While listening to one of my favorite Pod-casts, The Stuph File Program with Peter Anthony Holder I heard the interview he did with Betty Thesky. Betty is a Flight Attendant on a major airline and has logged thousands of hours and miles in the sky. Beginning in 2005 she began to recount some of the more interesting moments while flying in a Podcast of her own Betty In the Sky with a Suitcase and recently she wrote a book about some of the more funnier moments up at 30,000 FT.
In a world where lately flying seems to have become a pain rather than pleasure with all the rules, not to mention the time you have to spend at the airport before even getting on a plane. I have to say, it is refreshing to find that humor in the air still exists.
Betty thanks for doing a Candid Conversations interview
B. Thesky: I understand that flying has become more of a hassle but the fact still remains that if you stuff 300 people in a metal tube for hours crazy things are bound to happen!
Cliff T.: Lets begin by getting an idea of what your podcast is about exactly what is Betty In the Sky with a Suitcase about?
B. Thesky: When I first started flying I especially enjoyed the funny stories the senior flight attendants and pilots would tell. When the new medium of pod-casting came about I started digitally recording pilots and flight attendants telling outrageous stories. My podcast is similar to an old fashioned radio show, it became so popular that a publisher came to me an suggested turning the best stories into a book. Life can be so surprising, I was not intending to write a book yet all the sudden I’m an author?
Cliff T.: How long is the podcast?
B. Thesky: I do a thirty minute show once a month. At first I was doing a show a week but quickly realized that since I edit and post the show myself I couldn’t couldn’t keep up the pace and fly full time.
Cliff T.: I bet the hardest thing is deciding what to put into the show as I am sure that you get lots of material, just how often do you get updates on the funnier side of flying?
B. Thesky: Lucky for me people the traveling public are always doing zany things.You would think that after 23 years in the air I would have seen and heard everything... But, people still surprise me!
Cliff T.: You also wrote a book with the same title. Betty how did you decide what material would get into the book?
B. Thesky: My co author and publisher did a lot of the editing. We wanted the book to appeal to everyone including kids, so some really funny stories that were too racy or off color didn’t make it into the book. There may be another book in the works to include them.
Cliff T.: Who would you say is funnier the passengers or the crew?
B. Thesky: Oh that is a tough question. Normally I would say the passengers but, did you hear that last week an Air France flight attendant was arrested for stealing from sleeping passengers on flights from Europe to Asia! I bet when she was saying goodbye and THANK YOU at the end of the flight she really meant it?! So I guess crazy is crazy whether it’s the passengers or crew, and I love the crazy people since they make the best stories!
Cliff T.: Wow that is crazy, I will have to sleep with one eye open if I fly trans Atlantic. Now I got to ask Betty, are any of the stories ones that include yourself?
B. Thesky: Of course! I star in many of the stories, I actually love to make fun of myself.
Cliff T.: Can you give us an example or examples of some of the things that you have seen while flying that is in the book?
B. Thesky: A passenger mistakenly flushing her dress down the toilet, a couple attempting to join the mile high club but forgetting to lock the door and landing in a pile in the first class aisle! A flight being delayed due to a ticking...not a bomb but a ...vibrator! Or general high jinks that the public are never privy too like... Once on a long haul flight to Honolulu, I was chatting with the pilots in the cockpit and the jump seater from another airline was talking about a prank he had seen crews do on a ferry flight (a flight with no passengers) involving toilet paper. You tuck the end tail of the toilet paper roll down the lavatory then unwind toilet paper the length of the airplane, then flushing. The powerful suction of the lav would then suck the toilet paper down, like a kid slurping spaghetti. Well, the captain just had to see this in action, even though we had a completely full flight. He told me to get everything in place and then call him when it was ready. I got one fellow flight attendant to guard the door to the lav in the back of the plane while I walked backwards up the aisle, unrolling toilet paper as I went. It must have looked outrageously insane to the passengers but it was, after all, a long flight in the middle of the day to a vacation destination, so I figured everyone would be willing to play along. I just kept telling people ‘it’s an experiment!’ and that piqued their interest. When the toilet paper was laid out the length of the aircraft, I called the captain and, when he stepped out of the cockpit. I gave the thumbs-up signal to my accomplice in the back and, she pushed the flush button. Well, that piece of toilet paper lifted in the air, waved in the air like a noodle, and SWOOSH! went down the lav. The entire plane erupted into applause and cheers and, the captain said it was the neatest trick he had ever seen on a plane!
Cliff T.: Are you planning a second book?
B. Thesky: Yes it’s in the works, I hope to also include some travel stories in the second book. I do a lot of adventure travel and have great stories, like... jumping of a moving train in Morocco and losing our camels in the Sahara Desert! We may call the next book Betty and the Jets!
Cliff T.: What does the airline think of your tales or have the even commented?
B. Thesky: I never say the name of my airline for fear of getting in trouble. I still really like my job and want to keep it. At one point I got an e-mail from the chief pilot and thought...oh no...I’m finally going to get in trouble! But he was e-mailing me to say how much he likes the podcast! Boy was I relieved.
Cliff T.: Have you had the proverbial hey I know you, your that person with the podcast and book reaction?
B. Thesky: I have managed to stay under the radar on the airplane. Except I did a book signing at JFK airport, I had gone though security in my uniform. Went into the bathroom and changed to do the book signing in a vintage stewardess outfit complete with a pill box hat. Would you believe the book store was right next to the gate I was flying out of...it’s such a big airport what is the chance of that? But, I changed back into my real uniform for my flight home. A passenger said “How did the book signing go” since I try to keep the book and podcast apart from my real job I said “I wasn’t doing a book signing” and the guy said “so why is your hair still pointed like a cone head from the pill box hat?” That was too close for comfort!
Cliff T.: Well it sounds like you have a lot of fun on and off the the plane. Thank you very much Betty for sharing your story I think it's great to see that the funny is still alive and well in the air.
Betty Thesky is an airline employee pod-caster and author. Making her one very busy bee. You can find out more re the podcast and the book at her website which is, www.bettyinthesky.com the link to the pod-casts and her book are on the site. You can also download the podcast in Itunes and the book is sold on Amazon.com
I spoke with Betty who is somewhere in cyberspace, maybe she was on a plane. I don't know. Got an interesting story person you want me to interview or cool gadget that you heard about that you wan the inside track on. Send me an email, the address is candidconversations@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading and come back soon.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Step 1 Buy Book Step 2 Read Book Step 3 Make Wedding Proposal
Hard to believe that in a couple of days I will have the pleasure of saying happy anniversary to my wife, 13 years ago June 21 was the day we tied the knot. My proposal was not grand in any way shape or form. You see I had asked my bride Dar to marry me back when I was 17, back then she said no. But, at 33 years of age I caught up with her and told her that I would still marry her at the drop of a hat, that was the proposal. Short and sweet and to the point.
Many guys have a tough time coming up with marriage proposals. Even more want to do something to get the girl but, do not want to look like a fool especially in public. There are many ways to pop the question and just as many people offering tips and tricks on and offline on how to make a proposal that will get the girl and be memorable at the same time.
To that end a couple Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo have published a book titled Creative Marriage Proposals: How to Pop the Question....with Panache. The book is geared towards men and offers tips on how to make the leap into a marriage proposal that will get attention. Andrea and Carmelo thanks for doing a Candid Conversation, welcome to the blog.
Di Salvo(s): Thanks for inviting us to do this interview, Cliff. We’re excited to cyber-be here.
Cliff T.: some might say there is nothing new under the sun here that this has been done before, yet you decided to jump in and write a book for potential grooms on how to make that jump from wanting to ask to asking that big question. What prompted you to do that?
Andrea Di Salvo: I’ll be honest; in the beginning it was an idea to make money. I’d been to a class with Internet marketer Tom Antion, and he was making money selling e-books about wedding toasts and eulogies, so we wondered how we could do something similar. People don’t spend money on things they don’t need or want, though, so we started looking for an unfilled niche and a way to fill it. The more we worked on it, the more it became about helping the men for whom we were writing rather than ourselves.
Carmelo Di Salvo: I agree. One of the best things you can do is to help others. And when it comes to romance and wedding proposals, guys really need help!
Cliff T.: in the book there are over 100 templates that readers can pick from, how did you choose them?
Andrea Di Salvo: Some were common sense or common practice, like our classic romantic proposal template for a “Nice Restaurant” proposal. We just added concrete steps and advice on how to make them go smoothly. Others were things we’d heard of or seen done. For the rest, we let our imaginations run wild. If we thought of it and thought it could actually be done by most guys, we put it in there.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Not only that, but because couples come from so many backgrounds and varying interests, we tried to cast a wide net of ideas for wedding proposals. If one idea does not appeal to someone, there are several other ideas that will definitely appeal to the guy.
Cliff T.: In your press release you mentioned that Creative Marriage Proposals touches on a variety of ideas and themes including hobby related proposals, I have to ask what kinds of hobbies are included?
Andrea Di Salvo: We tried to cover the gamut of activities women are involved in—because the hobby involved is either the woman’s or shared—so you’ll find topics as diverse as rock climbing and antiquing. There are also proposals for other outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and even some sports like bowling and hockey.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Our approach was to come up with the most creative ideas possible. We did the ‘heavy lifting’ so to speak. All the guy has to do is to pick from the selection of ideas and run with it. We’re confident that ideas and themes we offer will bring the groom-to-be good success.
Cliff T.: It is also noted in the release that you have several degrees and careers between you, did you draw on these to write the book?
Andrea Di Salvo: My degree is in journalism, so I definitely used it at all stages of researching and writing the book. I’ve worked in several marketing positions, among others, so that helped with post-production marketing…like the press release that caught your attention.
Carmelo Di Salvo: My background is in economics, business, and strategic leadership, so if a potential groom is looking for a wide selection of creative proposal ideas at a great price, then yes, it applies. Other than that, if he needs help with his taxes, give him my phone number!
Cliff T.: I have seen some wild proposals myself and often wonder if I had done that how much would I have to pay for it to be done, do you give readers an indication of costs associated with a proposal?
Carmelo Di Salvo: We mention that it is best to contact the necessary people first. For example, if a guy wants to propose at the botanical gardens, he will need to contact them directly to first get permission, and then find out any costs as well. The groom-to-be will need to make some phone calls ahead of time.
Andrea Di Salvo: That’s a great idea but, for the most part, no. Prices vary so much from place to place…even Internet prices depend on where the company is based, so we didn’t want to list prices that may be way off from what guys in other areas would experience. On some of the pricier proposals we mention that there is a cost involved, but an “up to” or “more than” price is usually the best we can do.
Cliff T.: What is the weirdest one you have in the book or shall I say the most whimsical?
Andrea Di Salvo: We prefer “whimsical.” Really, what a person thinks is strange depends on the person. For me, the Knight in Shining Armor proposal is pretty strange…but a friend of ours actually used it! Carmelo?
Carmelo Di Salvo: Actually I thought the Knight in Shining Armor was pretty tame. For me, it’s the one where the guy dresses up like a cowboy in an old John Wayne western…oh wait, that idea is in book two!
Cliff T.: Ok I have to ask this one of Carmelo, is the one you made to Andrea in the book?
Carmelo Di Salvo: The proposal I did for Andrea is actually a combination of the romantic dinner followed by the proposal at the beach. I might add though that the night I proposed was absolutely perfect. The night sky was clear with a full moon over the ocean. So yes, the idea is in the book, but no, I can’t help with the full moon!
Cliff T.: In Creative Marriage Proposals is practicing the proposal encouraged?
Andrea Di Salvo: Preparation of every kind is encouraged! Actually, we would discourage men from going over and over the words they want to say, even though we recommend having some idea of what “speech” they want to use, because a man doesn’t want his proposal to sound canned. Some of the proposals are pretty complicated, though, and we do encourage doing a dry run of whatever scenario is chosen.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Asking your girlfriend for her hand in marriage is a big step. It’s not like going to the store to buy milk and eggs. So it’s important to practice where you feel comfortable, but like Andrea said, it should not sound canned either.
Cliff T.: What about a second marriage, or a retaking of the vows could any of the proposals in the book be used to repop the question?
Andrea Di Salvo: Not specifically. We’ve actually thought about writing a second edition that includes those aspects, or even a whole new book. For now, though, almost all of the proposals in the book could be used in those situations.
Carmelo Di Salvo: I agree. All of the scenarios we stated would be an excellent way to propose the second time around. Just because someone may not be new to the altar does not mean the proposal from the first marriage has to be used. Choosing a new and exciting proposal could pave the way to a successful second marriage.
Cliff T.: Have you heard back from any of the men who have used any of the proposals in the book? And if so what kind of reaction did they get?
Carmelo Di Salvo: The book hasn’t been out very long, so we haven’t received any specific feedback from it.
Andrea Di Salvo: But we’d love to!
Carmelo Di Salvo: Yes, we’d love to. Some of the ideas were used before we put the book together. It’s kind of like a good recipe; you try it out first before you have friends and family over for that special dinner. For example, I suggested to a friend the idea of the Knight in Shining Armor. He went all out and rented a horse and made his armor out of cardboard covered with tin foil. The proposal was caught on videotape and caused excitement in the neighborhood as family and neighbors looked on. Naturally we used this proposal idea in the book because it does work.
Cliff T.: This sounds like it was a fun book to do, was it?
Carmelo Di Salvo: I had a great time using my imagination to come up with exciting proposals for guys who need some assistance.
Andrea Di Salvo: It was a blast! We tried to keep the proposals within the realm of the practical, but these are “creative” marriage proposals, so we let our imaginations run a bit. It was a lot of fun thinking of different ways a motivated man could pop the question.
Cliff T.: If anyone wants to get a copy of Creative Marriage Proposals, how can they go about doing that?
Carmelo Di Salvo: It’s available from Lulu.com in paperback, download and ePub formats, for $15.39 and $7.95 respectively. We’re also making it available on Amazon.com’s Kindle; it may even be in the Kindle store by the time this is posted.
Cliff T.: Excellent, I am sure that you will have great success with the book and I want to thank you again for taking the time out to tell Candid Conversations readers about it.
Di Salvo(s): Thank you so much for giving us the chance to share about our book with your readers. We hope some of them have the chance to read it and use it to their success!
Cliff T.: Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo have three graduate degrees and several careers between them, but agree that their most important life’s work is their two-year-old daughter. Creative Marriage Proposals is available from Lulu.com in download, eBook and traditional paperback formats. The Di Salvos wrote to us from Heppner OR which is about 200 miles East of Portland.
For more information about what the Di Salvos do visit http://creativewithwriting.blogspot.com/
Many guys have a tough time coming up with marriage proposals. Even more want to do something to get the girl but, do not want to look like a fool especially in public. There are many ways to pop the question and just as many people offering tips and tricks on and offline on how to make a proposal that will get the girl and be memorable at the same time.
To that end a couple Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo have published a book titled Creative Marriage Proposals: How to Pop the Question....with Panache. The book is geared towards men and offers tips on how to make the leap into a marriage proposal that will get attention. Andrea and Carmelo thanks for doing a Candid Conversation, welcome to the blog.
Di Salvo(s): Thanks for inviting us to do this interview, Cliff. We’re excited to cyber-be here.
Cliff T.: some might say there is nothing new under the sun here that this has been done before, yet you decided to jump in and write a book for potential grooms on how to make that jump from wanting to ask to asking that big question. What prompted you to do that?
Andrea Di Salvo: I’ll be honest; in the beginning it was an idea to make money. I’d been to a class with Internet marketer Tom Antion, and he was making money selling e-books about wedding toasts and eulogies, so we wondered how we could do something similar. People don’t spend money on things they don’t need or want, though, so we started looking for an unfilled niche and a way to fill it. The more we worked on it, the more it became about helping the men for whom we were writing rather than ourselves.
Carmelo Di Salvo: I agree. One of the best things you can do is to help others. And when it comes to romance and wedding proposals, guys really need help!
Cliff T.: in the book there are over 100 templates that readers can pick from, how did you choose them?
Andrea Di Salvo: Some were common sense or common practice, like our classic romantic proposal template for a “Nice Restaurant” proposal. We just added concrete steps and advice on how to make them go smoothly. Others were things we’d heard of or seen done. For the rest, we let our imaginations run wild. If we thought of it and thought it could actually be done by most guys, we put it in there.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Not only that, but because couples come from so many backgrounds and varying interests, we tried to cast a wide net of ideas for wedding proposals. If one idea does not appeal to someone, there are several other ideas that will definitely appeal to the guy.
Cliff T.: In your press release you mentioned that Creative Marriage Proposals touches on a variety of ideas and themes including hobby related proposals, I have to ask what kinds of hobbies are included?
Andrea Di Salvo: We tried to cover the gamut of activities women are involved in—because the hobby involved is either the woman’s or shared—so you’ll find topics as diverse as rock climbing and antiquing. There are also proposals for other outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and even some sports like bowling and hockey.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Our approach was to come up with the most creative ideas possible. We did the ‘heavy lifting’ so to speak. All the guy has to do is to pick from the selection of ideas and run with it. We’re confident that ideas and themes we offer will bring the groom-to-be good success.
Cliff T.: It is also noted in the release that you have several degrees and careers between you, did you draw on these to write the book?
Andrea Di Salvo: My degree is in journalism, so I definitely used it at all stages of researching and writing the book. I’ve worked in several marketing positions, among others, so that helped with post-production marketing…like the press release that caught your attention.
Carmelo Di Salvo: My background is in economics, business, and strategic leadership, so if a potential groom is looking for a wide selection of creative proposal ideas at a great price, then yes, it applies. Other than that, if he needs help with his taxes, give him my phone number!
Cliff T.: I have seen some wild proposals myself and often wonder if I had done that how much would I have to pay for it to be done, do you give readers an indication of costs associated with a proposal?
Carmelo Di Salvo: We mention that it is best to contact the necessary people first. For example, if a guy wants to propose at the botanical gardens, he will need to contact them directly to first get permission, and then find out any costs as well. The groom-to-be will need to make some phone calls ahead of time.
Andrea Di Salvo: That’s a great idea but, for the most part, no. Prices vary so much from place to place…even Internet prices depend on where the company is based, so we didn’t want to list prices that may be way off from what guys in other areas would experience. On some of the pricier proposals we mention that there is a cost involved, but an “up to” or “more than” price is usually the best we can do.
Cliff T.: What is the weirdest one you have in the book or shall I say the most whimsical?
Andrea Di Salvo: We prefer “whimsical.” Really, what a person thinks is strange depends on the person. For me, the Knight in Shining Armor proposal is pretty strange…but a friend of ours actually used it! Carmelo?
Carmelo Di Salvo: Actually I thought the Knight in Shining Armor was pretty tame. For me, it’s the one where the guy dresses up like a cowboy in an old John Wayne western…oh wait, that idea is in book two!
Cliff T.: Ok I have to ask this one of Carmelo, is the one you made to Andrea in the book?
Carmelo Di Salvo: The proposal I did for Andrea is actually a combination of the romantic dinner followed by the proposal at the beach. I might add though that the night I proposed was absolutely perfect. The night sky was clear with a full moon over the ocean. So yes, the idea is in the book, but no, I can’t help with the full moon!
Cliff T.: In Creative Marriage Proposals is practicing the proposal encouraged?
Andrea Di Salvo: Preparation of every kind is encouraged! Actually, we would discourage men from going over and over the words they want to say, even though we recommend having some idea of what “speech” they want to use, because a man doesn’t want his proposal to sound canned. Some of the proposals are pretty complicated, though, and we do encourage doing a dry run of whatever scenario is chosen.
Carmelo Di Salvo: Asking your girlfriend for her hand in marriage is a big step. It’s not like going to the store to buy milk and eggs. So it’s important to practice where you feel comfortable, but like Andrea said, it should not sound canned either.
Cliff T.: What about a second marriage, or a retaking of the vows could any of the proposals in the book be used to repop the question?
Andrea Di Salvo: Not specifically. We’ve actually thought about writing a second edition that includes those aspects, or even a whole new book. For now, though, almost all of the proposals in the book could be used in those situations.
Carmelo Di Salvo: I agree. All of the scenarios we stated would be an excellent way to propose the second time around. Just because someone may not be new to the altar does not mean the proposal from the first marriage has to be used. Choosing a new and exciting proposal could pave the way to a successful second marriage.
Cliff T.: Have you heard back from any of the men who have used any of the proposals in the book? And if so what kind of reaction did they get?
Carmelo Di Salvo: The book hasn’t been out very long, so we haven’t received any specific feedback from it.
Andrea Di Salvo: But we’d love to!
Carmelo Di Salvo: Yes, we’d love to. Some of the ideas were used before we put the book together. It’s kind of like a good recipe; you try it out first before you have friends and family over for that special dinner. For example, I suggested to a friend the idea of the Knight in Shining Armor. He went all out and rented a horse and made his armor out of cardboard covered with tin foil. The proposal was caught on videotape and caused excitement in the neighborhood as family and neighbors looked on. Naturally we used this proposal idea in the book because it does work.
Cliff T.: This sounds like it was a fun book to do, was it?
Carmelo Di Salvo: I had a great time using my imagination to come up with exciting proposals for guys who need some assistance.
Andrea Di Salvo: It was a blast! We tried to keep the proposals within the realm of the practical, but these are “creative” marriage proposals, so we let our imaginations run a bit. It was a lot of fun thinking of different ways a motivated man could pop the question.
Cliff T.: If anyone wants to get a copy of Creative Marriage Proposals, how can they go about doing that?
Carmelo Di Salvo: It’s available from Lulu.com in paperback, download and ePub formats, for $15.39 and $7.95 respectively. We’re also making it available on Amazon.com’s Kindle; it may even be in the Kindle store by the time this is posted.
Cliff T.: Excellent, I am sure that you will have great success with the book and I want to thank you again for taking the time out to tell Candid Conversations readers about it.
Di Salvo(s): Thank you so much for giving us the chance to share about our book with your readers. We hope some of them have the chance to read it and use it to their success!
Cliff T.: Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo have three graduate degrees and several careers between them, but agree that their most important life’s work is their two-year-old daughter. Creative Marriage Proposals is available from Lulu.com in download, eBook and traditional paperback formats. The Di Salvos wrote to us from Heppner OR which is about 200 miles East of Portland.
For more information about what the Di Salvos do visit http://creativewithwriting.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 24, 2010
How Cloud Punching Planes Affect Weather
While doing some searching around for the next posting to Candid Conversations I came across an article on discoverynews.com. I was quite surprised to learn that certain types of aircraft, in the right conditions have the ability to affect how clouds react creating a change in weather and producing some interesting vistas in the skies above.
I contacted Andrew Heymsfield, the Principle Investigator during a study of this phenomenon and was delighted to get a reply. Andy thanks for being a part of Candid Conditions.
Cliff T.: What exactly do you do at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research and what was the study you were the PI for about?
Andrew Heymsfield: My field of interest is in ice microphysics, including the processes that lead to ice particle nucleation and growth, the effects of ice clouds on the earth's radiation budget, the representation of ice processes in models from weather forecast to climate scales, and the retrieval of ice cloud properties from ground-based and spaceborne remote sensors. I am a senior scientist and have worked at NCAR for 34 years. As for the experiment to study how ice particles initiate in clouds. The subject is difficult because “ice nuclei” are relatively few compared to cloud droplets and their measurement is difficult. Also, there are processes other than “nucleation” that can produce ice in subfreezing clouds. So, our goal was to study how ice was formed.
Cliff T.: Where was the study done?
Andrew Heymsfield: The project was based out of Metro Airport in Broomfield, CO.
Cliff T.: How was this done?
Andrew Heymsfield: We flew a plane through a cloud. On the day of our penetration of precipitation that formed, we flew a C-130 aircraft that produced a hole punch cloud, we took off with the goal of characterizing snow in a cloud layer situated between about 6000 and 12000 feet. We didn’t know it at the time but we flew right through the precipitation that was first detected by radar at about 15000 feet and then eventually grew and descended to the ground where it produced 2” of snow compared to none or a trace in the surrounding area.
Cliff T.: How does such an experiment help average people?
Andrew Heymsfield: By going back to the FAA aircraft tracks, we identified the two turboprop aircraft that produced the precipitation. Our interest, of course, is in explaining how Snow precipitation begins and develops, useful information for improving weather forecast models. After identifying the snow band generated by the aircraft, our goal was to figure out why and the broader implications. Although turboprop aircraft were suspected of producing such features, many of the early reports (1960’s-80’s) of hole punch clouds were from jet aircraft. We made the connection in the paper, explaining the process by which jet aircraft can produce hole punch clouds.
Cliff T.: From the way you describe what you have done Andy it sounds like this was not just work for you but, rather that you had fun doing this styudy. And, also by the fact that you have been doing your work for 34 years it is obvious that you have had a history of interest in weather. Thank you so very much for taking the time to write back and for sharing the story of this interesting study you did.
Andrew Heymsfield is a Senior Scientist with the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado. You can get the paper by following this link ftp://ftp.ucar.edu/pub/mmm/heyms1/hole_punch/
NASA Earth Observatory also has information on this topic.
I contacted Andrew Heymsfield, the Principle Investigator during a study of this phenomenon and was delighted to get a reply. Andy thanks for being a part of Candid Conditions.
Cliff T.: What exactly do you do at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research and what was the study you were the PI for about?
Andrew Heymsfield: My field of interest is in ice microphysics, including the processes that lead to ice particle nucleation and growth, the effects of ice clouds on the earth's radiation budget, the representation of ice processes in models from weather forecast to climate scales, and the retrieval of ice cloud properties from ground-based and spaceborne remote sensors. I am a senior scientist and have worked at NCAR for 34 years. As for the experiment to study how ice particles initiate in clouds. The subject is difficult because “ice nuclei” are relatively few compared to cloud droplets and their measurement is difficult. Also, there are processes other than “nucleation” that can produce ice in subfreezing clouds. So, our goal was to study how ice was formed.
Cliff T.: Where was the study done?
Andrew Heymsfield: The project was based out of Metro Airport in Broomfield, CO.
Cliff T.: How was this done?
Andrew Heymsfield: We flew a plane through a cloud. On the day of our penetration of precipitation that formed, we flew a C-130 aircraft that produced a hole punch cloud, we took off with the goal of characterizing snow in a cloud layer situated between about 6000 and 12000 feet. We didn’t know it at the time but we flew right through the precipitation that was first detected by radar at about 15000 feet and then eventually grew and descended to the ground where it produced 2” of snow compared to none or a trace in the surrounding area.
Cliff T.: How does such an experiment help average people?
Andrew Heymsfield: By going back to the FAA aircraft tracks, we identified the two turboprop aircraft that produced the precipitation. Our interest, of course, is in explaining how Snow precipitation begins and develops, useful information for improving weather forecast models. After identifying the snow band generated by the aircraft, our goal was to figure out why and the broader implications. Although turboprop aircraft were suspected of producing such features, many of the early reports (1960’s-80’s) of hole punch clouds were from jet aircraft. We made the connection in the paper, explaining the process by which jet aircraft can produce hole punch clouds.
Cliff T.: From the way you describe what you have done Andy it sounds like this was not just work for you but, rather that you had fun doing this styudy. And, also by the fact that you have been doing your work for 34 years it is obvious that you have had a history of interest in weather. Thank you so very much for taking the time to write back and for sharing the story of this interesting study you did.
Andrew Heymsfield is a Senior Scientist with the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado. You can get the paper by following this link ftp://ftp.ucar.edu/pub/mmm/heyms1/hole_punch/
NASA Earth Observatory also has information on this topic.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Smoker/Non-Smoker Skyscanner Lets You Know Where You Have To Butt Out And Where You Can Light Up
You’re a smoker, you want to travel but, many places are no-go zones for smokers. So what is one to do? Well believe it or not there are many places in the world that still welcome smokers with wide-open arms -in smoky rooms. How do I know this? I found an interesting press release from Skyscanner Ltd., a global flight search company based in Edinburgh Scotland. In addition to providing a website, skyscanner.net , where people can find the best deals on flights, they have also found the best and the worst places for those who enjoy a smoke while traveling.
That got my attention, so I contacted Scott Carlson to find out more about this list. Scott thanks for taking time out to chat via e-mail about this unusual list for travelers.
Scott Carlson: Of course, Cliff. Thank you for the interest in our article.
Cliff T.: This is a novel idea, what prompted Skyscanner to develop the list?
Scott Carlson: I think one of our editorial team is a fan of interesting facts, so with “Worldwide, No Tobacco Day” on the 31st of May, we decided to look at which destinations cater to, and hinder smokers and non-smokers alike.
Cliff T.: One would not think that there is a large population of smokers traveling, is that myth or reality?
Scott Carlson: I guess that all depends on the perspective of the person asking the question. It has been my experience that many cultures differ in their reverence for, or aversion to, smoking-in-general. Nonetheless, I cannot say whether or not there is a larger-portion of smokers versus non-smokers traveling these days; it could make for an interesting thesis study though. Perhaps the sales volume(s) of cigarettes in duty-free destinations has something to do with it?
Cliff T.: I noticed that there are nine countries on the list and 5 are not smoker friendly 4, are there any others besides these countries that you found?
Scott Carlson: We could have included more destinations for both smokers and non-smokers alike, but then where do you stop? To be clear: any perceived slant toward, or “preference” for smoking versus non-smoking destinations was neither intentional nor intended on our part.
Cliff T.: Besides marking the annual No Tobacco Day, was there or is there another reason for making the list, like encouraging travel to a smokers and non-smoker’s paradise?
Scott Carlson: Not really, as I mentioned earlier, the criterion was based on the popularity of the destination as a whole, then we chose the most-interesting cities based on their approach to smoking. Working alongside country experts from various countries, I’ve noticed that smoking is seen quite differently from country to country and that made me wonder whether some destinations are seen as more attractive than others depending on their smoking policy.
Cliff T.: I have to ask are there any airlines that still allow passengers to smoke if so which ones?
Scott Carlson: None that I am aware of.
Cliff T.: Have you received any reaction to the list?
Scott Carlson: Yes, there has been a lot of interest from both smokers, and non-smokers alike. Like many things in life, the freedom to smoke, or not be exposed to second-hand smoke, in public venues is a very personal thing and we thought it would be interesting to highlight how different cultures perceive and regulate this freedom to choose.
Cliff T.: Were you surprised to find countries that still had no anti smoking laws?
Scott Carlson: Personally, I was not surprised. Many European cultures, as well as Japanese cultures have a different feeling toward smoking in public than some of their more “smoke-free” cousins. I think it best that, whatever side of the argument you sit on, you try and appreciate and respect the culture you are visiting…even if that means not having a smoke, or sitting next to someone who is smoking.
Cliff T.: If anyone wants to find the list where would they point their browser to?
Scott Carlson: Readers can find the article Here .
Cliff T.: Scott thanks for taking time out in your day to chat about this highly unusual list. It sounds like it was an interesting adventure searching the data.
Scott Carlson: It really was, Cliff. Thank you, again, for your interest. We like to examine the quirky-side of travel; so I hope that you find a few of our other articles interesting as well. I might suggest taking a look at our piece which examines where not to bring your knock-off, luxury items. We found that, in a few countries, you can be arrested simply for carrying a fake luxury bag or watch through customs. You can find it Here .
Cliff T: Scott Carlson is the US and Canadian Country Manager with Skyscanner: A global, Cheap Flight search engine. Skyscanner instantly compares online flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines. And with Skyscanner, users can just browse -without having to enter specific dates or destinations. Speak another language? Skyscanner is also available in 20 different languages: including Spanish, Chinese and French.
They came up with a list of countries that are smoker and non-smoker friendly.
You can visit the site at skyscanner.net and for the record I am a non-smoker. Just want to be up front with that bit of information. Anyway, the company is located in Edinburgh where Scott wrote to us from for this edition of Candid Conversations.
If you have a story to tell or know of an interesting person, product or unusual event that our readers would enjoy reading about feel free to let me know at candidconversations@hotmail.com I am always on the lookout for a good story to tell. Thanks again for reading and come back soon.
Cliff T.
That got my attention, so I contacted Scott Carlson to find out more about this list. Scott thanks for taking time out to chat via e-mail about this unusual list for travelers.
Scott Carlson: Of course, Cliff. Thank you for the interest in our article.
Cliff T.: This is a novel idea, what prompted Skyscanner to develop the list?
Scott Carlson: I think one of our editorial team is a fan of interesting facts, so with “Worldwide, No Tobacco Day” on the 31st of May, we decided to look at which destinations cater to, and hinder smokers and non-smokers alike.
Cliff T.: One would not think that there is a large population of smokers traveling, is that myth or reality?
Scott Carlson: I guess that all depends on the perspective of the person asking the question. It has been my experience that many cultures differ in their reverence for, or aversion to, smoking-in-general. Nonetheless, I cannot say whether or not there is a larger-portion of smokers versus non-smokers traveling these days; it could make for an interesting thesis study though. Perhaps the sales volume(s) of cigarettes in duty-free destinations has something to do with it?
Cliff T.: I noticed that there are nine countries on the list and 5 are not smoker friendly 4, are there any others besides these countries that you found?
Scott Carlson: We could have included more destinations for both smokers and non-smokers alike, but then where do you stop? To be clear: any perceived slant toward, or “preference” for smoking versus non-smoking destinations was neither intentional nor intended on our part.
Cliff T.: Besides marking the annual No Tobacco Day, was there or is there another reason for making the list, like encouraging travel to a smokers and non-smoker’s paradise?
Scott Carlson: Not really, as I mentioned earlier, the criterion was based on the popularity of the destination as a whole, then we chose the most-interesting cities based on their approach to smoking. Working alongside country experts from various countries, I’ve noticed that smoking is seen quite differently from country to country and that made me wonder whether some destinations are seen as more attractive than others depending on their smoking policy.
Cliff T.: I have to ask are there any airlines that still allow passengers to smoke if so which ones?
Scott Carlson: None that I am aware of.
Cliff T.: Have you received any reaction to the list?
Scott Carlson: Yes, there has been a lot of interest from both smokers, and non-smokers alike. Like many things in life, the freedom to smoke, or not be exposed to second-hand smoke, in public venues is a very personal thing and we thought it would be interesting to highlight how different cultures perceive and regulate this freedom to choose.
Cliff T.: Were you surprised to find countries that still had no anti smoking laws?
Scott Carlson: Personally, I was not surprised. Many European cultures, as well as Japanese cultures have a different feeling toward smoking in public than some of their more “smoke-free” cousins. I think it best that, whatever side of the argument you sit on, you try and appreciate and respect the culture you are visiting…even if that means not having a smoke, or sitting next to someone who is smoking.
Cliff T.: If anyone wants to find the list where would they point their browser to?
Scott Carlson: Readers can find the article Here .
Cliff T.: Scott thanks for taking time out in your day to chat about this highly unusual list. It sounds like it was an interesting adventure searching the data.
Scott Carlson: It really was, Cliff. Thank you, again, for your interest. We like to examine the quirky-side of travel; so I hope that you find a few of our other articles interesting as well. I might suggest taking a look at our piece which examines where not to bring your knock-off, luxury items. We found that, in a few countries, you can be arrested simply for carrying a fake luxury bag or watch through customs. You can find it Here .
Cliff T: Scott Carlson is the US and Canadian Country Manager with Skyscanner: A global, Cheap Flight search engine. Skyscanner instantly compares online flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines. And with Skyscanner, users can just browse -without having to enter specific dates or destinations. Speak another language? Skyscanner is also available in 20 different languages: including Spanish, Chinese and French.
They came up with a list of countries that are smoker and non-smoker friendly.
Non-smoker
Australia
Canada
Iceland
Ireland
USA
Smoker Friendly
Andorra
Hungary
Japan
Spain
Australia
Canada
Iceland
Ireland
USA
Smoker Friendly
Andorra
Hungary
Japan
Spain
You can visit the site at skyscanner.net and for the record I am a non-smoker. Just want to be up front with that bit of information. Anyway, the company is located in Edinburgh where Scott wrote to us from for this edition of Candid Conversations.
If you have a story to tell or know of an interesting person, product or unusual event that our readers would enjoy reading about feel free to let me know at candidconversations@hotmail.com I am always on the lookout for a good story to tell. Thanks again for reading and come back soon.
Cliff T.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Tactile Mind Cool Art And Interesting Erotica For The Blind And Vision Impaired.
They say a picture is worth a 1000 words. But, what if you can not see the picture? For the blind and low visioned person getting the 1000 words off the picture becomes the challenge. The two most common ways a blind person can get a description. The first is through a third party describing the item or by touching. When it comes to sex the touching part could get a blind man or woman into some trouble. Happily there is a new way for the blind to explore sexuality via the use of tactile touch. I found an interesting article on a book called Tactile Mind, authored by Lisa Murphy. In lay terms the book has raised pictures on the page so that blind and low visioned person can feel the image. This is not pornography by any stretch but, it is adult content none the less. Lisa Murphy's book has gone viral and I am very happy that I was able to get a chance to speak with her via email for Candid Conversations. Ms. Murphy welcome.
Lisa Murphy: Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your blog.
Cliff T.: As I mentioned in the opening paragraph your book has just exploded on to the scene garnering massive attention, did you expect such a huge response?
Lisa Murphy: No, the past few weeks have been a pretty crazy ride. I actually finished the book 2 years ago, it had been living in Rubbermaid containers and I had carried it to art fairs, donated a few to various causes, and had a gallery show with it about a year ago. In the last 2 years, I added a couple more pictures to it, and had upgraded the photographic paper used throughout the book. Sarah Barmak @ the Toronto Star newspaper did an article on it that came out on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago, and on Monday - there was chaos - my phone was ringing off the hook with media interviews from across the world, and my in-box was constantly pinging with the arrival of new media requests. I was kind of shocked to say the least.
Cliff T.: What inspired you to create Tactile Mind?
Lisa Murphy: It was the challenge. I had been taking artistic pictures of nudes for years. I had received a certificate in Tactile Graphics from the CNIB, and was volunteering there creating animals for children's educational books. Basically I thought "why not?" So I started researching and pricing machinery and materials, and experimented with a few ways of presenting my work. My friends sighted, blind, and vision impaired all thought it was a great wacky idea, and encouraged me. During the 2 years it took me to make this book. I occasionally would look around on the Internet, and couldn't find anything vaguely similar to what I was doing. But, that wasn't my primary reason for the project; I just wanted to make a cool book of my nude photographs that blind and vision impaired people could read. And, just to clarify, I have not been a volunteer at the CNIB for years now.
Cliff T.: In the creative stages did you seek out blind and vision impaired people to get an idea of what they wanted in such a book?
Lisa Murphy: No, this book was a personal art project. I had (blind) proofreaders that I would give each image to, to make sure there were no errors, and that my photograph was reflected accurately. Each image took me about 50 hours to create from conception, to photograph, to sculpting, to thermoforming, to proofreading... back to sculpting, proofreading etc. Vision impaired and blind people who read Braille and tactile diagrams have very sensitive fingertips. How something looks, and how it translates into touch, can be two totally different things. I just put in a collection of my photographs, and a collection of tactile diagrams depicting my photographs. I tried to give a good variety of everything so both women and men could enjoy this work.
Cliff T.: Can you describe what you mean when you say the book is half art object, half artisanal?
Lisa Murphy: I didn't say that. I don't even know what that means in relation to this work. I think I have been misquoted a couple hundred thousand times - no joke.
tactile mind is a book of nude photographs for the blind and vision impaired. It is a cool book of my photographs for non-sighted readers. It's all handmade, each page is hand pressed and I make them from home. It has been called "erotic", "sensual", "fetish oriented" and "pornographic. People everywhere have an opinion on this work. I think its so great there is international dialogue surrounding it. Very surreal; it brings to light that there is a need for more picture/literature books for the blind/vision impaired.
Cliff T.: Why do you think this is the case that there are only a few books like this around?
Lisa Murphy: There are themoform books around, but throughout the world, (to my knowledge most) institutions that have produced them in the past, have stopped producing them using this method because it is very time-consuming and expensive. It's really too bad because many people (myself included) believe this method provides more detail and information to the blind/vision impaired reader, than the now faster, cheaper, technologically advanced methods for creating materials.
Cliff T.: When people who are not disabled think of those who are they have the impression burned in the mind that people with disabilities do not want or seek out sex, Is Tactile Mind meant to dispel such myths as well as allow blind people to explore their sexuality?
Lisa Murphy: Unfortunately there are generalizations and stereotypes throughout the world that people with any kind of disability are not sexual beings. We are all human. We are all different; different things turn us on, different things turn us off, regardless of our abilities or disabilities.
Cliff T.: Could this book be used as a teaching guide on sex?
Lisa Murphy: People aren't having sex in my book; I don't know if it would be a good educational tool used for that purpose.
Cliff T.: Well from what I can see or read, this book has really grabbed some international attention and has gotten a lot of people talking about the subject of disabilities and sex. I want to thank you again for doing a Candid Conversation. And, I hope your book does well.
Lisa Murphy: Thank you very much for this interview.
Cliff T.: Lisa Murphy is the creator of Tactile Mind a book with raised photographs of nudes for the blind and vision impaired. Ms. Murphy is a photographer with a certificate in Tactile Graphics from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
The Toronto Star featured Tactile Mind in a recent article. And, Lisa Murphy does have a blog with more on the book. The blog is called Tactile Mind, it's web address is http://www.tactilemindbook.com and readers should be aware that the material on the blog is of an adult nature and explores various sexual themes, discretion is advised.
Lisa Murphy: Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your blog.
Cliff T.: As I mentioned in the opening paragraph your book has just exploded on to the scene garnering massive attention, did you expect such a huge response?
Lisa Murphy: No, the past few weeks have been a pretty crazy ride. I actually finished the book 2 years ago, it had been living in Rubbermaid containers and I had carried it to art fairs, donated a few to various causes, and had a gallery show with it about a year ago. In the last 2 years, I added a couple more pictures to it, and had upgraded the photographic paper used throughout the book. Sarah Barmak @ the Toronto Star newspaper did an article on it that came out on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago, and on Monday - there was chaos - my phone was ringing off the hook with media interviews from across the world, and my in-box was constantly pinging with the arrival of new media requests. I was kind of shocked to say the least.
Cliff T.: What inspired you to create Tactile Mind?
Lisa Murphy: It was the challenge. I had been taking artistic pictures of nudes for years. I had received a certificate in Tactile Graphics from the CNIB, and was volunteering there creating animals for children's educational books. Basically I thought "why not?" So I started researching and pricing machinery and materials, and experimented with a few ways of presenting my work. My friends sighted, blind, and vision impaired all thought it was a great wacky idea, and encouraged me. During the 2 years it took me to make this book. I occasionally would look around on the Internet, and couldn't find anything vaguely similar to what I was doing. But, that wasn't my primary reason for the project; I just wanted to make a cool book of my nude photographs that blind and vision impaired people could read. And, just to clarify, I have not been a volunteer at the CNIB for years now.
Cliff T.: In the creative stages did you seek out blind and vision impaired people to get an idea of what they wanted in such a book?
Lisa Murphy: No, this book was a personal art project. I had (blind) proofreaders that I would give each image to, to make sure there were no errors, and that my photograph was reflected accurately. Each image took me about 50 hours to create from conception, to photograph, to sculpting, to thermoforming, to proofreading... back to sculpting, proofreading etc. Vision impaired and blind people who read Braille and tactile diagrams have very sensitive fingertips. How something looks, and how it translates into touch, can be two totally different things. I just put in a collection of my photographs, and a collection of tactile diagrams depicting my photographs. I tried to give a good variety of everything so both women and men could enjoy this work.
Cliff T.: Can you describe what you mean when you say the book is half art object, half artisanal?
Lisa Murphy: I didn't say that. I don't even know what that means in relation to this work. I think I have been misquoted a couple hundred thousand times - no joke.
tactile mind is a book of nude photographs for the blind and vision impaired. It is a cool book of my photographs for non-sighted readers. It's all handmade, each page is hand pressed and I make them from home. It has been called "erotic", "sensual", "fetish oriented" and "pornographic. People everywhere have an opinion on this work. I think its so great there is international dialogue surrounding it. Very surreal; it brings to light that there is a need for more picture/literature books for the blind/vision impaired.
Cliff T.: Why do you think this is the case that there are only a few books like this around?
Lisa Murphy: There are themoform books around, but throughout the world, (to my knowledge most) institutions that have produced them in the past, have stopped producing them using this method because it is very time-consuming and expensive. It's really too bad because many people (myself included) believe this method provides more detail and information to the blind/vision impaired reader, than the now faster, cheaper, technologically advanced methods for creating materials.
Cliff T.: When people who are not disabled think of those who are they have the impression burned in the mind that people with disabilities do not want or seek out sex, Is Tactile Mind meant to dispel such myths as well as allow blind people to explore their sexuality?
Lisa Murphy: Unfortunately there are generalizations and stereotypes throughout the world that people with any kind of disability are not sexual beings. We are all human. We are all different; different things turn us on, different things turn us off, regardless of our abilities or disabilities.
Cliff T.: Could this book be used as a teaching guide on sex?
Lisa Murphy: People aren't having sex in my book; I don't know if it would be a good educational tool used for that purpose.
Cliff T.: Well from what I can see or read, this book has really grabbed some international attention and has gotten a lot of people talking about the subject of disabilities and sex. I want to thank you again for doing a Candid Conversation. And, I hope your book does well.
Lisa Murphy: Thank you very much for this interview.
Cliff T.: Lisa Murphy is the creator of Tactile Mind a book with raised photographs of nudes for the blind and vision impaired. Ms. Murphy is a photographer with a certificate in Tactile Graphics from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
The Toronto Star featured Tactile Mind in a recent article. And, Lisa Murphy does have a blog with more on the book. The blog is called Tactile Mind, it's web address is http://www.tactilemindbook.com and readers should be aware that the material on the blog is of an adult nature and explores various sexual themes, discretion is advised.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
It's All About The Stuph A Candid Conversation With Peter Anthony Holder
He is the Stuph man and he has been the Stuph man for 20+ plus years. Even after his on air gig ended his show and the features that are embedded in it live on via the world of Podcasting. I am speaking about the Stuph File Program and it's host/creator Peter Anthony Holder. Peter has a rare knack for digging up some of the funniest stories and for finding some of the most interesting people to interview on his Podcast. As I mentioned above he has successfully crossed over from the on air studio to the online world and has not only been able to continue telling those odd stories but has been able to bring his regular guests from his former radio show to the online world. I am glad to welcome you Peter to Candid Conversations.
P.A.H: Thanks for having me.
Cliff T.: I think enough has been said about the past re what happened at your former job so I will skip that part. However I do want to know was the decision to bring The Stuph File over to an online form one that took some mulling over or was it an immediate lets go for it decision?
P.A.H: There was no mulling over to be done. I have always had a home studio and always did production from that studio so it was a no-brainer on my part to continue the process. The key was to do something that wasn’t going to be costly, but again, since I had all the equipment there really are no monetary costs, simply time. I have to say that the wonderful world of Skype has been a godsend.
Cliff T.: For the uninitiated can you tell us what is the Stuph File Program is about and who are your regular featured guest on the show?
P.A.H: Well, The Stuph File Program is basically a quirky interview show wrapped up in a collection of odd news or kicker stories. The kind of thing that you don’t normally hear on conventional radio (especially since I’m no longer there!) As for the regular guests, right now there is Steve Walsh, Our Man In The Heart Of America Checking The Pulse Of The Nation who is on the show weekly.
The others, such as Book Banter with Stuart Nulman and items like Andrew Fazekas, “The Night Sky Guy” are less frequent. If the one-hour weekly show becomes more successful and can earn a profit, then I would be interested in doing it more than once a week and if that were possible then I would bring back even more regular features, such as The Gabby Cabby.
Cliff T.: What was your initial reaction to the idea of doing a Podcast and has your view of them changed since you decided to do one?
P.A.H: Well, first of all, although I don’t have any problems with podcasts and the online world, I prefer NOT to refer to the program as a podcast. I did initially because it was only online. But it’s a little more than that now, especially since it is on terrestrial radio in New Zealand and there is the possibility that it could also be on in the UK and other locations as well.
When I first started the show, it was called “The Stuph File Podcast” but now it is merely “The Stuph File Program.” Also, for the most part, podcasts are shorter and don’t necessarily have the radio “bells and whistles” that The Stuph File has. This show is an hour long (actually 56 minutes to allow for commercials) and its production is very similar to what the original radio show was like. And I still work the show on the radio-clock system, so it’s produced very tight in a uniformed time from week to week. Most podcasts don’t have that (one exception is “The Kelly Alexander Show” which I suggest you and your readers check out. Kelly does a fine show and she is also a radio host who dabbles online with an hour-long format).
The show is also heard on CyberStationUSA.com and the folks there actually wanted me to do a two hour show. However I balked at that because I believe online the attention spans are shorter and at an hour I’m already pushing the envelope as far as show length is concerned. I’ve told the folks at CyberStationUSA.com that if we start to turn a profit with this program, I would prefer to do two one-hour shows than one two-hour show, just to give the online audience a breather.
Cliff T.: Do you find it easier to get interviews for the Podcast or is it similar to what you experienced while working on the air?
P.A.H: There really isn’t any difference. I had built up a reputation with the previous show that carries forward to doing this one. As a result the folks that I have to deal with when booking guests have been most accommodating. Also, as time goes on, it is quite possible that the audience I am building here would be even larger than my old radio audience, even though I was on two powerhouse stations in two very big radio markets in the country. Potential guests and their handlers are aware of the audience reach and the savvy online listeners.
Cliff T.: How many people are downloading The Stuph File Program? Did you think you would get as big a response as you have gotten?
P.A.H: Well, the biggest chunk of listeners comes from CyberStationUSA.com. With them I have between 50,000-75,000 listeners per week. The direct downloads from my website can add about another couple of thousand and then there’s iTunes (which I don’t have complete figures for) and the folks who listen to it terrestrially in New Zealand. It’s growing steadily.
Cliff T.: How long does it take to put a show together?
P.A.H: The interviews are done first and they take the real time that it takes to put them together, usually about eight to ten minutes. I don’t really count recording them as part of the time it takes to put the show together. When I have the elements ready, it’s then the writing of The Stuph File and the recording of the show. I would say, conservatively speaking, the time to put all that together would be in the neighbourhood of about three hours. It could be more because I like to tinker, audio-wise, it could be less if everything goes smoothly and I’m on a roll.
Cliff T.: Do you try to go for a theme during the show or does that happen as you produce the show?
P.A.H: Rarely do I try to go with a theme. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. For instance, I did one show that dealt with soap operas. I just happened to have a major soap star booked and another soap related topic came up so I put them in the same show, but that wasn’t the initial plan. I just try to put together an eclectic kind of show that has a little bit of everything to give it a bit of variety.
Cliff T.:Has any of your recent guests on the show inspired you? Or, to put it in another way who or what helped you decide to move into Podcasting? And has the experience of doing a Podcast changed your view of media? If so how?
P.A.H: Well, Mitch Joel was the first guest we had on The Stuph File Program because he is a major blogger and is really into the podcast world, but beyond that I can’t say anyone else. My view of the media hasn’t changed, because I’ve been aware of the online world and the social media world as it has developed so it’s not like it was a foreign entity to me before I started doing the show online.
Cliff T.: Peter does it feel the same as being on the air if so how? Or, alternately how does it differ from being on the air?
P.A.H: Outside of the fact that I don’t do the show live; there really isn’t any difference in how the show sounds or how it feels. I purposely designed the show that way so it’s just merely a continuation of what I did over the airwaves.
Cliff T.: They say radio is in the blood, are you planning a return to the studio? Or, have you decided to leave radio and pursue other career goals?
P.A.H: Again, I don’t feel that this is any different from radio, so I don’t feel I’ve left it behind. I’m still in a studio. Just one that is at home. (And there was a period of about six weeks after a surgery that I had that I did the radio show from my home studio, so a studio is wherever a mic and a board exists). I’m quite happy doing The Stuph File Program and will continue to do it, regardless of what the future might hold elsewhere.
Cliff T.: Peter I want to thank you gain for taking time out in your busy schedule to speak through e-mail about The Stuph File Program. Your listeners new and old including myself wish all the success to you as you move forward with the show. Thanks for keeping the stuph coming.
P.A.H: Thank you.
Cliff T.:Peter Anthony Holder is the creator and host of the Stuph File Program. The podcast is produced in Montreal Quebec Canada under the production name of Flying Fish Communications. The Stuph File Program website address is www.thestuphfile.com You can download the podcast from this site and also via Itunes.
For more information about the show and Peter check out the following links
Peter's Blog Holder's Stuph File
http://twitter.com/PAHolder is Peter's Twitter address
And for those who fancy the use of Facebook Peter's page
P.A.H: Thanks for having me.
Cliff T.: I think enough has been said about the past re what happened at your former job so I will skip that part. However I do want to know was the decision to bring The Stuph File over to an online form one that took some mulling over or was it an immediate lets go for it decision?
P.A.H: There was no mulling over to be done. I have always had a home studio and always did production from that studio so it was a no-brainer on my part to continue the process. The key was to do something that wasn’t going to be costly, but again, since I had all the equipment there really are no monetary costs, simply time. I have to say that the wonderful world of Skype has been a godsend.
Cliff T.: For the uninitiated can you tell us what is the Stuph File Program is about and who are your regular featured guest on the show?
P.A.H: Well, The Stuph File Program is basically a quirky interview show wrapped up in a collection of odd news or kicker stories. The kind of thing that you don’t normally hear on conventional radio (especially since I’m no longer there!) As for the regular guests, right now there is Steve Walsh, Our Man In The Heart Of America Checking The Pulse Of The Nation who is on the show weekly.
The others, such as Book Banter with Stuart Nulman and items like Andrew Fazekas, “The Night Sky Guy” are less frequent. If the one-hour weekly show becomes more successful and can earn a profit, then I would be interested in doing it more than once a week and if that were possible then I would bring back even more regular features, such as The Gabby Cabby.
Cliff T.: What was your initial reaction to the idea of doing a Podcast and has your view of them changed since you decided to do one?
P.A.H: Well, first of all, although I don’t have any problems with podcasts and the online world, I prefer NOT to refer to the program as a podcast. I did initially because it was only online. But it’s a little more than that now, especially since it is on terrestrial radio in New Zealand and there is the possibility that it could also be on in the UK and other locations as well.
When I first started the show, it was called “The Stuph File Podcast” but now it is merely “The Stuph File Program.” Also, for the most part, podcasts are shorter and don’t necessarily have the radio “bells and whistles” that The Stuph File has. This show is an hour long (actually 56 minutes to allow for commercials) and its production is very similar to what the original radio show was like. And I still work the show on the radio-clock system, so it’s produced very tight in a uniformed time from week to week. Most podcasts don’t have that (one exception is “The Kelly Alexander Show” which I suggest you and your readers check out. Kelly does a fine show and she is also a radio host who dabbles online with an hour-long format).
The show is also heard on CyberStationUSA.com and the folks there actually wanted me to do a two hour show. However I balked at that because I believe online the attention spans are shorter and at an hour I’m already pushing the envelope as far as show length is concerned. I’ve told the folks at CyberStationUSA.com that if we start to turn a profit with this program, I would prefer to do two one-hour shows than one two-hour show, just to give the online audience a breather.
Cliff T.: Do you find it easier to get interviews for the Podcast or is it similar to what you experienced while working on the air?
P.A.H: There really isn’t any difference. I had built up a reputation with the previous show that carries forward to doing this one. As a result the folks that I have to deal with when booking guests have been most accommodating. Also, as time goes on, it is quite possible that the audience I am building here would be even larger than my old radio audience, even though I was on two powerhouse stations in two very big radio markets in the country. Potential guests and their handlers are aware of the audience reach and the savvy online listeners.
Cliff T.: How many people are downloading The Stuph File Program? Did you think you would get as big a response as you have gotten?
P.A.H: Well, the biggest chunk of listeners comes from CyberStationUSA.com. With them I have between 50,000-75,000 listeners per week. The direct downloads from my website can add about another couple of thousand and then there’s iTunes (which I don’t have complete figures for) and the folks who listen to it terrestrially in New Zealand. It’s growing steadily.
Cliff T.: How long does it take to put a show together?
P.A.H: The interviews are done first and they take the real time that it takes to put them together, usually about eight to ten minutes. I don’t really count recording them as part of the time it takes to put the show together. When I have the elements ready, it’s then the writing of The Stuph File and the recording of the show. I would say, conservatively speaking, the time to put all that together would be in the neighbourhood of about three hours. It could be more because I like to tinker, audio-wise, it could be less if everything goes smoothly and I’m on a roll.
Cliff T.: Do you try to go for a theme during the show or does that happen as you produce the show?
P.A.H: Rarely do I try to go with a theme. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. For instance, I did one show that dealt with soap operas. I just happened to have a major soap star booked and another soap related topic came up so I put them in the same show, but that wasn’t the initial plan. I just try to put together an eclectic kind of show that has a little bit of everything to give it a bit of variety.
Cliff T.:Has any of your recent guests on the show inspired you? Or, to put it in another way who or what helped you decide to move into Podcasting? And has the experience of doing a Podcast changed your view of media? If so how?
P.A.H: Well, Mitch Joel was the first guest we had on The Stuph File Program because he is a major blogger and is really into the podcast world, but beyond that I can’t say anyone else. My view of the media hasn’t changed, because I’ve been aware of the online world and the social media world as it has developed so it’s not like it was a foreign entity to me before I started doing the show online.
Cliff T.: Peter does it feel the same as being on the air if so how? Or, alternately how does it differ from being on the air?
P.A.H: Outside of the fact that I don’t do the show live; there really isn’t any difference in how the show sounds or how it feels. I purposely designed the show that way so it’s just merely a continuation of what I did over the airwaves.
Cliff T.: They say radio is in the blood, are you planning a return to the studio? Or, have you decided to leave radio and pursue other career goals?
P.A.H: Again, I don’t feel that this is any different from radio, so I don’t feel I’ve left it behind. I’m still in a studio. Just one that is at home. (And there was a period of about six weeks after a surgery that I had that I did the radio show from my home studio, so a studio is wherever a mic and a board exists). I’m quite happy doing The Stuph File Program and will continue to do it, regardless of what the future might hold elsewhere.
Cliff T.: Peter I want to thank you gain for taking time out in your busy schedule to speak through e-mail about The Stuph File Program. Your listeners new and old including myself wish all the success to you as you move forward with the show. Thanks for keeping the stuph coming.
P.A.H: Thank you.
Cliff T.:Peter Anthony Holder is the creator and host of the Stuph File Program. The podcast is produced in Montreal Quebec Canada under the production name of Flying Fish Communications. The Stuph File Program website address is www.thestuphfile.com You can download the podcast from this site and also via Itunes.
For more information about the show and Peter check out the following links
Peter's Blog Holder's Stuph File
http://twitter.com/PAHolder is Peter's Twitter address
And for those who fancy the use of Facebook Peter's page
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Debugging IT With Kevin Trottier of Twist Solutions A Candid Conversation
While surfing the net for people to interview on Candid Conversations I come across a lot of press releases. I have bookmarked a couple of press release sites and I will look at them to see if the subject at hand may be of interest to readers on Candid Conversations. One such release caught my eye. The headline read “Is Your IT department necessary?” That is a very good question. So I got in touch with the author Kevin Trottier of Twist Solutions a company that offers, you guessed it, IT solutions. Mr. Trottier thanks for taking the time to chat with me and the readers of Candid Conversations.
Cliff T.: OK let’s start by asking the question does a company need to have an IT department? And or another way of putting this question is what kinds of companies and what size companies need IT departments?
Kevin Trottier: Small and mid-sized organizations lend themselves to having a third party managed service as the price/performance of the services versus an IT department can be very compelling. The IT skill-sets required to create a basic IT department like: help-desk, server administration, monitoring, and planning can be cost prohibitive for small companies. For large scale enterprises it makes sense to have members of their IT department be a part of their internal executive team.
Cliff T.: I tried my hand at IT sales back in 2004 not an easy job. One of the things we were told is that it is essential for companies to look at having an IT department to protect the bottom line, does having an IT department do such a thing for a company? Why or why not?
Kevin Trottier: Having stable and reliable IT systems, created by mature IT processes, is essential in protecting the bottom line. Whether the IT functions are provided from an internal company department or a third party provider - mature IT processes ultimately provide the best protection of the bottom line.
Cliff T.: What should an IT department be doing in the first place?
Kevin Trottier: The IT department in a small to mid-sized business should provide two main functions: 1) from the day-to-day standpoint, it should be providing smooth and effective operations of the technical environment and when there is a problem, to fix it quickly and correctly; 2) from a strategic standpoint, determine and then implement the key technology enablers to help the executives hit their goals.
Cliff T.: People think of the IT department as the plumbing guys for the network in a company. However I am sure that there is more to it than that. What exactly is or makes up an IT department?
Kevin Trottier: An IT department for a small to mid-sized business is typically made up of the following skill sets:
Kevin Trottier: A challenging area is the fine line between where end-user “training” issues end and where “technical” issues begin. A simple way to overcome this challenge is to develop clear criteria that differentiate between “training” related versus “technical” issues. Presenting a trend-line of these types of issues to end-users at an IT feedback session is a great way to overcome any misconceptions. Trying to give feedback to a rushed end-user in real-time you may run the risk of being the condescending IT guy… ouch!
Cliff T.: How long have you been working in IT?
Kevin Trottier: I have been working in the industry for 12 years in a variety of roles from software engineer, product development, and sales and marketing.
Cliff T.: In your line of work I would think that you get some rather interesting requests related to IT, has anything come your way that just was totally out to lunch?
Kevin Trottier: We had a request regarding a Christmas tree that comes to mind which is out of scope for the services we provide J Our service model provides a complete alternative to a traditional IT department so we often field a variety of requests from business clients that are not always related to the services we provide.
Cliff T.: What kinds of IT challenges get you thinking I know there is a way and how do you begin to find the way to overcoming the challenge presented?
Kevin Trottier: I think there is a challenge; really more of an opportunity around business processes within the industries we serve. Executives at small to mid-sized firms are pulled in so many directions from delivering their products or services, managing staff, and financials, etc. that having a good set of internal operating process can be a really “un-locking” move for them. The IT folks are in a unique position to see the entire operation and develop these processes.
Cliff T.: Is IT a personal thing for people like you who work in it? I ask because many in other trades say it gets in the blood would you say that is true about being an IT guy?
Kevin Trottier: We certainly look at passion for technology in new hires. Technical advancements happen so fast in the IT industry that trying to keep up can be quite a burden if you don’t have technology in the blood.
Cliff T.: I noticed the title of the company you work for Twist, interesting name for a firm. Is that the goal here to offer a twist if you will to the world of IT? And if so what is that twist?
Kevin Trottier: We have a unique service delivery model combining a proprietary IT management platform with our technical specialists. This combination creates an alternative to an IT department as a subscription based service.
Cliff T.: Mr. Trottier I want to thank you for letting us peek into your world. IT is an interesting realm with lots of interesting turns and pardon the pun, twists, I wish you and Twist the best of success.
Kevin Trottier: Thank you Cliff!
Cliff T.: Kevin Trottier works for Twist Solutions a Dallas Texas based computer and IT Service Company. Twist helps companies manage many aspects of their IT including installation and service of servers and desktops. He wrote to us from his office in Dallas. To find out more visit the company site at twistsolutions.com
Cliff T.: OK let’s start by asking the question does a company need to have an IT department? And or another way of putting this question is what kinds of companies and what size companies need IT departments?
Kevin Trottier: Small and mid-sized organizations lend themselves to having a third party managed service as the price/performance of the services versus an IT department can be very compelling. The IT skill-sets required to create a basic IT department like: help-desk, server administration, monitoring, and planning can be cost prohibitive for small companies. For large scale enterprises it makes sense to have members of their IT department be a part of their internal executive team.
Cliff T.: I tried my hand at IT sales back in 2004 not an easy job. One of the things we were told is that it is essential for companies to look at having an IT department to protect the bottom line, does having an IT department do such a thing for a company? Why or why not?
Kevin Trottier: Having stable and reliable IT systems, created by mature IT processes, is essential in protecting the bottom line. Whether the IT functions are provided from an internal company department or a third party provider - mature IT processes ultimately provide the best protection of the bottom line.
Cliff T.: What should an IT department be doing in the first place?
Kevin Trottier: The IT department in a small to mid-sized business should provide two main functions: 1) from the day-to-day standpoint, it should be providing smooth and effective operations of the technical environment and when there is a problem, to fix it quickly and correctly; 2) from a strategic standpoint, determine and then implement the key technology enablers to help the executives hit their goals.
Cliff T.: People think of the IT department as the plumbing guys for the network in a company. However I am sure that there is more to it than that. What exactly is or makes up an IT department?
Kevin Trottier: An IT department for a small to mid-sized business is typically made up of the following skill sets:
- Technologists that help the end-users with their day-to-day needs like, “I can’t print or get to the Internet”
- System administrators that that make sure the back-off systems like, email and data backup are operating and
- Consulting resources that provide planning based on the business needs and emerging technologies.
Kevin Trottier: A challenging area is the fine line between where end-user “training” issues end and where “technical” issues begin. A simple way to overcome this challenge is to develop clear criteria that differentiate between “training” related versus “technical” issues. Presenting a trend-line of these types of issues to end-users at an IT feedback session is a great way to overcome any misconceptions. Trying to give feedback to a rushed end-user in real-time you may run the risk of being the condescending IT guy… ouch!
Cliff T.: How long have you been working in IT?
Kevin Trottier: I have been working in the industry for 12 years in a variety of roles from software engineer, product development, and sales and marketing.
Cliff T.: In your line of work I would think that you get some rather interesting requests related to IT, has anything come your way that just was totally out to lunch?
Kevin Trottier: We had a request regarding a Christmas tree that comes to mind which is out of scope for the services we provide J Our service model provides a complete alternative to a traditional IT department so we often field a variety of requests from business clients that are not always related to the services we provide.
Cliff T.: What kinds of IT challenges get you thinking I know there is a way and how do you begin to find the way to overcoming the challenge presented?
Kevin Trottier: I think there is a challenge; really more of an opportunity around business processes within the industries we serve. Executives at small to mid-sized firms are pulled in so many directions from delivering their products or services, managing staff, and financials, etc. that having a good set of internal operating process can be a really “un-locking” move for them. The IT folks are in a unique position to see the entire operation and develop these processes.
Cliff T.: Is IT a personal thing for people like you who work in it? I ask because many in other trades say it gets in the blood would you say that is true about being an IT guy?
Kevin Trottier: We certainly look at passion for technology in new hires. Technical advancements happen so fast in the IT industry that trying to keep up can be quite a burden if you don’t have technology in the blood.
Cliff T.: I noticed the title of the company you work for Twist, interesting name for a firm. Is that the goal here to offer a twist if you will to the world of IT? And if so what is that twist?
Kevin Trottier: We have a unique service delivery model combining a proprietary IT management platform with our technical specialists. This combination creates an alternative to an IT department as a subscription based service.
Cliff T.: Mr. Trottier I want to thank you for letting us peek into your world. IT is an interesting realm with lots of interesting turns and pardon the pun, twists, I wish you and Twist the best of success.
Kevin Trottier: Thank you Cliff!
Cliff T.: Kevin Trottier works for Twist Solutions a Dallas Texas based computer and IT Service Company. Twist helps companies manage many aspects of their IT including installation and service of servers and desktops. He wrote to us from his office in Dallas. To find out more visit the company site at twistsolutions.com
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