Location:  Williams Landing, Lake Talquin in Tallahassee, FL

 Event Date:  6/13/2009

Hayley's Angels, Inc. is having a Bass Fishing Tournament to benefit the ACS- Relay for Life. The tournament is open to anyone who is 18 years or older. Blast-off begins at safe daylight and boats will be launched in the order that entry forms are received. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required.  Anglers who choose to register the day of the tournament will have an additional $25.00 fee.  In addition to the tournament there will be food, family fun, raffles and a kids fishing rodeo. Email relay4hayley@aol.com for more information.

A start-up founded by former Apple Inc. engineers said it has developed technology that could bring film-like realism to computer games and change the way movie makers and other design professionals work.

The San Francisco company, Caustic Graphics Inc., plans to exploit a technique called ray-tracing that generates extremely accurate three-dimensional images. Ray-tracing is a mainstay of Hollywood studios, but remains out of reach for most PC users. A single image can take hours to generate; rendering a film can take months on hundreds of server systems.

Computer games and other PC software typically rely on a technology called rasterization. Though the results keep getting more realistic, developing an interactive form of ray-tracing has been a longtime quest in the computer industry.

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Caustic Graphics’ technology helps computer-generated images look more like photographs.

Caustic, whose name refers to light rays reflecting off a curved object, says it is close to achieving that goal. The company says its software and chips allow graphics chips to carry out ray-tracing calculations at a 20-fold speed-up compared with existing PC hardware. It said it expects to deliver chips by early 2010 that will be about 200 times faster.

In a demonstration, Caustic executives manipulated a photo-quality image of a sports car, removing components and changing lighting and background settings to change reflections on the vehicle’s surface.

“It’s the first honest acceleration of ray-tracing I’ve seen,” said Jon Peddie, a market researcher in Tiburon, Calif., who specializes in graphics technology.

Caustic faces many challenges. They include larger competitors and the need to persuade PC users to buy a second add-in card containing its chips, in addition to conventional graphics accelerators.

Caustic is largely the brainchild of James McCombe, a 26-year-old native of Northern Ireland who worked on graphics technology used in Apple’s iPhone and iPod. He left in 2006 with two other Apple engineers to form Caustic, a closely held company that employs 35 people and has raised \$11 million.

Mr. McCombe said graphics chips have hundreds of specialized calculating engines that are particularly good at rasterization, which converts three-dimensional models into pixels on a computer screen. Ray-tracing, by contrast, emulates the ways light rays bounce off objects in a scene. Graphics chips can’t easily handle those complex calculations, which require extensive communication between processors. Caustic has developed ways to keep data flowing to them efficiently, Mr. McCombe said.

Armed with the technology, Caustic executives say, designers who now work with the software equivalent of stick figures could manipulate realistic designs — without having to stop to render their images periodically. “This would really represent a breakthrough for us,” said Ron Frankel, president of Proof Inc., which develops “pre-visualizations” to show film directors and designers how movie scenes might be shot.

The company hopes to initially target architects, engineers and animators, and later entertainment applications on PCs and gaming consoles. Mr. McCombe expects accelerator cards using its chips to cost about the same as existing graphics accelerators, adding that its circuitry eventually could be combined with graphics chips. High-end graphics cards typically cost several hundred dollars.

But exploiting Caustic’s chips will require modifications to existing ray-tracing programs. Other companies, meanwhile, are finding ways to do ray-tracing using the microprocessors in PCs, rather than graphics chips. One is Bunkspeed Inc., which has a program called HyperShot that can make photo-quality images from three-dimensional computer models.

Philip Lunn, Bunkspeed’s chief executive, says that Caustic also faces potential competition from larger chip makers that include Intel Corp. and Nvidia Corp. The latter is collaborating with Mental Images GmbH, a software maker Nvidia acquired in 2007, to accelerate ray-tracing using graphics chips.

Mr. McCombe “is one of the smartest people in the business,” says Rolf Herken, Mental Images’ chief executive and chief technology officer. But “whether Caustic will have an impact on the design of future chips, that is an open question,” he added.

Write to Don Clark at don.clark@wsj.com

GP Events is proud to present Tallahassee's ultimate shopping event.  You are invited to enjoy an afternoon of fabulous shopping, wine sampling, food tasting, and fun.   

Date: Sunday, March 22, 2009  

Time: 2:00p - 6:00p  

Location: Brokaw-McDougall House  

Highlights of the event:  

Complimentary Appetizers provided by Everyday's A. Holliday

Complimentary Beauty Services provided by Beauti Control Complimentary Wine Awesome Door Prizes    

The first 50 people to purchase a ticket will entered to win a FREE 30 Minute Massage.

www.tallyfashionistaexperience.com

Today's post deals with the very real abuse of people who claim to be hurt and use a handicap sticker to park. 

Ever see someone park in a handicap space only to walk perfectly fine to the store?  Doesn't it just burn you up?  Now maybe they had an injury previosly, and they needed to park close at one time, but once you are well, you are well.  People use their grandmas handicap sticker when she doesn't even drive, but how can you tell.  Here is an idea, how about the police actually checking the name associated with handicap window hangers.  I bet more people park using a handicap tag illegally then, the amount of people who get tickets who park in those spaces. 

Here is another one, ever catch that person who does not have a handicap license plate or a window tag hanging in their car until they park.  It magically appears once they find that close parking spot.  My favorite is the person you know or have seen before, and now they have a limp.  Classic!  How about the person who parks in the fire lane in front of a grocery store.  Who is this idiot?  Usually a person proud of their used 2004 Mercedes that they just bought in which they seem to think they are somebody.  Guess what?  You are someone...an idiot.

My post today focuses on guest complaints. 

Ever hear of the phrase, "you break it, you buy it"?  Why is it not good enough to tell a guest, "you eat it, you buy it"?  I do not know why guests want something for free after they eat.  Ever buy a frozen dinner at Publix, heat it up, place it on the table, take one bite of it, and then, throw it away because it taste like crap?  We all have, however, do you go back to Publix and ask for your money back?  Of course not.  You make a decision that you will not buy that thing again.  It should work the same way in a restaurant, but it does not.  Here is what we get:

"This don't taste right."  "This doesn't look like the picture."  "They didn't make this right."

"This doesn't have enough sauce."  "My steak that I wanted extra well is too burned."

"This steak has brown juice coming out and I wanted it well done...Hello?"

or my favorite....."This is not what I expected."  So what did you expect a salad to taste like?   What exactly did you think the chicken was gonna taste like?  How did you expect that rum and coke to taste?

I hope I have not decribed any of you fine Fox viewers at a restaurant?  However, if I did, I have an idea:  Try your luck with the TV dinner from Publix. 

Today's post is about regulars.  Every restaurant has them, every restaurant wants them, every restaurant needs them, but some think they own the place.  Regulars are a welcome sight to many of us and we enjoy serving most of them.  However, the regular who acts like the assistant manager during the shift is a bit annoying.  You know who you are:  Telling the manager that the bathroom needs "attention", and then we go in there and it looks fine.  Telling us what should be on the TVs, telling us that someone is waiting at the front door, telling us that a server's uniform doesn't look right.  Do us a favor, eat your steak, drink your beer, and enjoy.  We will see you next time.  However, we would be glad to take your resume if you want a job.

Enjoy your Meal!

Today I decided to start a blog.  This blog is meant to enlighten people as to the life of restaurant employees, managers, and owners and what we deal with on a daily basis.  Some of it will be funny.  Some of it will amaze you, and hopefully, I will not be describing you or your party when you go out to eat.

  Tallahassee has many restaurants employing ten of thousands of employees who help keep this local economy moving.  However, my first blog will be on the subject of wages.  Unfortunately, I am about to enlighted too many people about the wages of restaurant employees.  Servers at most restaurants make $4.19/hr, yes, $4.19 per hour.  It was $3.77/hr until January of 2009.  How do you think they make up the difference to be able to make the current minimum wage of $7.21?  You guest it, Tips.  I have seen too many servers crying about waiting on a table, and receiving no tip.  In some restaurants, the server pays money into a pool for the support staff to split as their tips.  That includes bartenders, hosts, and bus boys.  Therefore, when a server does not receive a tip, they actually pay money to wait on that table.  Why would a server not get a tip?  I am afraid the answer in most cases is just because the guest did not leave one.  Sure servers make mistakes, the kitchen can get backed up, or you may wait longer to get a table, but none of those are reasons to not tip a server.  A stardard tip should be 15% of the bill before any discounts or coupons.  A poor server should receive a 10% tip, and a great server should receive at least 20%.  Of course, servers should be making your dining experience the best it can be, and if they succeed, you should tip accordingly.  How many workers would like to pay money for answering the phone and keeping a customer on hold too long?  How about the delivery driver who is 3 hours late for his delivery paying the store a few bucks for the inconvenience?   How about the retail clerk who is too busy talking on the cell phone to help you pick out a dress?  Should we fine her some pay?  Next time you make a mistake at your job, think about how you would feel to lose almost half of your hourly wages?

Tip your servers!!

Then on the other hand, there are people who don't think for themselves, seeking out obscure quotes from people you've never heard of, griping about government, while still collecting a check for a "disability" that stops them from working, but doesn't affect their deer hunting or riding 4 wheelers. STAY ALERT! Those are the ones to look out for. They walk among us and they vote. They're too old to REPRODUCE.

The Aging of Presidents

Much has been said about the aging of the President of the United States during their terms in office.  Below are just a few examples (pictures on the left were taken their first year in office, pictures on the right were taken during their last year in office):  


                          Ronald Reagan

                                Bill Clinton

                     George W. Bush

  And now with state of the art computer imaging software, we can look into the future and see what our next potential president will look like after his term in office:

             Barack Hussein Obama

And even his wife.....Michelle

Recipe for a Terrifying Phobia

Creating Wild Adventures’ Halloween Event Involves Everyone

Valdosta, GA- Creating the new Hatterville haunted village, the Black Forest, and the other Phobia attractions began long before the nights turned chilly.  Every team member of Wild Adventures played a role in creating Phobia and preparing the park for the event.  Painting, designing, writing, filming, rehearsing and planning, Phobia began to take shape in June with the help of over 400 team members. 

Transforming Wild Adventures into a Halloween destination took many spooky items and a lot of materials.  150 bails of hay and 60 pumpkins helped to decorate the entire park for this Halloween event.  The construction of the five haunted houses in the all-new Hatterville as well as the children’s Boo House required 250 gallons of paint and over 400 sheets of plywood.  The haunted houses feature 300 windows and 50 doorways as well as 350 spiders and 70 skeletons.  66 spooky creatures inhabit the haunted houses and spook zones of Hatterville.   

Hatterville is not the only place guests can visit for a scare.  Approximately 500 acres of Bamboo covers the Black Forest, haunting visitors and obstructing their way.  There are also over 100 minutes of frightful attractions such as the Globe of Terror, Creatures of the Night, Bumpkin Batch and the Spooky Hayride for guests to enjoy.  Fourteen costumes, five creepy critters, three motorcycles and two tractors are all a part of the Phobia Shows and Friendly Frights during Phobia.

The four-month long process to make over Wild Adventures for Phobia required the help of all park team members as well as an enormous amount of Halloween items.  “This year’s Phobia, including Hatterville, was a challenge considering the scope of the project and the short time fame we had to complete construction.  Without the exceptional teamwork of all of our departments we could not have finished.  Seeing our guests enjoy every the attractions and experience all the facets of Phobia makes the work well worth it,” said Steve Honeycutt, Vice President of Operations for Wild Adventures.

This is the eighth year Wild Adventures has hosted this haunted event.  The event continues until November 1 with the haunted activities included in the price of park admission.  Regular admission is $45 and Junior/Senior admission is $40 and both include the Second-Day Free.  Discount coupons are available at participating Wendy’s restaurants.  2009 Passports are on sale and can be used now to enjoy Phobia and the other park attractions.  Regular Passports are $69 and Gold Passports are $89.  Purchase a Gold Passport to receive free parking and discounts throughout the park.

For more information on Phobia, visit www.phobiaevent.com.  For more information on any of the park’s activities, visit www.wildadventures.net or call (229) 219-7080.  

Brother Team Frightens with Globe of Terror

 Guinness Record Holders Perform for Phobia

 Valdosta, GA- The brother team of Kyle and Cody Ives are the cyclists set to scare at the motorcycle stunt show, the Globe of Terror.  This show, with freestyle motorcycle jumping, will be featured during Phobia at Wild Adventures which runs through November 1.  

Cody, 14 and Kyle, 16 have traveled all over the United States and the world and they are no strangers to performing.  Cody holds the Guinness World Record for the youngest person to ride in the steel sphere, the Globe of Death.  He began riding in the globe at the age of eight.  Kyle Ives specializes in freestyle motorcycle stunts where he reaches heights of over 30 feet.  He was named a Guinness Record holder as the youngest free style jumper.  The third member of the team is Jorel Bermudez, 21, from Miami, Florida.

The performance ground for the motorcycle stunt show, located in front of the Lagoon, consists of two ramps, placed approximately 55 feet apart, and a 12- foot steel globe.  During the show, two cyclists speed inside the Globe of Terror.  Cody and Kyle Ives along with Jorel Bermudez perform in the Globe of Terror Fridays at 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:30 p.m., 7:20 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

This is the fourth year of Phobia at Wild Adventures.  The event continues until November 1 with the haunted activities included in the price of park admission.  Regular admission is $45 and Junior/Senior admission is $40 and both include a Second-Day Free.  Discount coupons are available at participating Wendy’s restaurants. 

For more information on Phobia, visit www.phobiaevent.com.  For more information on any of the park’s activities, please visit www.wildadventures.net or call (229) 219-7080.

Face New Phobias at Wild Adventures 
 New Hatterville haunted village and Globe of Terror promise to send chills down your spine

Valdosta, GA- Are you scared of the dark?  Do heights make your knees shake?  Does the sight of small critters make you scream?  Wild Adventures dares you to face your fears at this year’s Phobia.  With an all-new haunted village, phobia shows, and friendly frights, everyone can enjoy the Halloween season at Wild Adventures, beginning September 27 through November 1.

Several improvements and changes to this year’s haunting season will focus on family-friendly attractions as well as a consolidated Scare Zone.  The return of a theatrical show and a creature show, even the youngest adventurer can take part and enjoy this event. 

New to Phobia is Hatterville.   No longer a quaint little farming village, the inhabitants of Hatterville have been brought back to life by the self-appointed Mayor Hatter.  The beady eyed mayor saunters around the village in a black silk top hat, luring in new residents.  Scare Zones in Hatterville include Carnival of the Macabre, Dominion of the Dead, Mummy House, and the Hatterville Hotel.  Visit www.phobiaevent.com to reveal the tale behind the village. 

If mayhem, madness and motorcycles get your heart pounding, watch the Globe of Terror.  The stunt show features a 16-foot round steel cage with high speed motorcycle stunt drivers speeding inside.  Big-air freestyle jump is also a part of this heart-stopping show.  

Be careful where you step in the Black Forest.  The only way out of Hatterville, the foreboding forest abounds with human-like trees and vines.  Beware, many people mysteriously disappear within its boundaries. Conquer your fear of critters and nocturnal animals at Creepy Critters, a phobia show. Learn amazing facts about these nocturnal creatures that play when the rest of the park is asleep.  In the mood for Halloween romance?  Bumpkin Patch is the story of cowboy love as the hero falls in love with the sweetest ghost to come back from the dead.  Watch as the kooky cast sings and dance in this graveyard-come-to-life romance.

Even little ghosts and goblins can enjoy Phobia with family-friendly activities.  The Spooky Hayride will take you on a strange ride through Wild Adventures with unexpected twists and turns along the way.  Come see the park like never before.  Little ghosts and goblins can visit the “haunted” Boo House featuring cheerful puppets, talking flowers and just the right amount of excitement.  Halloween doesn’t have to be all scary!

Phobia returns to the park for its fourth and biggest year yet.  The event begins September 27 and continues until November 1 with the haunted activities included in park admission.  Regular admission is $45 and Junior/Senior admission is $40 and both include a Second-Day Free.  Discount coupons are available at participating Wendy’s restaurants.  Due to the event, some rides will be operating on a limited basis. 

For more information on Phobia, visit www.phobiaevent.com. 

For more information on any of the park’s activities, please visit www.wildadventures.net or call (229) 219-7080.

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DOSEN'T MAKE SENSE

Local live music is the backbone of all genres of music being played commercially.  Everyone started somewhere, in their home town.

Go to the businesses that have live music...go somewhere different, where you might not understand that style of music.......did your parents like the music you listened to when you were growing up (that is...if you grew up)????

thanks for supoorting local live music...The Saltwater Cowboy

http://saltwatercowboylivemusic.com

http://www.swinginharpoonbluesband.com/