Can Your iPhone Really Be Used to Create a TV News Broadcast Worthy Story?

Los Angeles, CA—With the shrinking TV audience brought on by competitive cable TV channels and unlimited Internet sources technology determines everything.

TV news once provided terrific jobs for photographers, producers and reporters.  Pink slips have been raining in newsrooms all over the world.  Newspapers were limited to putting words and pictures on pulp newsprint and even that was difficult and expensive.

The sheer competition has dramatically reduced the revenue that feeds news providers and their workers. Now they all are scrambling to stay in business, keep roofs over their heads and food on their tables.

Newspaper and television executives are slowly learning that putting their content on the Internet is the only way to survive.  Suddenly anyone who can write, shot still pictures and much better yet video can compete with the incredible shrinking big boys of television.

With these changes newspapers have actually bagged some Emmy Awards for their video stories!  So-called newspaper reporting has changed forever. Today we all carry a sophisticated HD TV camera in our pockets that for most people goes unused.  Anyone can be trained to create a very watchable TV news story with the iPhone complete with voice-overs. 

The issue after training is equipment and its cost.  Editing can be done on any computer or iPad however the iPhone can do that too in a pinch.  Lack of money is really no bar to telling a story via video any more. 

The iPhone does lave its limitations with lenses and microphones but it seems everyday there are new hardware and software fixes being offered.  

Michael Rosenblum of the New York Video School is the iPhone electronic newsgathering Guru.  Rosenblum, a former TV news director instructs reporters in the US and numerous other countries how to maximize the iPhone for story telling.  He’s helping news organizations to survive and roll with the technology changes.

Rosenblum also teaches students the proper use of the less expensive prosumer cameras, lights, microphones and editing techniques.   I prefer using the prosumer gear and I’ve been experimenting with those incredible new GoPro cameras too.   

A real and undinable advantage of the iPhone is that it is easily transported and very stealthy.  Security people that never think twice about iPhones constantly kick news photographers off property.

If you are skeptical that an iPhone can do a TV news story look at the video below.  This was shot completely on an iPhone.  The audio is not perfect in a couple of places but no words are lost.  The finished product is truly amazing.

Watch: Dublin Dockers by Philip Bromwell, RTE News

Often My Friends Misunderstand My Personal Politics

Chicago, IL—I was raised in the Windy City under a politically conservative Democratic Administration.  The Party boss and Mayor was the late Richard J. Daley not to be confused with his pathetic son, Richard M. Daley.  

A single mother collecting welfare who avoided parenting at every opportunity raised me.  I was really supervised by various friends of my mother or nobody.   Saying my mother raised me is a misstatement. 

As a nine year-old I was taught to prepare my own meals, clean up after myself and to never answer the door should someone knock.  I’d not see my mother but for three or four times a week and she’d be quickly gone again.  I always got myself to school and never once did she offer to help me with my school homework.

My mother was destroyed by the Socialist welfare system that simply sent her money with no strings attached.  A little more than once per year we’d get evicted.   Our property would be carried out to the street in the snow.  As a result I had attend 13 different grammar schools.   

My childhood was an ugly experience that ended when I was 14, lied about my age and took up residence in a nearby apartment while working at a hotdog stand after school.  Like most children I just assumed what was going on in my life was perfectly normal and the same for everyone, or at least those without a father in the house.  

My mother was made totally dependent and was owned by the Liberal Wing of the Democratic Party.  All she cared about was the monthly checks and the crappy canned food she was given for me to eat by the state.  To my mother Republicans and Conservatives were evil.

I grew to hate Liberal idealism and embrace the idea of breaking free from any form of dependence upon government. 

I’m a Libertarian at the Conservative side of the political spectrum.  That does not make me uncaring or evil.

I want and demand limited government, taxes and intrusion in my life.  The best government is the one that’s not constantly making  news for new programs and new wars.

I want and demand prosperity and human rights for all.  I want maximum Liberty and Freedom.  I want equal opportunity for a superior education and jobs for every American. 

I absolutely despise seeing America’s children sent off to fight in foreign wars and returning home in body bags or otherwise disabled.  The Swiss have the right notion to stay neutral no matter what.

I simply believe all things happen better without government intervention.

I want to see the end of the deeply flawed death penalty and serious controls on government prosecutors that have lost sight of justice or fairness.

Are the things I want and demand really so radical?  Isn’t this what all politicians promise and then never deliver? 

I ask that my Leftist friends understand where I came from and tolerate my position.

The track record of Communists and Socialists everywhere has become a litany of government murder, tyranny and misery.   I can never understand how empty promises of the Far Left Wing politics can be so popular. 

I have to ask, are members of the Left Wing blind and deaf?  Can they not see the corruption and destruction to our culture and way of life?  

Celebrities, Fans, Stalkers and Killers

Rebecca Schaeffer (November 6, 1967 – July 18, 1989)

Los Angeles, CA—Celebrity brings the artists of our world fame, fortune and a lot of fun.  For every celebrity either male or female there is the very real threat of stalkers.  The more famous the star the more court orders get issued and reasonable security precautions must be made.  

Most fans simply want to meet and express their admiration for the star’s work.  Some harmlessly dream of romance with their favorite celebrity but usually realize that’s impossible.

There are those quirky souls out there that insist on being a part of some celebrities’ life.  Some of these twisted souls want power over their targets and seek to frighten them.  Unfortunately stalking often escalates into home invasions and even worse.

In Arizona I have been requested to quietly deal with many stalkers that target TV new anchors and reporters.  Most of the victims are attractive women and many of them are in committed relationships or are married.  Their spouses and partners suffer too.  Thankfully none of the people under my protection were ever hurt and I put more than a few stalkers in jail over the years. 

Most of the overly aggressive fans are not dangerous or difficult.   However none of us are clairvoyant so reasonable precautions must always be taken.  

A sincere fan should always understand that celebrities need their privacy and space.  A true fan would never want the object of his or her admiration to feel uncomfortable. 

The worst thing a celebrity can do is to empower a stalker by showing fear.   A good actor can keep smiling while being afraid.  Fear is a gift that keeps all of us alive so we must respect that instinct.  Just remember to never display fear under any circumstance. 

The people we actually label as stalkers for the most part are borderline cases where a friendly visit from a private investigator or cop can diffuse the concerns and change the conduct.   

The difficult cases require service of court orders and sometimes surveillance.  When the stalker professes love for the celebrity target and seems to be beyond embarrassment this is where things become dangerous. 

Celebrities must attend public events and those usually have necessary professional security.  

Unfortunately public government records and the people that facilitate stalkers by publishing maps to the star’s homes create real problems.  

Celebrities need to limit the amount of personal information they release.  

After Robert Bardo shot and killed Rebecca Schaffer at the front door to her apartment building Congress acted to remove driver’s license records from public viewing.  It sounds like they fixed it right?  Wrong!  Should the celebrity get a single traffic ticket the citation and its contents are a public record. 

I’m a believer in special training for celebrities and their right to conceal firearms.  Their spouses and partners need training too.  Sooner or later this will bring safety and peace of mind. 

Just today I’m reading that a man was arrested for trespassing at the home of Selena Gomez.  What a frightening event!  

Even if the celebrity dislikes guns they still need some training with them for film work and can post that on their resume.  If circumstances become threatening the trained celebrity can at least obtain a gun later and keep it for protection. 

Celebrities are constantly shaking hands with strangers and need to wash their hands with soap and water often.  Hand sanitizers are ineffective and have recently proven to be dangerous.   

Celebrities need fans, those obnoxious paparazzi and entertainment journalists and cannot simply ignore these people.  Be safe, smart and stay friendly.   Walk those Red Carpets like you own them

The Sad Ending of My Quadcopter Drone Spycam

Los Angeles, CA—I thought I learned how to fly my new Blade 350 quadcopter very well.  It was now time to shoot some cool video over the trendy UCLA neighborhood of Westwood while I was in town.  I wanted video of the old movie houses and such from not so high above. 

I carefully placed and set up a brand new GoPro 3+ camera on the gimbal and sent the drone all over the area for nearly 10 minutes.  I landed it perfectly and changed the battery sending it up to the Western sky.   I sent it up really high and unfortunately this time directly into the sun. 

I was completely blinded and I maneuvered the control to the North.  However I completely lost sight of it and the advertised return home feature failed miserably.  It simply vanished from view.

The little drone should have flown until the battery discharged and the thing would have slowly descended until it made a soft landing, but where?  I don’t have a clue!  A rooftop?  The VA Cemetery?  Did it land on busy nearby street or sidewalk?  Is it somehow on the roof of the FBI building?

To me this major mystery is nearly as important as the 1937 disappearance of Amelia Earhart her navigator Fred Noonan along with their Electra plane somewhere not far from Howland Island.  

I did not place identification or a phone number on it so it is lost forever.  The camera and the 64 gigabyte SD Ram card long with the drone cost well over $400.00 and the device itself $650.00.  Then there are the tools and accessories I bought that will now remain idle. 

More that anything I want the contents of the GoPro’s SD Ram card. 

Oh well it was fun while it lasted! I am incredibly sad right now. 

Update:

I began to analyze what went wrong and how I should have handled the emergency mid flight.   In retrospect I should have been able to avoid the panic and loss of the aircraft.

First and foremost, when the sun blinded me, I should have simply let go of the controls and it would have hovered in place.   I would have had at least five minutes to think up options. 

I could have moved the thing a bit to the right or left and let go of the controls again until I could get a visual on it.  Then I could have finished my flight without the drama and heartache. 

The cause of this air disaster was pure and simple pilot error.  Inexperience and over-confidence is a killer!