Moving pictures.

For most of you that know me from recent life, or from reading this blog, you probably think of me more of a still-photo-type-guy as apposed to video. This is somewhat ironic, as I was very heavily involved in video production some time ago . . . TV news cameraman, production studio manager, freelancer, and the like.

Technology left me behind . . . . during my video heyday I was spinning little knobs and punching the edit in and out points, and the edit was performed by physically moving and syncing tape. I had heard of computerized "non-linear" editing, but never laid hands on the system. (The cost of the NL editor-like Avid-made it inaccessible to anyone outside of a large commercial production house.)

So then computers get faster and faster, and hard drive capacity increases exponentially, and NL systems start to appear in the consumer computer market. I had missed video production . . . but I knew it would be nothing more than a hobby, so I knew that I had to be conservative on cost when purchasing a video editing system.

Macintosh came out with a "Performa" computer that was supposed to be a real whiz-bang system, just like the big studios. I bought one - if nothing else I was due for a new computer anyway. It was a big disappointment . . . . locked up frequently (not a often as a Windows system, mind you) and I could not really figure out how to export the edited video to tape . . . . . thus kinda making the edited video useless. (This, of course, was long before the days of email, youtube, dvd, mpeg technology.

About a decade later I ran into some grant money to buy a media PC at MOSI. I had dreams of keeping the video that looped in the IMAX lobby up-to-date with coming attractions, or even daily "news" reports that would welcome special guests, promote opportunities through the museum or even advertise a daily special at the concession stand. I scripted and shot (in hi-8) a custom "behind the scenes" IMAX technology video or a period of about two months. When my assistant and I tried to edit it I learned that technology STILL was not there . . . . I was extremely disappointed. I had the finished product in my head (and it was good!) but just could not get it on tape.

Fast forward (ha!) to the present . . . . . my high 8 camera (now quite obsolete) ceased to function (the rubber parts of it, the buttons, and drive units have actually broken down with age and started to liquefy) and while cruising Woot.com once day I see an HD camera, with wide screen aspect ratio on the cheap. I ordered it . . . . surely technology in this epoch will now allow me to edit tapes to my satisfaction. I had 30 minutes of spare time to mess around with Window Movie Maker . . . . I finally think technology is there!

So anywho . . . I shot some test footage . . . and played around with it for a bit this weekend . . . so be looking for some videos in the future!

The following is just some test footage . . nothing real exciting . . . there was just some specific things I wanted to try. I was also curious how my truck sounds OUTSIDE of the cab.


Oh, and P.S. - after I resigned from MOSI my assistant got with Bay News 9, took my storyboard and script, and produced my behind the scenes video, almost word for word and shot for shot as I conceived it. It is now showing in the IMAX lobby - VO'ed by Jen Holloway . . . It is EXACTLY what I envisioned. Nice to have a legacy, you know?

Oh my!

See page 5.

http://uacdconline.org/uacdc/AnnualReport2006.pdf

Tis the season

It is nice to have my wonderfully tacky ties accepted, nay even embraced.

December is a nice month.

Poker! Save the Date

I am hosting a charity poker tournament in January - come one, come all!

Texas Hold 'Em Tournament
To Benefit Tampa Bay Search and Rescue, Inc.
January 12, 2007
Hosted by: Switchback Offroad and Xtreme Jeep Sales
14228 N. Florida Ave
Tampa, FL 33613

6:00 Poker Clinic and Instruction Class
7:30 Tournament Begins

Main Tournament: Suggested donation for play is $10. Top 3 winners will receive material prizes (TBA.)

"High Rollers" Tournament: Suggested donation for play is $50. VERY special prizes will be awarded to top players

There may be a super high roller table also . . . .

In Today's News

This is a great organization that needs your support!





TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

The Carrollwood News & Tribune




Center Suffers A Bad Break



By HAROLD VALENTINE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

FOREST HILLS - Ronna Metcalf, director of the Life Enrichment Center, and her assistant, Dell Baker, went for a drive Nov. 27 to find additional locations for the nonprofit organization's programs for adults.

"When we got in my car, Dell said 'You know, I think this is going to be a good year,' " Metcalf said. "She said, 'After all, what else could happen.' "

Immediately after, Metcalf got a call from the center's development director, Jocelyn Dickman, saying that a car just crashed into the 27-year-old building at 9704 N. Boulevard.

"I could've sworn it was the sound of glass breaking," Dickman said. "I said, 'Oh, my God, a painting fell.' "

The driver, a student at the center, lost control of her car while trying to exit the parking lot. The car hit an old fireplace on the building's southwest corner, creating an oval fracture and likely affecting the building's load-bearing capacity.

Metcalf said no charges were brought against the student.

"I know what everyone thinks," Metcalf said. "We have older adults who come here, and some old person drove into the wall that shouldn't be driving anymore. It's absolutely not the case. This was a very astute woman in her early-70s who is going for a degree at USF."

Dickman said the driver was shaken but was comforted by fellow students.

A tow truck pulled the car out of the building. Metcalf estimated the damage to the building at $15,000, but long cracks and bowing of an adjoining wall suggests the structural integrity was compromised - possibly costing several thousands more.

"We used to call it the fireplace room," Metcalf said. "But we've renamed it the wreck room."

The room, which was used for language and computer classes, is useless. Classes must be canceled, adding to what Metcalf said is an already tenuous financial situation.

The center receives grant money from the county, but this year that was cut by $8,000 to $10,000, with more cuts possible. Metcalf said if the center has to close from lack of money, it will be a shame because "people need people."

People at the center are "a wonderful informal support network because they make friends, and that gets harder and harder as you get older," Metcalf said.

She said folks utilizing the center come from throughout the county, and her mailing list exceeds 20,000.

Last year, the center was burglarized twice in one week. Before that, a leaky roof and poor air conditioning were major problems. After a newspaper article on the problems appeared, Stay Dry Roofing and Nuccio Heating & Air Conditioning donated their services to the center, Metcalf said.

"I've seen this place go through a lot of positive changes," said Bob Gibbons, a nine-year art teacher at the center. "Then, all of the sudden, 'smash!' "

The center, which offers classes in Tai Chi, art, memoir writing and foreign language, among others, holds sessions at the Forest Hills United Methodist Church and the Museum Of Science & Industry.

With such a small building to call home damaged, Metcalf said the center especially needs more locations.

Metcalf may be reached at (813) 932-0241 or through the center's Web site, www.lifeenrichmenttampa.org.

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

Get in the back!

The mighty (and Christmasy) Deuce and a Half will be rolling the streets as part of the illuminated Jeep night ride and bonfire.

If you would like to enlist in the Christmas Commandos be at my house no later than 20:00 hours, 14 December 2007.

_out_

In today's inbox.

i Love the random; use Of punctuation[ in the Carefully~penned email, from an obviously Skilled Fund manager'

From: "Mr Anthony Bolton" [mailto:info07@ec21.com]
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 6:21 PM
To: info07@ec21.com
Subject: Is Urgent

My Dear,
Compliment of the season, how are you today?

I am Mr. Anthony Bolton, Fund Manager of Fidelity Investment International. The World Largest Funds Management Company with over $1.2 Trillion Capital Investment Funds

Nevertheless, as Fidelity Fund Manager, I handle all our Investor's Direct Capital Funds and secretly extract 1.2% Excess Maximum Return Capital Profit (EMRCP) per annum on each of the Investor's Magellan Capital Funds As an Expert, I have made over(32.4M) Thirty Two Million Four Hundred Thousand British Pounds, from the Investor's EMRCP and hereby looking for someone to trust who will stand as an Investor to receive the funds as Annual Investment Proceeds from Fidelity Magellan Capital Funds. All conformable Documents to back up the claims will be made available to you prior to your Acceptance.

Meanwhile I have worked out the strategies and technicalities whereby the funds can be claimed in any of our 6 clearing Houses without any Hinchinches. Our sharing ratio will be negotiable 5% will be for expenses during the process of the transaction should in case you are interested, Please email me your Direct Telephone Number for discussion of the transaction in further details.

Direct From Fidelity Investment Company UK,
Address: Oakhill House
130 tonbridge Rd
Hildenborough Tonbridge
Kent TN11 9DZ

Web Site: www.fidelity.co.uk
www.fidelity-international.com
Best Regards,
ANTHONY BOLTON
FUNDS MANAGER

Deucey Christmas

One of my co-workers son passed away.


Corey Allen May
MAY, Corey Allen, 31, of Tampa, passed away December 5, 2007, due to an accident. Corey was preceded in death by his maternal grand-parents, Wondell and Wendolin Besch, owners of Safety Land Kindergarten. In Corey' s brief life, he blessed the world with a beautiful daughter, Casey May, the love of his life. He is also survived by his loving parents, Will and Kathy May; his devoted sister, Tracey Pearson, and husband, Charlie; nephews, C.J. and Wyatt; his aunt, Kim; uncle, Bob; Trey, Kailey, Kelsie and Colin Killian; Casey' s mother, Cindy Chalk; and many other relatives and friends that loved him. The family is grateful to Father Philip Scott for his divine intervention, allowing the family to find peace. Pallbearers will be Charlie Pearson, Bob and Trey Killian, Wayne and Mitch Garrison, Greg Eckley, Rick Cacciatore and Buddy Besch. The family will receive friends 5-8 p.m. Sunday, December 9, at Blount and Curry Funeral Home, Carrollwood Chapel, 3207 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Monday, December 10, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 15520 N. Boulevard. Immediately following the Mass, Corey will be laid to rest next to his grandparents at Sunset Memory Gardens in Thonotosassa. Words of comfort can be expressed at www.blountcurry.com

I am quite pleased with myself

It would seem that my 9 year old nephew still believes in the tooth fairy.

The reason for this, of course, is that the stakes have increased from the $0.25 per tooth that we enjoyed as we grew up to now ENTIRE LEGO sets.

Unbelievable. I am thinking about starting to believe again in hopes of getting some Craftsman hand tools.

In his most recent tooth-deposit letter he also asked some specific questions of the fairy . . . . last name, location, etc.

He should be receiving the following response soon:

Army Extraction Services

On Saturday I was called to the scene on two stuck vehicles.

One being a $30,000 2007 JK 4D Jeep, the other being a 2001, $120,000 H1 Hummer.

Both, as you will see, were quite stuck. Neither driver had been off-road before (at least in these particular vehicles.

The high level of water shorted out the alarm system on the Hummer . . . so the video has that annoying background noise.

But what will you see in the video is me pulling the JK out with a strap, followed by an attempt to winch the Hummer out (it instead was dragging my 8 ton truck into the mud,) followed by me switching around to the back on the Hummer and pulling him out backwards.

The Jeep drove home, the Hummer had to be towed. Both the engine and transmission are toast.

The lesson: know how deep the water is before you try walk across it. Unless you are Jesus Christ.

There's no such thing as a free lunch

Ho, ho, har!

He's done it again!

DARGH! KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT!

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=76331&in_page_id=2

*Hic*

98%ALCOHOLIC

Nashville Dating

Heavy Iron

The truck saw some action this weekend - had it on display at the Florida Air Museum.

This video just never gets old.

Hooray Florida!

Fun with machines.

On Saurday Dixie and I drove the M35A2 in the local Veteran's Day parade. (Well, I drove and Dixie napped in the cab for the first half of the parade. . . . and then I started using the air horns.)



On Sunday I decided to take the little CJ-5 for a afternoon drive . . . . but upon inspection it had:

-a bunch of old books piled in the cab that Dixie wanted "out of the house,"
-mold growing on the inside of the top,
-a general patina of dust and grime from the coal-fired power plant.

It needed some TLC . . . I removed the top and gave it a thorough bleaching and scrubbing, washed the inside and out, and pitched the now-krinkled books into the waste can. But after the cleaning frenzy the bumper really looked bad . . . little bit of rust, layers of old paint, etc. I though to myself, "Self, a coating of spray-on truckbed liner sure would look good . . . I'll just knock off a little of this loose paint and spay it up!"

And then this happened.



Yes, what was going to be a nice Sunday drive turned into a 4 hour grinding, sanding, masking and painting extravaganza! It really looks nice, but by the time I finished it was too late and dark for a picture of a black bumper to come out. More later.

Monday my dad and I played with our Tonka toys on the ranch. We are going back tomorrow.

In the jungle, the mighty jungle . . . .

The Lion sleeps tonight.

New from our Lakeland Linder Airport Bureau

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week.
Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote "The Hokey Pokey" died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started.

Speaking of look alikes

Separated at Birth?

A friend mentioned to me last night that I remind her of Chris Daughtry.

Maybe.

Bulls on Parade

During the USF Parade:
























After the parade







Thanks WaltripGirl for the photos!

COUNTDOWNCLOCKS.org

In stark contrast to the prior

Singapore.

This is obviously not a U.S. Airline.

Hsssss

Our MIT based Boston Bureau Chief brings us the following story: (you may need to watch a 30 commercial first)

The video from CNN

The resident wonders what it was doing there; the consulting herpetologist suggests that it was looking for water.

My theory: the snake just want a Sssssssslurpee and needed some spare change.



And no, the fact that the room is illuminated by Christmas lights did not slip past my observant eyes.

Attention Kristen

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=487764&in_page_id=1811

Whoops. The front view.

Return of the spokesman

http://www.bobrossmovies.com/taxonomy/term/147

Tj's flip flop

Rubber Side Up!

I flopped my Jeep on to its side yesterday. That was a first.

There are pictures on someone's camera . . . but I don't know whose . . . all I could see out the left window was dirt, and sky out of the right.

No damage to anything or anyone. Hooray for the armor plated Jeep!

I did lose about 3 -4 gallons of fuel out through the filler tube though.

Stay tuned.

(And Scarlet, don't freak. Your daughter was not on this trip. . . . . . she would have been fine though.)

Relationship news

It will never work.

Ooooooo pretty!

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&q=37.29n+122.01w&ll=37.490387,-122.020683&spn=0.113868,0.214577&t=k&z=13&om=1

It's Good To Be The King

Indeed.

Mew.

Australians cook up wild cat stew

By Phil Mercer BBC News, Sydney

Australians have come up with a novel solution to the millions of feral cats roaming the outback - eat them.

The felines are the descendants of domestic pets and kill millions of small native animals each year.
A recent Alice Springs contest featured wild cat casserole. The meat is said to taste like a cross between rabbit and, perhaps inevitably, chicken.
But wildlife campaigners have expressed their dismay that Australia's wild cat now finds itself on the nation's menus.
Cat stew recipe
Feral cats are one of the most serious threats to Australia's native fauna.
They eat almost anything that moves, including small marsupials, lizards, birds and spiders.
The woman behind the controversial cat stew recipe has said Australians could do their bit to help the environment by tucking into more feral pests, including pigeons and camels.
But it was a recipe for feline casserole that impressed some of the judges at an outback food competition in Alice Springs.
Preparing this unusual stew seems simple enough.
The meat should be diced and fried until it is brown. Then lemon grass is to be added along with salt and pepper and three cups of quandong, which is a sweet desert fruit.
It is recommended that the dish be left to simmer for five hours before being garnished with bush plums and mistletoe berries.
Marinated moggie was not to everyone's taste. One of the competition judges found the meat impossibly tough and had to politely excuse herself and spit it out in a backroom.
Wild cats are considered good eating by some Aborigines, who roast the animals on an open fire.
This outback cuisine does come with a health warning.
Scientists have said that those eating wild cats could be exposed to harmful bacteria and toxins.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6974687.stmPublished: 2007/09/02 06:28:49 GMT© BBC MMVII

I am shocked . . . shocked I tell you.

Study: Men Men Go for Good Looks
Monday, September 03, 2007

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON — Science is confirming what most women know: When given the choice for a mate, men go for good looks.
And guys won't be surprised to learn that women are much choosier about partners than they are.
"Just because people say they're looking for a particular set of characteristics in a mate, someone like themselves, doesn't mean that is what they'll end up choosing," Peter M. Todd, of the cognitive science program at Indiana University, Bloomington, said in a telephone interview.
Researchers led by Todd report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that their study found humans were similar to most other mammals, "following Darwin's principle of choosy females and competitive males, even if humans say something different."
Their study involved 26 men and 20 women in Munich, Germany.
Participants ranged in age from 26 to their early 40s and took part in "speed dating," short meetings of three to seven minutes in which people chat, then move on to meet another dater. Afterward, participants check off the people they'd like to meet again, and dates can be arranged between pairs who select one another.
Speed dating let researchers look at a lot of mate choices in a short time, Todd said.
In the study, participants were asked before the session to fill out a questionnaire about what they were looking for in a mate, listing such categories as wealth and status, family commitment, physical appearance, healthiness and attractiveness.
After the session, the researchers compared what the participants said they were looking for with the people they actually chose to ask for another date.
Men's choices did not reflect their stated preferences, the researchers concluded. Instead, men appeared to base their decisions mostly on the women's physical attractiveness.
The men also appeared to be much less choosy. Men tended to select nearly every woman above a certain minimum attractiveness threshold, Todd said.
Women's actual choices, like men's, did not reflect their stated preferences, but they made more discriminating choices, the researchers found.
The scientists said women were aware of the importance of their own attractiveness to men, and adjusted their expectations to select the more desirable guys.
"Women made offers to men who had overall qualities that were on a par with the women's self-rated attractiveness. They didn't greatly overshoot their attractiveness," Todd said, "because part of the goal for women is to choose men who would stay with them"
But, he added, "they didn't go lower. They knew what they could get and aimed for that level."
So, it turns out, the women's attractiveness influenced the choices of the men and the women.

Two quick bulletins

There is nothing in this article that makes me feel comfortable.

Halmark, when you care enough to send the very best.

Sorry guys.

Regrettably, the topic of this festival is not what you think.

Mayonnaise, Maggots, Mirrors . . . . . and naked sign language.

Barkeep: Would you like to try our new cocktail?

Businessman with loosened tie: Sure, whats in it?

Barkeep: Muddled snails, bong water and emu vomit.

BWLT: Sure, sounds better than what I had at Nakamura's yesterday.

****************************************************************

It would seem someone absconded with all of the mirrors in the trailerpark, sorry, strike that. I mean, Chateau de Skank.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"You are sole proprietor and owner of the Whizzo Chocolate company?"

"I am"

__________________________________________________

This is an outrage! I am, of course, referring to the stripping [of the government subsidy.]

Ever wonder?

For those of you who have ever wondered, "How much would it cost to have someone drive to my home and remove 900 gallons of human waste?"; the answer is $215. And worth every penny.

All is not well in the Animal Kingdom

Dog Owners gone bad.

Cat Owners gone crazy (surprise, surprise.)

Bad news for the environment.

Speechless.

Australian goo invasion.

Space Rack Truck to blame?

Good thing they launched from Florida . . . . that way there is no deductible on the replacement.

Please Mark Your Calendar!

Greetings my friends!

As many of you know I am on the board of The Life Enrichment Center, a not-for-profit that provides continuing education classes and other services to our community’s active seniors.

On Friday, September 7th, we will be having our annual art show; I have attached the invitation.

It is my hope that you (and your friends) will attend, peruse the paintings, and maybe even take one home with you! This is our annual fund raiser; food and drink will be available, live music, and other fun activities! You might even catch me on the dance floor.

* Please feel free to invite your friends, and repost on the web!

Ommm Paa Paa

I kid, I kid! He is very talented, perhaps misguided, but undenyably talented.

Today's Headlines

Awww, c'mon, who didn't camp out in the back yard as a kid?

Snakes.

"That was actually us."

Fun Bags from our Friends to the North.

In my Chief Wiggum voice, "That's some mighty fine police work there, boys."

I think I sit behind this guy's American counter part at the Performing Arts Center.

Some Wild News

Monkey and Shark.

Too good . . . .

This article really has it all, namely, in no particular order:

- A police officer with a funny last name
- References to Special Ops
- crazy dollar amounts like "$85,000"
- a monkey

Click here.

Kudos to Publix

http://www.publix.com/about/newsroom/NewsReleaseItem.do?newsReleaseItemPK=2636

Investment or cabin site, you can't go wrong!

These lots are amazing . . . . . . great area of N.C. too, just outside of Blowing Rock and Boone . . . . minutes away from Lineville Gorge, Grandfather Mountain, the New River (ironically the oldest river in the U.S.) Appalachian skiing and Appalachian University.

Let me know if you have any questions!

The realtor handling the sales is Bob Novacek at Blowing Rock Properties, 800-849-0147.

http://www.navica2.net/displays/?n=390&i=129050&k=qRbtee

Myspace

Hmmmmm. Something funky went on with myspace and it would seem I have been highjacked.

If you have received an email from me about some myspace nonsense, it is invalid.

I deleted my account to nip the problems in the bud. I doubt I will reopen a new account . . . . all of my friends know how to get hold of me.

East Coast Boating Fun

He-is-so-smart!

"It's raining VERMIN, hallelujah, It's raining vermin!"

Those kooky Germans . . . .

Those kooky Australians . . . .

I went off road yesterday. And got stuck.

I am happy to report that I won the poker game on Tuesday, which almost makes up for NOT WINNING A SINGLE HAND last week.

The FedEx guy should be here at any moment with some off-road lights for the Jeep. Nothing really special, but I am excited non-the-less. There will also be a fluid reservoir bottle that I am going to adapt to be a brake fluid reservoir for the Deuce that will be positioned in an easier to reach location.

And in today's news:

The key quote in this article is "The tests are designed to be incredibly difficult and TSA does anticipate a fair level of failure." Hopefully the terrorists will be less tricky.

Badger . . . Badger . . . Badger!

Poker on Tuesdays

Don't forget the usual suspects play poker at Gaspar's Grotto on 7th Ave most Tuesday evenings.

Let me know if you need more info. Happy hour and BS session starts at 6:30, game - on at 7:30ish.

Baah-Whoooosh! Crocodiles, The Virgin Mary and a "Happy Ending."

This is one of those articles where each time you read it, it gets better and better.

Independence Day

Old Glory was flown over the cab of the deuce, a group of friends loaded in the back, and we rolled in the Temple Terrace parade as 20 Jeeps followed close behind.

Here are some pictures . . . .

Happy 4th!

Have a happy 4th everyone.

Enjoy some fireworks (safely) whether real or artificial!