The Fountain

One of the things I enjoy the most doing what I do is meeting people. I have met the rich, the famous, the not so famous. The good, the bad and yes even the ugly. But what keeps me comin' back for more are the people that make me laugh and bring laughter to those around them.

This week Brent and I found such a person at the PNE. He's a performance artist that has daily shows as part of the Fair. His act, one of the most unusual and unique busker performances I have ever seen. The faces that look upon him when he performs are a testament to that.

Brent found this guy on a search of the grounds after our original story went sideways. He went on a recon of the grounds while I was on another assignment. I was actually shooting an 'Olsen on Your Side" taste test at our PNE Broadcast Center.

Anyway, Brent comes back to me and has that excited look on his face. I had seen that look before while we had been on assignment at the Olympics in Turin. That look that said, he had found something better than our original story. I was to soon find out what a gem it really was.

We had arrived at the performance location I set up my sticks and waited. All at once a fellow with what looked like a over sized business suit and an odd hair style, lumbers up to the stage area. Hooks himself up to a hose and climbs up onto a seat at a work station.

Now this wasn't just any work station, this was a station that was elevated a couple of feet above a large children's wading pool. That's right a wading pool. He sat down and went lifeless.

Lifeless, our performer waits for someone to get on the bike

He sat motionless for a couple of moments. All at once a child sat up on a stationary bicycle that powered a pump. That pump was attached to a hose. That hose was attached to him.


All at once as the kid began to peddle, our performer came to life. Water spouting in every direction. He began to bark out some orders on a phone, his arms flailing about, water everywhere.

With a spray of water the performance begins

People looking on, taking in the spectacle. Laughter filled the air. Then suddenly as fast as it began, our spouting man loses energy. He slows and goes lifeless. The kid on the bike has worn himself out and is winded. Another takes his place and the performance continues. This cycle repeats itself. The crowd gathers, now there is a line up of children and even some adults at the bike.

One of the adults tries his luck at the bike/pump

The water continues to flow, our performer bangs away on his computer terminal, answers his phone and drinks from his spouting coffee cup. It is like a cartoon character from by-gone days. A poor schlep at his office, water flying, people laughing. It was the oddest performance I maybe have ever seen. Certainly one not to be forgotten.

Water spouting from everywhere including his work station

Now the genius is in the design of this as we were to find out in a post performance interview. He got the idea sitting on his couch watching TV. All of the equipment used is from Home Depot and IKEA. The office character is based on his very own father, a business man working in an office somewhere in Edmonton. It certainly is an odd way to make a living, spraying liquid laughter where ever he goes. His name- "The Human Fountain"

The Human Fountain

Mach Daddy

Last Thursday it was media day at the Abbottsford Airshow. It is something that I am sure is done at all airshows across North America. Visiting aviators and their flying machines are made available to local media before the official opening to promote and entice coverage. This year was no different. It is kind of a fun day for those participating. Usually it involves getting an opportunity to fly on an aircraft that most will never experience. Of course for us Camera humps, we get to do the shooting, but not the flying.
This year Kink got the nod to fly on behalf of the Chopper 9 Crew. He was going to get a flight on a CF 18 Hornet, the pride of the RCAF. The lucky Bastard,,,,

The Chopper 9 crew would be at the airshow as a static display, giving the public a chance to get a closer look into Western Canada's only News Gathering Helicopter. So all of us would be on hand this media day to see Kink take his seat and fly into the "Danger Zone".

I am trying to explain to Kink how much faster the Fighter will be compared to the sailboat

Now Kink is no slouch for a man of his vintage, but he would have to pass a physical before being declared fit for flight. Some of us on the Chopper 9 team might have had to go into a month of heavy training, intense physical pain and rigorous mental preparation, but not Kink.
In his younger days I am told he was a dashing race car driver. "Speed" was his middle name. Yes our hero was a man who would laugh at danger. But at this point in Kink's life, danger involved trying to keep his beloved sailboat afloat and speed was trying to get 6 knots in a good wind.
When he arrived for his flight, he was prepared, his duffel packed a music CD of TOP GUN, an airsickness bag and a package of DEPENDS. Yes he was ready.
Nerves and excitement churned his stomach as he waited for the Flight Surgeon to call on him for his physical.
"Mr. Kincaid"
"That's me" he said.
"Please follow me,,"
And with that he was off for his date with the Physician.
Examinations are of course private and the results are confidential, but we could only assume that since Kink had a pulse and met the weight restriction (barely) he would be cleared to fly.
Our collective assumtions were correct, the Air Force will fly almost anyone, and today Kink was that someone. As he emerged from the exam room, his smile told the story.

The next time I saw him he was in his flight gear. Standing tall with his flight helmet. Proudly posing infront of the jet fighter. He looked like, well not like Iceman or Maverick of TOP GUN, but more like Clint Eastwood in Space Cowboys.

David "Mach Daddy" Kincaid: Top Gun or Space Cowboy?

It didn't matter, in just a few minutes he and his pilot "Fat Daddy" were going to be airborne.

Lucky bugger. Getting strapped in.

He got his final briefing as he was being strapped into the seat. Moment later the engines were ignited. As the mighty fighter taxied down the ramp the canopy closed and they made their way to the threshold of the runway.

The taxi down the ramp, Fat Daddy and Mach Daddy

As they waited a B1 bomber of the United States Airforce streaked by as it landed. It made for a good picture.

Chopper 9 Crew Member Gary Barndt snaps this photo as Kink waits at the threshold

Finally Kink and Fat Daddy were in position and with a roar of the engines, the fighter streaked down the runway and lifted off into a vertical climb.

Lucky bastard,,,,

Now I wasn't in the cockpit so I cannot describe what his experience was like, perhaps after he returns to earth he can let us know, but at the end of the flight when I spoke to him again, his smile spoke volumes of what the experience was like. Yes he had done it, all he needs now is a fighter pilot nick name.
We call him "Mach Daddy"

For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release

-Wednesday July 5, 2006
YVR-An inconsolable Murman issued the following for immediate release at the end of the second semi final of the World Kick Ball Cup.

"FUCK!!!!" was heard around Sea Island, home of the Vancouver International Airport this afternoon. This after a complete collapse of his pool picks in the semi final round. Team Murman was looking good going into the final four with 3 teams left. Vegas odds makers had him pegged as the 2:1 favorite going into the semi finals.
"I had been looking forward to a German/French final as I suspect France would just give up!"

But yesterday Team Blitzkrieg couldn't get the job done against Italy.
"One freakin' shot on goal, what the hell was that!" Murman added. "Master Race, my ass!"

This afternoon's match up saw Team Murman still in the hunt. But the synchronized diving team of Portugal found themselves flopping around the penalty area waiting for the ref to give them a free bee. Murman still leads by one point going into the final, but had chose Germany to win it all. So as the points nazi would say "No points for you!"
"I was a hell of a good run, and beating Martinez by over 40 points was well worth the 10 bucks. Thank God that Hockey season is only 10 weeks away."

World Wide Murman Press Release

Cheese!

It's been a crazy couple of days. Our heli still sits on the ground waiting for it's FLIR camera to be returned from Oregon. So all of us have found ourselves on the ground this week. We should be back in business by Tuesday. We shall see,,,,,

Last night I got a call as I was doing battle with my virus program on my home computer when my cell phone rang. I was my good friend Janet D calling from one of the downtown bars. "Murray, It's Janet. I'm here with a bunch of the girls and guess who just walked into the place,?" Wayne Gretzky!" She sounded very excited. "None of us have a camera."
The after parties of the NHL Awards Show were just getting started and the who's who of hockeydom were in Vancouver, much to the delight of Janet and the rest of the gang at the bar. "I wanted to call as I know how much you would appreciate us meeting the Great One."
"Tell the Great One, Murman says hello and I'm glad he got back OK from Turin." I chuckled. "You better go so you don't miss your chance to say hello"

I had been a little bummed that I didn't get the Awards assignment, but I found out this morning that one of the other "hockey guys", Gary drew the assignment. That's cool, Gary would appreciate being there.

This morning when I got into the office I was regailed with brushes with Gretzky tales. One of my collegues Lisa, proudly showed me her wallet signed by noneother than number 99 himself. "I wished I had a camera with me" she said. Well through the magic of Murman here is an idea of what kind of photo Janet and Lisa had in mind:

Janet, The Great One and Lisa enjoying the after party!

The Kickball Cup

Today is the first day of the "Off Season". Off season, you ask? Yes "Off Season". You see in Murman's world there are only two seasons: the "off season" and "hockey season". With the seventh and decieding game of the Stanley Cup played last night in Carolina the seasons have changed.
You may be curious to know that in my shop there is a sporting frenzy going on about some sort of pastime played with some sort of round sphere and the object of this game to use one's foot to advance this "sphere" in to an opponent's goal. Now where I am from "sports" are played on ice and the sport is hockey.
I take a good deal of good hearted ribbing about my love of hockey especially with my friends in the Engineering and I.T departments. I guess this soccer thing is "their" hockey and OK I guess I can live with that. Why one would watch 90 plus minutes of guys running around after a ball, diving and flopping on the field everytime an opponent looks at them funny, is kinda beyond me. Give me ice, give me a stick and a puck, maybe a few stitches and you have yourself some damn fine entertainment.
Now it might surprise you to know, I used to play soccer, I was a keeper. In fact I played the game so I could stay in shape for hockey. Hell I have even attended a World Cup Final game in 1994 at Foxborrow Mass. I saw Italy beat Spain 2-1 in a packed stadium. Yes it was fun, but it was no Stanley Cup.
The World Cup is different though, it's the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet. And it is a spectacle when you see grown men go down like they have been shot when someone brushes up against them, yet is fit to go once the foul is called. And have you actually seen the "cup" they are playing for? God, give me at least a trophy you can drink out of,,,,

This year as in past years our friends in the Engineering and I.T departments hold a winner take all "World Cup" pool. This year there are 50 people in the contest, all watching every result. There has been a lot of good natured kidding around as our former winner, Milton, who is in every sense of the word a soccer FANATIC, has been struggling with his choices for this year.
We have people in our plant from every corner of the world. Naturally those with Polish backgrounds are not especially happy, yet our Limey Camera Operator and Desk Gal are excited that Britania moves to the next round. Our Italian friends on the third floor have been keeping a low profile as the Azzuri are not playing particularly well, but will likely advance despite themselves. Our former winner Milton, well his hopes have been dashed, but Brazil is moving on and he's happy about that. I too chose a team for this pool, after all the organizers are eager to take the "hockeyman's money". It has made this event at least mildly interesting. I have gone down to our engineering department to see the posted results and trade barbs with the "soccer crowd", it's been kinda fun. My whole goal in this thing was just to finish better than my friend Milton because god knows I will hear about it for the next 4 feakin' years. And I have been holding my own. Seventh, fifth, tenth, but ahead of my "Ice Hockey Hate'n" friend Milton. He had a good laugh when he saw my picks and asked why I would pick Ecuador as one of my teams. "I like the music of the Andes" I said.
I went to check on the results today and as of this writing, MURMAN is winning this pool. Yes that's right, the HOCKEY GUY is leading 49 other soccer heads. Imagine how entertaining it would be if it were played on ICE. If I win this thing I just might buy a trophy, one you can drink out of.

Finding Nimo

It began like any other Saturday except this one had that anticipation of Christmas. You know the feeling you had when you were a kid and you knew that Santa was on his way with his bag of toys. This toy was an 65 inch HDTV. And it was being delivered in just a few hours. My plan was to tune in the satellite, run my new cabling and have everything set up and ready for my HD Jumbotron. I would be watching the hockey game in HD splendor before the end of the day and wait a minute, there was a full day of HD racing tomorrow, oh boy this would be good.
I felt I deserved this reward as I had just completed re seeding my lawn 2 weeks before. It had been the hottest day of the year and I moved 14.5 yards of soil in one day, rolled it, raked it and planted seed. It gave me the worst sunburn of my life and a back ache not seen since I donned the "Back Breaker" Steady Cam rig several weeks ago.
By now I was looking with pride at my new lawn, still too short to give it it's first cut and yet so green. Yes, a mind numbing 65 inches of HD heaven was just what would make any TV junky happy.
I have had an ExpressVu dish for several years and being somewhat familiar with finding Satellites in the "Clark Belt", acquisition should not pose any problem for my timeline. When I bought my new HD dish I of course declined the 70 dollar installation fee. Yes, I am a TV guy why would I spend the 70 when I can do it myself. Hell I can read a manual.
So on that morning of anticipation, I gathered my tools and went about my quest for HD. I replace my existing dish with the new fangled gymbled wonder dish. This baby can tune in both Satellites at the same time. I followed the manual, things were looking good. I had my little TV monitor hooked into my old tuner out by the ladder with me. As the neighbours went out for their walks on that morning, they would comment about the lawn and ask about what I was up to. "Well you must know what you are doing, I wouldn't even begin to try" one neighbour said. They see me in the CTV truck on occasion. "Yes, the satellite is right there" as I point to the southern horizon. "I should have it in a couple of minutes"
I found Nimiq "91" in about 2 minutes. I still had it, I thought. Another walking neighbour: "hey Mur, do you install these things?"
"Not usually, I'm a Camera guy, but I have worked in the SAT Truck"
I had already adjusted the "skew" angle according to the manual so as to "acquire" the second satellite, so it must be all good right?
Just then a truck pulls up and it's here. Oh boy, this would be good. I would be the envy of the free world. Murman, his new Multiplex HD and he saved 70 bucks by doing the install work himself. Is there anything he can't do???

When I hook up the new wonder box to the wires, I figure I am moments away from calling that toll free number to get my HD package. I am giddy with excitement.
"hmm, this doesn't look good." I double check my cables. It turns out I have a switch that needs 4 input wires not the 2 I have installed. Damn, I'll have to go to the Depot and grab another spool of R Cable. I was there earlier to pick up 50 feet and some connectors. I drill more holes, I run more cable. "Switch Test Complete" the screen reads. OK we're in business.
"Nimiq 82 No Signal"
What the %&*!
OK back up the ladder, re read the compass, re acquire Nimiq 91, this time with a 92% signal. Ok this has to be good.
By now the first Neighbours are returning from their walk, I'm still up on a ladder, playing with the dish.
"No luck?" she asks.
It's there, I'm just fine tuning I say.

Back down the ladder, still no luck with Nimiq 82. Nimiq 82 has all of the HD programming. This is not good.
The hockey game is starting. I'm still up the ladder. I call my buddy Dave. He's like the CTV Satellite YODA, he'll know what to do. But wait, he's the guy that told me I should only have to wire two inputs to the switch, remember, the switch that needs four wires. "Have you got 91?"
"Yes"
"Then 82 is just to the left and about 4 degrees lower in the sky."
I look, I scan, I fail.
Call tech support. They basically tell me the same thing.
Back up the ladder. It's getting dark now. The walkers are out now for their evening walk. I'm still up the ladder.
I am sure they are thinking that this guy is an idiot. He must just "play" a guy who's in TV.
I finally come down, feeling defeated. I am reduced to, watching a DVD on my new colossus. It's not HD, and it leaves me feeling cheated. I miss the hockey game.

Sunday: I am again up the ladder. Bob and Jane are out walking. They again complement me on my new grass. I think that they are either too afraid or too polite to ask about my current project.
They return later to find me now hacking down branches from my front tree. My new lawn now with a worn path from the garage to the ladder, tree branches, leaves everywhere. All this to save 70 bucks. Goddamn, now I am pissed.
This has got to be it, the branches must have been hiding the look angle to the that HD beacon in the sky.
I return to my second home, up on my ladder. I curse at the dish. Again, no Nimiq 82. Did the Russians shoot the goddamn thing out of the sky. Has it been hit by some sort of space junk?
Again day turns to night, Nimiq still has it's cloaking device on. Bob and Jane are again out walking. I am sure that they are expecting to see me hanging from my Sat dish, lifeless. Now they are avoiding eye contact. Just as well. Better not talk to the crazy man trying to save 70 bucks.

New TV: 5000 dollars.
Cost of Installation of Sat System: 70 dollars
Cost of Wiring that would have been included in 70 dollar installation :110 dollars

Finding Nimiq: PRICELESS

Hockey Appocalypse Now!

I have to apologize for taking so long to enter a new post. You have to understand that I have been in mourning. No, I have not lost a family member, or been diagnosed with some terminal illness, but it has taken me a week to come to terms with the fact there will not be any post season hockey in Canuckland. Yes we still have the Jr. Team still playing and we wish them well, but for a city that had been told that "this was the year" the failure of the Vancouver Canucks to make it into the playoff has been a bitter pill to swallow.

When I moved here nine years ago, I remember how excited I was to live in an NHL town. I could hardly wait for the season to begin as I had intended to treat myself to several games, something I was not able to do back in the Maritimes. If I wanted to see an NHL game it was a 9 hour drive to Montreal or 8 hours to Boston. ( I did neither) Back then I was a Leaf fan. As was my Dad and Grandparents. Yes we loved the Leafs.
As playoff runs would begin, I would adorn my office with Leaf stuff and hang my son's GI Joe sized Matt Sundin figure, arms hosting a Stanley cup, just to get the gang in the station going. It was tons of fun. I would get anti Leaf email sent to me from all over the building. Someone had actually broke into my office and stole my Stanley cup and hung my Matts Sundin with a noose. All in good fun. Of course when the Leafs would get eliminated, I would be inidated with much smack talk from all of the Canuck fans in the building.
But as my time in Vancouver continued, the team here grew on me. I guess I thought I would rather see the cup paraded down Robson Street than Younge Street.
With that said, the Canucks were not exactly a top team. I had been here three seasons before they finally made the playoffs.
Fans here will regale you with stories of the great playoff run in 1994 when Vancouver came with in one game of winning it all. I had never experienced that kind of excitement, but was looking forward to it one day.
A few years ago during the playoffs car flags became a big part of the post season excitement. You would drive hiway 1 into Vancouver and you would loose count of the cars and trucks that would fly them. ( One day driving my reporter and I counted over 300)
Watching on TV you would hang on every play, every goal. It was to me the best time of the year.
But not this year.
As I have said in past posts, "hockey is a strange mistress" and this time she has left me feeling empty.

The horror, the horror, the horror.

April One

April Fools Day. Every year there is the usual bogus item in the local newspaper. Our friends in radio get in on the fun usually as well. Over the years I have seen and heard many "media" pranks. I would like to share two of them, both happened some years ago back east.

The first one happened early in my career, I beleive it was 1982 or 83 (don't hold me to it) but the local CBC morning radio show, a well respected and venerable news source in that part of New Brunswick, lead the morning cast with a "live" broadcast from one of their field reporters. He set the scene as a remarkable phenomena of a once in hundred years happening. It was the "great lobster migration". Lobsters would come to the shore, leave the water and march, in single file up King Street. The reporter described a most bizarre scene. "Yes, the Lobsters are moving, slowly, but what a scene. Traffic is stopped. People are getting out of their cars to catch a look. We have with us a marine biologist,,,,,," The "biologist" says something like "The last time this march took pace was over 100 years ago,,,,,
Now we all know better right?,,,,,
Well across town in a TV Station Newsroom a particular assignment editor who always relied on CBC Radio for his morning fix heard this report. He picked up the phone and immediately dispatched a Camera to the scene. "The Lobsters are coming ashore and marching up King Street!" he exclaimed "Get over there! Fast!" a voice on the two way radio came on and said "Dude, it's April Fools Day!"
There was a pause back at the newsroom end, "Ah, I knew that"
The camera guys laughed their asses off for years after that. That assignment editor always denied it ever happened. But some of us know better,,,,

The second one happened on TV and was back around 1994. We lead the newscast with a story about an Iceberg in Halifax harbour. I'll give the creative minds in our Halifax office top marks for this one. Anyway they took the wide shot of Halifax harbour from a couple of our "Live Eyes" and CG ed in a giant IceBerg. Right between the bridges. God it was funny. They of course added some reaction shots from the Navy base and coast guard. Well, they of course announced before the end of that section of the show, that the Ice Berg was just an April Fools Prank. Well someone from St. Stephen, New Brunswick didn't wait for the end of the item or didn't hear the "prank" part and drove the family, six and a half hours to Halifax to see the "Ice Berg". Now damn that was funny. I think the fellow wanted the station to pay for his gas when he discovered he had been duped.

Regardless, in whatever you do, try to find the humor. Try to have at least one good belly laugh a day. It's good for us.

Huston We Have A Problem

It seems the technical gods wish to torment me this week. On Monday when I returned home to check my personal email, I found my computer unusually slow. As the session wore on it locked and after a hard reset, the system would not reboot. Huston we have a problem. Hopefully when I get an opportunity to explore the hard drive I will be able to rescue my photos and other important files.

The technical gods followed me to the airport as well. It seems while flying last night for the 5 and 6 shows, Vancouver Base (CTV Control) lost our signal. I noticed a red fault light on the console. Damn! That terminated our flight ops for last night. It seems to be an HPA ( High Powered Amp) thing. Our RF guys will figure it out.
fortunately our team of engineers working the problem this morning seem to be able to get us operational again. The unit in question is on it's way to an engineering bench near you and will get a thorough check over.
The day did begin promising although, with a marine disaster unfolding up north with a BC Ferry on the bottom near Prince Rupert. It is a long long flight to get the the site of the sinking and it doesn't appear as though the aircraft will be deployed. The weather is not good at the moment either. At least reports form our people there is all made it to safety.
Too bad the site was not further south, closer to our area of operations. I am sure we would have been able to get some great shots.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring better weather and a great story to fly on. I guess you can tell I am a bit anxious get some productive flight hours this week.

It will be soon time to go and do battle with my hard drive, may the technical gods give me a freakin break!