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This is an attempt to respond to some emails and thoughts that may be of general interest and to be in touch. As the site and situations change from time to time a dated post will also be made. |
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On the road with the *MacBook |
| Dec 2009 | Jan 2010 | Feb 2010 | Mar 2010 | Apr 2010 | May 2010 Jun 2010 |
Jul 2010 Aug 2010 |
Sep.Oct.Nov Dec.2010 |
Jan.Feb.Mar. Apr.2011 |
Journal 2011 | *index |
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March 30th It's our last day in Miami Beach. Beginning to pack and prepare for the long drive home. Travelling helps us become a little wiser, a little better informed, and too, a bit nostalgic. Unique memories and the afterglow of good times will linger. The site will report somewhat sporadically over the next three or four days. Not sure yet how our new server host and provider will treat our changing *IP identification as we travel north. (see March 26th ~ *IP identification) |
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March 29th Re: Renaming this blog The Porridge Pronouncement HA! Thanks, for suggesting a new name for this Blog (without prejudice could have been included). The name certainly enhances and elevates a very narrow spike in one comment from one entry on March 20th. But not by that much. OK, so when a name change suggestion comes from a Wainfleet celeb does that mean it should simply be embraced? Just because my cholesterol down breakfast delight was a singular expression should it become the moniker of this journal? Should we be grateful and jump on the idea? No way Jose. I will continue to stand righteously upwind of any literary low pressure front which blows my way. Despite this emailer's popularity as a writer I think he actually thinks that Youtube is the passage that Youfood goes to Youtummy on its journey through Youbody. Am not that sure that this depth of thinking entitles him to suggest a name like the Porridge Pronouncement. To paint this blog with that thick, grey, oatmeal paintbrush just doesn't go down that easily. A bit hard to swallow in my opinion. Ok, so his syndicated columns appear online (uploaded in fact by someone else) and so what if he's successful beyond most writers wildest dreams. I'm not sure that he appreciates the scope of this endeavour. I rest my case as my friend Frank would say. The blog began as an attempt to communicate the site's daily progress while wandering through the world, sharing some tech talk, and being in touch. Emails come a few a week about what kind of camera and lenses are used or what camera settings were chosen and an occasional debate about large snakes, feral cat conditions and the like. Many of the questions were/are the same from week to week and now the blog can answer most anything including inquiries from anyone who works with a DSLR camera. (aside) - The tech talk about DSLR video is actually driven by only three of us. But it's gratifying to work towards overcoming any of the technical photog challenges which we face. As noted in past blog entries, the site has a life of its own that both amazes and pulls me along. It's hard to believe that a few pics and some written response can both generate an interest and create traffic. Thank-you for the fun emails and all of the kind kudos. The Porridge Pronouncement will continue to continue by whatever name it's called. It's starting to grow on me. I actually like it. The Porridge Pronouncement. Blog on. I may need an editor to help guide and quiet me through these moments of crises. epilog: I am being charged $15.00 for the rights to use Porridge Pronouncement. Not making this up. I rest my case.
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March 28th The Canon EOS 7D video is up (as promised) Uploaded a collection of video clips edited with iMovie 09 to youtube. There's no particular story, just clips that were focused and exposed reasonably well, and not too shaky. It's not showing in full HD, will have to make some more disc space on the MacBook to upload it again . We're not on a high speed connection here and even playing it in 360p (LD) is often a bit slow to load and watch. Looking forward to a more serious attempt in a few weeks in Cape Hatteras. Am able to work the DSLR camera and have an idea of what seems to work and what doesn't. (Will continue to practice) Noticed a few editing errors. Will correct them and upload the vid again in a larger file size (HD/720p). However, the image quality looks pretty good at 360p and 480p from here. An HD version of the movie was uploaded but source clips were missing. In order to upload the video in HD I had to make more room (Disc Space) on the MacBook and a few original source files were accidentally deleted. That video link is gone and the second failed vid has been deleted from YouTube. What HD giveth it also taketh away. An external hard drive is required if you plan to shoot video and upload in HD using a smaller laptop computer (like this 2006 MacBook OSX 10.6.2 with its 2 GB Ram upgrade). Will also start looking for a version of Final Cut that will overcome some of the editing shortcomings in iMovie09. Epilog: (in a simple sentence) ~ To run and use Final Cut Pro a newer MacBook Pro is required. This older '06 MacBook simply can't be upgraded. Will continue to work with iMovie 09 for now. |
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>> EOS DSLR video ~ North Beach ~ March 2010 (360p/480p)<<
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| March 27th Life guard stations Ocean conditions change from hour to hour, day to day. Life guard stations post local conditions and life guards keep a close eye on swimmers. Just like Baywatch. OK, not really. You can Google Baywatch or click the link below to judge for yourself. New reality shows today are so shallow and flakey. As shallow as a puddle. They simply don't hold a candle to the depth and quality of the old sitcoms like Frazier, MASH, Seinfeld, Cheers, Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Golden Girls, and and and BAYWATCH! How Pamela Anderson (CJ) can act and hold an audience's attention without speaking or hardly moving both amaze, and transfix me. |
| >> CJ on classic Baywatch<< |
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| Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics |
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March 26th Re: Where have you been? Windinsight has been offline for the past 5 days. Transfer to a new server took a bit longer than expected but we're finally back up. When we're on the road uploads will be delayed a bit until our new host receives and processes our new IP identification number. IP both identifies and locates the point of origin of our computer for security purposes. Hey, you never know when you need to trace a 'crank internet call' or find the source of an upload. To find your own personal IP click the links below, just for fun. It's your own IP, kind of like your own telephone number! Google it to see where you live. (There will be an IP test tomorrow worth 10 marks.) Windinsight will be reorganizing and rearranging a bit over the next few weeks and will be getting ready for the Cape Hatteras spring trip (April 10th - early May). |
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>> What is my IP number?<<
>> What is my IP number and location<< |
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March 23rd Re: Intervention into feral cat communities and How's the DSLR video coming? 1. Feral cat communities - response 2. EOS movies update 1. Where there's a given community of animals with a natural food and water supply, that population of animals and food supply will vary somewhat from time to time but will generally be able to maintain and sustain itself. That's called an ecological balance as well as being a very long sentence. The National Film Board of Canada's film documentary Death Of A Legend demonstrates this point. Two packs of wolves, three herds of deer, and a food supply of vegetation for the deer provide the setting on Isle Royale, an island off the north shore of Lake Superior. An ecological balance of wolves, deer and vegetation prevailed and worked until humans decided that the wolves posed a dangerous threat and had to be exterminated. Hunters went in and shot the wolves (using aircraft and skidoos). Without the wolves being predators, the deer overpopulated and over-grazed their given food supply till it was depleted. Deer eventually starved and herds needed to be culled and have food dropped in. With the wolves gone the ecological balance was broken. This is an example of how ignorance can upset and quickly destroy a system that works. In order for a community of feral cats to survive there has to be a food supply for them to exist. If there was a population of small rodents etc. an ecological balance among the cats, mice, and let's say birds might eventually sustain a working and balanced population within this animal community. When feline pets are abandoned by owners who move or when cats are introduced to eliminate mice and rats in an area - a not so ecological condition is created. It might eventually work out if hotels and condos didn't poison (see below, that's bait trap #30 for just one condo) or trap the mice, rats, etc. Or if there was a safe water supply easily available. Not so in this Miami Beach area. Salt water, hot tubs and carefully supervised swimming pools prevail. People within this community are intervening to help the living conditions of the cats through neutering, and a daily supply of fresh food and water. The argument that these cats should be left alone to care for themselves is a little like listening to the current Health Care debate. It gets very personal and heated up a bit. (Both sides do have debatable points.) That said, there is currently a healthy population of feral cats living in a small stretch south of Allison Park thanks to some caring human intervention. To add to this thought Allison Park hosts a beautiful sea turtle display. The park makes an effort to explain the condition and current challenge of the sea turtles. Females laying eggs and their turtle hatchlings can become disoriented and fatally attracted toward the lights and noise from homes and cars. There's currently an effort being made to reduce the artificial light inland along the south Florida shore. Another worthwhile form of human intervention. Without this effort and education another earthly species would be threatened. (see pics below) Florida Manatee are also in danger and a strong effort is underway to help them to survive the increasing powerboat traffic. |
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2. The EOS movie is coming along nicely. The first 4 hours of work resulted in less than 2 minutes of usable/acceptable video. The last two hours of shooting has had about a 60% success keep rate. Getting better results. Have been able to work with all of the lenses on the Canon 7D. The shorter 17 - 55mm is the easiest to use and produces the best results so far. The 50 - 500mm and the 70 - 200mm have shakier results in the longer zooms. Remember too that the EOS 7D's 1.6 X crop factor makes these 2 lenses = 80 - 800mm and 112 - 320mm respectively so zooming to max and following a fast moving kiteboarder is shaky. Will continue to work on this. The 50mm prime f 1.4 is exquisite in low light especially with all those available 7D ISOs. A few things to Turn Image Stabilization off Press autofocus before shooting or focus manually (to eliminate the OMG BLUR when reviewing the clip ) Set ISOs to Auto (unless you know what you're doing) Slower shutter speeds (1/30 sec. <--> 1/125 sec.) produce smoother video results in scenes with faster motion Choose a high Level the tripod with extreme care and check the rotation for a level horizon when panning (pan as little as possible) (or) Support the camera against a tree or on a rail to help steady the video Stabilizing rigs and eye monitor covers are available to help stabilize the camera while shooting and help to compose better footage. Will continue to look for ones that are easy to handle and use, effective, and affordable In the meantime ~ set up composition for video shots using the eye piece then switch to movie mode and step back and shade the LCD monitor while shooting. Switching back and forth from the eyepiece to the monitor also helps in remembering to reset the focus/autofocus Don't delete the source video to make room for more vid in your laptop if you're using iMovie 09 or you'll lose that part of your unfinished project iMovie 09 is only adequate as an editing tool. At the least Final Cut Express provides far, far more in editing and control Bring along an external hard drive to help store the very large video files which you shoot. Computer laptop space is used up very quickly (will likely add a few more checklist (discovered or submitted) so check back here periodically) The objective was to make an acceptable HD video using the Canon 7D by the end of March. Looks promising. Not sure that it's worth uploading it up to youtube because it's a very random effort. The footage is technically good. Shooting is in focus and reasonably well composed. The learning curve has been slow and somewhat frustrating. Hopefully the video footage in Cape Hatteras next month will come together more easily and not be a hassle that interferes with being on the water on a windy day. Shooting stills is so simple and convenient compared to shooting video. ( Oh oh, hope this doesn't sound a bit negative?) The new Olympus Stylus tough (HD video waterproof ~ 720p!) should help with some bright and sharp footage on the water. Will have to wait and see just how good it is. |
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March 20th Three challenges for today, not that suppliers and retailers really care. 1. No hands-on manual for the new Olympus waterproof HD anywhere in the box 2. The horizon still tilts a few degrees off centre during rotation in a 900 video pan on a levelled tripod 3. and breakfast Went looking for the manual for the new Olympus Stylus Tough HD waterproof point and shoot. Not in the box. Must have left it at Wolf Camera looking for the memory card that's sold separately too. Cut to the chase. The manual is in the camera's software display that can't be easily read outside in sunlight. Crapola. Olympus has an on-line manual for their new line of HD's so you need to carry your laptop with you hoping to poach a wireless signal if you need help with the menu settings walking around outside. (Our printer is a few thousand kilometres away) Remember, this is just another hurdle for today not an electric fence in the lush green pasture of life! If the waves were large, the wind up, or another Manatee was swimming by it would be another story. A hands-on manual is available, it takes about 2 weeks to deliver and costs around $10. Olympus, please wake up and smell the user reality. Figure this one out. The Canon 7D is on a bull's eye bubble level tripod and we're doing a slow pan through 900 The horizon is in the upper 10% of the screen and as the rotation progresses the horizon begins to tilt so it's out (left to right) about 2 degrees at the end of the turn. Adjusting the tilt in the horizon in video isn't a part of my software correction program and it's getting on my novice nerves. Manfrotto makes an adjustable leveller system and for the full payment, taxes and shipping Worldwide Camera will get me one in 5 - 7 days, and it Breakfast. Oatmeal is one part of my cholesterol down each day. After three years it's becoming one of morning's greatest challenges. So desperately want to sit down to Ice Cream Flakes, fresh squeezed orange juice and champagne, french toast with bacon, and a double down frappacino with whipped cream. (dream dream drea--m) OK. Here's a simple solution that worked today. 1 cup of steel cut oats, blueberries, strawberry lowfat yogurt, no fat chocolate (2%) milk, and a sprinkle of malt sugar. And now, out we go with a smile and my Audubon bird call and see what presents itself. Am seriously thinking about patenting the cholesterol-down chocolate-malted oatmeal breakfast delight. |
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| Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics |
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>> tripod levelling base << |
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March 19th Re: Adopt a beach. Please. It works ok on highways! Signs honour and proclaim the names of the volunteers who help with roadside cleanup. In addition to this, here in the south chain-gangs dressed in black and white striped coveralls can be seen along stretches of highways with litter-bags and sharp ended poles supervised and controlled by guards with rifles slung over their shoulders watching them through mirrored aviator Ray Bans. Your tax dollars at work. Not to mention the rehabilitation it brings and the return on tax dollars invested in jails. Oh yes! Coloured pieces of plastic stand out along the edge of the wave wash among the seaweed, broken coral, pieces of sponge, and driftwood the incoming tide and waves push ashore. Boggles my mind as to how anyone can discard anything that can so easily be recycled out there among the yachts, cruise ships and by sun worshippers along the beach. More significant are the fish and any gulls who inadvertently ingest the soft bits of coloured plastic. Reports note that damage caused to and within their digestive systems can lead to blockage and be fatal. There are enough people carrying guns around here that armed guards wouldn't be needed to supervise inmates at work along the shoreline cable-tied together. Beige and cream stripes on swim trunks works ok for me. Avoid eye contact. I sometimes feel a bit like the vengeful, eccentric ex-governor of Florida in Carl Hiaasen novels who followed offenders and did unto them as they did unto the environment. He lives as a recluse in the Everglades and emerges like a one man western posse after the bad guys and occasionally ropes himself under South Florida bridges during hurricanes buck naked. You get the picture. In a Walter-Mitty/Hiaasen novel-like reverie I sometimes see myself filling some litterbug's convertible with freshly collected garbage just like the disgruntled governor did. I wonder if anyone would lend a hand. (Cell phone is on) Have you ever seen a sign posted along a shoreline with ~ This Beach Is Cleaned Up By The Brady Bunch or Gamma Gamma Delta Has Been At Work Here Picking Up Anything That Can Be ReCycled. Hopefully there are some, somewhere. You'd think. Solution? So why not put your money where your mouth is John. Give it a try? Just carry a small bag on you walk today. Nothing to lose. It's one small litter bag for North Miami Beach, one giant stoop-over for mankind. It might just catch on. |
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| Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics |
| >> A list of Carl Hiaasen's books available in most Public Libraries (Maybe start with Sick Puppy) << |
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March 18th Re: Thank-you! It wasn't my intent to ask for donations but have just received one offer and two other people have expressed an interest in making a financial donation to help provide neutering for the local feral cats around here. Carmen Funaro will be the person to whom donations will be sent. I will collect and forward any offerings that may be given or will send you Carmen's email if you want to do it yourself. Cages and vet services are the main focus of need at this time. The provision of fresh drinking water keeps the animals away from local swimming pools and the wrath of condominium personel. Food left outdoors is only good for a day. Neutering costs are $40 per cat and cages used to humanely catch the animals are about $75. A dollar or two will all add up. Thank-you! The pics below show Juliette and Carmen. She's one of the very few cats that will permit human touch. Her left ear has been surgically topped a bit to show that she's been neutered, There isn't a natural food supply that will sustain the cat population. Without human intervention the feline prides would almost certainly overpopulate for a time, become ill and be the uncontrolled problem they were a decade ago. |
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| Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics |
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March 17th (3rd entry) Re: Causes. It's raining lightly along the beach and pathway this morning. My beautiful, not so feral, Juliette emerges from the thick foliage and follows me along the boardwalk for a good morning hello and a rub. The kindness people have extended to these cats is both heartfelt and gratifying. Along the shoreline the wash has brought in another myriad of colourful pieces of broken plastic and a few garbage bags tossed overboard from boats. I grab one, get a soaker from an incoming wave and head for a litter basket taking on sand in my runshoes. Two people are approaching. The man has a large dog on a leash and is pushing a wheelchair with all his belongings. Have seen him sitting along Collins Avenue and sleeping on the beach in the early morning. The woman smiles and asks for some change. She has a cart with a zippered cooler. A small dog's nose protrudes from one corner. I ask her how it's going and smile. She responds with I'm awfully hungry and my dog and I are heading to get water in the park. She and the man are homeless and unemployed. I had two twenties in my wallet and wasn't sure that parting with either of them was such a good idea at the time. How much was their hunger worth? A five? A ten? It seems I need to rethink my priorities. All of the mixed feelings about street people were playing in my head. Another personal challenge. Either ignore and walk away or help them with a handout. But, how much? Are they just plain lazy or are they in real need? Give a person a tenner and feed them for a day. Provide a way for them to become somehow employable and they will feed themselves for a lifetime. My problem? No, it's actually their problem, and they are coping. They are caught at the end of a one way street with very little hope of ever getting back on their own. I am deeply touched by and frustrated with an overwhelming concern for their well-being and my inability to truly provide any lasting help. Got back to the condo and told Nancie the story. She went for her walk. I think she put two fives in her pocket. |
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| Please click the thumbnails above to enlarge the pics |
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March 17th (2nd entry) Re: Love this shot. Took it from our 9th floor balcony at 8:15 pm last evening. Was losing the last acceptable light quickly and the wind was dying. Three surfers took this wave and rode it all the way in. Sigma 50 - 500mm @ 500mm (1.6X = 800mm). Cropped in Photoshop to about 1600mm. EOS 7D, IS0 3200, 1/1000 sec., f 5.6 |
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March 17th (1st entry) Re: Feral cats in North Miami Beach, the story continues. There's a large population of feral cats in the thick vegetation living well here along the boardwalk and walking path. From Allison Park south for half a mile, there's an active group of locals and Canadians who have taken on the cause of helping the cats to live a better life than they had years ago. Although two new litters have been recently discovered the majority of the cats have been neutered or spayed and are in good health. They were caught in humane cages and carefully transported to local vets who perform surgery on them and check for physical issues and disease. Cats are then returned to the path and released into their former environment. The locals contribute dollars to assist the service costs. Fresh food and water is also provided each day, all year by volunteers. A well-fed community of cats, as well as pigeons, other local birds, racoons, and any other fortunate creatures who wander in are doing well because of the kindness and care these caring volunteers have given. The cats also have been given names. Juliette and Obama are my personal favourites. Generally speaking the cats do not tolerate human touch and keep their distance. So, there are ways in which we can help. The answer or way to solve the problems we face as a nation may seem an overwhelming and impossible task. Picking one challenge and simply working at it can make a difference and will begin to change conditions. One step at a time. One day at a time. A heartwarming beginning. Hopefully strays wandering in will continue to be be helped and residents will simply not leave their pets when they move. |
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March 16th Police action again, three helicopters hovering in the air. Roads blocked off. Traffic slowed to a crawl. Radio stations simply report the familiar 'Police Action' in the Aventura area. SWAT teams, firetrucks, military, police everywhere, flashing lights, Nancie cursing and clutching the wheel, definitely not a training exercise. Rule 1 ~ Always carry your camera with you. Right. The first thought is don't take any pictures that could identify anyone, you might get shot. It's a serious and fearful moment when you're actually there. Have seen way too many Bruce Willis movies. Both the good guys and the bad don't want their pics taken. Miami is certainly filled with warmth, noise, and colour but like Los Angeles it attracts people. All kinds of people. Homeless wanderers and makeshift tents appear along the boardwalk and pathways. (Just can't take the pics.) People asleep on picnic tables. University students on March Break, vagrants, migrants, casually dressed tourists wandering about, and business suits are all part of the landscape. At a glance fast cars, huge yachts and exotic speedboats, custom choppers, booming rap, skaters, glamourous attire, latin music and spoken spanish are the norm, great design, hustlers inviting you into restaurants for dinner, pizza joints, and smart exclusive shops are just a few of the many visuals and sounds that any minute will bring. There seems to be two obvious classes in New America. Those affected by the economic challenge and those who are not. Street people and Bentleys may be an oversimplification of the contrast. There are almost more Bentleys and Rolls than the common copycat Chrysler 300s. Lambos, Maseratis, Ferraris, Astons, unique choppers and sport bikes sing by magnificent high-rise towers amidst the traffic, their drivers seemingly oblivious to the vagrants and tented shopping cart homeless wandering the sidelines. These conditions no doubt exist everywhere in the world to some extent. Am not sure if there is a certain solution to the many problems of creating work and providing homes for the unemployed, feeding the hungry, eliminating the disparity, reducing violent crime, educating children and adults, and helping the physically and emotionally ill that will actually work or help. Politicians seem to rant and spin. No wonder the crazies/maybe not so crazy? come out. (pic below) I don't envy any political leader's challenge in trying to overcome these problems. This guy is coming near. His words are familiar. Any change you can spare? At lease the weather here is warm here in the winter. Hand him a dollar. And count my blessings. |
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