In many instances they must complete their mission objectives with second-rate computers, systems, and promotional media. It doesn’t have to be that way.

At Ice Cave Technology I am employing some strategies to help  non-profit organizations run their organization with world class tools.

SESA is an Anchorage-based organization tasked with providing resources and support to Alaskans responsible for educating special needs children. While they are certainly not operated on a shoestring, they are nevertheless vigilant to operate in a lean and muscular fashion. I am currently over-hauling their database system to utilize elite automation…the type of slick business processes that you typically only see in a fortunate 500 company. But more than that… I’m embedding this new system with system wide video training that will make it a no-brainer to train new employees.

Beyond that—philosophically and strategically—I am convinced that unlimited high performance broadband for everyone is vital to the state’s education and business interests. The internet is like a modern roadway system for how we do everything. It’s foundational and indispensable.

Yes, what I just said conflicts with my strong capitalistic ideals and conviction that GCI has a right to dictate its own terms.

I hope at some point we can figure out a way to make it all work better for Alaska internet users, while still providing GCI, ACS, and MTA lots of revenue.

However, from the standpoint of a new media professional…I have no worries. I’ve mastered the techniques to deliver rich media through thin pipes, and I’m getting even better with advanced compression/decompression.

The news drearily proclaims: we haven’t had a cloudless day since April and yesterday we even broke a record for consecutive days with measurable rainfall.

Sadly I concede the rainy weather had given me the blues. So I woke up Saturday morning on a mission to shake out of and get back to having some fun again!

The tonic for rainy-day blues wasn’t any further away than Spenard Lake. In between capturing a lot of Float Plane phographs, I enjoyed taking a few photos of a local area dog-lover and her two retrievers. Fittingly, just when I was poised for some superp shots it started to rain and obstructed my unshielded lens.

I’ve learned that you can’t be afraid to get dirty if you want a nice photo, and I wanted to get the lens right at the level of the water line. I was in a perfect angle while down on my belly. The dogs were splashing about…

But with the rain and a momentary loss of focus it became one of those, “One that got away” photographic moments. Hopefully I can get another session with the retrievers before the summer is over.

Argggh! Nevertheless I still did get a couple of good images and I’m grateful for the moment. Tomorrow I’ll be posting some of them over at my new photographic site, Big Alaska Photography.

I just started on it so it will take some time to whip it into shape. Seaplanes (alternatively dubbed Floatplanes) have been an emerging interest since I came to Alaska. The site celebrates the state’s pilots, adventurers, and the amazing planes they fly.

So what great news it was last month when FileMaker Inc. announced the release of FileMaker Go–a mobile version for iPhones and iPads. Sweetness!

This baby has a redesigned 45-point AF system including 39 cross-type points, can shoot 10fps in burst, and handles extremely low light conditions with ease. (ISO range of 100 – 12800). For video projects I can now use Canon’s famous L lenses and shoot in 1080, or 60fps 720p. Wahoo!

And this is problematic. Though the U.S. has led the world in many aspects of Internet development, we are continuing to fall behind other countries in broadband penetration and access speed.

And lest we forget: Alaska broadband is far behind the average U.S. average data rate. I contend that we need a state initiative to help fund additional broadband fiber to Alaska and around the state.

Read the complete CNN story.

I conceived, wrote, produced and designed the commercial last Spring for MTA. I was hired by a top Anchorage agency, Walsh Sheppard and worked with Tony Shepherd on the spot. I’m a big football fan and was already in heaven watching the game. Seeing the commercial was a huge honor and treat that made the day very memorable.

The spot, entitled “How Quick Can You Click” celebrates the uber cool MTA online directory. There was no “location” outside of a green screen. I built an entire virtual 3d set and married live actors into the 3d camera perspectives. You can see the commercial in the Ice Cave portfolio. It’s the first sample.

My new challenge? Trying to to explain why I feel so good about my move to Alaska.