In September of 2025, my work is generating the most income it ever has in my career. Yet, I'm being forced to shut down my successul operation, against my will, due to one cause alone: 95% of that revenue is being stolen by piracy and copyright infringement. I've lost more than $1 million to copyright infringement in the last 15 years, and it's finally brought an end to my professional storm chasing operation. Do not be misled by the lies of infringers, anti-copyright activists and organized piracy cartels. This page is a detailed, evidenced account of my battle I had to undertake to just barely stay in business, and eventually could not overcome. It's a problem faced by all of my colleagues and most other creators in the field.
I'm very happy to announce that I am putting in my two weeks' notice at my job at Scott AFB tomorrow, and I will be transitioning back to full-time web design, photography and video starting January 2. I always like to mark new milestones in life with a photo. For this one, it's the Illinois prairie sky at sunset, something I'll be free to see a lot more of now.
I will be back to working at home (or in the car, in a coffee shop or wherever adventure takes me), focusing on web site development, internet marketing and social media management for CIS Internet, the same company I've been with since 1997. The outlook has been looking up in the business, and several other key factors fell into place at the right time to allow me to make this switch. I will also be devoting more time to my St. Louis photography business and to road icing awareness efforts. Of course, weather and storm chasing will 'return to normal', the only limitation on operations now being strictly financial.
While I'm thankful for the experience I gained at my only true '9 to 5' day job (7 to 3 to be exact) and I worked with some great people that will be missed, I'm overjoyed to be getting back into 'the dream', the 'free-to-travel' routine and lifestyle I'm most at home with. This will not be an easy task, as a lot of hard work lies ahead. But it's work that will fit right in with not only the goals I have in my life and career, but the lifestyle of freedom I've come to value and love.
As always, I'd appreciate prayers for a smooth and fruitful ramp-up as I embark into not only a few new roles with my company, but into some new ventures on the side as well. I'm looking ahead with excitement and, as one of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs says, with 'great expectations'.
Web Site Design and Internet Marketing by CIS Internet
From Dan: Please Read
To my regular readers, I offer my apologies for this heavy-handed notice. Unfortunately it has become necessary, so please bear with me!
Please don't copy/upload this site's content to social media or other web sites. Those copies have been a critical problem for me, seriously harming this site and my photography/storm chasing operation by diverting traffic, viewers, engagement and income. "Credit" and "exposure" does not benefit this site or my operation, rather they threaten my ability to cover my operating expenses. Please read my full explanation for this notice here.
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