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Melding the new and not so old

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

 

For realtors, landscapers, pool designers,  hardscapes planners, etc.

Why use elevated imaging:  (http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s285766626&url=http%3A%2F%2Flnkd%2Ein%2Fw66XcJ&urlhash=vnAA&pk=network_updates&pp=18&poster=47512362&uid=5448764330608693248&trk=NUS_UNIUIMG_0192_p1crop4tone change08_10_logo_text_SHARE-title)

As the first quarter of 2011 comes to a close, an important thing to realize is that ‘business as usual’ has taken on  a new paradigm. Along with new tools, like digital imaging, comes social media and the all tools associated with them.

Getting more for your spending dollar is requiring more creativity, innovation and ‘vision’.  One industry where this is very evident is the real estate market that has an approximate 80%, or more consumer online rate of research rate for listings before serious talks or offers are made.

I believe ‘curb appeal’ is the phrase used in the industry of real estate photography.  Mast mounted or elevated imaging is way to make that first impression to make people want to investigate more. First impressions cannot be redone. That first eyegrabber that says ‘hey, look at me – I’m different…’ has become essential for realtor sales success. Yet, there are other industries that can and will benefit from this method of photography.

Sometimes, the listing is the product for sale, and sometimes, the pool in the backyard is the product that tips the scales in favor of one listing over another. And still again, it could be the landcaping design that ultimately sells the house but these features are often hampered by the limitations of a handheld image (or ground- mounted camera) or a less than attractive online satellite image without the  ‘POW!’ factor….

The concept of Pole-Assisted-Photography (PAP) is far from new, it’s just not as well known here in the US as other countries that have years headstart on us. However there are many sources to find this innovation at work: Elevated imaging – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevated_photography;  or mast photography –

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mast_photography

There are more than a few resources or small businesses available; Bird’s Eye Elevated Photography, http://birdseyeelevatedphotography.com/; Elevated Photography to name one in England http://web.me.com/scenicphotos/Elevated_Photos/Welcome.html

or my company, Beltair Industries Imaging (BAII)  www.beltair.org  to name one, deep in the southern California area, specifically San Diego county.

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Motorail – An Idea That Should Have Arrived Already

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

As we head into the final two weeks before mid-term elections, the top question on everyone’s mind is; “where are the jobs?”  If people, could just for a moment, put down the smoking guns and start thinking, they would find out that we already have the answers to that question. But we rather treat this round of elections like a homecoming game with one side predicting that they’re going to ‘wipe the floor’ with their opponents; and the other side fighting to hold onto a dying ship.  When, actually, the concerns should be:

  • What is our current national unemployment rate?
  • What did we do to get here?
  • What are we not doing to leave this job situation?
  • What have we not learned?
  • How are we going to get over our hubris of being Americans?
  • What can we learn from others?
  • How will we come together?
  • What will happen if we don’t?

These questions are important but if not answered honestly – will leave at least as confused as we are right now.  In reality, we’re stuck on VE and VJ day Sept of 1945… We’ve had our small victories but the majority of last century was spent getting our hats handed to us.  Oh sure, we had the moonshot, rock and roll, movies and a list longer than our arms of all the fast food we could eat. The computers have been both a blessing and a curse that have brought about unforeseen technology and incredible heartbreak. 

But now, our lack of vision, failure to create the Edison’s, Henry Fords, Wright Brothers, George Washington Carvers, is catching up to us. Worse, for those bound to carry national pride to illogical heights, we’re getting passed up by those we thought we could look down our noses at.  Our auto manufacturers had to come to the brink of virtual failure before they hit the reset buttons and create cars that could realistically compete. 

We are now finding out that we should have made an effort to modernize our approach to infrastructure; specifically, our transportation systems.  One of the many innovations we should be seriously looking at is an American flavored motorail system for the entire nation.  Maybe, if we’d be honest with ourselves, we realize that we are not in the lead on this.  A general point of fact is, while the Chinese have 42 actively operating high-speed train -we have none; not one.  

They have their all of their major cities connected while we have the link between Orlando and Tampa, Florida proposed – not even built, just proposed.  There is no effective high speed train operation between our nation’s capitol and major metro areas, like New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, St, Louis, Los Angelos, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle…..

And we will never get these linked, because we’re centered on partisan politics; we have not learned the difference between the logistics of governance and the emotionalism of politics, and worst of all, we have become a nation of instant gratification seekers to the point that it is hurting more than we realize.   How else do you explain the outright disrespect for believing that their predecessors as being ‘behind the times’ with no lessons to impart – all possible wheels have been; in fact, invented already”…

Our job situation is so dire that a whole generation is going to miss out of the labor creation opportunity that should have been available.  This younger generation is filled with misplaced pride and fails to heed the lessons.  They’re learning now as they go to the few minimum wage jobs still available to pay off their silver plated 4 year degrees, and still they don’t innovate in a ‘national way’.  The one lesson they did learn, was how to become rich as they become the next ‘Bill Gate’s’ or try to monopolize their world’s ala Wal-Mart.  Or strike it lucky as they become the next Lady Gaga.  What they did not learn, however, was the examples set by the old school moguls…

When Mr. Ford and the Rockefellers got filthy rich, they brought many, many people along beside them… Ask a modern day CEO to do that… they’ll snort their caviar at you as they laugh at the mere suggestion.  This generation is not learning.  At 27 years old, my oldest son is deathly afraid of turning 30 – not realizing that his great-grandmother became a working registered nurse, only after having 13 children and reaching the age of 54 years old before her first day on the job.

We could and should be operating a motorail system where we put our autos on a train that can take ourselves, our vehicles and Christmas presents to another major city at high speed.  This doesn’t even have to innovated from scratch.  Europe does this now, everyday.  As I mentioned before, we’re not in the lead on many concepts and execution.  Just this idea alone,  has spin off potential, updates to our rail system that will create jobs like; a new style conductor, mechanics and technicians, service workers, health care workers (on-board EMTs, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, etc), travel specialists to solve sure to come up dilemmas.     The European and model already exists (http://www.seat61.com/Motorail.htm).  We should not let pride prevent us from studying it.

But I can hear it now… “That Marxist Obama – he’s trying to take over the railroad trains…”  And yet another industry will be killed before it has even lived.

What can you do personally? Pursue a future of innovation, we all buy things and services… so do we really have to exclusively national level chain  providers or can we ‘ mom and pop’ a chance? Support jobs creation by expecting more from career politicians. Expect more; raise the bar – an entrepreneur will meet it.   For the adventurous, step outside of your comfort zone and create a new business.

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The Jobs Are Not Coming Back

Monday, September 13th, 2010

Now, with the advent of the noveau riche, sports superstars and “cute but vacuous’ people of dubious talents blur the lines of class in this country and not in a good way.  The paradigm that made IMG_0928_Tone_chg2trimthe middle class such a majority after WWII is gone as evidenced by the dismantling of Detroit, Philadelphia, and like cities; the internet has even made Silicon Valley a less secure place for the remaining job holders. 

The large companies are drunk on the profits realizing that their options are not necessarily concerned with what’s best for Middle America.

The jobs as we knew them are not coming back. They’re mangaged by people with outsized salaries that are so far to beyond middle class as to be incomprehensible (i.e., people with jobs that pay $5,000+/hour)

But, before I continue down this dark path of gloom and doom, it has to be remembered that this is not an unprecedented period in our nation’s history.  In fact, this is the perfect time to get mean, lean and effective. For too long, we have killed the entrepreneurial spirit.  The Thomas Edison’s, the Henry Fords, the Wright brothers, the Marconi’s and the many others that changed their worlds so profoundly, have had their stories lost along the way.

 Now the ‘dream’ is to experience the long shot events that are not even a realistic possibility.  Rediscovering the internet, reinventing Craigslist™, building a new Google or winning the lottery ™ has passed most of us.  Unless, you’re nearly 7 feet tall, basketball stardom is less and less likely.  However, the beauty of today’s technology makes innovation even more possible and actually more likely – witness Facebook ™. 

And having said that – if you have not already; visit the Youtube ™ video ‘Did You Know (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY ), to get the full flavor of what is now to be realized.  Who knew even 5 years ago, I would be able to perform elevated photography; the technology was just not there. 

BAII is here to, not only create a somewhat unique company,  but also a somewhat unique industry in a time of great destabilization.  Just one note – to know where you’re going,  a big help is to know where you’ve been.  Listen to a time when we had a reachable ideal…. (Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9JTYnMpRyg )….

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Landscape Photography – A Niche In Search of an Industry

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

 Landscape Photography – A Niche in Search of an Industry

As I go about each day trying to get my fledging startup going, my IMG_0388_email REdays are filled with brainstorming the tried and true formulas as well as ‘thinking outside the box’. And as I spend so much time thinking, I keep realizing that I am not only trying to create a  business, but I am also trying to create an industry. 

 Sometimes, reinvention of the wheel is obviously not needed. It is not clear that someone needs to reinvent the gas station, the dry cleaners, or the grocery store.  But subtle as it may seem, invention and innovation are exactly what is needed in almost anything we do.   That  is the engine of small business and landscaping is no exception (http://photographyforrealestate.net/).

To the layman, landscaping is an artform with a practical purpose.  Landscaping enhances the beauty and value of a property.  Landscaping showcases so many  related stitch5_coloradjustgrn_LOGO3talents that it has become a necessity to maximize the most valuable asset an individual or company may have – property. 

In this millenial era, information is an incredible industry. With just a little effort, you can find information  on just about anything – usually free. Technology has been made available to a wider audience that ever thought possible.  The trap is believing there is nothing new to learn – no new innovation to make; that we know everything already and can use that knowledge in all the ways that it can be used.

The aforementioned engine of small business is supported by individuals that can do something common and do it uncommoningly well.  When that is no longer possible, our standard of living will go to a place we really wouldn’t like and our futures will become bleak.  But small business success is created with vision, invention and innovation.  Take the issue of providing aerial imaging to support the most important or mundane of taskings and efforts. 

 Aerial photography can be found on multiple websites that use national assets the public previously had no way of getting. But dependence on non-localized assets  has pitfalls.  It is still controlled by a collection strategy that is dicated on the needs of the country rather than the needs of an individual.  The imagery that suits your needs  is more likely to be coincidental rather than task driven.

 This is where industries like landscaping needs new tools, new access to problem solving services and utilities.  Tools like elevated imaging don’t  IMG_0423Mrt3anecessarily represent ‘new’ technology.  It represents an innovation in getting  a picture – the fact that the  picture is needed is not new; getting it this way, is.  Using this method, you are better able to customize the image to provide just the right look you need to the prospective client.    And as I work to develop my company’s service,  I can sense, feel that a landscaper is going to seize on  what I do. 

 Two things will happen at that time; one – the landcaper’s competitors will sit up and notice, they will integrate this asset into their own operation, and inadvertantly create an industry.  Next, my competitors will sit up and notice and the industry of elevated imaging will flourish as people scramble to come onboard until the next ‘new thing’ comes along.

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…And If You Believe that… There’s a Bridge in Brooklyn for Sale…

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
IMG_0437en1_JPEGLOGOI’m so ticked, my outrage has moved beyond the common sense feeling of embarrassment to wanting to ‘do’ something to put thought to keyboard. Once again, I fell for the tricks of a big company preying on a smaller one trying to get started. I don’t know if you’ve tried to start a company but the biggest pitfall is not being able to tell the difference between tenacity and stubbornness. From the very beginning, we’re taught that if you don’t at first, succeed – try harder or at least try again. Invest more time, money and effort into something that went nowhere.

In this case, I’m talking about letting myself face the fact that the ‘old way’ is actually gone. Marketing yourself to create a viable business model is essential – and in so doing, become profitable; you have to get out and hustle each and every day. Part of doing that involves ensuring your accessibility for your customer base to find you. This brings me to Yellowbook. Yellowbook is part of the old way of doing things. A printed listing that is out of date the moment they go with a ‘final’ copy. Despite my instincts and the fact that I informally asked people, friends and acquaintances if they used information from such things as the Yellowpages, Yellowbook or Superpages, I ignored the fact that they all said no. And in fact, were incredulous that I even had to ask…

I, most of us, grew up with the concept of those types of publications. The truth is, they’re dinosaurs too slow to even understand they’ve already died. They promise to ‘drive’ business to you so fast, you won’t be able to handle it. After more than 2 years of believing this business model, this paradigm, I’ve yet to receive 1 phone call, email, or visit to my website because of their efforts. It’s hokum, snakeoil, outright deception… For $40 per month, $480 per year, I bought a Yellowbook listing under their ‘Silver’ program. Newsflash, I find no evidence that the silver program even exists. Once the sales rep gets your name on a dotted line, they disappear, are never within reach of their phone and you can never get a hold of anyone on the ‘technical support team’. You can’t get a hold of their supervisors and they’re never local to you. Besides not being able to talk to someone, I also did not see my company actually listed anywhere in the ‘book’. So what did I get for $40 per month? A year long contract that lists me on a online 8th page, listing for wedding photographers – though I’ve never done a wedding in my life. So what have we learned Dorothy? You should keep your money away from the things that you know are dead or dying. Oh, and tenacity is the right answer……

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This is Incredible… the facts…..

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

A friend sent this link to me this evening from Youtube ™: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY

 The information contained herein, is the sort of thing I’ve been talking about…. See the video and enjoy – I found it fascinating….

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Backyard Innovations

Friday, March 26th, 2010
A professional building in the East county San Diego area

A professional building in the East county San Diego area

While listening to the news, this morning, I heard about a gentleman fromYorkshire, England.  He had created a method to take pictures from a very high altitude at the edge of space, using materials off the shelf that anyone could buy and a little ingenuity.

For his project, he bought a small high altitude balloon, some helium, a point and shoot type digital camera, GPS and a controller for the whole apparatus.    All told, he spent about $700 US dollars. In return, he created a system that took, clear, stunning pictures that rival some of NASA’s most memorable images, at a cost there is no practical way to compare. An average space mission is about $350 million dollars with the soon-to-be defunct US Shuttle Transportation System.

True, there are problems and deficiencies with his method of imaging.  But what is important is that those images also capture the imagination of what further development will bring.  Currently he does not have the capability to precisely point and shoot at will  - a system to methodically manifest and collect on a list of prioritized targets.  However, there are uses for military or civilian applications such as construction progress management, real estate, conservation, etc.  The key here is innovation.  He thought outside of the norms – or big monopolized business and government programs the taxpaying public can barely afford anymore – and that is exciting. 

 Also, the images are challenged by resolution.  There is no doubt a picture of the earth below can be stunning, but this feat appears almost like an accident, rather than something practical done on purpose.  His camera system has limited room for image storage, and his system cannot alter the image collection during flight.  He cannot collect images with the fabled ‘license plate accuracy’.  All these things aside, this assessment points to a whole new possible industry. An industry that may possibly create jobs, solve problems and inspire new thinkers to do a great many other things. 

It should be noted that this man is not from the US and that’s okay – other countries are allowed to innovate and create. But we should note that while our politicians grandstand on the lesser issues – other peoples are carrying on with meeting the 21st century head-on.

We should never forget that many of the most important innovations of note in the future will come from the small entrepreneurs looking for ‘another way’ as they build and create in their own backyards.  (See elevated imaging using query: ‘elevated imaging, wiki’ on Google ™ or Youtube’s ™:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w

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The Report Is In

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

In the event you were still at work during the following broadcast by MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan on today’s 2:00 o’clock broadcast this afternoon, you might have missed one of the best summaries of how we ‘got here’.  This report, on the surface, may seem boring but when you listen to the entire case being laid out – you might feel a sense of outrage. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBUzzfCw5qs

If ever there was a time for partisan bickering to stop – now is the time.  We as, Americans, should be asking ‘how did the nation almost get brought down to its financial knees by the few and the very, very greedy?  Further, what will we do to prevent it from happening again?

This is not a partisan issue, it concerns all of us.  Jobs have been lost, homes foreclosed, businesses lost, and futures squandered.  Rules were broken and now America has to pay up.  What a burden we leave our kids. But we can learn from this….

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Standing By While the World Learns the Lessons We Should

Saturday, February 13th, 2010
the concept

PPT Brief 1st Gen ROOT_B1bPerhaps you remember, I wrote and posted a blog noting a super freighter container ship – the Emma Maersk In that blog, I wondered if we’re getting used to the prospect of becoming ‘second-best’.

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/emma-maersk-p1.php

Our internecine political battles have gotten so out of hand, there is virtually no way to get anything done that will put this country back on track (no pun intended) by getting the country moving on a vital and very needed part of our infrastructure modernization. Ironically, the very people who bemoan that this country is going to Hell in a handbasket because there are no jobs; are the first to kill or obstruct every, and any initiative proposed by this White House.

This infighting has virtually killed healthcare reform – when both major political parties acknowledge that reform is needed. The left supports runaway spending and the right supports fighting any idea that is not their own. Folks, we’re at dead standstill with all this gridlock. In the meantime, the out years will see people die needlessly and future prosperity of individuals squandered by the same old corporate two-step.

But through intimidation and lobbying by the insurance companies, people are too scared to embrace the change that is needed. Like being afraid to travel in a world that is believed to be flat. So now, the polls show that more people don’t want change to the healthcare system than the people who do. The message of fear has gotten through and people will suffer and die.

When you show supporting data that the US ranks 37th by the World Health Organization (WHO), people get angry – stop listening and declare the US has the best healthcare system in the world. The US has the highest infant premature infant mortality rate, the highest chronic illness rate (heart, stroke, cancer, diabetes) and the highest obesity issue per capita than any other industrialized nation.

(http://www.globalissues.org/article/774/health-care-around-the-world)
Forty million people face the medical nightmare on a nightly basis without health insurance. The financial ruin for the survivors has been catastrophic. Our own family faced this dilemma that ended when both parents died in a system that let them slip away because of being under insured. They had the best they could afford – but by their late 50’s, their races had been run.

This time, I’m referring to our embryonic effort at building a high rail system. We are so far behind, the Chinese will have built their 42nd high speed train by the time we’ve fielded our first little line from Tampa, Florida to Orlando. The Chinese already have all of their major cities connected by trains that exceed 200 mph. Imagine going from Dallas to Detroit in 6 hours. We have some short haul flights that take more time than that. The Europeans operate many successful high-speed trains.

(http://www.alleuroperail.com/eurorail-high-speed-train.htm)

But where is the United States on this issue? We can’t get passed being the only industrialized modern nation without universal healthcare, much less having a train system ready to meet the modern 21st century. If ever there was a time that favors infrastructure modernization, this is the time. It is a time that has the potential to rival the building of American doing FDR’S first years in office or even reach a level of modernization of the Truman – Eisenhower era. But we have political infighting like kids on the playground. We’ve ground to a halt in all that needs to be done.

So, what does this have to do with elevated photography? Nothing directly; but we’re talking about innovation and modernization – at least, that is the theme I had wished to emphasize with this blog. The year will go by in 2010 without much difference to the year before. In the meantime, people will wonder where the jobs are; and they will support the obstruction of a President with a vision that could positivelyaffect each and every citizen across this nation. Before you accuse this author of being in the tank for this President, listen to the video of Ted Kennedy giving the eulogy for his murdered brother on 8 June, 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9JTYnMpRyg. Forget the politics; there is a calling that begs for a response – courage, innovation, imagination and creation…

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San Diego Earthworks Earthfair

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010

On 18 April 2010, the city of San Diego will make available – Balboa Park to celebrate the 20th anniversary of San Diego Earthworks Earthfair. Beltair Industries, Inc (BAII) intends on being there hosting a booth all day and hopes to receive many of you as visitors.

 Elevated imagery is a not yet well known method of collecting images. However, this method has many, many uses, environmentalism and conservation being just two of them.  The system BAII uses to capture images is a mast-mounted digital camera that is ‘slaved’ into a laptop receiver with image handling software.  The images can be gathered in both electro-optical view that most people are familiar with or collected in infrared to help in some areas of science, environmentalism and conservation.  The advantages of this system are its response time, repeatability and quality of the image and graphics.

I hope to see many of you there at the Earthfair as we, as a community, look into the preservation of the local environment and seek new ways and tools to it with.

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