lucas-photo.com

Apparently it was circulated via email about a week ago; Ian forwarded me a copy and I parsed it into the database and updated the query page.

It’s messy data from a programmer’s standpoint, but I’d written an interface some time ago that not only eliminates most of the typing but enforces some consistency among things such as telephone numbers and bodybuilding class orders.

The smart thing to do to make this all a lot easier would be to have the promoters _themselves_ update their show information through a similar interface, as well as keeping their contact information and the list of venues current.

Once the data is clean, publishing via print/Web/PDF/whatever becomes cake.

So while my version is a little cleaner and, as mentioned before, *searchable*, it still must not be mistaken for the officially published schedule available on the NPC Florida Web site.

Yes, it’s an actual factual site update! Real new photos and everything!

The 2008 Armed Forces show is now up on the site.

Well you know how busy I’ve been, with the wedding coming up, the job situation, and everything else seemingly falling more and more behind.

But there’s hope yet. I’ve been sneaking in work on the site whenever I can fit it, and happy that I managed to finish a section that can be published. I’m not delighted with the quality of my work in this show– the auditorium has excellent lighting, but the banners tended to muck up the white balance, and as I recall the show was paced far faster than one that size needed to be. But there are a few nice shots in there.

Speaking of, word on the street is that the 2009 Florida NPC schedule is just days away from release. Afterward of course it’ll take me a bit to incorporate it into the LP database (thereby making it searchable).

All South is the last show I have for 2008, and no promises as to when it’ll be ready but it hopefully won’t take as long as this last one. I’ve also got updates for Toni‘s page, some new stock photos, a new page (shh! a secret for now), an update to Adrienne Ann Smith‘s page, and probably a half dozen more I don’t remember right now.

In addition, I’ve got a *ton* of cool stuff waiting to update the Six Flags Atlantis Memorial, so sometime very soon I’ve got to get that done.

So stay tuned, and thanks for your patience.

I’ve noted before how easy it is to cause a recession.

I’ve also noticed that the media has been continuing to bleat the horn right though the Christmas holiday, even though reading the details suggests that sales have been down only 5-8% from last year’s record levels (and Amazon.com reports having its “best holiday season ever“, with sales up 44%).

I’m beginning to suspect that as soon as Obama is inaugurated, we’ll start seeing the “Good News For The Economy” and “Economy Starting to Rebound” messages in the media.

If people will believe the recession is over and start spending again, then lo and behold! The recession *will* be over, all praise the Obama nation we’ve become!

Shots from the 2008 Greater Gainesville are up on the site.

I can’t thank promoter Brian Elliot enough for the amazing job he’s done resurrecting bodybuilding here in my hometown. Probably 90 percent of the competitors were going on stage for their first competition, and that’s always a promising sign. The show was amazingly well-lit, and ran as smoothly as any I’ve seen.

Everyone had an enjoyable time and I’m already looking forward to the show next year.

Next shows to go up: the 2008 All Forces and the 2008 All South.

(BTW, carelessly erasing the flurry of “Vote for Me!” ads from the latest political carnival, I accidentally deleted a phone call from one of the competitors asking about shots from the Gainesville. Please shoot me an email, thanks.)

Shots from the 2008 Southeastern USA are up on the site. Hey, only 8 days out this time. ;)

The lighting at this show was excellent, and I think the shots reflect that.

I had taken the “new” motorcycle (it’s a 1995 BMW R100 airhead that I absolutely love) down for its first real road trip and so was a little jounced around by the time I arrived.

But the show went well, and I managed to take care of all my other chores while I was down there too– even managed to take in most of the Gators giving LSU all they could handle, and on a 42 inch plasma screen too. All in all, a good trip.

Next up: the first annual Greater Gainesville, and can it be possible that the lighting here was even better than the Southeastern? All this and my first take on Bibble Pro. Stay tuned.

It’s not surprising that our “leaders” are having difficulty finding concensus on what the media has labeled the “$700 Billion Bailout”.

There’s no right way to do the wrong thing.

However you look at it, greed and stupidity should not, must be rewarded. If it is, the funding may restore some semblance of stability, but it will last only until the stampede to the next get-rich-quick bubble.

What does this mean?

For starters, that means no CEO compensation for failed companies, full stop. That means any Realtors found to have been tweaking up housing costs by influencing appraisers must be brought up on charges. That means politicians who encouraged this debacle via runaway deregulation pay the price for doing so. That means anyone who chose to invest in houses to “flip” takes the loss.

You can probably think of more.

Those who *should* be rewarded? Those who paid their mortgages on time. Those who didn’t overcommit their resources. And those forced into debt by circumstances beyond their control should not be punished.

If people *are* punished for behaving responsibly, then they won’t do it. The breadth of consequence of this coming to pass are too great to describe here, but it means the end of the American way of life.

Trust is the cornerstone of any society. We’ve allowed it to erode with the willing cooperation of our “leaders”. Now those entities we’ve erroneously trusted are tottering on the brink.

This erosion of trust has to change, right here. Our leaders must re-earn the trust of the nation and the world, by showing that there are severe consequences for irresponsible behavior.

That means making the hard decisions and carrying them out, to show that they themselves are not exempt from responsibility, even if it costs them their political careers.

Should we fail in this, we may not be *able* to salvage the next crisis.

After my recent rambling rant on striving for quality shots, how do I explain the Ancient City results?

Well it’s easy: the venue fouled up the schedule and double-booked the auditorium (the place that has the good lighting). Normally they’ve been pretty good about such things, but this time we ended up in the gym. The promoter was hopping mad, and I don’t blame him a bit.

So here from the “Salvage What You Can” bin are the photos. On the plus side, the venue is still amazing from the outside– I did a great quick shoot outside with competitor Adam Frez, look for a minishoot update very soon.