Rich Franco's “The Art of Copying Art Work!”

Hello to All!

There seems to be a lot of discussion here, on FAA, about art work being copied and the resulting issues, too dark, too light, blurry, areas out of focus, “Is it my camera?”, etc., and I'd like to take some time(Rich,sometime?, How about lots!) and explain the basics and then the not so basics of copying your art work correctly.

First, the vast majority of images copied and then rejected if sold, are from not following a few fundamental steps and generally, not the quality of the camera, or for that matter, the size of the art work, itself.

ANY camera,digital or film, can adequately copy your art, but of course, you are limited with the output that your camera can produce and enlarging your file, adds to the list of problems. So I'll start with this, if you have a digital camera and it's in sorta newish and can be mounted on a tripod and has a self-timer and finally, can be switched to something other than “Auto”, you're good.

What limits great copies from good copies,will be the quality of the sensor, that's in the camera you have. Example: if you have a point & shoot (P&S) camera, it's sensor is about the size of you finger nail on your pinky and I'm not looking at my nail, but yours! That's pretty small. Of course, cell phones have sensors, even smaller! Although they are catching up.

http://www.gizmag.com/camera-sensor-size-guide/26684/

Using your P&S camera and it's tiny sensor,regardless if it says 12-14-16 mega-pixels(mps), will limit you to the eventual size of the print that can be offered here,when you compare the same 12-14-16 mps that are on DSLR's, Digital Single Reflex cameras, with sensors that are almost full frame, or are actually the full frame sensor, that is the same size of the old 35mm negatives and slides we use to get.

So all “pixels” aren't created equal! The pixel from the full frame DSLR is many times larger than the pixel from the P&S camera and thus, the amount of information,stored/captured in the larger sensor,will make a much better image.

This little “side trip” through digital cameras, will answer a lot of questions later and hopefully, benefit the understanding of the process, as we come to each step.

Bottom Line: Any camera can be used to copy your art, the better($$$) the camera, the better the file that will be produced.

Let me talk a little about “light” and the quality of light,both inside and out. Studio lights, strobes and even hot lights, are produced to create a certain “type” of light, looks like sunlight, looks like incandescent light, but are used to create that particular type of light, over and over. When I used my strobe light to photograph a person or product, I knew that the light would be consistent,shot after shot. One last thing to consider,when working 8-10 hours a day, in a dark studio.

Outside light, on the other hand, is almost constantly changing through the day. Did you notice I said “almost”? There's a period and I learned this many years ago, from the local Kodak guy,when testing film for Kodak, that roughly from 10:00 a.m. And 2:00 p.m., on a cloudless day, the “color” of light is almost a perfect 5500 to 6500 kelvin, no, or little color caste. There is an argument that 5500 or 6500, is now the standard, although ALL TV stuff, is now set to 6500,which is a tiny bit warmer than 5500 k.

My point, you ask? Well, if you are going to copy your artwork outdoors, then guess when's the best time to do that? Yepper, 10:00 to 2:00 and the closer to 12:00, the better. This is assuming you can “light” your art work, directly by the sun and not in the shade. Using a nice white “tent”, to kill any direct light coming from the sun, is best. Second best, is to have your art work in the shade, but bounce sunlight, from large 4x8 foot sheets of white Foamcore,evenly, back into the art.

And even the mostest betterer, set your camera's white balance and use a gray card,to first capture the art, which “teaches” the camera, what a true and accurate color is and ALL the colors in the art will be reproduced accurately.

Bottom Line: You can accurately copy your art work, outside, if you use a few rules and tools(white diffusion material,white Foamcore), and white balance(WB).

So, say you're living in Seattle and you say to me, “Hey Rich, I think I remember what the sun thing you talk about is, but what do I do?” Good question, let's go inside,out of this rain and talk about it!

Shooting your Art Work Indoors

What's really nice about shooting your art work indoors, is that, it hardly ever rains,get's dark,windy,buggy(mostly, I'm in Florida!) AND YOU can control the light! Unlike that Sun thing, which is constantly moving! So good news! So where do we start? Whoa, not so face, mon ami, lets gab a bit first. There are ALL kinds of light sources you can use inside, from professional lights, both hot and cool(fluorescent).

Probably my first choice, if you have the room!

They make these neat vertical banks of light now, 4 bulbs, like in a “shop light” and turned vertically and provide a very even,steady light source and once the “white balance is “corrected” to these lights, will be perfect, as long as the bulbs last. Of course, you can make this same kit your self, with a trip to Home Depot, buy the 4 bulb “shop” light kit and 4 5500K bulbs, for each “Shop”light and you're good to go! Unlike true hot light, these never,ever get hot and can be on, all day. In fact, the bulbs should be on about 20 minutes when you start, so they get all up to the right temperature. So if you have the space and shoot a lot of artwork, then this set-up will work for you!

The next level is to use the bulbs/reflectors in my tutorial,which cost here about $23 each, so you would need about 4 to 6 lights,depending on the size of your art work. And then anything else you might use, should have the same bulbs,regardless of how you point them or direct them. Using different bulbs,with different light color,will be a true headache and not worth the savings.

Bulbs:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoSmart-120W-Equivalent-Daylight-5000K-R40-CFL-Flood-Light-Bulb-ES5R42350K/100687002?N=5yc1vZbmatZ1z0u1gt

Reflectors:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-150-Watt-Incandescent-Brooder-Clamp-Light-HD-303PDQ/204684496

Bottom Line: You can easily and cheaply set up your own “studio” for copying art and cheaply too and get great results!

Now, before we jump into the “mechanics” and the “copying”, one last tidbit of information about light and how it applies to copying art work. Unless I'm wrong and I doubt it(Sir Charles Barkley), MOST art work will be rectangular or square, not many circles being sold here on FAA! So here's the issue, we are using a light source, that is round and the “circle” of light that is aimed towards and onto the art work,will also create a circular pattern, makes sense? And to keep the circles of light from ONLY lighting the spots they hit, we have to make sure that the circles overlap each other and blend in.

Here's a “tidbit” and a great crossword puzzle/Scrabble word, “Umbra” and her brother, “penumbra”. I really just like to use words that have “bra” in them, like “braccolli”! Anyway, I digress. The diagram below,demonstates both the “umbra”, A and the “penumbra” B. Why this is important, is that you ALWAYS want your artwork, within the umbra, or “A” here in this diagram. So the first short black line (C), is where your art should hang, not on the back wall(D),where there is a smaller and harder “sweet spot” to hit. The umbra, is evenly lit and if done correctly, the entire surface of the artwork, will be properly exposed. You can see that the lights are on a 45 degree to the artwork and that's the reason, so now you know why I always say, make sure the lights at at this 45. You now know as much as me! Good news/bad news!

*** Having trouble uploading images right now to my Blog!

In response to an Online Article, U.S., now averaging 1 school shooting a day!

And it will get worse. This is now the "norm" for people with problems,bullying,money,marital,etc. grab your legal or your family's legal gun and go shoot as many as you can, the more you shoot and kill and injure,the more famous you'll be. 

It's part of the fabric of us, as Americans and can't be "fixed" with new gun laws,or the restriction of new gun sales. NOW, it's a "American" problem, and I predict, countries that try to imitate us and our ways, will be begin to have the same atrocities in their countries. So it's a bigger problem, more than just limiting or outlawing "illegal" type fire arms or even limiting the number of guns people can have, it's now the "go to" answer for problemed people. And we as a nation and a People, have allowed this and now, this has taken on a life of it's own and is beyond simple solutions and will be come a part of the "fabric" of American Life, for now and the foreseeable future. We can't on one hand, accept the profits from all the "violence" we create, Movies,Music,Sports,etc. and not expect some "payback". If all or most of these shootings are indeed done, using "legal" weapons,legally purchased and in most cases, used for legal purposes, then now it's no longer about the "automatic" weapons vs hunting and home protection weapons, it now a much larger problem, it's become "Americanized" and a "solution" to troubled peoples problems.

The Future of America, Not So Good!

   Hello to All! It's Sunday and a good time to sit and read a bit. Here's 2 suggestions, for those interested in what the Unitied States is and is becoming, both not good. The first is a short piece by Robert Reich on the growing split between the have's and the have nots, the 1%'ers and everyone else. If you enjoy,learn or are intriqued by the "paper",then the next learning journey, is to buy/rent his latest documentary "Inequality for All",
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCbAyk8aRxI.

 I watched this movie this past Friday and I found it to be very informative,easily understood,explaining very difficult concepts and humorous. The direction we, the Unitied States of America, is headed,based on this paper and movie, isn't where I would hope my children and their children are headed. As bad as the economy is now, it will only get worse,maybe not for the 1%'ers, but for the rest of the nation. Simply can't get better, the way the 1%'ers are running and driving this country. This should be considered an "apolitical" piece and both sides will take the blame. As Americans, we have an individual responsibitily to continually educate ourselves, about ourselves and our country, and this video will help.                                                                                                             The next project and even more frightening is the book I just read about a month ago,that created many nights of sleeplessness, The Rise of the Warrior Cop,

             http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Warrior-Cop-Militarization-Americas/dp/1610392116

   which when read and understood, will bring more clarity to the events, we see, everyday, the "strong arm tactics" of our local police, the increasing use of Military grade weapons, in our local police forces, the loose new meaning of "Deadly Force",used now by the cops, to justify the "murders" they have created,killing unarmed citizens, because of the "potential harm to them or others"! The cover of the book, may seem like a Science Fiction depiction of "Star War" characters,defending the Empire, but in reality, it's a bit more recent than that, This image is from the 2008 Republican convention, held here in Tampa!      

 

Photo Expeditions With Big Rich!

 

Hello to All! I've just posted a few new Services that I'll be offering on Fine Art America, Photoshop stuff, editing, Portfolio Review,etc., but would like to explain the Photo Expedition opportunities further and give a few possible examples. As you probably know, I've been a Professional Photographer for over 30+ years and have always enjoyed learning and sharing my experiences with others. And now I've stepped up to the next level, Leading Photo Tours, both here in Central Florida, Florida and also tours throughout the U.S. and more.

 

If you've been on any Photo Tours, you know that the "quality" of the tour itself, really relies on the knowledge and experience of the photographer, both technically with the camera and with the "Artistry" needed to capture the very best images at any given location, but also the knowledge of the location itself! And since I've been here now for over 40 years, the knowledge of Florida is a given! And the experience of photography, after 30+ years is too!

 

These tours will be fun and interesting for all involved. They will be "organic" in the sense that if the group wants to do more in one area, we can or if we want to move on, we will. Obviously, on any individual tours, YOU'RE the BOSS!!!

 

Prior to arriving, we'll have lots of discussions about what you would like to do and see and what you would like to learn or get more proficient with, tripods, Mirror Lock-Up, "panning" long exposures,etc. So every person involved will have a "customized" list of things that they want to achieve on the tour and that will be my list too!

 

So let's see some potential examples of the types of tours I'll be offering:  

 

1 Day tours Orlando area or Central Florida.

 

  Depending on the time of year, we'll be able to visit the beautiful Harry P. Leu Gardens, http://www.leugardens.org/ or even the more famous Bok Tower Gardens, http://boktowergardens.org/, which is a short trip south of Orlando and the attractions. A trip to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, is also a short trip to the East and can be a "sunrise or sunset" tour. During the trip, we'll be able to discuss cameras,lenses,tripods,etc. and any other photo gear that you would like to learn about. A single day Photo Tour will range from 8 to 10 hours or so,depending on the time of year and also the size of the group.

 

2 Day tours of Central Florida

 

 Again, depending on what you would like to do and see, we can visit the local spots that I've visited and photographed, Natural Springs, Wetlands, National Forest, Seaside, sunrises and sunsets. Really centers on your "wish list" and what you would like to do and see. If you want more time in front of the computer, I can do that too! It's up to you.

 

4 Day tours of Florida 

 

Here's where it can get really interesting! We can travel more, Everglades,Keys, West Coast, Panhandle,etc. A possible itinerary could be driving to the West Coast of Florida, visit Sanibel and it's World Famous Ding Darling Bird Sanctuary,

 

http://www.dingdarling.org/wildlife.html 

 

get up the next morning and head down to the Western Everglades and explore there, end up that night on the Eastern side of the Everglades and then travel the day up the Eastern coast of Florida. OR Just spend all the time in the Everglades, the Florida Keys,etc. You're choice!

 

Or head North and visit the Historic St. Augustine city, spend a few days in town(during the week!!!) and then spend the last night on the beach and capture the beautiful sunrise the following morning!

 

5 Day Tours, the big picture, the U.S.!

 

Now, with a nice group organized, we'll meet anywhere in the U.S. and spend 5 days, photographing the "hot spots" and also having a "image review" every day and a short seminar, if asked about photo stuff and gear. This is the "unlimited" photo expedition and will be designed around what the group wants and where they want to meet and work. One day may be the early day, sunrise shots and then an early evening, with discussions,etc. and then the next day, a late morning and then a Sunset evening. But this all depends on what you'd like to do and see!

 

So I hope I've "tweaked" your interest and as always, you can send me any suggestions or comments, on making this the best possible "adventure".

 

Here's some info on the costs:

 

  Leading and guiding Photo Trips,here in Florida and around the U.S. $500/person/day + expenses, $1500/group/day + expenses(up to 6 people)

 

Please contact me about any questions you might have, about the costs or the itinerary,

 

Thanks,

 

Rich Franco

p.s.

below are a few images from some of the places I talked about. Much more can be seen here:

http://rich-franco.artistwebsites.com/  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 1. Fantasy Of Flight, 1 hour south of Orlando

 2. Merritt Island, 1 hour East of Orlando

 3.Leu Gardens, Orlando

 4. Leu Gardens,Orlando

 5. Glacier National Park, pretty far from Orlando!

 6.Glacier National Park, ditto!

 7. Alexander Springs, 1 hour North of Orlando

 8. Smokies National Park, further than above!

 9. Smokies National Park, ditto!

 10. Cody, WY,  Mustang Refuge,far!

 11. Merritt Island, 1 hour from Orlando

 12. Merritt Island, 1 hour still!

 13. Merritt Island, well you know!

Rich Franco's Amazing Prime Rib Recipe!

Post Searing 2011 Revised

This recipe is based on my 12 lb prime rib I bought 10 days before the Christmas Dinner. All instructions will apply, except for the actual cooking time, based on the size/weight of your roast that you buy.

1. Go to the bank and take out a small loan to purchase your prime rib.
2. Last year, I had the butcher remove the rib from the roast and then tied back together with cooking string. This is called “ribs off”. I didn't do it this year, because I didn't want to worry about any germs, possibly growing between the ribs and the roast, over the long 9 days of aging I was going to do this time.
3. I then cleaned the ribs and patted them dry with paper towels and then wrapped the roast in the cheese cloth. Place into the fridge. After the first night, remove the old and bloodied cheese cloth and replace with new. On the 4^th day, I changed the cheese cloth for the final time.
4. 24 hours before your meal, remove the cheese cloth covered roast from the frig, and discard, the cheese cloth, not the roast.
5. 

   

   After 9 days, not pretty!

   
   
   Danger-Danger!!! The next part can be dangerous! Get a very sharp knife and cut/remove any and all, old stinky meat or fat from the roast. I was a little concerned when I took the roast out from the back of the fridge and it, uh, stank!$$$! But after I removed the bad stuff, it was fine. I may have removed a few ounces at the most.
   
   
6. Now put the roast on a large platter, wipe the meat down with EVO, extra virgin olive oil, top, sides, bottom. Take your spices/rub and rub/smear them on the roast, again, top,bottom,sides. I used mostly what I already had, Emeril's All Natural Steak Rub, Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic, Garlic powder, crushed black pepper, but skipped adding more salt, because the Meat Magic and the Steak Rub have plenty. I don't think you can have too much of the rub on the roast.
7. 

   

   Here's the Roast after the rubs, before the aluminum foil wrap

   Next, take some large heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap the meat, 2-3 times and return it to the fridge. This needs to be at least overnight, two nights, even better! 
8. Showtime! Next day, remove the roast from the foil and discard, the foil, not the meat!
9. Let it sit on the counter for an hour or two. Since my roast was 12 lbs, the 2 hours wasn't near enough to bring the center temp. up to room temperature. And here in Florida, we don't let any food item sit out very long, unless it has a cork in it! I think it helped later, during the cooking phase. My meat only got up to 43 degrees after 2 hours!

Here's the roast, ready and on the Gas Grill

(I chose to cook my roast on the gas grill, indirect heat, but the roast will do fine in an oven. I just had some extra flavor from the 4-5 hours the roast was in the roasting pan and rack. I even added some cherry wood chips to add some more flavor!)

10. I started with the heat temp. around 250 or so, on the grill and with indirect heat.(the center gas line wasn't lit) and the meat was on a rack, with 2 cups of water, in the pan, to start. I kept water in the pan during the whole cooking process, with the theory that it might keep the meat from drying out, until I did the final searing. Cook for 3-4 hours. Here's my hourly temp checks: 12:30 46 degrees, 1:30 62 degrees, 2:30 87 degrees, 3:30 108 degrees, 4:30 120 degrees BINGO!!!
11. When the meat reached 120 degrees, I removed it from the heat and let it sit, cooling for about 30 minutes. I then turned the heat up on the grill to 500 degrees and returned the meat for 15 minutes. This sears the meat and adds a nice crust too. And it will only heat up the outside in that short time.
12. 
    

    

             Roast is done and sitting for another 30 minutes                    

    I then removed the meat from the grill and let it set for 20-30 minutes before carving it up. It was perfect, medium rare centers and medium to medium well on the ends!

I think this is as long as I'll try aging the meat. I might have tried a day or two longer, but this was when Publix put the meat on sale.

 If you have any questions or suggestions, email me at:

bigrichpho@aol.com

Rich

Food for thought: part 2

Big Rich’s New York Style Cheesecake

1 lb. cottage cheese
1 lb. cream cheese
1 ½ cups Domino’s sugar
4 eggs, beaten lightly
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
¼ lb. butter
1 pt. sour cream

Cream the cheese in a bowl, add sugar, gradually beating. Then add the eggs and beat until smooth. Stir in lemon, vanilla, flour and cornstarch. Add melted butter (after it’s cooled) and mix until smooth. Finally, blend in sour cream.

Pour into a greased 9” spring form pan. Bake in a MODERATE OVEN, 325 degrees, for 1 hour. Allow the cake to remain in the oven for 2 hours longer, with the oven turned off. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN during the total 3 hours!

Eat the cheesecake!

Energy suggestions, like this paper I wrote in March, all have the same basic principle proposed, "let's start now, but slowly". This suggestion of mine really wants to start now, but BIG! What do you think?

Now is the Time

I believe we have an opportunity to change both the direction and the scope of this country’s energy policy. In order to accomplish this feat, we need to make some tough and quick decisions. Here’s my plan of action. It’s only a first step and can certainly use some tweaks, here and there, but I feel it could be used for a foundation for a larger and more permanent solution to our energy needs and our dependence on foreign oil imports.

Here goes: In my home state of Florida, our utility provider, Progress Energy, recently announced that they would be applying for permits and begin the process for two nuclear power plants. According to information from the Internet, they have said the costs would be $17 Billion dollars. Also on the Internet, the consensus is that build time to go online and start providing energy to its customers would be at least 3 years. This is a best-case scenario and with large projects of this size and complexity, nothing is ever on time and on budget. So, lets say it’s rounds out to $20 billion and takes 5 years, with a few lawsuits thrown in to slow it down and some material shortages (cement to China). In this timeline, we’ve received no energy from these two sites and the energy problem and the cost of energy in Florida and the rest of the United States has increased . What has this investment done for us in those years to get up and running, nothing!

So we’ve spent $17-20 billion dollars and created a limited regional employment spike, with a very specific workforce. Our electric bills have increased and now we face an issue again, what to do with the nuclear waste that we’ve started to generate and how to keep it safe. What have we gained with this decision and was it the right one? My suggestion is that it was the wrong one, maybe easy, but wrong. Here’s the better choice, in my opinion.

Make some tough decisions, but the right ones, such as instead of the $17-20 billion dollars being spent on 2 power plants, how about a few million power plants, or Micro-Farms. Millions of homes and businesses! We could start with the best states for solar power, Florida (Sunshine State) as one of the best producers of solar energy, (most of the Sunbelt states, California, etc.). These micro farms would harvest solar energy and distribute it back into the national grid. We’re doing this already when one state/utility company buys or sells electric power to each other, but now we’ve got EXCESS energy being generated by these states and being sent where it’s needed. How would we do this you ask?

Here’s the plan: Utility companies would “rent” space from homeowners or businesses and install solar panels on their roofs. The solar panels would be owned by the utility companies, much like the wind turbine farms out west. They are leasing a footprint to install their turbines and generate energy back into the grid. It could be just as simple as that here.

Example: My Florida home is just less than 2000 sq. ft and during the summer, mostly July, August and September, I will use at peak 2300kws/month. During the cooler months, I will consume 800-1,000kws/month. If Progress Energy installed a 4000kw system on my roof, most months my energy needs would be satisfied and I would have an excess of 2-3,000kws to return to the grid! Now multiply this by a few million homes and businesses and we’re solving a problem and we’re making a profit doing it. I no longer have an electric bill (based on my last 24 months of usage, I would have to stay within my past parameters) and the utility company now has a product that they can sell and trade with other utilities. Of course the gradual effect of this would be lower rates to Americans, which isn’t such a bad thing.

Now some specific ideas about the process of getting this accomplished. All the billions of dollars being set aside for the nuclear power plants and also the expected billions from the stimulus could now be directed to solve this problem.

The great thing about this idea, aside from the billions of dollars and a few tough decisions to be made, is this can happen almost overnight. As soon as the decision is made and the money spigot is turned on, people will begin to get hired. These new hires would be at all levels of experience. Another example: Month 1, management, supervisory, planners, buyers and a ton of administration positions will be needed. Raw materials will need to be ordered, some of which will be in stock and others will need to be manufactured. Homeowners will begin to apply for these solar panels and the administration people will need to service these applications. I would suggest that we immediately use any and all existing solar panels and begin installations. In Florida, we have a construction workforce that will be able to handle this first phase, after this, training and manufacturing will have to start. At this smaller volume of panels being installed and serviced, we’ll begin the process of fine-tuning the overall project for the eventual installations of thousands and then finally millions of these solar panels.

Ok, the end of the first month and maybe here’s where we are: Thousands of people hired, existing panels being installed and small regional manufacturing sites identified (we have and most of the country has, a surplus of large empty commercial and retail buildings sitting vacant, ready to be leased and turned into simple manufacturing facilities.). The panels themselves may be a composite of designs from more than one company, but they have to all be simple. Simple to design, simple to manufacture and simple to install. We’re talking quantity here, not let’s wait till we have the most efficient design and then do. Do it now with what is either already on the drawing board or in manufacturing today. These panels will have to be generic and the panel made in California, will be the same as in Florida. Materials will be all the same and if we have a shortage in Arizona, Texas will supply the need. The most important item on this list is of course the Photovoltaic cells or substrate. We’ll use what’s on the shelves all over the country to get started, but at some point, we’ll have to start producing a generic product and this is where the government can help. The government can issue purchase orders for a product that has specifications that will need to be met, regardless of where the P-V cells are made. This will give the manufactures a timeline to begin to retrofit their existing assembly, if they so choose, but if not, they would be losing market share by doing so.

I know that this concept will annoy and frustrate many manufacturers, which have spent millions of dollars developing a unique and viable product, but I think that we have to consider this as a nation, much like the response of the American people during the World War 2 period. Victory Gardens, Bond drives and even rationing began. Men went to war and the women of America, for the first time in our history, started doing the work of their husbands, fathers and brothers. It was a huge mindset to accept, but they did it and were successful doing it. They, the manufacturers, can still produce their unique product; it will just have to meet certain design, dimensional and productivity specifications.

Another part of the puzzle that would NOT be designed in, a battery storage system for these installations. This would help both in construction and also in the cost of the system to the homeowners/Power /Utility companies. The power would just go back into the grid. If people wanted to add battery storage capabilities then it’s their decision and their nickel.

Now six months into the new program and things are really starting to come together. We’ve installed thousands of panels, power is starting to flow back into the grid and energy prices are beginning to fall. A few 100,000 or so people have jobs.

By the way, some people may think that we can’t possibly install that many panels on Florida roofs in just 6 months, but just look back to the roofing industry and what they did here in Florida after some of the major hurricanes came through. People were working 10-12 hours a day installing new roofs and that might be just the effort we’ll need this time for this program.

Now, 2-3 years into the project and what have we accomplished? Well, our unemployment is the lowest in years. We’ve created a product now that is commercially competitive around the Globe. We have a skilled and educated workforce that can stand shoulder to shoulder with any in the world. We no longer import oil and with the recent breakthroughs in Solar Technology, our oil usage has finally begun a downward run. We aren’t still in court fighting lawsuits with the various groups opposed to nuclear power and we haven’t begun to manufacture nuclear waste, which will be a problem for hundreds of generations. We’ve stopped mining coal and destroying the environment in the coal mining regions. We’ve saved billions of dollars not building new nuclear or coal burning power plants. And maybe now, we’re doing something good for the planet.

I realize that the people who make big decisions have big lobbyists pressuring them to go and do it the way we’ve always done it, more coal, more nuclear. But this is where the tough decisions come into play and the outcome has huge results. Bottom line: in a few years time, we could be energy sufficient, using solar powered technology or we could be looking at still relying on foreign oil, escalating energy prices and an economy suffering for lack of jobs and a national focus. There are countries already across the globe, which have made the right decisions and put their investments into solar and wind power, with a fraction of our resources, and are now independent from importing oil, maybe now it’s our time.

It’s up to our government to lead the way and the American people will follow and our children and grandchildren and generations to follow will look back at this time and say” They made the tough decisions, but the right ones!”

Rich Franco
March 12, 2009