NAFAA 2008 membership drive

NAFAA 2008 membership drive
As an information society, NAFAA only occasionally makes any kind of major change. Typically any activity is involved in updating the regional codes sections. However, on occasion, updates to our codes are needed. And when this happens, we need to first insure that we represent the largest cross section of the North American fire artists as possible. So, we need to start up a membership drive.

In anticipation of this, we have added a new page to the NAFAA site. http://www.nafaa.org/join.html

The join page explains the two current levels of membership with NAFAA. (regular member, and supporting members with links in the regional pages) It also includes a number of buttons that members can add to their website. This will give new prospects easy access to NAFAA site, the regs page, and the join page. Please take a few minutes and drop the cut-and-paste codes into your performance website(s) and encourage members in your community to join.

We'll monitor new memberships carefully and begin the process of the codes update (3.0) shortly after the membership plateaus. We think that fall 2008 is a fairly reasonable estimate for this to happen.

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Please forward this to anyone even vaguely related to fire.

Check that one off...

So, after the 6 million dollar man went off the air, there wasn't a lot of good, kid-friendly action going on. Not until Lee returned in "The Fall Guy" did we see the good stuff. For those not in the know, TFG was a story about a hollywood stuntman who doubled as Bounty hunter working for a bail bondsman. The Title of the show was a double entendre for both jobs. Anyway, that show represented my first peek into the inner workings of the movie industry. And, as a fully functioning teen male, I was /sure/ that I could make it as a stuntman. It was the "Jackass" of my time: inciting many a stupid kid to attempt dangerous stunts like drag racing by the local police department. *sigh* Those were the days.

Well, Today, I picked up the footage from our shoot in Feb, and it so happens that the staff jackets came out today. And they gave a pair to Michelle and I. The picture above is me in mine. :) I guess I can check "become Hollywood stuntman" of my Things To Do list... :)

I got my DTV

Woo Hoo!!!!
It's everything promised. I got my DTV converter box in the mail today, plugged it in and Bang, it's like having basic cable. I get all the analog channels plus another dozen or two more. And their all crystal clear, widescreen, etc. if you watch Tv, DO NOT DRAG YOUR FEET ON THIS! Get a converter box NOW!. If you go to https://www.dtv2009.gov you can get information on getting your coupons (yes, get two) and how to redeem them for a box.

I got the RCA from http://dtv.BSAT.net which has a couple more features for $8, but they have models for $4 ... delivered!

And, as I thought, all v-chipped and such. So, come next Feb, I predict we'll start seeing more baudy programming on broadcast TV, since there will be no excuse for not having a Vchip.

NAFAA new stuff

Okay, so, active readers of my blog will remember this
http://people.tribe.net/tedward/blog/59fe27d4-edef-47ff-8dd8-d18445a45ae3
where I mentioned that the original purpose of NAFAA has been accomplished. We raised safety awareness amongst the community. If you have spun with a spotter, duvetyn, extinguishers, etc.; the odds are good that NAFAA has influenced you in some way.

Our only insurance carrier has cited the NAFAA codes as the preferred code of conduct in their safety page:
http://www.specialtyinsuranceagency.com/docs/performer/safety/Safety%20Requirements%20for%20Fire%20Performers.pdf

Several cities have adopted our codes as law, many more use them as the defacto code, and so many people have taken some part of them to heart, incorporating them into their own safety regime.

But now, I think it may be time to update NAFAA and it's codes entirely. Many cities are developing local groups to address concerns of performers in that area. If a bit of that energy could be applied to a national conference regarding the NAFAA regs, all groups would benefit. NAFAA could use a resurgence in it's internal energy, but also, local groups would have the backing of a nationally agreed upon set of standards.

To accomplish this, i'd like to start with a membership drive. We have many performers on the main list, but so many new groups have popped up. After a little while, we'll start to poll members for ideas regarding the current regs and what to do with them. Personally, I'd like to put to the floor a split in the codes: one set for proximal fire in front of an audience, and a second, minimal set of codes to cover rehearsals and such. If possible, the minimal set of codes could be put on a handy card that could be distributed by NAFAA members.

Once I get a chance, I'll work up a button page for NAFAA to assist in the awareness drive.

DTV Update

Okie dokie. So, this is an update of the first DTV post:
http://people.tribe.net/tedward/blog/66a9babe-ee71-43d6-a108-1df4280cfff9
I FINALLY got my converter box coupons ($40 off governmentally approved digital boxes)
And after looking around, I've decided that this is being used to make some sweeping reforms in broadcast TV. It sure looks like all the boxes on the coupon program have the V-chip installed, and the FCC is actually killing analog broadcasting as of next Feb. SO. What that means is that after Feb '09, no one will have an excuse for not having a V-chip. The older, non-digital TVs simply will not work without a converter box, and the newer stuff all have one installed. But, if you manage to find a digital converter box without the v-chip, you won't get $40 off from the government, PLUS, you will likely spend more than the $50-$90 range we're seeing right now.

What does this mean to you? How about uncut movies to your TV? No more funny sounds when people dare to utter the 7 words you can't say on TV. Maybe even uncut cable shows like Sex and the City, Weeds, or South Park. Heck, we might even see something like PBS porn (and no more money-raising efforts).

V Day!

Thursday the 27th of March 2008 marks the 10th anniversary of the FDA approval of Viagra as an impotence pill. Since it's introduction, men over 40 now have hope of getting it up after doing too much Coke in the 80s. It's given us Saddam Hussein, who was reportedly addicted to the little blue pill. It gave us a 60 year old mother (hey Someone had hit that, and my guess is it wasn't the paperboy). And it's radically reduced spending on mid-life crisis sports cars.

So, this Thursday, get a nice woodie going, stick it out the window and yell "It's my cock and I want it Hard!" Or better yet, stick it somewhere where it can do some good... :o)

More Power!

Okay, so I've been doing some thinking.

Kramer Junction is the largest solar power plant in the nation. Instead of inefficient solar panels, it uses reflectors to heat up synthetic oil which is then pumped to a closed water container, causing it to boil, and the steam pressure turns a turbine. The "waste" product is steam. The only down side is the resources and energy loss in transmission to where it's needed.

This got me thinking. We could use this technology in the city. Hear me out....

First, place the reflectors over any sunken highway, like the 10 in Santa Monica. Put the plant near the reflectors. Pump in Sea Water for boiling.

Okay, So, now, instead of sending the waste steam to the air, use it to pre-heat the incoming seawater, making steam production more efficient, AND condensing the waste steam into.... Distilled WATER!!!! At night, the plant continues to pump ocean water through the system to desalinate the reaction chambers. The pumps can be powered by battery reserves at the plants.

So, we get Power... lots of it, right where we need it; it can be plugged right into the existing grid. We partially eliminate a driving hazard during certain parts of the year: specifically morning and sunset sun glare on East-west roads. We gain a source of distilled water that can be used to bolster fresh water supplies.

I'm just not seeing a down side beyond the initial cost.