Unless you’re here

There’s a lot of miles of road between my bonnie girl and me

A mile of road may as well be the Andaman Sea

Girl I’m missing you as soon as I open my eyes

Missing you from sunset to each empty sunrise

I console myself that we are looking at the same moon

Even through the distance we’re as connected as can be

Safe and strong in the connection that we share

Miles of stinging longing electrify the air

I’m afraid some jars will stay unopened until I get home

And who will read the poems?

Even flowers in the garden long to be taken home to you

My day hasn’t really happened unless you’re here to tell it to

The sorrow of separation can only be matched by the joy of reunion

God willing, I’ll be home before the first snow falls

And see your shining glow and feel your embrace

And gently stroke your glorious face and hair

And scratch your back where you can’t reach

And softly snore

In the warm luxurious comfort of home, and heart, and you

By DanShaw.com

Your business storefront sign could be 100% better

Some business owners spend thousands of dollars on a sign for their storefront, but most never really think through what makes a sign effective. By following these simple suggestions to design your storefront sign, you will bring in more customers and make more money.

Visible from up and down the road

If your sign is on the front of your building, and your building is close to the street, your sign will not be visible to passing traffic until they are in front of your business, and then only if the driver turns her head to read your sign. Your sign needs to be more or less perpendicular to the roadway, and so will have to be lettered on two sides. Even if your business is one a one-way street, your sign should be double-sided for pedestrians. A sign painted on the building will only be highly visible if your building is set back a good distance from the road. But even then, you should have a sign right up at the roadside. Pedestrians are not likely to wait for the signal to cross a busy street unless they can clearly see your shop sign.

Visible from sufficient distance

Your sign needs to be visible from at least 500 feet away. Especially if traffic is moving at speeds around 55 miles per hour, drivers need plenty of time to slow down safely to pull in to your business. Make sure that your sign is high enough to be seen above cars and trucks, and that it is not blocked by tree branches, etc.

Well lit

Even if your business is shut at night, you want people passing by after dark to see your business. Make sure your sign is well lit. Check frequently to make sure that all the light bulbs are working.

Lettering of sufficient size

To be visible from 500 feet, especially in a fast-moving vehicle, letters need to be 12 inches high, for people with normal vision. As the average age of the population increases, more and more of your customers will have impaired vision, so your sign needs to at least meet these standards, if not exceed them.

High contrast lettering

Use black lettering, or a dark color, against a white or light-colored background. Do not use reverse type, that is, white against a black or dark-colored background. Our eyes have evolved to focus on an object (foreground) against a background. Work with this natural tendency, not against it.

Use plain lettering

Use relatively plain lettering, not fancy lettering such as cursive.

Use all upper case

Upper case letters are learned first, and people can read upper case more easily than lower-case or mixed-case lettering.

Distinguish your business from the competition

You are competing for the attention of customers who have limited time, attention, and money. Fewer shoppers will stop at a store with a sign that says “POTTERY” than at a store with a sign that says “LOCAL HANDMADE POTTERY”.

Be brief

Shorter is better.

Grab attention with something a little unexpected

Do something creative with your signage to capture your customers’ attention and to make it memorable. Nobody remembers the logo for Kaybee Toys, now out of business, but everyone remembers that the “R” in Toys-R-Us is backwards.

Promote your website on your sign

Of the hundreds or thousands of people driving and walking past your sign every day, only a small percentage will stop at your business. Make sure your sign communicates effectively to everyone who passes by. Your website name, the dot-com, is your de facto business name. Promote it.

For more profitable business communication advice, see DanShaw.com.

Capturing Oral History on Video

Tips for Storytellers and for behind the Camera

By Dan Shaw

What does it take to capture compelling video of personal stories? With just a basic grasp of the technology, and these tips and techniques, you will feel confident to tell your own stories on camera, and to gather others’ stories. Whether you are in front of the camera or behind it, you’ll find it useful to be familiar with some of the situations that often occur in capturing oral history on video, and how to prepare and respond with ease and professionalism. It’s common for people to film themselves as well, so we’ll begin from the perspective of you, the storyteller, proceed to some notes for you, the camera operator, and conclude with tips for people filming themselves. For simplicity, I use the terms film and video interchangeably, and make no distinction between stories and oral history.

You’ve got stories to tell

Stories are personal, and may be emotional. Keep some water handy for the speaker, and tissues. Choose a camera operator with whom you feel comfortable.

Plan Ahead

A well-planned video will go more smoothly, be easier to edit, and cost less.

Will you be sharing this video with family and friends? Putting it on DVD, or on the web, or both? Keeping the answers to these questions in mind will help you get the best results.

Makeup and Wardrobe

Be sure to bring a comb, and to look in the mirror before you go on camera. Get a haircut, perhaps, but avoid making drastic changes to your appearance just before your video shoot. Avoid wearing white clothes, they may be too bright especially under studio lights. Do not wear a color that is similar to the background color. Do not wear patterns such as narrow stripes that may create an unusual optical effect (moiré) on video.

Script

Plan an introduction. Plan a strong close. Make notes of the points you want to be sure to include, but don’t read from a script.

Location

Set a time and place where you will feel comfortable. Your home may be a good choice, or you may choose another location. An outdoor location may be nice, but avoid direct sunlight as it can be unflattering. Avoid the sound of water in the background. Use a mic screen to quiet a light wind but don’t film in a strong wind.

Sound

Do what you can to reduce background noise, although some background noises may be inevitable and acceptable, such as sirens, other noises are avoidable and can ruin a video, such as a fridge, air conditioner, squeaky chair, or a lawnmower. A professional will be able to put a microphone on you to get the best sound; consumer grade cameras do not have an input for an external microphone, so the camera should be as close to you as practical. Be sure to get a sound check. Record about 60 seconds of video, then rewind and listen to it to be sure the quality is satisfactory.

Light

Good quality cameras work remarkably well in low light, but most homes are dimly lit, and you will get better results by bringing in a lamp or two from another room, and perhaps removing a lampshade. Avoid hats which may shade the eyes.

Camera Angle, etc.

It’s most likely that your camera is mounted on a tripod. In other words, the camera position does not change. In that case, you can still add some visual interest with zooming. Start with a ‘wide’ shot, taking in more of the setting and background. You might even start with a shot of the setting, then slowly pan (turn) the camera to face your storyteller. Listen for a natural break, such as the end of a sentence, then begin a slow zoom in closer. It may be appropriate to zoom in to a close-up as the story reaches an intense moment. Then return to the ‘regular’ shot. As the story comes to close, you can slowly zoom out again.

Choose a visually interesting background. Choose a chair that will help you sit up straight, or sit on the edge of your seat.

Monologue or interview format?

Often, people will make a few ‘false starts’ when they are talking in front of a camera. But, after a few minutes, they are on a roll. Some people may feel more comfortable answering questions than monologing. Be sure that the question can be clearly heard. If there is only one mic, make sure the storyteller answers in complete sentences. Also be sure that the questioner is not nearer to the microphone (or camera mic) than the storyteller, or the questions will be louder than the answers.

If two people are on camera, to place the camera is as close as possible, so that faces are as large as possible, seat people almost knee to knee.

Rehearsal

Film a short segment, and review your storytelling and video quality. This kind of ‘bio-feedback’ is invaluable in improving your skills in front of the camera and behind it. If you are also editing the video, use this first, short segment as a practice run. If you have some problem with your video, it’s best to know sooner and to work it out on a five minute video instead of a longer segment.

Filming: Take as much time as you need

If you feel that you could have said something better, simply pause, back up a little, and start again from any point.

If you have limited time, you may want to have someone (the “stage manager”) at intervals hold up fingers or cards showing how many minutes you have remaining.

Filming things, photos and documents

If you have objects to film, this may be a good opportunity to add some movement. Slowly rotate the object to show both sides. Zoom in and zoom out slowly. Take still photos, too, as these may be useful in editing together the finished video. It is preferable to digitize (scan) photos and documents to add in post-production rather than filming them. If you are filming photos, be sure to the photos are steady, not hand-held, and beware of glare.

Review the unedited footage before you pay for editing

For any number of reasons you may decide that you do not want your video released, for example, “I didn’t realize there was that rude graffiti in the background!” Don’t pay for editing until you’re sure the raw footage is satisfactory. You can save money and time by taking notes of the editing that needs to be done. These notes showing “in times” and “out times” are called an “Edit Decision List” (EDL). You can download a blank EDL from DanShaw.com.

Filming Yourself

If you are filming yourself, do a test run.

Editing

You may to need your video edited before it is ready to share. Having video professionally edited may be expensive. You can minimize this expense with good planning. Most computers come with software that allows even a novice to do a passable job.

Sharing

After editing, the video is ‘rendered’ into whatever format you need, and you may need DVD format and web format. You can burn DVDs yourself on your computer; you will need a program such as Nero. The duplication process is time-consuming. You can find duplicating services in most urban areas; check with your copy shop or camera shop.

Saving

If you intend to save your video for the future, then you will want to save it digitally, such as on a computer hard drive, and also on a ‘hard copy’ such as a DVD. As of this writing (2013), DVD remains the format of choice, despite the advent of Blu Ray disks. DVD’s and Blu Rays disks may seem durable, but they are not archival quality, and may not last for 10 years. The data is written on a thin film affixed to the top of the disk, so the serious archivist will not label disks at all, not with an adhesive label, and not with ink. Obviously unlabeled disks are difficult to manage. Fortunately there is a compromise. Since the data is written on the disks from the center to the edge, often there is blank space on the edge of the disk, so you can safely write on an arc around the edge without risk to the data.

Taking your next steps

Fortunately, capturing compelling stories on video does not require perfection. Yet storytelling and filmmaking are fine arts. Expert filmmaking actually requires a team of experts, but anyone can make a decent video with just a little practice. You will encounter new situations and you will learn every time you do a video.

Storytelling and filmmaking are intimately woven together and woven into the human experience. Both storytelling and filmmaking preserve historical and cultural knowledge and values. Storytelling and filmmaking thus play a vital role in transmitting knowledge and values now, and in bequeathing these gifts to future generations. You’ll find that capturing oral histories on video is also immensely rewarding personally.

Dan Shaw is the author of Business Website Boot Camp Workbook and he is available for video work within and outside the Rogue Valley. Related articles on Hiring a Filmmaker, Filming Conferences, Preparing for Video, What to do now that your video has been edited, are available at DanShaw.com.

How to have meetings people won’t hate

By Dan Shaw

What does it take to hold effective meetings, meetings that people will enjoy rather than dread? Let’s look first at the reasons people say they hate meetings, then we can easily identify how to avoid those pitfalls.

Reasons People Hate Meetings

The number one reason (according to GiveMore.com's 2012 survey):

·       Meeting leaders allow attendees to ramble and repeat comments and thoughts.

Other complaints about meetings that were listed as the most frustrating were:

• Starts late, goes off agenda, finishes late
• No specific action items or takeaway points
• No clear purpose or objective
• Not inspiring or motivating
• Not organized and there is no agenda
• Too long
• Repeating information for late arrivals
• Weak presenter who is unprepared, monotone, or overly redundant
• Boring and provides no new or interesting information

source: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2113-employees-hate-meetings.html

These seem perfectly reasonable objections to bad meetings.

Here’s how to avoid these pitfalls:

• Identify a clear purpose
• Identify specific action items or takeaway points
• Distribute an agenda in advance of the meeting to give people time to prepare
• Do not attend (or require attendance at) meetings unless new info will be conveyed
• Limit duration of meetings to 90 minutes. If a meeting must run two hours, allow a 10 minute break
• Start on time, appoint a timekeeper
• Appoint a recorder
• Do not repeat info for late arrivals
• Stay on agenda; appoint a monitor
• Choose skilled presenters
• Finish on time

Agenda sets time limits.

The agenda should specify time allotted to each topic. Because if not times are specified, it gives the mis-impression that everything is equally important.

Create a visual record.

If everyone in the room can see the minutes being recorded, this solves several problems at once. It minimizes repetition…

For more info on Running effective meetings, agendas, and visual records see:

https://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/home/HideATab/LeadershipManagementDevelopment/HowtoLeadEffectiveMeetings/BestPractices/tabid/162/Default.aspx

© 2013 DanShaw.com

Filming Conferences, Lectures and other live events

Filming Conferences, Lectures and other live events

Filming live events, limitations
Because the event is live, we will film as best we can under the circumstances, but, we do not get second takes, etc., so some imperfections are unavoidable due to background sounds, poor lighting, limitations on camera placement, etc. Plan a brief pause between speakers for a microphone change, and film (tape) change.

Privacy
Different rules of etiquette may apply when filming live events. Attendees may not want to be on film for numerous reasons. In general, film only the speaker; don't film the audience without explicit instructions and permission. At the beginning of the event, the Master of Ceremonies should mention that the event is being filmed, and the camera is filming the speaker not the audience. Of course, under certain circumstances, for example, if there is a question and answer session, you will want to film the audience. At any time, the client, or the speaker, may request that the filming be stopped.

Cell phone interference
The M.C. should request attendees turn off their mobile phones (not just silence them) each time they convene. Silenced mobile phones may interfere with audio. Other audio interference, for example, from electronics outside the room, may be unavoidable.

Unobtrusiveness
Filming should not interfere with the speaker or distract the participants.

Location scouting
If at all possible, the client and filmmaker should scout the location in advance, at the same time of day that the shoot will take place. Where are the electrical outlets? How is the lighting? Are there windows? Is the sun shining on the speaker from behind? Are there curtains, and can they be shut? Do the lights make noise or flicker? Does the ventilation, or other equipment or activity make noise? Can doors be shut? Murphy's Law applies here.

Giving your filmmaker good direction
Provide the filmmaker with the most detailed schedule possible, and be sure to notify the filmmaker of changes to the schedule. The filmmaker will use his best judgment to get the most useful footage possible. You can help tremendously by giving the filmmaker good direction.

If the video is going to tape, the speaker may want to pause briefly for tape changeover hourly.

Arranging for special footage
If there is an opportunity to get additional footage, such as private interviews during lectures breaks, or Gramma before the wedding, plan ahead and arrange for these.

 "B Roll"
Think ahead to plan what kinds of additional footage you might want, such as shots of all the attendees at the banquet, brief interview with the honorees, exhibitors, etc.

Breakout sessions
If there are concurrent breakout sessions, choose which you most want to be filmed.

Still photos
You may find additional still photos invaluable for your video project. Plan to hire a photographer, or ask a volunteer to get still photos, for instance, of honorees.

Filming PowerPoint presentations
How you want to film a PowerPoint depends on various factors including whether or not the slides convey information not conveyed by the speaker, whether the text is sufficient size to be legible, and whether the room lighting is sufficient to see the speaker, number of slides, and how smooth or fast the pan and zoom from speaker to slides. Most often, video quality is much improved by inserting the PowerPoint images in post-production, though this can be time consuming, i.e., expensive. Be sure to get the PowerPoint presentation on disk for future use.

Lighting
In general specialty lighting is not required since newer video cams perform very well using just available (ambient) light. However, look out for lights that flicker or buzz.

Audio
If you have a sound system, plug directly in to it to minimize background noises. You may need to ask your audio guy's permission. If you don't have a sound system, put a wireless microphone on the speaker.

In some urban settings, a wired microphone is preferable to wireless, since some electronic devices may interfere with wireless transmission, including mobile phones in silent mode, and radio frequencies used by some emergency services.

Meals and Perks
If you will be serving meals, arrange to feed the filmmaker, and to serve the filmmaker early, first, late, or to go, depending on circumstances. Often the filmmaker barely has time to enjoy a meal. Filming a conference is not attending and participating at a conference, so the conference itself is not a 'perk'.

Conference Organizer retains all rights
Make sure your filmmaker will not release any footage without your express written permission.

Permission to release short segments
If you give permission to others to release film segments, be sure to agree in advance to specific wording of on-screen credits.

Delivery of Master DVD's
Be sure to keep a set of "raw" (unedited) master DVD's, for your archives, and for your future use. Check these DVD's immediately for completeness and report any deficiency promptly. Retain the original master tape cassettes for safety.

Post-production editing
Once you have reviewed the raw footage, you will have a clearer idea of what is needed in post-production. Unless post-production is minimal, negotiate post-production separately.

Make the best use of your video once it is live.
For further information, see DanShaw.com

Hiring a filmmaker By DanShaw.com

Hiring a filmmaker By DanShaw.com

 
"I'm thinking of having a film made. What should I know about hiring a filmmaker? How much will a film cost and what should I expect from my filmmaker?"

Despite the continually dropping prices of electronic gear, and the seeming ubiquity of video cameras, making quality films requires a lot of expensive equipment and thousands of hours, even years and decades of professional experience. It is true that anyone with a web cam or even a cell phone can make short videos for youtube.com, but making effective or even watchable films is an art and a science.

Buying your own camera

If you are considering buying a video camera, the first thing you need to know is that consumer level cameras can cost under $500, but professional cameras are likely to cost nearer $1,000. The main feature that distinguishes a pro level camera from a consumer-grade camera is that the pro cameras will have an input for an external microphone. If you are at all serious about doing videos you will need an external mic jack. Shooting in all different situations requires that you will sometimes have to put your camera in a less-than-optimal position, for example, at the back of the room so you are not blocking an audience (or the bride's family!), or far enough from your subject to take in a wide area, such as an entire stage. Since the volume of sound drops off exponentially, if you move your mic twice as far away, you will get one quarter of the volume you would have at the nearer placement. You will want to place your mic up close, or use a wireless mic, or plug directly into a sound system.

All the accessories you'll need

By the time you buy all the accessories you need for your camera, such as various microphones, tripod, batteries, chargers, wide angle lens, etc., you can easily spend $3,000. Then you will still want a lighting kit, which can cost hundreds more. Tripods deserve special mention. Video tripods must have a level bubble, so that you can pan the horizon if needed… a video tripod does not have a central post; if it has a central post, it’s a camera tripod, not for video. The smoothness of the pan is critical, especially for distant subjects; Libec brand is the industry standard.

You’ll also need a computer and the software to edit your film. Mac comes with I-Movie installed, but I-Movie is a not pro grade. To burn DVD's you need to download (from tucows.com, for example) a program such as Toast. If you are using a PC you could get a program such as Adobe Premiere Elements for as little as $200. "Elements" is the bare-bones version of the program that should be plenty for most novices. High-end editing suites such as Avid or VT Edit can cost thousands of dollars and require top-of-the-line computers. The exact type of camera and accessories you’ll need will depend on what you want to do. Get some expert advice.

Anticipating your costs

If you decide to hire a filmmaker, keep in mind that they have made a substantial investment of money and time to buy and learn how to use their equipment. It is reasonable for a professional filmmaker to bill their time at $150 an hour or more, and to also bill for machine time. Some professional shops estimate that a job will cost $1,000 per finished minute of film: 15 minutes = $15,000. Obviously, if you are paying this kind of money you can expect completely professional results, professional customer service, and a detailed contract before you begin; expect to pay a deposit, and to make partial payments at benchmarks along the way so the you are not expecting the film studio to expose themselves to the risk of non-payment on a major job. Fortunately, if you do not have the kind of major budget needed to hire a high-end studio, you can likely find an independent filmmaker who can do the job for less, perhaps because they have a lower overhead, for example by working out of their home instead of an office. If you are working with an independent filmmaker, read on.

A fully professional film requires an entire production crew

If you must have a professional film, it can not be produced by an individual. You will need to hire an entire crew; two or three cameras and camera-people, a director, an audio engineer, at minimum, perhaps a lighting specialist, other technicians, very likely all earning union wages. If you hire an individual, you can expect a high-quality end product, but you can't expect the kind of result you would from a crew.

Your finished product will be only as good as the footage you film. The more time you spend planning your production, the less time and money it will take to film, and in post-production. Spend as much time as you possibly can in planning, story-boarding, even shooting non-actors or stand-ins, so that you have a crystal-clear idea of what shots are needed. Scout your locations with your filmmaker, and an audio engineer, if at all possible. Visit your locations at the time of day you plan to shoot. You will need to know what the lighting and sound conditions are going to be when you arrive with your cast and crew. As with any complex project, the more precisely you can specify exactly the end-product you want, the more likely you are to get it, on time and on budget.

Shooting in the field and in the studio

Expect to pay somewhat more if your filmmaker has to haul all his equipment to a field location; it can take several people hours to pack up, move, set up, break down, and reset their equipment back in the studio. Shoot as many takes as you reasonably can, since it is nearly always more expensive or even impossible to return to re-shoot. Do not rely on the camera's view screen; bring along a larger monitor if at all possible. An otherwise perfect shoot can be ruined by a piece of lint or a stray hair that is impossible to see through the camera.

Should I film an event, or stage something for the camera?

In general, you will get much better results by staging something for the camera. In a live event, you aren't able to do second takes, impose on a paying audience by blocking sight-lines, hold up the event while you adjust the camera, lighting, sound system, etc. When the final product REALLY matters, you may need to review each shot on the monitor before you go on to the next.

Post-production
It is vital for you to scrutinize the raw footage immediately. You may discover some imperfection that may have passed unnoticed (people are their own worst critics!) Make sure there are no ‘deal breakers’ in the raw footage that make it unusable. If a reshoot is needed, best to know on the spot.

Editing video studio is a matter of micro-seconds. You may need to make a cut between words, before a blink, before your subject takes a breath, etc. You and / or your filmmaker should be taking extremely detailed notes on exactly what was shot and the time-codes. Good notes can mean hours of time and hundreds, even thousands of dollars saved in the editing studio. It can be extremely time-consuming and tedious if you or your editor has to watch and rewatch your video to find where the edits need to be made. During production be sure to take all the time you need. Pauses in speech are natural, pause between segments even if only for a second. If you make a mistake, say "Cut!" or “take two,” or simply back up and start over. In post-production you can edit out pauses, bloopers, etc. When you finish a segment, sit still for a moment as newscasters do, to allow time to "fade to black". (Don't look up right away and ask, "How was that?"). When you feel confident you’re done filming, sit for a moment to make sure you've got everything you could want.

Make sure your filmmaker has clear instructions about any titling and credits on the video. Make sure that they know how to spell people's names, and how people want their website address, etc. to appear. Go through the time and trouble to render your video and upload it to the web, that they Don't waste resources having your filmmaker redo a film because you failed to mention that so-and-so's credit should have said "Dr." instead of "Mr.", for example.

Lastly, you will want to have the film rendered into several formats, a high-resolution format for viewing on TV from a DVD, and a lower-resolution format for the web such as Flash .flv, Apple Quicktime .mov, or Windows .wmv.

Friend me on FB

Daniel E. Shaw

Create Your Badge

Psychical Physics : a scientific analysis of dowsing, book review

Psychical Physics : a scientific analysis of dowsing radiesthesia and kindred divining phenomena 

by Solco W. Tromp

Published by Elsevier, the renown and respected scientific publisher for more than 130 years. The author, Solco W. Tromp, was professor of Geology at Fouad 1 University, Cairo, Egypt, and founder of the International Society for Biometeorology. This is a 1949 study objectifying many aspects of dowsing, still the most systematic and thorough scientific appraisal of the subject. This is the book that I would write if it weren't already written! Takes each geophysical 'force' in turn, including 'emanations' (gasses), and takes each biological mechanism in turn, and examines the good evidence for geophysical forces affecting the human body. This book substantiates the core thesis of the Dan Shaw Vortex Field Guides, that "the human energy field is not separate from the planetary energy field." 534 pages. $ 4.95 Quality PDF of out-of-print copyright-expired edition with searchable text, viewable on your computer. Download link provided after purchase. No shipping charges. Print it out at home or take to a copy shop for printing and binding. Available from http://www.orgonelab.org/cart/xlifenergy.htm

 

A window in a flower

A window in a flower

Choose a blue name

Paint a window in a flower

Dance with men with antlers

Soak in the warm waters of love’s embrace

I went all the way to the coast

But it wasn’t far enough

And so I had to go further

I went to the forest

I brought home a rock, a flower

And a rusted old logger’s gas can

Hummingbirds come and go

The pond’s edge jumps with frogs everywhere

Wind-blown sand covers a swimsuit left at a beach

Copper elephants and white monkeys

Parade

Rich colors clutter clash resound

Lush texture layers invite

I play and walk in the collage of birdsong, flowers and acrylics

Art enchants

Key-shaman-picture

Art-love-voice

(c) 2012 Daniel Evan Shaw

Devil's Graveyard -- Alaska

12 "Devil's Graveyards" around the world form a geometric pattern. What are these devil's graveyards? Magnetic anomalies? What are vortexes? Is Alaska a Devil's Graveyard? I'm Dan Shaw, a researcher of vortexes, publisher of the EarthStar globe, co-author of the Vortex Field Guide. I was recently featured on Brad Meltzer's Decoded show on the History channel. I demonstrated the Golden Vortex device to Buddy and McKinley ("Mac"), and they were truly impressed. The camera operators also told me (and Brad Meltzer!) that they saw Buddy and McKinley apparent change height. This is not an optical illusion as we usually understand it, due to a slanted background, or to camera angle! See the Decoded episode now on youtube.
Season Two, Episode 13, Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9mrbxjvxAY&feature=related
Part 2, featuring the golden vortex device:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmW65f6J8Nw&feature=related

Against the rotation of the globe (a poem by DanShaw.com)

Against the rotation of the globe
(a poem by DanShaw.com)

From the discomfort of my envious time-worn green couch I travel
vicariously from Vienna to Sulawesi by video
hiding behind the remote control and channel five
glimpsing life through the pin-hole
of the big screen
wishing for a one-way boarding pass
on a jetliner business class
overseas against the rotation of the globe.
Years pass cowarding about the paths
of a small town without a mountain or canyon
without a spectacular view.
Breathtaking vistas await aboard flight one-oh-five
from transatlantic terminal to anywhere
Familiar ruts reveal the pale shadow longing casts over courage.
What serpent offers what apple to eject this naive man from dismal desert
to lion's den
What strange sun rises over unknown horizons
What unsure sands will support the foot
What travails can be side-stepped between dusk and dark?
How much plainness and porridge can be endured
before irksome comfort is thrown from the brink
to venture past armed border guards
to venture where not even breakfast speaks my language
where rock and flint and chalk could not be more foreign
where every number needs translation
nothing can be expected.
Discontent seethes beneath the TV guide.

Golden-Vortex.com now live online

The Golden Vortex device, invented by Nick Nelson, featured on Decoded on the History channel, now available at http://golden-vortex.com/

Golden Vortex on History channel

Dan Shaw just on Brad Meltzer's Decoded on History channel with Golden Vortex shrink and grow. contact inventor Nick Nelson: vortexfinder@centurytel.net. 7620 Hwy 2 E,  Columbia Falls, MT 59912. $33 includes shipping.

Dan Shaw to appear on History Channel
on a forthcoming episode of Brad Meltzer's Decoded series likely to air in December, filmed today in Olympia, Washington. I demonstrated Nick Nelson's Golden Vortex device to 'Shrink and Grow' show hosts Buddy and McKinley and they were suitably delighted and convinced.

Pattern Language in Aquaponics

Pattern Language in Aquaponics

To: Christopher Alexander

livingneighborhoods.org

Dear Mr. Alexander,

Your Pattern Language book has made a profound impression on me. I want to thank you for your inspiring work.

Some weeks ago, I mentioned Pattern Language to my Transpartisan friend Joseph McCormick,

http://reunitingamerica.org/

and he referred me to a website on the subject of pattern language in “Dialogue and Deliberation”:

http://grouppatternlanguage.org/

I have long had an interest in ‘architecture without architects’, and during the past year, I have been involved in learning Aquaponics; I am sure that I have seen your book referenced elsewhere, and seeing it a second time, and seeing that the work is so archetypal that it has been applied in other domains, I went to the shelves of the Willits (California) library, and found there a copy of Pattern Language.

I read (almost) the entire volume over the next couple days, and reread numerous parts. In a rare impulse, needing to return the book before leaving for a trip to Seattle, I left a few of the last sections unread to savor another time.

The book had a nameplate at front, ‘Gift of the Jeavons Family’. As it happened, I was about to dig a trench, and had also checked out a video called Dig It, in which John Jeavons

http://www.johnjeavons.info/

shows how to select and use a shovel – my background is ‘white collar’ and this year in the woods represents an effort for me to learn more about using materials and tools, and about working with plants and animals. Since John’s name had arisen twice that week, and since I was so grateful for Pattern Language, I wrote thanking him.

Since that time, I have been effusively telling one friend after another about Pattern Language, as it seemed germane in numerous conversations. I have been wrestling with what I call ‘design criteria’, and the desire to better understand the same, with the intention of writing an article on the topic. I have found that much of what I learned about design, and about project management in my past decades in publishing, websites, and video, is transferable to designing and building aquaponics systems. In my struggle to design an aquaponics system, I have found Pattern Language to be a revelation. Parts of Pattern Language concisely described things I had long felt, (such as the need for crosswalks to be elevated above the level of the street), and other parts explained things I had long wondered about. Other parts came as a relief, explaining why I feel uncomfortable in certain situations (such as a seating area not set back far enough from a walkway).

I have begun Timeless Way of Building and am looking forward to reading your other works, and also the derivative works such as the Dialogue techniques.

I am presently in Seattle visiting friends, one of whom lives at a co-housing community (in Bothell) called Songaia. At breakfast, I mentioned that I had just read Pattern Language, and that while reading it I was repeatedly reminded of Songaia. For instance, the communal workshop. One of the community members there explained that before Songaia was built, the members had a study group on Pattern Language. I wonder if you have ever visited Songaia, or if this is the first you have heard of it. It is a wonderful group of people, and a wonderful built environment, and I could ‘feel comfortable’ there.

Shortly I will be returning to my adopted home town of Ashland, Oregon, to proceed with an aquaponics project. My friend Asha, owner of Pacific Domes, has arranged for Rudy Behrens to visit to teach his version of aquaponics, Tetraponics. Rudy’s system includes an electricity generator that burns biomass, namely, duckweed, with its only emissions being CO2 and water vapor, that he calls the bio-energy dome.

Asha has long worked diligently towards building sustainable community, as have I, and so this project is only one expression of a larger mission, I want to invite your participation in this project at whatever level you might like. Your Pattern Language will be reflected in some degree in our projects, so at least I wanted you to know how grateful I am to you.

Thank you,

DanShaw.com

How I Measure Up

How I Measure Up

I have measured quality of life in teacups

I have measured my education with a ruler

I measured the moon with my thumb

I measure hurry and boredom with a clock

Human kindness I weigh in a thimble

Money I do not number but arrange by author like fiction

The time between sunrise and sunset I measure

By how much I can jam in or leave out

Distance I measure in hours and days

We have a number for measuring the mind

When the sun is highest, that is not noon

All clocks bow to the satellite

Each day I consecrate to some obscure god or occult planet

Each year insert two Popes between six and seven

Except February which has 28.

Pick a new starting date and number backwards from there.

I am still using a calendar from 1491 as flat as the Earth once was

I measure years in waiting

Streets in stop lights

I draw straight lines on maps

I am so sure I am right.

A More Tragic Figure

A More Tragic Figure

I have not stood on battlefields

Earthquakes and hurricanes have missed me

But I have seen news of such disasters

But one will never see a greater tragedy

A more tragic figure

Than the man of reason,

The man of reason believes that God does not exist.

That man has made Reason his God (and emotion his Demon)

The man of God believes in a God existing

Why should I care if you believe or don’t?!

Believing is not knowing.

To believe is to not know.

In my magical reality

I have seen enough miracles to know.

Science is the world “exterior”

Where perhaps two people can share a consensus “reality”

Spirituality – experience of the Divine – is a world to each his own

For the man or woman who believes the scientific realm is the whole world

I weep

______________

DanShaw.com

Make changes to your site yourself:

Make changes to your site yourself:

Uploading web site pages, etc.

using a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program

such as WS_FTP or Fetch

WS_FTP, CuteFTP, etc. are for PC’s; Mac’s use Fetch.

If you don't already have WS_FTP (or Fetch) download it from www.download.com.

Install the program by double clicking the icon. Macs: Drag the Fetch dog icon into the applications folder.

WS_FTP

Click Connect (in the lower left). In the Session Properties box, select NEW. Use an obvious profile name, such as "!publicftp". (The exclamation point onveniently will bring this session to the top of the alphabetical list).

You will need a host name, a user name, and a password.

Host Name/Address is often in the form of: ftp.hostname.com

You may need to set Host Type to Auto detect.

Select the "Anonymous" checkbox and User ID and password default. Choose SAVE PASSWORD.

You will see your files on the remote server appear in the right hand frame. to To send a file to the remote server, Double-click to select it, and drag it; or, select it and click the transfer arrow.

Fetch

The same settings apply. Select “PUT”, then choose the local file you want to send to the remote host, then PUT again to send the file.

Back-ups!

Always be sure to make back up copies of your original, unedited files onto the local server into a new folder titled, ‘backups’ before you begin work. That way, if your web pages don’t look right once you’re edited them, you can always revert to the earlier version!

Permaculture and aquaponics projects...
My new endeavors include building an aquaponics system at Ukiah High School, and getting certified in Permaculture Design and Aquaponics.

VortexMaps.com website and retail business closing
After more than 15 years, it is time for me to close this chapter of my life. Thank you to especially to Bethe Hagens, Dorothy Leon, Barbara Hero and Nick Nelson for making it possible. Thank you to everyone who supported my work. And I am grateful to all you who shared your research with me. I will continue to work quietly in this field until hopefully VortexMaps.com will reappear in a new incarnation. I have a few maps remaining, for those who "must have one!"
I have a new cell phone #, 7zero7-513-9005.