Pro

1. Small and lightweight
2. Interchangeable battery
3. Real keyboard
4. Versatile charger that works with a USB cable to charge anywhere.
5. 8GB internal storage doubles as a small hard drive
6. Combined chat log makes sms and IM communication a breeze
7. Contacts are fully integrated into all other apps, making everything very simple from GPS to IM to E-mail.
8. Push e-mail, saves on battery life and no more compulsive pressing of the “get message” button.
9. Fully drag and drop photos and music when in hard drive mode (create a new folder, it makes a new directory. drag a song to ringtones, you have a ringtone.)
10. itunes sync when in media sync mode
11. great camera with a great flash and no limitations to the size of file you can send via text (MMS)
12. Full data plan with unlimited voice and SMS for Sprint costs MUCH less than those other guys

Con

1. No menu button on the keyboard
2. There is currently no way to copy and past text conversations
3. Battery life is terrible, and I mean terrible (new battery expect to release in a few days)
4. Far less menu items than previous phones, no “select all”
5. No way to change sound for text messages and e-mail, hopefully this will be changing with a future update.
6. No visual voicemail yet, but rumor has it this will be changing soon as well.
7. No card slot (but they way the phone acts as a drive, it doesn’t matter too much)

I sent an e-mail to the good folks at Trapster, and they will have a version of their software for the Pre very soon.The very first thing you should do when you get the Pre is turn the screen brightness all the way down, and set the e-mail for push, both will help save battery. If you are a Sprint customer, this is a no brainer… If you belong to anyone else,  switch.

I can still remember showing off my shiny, newly acquired bottle of Jim Beam before the evening’s festivities began, it was New Years Eve. No one was allowed to touch it, it was mine and I wasn’t even planning on using a glass. We had another stupid party planned, no different than any other we had thrown over 30 times that season, four out-of-town guys, local girls and their friends, and a boatload of fun. Say what you want, we were young and loving it.

Somewhere around the middle of the label (they tell me it was about 10:30) the phone rang and much to my surprise, a long lost friend was back in Saratoga Springs from her travels to “where and when ever” she pleased. There was nothing stopping me from seeing Jesse, but no one was sober enough to drive (I didn’t even have a car at the time) and it was -10 degrees. I’ll Hitchhike!

This was not my most brilliant moment.

There was one person sober at the party who was bored and ready to go, it seemed she lived at the bottom of the mountain closer to I-87 which would cover about 30 minutes of the normally 3 hour commute. She had her own party to get to two doors away from where she lived and offered me a ride at least that far. On went the jacket, in my backpack went the Jim Beam, and we were off. If I could remember her name, I would thank her now, she tried like hell to prevent my hitchhiking attempt, but it just wasn’t working. Upon our arrival at the base of the mountain, our good Samaritan intentionally hid my bottle and tried to get me drunk enough to pass out with keg stands. It nearly worked.

Half awake and fully cocked in a bed with about four other people (no, nothing dirty) generally being drunk and stupid I caught a second wind, grabbed my jacket and found my bottle. One AM or so now, I open the door and felt the cold air instantly tighten my skin like a shrinking rubber band, the fact that it was -10 F had somehow slipped my mind. After 3/4 bottle of Jim Beam, several keg stands, and miscellaneous opaque bottled beers the part of your brain that is afraid of death shuts off, while the remainder acts like Homer Simpson chasing a donut.

After about 2 miles, it was too late to turn back. At this time everyone at the party was asleep, and there was no way to call anyone else. Onward HO! At about 2.25 miles I was jumping up and down at any car that passed hoping that if they wouldn’t stop, they would at least call the police… I knew I was going to die on that stretch of road, alone.

Coyotes are funny creatures, as long as you don’t bother their den, they will leave you alone. They will however, circle and or follow you until they think you are well out of range, they stayed with me about 200 yards out, in the woods for almost an hour. The scene was the inverse of a classic movie desert scene, my desert was snow and my vultures were coyotes. Looking back, I can’t believe I am alive to tell this story.

My jacket was about a half size too big for me, and the style at the time left snowboard jackets ending about mid thigh. The only thing that kept me alive was that Burton Universe jacket. I pulled in my arms, lifted it up over my head and zipped my entire upper torso into the jacket. As cars passed I would scramble to pull my arms and head out of the jacket like a turtle and wave for a ride like a madman. When my psychotic gestures were ignored, back in my Burton “turtle shell” I went. Jumping up and down, running in place, and rubbing your arms generates warmth when your are inside that jacket. Enough warmth it seems, to have kept me alive.

In the end somewhere in the neighborhood of exit 27 or exit 26 on southbound I-87 a New York State Trooper picked me up, Jim Beam still in tow, and delivered my sorry, frozen, nearly dead body to a truck stop with a phone. Someone in Saratoga was awake, thankfully. While I awaited my rescue with my new truck stop friends, my body slowly regained all of its feeling.

I haven’t since, and will not ever wear another jacket that isn’t produced by Burton Snowboards. That Universe jacket, is the only reason I am alive after an act of such incredible stupidity. I have also done a quick review on my current Burton lifesaver, the AK Stagger 2L.

Note: Apologies on the image quality, it’s the best Burton could find from their archives.

[Image © Burton Snowboards]

1. Never give up.
   So far in my journey as a professional photographer I have lost it all. My ultimate goal is to be one of the greats in fashion at the level of greats like Douglas Kirkland, Annie Leibovitz, and Marcus Klinko and with this goal comes an unparalleled  amount of perseverance. One winter while waiting for checks from a magazine both of my cars were repossessed, relationships have gone down the tubes, there are even times where I have given up the ability to feed myself for the sake of purchasing equipment. Many things have been accomplished in my life as a photographer, but I have only started checking off goals with a long list to go. Times will always be hard, people, geography and things will always stand in your way. The only failure is not getting through the tough times, the only failure is giving up.
2. Without risk there is no success.
   How did anyone ever climb Mt. Everest if they didn’t accept there was a possibility of death. Bill Gates himself would not have built the Microsoft empire had he not taken a chance that he may miss a payment, or end up bankrupt. If you sat down and analyzed the risk behind everything you would never leave your house and would be compulsively cleaning it to avoid germs. There is a chance you can lose at anything, there is a chance you can get hit by a car walking across the street. If you fall down, if you lose anything, get back up and refer to number 1.
3. Accept defeat as an education.
   Everything you do that doesn’t help you move forward, is a step away from what some people call failure. Every time something doesn’t work out establish a “why” and never repeat the action again. Some people define insanity as doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. If at first you don’t succeed, try again and try from a different angle, a different method, a different source; anything that can facilitate success. Learn from every speed bump and move forward, if all else fails refer to number 1.
4. There is no failure, only progression.
   Every “failure” is a step forward. Every obstacle is an education. If you refuse to give up, nothing is a failure and everything is progression. Learn from everyone and everything everywhere.
5. Reality TV: Stop watching other people live their lives.
   Reality television has made so many people sit in a chair eating Oreo’s while watching someone else live their life. Do you really think watching Ace Of Cakes is going to make you a better baker? It may give you a little inspiration, but only baking will make you a better baker. Research, practice, testing, hard work, and perseverance will make you a better baker and closer to making your dream of opening a shop come true. Watching someone else live your dream will not. It would be my general assumption that many of the people who are subjects of reality television, didn’t spend much time watching TV while they were making their dreams come true. (I am in no way picking on Duff here, he deserves 100% of my admiration and respect for what he has accomplished.)
6. News, if you must follow news, read a newspaper.
   Knowing what is going on in the world is good, however watching violent videos and emotional expressions of frightened field reporters is not. A single still image gives you an idea of the scene while the written word is dependent entirely on your interpretation, not the visual stimuli of video and a reporter’s emotion. Reading a newspaper also allows you the luxury to skip certain stories, instead of being riveted to a television and stuck in a chair for an hour.
7. How did you help someone else today?
   Share your knowledge with people in your field, helping other people succeed will help you succeed as well. Don’t be arrogant, learn from people and treat people well, they will return the favor. We live in such a negative world that simple kindness can change someones life. Hold a door, pick up something that the person in front of you dropped, practice random acts of kindness… You never know when you will change someone’s life with something simple.
8. Take a break and realize how beautiful the world is.
   Remember when you used to wish upon a star? It is my job to inform you that the stars are still there, you are welcome to go for nighttime walks and stare at them free of charge.  Stop on your way home from work and smell some flowers, admire a tree, or stare at the mountains… There is no law that says you have to be a robot and forget about the little things that captivated you as a child. (Butterflies tend to be amazing creatures as well.)
9. Try reading a book that feeds your mind, instead of your loneliness.
   Danielle Steel may be great for cold winter nights, but she is not helping your career. Don’t stop reading non-fiction for a release, just rotate in something that will educate you in your chosen field of expertise. We have all worked 12 hours in a row doing what we love, but remember you are only the best because you continue to further your mind in your field.

Feel free to express more of your own feelings in the comments section, I hope you found this helpful.

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America The Lost has been live for only just under one month, and has had some very interesting feedback. If you are scratching your head wondering what this crazy site is all about you are welcome to visit the Mission Statement page. We were forced live a little early, and the site is still young, so definitely stick around for much excitement to come.

Some articles you may want to check out while you’re here:

11 Simple Tips To Improve Gas Mileage
The Winter Dew Tour: Mount Snow Vermont
How To Survive Las Vegas On The Cheap

Click around a bit, stay for a while, subscribe if you like. The best is yet to be unveiled!

~ James
(@JamesPickett)

At the beginning of this season I was forced to make a difficult decision about which snowboard to ride. Since it has been many years since my last time on a mountain, there was much research to be done. There was one more small factor that had to play into this decision, as a photographer, this year I was going to shoot snowboarding.

Traditionally, for my body weight, I rode small boards and didn’t want to go into anything too large. (I am also a sucker for very flexible boards). The very first board I fell in love with while doing my research was the Burton Fix 155. The great debate of it all was over the flex, was the Fix going to be stiff enough for stability while shooting? Many hours were spent on the phone with Burton rider services, and much time was wasted on contemplation. Part of my decision was based on some information from rider services whereas, when one rides a board that is rated for less than their body weight, the board will feel more flexible than its weight rating.

It was my assumption, that being 20 Lbs. overweight for the standard weight range for the Jeremy Jones 156,  It would end up as flexible as the Fix 155, and the Fix 155 would have been too flexible. My assumptions were incorrect, and the Jeremy Jones board was a little more flexible than the rating, but still not quite flexible enough for me. This is in no way a reflection on the quality of the ride, or the quality of the board, but entirely personal preference. I should have just stuck with what I know, and gone as flexible as possible with my board choice.

The pros far out weigh the cons with the Jeremy Jones 156, and it’s a great all around, all mountain board.

Pros

1. Sintered Vision Base
   Fast, fast, and more fast. A good all temp wax will keep you going all day, and a good fluorite all temp wax will keep you at mach-3 all day. This base is fast (Did I mention that yet?) and durable, this will be the base on my next board.
2. Directional Flex and Even Core Profile
   Smooth turn transitions and tons of pop. The ollies are high, and the turns cut like a razor. Having not ridden this board in powder yet, I cannot vouch for the feel in fluff, but I can tell from its stability that this is where I will be using it in the future.
3. Rail Ready Tune
   Boxes, rails, pipes and whatever else you decide to slide across in the park will be much easier now that the board is tuned for it from the factory. So far, my favorite part of the Rail Ready Tune is the ability to maintain edges and not sacrifice high speed control. We have been de-tuning, and “rail tuning” edges for years so this is nothing new, but it saves time (as well as money) and allows you to get right on the hill.
4. Mid Wide Construction
   If, like me, you have a “sort of” big foot the mid wide is for you. Keep your toes off the snow, while keeping you fast and stable. One thing I have noticed from boards that are classified as wide, is increased weight. The mid wide construction feels no heavier than any normal width board I have ever been on.
5. Super Fly II core
   The board is light, Lighter than the Forum Manual 153, with a very low swing weight allowing for blender fast spins, and effortless switches to fakie.
6. Infinite Ride
   All of the boards with Infinite Ride are over built by the factory, and put on a machine that simulates a seasons worth of riding before the board is even shipped. The board will flex the same the first day you ride it, as it will 100 riding days later.
7. EST/The Channel
   This is baseless technology perfected beyond the imagination of those that pioneered the concept. Comfort, control, and true board flex are all byproducts of the EST system. Being new technology, there is a flaw but it is not in the system itself, the board or in the channel itself. Along with Burton Rider services, I have found a solution to my issue with EST, which will only be an issue for a select few people that have a size 10.5 foot, and ride a pair of EST boots as well.

Con

1. Stiffness
   The only con that I can muster up, is completely personal preference, and is entirely about the stiffness. I like a very flexible board, something like a wet noodle and I should have chosen the Fix.

If you like a middle of the road stiffness, and a board that is perfect in the park, at high speeds in powder, and pretty much everywhere else on the planet, this is the perfect board. In fact, I would assume the stiffness will help if your the kind of rider that hits rails from the air, like Jeremy Jones himself.

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1. Stay at the Terribles Hotel and Casino.
   The exotic dancers in Vegas don’t even go here to hang out, it is more of a dishwashers and drunks type of place. As seedy as it is, the rooms are $69 bucks a night (with a $26 Sunday room). Beers are $2.50 at the bar, its one mile from the strip and you don’t have to worry about being harassed by “ladies of the night”. (A lot of pilots stay here.)
2. The secret to drinking for free in Vegas.
   Ever heard of penny slots? (Slot machines where the minimum bet is one cent). This is brainless, you go with a couple buddies and don’t want to spend $100 to get into TAO and $15-$25 a drink once you’re there. All you need to do is sit at the penny slots with about $3 each, play a few rounds and when the waitress comps you a drink, stop playing and wait while you hang out and drink. If she comes back through before your done hit the button again. Spin every once in a while to be safe, sit there and get hammered, then go walk the town.

   

3. Don’t take a taxi.
   It isn’t that far of a walk from any of the cheaper hotels to the strip. Bring a good pair of sneakers and hoof it, you prob could use a break from sitting on your butt anyway. Taxi’s in Vegas are billed on time, not mileage. A one mile ride can cost you $16 if you hit every light, or there is bad traffic. (There is only one time a taxi is free, when you are going to a gentleman’s club. With $30-$50 cover charges, you wont be going there if you’re broke.) Don’t forget, you’re hotel has an airport shuttle that doesn’t cost you a dime to get to and from McCarran International.
4. Hijack the buffet.
   There is no cheaper way to eat than a Vegas buffet. On my most recent trip, the Terribles buffet was $7.99 for breakfast, $9.99 for lunch, and $11.99 for the “shrimp and prime rib” dinner. Take whatever you can carry with you when you leave, especially if it has natural containers, or isn’t sloppy. (Bananas, apples, donuts, pastries,  hard boiled eggs, single serving boxes of cereal, etc.) If you can pull it off, load up a to go container with a final buffet trip right before leaving.
5. Don’t go to a gentleman’s club!
   If you must see a hard body in a bikini stop by the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, pole dancers are just part of the bar area. The beer is a little more expensive, but you could have 3-6 beers for the price of the cover charge at the “other” club. If you must see this type of entertainment, I have a secret that can help you out (ask me).
6. Ellis Island Casino & Brewery.
   Another seedy local hangout about one block from the strip across from the Bellagio. The bartenders are nice, and they still have gaming. (Stop gambling you addict!) Why Ellis Island? Free karaoke, and 20oz exotic pints that cost… wait for it… $1.50.
7. If you smoke, never buy cigarettes in a casino.
   Smokes can cost $10-$14 in a casino. One mile off the strip at a gas station or liquor store they are $4-$5. Get off your butt and take a walk.
8. Diablo Cantina.
   You have to have one great meal while your in Las Vegas, make it here. The food is spectacular, and not much more expensive than your average TGIFriday’s. Every 30 minutes during happy hour, the bartender has a customer of his choice spin a big wheel that lands on a new drink special.
9. Make friends with a local.
   I wouldn’t advise buddying up with a taxi driver, a drunk, drug dealer, or someone passing out prostitute ads. Maybe the guy or girl working the desk at your hotel or a Starbucks. The Vegas working class are usually very kind, hard working individuals and if you have the right personality, are more than happy to show you around in exchange for a few drinks. Remember, these are people that work for a living and cant afford to do TAO either.
10. Afraid of the pool at your cheaper than life hotel?
    You can always poach time at a big casino, how are they going to know if you just walk in with sandals on and a towel over your shoulder?

    

11. Go see the only free show in Vegas.
    The Pirate Show at Treasure Island. The Pirate Show takes place outside of the casino, just feet from the sidewalk. All you have to do to enjoy the beauty of this show is sit there, watch and listen.

    

If you have more tips on doing Las Vegas cheap, or have questions… don’t be afraid to drop me a line.

Images  © James H. Pickett
Do not use without permission.

To purchase your own copy of this life changing book, please visit the Og Mandino book store.

Let me illustrate a reality here… In no way shape or form am I saying they are all corrupt, but so many of them are, how on earth do you know who isn’t? An article posted by Capital News 9, a subsidiary of Time Warner Cable illustrates 5 new cases of corruption in the city of Schenectady. What Capital News 9 is not telling you is that the Schenectady police force has been under federal investigation for many years. Recently the highest paid officer on the force ($168,000 last year, mostly from overtime) was cited for sleeping while on duty to collect overtime. Officer Dwayne Johnson was suspended for 30 days without pay. It was proved that officer Johnson spent several hours on Tuesdays at an apartment while on duty.

Many years ago, officer Jeffrey Curtis was put in prison for four years for drug possession, one to three years for tampering with evidence, and one year probation. (He sold drugs that he stole from the evidence locker). Another officer who’s name cannot be located at this time was charged for exchanging confiscated drugs to prostitutes for information and sexual favors. Yet another officer, Michael Brown, was recently suspended for 30 days without pay for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

This list goes on and on…

Aside from all of the corruption in the Schenectady police force, what makes us any different than WW2 Nazi Germany, the Cold War Era USSR, or any other socialist regime if we allow a city on US soil to do this because of police corruption? Is this serious? Martial Law is for riots! Martial Law is for thousands of people on a murderous rampage, not to lock down a city because its police force can’t be trusted! This action will cause riots, and protests on a national scale.

Or maybe… Schenectady is just a guinea pig to see how citizens will react to this type of future government control.

This is by far, the worst lighting I have ever come across for event photography, anywhere.

Sick Of It All

Madball

The Spyderz

Toetag

Look for more on The Great Pit Ball soon!

Images © James H. Pickett
Do not use without permission