My wife met Mick Lucey on the 30 seat commuter plane from Salt Lake City to Elko. He was seated in front of her and, since he took a long time to disembark, he turned to her and thanked her for her patience in a thick Irish brogue. She told him she had plenty of patience, and he said he had none, but his own wife had enough for the both of them. She said she bet he was going to the Cowboy Poetry Gathering and he said he was. He was a sheepherder living in Klamath Falls and had brought his button accordion to play and recite. It was his first time there. When they got off the plane my wife took a picture of Mick and his wife in front of the little plane, then promised to go to his performance. We saw Mick with a standing room only crowd at the Western Heritage Cultural Center last night.

I haven't slept a wink.

All the mobiflicks. cell phone art and webcam art pieces are done and are being uploaded to PAHFEST:ELKO page as I write this. They should be ready for voting by late morning tomorrow. Elko, Nevada is the largest gold mine in the country. So, my cell phone topic for the people of Elko was "HEART OF GOLD." It would be wonderful if some of the EARSXXI community could check out the people of Elko's work and vote on it. David Carradine and Clu Gulager are our celebrity judges. They have 90% of the weight. The rest of the world has 0%. I will be giving out CASH prizes to the winners tomorrow night. I could use your help.

APPLE PHOTO BOOTH FUN. DIGIVANGELIST WITH HIS DIGIPOSTLE.





The EarsXXI team out of their element, quickly learned how to use Adobe Premiere Pro and Windows Movie Maker to cut the PAH Elko short films. The learning curve was somewhat frustrating, but when you are on the road you must adapt. Petty the person that blames his/her tools.

What's a butterfly garden without butterflies?
-- Roy Rogers

To my lovely wife...
she is an inspiration, a big heart, white light poet, and a beakon of kindness to us all.

Michele Russo, my cousin from the old country is doing a piece on AUGUSTINO COPPOLA, my great grandfather who left his family to come to America and founded the illustrious COPPOLA FAMILY. I thought I would present his trailer.



i would also like to invite others to show me their art. I know a photographer sent me an e-mail regarding that. I misplaced her e-mail address. But, yes, I would be delighted to present your art if it speaks to me.

with a little Ludwig Tieck around the edges

Apple Photo Booth Fun.

Photos: Show and Tell For Adults

So you have a camera phone, if your like most people the best you can do is show your friends the photo you took on your phone. This happens for two reasons, one you didn't want to shell out the extra $80 dollars for the cord to connect to your PC (don't blame ya). Second you don't know how to send the photo because it seems like if you don't have the same service you can't receive them. Well RADAR is here, it is a site where you create a network of friends that can view your pics privately. Unlike myspace or flicker these photos can only be viewed by your "friends" network. This is a fun way to show your friends what you are doing.

For the "on the go" couch potato:

The LG VX9400 REVIEW with Verizon's V Cast Mobile TV is your ultimate phone if you never want to miss a show. Unlike downloadable video's and streaming video currently available this programming will be broadcast independently and will match standard TV resolution. There is no buffering or download time, and the audio/video sync is supposed to be almost perfect. The service will be an additional $15 a month and will include CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, and MTV.

The future of Computers:

Laptops are getting faster smaller and have more storage space than the average person needs. Soon the average household will use laptops instead of desktops because of space, and instead of a laptop for travel people will use some thing similar to the OQO. This is the world's smallest windows vista capable PC. It is about the same size as a Sony PSP (5.6" x 3.3" x 1") and boasts 1.5 GHz CPU, 60 GB hard drive, and 1GB of RAM. This can do just about everything a laptop can do. It can also go online at the same speed as a laptop.

Future Technology: Radio Frequency Energy

All these hand held gadgets are great but the batteries usually don't last long; well get ready for Power Cast REVIEWS. Power Cast is a radio frequency that is transmitted wirelessly to small devices and continuously recharges the battery. This technology will be out at the end of this year.

I remember in high school how the coaches use to love saying my last name as if it were a sports star name..."And here comes Coppola to the plate", "And it's Coppola making the touchdown!", etc, etc. I told my son about this during his baseball tryouts yesterday. I also told him there has yet to be a Coppola Sports Superstar in our illustrious family. He was born on the same day as Jumpin' Joe DiMaggio, so one never knows.

Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.
--Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

CRC says...

I'm driving to Vegas this morning for some important meetings...more on that later. I was scrambling to find someone or something to present. My son and his friend showed me this and it made me laugh. So I will present their little web flick.

Apple Photobooth Fun.

Broadcasting yourself: Call to Poets and writers.

If you love the idea of posting your poems or stories but love the art of writing, this gadget is for you.

The Epos Digital Pen EPOS:

This device is a Digital Pen and USB Flash Drive it is the next generation in USB Flash Drive products. With this unique bundle, EPOS takes both the pen and the USB product one step further in a revolutionary combination that provides a totally portable, wireless PC peripheral pen with flash memory capabilities. You can write on any type of paper, store hundreds of pages of text, and it transforms written text into typed text. You then plug the receiver/flash drive to your PC and upload your poem or story to Fanstory, Writing, or any number of other sites like these.

For painters or photographers:

The site fan art review is a kind of YouTube for the arts Fanartreview. At this site you can upload, view, review, get reviewed, and even sell your art.

Musicians:

The LightSnake is basically a sound card on a cable. It is a 1/4" to USB cord that plugs into guitars, bass, keyboard, or any other musical instrument that takes a 1/4" plug. The cord connects to you PC and is a true plug and play device; it automatically opens whatever recording software you have. The recording comes out in true CD quality.

Filmmakers and video-Blogists

The best new camcorders out are the newest generation of Mpeg4 camcorders. Sanyo has really stepped up with it Xacti series of hand held Mpeg4 cameras. The first is the Xacti cg6; this ultra compact camera is ideal for carrying everywhere. With 6 mega pixel still shots and 30 fps digital recording, it records with DVD quality. This camera should be strapped to every filmmaker; with over an hour of shoot time you won't miss a thing. If Mpeg4 is to low quality for you the HD1 Digital Media Camera by Sanyo records in 720p and the dimensions are: 3.1" x 4.7" x 1.4"! Both cameras are about the same size and are ergonomically made to use with one hand.

A final note:

As with all viral upload sites, make sure you read the fine print so you don't give away your creative.

Man is a genius when he is dreaming.
--Akira Kurosawa

I thought I'd put it here as well while I am waiting for Biker Chef Episode 10 to upload.

I call it...

MY MINI SPIELBERG SHARK STORY

It's important to see your work through, no matter the obstacles. I remember spending three grand on a small automated shark for the opening delivery scene in Palmer's Pick-up. I was excited about this shark. The Art Director assured me he could make one and I would be thrilled with it...it would be a mini Jaws with all the bells and whistles. My producing partner was skeptical, but I wanted to go for it. I liked this guy's enthusiam. Besides getting a real shark could be problematic and would cost more with the shark wrangler. And what if the shark died? Then The Humane Society would be after me. So, we spent the 3000 dollars which was a lot of money considering our micro budget. The shark was a metaphor and I just had to have it. (and, this was going to be a tough film and it would be cool to have a mini-automated Spielberg shark when it was all over).

I wanted to be surprised so I never asked to see the shark during our very brief pre-production period (never a good thing). This film was another experiment for me-- I wanted our adventure to dictate the product. I wanted everything to be spontaneous and organic. Let's make it happen right at the moment, not over think and pre plan. This was my experimental concept. I didn't know how I was going to shoot a scene until I got to the location, looked around and my brain starting clicking. This is a very dangerous way to make a movie, but this was my concept. I wanted to do something completely different than what I did before..no storyboarding, no shot lists, no rehearsals,no rewrites. I also wanted to throw the script out the window for this one. I wanted us to have to think on our toes. Anyhow, this was the environment I created.

Shark Shoot day came. I was bragging about how I had a mini Jaws made for this ultra low budget film that would blow away Spielberg's shark. When I work on a film, I don't sleep at all...a little mania starts to kick in. I was all excited. The crew seemed very worried and quiet. I asked what was the matter. They asked me if I had seen the shark. Obviously, some of them had. I wasn't happy about that. The Art Director walked over to me meekly, mumbling something. I asked him to repeat that. He said there wasn't enough time and it really wasn't possible. Where's my f...ing shark? He nodded to the prop guy who carried a card box over to me. I looked inside and saw one of those extra large creepy crawler sharks you can buy for $9.98 with a slit open belly and what looked like the innards of a radio controlled car inside. It was a pathetic and clearly not worth 3 grand mini Spielberg shark, besides it didn't even work. I started to fume.

My producing partner and my AD ran over to me to remind me a big storm was due to hit us that evening and reiterated how important it was for me to get this scene in the can so we can hit the road, stay head of the storm and stay on schedule. I blurted, "Don't you think I know that!!!" My co-writer walked over to me and said he thought the shark was a complete joke and didn't think the scene would work. I ordered the cast and crew to prepare for the first shot. I took the shark out of the box, ripped it's radio controlled guts out and put it in the half filled 50 gallon fish tank. It looked absolutely ridiculous, but kinda funny. It needed more girth. I asked the costumer to get me some socks. I started stuffing socks in the shark belly, then dropped it back in the water. One of the socks started to come out of it's mouth. I told the crew not to tell the actors. Let's just shoot it this way and see how it works out. I thought it was hilarious. In the end, a rubber shark with a sock in its mouth was more appropriate for this movie than a mini Spielberg shark anyway. Things sometimes happen for a reason.

Celebrity judges David Carradine, Clu Gulager and Johnny Rivers are on board.

Today's blog is dedicated to Mr. Nicolas Paine; a very talented writer, producer and great creative ally to CRC. He's like a brother to me. Here's a short story he wrote about his childhood memory of Yankee Stadium and baseball. I thought it was appropriate to present because we both share a tremendous love for baseball and are itching for spring training to begin.

BaseballStory

reminiscing while holding my childhood minolta AUTOPAK-8 D6 super 8 camera. I made over 20 films with this camera back in the early and mid '70's. My brother was often the star. The REELZ channel noticed it on my desk when they did their profile on me a few days ago. I explained its importance to me.

I told them about one of my favorite films I made called "The Unknown Circus." Unfortunately due to some family problems, it somehow got lost when my brother and I were being bounced all over the place from relative to relative before we knew where we were going to wind up. My brother was 8 and I was 10. We were constantly lonely as kids. I use to put my brother on the handle bars of my green "let the sunshine in" huffy stingray and ride towards the sunset hoping we would find some magic there. We were a couple of "The Outsider's" like ragamuffins back then. The neighborhood use to pitty us, which I hated--"It's sad those very bright boys going through what they're going through, lets let 'em come on over and play some pool at our pool table," "Honey, those kid's are gonna rip my table!" "Sssh, let 'em play." Now, that I remember those days, they were actually very nice neighbors.

Anyhow, there was this park in Long Beach called Whaley Park. If you got up early enough, a fog would still be hanging over the park. It seemed sort of magical to me as kid. I'd get up before sunrise on a weekend, ride there and sit in the fog. This is when I came up with "The Unknown Circus." I had never heard of Brigadoon, but my little mind started to formulate a story of a travelling circus that travelled with the fog. Wouldn't it be cool to show a glimpse of the circus and reveal a little circus story before the fog disappears? I came up with a tragic love triangle. I grew up hearing Puccini so it made sense that that would be the first thing I thought for story...Clown loves Trapeze Girl, Trapeze Girl loves Tightrope Man, Clown hates Tightrope Man. It ends tragically when Clown shoots and kills Tightrope Man during his act, Trapeze Girl kills herself, leaving the Clown tragically all alone as the fog and the circus disappears. My brother played the tragic Clown...very Pagliacci around the edges. I remember how excited I was about my invention for a trick shot. I got a long solid wooden plank and large thick rope. I glued the rope to the side of the plank. When you walked on the plank it looked like you were walking on the rope. So, I coud have a shot with TIghtrope Walker doing his act while a gun rises in the foreground and fires. I remember being very proud of myself for figuring that out. Anyhow, those were the sort of films I was making with my brother back in the old Long Beach days.

It's odd and a little sad how things turned out.

Apple Photo Booth Fun.

The CES (Consumer Electronics Show) starts today in Vegas and the big topic is: The “Digital Home”.

As reported before connecting every multi-media device in your home will be possible in the next few months. Bill Gates will be giving a keynote speech this evening at the CES unveiling Home Server. The concept is to have a server in every home. If you have multiple PC’s in your home you can access all of your files and run all of your multi-media gadgets from any PC. Gates goes on to say that he his working on devices that have visual and voice recognition capabilities that let you call up any movie or music from anywhere in the house.

Some products to help you start your digital home:

Samsung FP-TS094W Wireless TV

This is a wireless plasma TV that works with a wireless AV router. The router has lots of regular and HD inputs as well as an HD DVD player. Which begs the question, which will win, Blu-Ray or HD DVD? That is yet to be determined, but there is an answer.

The LG BH100

Plays both Blu-Ray and HD DVD’s, and cost about the same as buying both types of players.

Sony Bravia Internet Video Link

This handy device streams regular and HD Internet content to your HD TV.

Sony VAIO XL3 Digital Living System

This is a step up from the Bravia; it fully integrates your PC to your TV. It has a Blu Ray disk player, CableCARD slot allowing you record TV in HD without a separate set-top box, and of course surf the web from your couch with a wireless keyboard.

The integration of your PC with your home entertainment system has changed the entertainment industry. With the ability to watch HD content over the web there will be no difference between Internet, network, or cable television. The Internet could be the first means of distribution for a variety of content that through traditional distribution would have little or no audience, as well as the financial advantages. This is not just for film enthusiasts, it is for poets, musicians, writers, painters, philosophers, anyone with something to share.

Next week:

Gadgets that help you share your artistic voice.

I am proud to share the same name with this man. Let's buy his book.

Iraq medic poured a troubled heart into e-mails

Web Posted: 01/06/2007 10:43 PM CST

Cindy Tumiel
Express-News

Thousands of miles from home, lonely for his wife and children, and saddened by the casualties that rolled daily through his operating room, Air Force surgeon Maj. Christopher Coppola found solace in his laptop computer at the end of his shift, using sleepless nights in Iraq to compose long e-mails that kept him connected with family and friends.

Sometimes humorous, sometimes heart-rending, the missives described daily life in a tent-and-trailer hospital on the dusty Balad Air Base, where wounded American soldiers and, sometimes, Iraqi civilians came for life-saving surgeries in a nation disrupted by war.

The doctor's newsletters proved popular --friends who got them passed them along, and eventually Coppola ended up with 200 or more correspondents who waited to hear from him weekly and worried if he was late.

Once Coppola returned to his home base at Wilford Hall Medical Center, his wife, Meredith, took up the project of compiling the e-mails into a book. They hope it will raise money for the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing near military hospitals for families of the soldiers who receive care there.

"I felt like I was doing something for the troops when I was there," said Coppola, who was at the Balad military support hospital from January through May of 2005. "I felt that I was needed. Now, after coming home, I still want to do something for Fisher House."

The Coppolas put about $2,000 of their own money into the self-published book "Made a Difference for That One." It sells for $14.95 and is available through online bookstores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. So far the Coppolas have donated $600 in royalties to the housing organization.

On the Web

* Fisher House Foundation

His four-month tour in Iraq was his first, and Coppola says the hardest part of the duty was being away from Meredith and his three sons. At night, he retreated to his quarters in a mobile trailer, where he often lay awake for hours.

"I found it hard to sleep in Iraq," he said. "Writing was sort of what I did with my insomnia."

Initially, the letters were for a few family and friends and chatty enough so that his son, Ben, then 11, could share them with his fourth-grade class at Stone Oak Elementary. But the initial recipients started forwarding them to other friends, and soon Coppola had a distribution list of close to 200 people who waited for his reports.

"He started getting e-mails from people he didn't even know," said Meredith Coppola. "A few people suggested to him that we should put them together in a book."

The doctor's words put a humorous spin on some of the dangerous elements of wartime routines. The base has been nicknamed Mortaritaville for the frequent shelling by insurgents, and medical staff learns to live with the thud of munitions--many of them old and unarmed — that are flung into the camp. All the buildings -- even the portable bathrooms -- are buffered with sandbags to protect occupants from shrapnel that may fly.

Coppola himself is preoccupied with food, relaying details of many meals, both good and bad. He started a small garden of roses, sunflowers and cilantro in some of the sandbags; he shaved his head to keep cool.

Still, he writes, "It hurts to see and hear the victims of war as it thrashes about. I water my plants and watch tiny things grow slow in such stark opposition to the precarious and indiscriminate violence that occurs."

The casualties never cease. Soldiers lose feet and legs to insurgent bombings and some of them die. A pediatric surgeon by training, Coppola also tends to Iraqi children who are maimed and burned by explosives.

One was a 2-year-old girl who died from her burns. Weeks later, he operated on an Iraqi man who had been shot in the intestine, and later learned the patient was actually the insurgent who had firebombed the child's home. It was one of his most difficult times as a doctor, he wrote.

"We struggle along through highs and lows, but some things just take the wind out of your sails and knock you to your knees," Coppola wrote. "I struggled with hatred for this man whose life had been in my hands and slowly came to the resolution that the best I could do for me and for him was to pray for him."

The book's title is drawn from an oft-told story about a young man who undertakes the futile task of saving thousands of starfish that have been washed ashore.

As the man scurries along the beach, tossing the small animals back into the surf, an observer asks how he could ever possibly make a difference.

"Made a difference for that one,' the man says as he throws another starfish into the life-saving water.

When brothers agree, no fortress is so strong as their common life.
--Antisthenes

Have a very happy birthday and know that I wish you well.

CRC says...

THE BRIANIAC FROM EARSXXI OFFICE OPUS BUFFA 13 WROTE A GREAT ARTICLE.

HERE IT IS...

MICHAEL CIONI

This will be the last off the cuff blog until my next blog vacation. Tomorrow we will be going back to Thursday EARSXXI OFFICE BUFFA. Unless I figure out a way to do both. Maybe my EARS fans would like that better. Let me know.