Texas Liberal

All People Matter

Big Texas Liberal Blogging Announcement & Innovation

Hello Blog Reading Public!

I’ve purchased one of the small Flip Cameras because I’m going to film videos and post them on this blog from time-to-time.  I have many ideas for these videos—Though as yet these ideas are not fully formed.

( Update–Here is the link to the first video I recorded.)

(Above–19th Century camera. This would be a bit bulky to carry around. Here is some history of 19th century photography.)

Over the next week, I’m going to think what I would like to say, do and film in my videos. I’m going to test the camera both inside and outside to see how it works in various settings and how well it records sound. Later this week, I’m going to go to Galveston, Texas, on the sunny shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and film my first videos.  

(Below–A movie camera of a type still in use. It is an Arricam ST. This camera is a bit elaborate for what I plan to be doing. Think of the batteries it must take. ) 

Because I want to do the videos right, I’m going to post on a reduced basis for the next week or so here at Texas Liberal. There’s only so much time I can spend blogging while keeping my job and spending time with the excellent wife. 

I’ll post a picture or something else short and easy.  Despite these short posts, I urge regular readers to still visit the blog as often as possible. The higher my blog traffic each day, the better I feel about the collective judgement of those I share the planet with.

(Below–A disposable camera. Hopefully you’ll feel that this blog merits more than one use.)

Texas Liberal has averaged 1645 page views a day since the first of the year. I have the goal of being the largest individually operated political blog in Houston and in Texas. I’m also a featured political reader blogger at the Houston Chronicle. (And I post on things other than politics as well.)

( Below–This self-portrait of one Robert Cornelius from 1839 is said to be the first picture of a person ever taken. Will anything I do last 170 years?)

If you like this blog, please forward the link. A blog grows one reader at a time.  Please also feel free to add me as a friend on Facebook. My name is Neil Aquino and I live in Houston. My profile picture at the moment is a boat stuck on land after Hurricane Ike.

Thank you for reading Texas Liberal. If you have any ideas for my videos, please offer a comment.  

(Below–A Flip Camera just like the one I now have. I hope I do a good and creative job with my videos. Please visit Texas Liberal very often and see how I am doing.) 

February 24, 2009 - Posted by | Blogging, Galveston, My Wife Is The Best Person Ever | , , , , , , , , , ,

5 Comments »

  1. I have the licensed-by-Thomson version, the Small Wonder EZ201. It is instant gratification made manifest. For this amateur videographer, the lack of proper zoom and authentically fool-proof light processing are quite welcome. The audio is only good enough for snapshots and youtube … and thus endeth my technical wonkery.

    Not being a Windows user, I cannot even comment upon the software which ships in the camera. Using either Ubuntu or OS X the videos must be written to another format (.dv) than the Flip’s native so my consumer-friendly editor will accept it. I presume in its natural environment this is all handled with the included applications. These videos scale and transfer beautifully.

    And as we are among gentlemen, please use the madcap transitions invariably included with your editor judiciously. I fail at this myself sometimes, and always cringe a few days later. A lousy $15 tripod, remember to level it with square on the viewing screen, will really make all the difference. Oh yes, I was ending the wonkery. Sorry.

    I am excited by the prospect of so many people with something to say getting their hands on very reasonably priced, quality, portable video. Please share with us some of your experiments. See you on You Tube.

    Comment by Stan Baker | February 24, 2009

  2. you should interveiw homeless people and fat people and underdogs and lovers and kids and farmers who ever will answer your questions that you want to ask. video tape everything and just share your thoughts as they come.

    Comment by bill brady | February 25, 2009

  3. Bill–These are useful suggestions you make.

    Comment by Neil Aquino | February 26, 2009

  4. Stan—A very useful comment in many respects. I do have the tripod. Thanks for your ongoing suport and comments. I don’t always reply in a way that does them justice because I’m at the max for how much time in my life I can spend doing online stuff, but it sure is nice to have you on boatd here.

    Comment by Neil Aquino | February 26, 2009

  5. Mr. Brady, That is a golden idea. What did I do with my batteries?

    Comment by Stan Baker | February 26, 2009


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