The latest video from yours truly:

Note: Thankfully, YouTube has a wonderful annotations editor -- which lets me add in nifty facts and correct my word fumbling that I don't notice until after shooting a decent 3-5 minute take.

Satellite Crash, Europa Moon Mission, Hubble Mission in Danger?

February 19, 2009

Please don't hesitate to chastise me for how late this is:

Also: I wanted to mention another bit of news in the video, but I had already made a YouTube clip for it. Check this out: