Moultrie Plot Stalker Camera

Of all the interests I've dabbled in, one that has consistently held energy has been photography.  This has lead to much better vacation pictures, but the aspect I like the most is some of the other interesting things that are possible.  Double exposures.  Reflected light.  Soft focus, etc.  And, time lapse.
I've played around with time lapse using traditional inexpensive digital cameras and it works but there are some limitations.  So a couple years ago I bought a Wingscapes time lapse camera.  This has been taking pictures daily of my back yard now for over a year (with a brief interruption due to a faulty Moultrie product, which is the reason for this post).

Late last year (2012), I bought a Moultrie Plot Stalker camera to take the place of the Wingscapes TimeLapseCam I've been using.  The Moultrie was similar in form to the Wingscapes and by downloading the manual I could see that the overall function was nearly identical as well.  The Moultrie was a little less expensive, but didn't have the ability to focus at close distances; this didn't matter since I wanted it to take the place of the Wingscapes, freeing it for other time lapse projects.
At the beginning of the year, I installed the Moultrie camera to continue my long term time lapse project of my back yard as I wanted the Wingscapes close focus for some other ideas.  Over the first few weeks, the Moultrie Plot Stalker only took pictures about half the time.  I'm 100% sure I was using it right since the function was nearly the same as the Wingscapes.  The Moultrie camera was defective.
Any time pictures were pulled off of the camera, it took an elaborate ritual to get it to take pictures again.  But, since the camera appeared to be functioning normally, it was impossible to tell if it was actually taking pictures.  There is a little red LED on the camera which indicates whether it is taking pictures - it blinked merrily away, often never taking a photograph.

Time lapse photography is a long term time investment.  Sometimes these projects take hours or days.  In the case of my back yard time lapse, it takes months to years.  Losing this data was exceedingly frustrating.

The camera was still under warranty so I sent it back to Moultrie with a letter explaining the problem and how to recreate it.  Weeks later, I received the camera back with no change to the unit and a letter that clearly stated that Moultrie did not try to recreate the problem and the camera was working correctly.  It was a little insulting that the letter had written on it to check my batteries and SD Card (hand written).

Since time lapse photography can be a long time investment, I was hesitant to trust the Plot Stalker anymore.  Earlier this week, I decided I wanted to try to time lapse something that was only a couple hours of time and could easily be recreated so I decided to use the questionable Moultrie camera.  I installed fresh Duracell batteries and a good 16GB SD Card.  After securely mounting the unit and setting it up, I left it to take pictures - that later would be stitched into a movie.
The Moultrie Plot Stalker failed after 15 minutes!

The end result is shown in the video embedded in the posting.
I don't blame Moultrie for selling a product which is not of the best quality.  Since there are several cameras that use that form and function similarly, I don't even think Moultrie actually makes it.  I'll also note that not only do they not sell that camera anymore, I can't find any legacy information about it on their web site (some embarrassment perhaps?).
I don't fault Moultrie for selling a camera which did not function as advertised.  To quote a mechanic acquaintance of mine, anybody who thinks paying more for something means it will never break has never owned a Mercedes.  The lack of positive reviews on this camera from commercial sources does suggest my Moultrie Plot Stalker is not an isolated case however.

I do fault Moultrie for not standing behind their product.  The Moultrie Plot Stalker was so obviously defective that after taking the time to send the product back with a letter on how to recreate the problem, they should have remedied the situation.

I'm not going to rant and rave about how terrible Moultrie is.  They are just trying to make a profit like every other company out there.  But, since they don't make anything terribly unique, there are many other options.  Given Moultrie's inability to stand behind a product with the Moultrie name, their products will be avoided.

Was shooting the Moultrie Plot Stalker with a 9mm Silly?  Yes, but it was going in the garbage either way so it was also a little cathartic and fun.

10 Rules for Life

No, this isn't a self-help posting.  
This isn't an advice posting (that would violate a lower level rule of "When people ask for advice they usually don't want it.").  

TJ's Rules for Life

1. When the whole world is an asshole, it is time to look in the mirror.  This IS the first rule for life!  I sometimes have bad days, sometimes bad time-periods.  I try to realize this and cope, minimizing my potentially negative interactions.  Sometimes I just avoid personal interactions unless completely unavoidable.  A long dog-walk can go a great distance to cure this.  It is also important to remember that there are people in the world who really are assholes, but probably not the whole world.
2. Saying nothing is usually the best option.  "Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."-Plato   I can't count the number of times I've consciously kept my mouth shut and it was the right choice.  Too many people love to talk and can consistently talk themselves into a problem or end up talking about nothing at all marginalizing what they say.  If a person rarely talks, when they do say something others are more inclined to listen.
3. Just because it is free, doesn't mean you want it.
   Being born into a cheap family, I used to love anything free.  I learned free stuff is often free for a reason.  Often, free stuff isn't really free.  Many free things end up unused or junk.  Unrequisited free things can lead to more 'stuff' and more stuff tends to clutter life, not improve it.  This rule is not:  Don't take anything that is free.
4. The cheapest bid is almost never the best deal.
   I've learned this more than once.  I'm sure I'll need to learn this again.  Most have to learn this the hard way.  The word "almost" is in this rule and needs to be.
5. Going with a more expensive option doesn't mean better service or outcome.
   This rule took longer to learn since I first had to learn and live Rule 4.  Rule 5 must follow Rule 4.  I had to learn that salespeople lie, options and services don't always match expectations and money can not buy some things.  I also call this the Champion Siding Rule - their bid for siding was very high, their service was terrible and the results were merely adequate.
6. If there are doubts, wait 12 hours before hitting the Send button.
   This is important, especially if it is on a day when the whole world is an asshole.  Draft emails are wonderful to allow reflection and revision before sending.  Sometimes changing, adding or deleting a few sentences can make a world of difference.  A corollary to this is that conflict is never resolved by email (and nobody's mind had ever been changed by a 'comments' posting).  In a slower time, this was probably true for sending mail letters, but the promise of pain could be more drawn-out.
7. When people say, "I'm Sorry." they usually are not.
   I'm sorry, but this is an absolute truth.  I try very hard to only apologize when I mean it.
8. Don't expect anyone to be a mind reader.
   I very often find myself hoping for someone to catch an unspoken meaning.  Or to interpret actions to understand the motivation.  This is self-destructive.  I should be open (I'm not) and honest.
9. Don't expect something not to be done because doing it would be stupid.
   Lots of people do things that can be interpreted as dumb.  Lots of things are done that are dumb.  This is also the management rule. Management will do dumb things since their motivation is different and sometimes unexplainable.
10. If you are very concerned with how something is going to be done, do it yourself.  This is the Ann Landers Rule.  It applies to small things:  If you don't like the way your significant other does the dishes or mops the floor, shut up and do it yourself.  It applies to big things:  If you don't like the way your coworker is handling a project, be prepared to step up.

Three very important things to note:

• This is not a static list.  This list and its order has changed over the years.  It is called learning; something I hope to continue to do until the day I die.
• This is my list.  If someone doesn't agree with something on it, they are free to write their own and try to live by it.  I will feel free to steal other's rules as my own.
• I reserve the right to repost this with modified explanations and revisions (see first bullet point).  I also reserve the right to contradict myself.

I keep this list on my Google Drive so I have access to it just about anywhere.  

I value order and tidiness so I keep my Windows Desktop typically very clean - a few shortcuts, a few transient files I'm (supposed to be) working on and this list.  The fact that this document sits permanently on my Desktop demonstrates its value.  I open it occasionally since I honestly believe these "rules" can help me in life.

  

If only it were this easy.

Post Script (or Outburst)

As I was thinking about Facebook and social media in general later, I recalled something I read over 10-years ago (from The Journal of Mundane Behavior - now defunct).  I'm reprinting it without commentary below; draw your own conclusions.  Hopefully there is a point.  The writing on this is too good to let it sink into oblivion.

Away Message, by Rebecca Blatt:

Before Wharton junior Jose Joseph leapt from his eighth-story bedroom window this fall, he prepared for his death. He wrote a suicide note explaining his intentions. He emailed a few friends expressing his concerns. And finally, he posted an away message on his computer.

I choked on my coffee when I read that last step in the Daily Pennsylvanian, the University of Pennsylvania's student newspaper. Why didn't he just turn off his computer or leave it running? Why did he think about his computer at all? Instead of visiting a friend or seeking professional help, why did Jose Joseph turn to his keyboard and monitor?

Theoretically, the away message is just an answering machine for a computer. It is a feature of America Online's Instant Messenger software. This program allows users to converse with each other over cyberspace. Users send Instant Messages, phrases or short sentences, which appear almost immediately on the monitor of their IM "buddy." My friends and I spend hours chatting on IM. When we must leave our computers and still wish to receive notes, we post away messages that are automatically transmitted to anyone who tries to contact us.

However, advanced Buddy List technology has revolutionized the uses and intentions of away messages. Now users can check away messages of other users without them knowing. This transformed a simple tool into a vast public forum, revolutionizing communication.

The basic away messages remain brief and practical. Phrases like, "At class but you can reach me on my cell phone," or "Away this weekend, back Sunday night," allow friends to keep track of each other. These away messages prove especially helpful when trying to arrange a meeting or a phone call.

My friend Jessica updates her away message religiously and provides detailed information about her activities. Last night her away message said, "Peeing, then eating at Chili's with Cory, then partying at Sig Ep." Why does she feel obligated to reveal every intimate detail of her evening? Should I really know when she can squeeze a trip to the bathroom into her hectic schedule?

I worry that someone could abuse this information. My parents always turn a few lights on when we leave the house so no one will know they're away. I fear that a cyber nut could easily track the movements of any individual posting such exhaustive itineraries.

In addition to inviting vulnerability, away messages can also create the appearance of elite status. Messages like, "Out for the night having a good time" translate directly to, "Nanny-nanny-boo-boo—I'm partying while you're staring at a screen!" Buddies posting messages like, "Working on a paper—don't interrupt" really mean, "Look at me—I'm being productive and you're obviously not!"

IM users sometimes post Away Messages to target a particular buddy. In most cases, this mark of prestige flatters the intended recipient. For instance, after I sent my friend Steve a homemade present he posted an away message saying, "Rebecca—you made my day." What a thank you note! He expressed his gratitude in a public forum for all of his friends to see. I beamed with pride when I realized he dedicated his only cyber-statement to me!

Sometimes IM users initiate wars with each other via away messages. This strategy allows users to not only avoid awkward face-to-face confrontations, but also bolster support from bystanders who can watch each battle unfold. When my friend Will caught his girlfriend with another guy he quoted Drew Hill and posted, "Somebody's been sleeping in my bed." His girlfriend responded in Phil Collins' words, "How can you just walk away from me when all I can do is watch you leave?" The online face-off continued for days, until they finally decided to discuss the situation in person. What a disappointment for the spectators!

However, emotional revelation is not always for sport. "Having a bad day" and "Drowning in a sea of tears" often blemish my buddy list. These messages invite a reaction. They elicit sympathy and may even provoke a phone call. An IM user who posts this type of statement and receives several encouraging responses can feel reassured. In this scenario, an away message functions as a litmus test for personal worth.

Although IM users occasionally target specific buddies, they must keep in mind that they are really addressing dozens of online addicts. My buddy list contains 158 buddies, whose away messages I consult regularly. I realize they can do the same to mine. Although this extensive audience intimidates me a bit, it also provides incredible opportunities. With a few strokes of my keyboard and clicks of my mouse, I can relay a message to hundreds of friends throughout the world.

I bet when Jose Joseph sat down at his computer the night he committed suicide, he recognized the immense power at his fingertips. I bet he realized the vast audience he could address. He used his away message to expose his deepest emotions, and I bet he hoped for a response. He was trying to connect with someone when in reality he was separated by miles of fiber optic cable. As he flung himself out of his Hamilton College House single, a small window on his computer screen expressed one final statement to the ubiquity of cyberspace. In the center of his monitor in blue Times Roman font, his Away Message read, "There is no wound more deep and no ailment more dire than a broken heart."

What Facebook Has Taught Us

1-Our lives are not that interesting.  2-Other's lives are not that interesting.  3-Even boring people are sometimes interesting.  4-Corporations are not our friends.  5-Businesses can be liked.  6-Facebook is no substitute for real interaction.

I think I joined Facebook in late 2009 - a little late to the party.  I was aware of it much earlier when it was restricted to college students as I had an intern from The University of North Carolina.  It seemed like an interesting concept, if a little frivolous.  I recall the intern commenting how she used Facebook as her primary communication method with friends (real) - email was only for adults.  Yeah, that one made me feel a little old.

Shortly after the intern left to go back to school, Facebook opened to anyone older than 13? who had an email address.  Many people at work joined, but the whole concept still seemed trivial, if interesting to most of us - a belief which is still validated.

I joined more out of boredom than anything else.  On a cold miserable day late in the year, I was looking through little-used parts of my Blackberry and found the preloaded Facebook app.  I joined and it told me I had no friends.  I can only assume that Facebook the business didn't realize what a cold reception that was.  My first posting (to no one) was a quote from Hunter S. Thompson.
I was shocked when a few days or so later someone sent me a friend request.  A previous acquaintance had found me after joining, this lead to a former coworker, recent coworkers and eventually friends (again, real).  By Facebook standards, I still have relatively few friends, and some of them aren't.  I suspect many Facebook Friends are as real as Casper the Ghost.

Like many people enjoying new things, I initially posted stuff frequently at first.  For most new users I encounter, this is typical.  The situation is reminiscent of the mid '90s where new PC owners became adept players of Microsoft Solitaire and Minesweeper (ahhh, windows 3.1).  There appear relatively few dedicated users who continue prolific Facebook posting.  I even had a Farmville Farm for the first six months or so.  Eventually my Farmville Farm began to feel like work instead of fun - always harvesting those damn crops, so I sold off everything and posted a sign in the middle of my farm saying it was seized for failure to pay taxes.  I kept the application active for quite some time until there was a Zynga permission change that I couldn't stomach.  Thankfully, I can turn off most Facebook game posts as they are absolute chaff (pun intended).

I now log on to Facebook about once a day.  My posts are fairly rare and likely to be nonsequiturs or hidden/vague references to things going on.  I do enjoy it as a way to see what people who I rarely see are up to, but it is often just a tool to joke or insult current friends and coworkers.  I have to be careful at times due to some of my "Friends" (young nephew, work management, etc.).  This is not a big deal since I won't post anything that I wouldn't care if the world saw with only minor embarrassment, and my profile picture is either a cryptic picture of me or a picture of something which tangentially references my mood.

What has Facebook Taught us?

1. Our lives are not that interesting.  After the initial burst after joining Facebook, there is only so much that can be said.  At times things said on Facebook are just extensions of what was said in person or "reshares" of what others have posted.  Most of our lives are dominated by the truly mundane and Facebook has demonstrated that in spades.
2. Other's lives are not that interesting, even people we thought might be interesting.  Everyone knows individuals who we thought held captivating lives.  Since there seems to be significant intersection between this group and the subgroup of prolific posters, we now know this is not true.  Compellingly interesting people do not have the animation to post much on Facebook.  Posting pictures of the perfect cherry-cheese danish or the endless quips of the children or pets serves to demonstrate the lack of honest activity.  
3. Even boring people are sometimes interesting.  Since I see things from people I often don't interact with closely, I've been fascinated by some of the hobbies people have or what some people do on vacation.  If most of our lives are dominated by the mundane, things like vacations or other big events or accomplishments can be really interesting and shared.  The corollary to the "Other's lives are not that interesting" is that there are likely interesting people who do not participate in Facebook.
4. Corporations are not our friends.  The "Like" function for companies serves as a tool to allow them to introduce more advertising in our lives.  I will at times "Like" a business for a short time for a specific purpose, but generally unlike later.  The "Coporations are not our friends" rule applies to Facebook as well.  Facebook as an entity is paid for by ads, which is fair since it is free for most of us.  But, it is not serving some altruistic purpose.  I personally do not believe I've ever clicked on a Facebook ad.  The constant threat of changing Facebook security and user agreements serves as a reminder of what Facebook the corporation is.
5. Businesses small enough to be personal can be be "Like"ed.  I have only a few business in the "Like" group and they really are companies I have a connection to.  The endless row of suggested companies continue to fall painfully flat.
6. Facebook (or any social media) is no substitute for real interaction.  My friends are people I see and talk with often or at least occasionally.  My Facebook "Friends" are people I may scan at times to see what they are up to.  If Facebook where honest, the Friend button should be destroyed and replaced with the "Acquaintance" button.

Facebook serves a purpose and has some redeeming attributes.  It is in a tough spot as a ad-based service holding on to what made it mildly interesting while also becoming corporate shill for other corporate shills.  Since the Facebook IPO which was largely seen as a travesty, the real profitability of the company seems to be ambiguous.  Facebook "Home" will become a terrifying development once it includes ads (and it will), making ads go from push to push harder.
Still, it has a long-term place in the Internet lexicon.  As people grow up with "Social Media" it will be interesting to see what happens to the entire genre as it continues to mature.
Like many people, I'm on the fence and would not lose much in my real life where it to go away.  Charge me for it?  Bye.  Continue making ads more prolific and doing so more deceptively?  Bye.  Change security settings in a way I'm uncomfortable with (to date, I think these threats are overblown)?  Bye.  I can't always remember why I even have an account.

For now, I guess it is worth the time of my life it currently consumes.

AFK