I had a Canon VIXIA HFM400 and the standard Canon WP-V3 underwater case and wanted to take the next step up in shooting quality underwater video. In other words, I wanted to add lighting to this setup but the question was how. I saw some solutions online, however, I had a pair of Sunray 2000 from Light & Motion that were the desired result in this case. The idea I had was to use the tripod mount on the WP-V3 to create a plate that I could screw the Sunray’s to and in addition have a way to mount the batteries to the plate as well.
To do this I went over to eMachineShop.com for the first time and downloaded their free CAD software to design the idea I had. Though I have seen CAD software in action before I have never designed anything in 3D. I found the software very easy to use and the only problem I could not solve myself was successfully creating the channels that would allow the battery packs to slide in which would be locked by set screws. I could draw them but I was doing it in such a way that the software told me the part could not be made when I tried to place an order. I emailed customer service with the problem I had and within a couple of hours they sent me a revised design that was identical to what I created but now machinable. Exactly what magic they instilled in the design I still do not know but the bottom line I was now on my way. Only after I checked, doubled checked, slept on it, and checked the design and dimensions again I placed the actual order. The custom part would not be cheap and nor would it be delivered quickly so I wanted to be sure everything was set. (The focus was to use the plate for video but to also have the flexibility to use a still camera case I had as well)
 Designing the mounting plate with the free CAD software I think it took about a month to get the part delivered. You can pay a lot more for a faster delivery but I was not in a hurry for this one and as I mentioned previously the service is not cheap to begin with! However, knowing how tool shops and fabricators work on the business side I understand the amount of time that goes into the setup and creation of a one up part like this. Thankfully everything fit on the piece as planned though if I were to do it again I would allow just a little extra room by separating the lights perhaps another inch in total from each other. I purchased a tripod screw from B&H Photo and some stainless steel set screws from a local hardware store and was all set to go.
 Tripod screw mount under the plate Between the battery packs, the lights themselves, and the aluminum plate now putting everything together the unit was now very much negative on buoyancy so I had the further idea to simply throw some swimming noodles I cut onto the arms of the lights. As if it was planned this addition gave the total unit a very slight positive buoyancy in salt water!
 Camcorder Front View  Camcorder Top View All together I was very happy how it all turned out. Sure it would have been easier to get an underwater case that was made for the lights but looking at those bulky options there was not something immediately available that fit the HFM400 and besides — if I thought the custom plate was expensive the pro cases make it look cheap. The bottom line it that it was a fun project that came together well. The eMachineShop was a great experience and as a bonus it was fascinating to see the noodles get crushed at depth from the water pressure and return to normal at the surface!
 Diving Abaco with the Camcorder To see the result of my first dive with the rig see my previous post.
Earlier this year I said goodbye to an organization I put a lot of time and effort into. At the time my mind was focused on the frustration of seemingly no one striving for excellence. Steve Jobs once said, “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” To make matters worse it was my observation that not many knew what was expected never mind knew what excellence looked like.
Yet, maybe the problem was not a lack of excellence. Maybe the problem was growing up where people forgot you could eat impossible for breakfast. A place where the future is defined by the past. A place where, “No, change takes time.” A place where, “No, you can’t go that.” A place where, “No, we don’t want to go there.” A place where, “No, we can never compete with the money they have.” A place where, “No, that does not work in a not for profit.” A place where, “No, this is not a business.”
When a place like this collides with the anomaly that says something different a choice of paths open up. Perhaps some might respond to see that “impossible” really means “I’m Possible.” Or maybe the anomaly gets eaten for breakfast instead by succumbing to the incredible static friction that a lack of movement instills. Or maybe it is just time to go. To go and find a place where your soul can soar and be pulled by others instead of being pushed back. A place where people forgot to grow up and actually look for the impossible to happen.
Striving for excellence is great, but not if you are just trying to do the wrong things well. Dare to think of a new level of excellence where all the rules are broken. Apple changed the world because it created products we did not even know we wanted. Maybe not all of us can put a ding in the universe like Steve Jobs. Ah, but then again, bet me I can’t and see what happens. You just might make yo mamma happy that she changed the world by bringing you into being.
Enjoy the video below. The performance was captured at the XPrize Radical Benefit for Humanity event on October 20, 2011 and it inspired this post.
Taking out the Canon VIXIA HFM400 with Sunray 2000 lights for the first time I filmed the video at four dive locations off of Marsh Harbor in Abaco, Bahamas: The Towers, The Aquarium, Shark Ledge, and Grouper Alley. The dives were lead by Kay of Above & Below Abaco with the crew as listed below. I was using the standard Canon WP-V3 underwater case thus it was an interesting challenge to get the Sunrays to mount with this camera – interesting enough, if fact, for me to probably write a little post about the effort. Stay tuned for that to appear hopefully in the coming days.
Since being certified in 1978 this is easily rated as one of my best diving experiences and Kay and crew provided the absolutely perfect environment to make the surroundings that much more enjoyable. One of us also achieved certification during the four dives and I know he would have never found a better instruction experience that what Kay provided anywhere else. To date I have ever only seen one shark underwater and that was a nurse shark well hidden under a reef ledge where I managed to get a photo of its tale. On this dive I was quite surprised by one that was swimming my way while on the bottom alone waiting for the others to descend and lost count in the end. I was also surprised by the actual friendliness of the groupers who actually followed us around sometimes looking for attention.
 Reef Shark Kay Politano – NAUI Instructor Trainer, SSI Instructor, CPR/First Aid and AED Instructor, Licensed Boat Captain, NACD Certified Cave Diver, 34 Years Diving Experience, MA in Counseling UCF.
Kristin Jones – SSI Dive Con/Assistant Instructor, Equipment Technician, Safety Diver, Abaco Central High School Graduate, Honor Student, Recipient of The Governor General Youth Award.
Ashton Forbes is a 15 year old high school student who is doing a Summer Internship. He is currently working on his Advanced SCUBA Diver certification. He is also the Bahamas National Champion in Judo, in his weigh class, and will soon be going to International competition.
 Sustainability? No, I am not talking about helping Al Gore improve the charts shown in his next presentation. I am talking about the tough questions that need to be asked during the tough times we find ourselves in: times in which the public markets do not seem to be correlated with the average person’s experience with continued depression in housing prices and difficult times in the job markets. [In fact, as I write this, I see that, for the first three months of 2011, 28% of all home sales were accounted for by foreclosure. Obviously, some people as still losing what they thought would be significant assets whilst others are picking up what they hope will be homes at fair new values.] If you are looking at sending your child to an independent (otherwise known as ‘private’) school, especially starting during the younger years of the Lower School, and expecting to stay for the long term through graduation, it might be wise to investigate with far more due diligence than the average list of compatibility questions would answer.
As with real estate, the environment that a school faces is highly location-dependent. However, it can be said that, in general, schools covering the spectrum of K through 12 have been turned on their heads in recent years. Not long ago, prospective parents were faced with waiting lists when attempting to enroll at an early age, and if you did not know someone at the school to make a greater connection – or, better yet, already have another child at the school – then, good luck getting in. This fact also produced a financial support system for the school where, in general, the Lower School was the base of the financial pyramid of stability, with the Middle and Upper Schools resting on top, enjoying the strong wind in the sails at the bottom. In recent years, however, this pyramid has been turned completely upside down. Due to the economy, combined with – or actually resulting from – demographic changes, the Lower Schools have generally had extreme difficulty in filling out classrooms, and successful institutions have had to respond quickly to focus on the Upper School as economic leaders to keep the wind in their sails. In other words, keeping with the sailing metaphor, they needed to tack in order to keep going in the correct overall direction.
Some sample questions to ask:
Before getting into the list of questions, I need to offer two points of wisdom. First, these are, more than likely, questions that the usual Admission people will have no clue about how to answer. They should be able to direct you to the people who will; and, if not, that could be a warning sign in itself. Second, I know of no rule book on what questions might be off-limits, so be prepared to accept the fact that some answers might be confidential in nature, and therefore either will not be disclosed or will be disclosed on the assumption that you will not disseminate the information further. Now, on to the questions:
- What is the school’s annual budget, and has the school been running a balanced budget?
- How many of the past five years have ended with a negative surplus?
- How large is the annual fund, and what is the average gift size?
- How is the annual fund used? Operations? Reserve capital? A combination of both?
- How many families or institutions could be considered as the largest donors (in whatever form), and what are their average total gifts?
- How much debt does the school hold on its books (including all forms of debt, be it bank loans, mortgages, etc.)?
- What is the term of the debt, and what is the general philosophy with regard to debt? (Is the school looking to be debt free at some point?)
- Are there any internal loans from the endowment to operations?
- How much reserve capital does the school have in cash? (From an NAIS presenter, a good rule of thumb is that 20% of the operating budget should be in reserve.)
- Without getting into the details of pay rates, how does the school approach the subject of being competitive with salaries to attract faculty and staff?
- How has the school managed benefits over the past several years? Have they increased, decreased, or remained the same for employees?
- How large is the endowment, what is its history, and who manages the investment?
- Does the parents association manage fund-raising events during the year? If so, how much do they raise, and is there any material to review (such as an ad journal for an annual gala fund-raiser)?
- Describe the past capital campaigns. How much money was needed? Where did it come from? Were the fund-raising goals met?
- What future capital campaigns is the school looking at, and what are the priorities?
Though there are no correct answers to the above questions, they should provide a great start for understanding how financially sound the school is to maintain and enhance its course through the future, regardless of whether times get tougher or the economy slowly improves. There are many references on the web to help gather ideas for finding the school that will be the best fit. The list above, however, will help you answer a question that’s just as important: namely, whether the school is at risk, or whether it’s likely to be around for as long as you hope it will. Obviously, no matter how difficult a present-day snapshot may seem, it does not automatically translate into destruction for the future. However, in the end, if not making actual profits – regardless of the title – schools as businesses must at the very least break even in order to continue to exist. Though they have no shareholders to reward with dividends and growth, they still need to generate the financial stability to fulfill their missions.
These are 501(c)3 organizations, so look at the public data!
GuideStar can be your best friend when trying to understand the inner financial workings of a private school. Registration is free, and though there are premium reports available for a fee, the base information from the IRS is available at no charge. Find the organization you are looking for and drill down on the Forms 990 & Docs tab to access the yearly Form 990 filings. Even without a financial background, you should be able to make interesting comparisons between target schools. Of particular interest is line 19 in the expenses section: “Revenue less expenses.” In other words, is the ‘not for profit’ organization running a balanced budget? Is it throwing off enough cash to keep in reserves? Whatever you see on these sheets can be the basis for more detailed questions to ask the institutions you are interviewing. Remember, do not be afraid to ask! The worst case is that they will indicate that the information is confidential and cannot be shared. If you run up against this block, it is something to be respected, and I would not suggest playing the generosity of someone else’s information against them.
In addition to more detailed questions you might think of, I would strongly suggest still using some of the sample questions above, just as though you had never logged onto GuideStar. Though some of the answers might come through the figures on the IRS documents, there is simply no substitute for hearing hearing how the school might talk about the information being requested. In other words, how it is presented in person might give a much larger story than the cold figures alone could generate on a piece of paper.
Other things to ponder about while thinking different:
With all of the focus on technology, some schools seem to be giving up on the hands-on experience. On the extreme side, with the disappearance of votech (vocational-technical) offerings in mainstream schooling, students who are not fit for college are offered little in the way of easy paths to successful careers. Though one might think that this is a far step from private schooling, one should realize that the hands still can do amazing things. A quick read on the subject is the article: “Why Shop Class is Still Relevant”. Though it might not be shop class you are looking for in an independent school, you might be surprised when you add this lens to the list of comparisons you will be making for the schools you visit.
A lot of parents also focus on the matriculation stats of the graduating class. What I would love to see are these statistics broken out by ‘lifers’ (students who joined the school from Kindergarten and stayed for the term) vs. students who entered the school late in the grade selection process, or who have otherwise been filtered out through present knowledge of successful siblings. In other words, how effective is a school at creating an outstanding student as opposed to selecting already outstanding students later in the process? With the seemingly ever-increasing challenges of Lower School enrollment, it would be great to understand hard data on this subject and where one’s money is best spent. When given an economic choice, people like Harry S. Dent, Jr. would say: save, and spend it on higher education, as the dollars do not deliver the impact at value on K through 12. I personally do not know what the answer is. It would be a great problem for Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner to discuss at some point. Until they do, let your personal situation and your gut decide. For me, the key factor in going down the private route is the smaller class size, access to more resources (that we have seen cut in the public environments), and the greater ability to stay connected as parents. Then again, if private schools were able to find the magic formula to fill their institutions with the outliers seen in the likes of Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez (and stop the craziness of their seemingly being persecuted for their success), then it would seem that no amount of money would be too much for tuition. Alas, until Malcolm Gladwell writes the book focusing on outliers for education, I think we need to rely on our own due diligence, gut feelings, and reference checks to gauge how capable the faculty really is.
For those looking for a silver lining in the changing demographics and economy, the good news is that it might become a lot easier to get into college in the future. “Will Colleges Receive their Own Rejection Letter?” is an out-of-the-box look at what might be in store for the future of higher education. The link points to a brief overview of the March 8th, 2011 issue of The Socionomist. Those interested can look into how they might be able to get a copy of the back issue from the website.
Many years ago, I saw a shuttle take off from afar, and ever since then, a friend of mine, whose brother works for NASA, has always said to me, “If you want to see a launch up close, just let me know.” As the program was winding down, I told my friend that this would be the last chance for either of us to see a part of history; so, after many attempts and schedule shufflings, we made it down to the Kennedy Space Center on April 29, 2011. That day, however, turned out to be a dry run for us, for just moments after the bus left for the Banana Creek viewing site, my friend got a message from his brother, saying that the launch was scrubbed. So, into the car we went for the several-hour journey through traffic back to Orlando, to fly out and hope that the schedules would come together for a second attempt.
When the next attempt date was finally fixed as May 16, 2011, I was the only one able to make the second trip to the KSC to give it another go. After the first run, I packed a little differently in view of the things we learned during the first attempt, and off I went. There are good words of wisdom given for viewers of the launch – put the camera down and take in the experience. You can grab all you need for photo memories from the web afterwards. For the most part I agree with this comment, but, for myself, my memories come from being behind the camera. You might see a GoPro attached to my head, thanks to Tim Ferriss, or otherwise in my hands as I do my best to capture the feelings as they happen. Rarely, however, is one sitting on a tripod, so for me this was going to be an unusual challenge.
To make matters more interesting, I wanted video and stills and to see the faces of the people at the same time. For the one man band I was, this was a job for a GorillaPod and Gaffer’s Tape. While the Gorilla Pod helped with the GoPro, the Gaffer’s Tape helped secure a Canon HFM400 onto the end of a EF100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM attached to a 7D. I would not do it that way again, but I can mention two things that this rig brought to me: the first is the fact that Gaffer’s Tape is your best friend when trying to make crazy things happen (two other people borrowed my roll for ideas of their own that they had after seeing my setup while waiting for the launch); and second, you will never find a better solution without diving in and trying something – anything – that has a chance of working to begin with.
 My 7D, GoPro, and Camcorder Setup Was this thing going to work? The bus got to the viewing site four hours ahead of the scheduled launch, and that was the quickest four hours I think I have ever experienced! I fiddled as much as I could, I did not have the best tripod to pan up with, and I had no idea at all about what I was going to see happen before my eyes. I did, however, discover another note of wisdom for if there is a next time for whatever the successor to the shuttle might be – yes, it was worth being nearly first in line and getting on the second bus out to the site. If you are going to be behind a camera, then stake a claim at the fence line – and you need to be early to do this.
If the four hours went quickly, then the last ten minutes went like ten seconds. I fired everything up and stood my ground. The results? A long way short of perfect, but with that said, far better than expected! The video worked well, and the stills brought home the memories, too.
 STS-134 Endeavour Enough of the technical stuff! If anyone wants to know anything else about that part of the experience, ask away in the comments. As for what it was like – that is where words start to fail. I have seen things come together when people have pushed technology and machine to the limits, where one is amazed at how far human ability can meld with equipment. This experience, however, was in a league of its own. From the failed attempt through to the final success of this launch, being there, you do actually get at least some small sense of how many people have come together to make one goal happen. From the people who are actually in the shuttle, through all of the ground support (in Florida and elsewhere) and all of the security, to all of the effort it took to build the shuttle and get it to the pad – the vastness of the combined endeavour is something I have felt in no other place. Then, to see this effort and creation leave our small marble, if even for only a relatively short journey, takes all of those bonds to another level: a level where we are all looking for something much bigger than all of ourselves put together.
Yes, it is the sound of all our hearts beating together. When Endeavour first leaves the pad, that is the only sound you can hear. Then slowly, at some moment that creeps into your body, you start to realize there is a bigger sound. As the craft pokes through the cloud cover and out of view, that new sound grows into a thunder that is as much felt with your body as heard with your ears. It truly is the sound of something bigger than all of us put together, and I hope it is a sound that returns soon after the fleet of shuttles goes quiet.
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