SWCAMBORNE

The new pond has survived its first summer. The good news is the fish have grown and the plants and the stream have survived. The bad news is that there is still too much particulate in the water and the management of the systems is not trouble free.

Progress is being made however. Click on the picture above to see a series of photos on Fickr including one of Missy (the dog of the pond) fishing.

The pond cam has not been forgotten although it has not been installed either.

We went to Safeco Field in Seattle with our friends Susan and Bob A. We were able to watch most of the game and the Mariners finally beat the Boston Red Sox. The Mariners pitcher had a no hitter going through 7 innings. Very exciting.

It is a very nice new park near to downtown (we walked from Pioneer Square). The most amazing feature is the expanding, retractable roof, which we fortunately did not get to see because it was a really beautiful sunny day. We had great seats in the field box area near third base. Bob is one of the most knowledgeable people about baseball I have ever had the pleasure of watching a game with.
Click on the photo to see more pictures of Safeco Field.

This word came from the tour guide we had in Sitka, Alaska. “Shoppertunity” It self defines as any good word should.

A “shoppertunity” in Sitka.

“Money never started an idea. It is always the idea that starts the money.”

Owen Laughlin

“Never say Never.”

Nurit and I went to Butchart Gardens in British Columbia yesterday. It was magnificent.

I’ll post some pictures and talk some more about this when we get back from Alaska.

This free postcard was sent to me by Andy B.  Andy is one of the world’s greatest warm water divers.  Because of Global Warming he has just started diving in Puget Sound.  What a great man turning a problem into an opportunity.

Redhook Ale

Redhook Ale Brewery, 14300 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, WA 98072. Free postcards, no purchase necessary although the beer is terrific.

“You can pretend to care but you can’t pretend to be there.”

Texas Bix Bender

Nurit and I went to the Dodgers/Giants game on Friday night with Joe C. and his extremely bright son Benjamin. The Dodgers won a close game and a good time was had by all.

We had really good seats thanks to Kathy G. We sat on the first base side, in the loge level, with a direct view of the big screen in left field. This confluence of people, place and circumstances gave birth to an idea that will make a few hundred thousand dollars a year for Mr. McCourt, create some jobs and most importantly give thousands of people each year a wonderful personalized souvenir of the game that they attended.

For much of the time during the game the left field big screen is used to show candid pictures of the crowd. Some are organized like the “Kiss Cam” and the Carl’s Junior California girls and some are just folks in the crowd. All of these candid shots can be saved during the game to a disc then mixed with the game highlights and sold on the Dodgers.com web site to the fans who appeared on the screen. Everyone who appeared on the screen can have a personal memento of the game

I visualize the selling price being about $20, for which the fan would get a labeled DVD with the title and names they entered on the label and in the credits, the game highlights and all of the crowd shots from the game.

Promotion would be easy “Buy the highlight DVD with all fan pictures at Dodgers.com” would scroll at the bottom of the big screen. The technology exists to easily make the individual DVD’s and fullfillment houses exist to pack and ship the orders. I predict that the team would sell 100 plus DVD’s per game. The cost of a trial would be relatively low and could perhaps be picked up by a sponsor. Imagine “the KCAL 9 highlight DVD”

Go Dodgers. If you try this idea and it works you should give me a few tickets. But more importantly win the pennant!