In 1997, I was working in the Senate Democratic Technology & Communications Committee as an Internet evangelist to Democratic Senators. It was a wonderful job in which I had many opportunities to help find new and interesting ways for a Senator to go online. Our boss was Senator Tom Daschle, the Democratic Leader, and in 1997 the Capitol tree was coming from the Black Hills National Forest in his home state of South Dakota. Tasked with finding a way to do something online with the bosses tree, my colleague Jeff and I shared the same thought instantaneously… treecam!
In some choice real estate in the Capitol Building, we placed an old TV camera, a Macintosh computer, and a network connection to take a still picture of the tree every minute and upload it to the Internet. Neato, right?
The Treecam was a sensation that drew tremendous amounts of online visitors and national press coverage. Many people would venture out to the West Lawn of the Capitol to stand next to the tree, while a friend captured the Treecam image for them when it went online. Reportedly one television weatherman showed the Treecam as a background for his forecasts. And a collection of all of the Treecam images were combined together to form a time-lapse movie in which the decorating and lighting of the tree, and the passing of the hours and days could be seen in rapid succession.
Treecam became a tradition that continued for six more years since that first one. Until this year. Things change in the aftermath of an election. Senator Daschle was defeated, and another Senator has been elected to the job of Democratic Leader. A week ago, at least a half-dozen technical staff on the Democratic Communications Committee were notified that their services would no longer be needed. Such personnel changes are any new boss’ prerogative. But to axe such skilled, dedicated, loyal and long-serving employees a week before Christmas is an indication to me that much more than just the Treecam has gone dark this holiday season in the Capitol.