Seize the storm

I have done a lot of work on the website of late for a number of reasons:

1. To keep me busy
2. To appease the readers
3. To increase the quality of the website

Photography Sales – The most important change was the addition of the Photography Sales section.   I’ve done my best to present the most customer-friendly source of revenue for the website and chasing.   I realize it still needs some more work on the front end but this will have to wait for now.   At least now you can purchase, buy,  or otherwise  aquire  any picture, photo, print on the website.   I’m an amateur photographer at this point but I think I have some really beautiful pictures that someone might like hanging on their wall.   I’m working to get pictures not just of storms and clouds but landscape, scenery, seasonal (summer, fall, winter, spring), and any other kind of photography.   I will use the Photography category to publicize those pictures.   The chasing stuff will remain under the chase logs but by all means, those are available for purchase as well.   Note: All of the sales and transaction of money is done through Paypal because security is a big concern of mine.

Weather Station – The next change I did was updated the weather section on the top right.   The old one wasn’t getting updated very often thus making my website look out of date.   This one does a bit better and is under active development for improvements.

Subscriptions – Another important change on the website is the ability to subscribe to new posts.   There’s more information in the Subscribe Here page about that.   Basically if you’re interested only in my photography posts, you can subscribe only to that topic and be notified automatically of new posts in the photography category.   Just another way I’m trying to deliver what you want from my website to you as fast as possible.

Bandwidth – Already this month, I’ve used almost 40% of my bandwidth.   It’s good that the website is so popular, but just today I reduced the number of posts that are visible on the front page to three posts.   This should help save on bandwidth dramatically.   The next step would be to remove all title photos from posts.   After that – eek, hopefully it won’t come to that.

Things to come:

T-shirts – I have some really good ideas for t-shirts and have some of the designs on paper.   This will keep me occupied over the long winter months of no storms.   More than likely, this will be something done through CafePress.

Polos – You may have seen me wearing the Carpe Tempestas polo in the pictures of my Sept. 16 chase.   I will be getting price lists up for these as well.   These will be done locally – here in Brookings, SD.

———     NEW: I did get T-shirts, hoodies, and polos put on the website, click here for the details. ———

Uncluttering – I may have to reformat the website and make some of the Pages into posts just to save some room.   If it ends up being too cluttered with the new additions, then I’ll look into this.

So the Today Show is having the president of Exxon come on their show – great, I’m glad someone agreed.   He’s the only one of 5 or 6 Big Oil companies to respond.   First of all, I’d rather buy my gas from someone who is at least standing up to the pressure.   Now, to my email to the Today Show.   However insightful it may be, I doubt it will make it on.

It is sad that one of the greatest freedoms in this country is being shaved away – the lure of the open road.   No longer can we just “get away from it all”.  

At the same time, I am stuck in this paradox of being glad that America is learning to consume more efficiently but gas is becoming more out of reach for the low and middle class.   But those with the $’s can keep on filling their guzzling SUVs so they can go to the lake cabin for the weekend.  

So now I sit here wondering if I should lay down the keys of my 98 Ford Escort (33 MPG) and hop on a moped (80 MPG)…only to do “my part” to conserve?   When is doing “my part” enough?!?!   Toyota is pulling the same card as Big Oil is, demand is high for hybrids – so I definitely can’t afford one of those.

Question: I want to know where all these profits are going because if Exxon or any other Big Oil company is to outlast oil, they better be researching other ways to power a car.   This “gravy train” is going to come to a halt someday…are you prepared?

The tire dream (sooner to become a reality)  

It was confirmed again that I need new tires on the first chase of the season. My car rather complained as I was heading into Yankton and I hydroplaned a bit. It helps to have tread on the tires to channel the water. I’m still biding my time to get all the other repairs paid off which ended up costing me $383.

The new tires will be $112.43 a piece and that includes installation. I was going to go with the Goodyear TripleTred but they don’t come in the 185/65/14 size that I need. I even emailed Goodyear and they told me there were no plans to expand the 14 inch size line. So, in keeping with my warning to Goodyear, I informed them that I would be purchasing their competitor’s tire – Michelin Hydroedge. I’m kind of saddened by this because the TripleTred clearly beat out the Hydroedge in all my research. Now my goal is to see just how far these 90,000 mile warranty tires will carry me. The guy at the repair shop I go to was pretty much dumbfounded, “I just don’t know how they can make it that high. What the heck are they putting in there?!?!”

The “Santa would sure be cool if…” dream

1. $ 500 – Antenna system for data
2. $ 800 – Video Camera
3. $ 130 – Pinnacle Video Editing
4. $1000 – Digital Rebel
5. $ 500 – Photoshop
6. $ 250 – Scanner/HAM radio
7. $ 300 – In-car mounting, power solutions

Donations?

Have you heard of those e-panhandling sites?   Some girl got $20,000 of her debt paid off that way.   Maybe I should setup a “Donate to a Worthy Cause” button on my website…hahaha. If only Bill Gates would swing by carpetempestas…stop dreaming Ed.