Woohoo — Photo Tech!

Posted on April 14, 2014 by mfna

I feel like the stubborn mule who has to get its head walloped just to get its attention.

For some reason, when photography went digital, I adopted the belief that what the camera saw was absolute: what the lens saw was recorded digitally and the end product was the finished photo. Post-processing? Please. I held the belief that post-processing, through the use of software like Adobe PhotoShop, was somehow “cheating,” and thus wasn’t “authentic” photography.

Boy, was I wrong. Thanks to some wiser and more experienced digital photographers, I was able to see the error of my ways. The light came on (pun intended) when it was pointed out to me that developing my own black-and-white prints from film was nothing more than post-processing. Why should using computer technology be any different?

As one who has made a career in the computer industry, all of a sudden it seemed like a natural fit. Fortunately, Adobe makes available for 30 days a nifty program called Lightroom. Thanks to the folks at MacUpdate, Adobe Lightroom I was alerted to a new version of this program and decided to check it out.

Four days into my 30 day trial, I went to Adobe’s site and purchased the product!

And that’s not all. I also learned of a program called easyHDR that includes a Lightroom plug-in. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which is a method of combining two differently exposed shots of the same subject into one, allowing a finer resolution of highlights and shadows. It’s a bit more complex than that, but now all of a sudden I have a quiver of computer tools at my disposal to enhance and correct the shots I take.

I have been going through photos I’ve taken over the past few years, and with just some minor tweaks, have turned some “good” shots into pictures that “pop!” I may not be ready to enter any photo contests, but I’m finding out there’s a lot more to digital photography than just taking the picture!

Introducing… My New Camera

Posted on April 1, 2014 by mfna

After my recent trip to Iceland, where I took three cameras and was disappointed with the results, I came to the conclusion that compact, point-and-shoot cameras only have one thing going for them: They’re compact.

When I first made the plunge into digital photography, I bought an Olympus C3030-Zoom 3.3 megapixel camera. I bought it because Olympus is/was a respected name in photography, and the camera looked like a serious photographer’s tool.

Olympus C3030-Zoom

Digital photography was taking off, and soon the C3030 was pretty much obsolete. It also went through batteries like crazy; I had a rechargeable power pack that I hooked to my belt to keep the juice flowing to the camera.

As I traveled, and world events made it harder to pack and carry luggage, I chose to “go small” and while in Denver, Colorado, decided to buy a “pocket camera,” the Fuji Finepix f40fd.

Fujifilm Finepix f40fd

At eight megapixels, the Fuji had over twice the image power of the Olympus despite its very compact form factor. I even bought a belt pouch to carry it in, so that I could whip it out on a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, digital cameras have been evolving, and so now they also take movies, include special effects, and have more settings than the hairs on my head. With aging eyes and the desire to take “grab shots,” squinting at dials and having to use a display panel rather than a viewfinder, a lot of the shots I took didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped.

Once again, I “moved up.” My next purchase was based on the emerging “mirror-less” form factor, also known as a four-thirds camera. I bought a package deal that included the (then) new Nikon 1 and two lenses that Nikon had designed specifically for this line of cameras.

Nikon 1 J1 with two lenses

Complete with camera bag, charger and USB cable, this package could still fit inside my suitcase. If I packed judiciously, I could still have all my luggage as carry-on.

Once again, the size got in the way. With all the features (and the need to convert image size into something I could work with mentally), I wound up getting “stuck” at the wrong time, choosing the right lens, trying to focus, choose settings, compose the photo, and shoot. I can’t begin to count the shots I missed just getting ready for it.

Thus, I upon my return from my latest trip, I decided to go back to what I knew. In college, I had actually made money with a Minolta SRT-101 35mm SLR and a bag full of equipment (lenses, flash, tripod, filters, etc.). I know I’m not a bad photographer, and an artist doesn’t blame his tools, so I figured sacrificing the false economy and comfort of a small camera for that which I was more familiar was the way to go.

So, last week I plunked down the cash for another “move up.” I bought a Nikon D7100 DSLR (or is it more properly written, dSLR?) with two lenses, bag, wireless connector (for uploading directly to a smartphone) and even signed up for a course to learn how to use it!

Nikon D7100

A few days later, I ordered a third lens, a fixed focal length (35mm) “fast” (f/1.8) lens that I expect to use as a “walking around lens.”

Now, all I have to do is walk around, and take photographs!

The Land of Fire and Ice

Posted on March 19, 2014 by mfna

I just returned from my second trip to Iceland.

Why Iceland, you ask? Good question.

Up until a few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought of traveling to a land whose name suggests an inhospitable, desolate, barren waste.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Here is the “slug” from the official website of Iceland: “Iceland is a unique destination that offers pristine nature, breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture.” It is all that, and more.

Often referred to as the “land of fire and ice,” Iceland is a small, north Atlantic island formed by volcanic activity. It sits on the “Mid-Atlantic Ridge,” which is a fancy way of saying that it straddles the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. As a result, there is a lot of tectonic activity that generates earthquakes, volcanoes and the superheated water below the surface of the crust that provides much of the country’s hot water and electricity. That’s the fire. The ice comes from its location on the globe (Reykjavik, the capital, is the world’s northernmost). Besides volcanoes, Iceland is a land of glaciers, which produce some of the purest water in the world.

Descended from the vikings, Icelanders are a hardy, tenacious people. They are inventive — they have to be, to deal with sometimes harsh conditions. They have a very down-to-earth view which imbues them with a wry sense of humor.

Iceland is becoming a haven for filmmakers! If you have seen Tom Cruise’s “Oblivion,” Ben Stiller’s “Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” or the Ridley Scoot Alien-prequel, “Prometheus,” you have seen scenes of Iceland. The upcoming (when this was written) Russell Crowe feature “Noah” also had filming done in Iceland.

American astronauts training for their first moon landing trained in Iceland, as NASA felt the lava-rich environment best approximated the moon’s surface.

And the food! I was not a fancier of lamb until I went to Iceland. Icelandic lamb sets the bar against which all others are measured!

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as there are more lambs in Iceland then there are people (estimated population is 320,000 – in a land approximately the size of Virginia or Ohio). Sheep are loosed into the mountains in the spring and left to graze on grasses, herbs, flowers, etc. They are herded in the fall — no GMO here!

Seafood is, of course, the prime food, but they national snack is the hot dog! Their hot dogs have a crackling casing, a moist texture and flavor, and they serve them in a bun with onions, bacon bits, ketchup, mustard and mayo (all are optional. But why not?).

To access some of the more foreboding places, like the Dettifoss waterfall depicted above, one takes a ride in a “Superjeep.” The Icelanders know how to build rough-terrain vehicles, and arctic and antarctic explorers come to Iceland to learn how to make their own.

Truth be told, I don’t know how to answer the question, “why Iceland?” All I can say is that it’s a remarkable place, full of amazing sights, amazing people, and amazing food. This was my second trip. I hope it’s not my last.

A Love Letter To Technology

Posted on January 8, 2014 by mfna

There are some things in this world that stand head and shoulders above the rest. For many, including professional audiophiles, the Danish audio-video manufacturer Bang & Olufsen epitomizes this belief.

My first B&O system was purchased in the 1970s, when I was fresh out of college and barely had two sticks to rub together. Extravagant? Perhaps. But this system lasted for

Beogram 4000 turntable

more than twenty years and served me well. Evolving technology did more to render it obsolete than did age. I had the BeoGram 4000 record turntable with the tangential tracking arm, a BeoMaster 1900 tuner/amplifier, a BeoCord 8000 cassette deck, and a rosewood B&O cabinet in which to house the whole system. Sound was delivered via a pair of Beovox S35 bookshelf speakers. Nice! I so admire B&O that I even had a pair of U70 headphones!

Of course, CDs have replaced cassettes, and vinyl records are nearly extinct (there are some purists who still produce them, claiming a “warmer” audio quality than is possible with digital playback, but I digress). By 2000, I was using my B&O system less and less.

In 2004 I purchased a new home, and as part of my interior decorating, decided to replace my system. As progress never stands still, Bang & Olufsen was now operating its own stores rather than market through high-end audio dealers, and so off I went.

BeoSound Ouverture w/ BeoLab 6000 speakers

The BeoSound 3000/Ouverture became my system of choice (and is still the system I have today). Combining an FM radio tuner, CD player and cassette player in one small unit that sits on a pedestal (optional, but purchased) and coupled with a pair of BeoLab 6000 active tower loudspeakers. It comes with a remote that lets me change stations, start and stop playback, and pretty much do everything but change the media.

So, what does one do when one receives an offer in the email from Bang & Olufsen, promising to take $1,500 off the purchase of any new BeoVision 11 television with the trade-in of any old tv, working or not? Why, one starts salivating, of course!

I have a small television that I purchased when my daughter was young. It’s not cable-ready or high-def. It sits atop a filing cabinet, unused, these days. Is it worth $1,500 ($1,000 for a smaller BeoVision 11)? It is now!

So what makes the BeoVision 11 worth considering? Judging from its looks, it’s pretty Spartan; there’s the screen and a panel beneath.

BeoVision 11 (40″)

It’s the specs, of course. As with all things B&O, the quality is in the detail. The screen is LCD, it boasts six HDMI slots, and the panel houses the sound system. Since it’s B&O, do I have to say more?

I don’t really watch that much TV. But I love technology, and I love B&O. Plus, I received a pay bonus this year, so maybe a treat for me is in order…

(An additional shout out goes to the web site BeoWorld.org, which has an exhaustive catalog of pre-owned B&O products and pictures galore!)

Evolving Technology

Posted on January 6, 2014 by mfna

One of the key topics I like writing about is technology. I like using and playing with it even more! So, I have added two new products to my technology portfolio this week. Neither of them is revolutionary; rather, they are evolutionary, in that they add to existing capabilities–but do so in improved ways.

The first item I added is a pair of Bose QC20i in-ear noise-canceling earphones.

Bose QuietComfort 15

Ever since I purchased the QuietComfort 15 over-the-ear noise-canceling headphones a few years ago, I won’t go on an airplane trip without them! My co-worker refers to such headphones as “kid-canceling,” and that’s a pretty good description, albeit not “politically correct.” The effect of wearing a pair during a flight is almost like being transported into a “quiet zone”

Bose QC20i earphones

I have three trips coming up in the next few months, and I am looking forward to spending time aboard a plane now instead of dreading the prospect.

I should also mention that not only is the noise-canceling feature top-notch, but the sound quality is superb. When the name Bose is on a product, one can expect high-end sound reproduction. I used to think Bose leaned a bit too much toward the bass spectrum, but these days, at least with headsets, I’m quite happy with the sound. For my home audio I still rely on my trusty Bang & Olufsen system, and I’m not about to give that up!

The other product I picked up the other day solves a problem I’ve been encountering more and more often: the inability to connect to a customer’s network with my laptop so that I can publish/share documents I use when giving a training class. The product I bought is

SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive

the SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive. This little beauty (I bought the 32 Gb model; a 64 Gb version has just been announced) works like a typical thumb drive, but once fully charged via USB, can generate its own wi-fi network that up to eight devices can access concurrently. It even publishes its own web server so that users can simply point their browsers at it and download media published there. Can’t connect to a customer’s network? Problem solved: create your own and have customers connect to it. Sweet!

I’m off to California in a week. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to ruminate on as a result. I do need to keep this site a bit more active than I’ve let it be. See ya!

The Joy (And Pain) Of Audio Streaming

Posted on December 30, 2013 by mfna

It’s been a while since I blogged; I’ve been running, working and enjoying the latest (U. S.) holidays. So, I guess it’s about time to update the site.

Season 9 – Spacemusic.nl

While I’m typing this, I’m listening to streaming audio from one of my favorite podcasters, TC, of SpaceMusic fame. TC has been airing his space, ambient, downtempo and lounge music electronically for years. Season 9 of Spacemusic has just launched, and yes, it’s entirely FREE. I generally subscribe to it via iTunes, but there are other mechanisms provided, including RSS.

Fresh Air is another podcast of TC’s, and he’s now moved it from one streaming source to another: Mixcloud.com, which is itself a fascinating place to find music mixed by folks according to their tastes.

So why the “pain” of the title? Well, simply put, it’s mostly because I do most of my listening while running. Since I hate running with a phone — smart or otherwise — streaming audio just doesn’t do it for me. So I have to find a way to capture the audio and load it on my listening device. These days, my listening devices are iPods of one type or another, so transferring a podcast from iTunes to and iPod is a simple matter. But what if it’s not a podcast?

Another site I enjoy is Music From the Hearts of Space. I pay a relatively hefty subscription fee for the premium service of listening to any broadcast, any time. Each week a new one hour program is aired, and is made available free for a limited time. Sadly, HOS uses an embedded Flash plug-in, which makes listening to it on an iPad or iPod impossible.

Then there’s the Australian weekly program, Ultima Thule. Covering all the bases, their

Ultima Thule. Music from around the world and across the ages.

podcasts are available via iTunes, as mp3 downloads, and even via a YouTube channel (no link provided, as I never spend time on YouTube).

From time to time I might happen across a web site airing one of more pieces I might find enjoyable as a running accompaniment. If I wish to, I might be able to record it using a quirky program from a company called OndeSoft, called SoundBlaster. I say “quirky,” because when Apple updated OS X to Mavericks, it broke a lot of utilities such as SoundBlaster. Thus, I can use it with the Google Chrome browser, but not with Safari. Hmm.

Unless I’m running an event, there are two things I never go without: my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch (I just got the new 220 – maybe I’ll write a review on that) and my iPod.

This being the end of the year, let me take the opportunity to thank the people and companies that make my running more enjoyable: Apple, OndeSoft, TC, Stephen Hill and the Hearts of Space gang, and the Ultima Thule Aussies. Happy New Year!

An Odd Confluence

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mfna

I just returned from a delightful and all too brief vacation to Kaua`i, Hawai`i.

I’ll ramble on about the trip in a bit, but I wanted first to mention one of the pleasant surprises I experienced there: a real, listenable, terrestrial radio!

I arrived at Lihu`e Airport late in the evening and quickly shuttled to the rental car lot. There I was told that my economy class car was not available and so I was being upgraded to a four-wheel drive Jeep. Nice!

When I had a chance to begin my forays around the island (I drove some 600 miles in five days around an island that is only 552 square miles, and 80% of that is inaccessible by vehicle!) I started scanning the radio dial. I expected to find the usual claptrap and tripe that makes up FM these days, and was not disappointed. That is, until I landed on the 103.1 frequency. This is the home of “Shaka 103,” which bills itself as “Kauai’s Rock Station” playing “three generations of the iconic music that changed the world.”

From that moment on, I never changed the dial. In fact, I brought with me one of my iPod Shuffles (the postage stamp-sized one) and used the built-in radio to listen during my runs. Not only did I hear well-known “standard” rock tunes, but also cuts that I haven’t heard in ages, such as Taj Mahal doing “Take A Giant Step” (from his album of the same name), live tracks of rare concert recordings, and deep track cuts from artists such as solo Mick Jagger, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, vintage Steve Miller Band (from Sailor and Number 5), The Band, and more. Wow.

There isn’t a lot of talk, either. Two DJs man the mics during the day: Ron Middag hosts the 6:00 a.m. – noon slot, and Tony Kilbert the noon – 6:00 p.m. Nights are given over to the syndicated “Nights With Alice Cooper,” which airs a similarly-themed playlist interspersed with one of the originators of “shock-rock” make-up artists insights and inside stories.

Given the island’s geography, Shaka 103 is heard mainly on the eastern side. The signal fades when traversing through the Waimea Canyon or driving on the west side of the island past Waimea, Kekaha and up to Polihale Beach.

Ah, Polihale Beach. When I came to the park entrance I was greeted by a sign that read “Four Wheel Drive Only.” Now I knew why fate had been kind to me and blessed me with a Jeep. Off I went.

Five miles down a washboard, rock-strewn “road” lands one at a remote beach. There were some people bathing, picnicking and enjoying themselves, but for the most part, it was as remote as one could wish. I had to deflate the tires to 20 psi to ensure that even a Jeep wouldn’t get bogged down in the sand. Fun!There were times when I couldn’t listen, such as during the helicopter tour I took, or during my excursions to waterfalls, beaches, restaurants and the Kaua`i Coffee Company, but when I was in the Jeep and within range, Shaka 103 was on the radio.

The station publishes an ongoing playlist. A quick glimpse at it will show the great diversity and range of music in their library. For one who grew up listening to the exploding world of rock-n-roll in the Sixties, Shaka 103 made my trip to a heavenly place seem like heaven!

I Never Get Tired Of Listening To…

Posted on August 28, 2013 by mfna

Patrick O’Hearn, David Helpling and Jon Jenkins.

There, I said it.

Now to backtrack a bit. I started the MFNA web site in 1995 as a means to teach myself HTML and (the then new) web technologies. In the beginning it was pretty much a site filled with links to other sites. I enjoyed finding new music, and began writing reviews. Writing reviews became an offshoot, and I wrote reviews for other sites as well as my own.

For a while, the web site became a central part and focus of my life; I had become divorced, and it helped fill the time. It also became a way to contact others with an interest in the same kind of music. Let’s be honest: “New Age Music” (a term I loathe, by the way) isn’t “mainstream.” Therefore, it’s hard to find like-minded folk. Admitting to liking it is almost a way to embarrass oneself in public.

But I do. I can list other artists whose music I enjoy on an ongoing basis: Vangelis, Checkfield (defunct), Steve Roach, Erik Wøllo, to name a few. These days, most of my listening occurs on the Internet, where I listen/subscribe to several services and podcasts. Chief among these is Music From The Hearts of Space, the unpredictable Spacemusic.nl (and its bookend, Fresh Air) from the Netherlands, and Australian Ultima Thule. It is truly a global world in some respects!

The sites mentioned above provide me with a constant flow of new music – and when I’m out running, new music is a special joy to experience – but I must come back to the title of this entry.

There is something intangible and indescribable about the music of Patrick O’Hearn and

The So Flows Sessions by Patrick O’Hearn

the duo of David Helpling and Jon Jenkins (oh, the two as solo artists have some outstanding work as well).

As I review the different devices I use to listen to music (a conglomeration of computers, tablets, iPods, etc.) I find that each and every one of them contains works by these artists. In random rotation, whenever one of these tracks begins I am instantly transported to a place of peace, serenity and bliss. Even the “darker” tunes leave me feeling comforted and satisfied.

It’s rare that I purchase music these days, as the podcasts and Internet broadcasts fill up so much of my listening time, but I own releases by all of these artists. This article isn’t a review of their music, specific albums or even an attempt to rate them with their peers. It’s merely an appreciation of the pleasure they’ve given me over the years, with the hope they will continue to create more.

Logging Runs

Posted on August 20, 2013 by mfna

This is part shout-out, part unsolicited recommendation and 100% rave.

Sometimes the little guys get it right. And when they do, they should be recognized for it. Eric Yee gets it right.

A little background: There are a plethora of web sites about running. Some of these are corporate sites, like Garmin‘s, which provide a means for users of Garmin GPS watches and devices to upload and store their collected data. Some sites are forums, some are training programs, and many are a mix of the above. The explosion of mobile apps has created a whole new generation of web sites focused on serving these apps. Many of these sites make their money by subscription, “gold” level memberships and the like.

A few years ago, I used a web site to track not only my running, but also my gym workouts and more. Unfortunately, the site’s creator stopped supporting it, and my $25 per year subscription was not giving me the value I sought. I searched around a bit, and found a lot of sites.

The problem with many of the sites seemed to be the lack of focus; there seemed to be more bickering and personality conflicts than there was actual running information. As many runners may remember, 2008 saw a major upheaval among several of the top sites, as one acquired the other, and the fallout was extreme and a lot of bitter feelings were expressed.

Enter Eric Yee. Eric’s site is RunningAHEAD.com, and it’s been online for years. Maybe it’s flown under the radar (although the active membership seems to be quite large), or maybe I’m just bowing to the principle that when you’ve found something you’re looking for, you stop looking!

RunningAHEAD includes the ability to upload data from Garmin and other devices, create and save courses, list personal records, maintain an equipment log, produce reports on configurable parameters, create a training program, and a host of widgets, tools, and custom displays. Add to this the ability to create user groups, join other groups, and participate in forums, and you have a soup-to-nuts solution for every runner.

Here’s an example of a live widget that posts my last five runs:

Running Log powered by RunningAHEAD

Oh by the way, did I mention it’s FREE? Well, there is a slight wrinkle: a free account includes some advertising, but it’s usually unobtrusive and pertinent. One can (and I do) contribute to the site’s upkeep, and Eric will remove the advertising. Nice.

I’ve been a happy user of RunningAHEAD.com for five years. After a run, the first thing I do is connect my Garmin Forerunner to my computer, open my browser to the site, upload my data and review my run. It’s become a regular part of my running routine. Thanks, Eric!

Is It Time For Article V?

Image

Liberty Amendments Cover

This past weekend I have become increasingly aware of a possible legal way to reduce the growing federal government overreach and reduction of individual liberties. I first learned of the new book by Constitutional expert, author and radio personality Mark Levin, The Liberty Amendments: Restoring the American Republic.

Then, I happened across an interview with a man whose name I didn’t catch, who was speaking of something called The Madison Coalition.

James Madison has been called the “political philosopher of the Constitution.” It was his brilliance that resulted in the three separate but equal branches of government, and the system of checks and balances.

James_Madison But even Madison knew that the system wasn’t perfect. He knew that people and organizations naturally seek to grow in size, influence and power. Thus, built into the Constitution was Article V, which details the mechanism for how the Constitution may be amended. It states,

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Not once in the history of the republic has a constitutional convention been called via the Article V route. The possibility of “rogue” constituents and the premise of a mass re-writing or overturning of the Constitution are given as reasons for this. But Article V has its own built-in protections against this possibility. Nevertheless, the Madison Coalition seeks to educate legislators at state and local levels and encourage them to support the Madison Amendment.

The Madison Coalition encourages both State leaders and Members of Congress to work for the eventual adoption of the Madison Amendment to permanently and constitutionally guarantee the right of 34 states who propose an identical Amendment to limit the scope of a Convention they call to an up or down vote on that specific Amendment.

Congress and the president seem to have grown deaf ears. The purpose of the Constitution was to limit the powers of the federal government, and the Tenth Amendment specifically states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” I think it’s time the people took back their power.

Running FROM Office

everyone is entitled to my opinion