world war ii america

         An audio-visual tribute celebrating The Greatest Generation on the Home Front during the war years 1940-1945.  Experience the world of your parents during one of the darkest periods of the modern era.  Lots of wonderful memorabilia and history including Hollywood, music and dance, popular culture and, of course, War news.  This program is very popular for the months of May and November.   

astronomy 1 - 0 - wow!

This program is a tonic for your soul and intellect.  We begin with a contemplation of just how big the universe is (prepare to be blown away). Then, exploring some of the more easily identified constellations, we search for the wonderful Messier Objects in each, like a cosmic Easter Egg hunt! The Messier Objects are a favorite of amateur astronomers and consist of Galaxies, Open and Closed star clusters and Nebulae.  A survey of the Moon, easy to see terrestrial planets and coming celestial highlights are also covered.   The likelihood of intelligent extraterrestial life is also discussed. The program ends with a survey of some of the greatest observatories and our eyes on the sky.                              

This program will inspire you to get a chair, a pair of binoculars and look up.

PRIVATE ASTRONOMY OUTINGS PRIVATE OR COMMUNITY BIRD SAFARIS

1920s AMERICA

Great Grandma might have been a Hottie!  The 1920s: What a decade!  Prohibition, Bootleggers, Jazz, Flappers, Speakeasies, Automobiles,Literature, Sports, Film, Radio and more. The era also encompassed a schizophrenic quality rife with tension: Progressive vs Reactionary; Modernism vs Nostalgia. Period music and sound effects galore in this exciting audio-visual presentation.

cars & rock 'n roll of the '50s

CHROME ORNAMENTS & FINS!

A specialty program featuring the 1950s’ biggest Rock Stars and their hits, along with beautiful examples of the best of the decades automobiles from the BIG THREE and AMC!  (Not to mention a host of companies long defunct).  You will be amazed at the artistry of these vehicles.

THE ROAD TO STALINGRAD

THE GREATEST BATTLE IN HISTORY and Turning Point of the European War. This iconic clash between the forces of two totalitarian monsters is replete with sacrifice and heroism. The program includes an overview of the roots of the Russian-German War and incredible photos of the conflict where the Wehrmacht lost an entire Army and a sprawling, modern metropolis of half a million people was turned into a giant field of ruins. 

THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY

THEY MEANT BUSINESS

Before Apple, Toyota or Walmart, there was the VOC,                                                                                                             Vereenigdede Oost-Indische Compagnie: The United Dutch East India Company,                                                                       one of the most powerful businesses in history.                                                                                                                             Come hear the fascinating tale of the world's first Mega Corporation                                                                                              which, for 200 years, stretched from Amsterdam to Japan.                                                                                                                   With its own military, government and resources, this behemoth struck fear and awe in all who encountered it.                          And there were some very dark sides to the sprawling, ultra-ambitious enterprise as well.                                                                            A fascinating sidebar to the amazing story includes representative accomplishments,                                                                 inventions and paintings from the Dutch Golden Age.

britain in america - america in vietnam

SOME REMARKABLE SIMILARITIES

Two conflicts 200 years and half a globe apart. What could they possibly have in common? Well, a lot it seems! Come hear this fascinating discussion of the remarkable similarities of the British experience during the Revolutionary War and The United States in Southeast Asia. Lots of music, sound effects and riveting history. THIS PROGRAM IS BEING REVAMPED

mt. rainier national park

A beautiful tour of the biodiversity of this spectacular national treasure replete with music and sounds from nature. Get a feel for the flora, fauna, trails & even night sky of this amazing park. The program ends quite dramatically with an examination of the volcanic, lurking menace of this very active geological area.

fab 5 presidents

The perfect February program!  An enlightening examination of the highlights of five US Presidential administrations. WASHINGTON, JEFFERSON, LINCOLN, THEODORE ROOSEVELT and FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. Chock-full of wonderful details and anecdotes with accompanying music and select quotations.

road to catastrophe

THE ROOTS OF WORLD WAR I

One hundred years ago, The War to End All War began in Europe, a tragedy which shattered illusions of progress and sowed the seeds for even more horrors to come. When it was finally over, 17 million were dead, 22 million wounded, countless numbers displaced, 4 empires destroyed and the map of Europe redrawn. (Not to mention the catastrophic pandemic unleashed following the war.)  Many of the 20th century’s major problems trace their roots to WW1, from Communism and Fascism to The Depression and Middle East tensions.This program explores the origins of that mighty conflict which began in the Balkans and quickly escalated to a global scale. Come hear this exciting audio-visual lecture.

ORDE WINGATE & THE CHINDITS

The remarkable story of one of World War II's eccentric geniuses whose controversial methods & personality rocked the military establishment and revolutionized modern warfare. This program explores the British officer Orde Wingate's career waging unconventional war in Sudan, Palestine, Abyssinia and, where he is most famous, as the creator and leader of the CHINDITS special operations force behind Japanese lines in the jungles of Burma.

medieval-renaissance art & music

SOME GEMS OF WESTERN MUSIC & ART:
A wonderful sampling of extraordinary culture from the Middle Ages through 16th Century (with a bit of history thrown in!) From Gregorian Chants to Hildegard von Bingen; Palestrina to de Prez; from Botticelli to Bosch, Michelangelo to Da Vinci; a panoply of genius of Western civilization.  This program is a soul-soothing sonic treat!

december holiday program

A seasonally appropriate offering in three sections: The first features images, music, foods and ornamentation for every holiday in the month of December.  Part two is a humorous examination of the physics of Santa Claus. s

road to disunion

THE ROOTS OF THE AMERICA CIVIL WAR

A chronological examination of the issues and events leading to the greatest military conflict this hemisphere has ever witnessed: The War Between the States. The program begins with a look at the Land Ordinance of 1787 and ends with the firing on Ft. Sumter.  Lots of interesting history and personalities. And this program is disturbingly relevant today.

A SLICE OF GULF COAST LIFE

BIRDS, SEASHELLS & PLANTS ALONG THE BEACH

A beautiful and informative survey of the natural treasures on our doorstep and a veritable digital museum of the wonderful biodiversity along our coast. As we take our virtual stroll along the beach, the sound of waves in the background, we hear the voices of every bird encountered and see their variant plumages. Shell and plant enthusiasts will delight to images of colorful species adorning the surf and dunes of our beaches. Common and scientific names are given for every species in the program.  A wonderful assortment of music accompanies every slide.

TREASURE SQUANDERED

WHAT WE HAVE & WHAT WE HAVE DONE

The perfect Earth Day program. A beautiful but sobering look at the natural treasure we have here in SW Florida and the threats it faces. With a special emphasis on the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp, the program is chock full of stunning images of flora and fauna as well as a survey of the problems besetting our magnificent, wild heritage.  A wonderful score accompanies the visuals, including wildlife sounds. THIS PROGRAM IS BEING REVAMPED. The new program is TREASURE: A Survey of the The Flora & Fauna of South Florida

PIRATES OF THE GOLDEN AGE

1630-1730

For nearly 100 years in the 17th and 18th centuries, Sea Thieves prowled the Caribbean, Pirate Round and Spanish Main, establishing strongholds in Tortuga, Port Royal and Nassau. This resplendent audio-visual program examines the "Golden Age" of Piracy, why it flourished, the treasure sought, personalities, crews, weapons and hardships. These (mostly) men worked hard and partied hard! Come see why a pirate's life was usually nasty, brutish and short.  

1968

AN EXTRAORDINARY AND TROUBLED YEAR

And so recent we’ll all remember!
 You won’t want to miss this remarkable audio-visual program.
 Vietnam: Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, Hue, My Lai;
USS Pueblo, MLK & RFK Assassinations,
Politics, Democratic National Convention, Sports, Cinema, Culture,  
Technology, Paris, Prague, Mexico, Columbia University, Winter & Spring Olympics, 
Music and Movies, Apollo 8 and so much more.
This show will blow you away.

STALINGRAD II

THE BATTLE FOR THE FACTORIES

The long-awaited second installment of the Stalingrad Trilogy is now here!
From October 14 to November 19,
 Paulus' VI Army attempted to push Chuikov's 62nd Army into the Volga
by crushing the defenders of the massive industrial complexes forever known to history:
The Tractor Factory, The Barrikady and The Red October.
The horrific nature of the struggle is captured in actual photographs of the battles
and complemented acoustically with powerful music and sound effects. 
 Fascinating sidebars of various topics enhance the presentation.
One year in the making, this program represents the acme of my craft.

1957

Commissioned program to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Collier County Library System.

A year which encapsulates the entire decade of the 50s.
We begin our retrospective in January and end in December.
Relive, along the memory way, seminal events of that year:
Cold War, Space Race, Civil Rights, Politics, TV, Film, Music,
 Sports, Popular Culture, Science, Automobiles and more!
An unexpectedly exciting year!

rocks    CAVE art    geawelogy

Another commissioned piece for the Collier County Library System, looking for a “Rock-Themed” program.

    Here we explore some of the most remarkable geologic and prehistoric landmarks on the planet.                                                  Even for those fortunate enough to have seen some of these wonders, the powerful slides will rekindle the thrill of being there. There is profundity and poignancy here as well, resonating across the abyss of time.                                                                         So sit back, get comfortable and prepare to experience a visual-auditory treat.

stalingrad iii

STALIN STRIKES BACK & THE DESTRUCTION OF THE VI ARMY

IT IS FINALLY DONE!

This program is the final installment of the STALINGRAD TRILOGY, the greatest and costliest battle in history and turning point in the war against the Third Reich. The culmination of a project begun six years ago, this program represents the pinnacle of my craft; you’ve never seen a power point like this. A breathtaking story. Each Stalingrad program is suitable as a stand alone; your audiences will be engrossed with each entry. This was worth the wait.

AGAINST ALL ODDS:

SHACKLETON & THE CREW OF THE ENDURANCE

One of the greatest survival stories ever told. Sir Ernest Shackleton hoped to lead the first expedition to transit Antarctica. He failed. For nearly two years, the 28 men of the Endurance were trapped in the world’s most inhospitable environment. The tale of what they endured and their incredible escape will be forever immortalized. PART 1.

PART II NOW COMPLETED

PART III NOW COMPLETED! (The Best !!)

APOLLO 11: MAN ON MOON

ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PROGRAMS IN MY REPERTOIRE! Putting together this story made me so proud of the incredible achievement of the men and women of the Apollo Program. This show will give you goosebumps.

You simply must see this.

WAR MACHINE:

THE GENIUS & AUDACITY OF PHILIP II & ALEXANDER THE GREAT

History at its best! Everyone has heard of Alexander the Great but it was his father, Philip II, who created the world’s greatest army his son used to such extraordinary success. Part I details how Philip, at turns the charming, deft diplomat or ruthless warrior, out maneuvered, cowed or destroyed his enemies to ensure Macedon’s rise to supremacy. Philip’s preternatural skill at grand strategy and realpolitik preceded Machiavelli by two millenia. Even more impressive was the military machine he created. The organization, training, weaponry, innovations, use of combined arms and novel tactics are still taught at war colleges today. Part II is how Alexander used the War Machine bequeathed him to such breath-taking success. It beggars belief how the Macedonian warlord was able to conquer much of the known world, from Egypt to India, without ever losing a battle or his life. We will examine some of these incredible clashes in which Alexander always led from the front into the thickest parts of the enemy lines. This is an amazing story of a brilliant, charming, ruthless and increasingly psychotic individual who struck fear into his enemies and friends alike until his death before the age of 33.