by John Gaudio, Posted 1:40 PM, cached by Google at 3:36 PM. (But I couldn't find it on Google for several days.)

Vegas 8.0 was sufficiently intuitive to let me install and run it without reading the instructions.  I even managed to capture some video, but from that point forward it stopped being "intuitively obvious to the casual observer."  There is tremendous power here, and with great power comes the need for training.

I stopped in at Four Reel Production, they currently use Vegas 6.0 on a desktop machine, and worked with Stan to put together some testimonials for our client, Jay Rollins, of JCR Capital.  Stan's fingers flew over the keyboard as he moved different clips, trimmed them, adjusted volume levels, and the like, all in real time.  Jennifer showed me a couple of keyboard shortcuts, like using the J, K, and L keys for rewind, pause, and fast forward respectively.  From this experience it became clear to me that Vegas was very powerful, and would require a little more training on my part before I'd be able to use it well.

Volumes 1, 2, and 8 of Vasst's Absolute Training for Vegas Pro came with my purchase from VideoGuys.com.  So I opened volume one and started viewing it on my laptop.  It's very professional, and walks you through setting up the system for optimal use.  It's based on Vegas 6.0, rather than 8.0, but I don't think that will be a big problem.

Just under an hour into the DVD, Douglas Spotted Eagle has shown me how to set up many of the most important options, and taken me through the process of capturing a short video.  Time now for me to get some other work done, so I'll get back to this experiment tomorrow, and fill you in on my progress.

If you've been editing video on a laptop with any program, or have experience with Vegas Pro, please follow up with a comment at the link below.

by John Gaudio,  Posted 5:10 AM, Found by Google at approx. 11:30 PM.  (about 18 hours)

First, a good word for videoguys.com.  After I finished my previous post I decided I didn't want to wait 'till Monday to get my software, so I called them back and asked if it was too late to ship it next day air.  Happily, it wasn't, and my Sony Vegas 8.0 arrived the following morning.

Installing it was easy, though I'm still not sure what some of the extra programs are.  I chose to install it on the Windows XP side of my laptop, and all went well.  Once it was installed it asked if I'd like to download some rather large updates, over 100 Megabytes if I recall.  For the present I declined, partly because the instructions weren't very clear, and partly because I wanted to start editing.

I took a tape from a wedding I shot last month, and began capturing data.  I had installed the software on my F: drive, and assumed the video would be stored there as well.  I was wrong.  It stored data on my C drive instead, and after eight minutes of video capture, drive C was full.

The error messages were good though, and led me to a place where I specified a folder on drive F to hold my video.  I tried again, and the entire 70 plus minutes were captured in real time.  There were too many dropped frames though for my taste, over 200, but again, the error message led me to the solution.

By default, Sony Vegas 8.0 shows your video and plays your audio on your laptop computer while it's being captured.  This consumes computer resources, and for my laptop, that meant dropped frames.  I deleted my earlier attempt, and tried again after turning off both video and audio monitoring during capture.  This time the entire tape was captured with no dropped frames. :-)

Time now for me to get some sleep while my laptop captures the video from my second tape.  Later, I'll capture the third, and start the process of editing video with Sony's Vegas 8.0a, on my laptop computer.

by John Gaudio

Posted, 1:45 PM, Found by Google approx. 7:00 PM July 11th.  (about 29 hours)

Windows Movie Maker, which comes with Windows XP and Windows Vista, is great for editing short simple videos, but for bigger, more sophisticated projects, it's just not enough.  I've been editing video for years.  First with linear, tape to tape systems, then with more advanced non linear programs designed for desktop computers, and requiring special hardware to support video editing.

Now, hoping to gain both portability and power, I've ordered Sony's Vegas Pro 8, 399.95, from the Video Guy's.  I'm told it's not as powerful as Adobe Premier, but powerful enough for all but the most sophisticated video enthusiasts.  I'm also told it's much easier to learn and use, and requires no special hardware. 

I already have a laptop equipped to boot either XP or Vista, with a 2.2 GHZ Core 2 duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 150 GB internal hard drive, and a 750 GB external hard drive.  It's also equipped with both USB 2.0 and Fire Wire ports to move video in and out.  The software should be here by Monday, so next week I'll let you know how it's working out.  Please check out the links below to see one video I edited with Windows Video Maker, and another edited by Stan of Four Reel Production, using Vegas Pro 6.

by John Gaudio, Posted, 6:52 PM.  Found by Google around 5:00 PM, May 28th.  (22 hours)

I Googled "convert itunes file to mp3" and the first organic result was on AskBobRankin.com.  He gave good information, and I greatly appreciated it. 

What I liked even better though, was a small link at the end of the article entitled, "Buy Bob a Snickers."  Click that link, and it takes you to a page where he assures you that you don't have to buy him a thing, but if you want to, he gives you several choices, ranging from a one dollar snickers bar, to a $36,800.00 Audi TT Coupe.  (May as well aim high!)

Bob provided me value, and an easy way to say thank you in a way that made me feel good. 

Thanks, Bob.

by John Gaudio, posted 9:08 PM.  Found by Google in less than 43 hours. :-)

I've had the honor of being a guest lecturer in Michael Lenzini's Internet Marketing Class a number of times over the past several years.  Last Monday, at the end of my lecture on Multimedia for Internet Marketing, one of Michael's students volunteered to be my videographer, and most of the rest of his class took turns describing their Internet Marketing class projects.  Please check out the video on your left, to learn a b it about what Michael's got these budding marketing wizards doing at the University of Denver: Daniels College of Business.

by John Gaudio, Posted 3:30 PM. Found by Google approx. 9:00 PM.  (under six hours)

Rick Hayes started working with State Farm Insurance over twenty years ago, and knows both the insurance side, and the financial planning side of the business.  He's run his own offices, trained State Farm agents, and helped me a great deal with answers to questions as varied as "What do we need to do when my fifteen year old son starts driving?" to "What are my options if the tree guy makes a mistake and ruins my roof?"

Rick's definitely old school, in that he'll meet with you pretty much wherever, and whenever it's convenient for you.  He's told me when I needed to drop a coverage because it was redundant, and when I needed to consider additional coverage, to make sure I was protected.  He knows his products well, and explains them in simple terms that make sense.  At the same time, Rick is definitely new school.  He's constantly educating himself, and when you meet with him in his conference room, he uses a giant LCD display to let you compare options and check out insurance policies in real time.

Rick helps people with auto insurance, life insurance, health insurance, home insurance, business insurance, long term care insurance, and financial planning.  While he works with people all over the Denver Metro area, Rick Hayes specializes in areas around the 80110, 80113, 80209, 80210, and 80237 zip codes.  Rick also speaks regularly to high school students, and is a proud member or the Englewood Rotary Club. 

If you live in the Denver Metro area, or are considering a move here, and need help with your auto, home, business, or other insurance, I strongly suggest you call Rick Hayes at 303-761-1010, or toll free at 877-761-1010.  You can also email him, rick@hayesins.net.  Please let him know you found him through ABetterBlogsite.com.

by John Gaudio, Posted at 1:05 PM.  Found by Google approx. 9:00 PM. (8 hours)

I firmly believe in taking good care of our planet, and I applaud those who take this opportunity to clean up their neighborhoods, their waterways, and their communities.

I am appalled that Al Gore and his followers continue to manipulate well intentioned people, by misrepresenting data, creating self serving illusions of imminent disaster, and using these illusions in attempts to control our lives.  Please look at the links below to see Mr. Gore's point of view, and a few other points of view, that I hope you'll find worthwhile.

Al Gore's "cure" is much worse than the "disease" he invented.  It hurts real people, in the name of saving us from his imagined global catastrophe.

The sky is not falling.

The Emperor has no clothes.

Have a great Earth Day, and please, if you do something to celebrate, make it something that really does help. :-)