from The Masie Center

Saratoga Springs is dressed in Fall colors. It’s a beautiful town, one of those rare spots that has not been defiled by McDonald’s, Wal*Mart, and strip malls.

Like Hot Springs, Arkansas, or Baden Baden, Germany, this is a town founded on its water. Cathy and Elliott live in a 1832 Greek Revival mansion that once belonged to the town’s chief water entrepreneur. It looks out on Congress Park, which is filled with fountains for tasting the waters.

The last time I was in Saratoga Springs was before the Masie Center, the sale to Advanstar, and the string of race horses.

The Masie Center is a work of art. The whole set-up was built for learning. Everywhere you turn are PCs, computer games, remote video cams, and flexible meeting environments. Here’s one feature I saw in use yesterday: Elliott’s mini video studio.

This is the window from the mini-studio, looking at Elliott’s office. Communication is vital, and it’s a ten-second walk from office to studio. Numerous visitors who have seen this set-up know they have to have one.

To the right is the studio. It’s 4′ x 8′. It’s ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Elliott preps for a couple of minutes. He presents for ten minutes. He checks downstairs with the video operator to check on quality. Bingo! In a quarter-hour, he has outlined and delivered a personal presentation to warm up a group that will be attending Learning 2006.

When I prepare video in my office, it is a major production. Assembling the equipment, getting the light right, testing the sound. Two or three takes. Before I know it, a morning has disappeared, whereas for Elliott, cutting a video message is no more difficult than making a phone call.