Napoliunderground to Host International...

[NeandertalMan]

Napoliunderground to Host International Bilateral Speleological Accord

Napoliunderground.org is pleased and proud to officially announce our involvement as host of a live international scientific and diplomatic summit and conference between the Italian Speleological Society (SSI) and the Brazilian Speleological Society (SBE). The two countries will draft, for the first time, international accords for exchange of speleological, geologic and other professional exchanges on an ongoing basis.

NapoliUnderground's web site and live videoconferencing  capability will be used to permit an international video-conference meeting between the presidents of the Brazilian and Italian Speleological Societies to exchange ideas and form a mutually agreeable accord which will be signed by the two countries.

We are extremely proud to host this historic meeting via use of the Napoli Underground Channel and for the faith placed in us to coordinate efforts of Brazilian representative, Soraya Ayub, and her Italian counterpart, Riccardo Dall'Acqua who have worked tirelessly to make this event possible.

This is the initial announcement of the planned Brazilian - Italian accord and as soon as dates, times and other final details are firmed up we will post an update.

NOTE: For this specific occasion, given the importance of quality video-conferencing and connection quality, we have been exploring the possibility of trying to scrape together $350 US which would allow a one-month premium subscription to the PRO version of the Mogulus webcasting service which we use. The low bandwidth version we use would be upgraded for this special event with greatly improved bandwidth, as well as high quality video and audio for the meeting of the two countries'  representatives. The PRO version of the webcasting signal also provides use of a special program  ormat utilizing the official logos and official seals of both state organizations. It would be really great if your or your caving group could send a small  amount to help us pay for the temporary upgrade to assure this NUg undertaking reflects well both upon our group and Italy as well.

You can help by clicking HERE.

Many thanks in advance.


by Napoli Underground

LARRY RAY
NUg Translator

[NeandertalMan]

We hope you will join us this coming Wednesday, April 29th at 21:30 Italian time, as the Napoli Underground Channel will webcast the live meeting of the Brazilian Speleological Societies and Italian Speleological Societies as they initiate international accords for collaboration between their two federations. The ambitious undertaking will coordinate interviews and meetings between Speleological Society presidents, Giampietro Marchese of Italy, and Emerson Gomes Pedro, of Brazil, at the upcoming ICNUSSA 2009 meeting on the island of Sardegna. NUg staffer, Ipogeo will be in Sardegna working from the host city of Urzulei, handling the live interviewing and video background shooting, while Fulvio will handle the actual coordination and direction of the WEB TV webcast from NUg headquarters in Naples.

Please join us Wednesday, April 29th at 21:30 for this historic live program! Napoli Underground Channel

by Napoli Underground

Larry Ray

[madratdan]

Thanks for posting Larry. It's fastinating to watch your progress with this project. Will someone be doing a presentation at the upcoming ICS convention in Texas? I still might attend and would love to see it.

[Lorenzo]

Dan,
Thanks for your kind note and for following the efforts in Napoli as NUg continues to grow and make more friends internationally. I regret that at the moment there are no plans to have a presentation for the ICS gathering in Texas. Incidentailly, I am a native Texan, from Aransas Pass, and did a lot of spelunking as an Explorer Scout there many, many years ago in Green Cave, and Kickapoo Cave on the Sargeant Ranch as well as Devil's Sinkhole and other places. I retain a close interest in US Cavers Forum and its Texas connections. I now live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, translate for my good friends in Naples where I started my fascination with the Sottosuolo or underground beneath the city some 40 years ago. I will be posting follow up articles on the Italy/Brazil Speleo accord.
Best regards to all from Napoli Underground!

[NeandertalMan]

SBE E SSI ASSINAM ACORDO EM VÍDEO CONFERÊNCIA
NOVIDADE NA ESPELEOLOGIA INTERNACIONAL

www.sbe.com.br/sbenoticias/SBENoticias_122.pdf

;D

[NeandertalMan]

NUg Overview of Historic Brazil-Italy Speleo Accord Webcast

April 29th in the small mountain community of Urzulei on the island of Sardinia marked a date, that for a number of reasons, will long be remembered by the international Speleological community. Here is a brief rundown of the historic event.

For the past several years, efforts have been underway to firm up an international accord for cultural exchanges between the speleo communities of Brazil and Italy. Recently, thanks to the efforts of Sorya Ayub, a multi-lingual scientist and member of the Brazilian Speleological Society, (SBE) as well as Riccardo Dall'Acqua, a member of the Italian Speleological Sociery, (SSI) a long discussed plan to unite the two societies moved toward finally becoming a reality with a draft accord. It basically is a seventeen-point agreement spelling out the technical details for collaborative work and exchanges between the two countries.

But arranging a face-to-face meeting between officers of the SBE in Brazil and the SSI in Italy to iron out the bureaucratic and geographic hurdles was a problem. But the very clever Soraya, who has been a Portuguese to Italian translator as well as producer for a number of videos on our popular NUg streaming web video "Napoli Underground Channel" suggested an international video conference. This would allow the Brazilian president to confer with the Italian officers and members. It seemed a bit daunting, but since we have already had successfully set up live streaming video conferences with other Speleo groups in Italy, we agreed. Ah . . . technical ignorance is bliss!

The Italian SSI annual meeting is held in different locations all over Italy from year to year. This year's meeting, ICNUSSA2009, was set in a colorful if somewhat remote town on the island of Sardinia. This presented added challenges to finding a high speed broadband internet connection in the remote village of Urzulei, way up in the mountains above the East coast of the island. But, again, ignorance is bliss, and the energy and enthusiasm of Fulvio and Luca was mirrored by the enthusiasm of SSI as well as the Brazilians. With a will there is a way!

Initial tests indicated that it would be a good idea to have two possible "master control" program switching locations. Luca, in addition to being a seasoned speleologist, and technical video engineering specialist, is also a fine computer scientist, videographer and video editor. So, a day before the shoot, Luca loaded up his car with equipment, drove North from Naples, almost to Rome and then drove aboard a huge seagoing ferry for the overnight trip way down to Sardinia. After landing at Sardinia, Luca motored up the old state roadway into the mountains and finally located the SSI group which included many old friends. Luca determined that land-line high speed internet was as likely as Italian mountain elephants in the village, but he nonetheless was somehow able to utilize a wireless signal and his cellphone for tests with Fulvio back on the mainland in Naples which seemed to work well enough.

The whole three-way Brazil-Italy teleconference was anchored in Naples by Fulvio with streaming web program control which could be shifted, as need be to another computer at a second location which allowed Soraya Ayub, listening to the streaming web feed from Brazil ready to translate from Portuguese to Italian as officials from Brazil. Now they could meet via internet web video with their Italian counterparts to work out agreement on the final wording of the accord. Piece of cake! Oh yeah, there is also a seven hour time difference between Naples and Brazil, just to make it all more fun.

Meanwhile, some thirty real-time viewers from all over Italy, as well as Brazil, and the United States logged onto the Napoli Underground Channel at 9:30 PM Napoli time watch the broadcast. Napoli underground Channel allows NUg members to sign in post text comments during live NUg webcasts. Members signed on and exchanged text greetings, as well as snide comments as technical glitches in video and audio were worked out. All the while, it is getting way past Fulvio's bedtime.

But after some initial frustration, sharp audio and video finally was obtained. The Brazil-Italy accord was ratified and the group of enthusiastic Italian cavers even later broadcast a spirited and fun-filled auction of donated items as a fund raiser for the organization. The little mountain town must be a fine wine producing region as well...

The next day, Luca loaded up all his equipment, found his way down the mountain and rolled back on board for another long ferry ride back to Rome, followed by another couple hour drive from Rome back home to Naples.

When he recovers, Luca will be using photos and video of the event to produce a NUg video of the whole mad gathering of spirited spelunkers!

We will post a notice when the English language version of the video is available.

. . . we were there that evening!!!

LARRY RAY


by Napoli Underground