Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself

Subject: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Max
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 04:56 PM

Hi all. I have an interesting opportunity for all of us. Onstage (therefore Mudcat) has gotten into business with UliveandLearn.com. We built all their technology and have much interest in their, no our, success. It is a sincere possibility that Onstage (My Company/Mudcat Sponsor/Supporter/Financier/My Whole Life) will merge with ULL should we achieve any moderate success. THIS WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR ME AND A GREAT THING FOR MUDCAT. The powers of ULL have already agreed to lifetime support and hosting for Mudcat.Org.

The site is an online education site, for individuals and large companies. What we need right now are two major things: 1) folks to write lessons and courses, and 2) Companies that could use our services for company education/training. I figure you all may be able to help me and help yourselves with the first item, writing Courses and Lessons.

It helps me by giving me more to sell, and it may help you to be published, getting your music out there) and possibly generate some income. Fees for Lessons and Courses are split 50/50 with the writer and ULL.

ULL, and maybe you writers, should be willing to donate a percentage of the proceeds to the Mudcat. Also, the writer has the freedom to plug anything they want in their Lessons and Courses. The Lessons and Courses support all kinds of media, so you could but songs or song clips into your courses.

We figure that many of you can speak authoritatively concerning musical things, but we also know that some of you have other lives outside of music. We expect a lot of music stuff, but encourage any topics for which you feel qualified.

I believe 100% in this company and am doing nothing short of betting my whole farm on its success. I promise you that any dealings with ULL will hold the same integrity you have become used to on the Mudcat. Thanks folks.

Now, below is a letter that we send out to find new writers/teachers etc. Please read it and do what it says if you are interested. Let me know if you have any questions or comments, I will answer them here.

---

Dear Mudcatters,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce ULiveandLearn, a fully
integrated eLearning company that offers professional and personal
continuing education courses and programs.

We are currently seeking content partners for our eLearning Knowledge
Centers.

You can visit our site at www.uliveandlearn.com. In order to access the free
courses you need to join the site -- simply sign up and then you will be
able to take any of the free courses. Lessons for Living and Learning does
not require membership for access.

After you have signed up for free membership, you can register for free
access to CourseCreator™ and LessonCreator™. Go to
http://www.uliveandlearn.com/UCreate.cfm or click on the UCreate link on
the left side navigation bar. We suggest applying for access to both
applications, as we encourage our content partners to utilize the short
Lessons for Living and Learning as a marketing and promotion vehicle for
longer, fee-based courses and/or teleclasses.

Once you've applied, we will approve you for immediate access to
CourseCreator™ and LessonCreator™ -- and you can begin the development of
your eLearning courses and programs.

Our business model of having both a consistent platform and distribution
network of diverse partners and clients (businesses, associations, affinity
groups, non-profits and strategic partners) has given us an opportunity to
differentiate our product and services.

We provide you with an opportunity to both enhance your existing business
services as well as build new revenue opportunities by simultaneously
offering your programs through our network.

We offer three key components to our partners and clients:

1.Free access to proprietary applications for the authoring and publishing
of eLearning material and content management.

2. A distribution network strategy, which brings together content partners,
companies and affiliated member organizations for the joint marketing and
development of learning products.

3. Full service administration and eLearning program management.

As we have developed our platform, systems and administration services, we
have continued to focus on how can we support our partners and customers in
their eLearning programs. Our core eLearning solutions include:

Customized eLearning Centers: ULiveandLearn will provide a customized
eLearning Center, with individualized graphics and content. Your eLearning
Center presents the curriculum and programs you choose for your clients,
members, employees or user groups. We also offer individual eLearning
Centers for your important clients and customers.

Web-based Seminars and Presentations: Through our strategic partner,
HorizonLive.com, you can offer a live web-cast seminar to support online
courses, in-person training and as a stand-alone product.

ULiveandLearn and The Mitchell Organization (Mary Mitchell) developed a
combined online course and web seminar on Business Etiquette for
HorizonLive's Desktop Lecture Series. You can access both by going to:
http://www.uliveandlearn.com/courses/cdetail.cfm?courseid=31

TeleClass Programming and Training: We support TeleClass programs by
offering an online "anchor" through our CourseCreator tool and learning
community support.

We will also be offering teleclass leader-training classes for our content
partners. We believe that the integration of different learning models will
produce robust and enriching programs.

Promotion and Marketing Support: We actively support our partners and want
to find as many ways as possible to drive learners to your programs. All
partners have free access to our short authoring tool LessonCreator, which
is an ideal way to promote your future courses, your current business
products and services.  Lessons for Living and Learning creates visibility
for you and your eLearning programs.

 Here is an example of a Lesson by Mary Mitchell.
http://www.uliveandlearn.com/lessons/lesson.cfm?lesid=193&pg=1

We are continually improving the features of our site and support programs
for our partners. Please contact me directly with any questions or comments.
 
Again, thank you for contacting ULiveandLearn and I look forward to working
with you.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:04 PM

Sounds like a good shot Max.....I'll check in and see how I can help.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: bigchuck
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:09 PM

Congrats, Max...it sounds great. I have inventoried my life experience and skills, and can state with considerable confidence that I am eminently qualified to prepare a master's level curriculum on avoiding work and creative procrastination. I will submit a proposal any day now...

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:09 PM

Sounds great, Max...if I knew anything I'd help out, but I don't....

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:10 PM

This sounds wonderful. I'll be checking it too when I can!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:11 PM

i WILL DO THE SAME mAX. aND PASS IT BY A FEW FRIENDS.
gOOD LUCK!
mARY dcl!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:24 PM

So good to see you following your heart. Go for it!

I am passing to a friend. More as I think of them.

~S~

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Llanfair
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:30 PM

I'll have a look at it. Is being in the UK a problem?
Bron.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Max
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:34 PM

Yes, everyone tell their friends too. The more that know about the site in general, let alone Lesson and Course Creators, will be great.

Bron: It doesn't matter where in the world you are. Everything is online, so geography is irrellevant.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Morticia
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 05:52 PM

Mmmm, this thread makes me realise how ignorant I am about everything...and I already teach.....oh dear!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Zebedee
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 06:17 PM

Max,

I'm too tired to go into details, but my best guess is that this is a mistake.

Sure, you may get some revenue, but long term...?

I honestly think that this is a very bad business model

But what do I know?

Ed

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 06:31 PM

Interesting, Max. Rog and I will both give it some thought and look around at their site. Thanks and congratulations!

kat

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 06:33 PM

I can teach algebra over the telephone, but do you really have a need for this? Almost every university I know now has some kind of online education. I even took one course in computer something-or-other; they were writing the lessons a few chapters ahead of me. My concerns (not quite as strong as Ed's) are that this is an enormous undertaking and has already been done by states and universities with deep pockets, not to mention commercial sites also. But if you need algebra instruction, I'm available and I'm good!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 06:56 PM

This could be fun. Good on ya Max!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 08:26 PM

On an earlier thread, I made the suggestion that Mudcat was the perfect place to develop a serious Course/Series on folk music before Ken Burns got his dilettante hands on the project. There was some interest. Bert then told me that something was in the works.

Any takers? Or do we watch the world get the idea that Peter, Paul, and Mary discovered folk music and the rest just jumped on the bandwagon for recognition? I can organize and proof read. Anyone interested in writing, researching, contributing, etc.?

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Amos
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 08:35 PM

Oh, Sinsull, don't be so smug just because you know about the Kingston Trio!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 08:45 PM

Max: DOn't know what I can offer but A little bit of historical knowledge and a hopefully soon to be finished Civil War song book for publication. I would be willing to donate a share of the prceeds from the latter to assist. Well done! Kindest reguards, Neil

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: reggie miles
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 09:17 PM

I'm afraid my knowledge only seems to extend
to obscure, eclectic tidbits. So why try to pretend?
Stuff that everyone else has given up pursuing.
Who would pay to learn such drival and ballyhooing?
Then again, people have been paying me to expound
on the same, day in, day out and year round.
So I'll ponder your offer my good friend Max
and check out the sites and not be lax.
Then I'll get back in touch, when I am done.
Who knows this idea could be lots of fun.
And maybe, just maybe I'll make some scratch too,
a little for me and a little for you.
Afterall, isn't that what makes the world go round?
Each of us helping the other to learn to expound.

Reg

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:19 PM

Max, this looks like a great site. And if you've already done your business plan, I wouldn't worry about the naysayers. I have lots of ideas about teaching people about their children's health in brief simple terms. Now you may have given me a focus for actually putting something together. Thanks! Now if I find some spare time to do it in... (Guess I could give up Mudcat...nahhhhh!)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:26 PM

How about a Union/Community Organizing ala Saul Alinsky type course?

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Dave Swan
Date: 12 Feb 01 - 11:49 PM

Max,

I spend a lot of time teaching. If there's a way that any of what I do works with any of this, I'm your man.

As catspaw says, I'll give her a look.

Dave

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: GUEST,lurkingstill
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 04:16 AM

Well Max good on yer! Well done. I've a fairly errr sucessful site already running NO advertising at all and it is going great, only touble I have is hackers messing with it and me and my email.

It has nothing to do with eSchools.

The Internet is changing so fast one can hardly keep up with it, just yesteday I got a free MP3 off a site that led me directly to a Superb Banjoist Singer and I can now get their CD. Truely amazing!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: sian, west wales
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 08:48 AM

So, how is the content going to be assessed for quality and accuracy ... maybe not a problem in some fields ... like maths? But I've come across some real ... umm ... well, crap in training packages, on line and off. I know of someone offering evening courses locally who makes half the stuff up!

This could be an excellent opportunity, but students will have to be able to rely on the quality ...

sian

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Grab
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 10:15 AM

I already do a fair bit of electronics question-answering on an EZBoard forum. If it'd help, I could start looking at an intro to electronics. I doubt I'd be much good on my own though - it's more than 1 person's work, especially as a part-time thing! Anyone else?

Grab.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 11:21 AM

Thanks Max. I may be able to help out with something. I've copied and printed out your letter and will come back to you when I've had a chance to study and think about it a bit.

Best regards

mcmoo

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Katcina
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 12:08 PM

Thanks Max,

Went there, joined, browsed a little. Must take time to thoroughly investigate the site now and determine if there is anything that I might, hopefully, be able to contribute.

Katcina

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: harpgirl
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 01:46 PM

...um..er...ah...any lessons on humility on those websites?...not for me of course...for my uh friend, Alison...hg

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: GUEST,Miss Emily Post
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 01:54 PM

You may find this interesting, my dear

http://www.uliveandlearn.com/disforum/threadMessageList.cfm?threadid=14&Desc=0#27

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 01:56 PM

Kingston Trio? That was before my time. I was thinking of the great contributions of the Loving Spoonful et al.Art Thieme may know about the Kingston Trio. You should ask him.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: blt
Date: 13 Feb 01 - 04:57 PM

Max,
I went to the site, checked it out and signed up. It's obviously brand new, so it was hard to get a clear picture of all the possibilities, but the idea is very interesting and empowering.

I am drawn to the idea that anyone who feels able to may apply to "teach" a course--that's very like the open university idea of the 60s--and doing it over the web is intriguing. It's a challenge to imagine how the skills and knowledge I've managed to accumulate could be translated into a teachable course. And, as someone already mentioned, humbling. However, if George W. Bush can be president, anything is possible.

Congratulations and good luck.

blt

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 01:33 AM

refresh(er course...)

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 14 Feb 01 - 01:22 PM

Max, I wish you well with anything you do (it goes without saying, therefore it is necessary to say it) and ASAP I will check the website to see if there's any match between things I know (or think I know) and peoples' needs. Some of the things I think I can teach are: the art and science of experimental design, Personal Care Formulations (what goes into those bottles that are sold for 100X cost of making them), Green Agriculture, American history especially Civil War era, Math through calculus. . . this could be fun!

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Frank McGrath
Date: 15 Feb 01 - 11:36 AM

Best of luck Max. If I can contribute I shall. I have no doubts that you will be very successful in this venture.

Frank McGrath

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: Katcina
Date: 23 Feb 01 - 02:21 PM

I believe this is worth refreshing for those who may have missed it the first time around.

Subject: RE: Help Max, The Mudcat and Yourself
From: kendall
Date: 23 Feb 01 - 03:45 PM

So, what do you want to know about the Kingston Trio? Those "Johnnies Come Lately" were new kids to me!