BeltAir Industries, Imaging

Adding tools..

2011-04-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Why use elevated imaging: (http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s285766626&url=http%3A%2F%2Flnkd%2Ein%2Fw66XcJ&urlhash=vnAA&pk=network_updates&pp=18&poster=47512362&uid=5448764330608693248&trk=NUS_UNIU_SHARE-title)

As the first quarter of 2011 comes to a close, an important thing to realize is that ‘business as usual’ has taken on a new paradigm. Along with new tools, like digital imaging, comes social media and the all tools associated with them.

Getting more for your spending dollar is requiring more creativity, innovation and ‘vision’. One industry where this is very evident is the real estate market that has an approximate 80% consumer online rate of research for listings before serious talks or offers are made.

I believe ‘curb appeal’ is the phrase used in the industry of real estate photography. Mast mounted or elevated imaging is way to make that first impression to make people want to investigate more. First impressions cannot be redone. That first eyegrabber that says ‘hey, look at me – I’m different…’ has become essential for realtor sales success. Yet, there are other industries that can and will benefit from this method of photography.

Sometimes, the listing is the product for sale, and sometimes, the pool in the backyard is the product that tips the scales in favor of one listing over another. And still again, it could be the landcaping design that ultimately sells the house but these features are often hampered by the limitations of a handheld image (or ground- mounted camera) or a less than attractive online satellite image without the ‘POW!’ factor….

The concept of Pole-Assisted-Photography (PAP) is far from new, it’s just not as well known here in the US as other countries that have years headstart on us. However there are many sources to find this innovation at work: Elevated imaging - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevated_photography; or mast photography –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mast_photography

There are more than a few resources or small businesses available; Bird’s Eye Elevated Photography, http://birdseyeelevatedphotography.com/; Elevated Photography to name one in England http://web.me.com/scenicphotos/Elevated_Photos/Welcome.html
or my company, Beltair Industries Imaging (BAII) www.beltair.org to name one, deep in the southern California area, specifically San Diego county.

It is a natural leap to go from elevated photography to also obtain clear, attractive sales getting interior shots of a listing – which BAII provides in one rounded package of photography. This package can support a realtor’s listings or showcase the work of landscapers, pool installers, horticulturists or even solar panel installers. The new paradigm is get ‘more for your money.’

When a product gets too big…

2010-05-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

When Google ™ admitted today that it ‘accidentally’ spied on those people with WI-FI internet access; I thought this was a prime example how thing have gotten so out of hand, need to finally learn that a product or service can and does get too big.

If you listen to the Google ™ PR machine, they can be everywhere to do everything for everybody, all the time. This time, the heavy-handed approach to marketing promotion allowed the gathering of your personal data via WI-FI as you operate online through their ‘Street View’ application. This information identifies your personal data with the potential of being shared with an interested person or company in the third party.

Google ™ started out as a online encyclopedic database to look up anything and everything. They advertised Street View ™ as a system to collect images and information on every street corner using all available assets. These assets include people on foot, bicycle or vehicles. They promise to never, ever share your information. But now, they want to supply your phones. Something seems amiss here…..

This is the ‘line of departure’ with small business. There comes a time when small business is the suitable answer to your needs. In doing so, you work with a company that has a high personal touch you can reach anytime. Try calling a Google ™ representative to solve a particular problem. Mom and Pop had store that sought out a simple plan – serve the people in your own community. Once in a while, a customer walked in they couldn’t help.

I’ve tried Street View ™. I was impressed by the sheer value of data that they store... I was also, impressed by the amount of data they don’t have. Beltair Industries Imaging (BAII: http://www.beltair.org/) strives to achieve and keep the small business paradigm when it comes to serving clientele. As a landscaper or realtor – how many times have you wished for a photo with an elevated aspect just to end up with a ‘free’ photo online that is less than satisfying?

...And If You Believe that.... There's a Bridge in Brooklyn for Sale...

2010-04-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

I’m so ticked, my outrage has moved beyond the common sense feeling of embarrassment to wanting to ‘do’ something to put thought to keyboard. Once again, I fell for the tricks of a big company preying on a smaller one trying to get started. I don’t know if you’ve tried to start a company but the biggest pitfall is not being able to tell the difference between tenacity and stubbornness. From the very beginning, we’re taught that if you don’t at first, succeed – try harder or at least try again. Invest more time, money and effort into something that went nowhere.

In this case, I’m talking about letting myself face the fact that the ‘old way’ is actually gone. Marketing yourself to create a viable business model is essential – and in so doing, become profitable; you have to get out and hustle each and every day. Part of doing that involves ensuring your accessibility for your customer base to find you. This brings me to Yellowbook. Yellowbook is part of the old way of doing things. A printed listing that is out of date the moment they go with a ‘final’ copy. Despite my instincts and the fact that I informally asked people, friends and acquaintances if they used information from such things as the Yellowpages, Yellowbook or Superpages, I ignored the fact that they all said no. And in fact, were incredulous that I even had to ask…

I, most of us, grew up with the concept of those types of publications. The truth is, they’re dinosaurs too slow to even understand they’ve already died. They promise to ‘drive’ business to you so fast, you won’t be able to handle it. After more than 2 years of believing this business model, this paradigm, I’ve yet to receive 1 phone call, email, or visit to my website because of their efforts. It’s hokum, snakeoil, outright deception… For $40 per month, $480 per year, I bought a Yellowbook listing under their ‘Silver’ program. Newsflash, I find no evidence that the silver program even exists. Once the sales rep gets your name on a dotted line, they disappear, are never within reach of their phone and you can never get a hold of anyone on the ‘technical support team’. You can’t get a hold of their supervisors and they’re never local to you. Besides not being able to talk to someone, I also did not see my company actually listed anywhere in the ‘book’. So what did I get for $40 per month? A year long contract that lists me on a online 8th page, listing for wedding photographers - though I’ve never done a wedding in my life. So what have we learned Dorothy? You should keep your money away from the things that you know are dead or dying. Oh, and tenacity is the right answer…...

This is Incredible... the facts....

2010-04-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

A friend sent this link to me this evening from Youtube ™:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY
The information contained herein, is the sort of thing I’ve been talking about…. See the video and enjoy – I found it fascinating….

Backyard Innovation – Will Continue

2010-04-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

While listening to the news in the early part of this past March, I heard about a gentleman from Yorkshire, England. He’d created a method to take pictures from a very high altitude at the edge of space, using materials off the shelf anyone could buy and then, utilize a little ingenuity.

For this project, he bought a small high altitude balloon, some helium, a point and shoot type digital camera, GPS and a controller for the whole apparatus. He spent about $700 US dollars and created a system that took, clear, stunning pictures that rival some of NASA’s most memorable images at a cost there is no practical way to compare. An average space mission is about $350 million dollars with the soon-to-be defunct US Shuttle Transportation System.

True, there are problems and deficiencies with his method of imaging. But what is important is that those images also capture the imagination of what further development might bring.

For businesses like construction progress management, real estate, conservation, etc., where a bird’s eye view may be very helpful, the key here is innovation. The images mentioned here, are challenged by resolution and control of collection, but there is no doubt a picture of the earth below can be stunning. This assessment points to a whole new possible industry. A new embryonic industry that may possibly create jobs, solve problems and inspire new thinkers.

The Report Is In...

2010-03-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

In the event you were still at work during the following broadcast by MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan on today’s 2:00 o’clock broadcast this afternoon, you might have missed one of the best summaries of how we ‘got here’. This report on the surface is boring, but when you listen to the
entire case being laid out – you might feel a sense of outrage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBUzzfCw5qs

If ever there was a time for partisan bickering to stop – now is the time. We as, Americans, should be asking ‘how did the nation almost get brought down to its financial knees by the few and the very, very greedy? Further, what will we do to prevent it from happening again?

This is not a partisan issue, it concerns all of us. Jobs have been lost, homes foreclosed, businesses lost, and futures squandered. Rules were broken and now America has to pay up. What a burden we leave our kids. But we can learn from this….

Standing By While the World Learns the Lessons We Should

2010-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you remember, I wrote and posted a blog noting a super freighter container ship – the Emma Maersk In that blog, I wondered if we’re getting used to the prospect of becoming ‘second-best’.

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/emma-maersk-p1.php

Our internecine political battles have gotten so out of hand, there is virtually no way to get anything done that will put this country back on track (no pun intended) by getting the country moving on a vital and very needed part of our infrastructure modernization. Ironically, the very people who bemoan that this country is going to Hell in a handbasket because there are no jobs; are the first to kill or obstruct every, and any initiative proposed by this White House.

This infighting has virtually killed healthcare reform – when both major political parties acknowledge that reform is needed. The left supports runaway spending and the right supports fighting any idea that is not their own. Folks, we’re at dead standstill with all this gridlock. In the meantime, the out years will see people die needlessly and future prosperity of individuals squandered by the same old corporate two-step.

But through intimidation and lobbying by the insurance companies, people are too scared to embrace the change that is needed. Like being afraid to travel in a world that is believed to be flat. So now, the polls show that more people don’t want change to the healthcare system than the people who do. The message of fear has gotten through and people will suffer and die.

When you show supporting data that the US ranks 37th by the World Health Organization (WHO), people get angry – stop listening and declare the US has the best healthcare system in the world. The US has the highest infant premature infant mortality rate, the highest chronic illness rate (heart, stroke, cancer, diabetes) and the highest obesity issue per capita than any other industrialized nation.

(http://www.globalissues.org/article/774/health-care-around-the-world)
Forty million people face the medical nightmare on a nightly basis without health insurance. The financial ruin for the survivors has been catastrophic. Our own family faced this dilemma that ended when both parents died in a system that let them slip away because of being under insured. They had the best they could afford – but by their late 50’s, their races had been run.

This time, I’m referring to our embryonic effort at building a high rail system. We are so far behind, the Chinese will have built their 42nd high speed train by the time we’ve fielded our first little line from Tampa, Florida to Orlando. The Chinese already have all of their major cities connected by trains that exceed 200 mph. Imagine going from Dallas to Detroit in 6 hours. We have some short haul flights that take more time than that. The Europeans operate many successful high-speed trains.

(http://www.alleuroperail.com/eurorail-high-speed-train.htm)

But where is the United States on this issue? We can’t get passed being the only industrialized modern nation without universal healthcare, much less having a train system ready to meet the modern 21st century. If ever there was a time that favors infrastructure modernization, this is the time. It is a time that has the potential to rival the building of American doing FDR’S first years in office or even reach a level of modernization of the Truman – Eisenhower era. But we have political infighting like kids on the playground. We’ve ground to a halt in all that needs to be done.

So, what does this have to do with elevated photography? Nothing directly; but we’re talking about innovation and modernization – at least, that is the theme I had wished to emphasize with this blog. The year will go by in 2010 without much difference to the year before. In the meantime, people will wonder where the jobs are; and they will support the obstruction of a President with a vision that could positively affect each and every citizen across this nation. Before you accuse this author of being in the tank for this President, listen to the video of Ted Kennedy giving the eulogy for his murdered brother on 8 June, 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9JTYnMpRyg. Forget the politics; there is a calling that begs for a response – courage, innovation, imagination and creation…

BAII - Elevated Imaging.... ANew Paradigm

2010-01-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

BAII Elevated Imaging – The New Paradigm Continues

The new 2010 year is here as is the unavoidable annual ritual, of marching on to whatever fate the ‘newborn’ year intends to bring.

The hardy, optimistic crowd brings a new sense of ‘starting over’; a hope for the future sort of cheeriness. The more embittered of us, bring a clamor to be the first to predict a previously unimaginable disaster so they can have ‘I told you so’ rights later in the year.

In doing so, the lessons of the previous year get lost in the anticipation of the incoming new year. The attempt with this blog is merely to put some thoughts to readership – one of the lessons I learned this year is that I cannot possibly write a single article that addresses all things to all people for all time. The world is too big, the events to many, and I concede that I am just a bit player in it all. But in my mind, a good place to start is to list some valuable lessons learned in 2009.

The Disclaimer: I may not have learned all the things that are important to all people everywhere and therefore I may fail to mention something important to someone here. This is generally considered both understandable and reasonable; since knowing our system of law is based significantly on precedent – please wish me luck instead…..

Personal Lessons:

I should have spent more time in school. Degrees have certain value – by all means, get one as soon as you can. But the truth is, that school is redeeming; a means to forgive yourself for all the times you should have zigged when you zagged instead. There is always something new to learn that can be applied to almost any situation – so take your sheepskin and get back in school. Who could argue that doing something good for yourself like getting an education is a bad thing?

The common mistake that most people make is to look for the ‘payoff’ for going
that will make sense before they sign the dotted line. In most cases there is no
immediate payoff – the accumulation of knowledge, experience and personal
relationships are the rewards that are immediately calculable.

Dammit! My mom and the doctors were right all along – after fighting common sense for 50 years, 2009 taught me the brutal lessons of failing to eat less, exercise more, read everything your can get your hands on, – oh and eat your veggies….. funny, I was always the ‘kids will be alright’ kind of dad… I watch my ‘used to be’ little ones with their little ones and it’s all different now….

Trust my instincts more… As most of you know, I’m trying hard to get Beltair
Industries Inc. off the ground in southern California as a viable business. Even
this blog is being generated to further that cause. But to that point; it’s my
instincts to survive as well as actual skills learned that will make this possible – so
I must trust them more

General Lessons: The ‘system’ under which we live in prepares our youth to become 1 of 4 people. This current paradigm is based on education, hard work, luck and the building of coalitions. It may sound like I am about to criticize our very reasonable and logical way of life – in fact, I am only saying that it has to continue its non-stop evolution. Certainly – there are people who can explain much better than I – this theory of preparation for life in the United States. First, I must digress into the current way we do things:

The Employee: Become a reasonably dependable person with some valued skillset to support the operations of some business – be it a store clerk or school teacher. You go to a school; academic, vocational or military to get some of these skill sets, a supervisor somewhere seeks out those skills; a matching of job and potential employee is evaluated and proposed and you now have a job. That job gets complicated by the onset of families, product changes, employee expectations, economic shifts, longevity and continuation of benefits to compensate the time invested in the company or business.

2. The Specialist: This is the higher educated, skilled or niched Employee. A
doctor, lawyer, a luxury car technician (mechanic is not accurate enough here),
etc. These people are more difficult employees to get because of the skills and
educations required, therefore command generally higher salaries. In the end, they
find themselves working for a group, a business, an agency as an employee.

3. The Entrepreneur: This is the person who arrives to the thinking and/or place that they can start or run a business of their own. When this happens, things begin to change. The tax laws, personal and business relationships, the priority of issues, motivations. A person’s focus may sharpen as does their tendency to become a better shopper, customer, business owner or other things I have not even thought of yet. The goal here is to become a very attractive fish to get gobbled up by the next class of person. This may happen at 10 or 82 years of age based on motivation, education, acquisition of skills - it’s different for everyone.

4. The Super Entrepreneur: This is the person who specializes in buying up all
the little successful entrepreneurs. These folks are interested in money – they
may be interested in other things like giving disadvantaged people a fair chance in
life, maybe their thing is the environment, or animals. The point is, these people
buy up other successful businesses because they specialize in business period.

So, back to the general lessons of 2009:

Corporatism in the US as we now know it is going to eat itself alive to an uncertain and ugly death in front of our very eyes. I don’t mean little corporations designed to use the law to survive. I’m talking about the banks, mortgage companies, the credit card agencies, insurance agencies, etc. They are continuously going to a well that has finite resources and they don’t learn from it.

We finally proved to ourselves that corporate welfare does not work. The US taxpayer – broke from watching his 401K evaporate into empty promises , facing homelessness, losing his healthcare, the rising cost of education, and losing his job that he invested a whole life in, is getting ticked off to a point of no return as bonus after bonus is paid out to 5000/hr corporate officers who have angled to have the very hand that feeds them lose out their ability to do so…

If it was not the availability of the sheer numbers of the supportive and responsible taxpayers being extorted – this problem would have self –corrected many years ago. This year was the most aggressive application of the business model since the phrase Reaganomics was even coined. And the trickle down has produced more unemployment and corporate wealth than ever.

Product vs. Service: Our country has moved from one that produces a ‘hard’, touchable, seeable, product to one that depends more on performing services. Services that are considered boring, tedious, hard, dirty, or expensive to do yourself. We now see the folly of low expectations in our auto industry, not building our own housing products, outsourcing things like maintenance of business records or have some faraway 10 year old sew our cheap t-shirts, letting infrastructure fade away as we push the responsibility down the road for some other messiah to look after. If people have to choose between making the mortgage next month or having to wash their own car… I’m betting the car wash will lose the bet……

We had better take better care of each other: The current situation US Postal service find’s itself is a classic example. Most people (me included at one time) assume this system is a federal agency supported and run by their tax dollars. This is far from the truth. This is a business that is just now learning the tough and brutal lessons that the newspaper industry has learned and is currently still learning. In this case – there is still time. There are precedences; the pain was not so noticeable when the milk man was replaced by the mega-supermarkets. When the horse drawn carts gave way to service trucks, hardly anyone shed a tear. In an effort to help the postal service relate to the new way of doing business – I hope, somewhere - someone important reads the parable down below:

The newspapers made themselves obsolete by not adjusting to a new paradigm that has more agility, lower cost and greater distribution. In fairness, the explosion of the internet, services like Google ™ or Youtube ™ were not necessarily predictable. But I also mention that, as with any business, I have to invest in marketing. With the advent of the internet – I was able to create a website ( http://www.beltair.org/ ) with almost anything I chose to put on it at a cost of about $10 per month with an almost unlimited readership. In contrast, my three trips ( they required me to come see them – only one newspaper agency chose to meet me at a Starbucks ™ ) to the newspaper industry produced the following:

1. The counsel that their introductory price of advertising about $2,500 for a week regionally is already known to be almost so worthless that my commitment would be better served by spending $17K instead over the next 3-4 months with no prediction or guarantee of customer conversion to business with a known rate of about 2%. But they were giving me a ‘deal’…… and I should have felt lucky. I guess the assumption is that the same 80,000 readers that may or may not read their paper, that may or may not convert their interest from reading the paper to becoming one of my customers, have no access to the internet

2. I went to another agency but they were ‘not interested’ … that was it… simply no
interest in taking my advertising dollar – but I got an impressive cup of coffee at
my own expense in their office. I placed a dollar into their cup near the
coffeemaker with the Styrofoam ™ cups. That was over 6 months ago… with
no call backs…. It ends up that I couldn’t even call them out of the blue and
give them money for a process that has a 98% failure rate.

3 ‘We have to find the appropriate package for you’ was the approach I was given where for weeks a wide range of confusing ideas where passed around with the idea I was going to pay a weekly fee of thousands of dollars - the total which was never firmly established.

In the meantime – I’m blogging for free and my own free business video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w . If the postal service really wanted to survive they would provide a very similar service to Yahoo ™ with some additional perks that would be unique to their service. Get some of those email dollars – every industry has room for another competitor. Figure it out….

2009-11-13T22:31:00.000-08:00

Information Release: eBlogger:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w

To all my fellow group members, a relatively new service (Vertical Response) is now linked onto my website. I urge you to go to www.beltair.org, click on the ‘Link’ page and go to Vertical Response. What this will do is send you over to VR’s ‘Opt-In page that allows us to email each other and avoid issues of SPAM.

This capability allows you to contact BAII and ask questions more specific to your needs. Or, your can send me emails via the contact page available on the website. If you by chance, have come across any of my blogs, you are now familiar with my service to provide elevated imaging in support of your various projects. In this case of the construction projects around this region, BAII would be able to provide task progress and completion imaging. Call us, email us or use the ‘Opt-In’ to allow us to send you updates and newsletters of any all developments concerning elevated imaging.

Michael Belt
contact@beltair.org
619.674.9905

Still here and still toughing it out....

2009-10-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, we're into October of this difficult business year and it's time for me to send out another post to reiterate my intention to weather this economic downturn. I do elevated imaging and I own and operate BAII - Beltair Industries, Inc (http://www.beltair.org/) in the San Diego, CA area.. This method of imaging is similar to aerial photography except more flexible in nearly any category of imaging, at a price much more reasonable than the traditional air asset program.

For twenty years, I worked military intelligence systems, especially imaging systems. I then, went on to retire from the US Army and for a decade, continued my career in imaging technology as a systems engineer. Over time, I decided to strike out on my own and start BAII. I reasoned that in the hubbub of a fast moving city like San Diego, there is room for entreprenurial innovations that yield necessary services. There are issues of infrastructure, area modernization, litigation, and other common day-to-day issues that can be understood with photography.

In last month's blog, I mentioned that I was open to a co-op type of arrangement to gather related but non-competing businesses. Something like BAII and a realtor, or landscaper, or a transportion. Although the uptake on my offer has been slow, I can still see the symbiosis of this idea. In any event, drop by my website and check out what application may work for you and/or your projects. Or take the shortcut and go to Youtube and see the BAII video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w

Co Op in the San Diego area

2009-09-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

As I woke up this morning, I was thinking about the business climate in the San Diego, Ca area and the economy. Things in this state, city and region of the country are as scary, slow, and uncertain as I've ever seen it. Businesses, even long established ones, are slowing down, going out of operation and laying people off. The politicians and policy makers at any federal agency you can name, tell us that the economy and the business climate is making a comeback. California, has now one of the largest unemployment rates in the nation - at nearly 12% , making it to one of the top ten in the nation.

Despite being a leader in business and innovation - California is experiencing a downturn which it has not been accustom to in a long time. Faith in what we're being told is heard to generate or even stand behind. There are real problems happening to real people and employed workers living on what's left of our taxpayer money haven't convince the vast majority that things are getting better. It's been kinda like telling a drowning person, already submerged and fighting for air that help is 'only' 6 minutes away. Not comforting when blackout is only 3 - 4 minutes.

The remedy is going to be a series of small remedies. Small businesses are going to have to come together and support each other in a way that the state nor the federal government can match. At first blush, the businesses may not have a great deal to do with another. But every business is also a consumer; in order to operate, the business has to have supplies and services. California is also, one of the country's most expensive places to start up a small business. So, a first step is to cut down on overhead and increase capability in services or product. A co op may assist in this; however, I understand most people are resistant to the co op option for any number of reasons - some real and some imagined. But the benefits can be and are many. An immediate benefit is the reduction in cost of things like advertising, or getting group prices on local products while simultaneously increasing participation in the business community. In effect, the local community fights to keep each other afloat a little longer.

If you have a small business and are worried that you would be only using your dollars to support your competitor, I can't say that is not a real concern. However, in joining a co op, there are conditions that support the well-being and growth of it's members. Not only that, this arrangement does not have to be a binding contract that you must enter and stay with an agreed set of time of conditions. Your co op can be whatever you imagine it to be. Beltair Industries, Inc; located int the San Diego area, intends to initiate a co op of related but not necessarily the same businesses. Some may join when they see how it benefits other small businesses. Or the co op may become a competitor with teeth that they may feel. But, in any event, I put out the request that any business or person that may be interested contact me at contact@beltair.org

or visit me at http://www.beltair.org/. Go to Facebook; there are all kinds of like ideas - they may not be called a co op, but the idea is virtually the same.

In addition visit the Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w. Some potential members: real estate agencies, construction mangement companies, state agencies like CALTRANS, environmental/conservation groups, litigation professionals, landscaping services, archealogical and agricultural firms may offer some idea I have not thought of yet. And the list is not limited to these suggestions I just put forth. For now, the sky's the limit on this efforts. Just spending a lazy Sunday thinking....

Why I try

2009-09-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

04 September 09

As I'm driving home from my day job the other day, I’m grateful to even have one in today's climate, I’m sure I still want my own business. I am a firm believer that ice can be sold to Eskimos if two elements are present... desire and opportunity. After all, Eskimos do buy refrigerators.

BeltAir Industries, Inc. (BAII) is a company that does elevated photography (www.beltair.org). Very similar to aerial photography, elevated photography is an example in innovation. While the need of aerial photography needs no invention. How we get it, does. This innovation is to satellites is what prop-driven commuter planes are to big, fast, shiny airliners. There is still a vital need; the commuters can do things that the airliners can't.

Some of you may feel services like Google Earth (tm) will make my service obsolete before I even get started. With Google Earth (tm), you can get an impressive image over nearly every square foot of the earth. But the devil is in the details. Satellite imagery has two very real problems. The picture could be 5 years old or more and changes are not captured - especially in the case rapid developments of an auto accident.

More subtle, is the ability to capture synoptic information. There is the pre-start of a project, the start, mid-schedule developments and finally, the completion. Photographic documentation of each stage of development is performed. It would be pure luck to get that level of coverage from a satellite or airborne operation.

Next is detail; the satellite images now available are very impressive. However, by law, satellite imagery open to public viewing can only be allowed to be so good, as not to give away national capability. Elevated imaging is also supported by the serendipitous use of engineering quality software.

My reason for not losing faith and determination is because need was demonstrated on that ride home I was at the light of a heavily used intersection. A local TV channel news van with a telescoping mast with cameras and sensors – was capturing a major modification to an interstate on-ramp. If images, available from the services like Google Earth would have solved the problem, then why was this service necessary?

Finally, there is the issue of entreprenuerialship that is the spirit, the creation of jobs, the lifeblood of business, and commerce in this country. In a conversation with another friend I was told that if I couldn't compete with services like Google, then I should not even get started with starting my own service. That struck me as odd; according to his view - when Burger King moves into a local neighborhood - all sales of home barbeque grills should stop. Little guys like me should not even try if they don't have billions of dollars at their disposal. I don't believe that. See what aerial imaging can do, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAEOTeht7-w.