Atomic Toastmasters Shutdown

Have you ever heard someone give one of the most horrible speeches or presentations?  Are you tired of hearing those crutch words like, hmm, umm, you know, so, and so many more?  Toastmasters is an organization where members come together and give speeches in a learning environment making them better speakers by giving the speaker feedback. 

I have been a member of the company Toastmasters club since I started working here back in 2012.  I have learned a lot over the years and still haven't been able to complete my goals as a Competent Leader or Competent Communicator but I am hoping to complete those hopefully by the time my club closes its doors for good.  Over the years we have been seeing a decrease in attendance to not only visitors but club members.  Our attendance used to consist of about 15 members per meeting and today we couldn’t host a meeting because we only had 6 members present.  Our President informed us that she has considered letting the club close and for us to seek membership with another club in the area. 

I ask you today, if you have not attended a Toastmasters Meeting then I encourage you to go to one soon.  It doesn’t have to be the one that I go to but go to http://www.toastmasters.org and look for a meeting that is in your area and that meets on a day that best fits your schedule. 

I promise you wont be disappointed, especially if you have to work with customers or give presentations to an audience. 

Thanks for reading.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Adventures

I recently have been traveling quite a bit for work, so my post activity has been down.  I have been sticking to Instagram and posting to a couple of sites all at once versus having to write a lot of content and posting it here and then trying to post it everywhere else.  The traveling has been a blast as you get to connect with so many people in such a short amount of time.  It can be a little tedious though, especially when going from Las Vegas to Anaheim in just a couple of days.

Just recently I got to experience Walt Disney’s California Adventure for the first time.  It was an incredible experience.  The rides are I would call, geared towards older crowd or thrill seekers!  One of the best experiences was the last part of the day which included an awesome show called, World of Colors!  This amazing show is something spectacular as it uses water and projectors and lights to make what is simply stunning.  Comparing the show that is shown in Las Vegas’ Bellagio Hotel, the show at Disney blows Bellagio’s out of the water.  I have overheard that Bellagio is even considering removing their show permanently.  I think they should reconsider and possibly send some of their research guys over to see the show that Disney has to offer. 

See the video below from a YouTube Search of The World of Color to see what I mean.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=world+of+color

Thanks for reading. 

I look forward to your comments.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Be sure to checkout Phlearn – Photoshop & Photography Tutorials. 

Close Encounters

My recent trip to Colorado and New Mexico had me kind of in a whirl.  Getting so close to something that actually felt creepy! 

When I was working in the School District in Dos Palos I had a student worker that was working for us.  We would have him do some work in the morning and then I would have him surf on YouTube after he was done with his work.  I told him that he would have to give me a report of what he learned on YouTube at the end of the day.  I wasn’t ready for what I was about to learn but I kept an open view.  He had researched an area similar to Area 51 but was actually in Colorado and in New Mexico.  It was an underground base that housed lots of hidden laboratory research.  One report even came from a police officer who was in New Mexico who had been called to do an investigation regarding some cows that had been mutilated.  The officer didn’t know how bad it was until he arrived on the scene.  He found what appeared to be a human fetus that was a stillborn inside of the cow. 

Another report stated that an individual that was actually working in what is called Dulce Base had actually came forward to give his side of the story telling the horrific details of his job inside the base.  The base is supposedly hidden underneath Archuleta Mesa just on the New Mexico and Colorado border.  The base is also 7 levels deep underground, with each level freakier than the other above.  The deeper you got the closer you got to what seemed like a nightmare. 

I listened and viewed a lot of the material that this student put before me and was interested.  I left it at that until this last week I arrived in the town of Dulce, NM and had no idea.  A person I was talking to told me about the events that happen in the area and then he mentioned the base underground in the Mesa right there.  I then had a flashback to the report the student had given me and was recalling everything.  The guy even took me to get a closer look of the Mesa where I was able to take a photo.  (See bottom Right)

That night I had a close encounter with some form or image on the mirror inside of a restroom of what appeared to be an alien.  The local security guard was telling me about the stuff that happened in the area and then he asked if I wanted to see something.  I went to see first hand and put this video together of the incident.  A restroom mirror that was just cleaned before we took the video and an image of an alien head on the mirror.  I had the goose bumps and then they mentioned stories of babies crying inside of empty rooms with no one inside them.  I couldn’t sleep the whole night and kept hearing noises outside my window terrified that if I were to peek outside that I might see something. 

Now that I am home I am able to tell my story of my encounter with Dulce, NM.  I might have to go again but I plan on trying to go in and stay elsewhere for the night. 

Thanks for reading.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

The Black & White Photo Contest

The timeless and graphic qualities of black-and-white always make a statement. Digital Photo Pro's new Black & White World Photo Contest celebrates the monochrome image. The First Place Prize Package includes $500 cash and publication of the winning photo in Digital Photo Pro magazine - along with other great prizes! Entry deadline is May 22, 2014. First Place Prize Package: Publication of the winning photo in Digital Photo Pro $500 in cash A Manfrotto MK190XPRO3 190 kit - alu 3-section horiz. column tripod + ball head Tamrac's Apache 6 Camera/Tablet Bag A 32GB Professional 600x SDHC UHS-1 memory card from Lexar A Compact HoodLoupe from Hoodman USA A Ready For Anything lighting kit from LumiQuest Online publication of the winning photo in the Winners' Gallery Second Place Prize Package: Tamrac's Mirage 4 Photo/Tablet Backpack A Strobist® lighting kit from LumiQuest A 16GB microSDHC UHS-1 memory card from Lexar Online publication of the winning photo in the Winners' Gallery People's Choice Award: Online publication of the winning photo in the Winners' Gallery

Travel Software

Recently I was watching TV and a commercial came on showing the Expedia app. In the commercial it showed off how easy it is to keep on track while traveling. I am one who travels all the time and I love to find an app that makes traveling a lot easier. 

I have been using the Kayak app since and have been a huge fan of it. The Kayak website lets you plan your trip ahead of time by customizing the trip. The Expedia app lets you customize your trip as long as you booked the items through their site. This means that if you book your hotel through another site and want to keep track of the itinerary on your app then you can't. 

I usually will go into the Kayak website and customize my entire trip before traveling so that my entire trip is synched up on my phone when traveling. The Kayak app also has a Flight Tracker that helps when trying to find what gate you need to run to next. 

The Expedia app doesn't work unless you have a trip already booked through Expedia. 

Overall, I am always willing to try new apps that make my life easier and if anyone has recommendations on a great traveling app then let me know. 

Thanks for reading!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

The Final Inspection

The Marine stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward Marine,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
The Marine squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here,
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was a silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Marine waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward Marine,
You've borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."

Semper Fidelis!

Author Unknown

Botanical Garden

Here is a photo from one of my recent trips to San Diego, CA.  I stopped off at Balboa Park and found this amazing view from the Botanical Garden. 

Thanks for looking.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Fatcow Web Hosting Review

I have finally decided to post a review of my domain host company.  If you don’t know already, I have been using Fatcow for quite some time now.  I switched over from using another company that has a very similar layout and setup and even prices.  Heck, I even noticed that when I login and try to contact support for something I need help with, it still has my auto fill in the box. 

Fatcow has been pretty good, but I have noticed that when wanting to host websites that require a little more work such as scripting or SQL events you probably should upgrade to something a little more of their add-ons than just trying to host your SQL page without their input.  I had my Wordpress site hosted on it for years and noticed that things would start to run slow now and then.  Turns out the database was getting bogged down.  I had to switch to another host for the blog site because Fatcow’s basic plan servers couldn’t handle it. 

The layouts are pretty easy and it allows me to setup an FTP folder for easier upload access from Adobe Dreamweaver and many other Web Design programs.  I know that most users probably use FTP services that are built into programs more but a lot of people prefer to have someone else do the work.  That is what is great about Fatcow because you have unlimited access to pages, subdomains and so much more. 

I want you all to go out and try Fatcow and let me know what you think.  If you have another web domain host that you have been working with then let us hear about it.  I would love to get your feedback.  By you signing up with Fatcow using the link below I will get a $25 voucher towards an upgrade. 

Host your website with FatCow!

Disclosure: I am a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products I review. I test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. I am independently owned and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Strange Orchids

I came across this very unusual Orchids while I was visiting Balboa Park in San Diego, CA recently.

Never seen them before but they remind me of a spider I came across once while in Japan.

Thanks for reading!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

It’s Me Mario

As I was walking through San Diego recently, I noticed this Super Mario graffiti artwork on the side of a structure.  I have always been a fan of Nintendo and video games.  I just had to share with everyone.

Thanks for looking.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Wedding Cake–HDR

Here is a photo of a wedding cake that I did in HDR.  I am really enjoying the HDR technology and think that it makes the photos really cool.  I know that some people are saying that they think the HDR thing is going overboard but for some occasions I think it looks great.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for looking.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

San Diego–Balboa Park HDR Hallway

I was recently in the San Diego area when I came across this hallway that I knew would be amazing in an HDR shot.  So I fired away and got this HDR shot without using my tripod. 

If you haven't been to Balboa Park in San Diego, I urge you to go.  There is just so much to see and do.  It is right next to the San Diego Zoo and actually has so many different areas due to the size of the park.

Thanks for looking.

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

American Photo Magazine September Issue

I was reading through the September issue of American Photo Magazine and must say that they might be reading my posts because the material is getting better.  I am still not pleased with the amount of material in the issue but am pleased with the type of material. 

This month they discuss and show some photography work by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott which is very fashionable.  I have always been a fan of Black and White photos and they truly have outdid themselves on these photos.  I tried to get a website of more of their work but it seems that it might still be under construction. 

There was also an article by Lori Fredrickson that discussed and showed images of Natural landmarks but in a very unusual way.  But out of the whole magazine that was mainly the only thing that interested me. 

If you read the magazine and have more information that you thought was moving or excited you then please share.

If you haven't already done so make sure to signup for the American Photo Model Shoot which will be coming to the following locations:

Phoenix, AZ – Sept 7

Los Angeles, CA – Oct 12

New York, NY – Nov 24

Atlanta, GA – Dec 7

Full day access is only $199.

Register at http://americanphotomodelshoot.com

My Intro To Astrophotography

Since I have been working with Pelco, I have been hearing my boss talk about Astrophotography and it looks cool.  I have been trying it over and over but haven't had any luck with actually getting the right shot.  I was in Nevada recently and was able to find a nice location to shoot some stars.  The photo above is what I got.  Still need some practice but I am sure I will get the hang of it.

Thanks for looking!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Joshua Tree HDR Black and White

Here is a photo I recently took on a trip to Nevada.  I was able to pull over and snap this photo of this Joshua Tree. 

Thanks for looking!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort

Here is a photo from inside Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort.  I took this photo on the early morning I checked out.  It was pretty hard to catch this lobby without anyone in it.  On some days the parks would close at 1:00AM. 

Thanks for looking!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

More Fireworks

Here are more photos from Disney World’s Epcot Center in Florida.  I also shot this one using a 30 second exposure and ISO 100. 

Thanks for looking!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Fireworks

Here is a photo from Disney’s Epcot Center Boardwalk.  I shot this photo with a 30 second exposure at an ISO 100 and f22! 

Thanks for looking!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

Your PC On On A Virus

I was working on some computers this weekend not to mention my own.  The customer PC’s I was working on didn’t have Antivirus protection and I thought, “Why in the world would you go running around on the internet without Antivirus protection.”  That would be like running around in the HIV capital of the world having unprotected sex and hoping that you will be ok.  Get Antivirus protection people!  There are a lot of FREE programs out there that will help protect your PC from unwanted programs and viruses that are all over the web.  I always use and recommend Avast because its FREE and not to mention it doesn’t put too much strain on your system resources like some of those expensive Antivirus programs out there. 

Quick overview, if your PC is running a lot slower than it used to when you bought it and you are running Internet Explorer and notice that your Toolbar is covered with all of these different toolbars then chances are you are already infected.  Go out and get an Antivirus program that is going to protect your PC.  If your Antivirus program is not on the list below then you are wrong!

Avast
Kapersky
AVG
Norton
TrendMicro

If you have any questions or need help with your PC then just let me know and I will help you get rid of the unwanted pest.

Thanks for stopping by!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez

American Photo Magazine Disappointment Again

I received my latest issue of American Photo and again I am disappointed.  The magazine is thinner and full of garbage.  I recall the issues in the past having at least some content that was interesting and engaged my attention.  I was comparing my Digital PhotoPro magazine issue to the American Photo magazine and the Digital PhotoPro has a lot more interesting content.  Even the covers are better on Digital PhotoPro. 

Lets get your feedback and see what you think.

Thanks for the feedback!

Semper Fidelis,

Manuel Perez