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Every time I tried to describe the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj to someone, my words fell flat. "It's a projector camera. A camera with a projector inside." It seems straightforward, but people didn't fully grasp the concept until I turned the camera on and projected an image onto a wall. Every time I did, the camera got a lot of "oohing" and "aahing."
That's the trouble with describing the effectiveness of a projector camera in a review. I can photograph the camera in action, I can show you a video of the projector working, but it doesn't quite add up to the same experience as seeing the projected images with your own eyes.
Bear with us - the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj is very much a novelty, but it's an interesting innovation. If you have $400 or so waiting to be spent on a new piece of inessential technology, then a projector camera is a good candidate. We can't let the Nikon S1000pj slide by without putting it under the microscope, though. Read on for a detailed look at its performance, image quality, and usability.
The Nikon Coolpix S1000pj, bearing a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch type CCD sensor, strikes a familiar profile. It's a basic black box with metallic accents along the edges. The 5x optical zoom Nikkor lens is tucked in the right corner of the camera body, making room for a less-familiar feature: the projector lens front and center.
Overall, it's a striking design. The lines are clean and modern. The camera body is matte black with a brushed aluminum panel below the projector lens. A small plastic lens cover slides from the camera lens when the unit is turned on, keeping the optics safe inside a coat pocket or purse.
Ergonomics and Controls
Holding the S1000pj, you'll feel the added weight of the projector. Loaded with a rechargeable battery, it's slim enough for a coat pocket but heavy enough that you won't forget it's there. The camera is comfortable in the hand, although the front panel doesn't offer enough of a grip for single-handed shooting. Six small, raised dots on the back panel offer a slight grip for a thumbrest. It's not terribly ergonomic, but I didn't have much trouble handling the camera while shooting.
The on/off switch on top of the S1000pj is recessed slightly and requires a firm press to operate. The projector on/off switch is on the left, just at the place where your left index finger naturally falls when shooting with two hands. The button is also recessed, although I accidentally triggered it on a couple of occasions. Centered on top of the camera is a sliding switch that focuses a projected image. The layout is intuitive, and without using the camera manual I was able to operate the projector right out of the box. A zoom ring encircles the shutter button on the top right.
On the back panel is a 2.7-inch LCD of a sufficient 230k-dot resolution. A squared-off compass switch offers directional controls for navigating menus as well as shortcuts to flash, EV compensation, macro mode, and self-timer settings. Two buttons above the four-way control offer access to playback and shooting modes. The image erase and menu button are below the four-way control.
The S1000pj also includes a remote control. It can be used during slideshow projection to move between images or zoom in and out of a projected image. The remote can also be used to wirelessly fire the shutter. Nikon recommends the use of a tripod for this function. They've also included a small plastic stand that can sit on flat surfaces and angles the S1000pj backward by a few degrees for hands-off projecting on a wall.
Menus and Modes
Nikon's point-and-shoots use one main menu screen to access settings for ISO, white balance, and AF area mode. Pressing the menu button brings up these options, and selecting an option like white balance will display a list of different settings and a live view of how each setting will look. The interface is intuitive and logically laid-out.
Those who stick with auto white balance and ISO settings won't have any trouble using the S1000pj. If you're finicky and like to tweak those settings often, then you might find it slightly cumbersome as opposed to using a quick menu or shortcut button to access often-used controls.
Shooting modes are switched by pressing the green camera icon and include:
The S1000pj is very much an automatic camera. Auto mode offers some degree of flexibility as users can change ISO and white balance themselves, although you're limited in all modes to default metering.
Like most monitors this size, the 2.7-inch LCD is relatively sharp and bright, although it is difficult to use in direct sunlight. However, I didn't struggle much while shooting on a bright morning. Also, the camera lacks an optical viewfinder.
The projector displays images in VGA 640 x 480 resolution. We'll go into greater detail about projection quality in the performance section that follows.
The Coolpix S1000pj performed as well as most other similarly-sized compact point-and-shoots. While on the heavy side, it never weighed my purse down. Style is prioritized over ergonomics, which seems right for the S1000pj's intended audience. Overall, the S1000pj is easy to use, like many other Coolpix cameras I've handled.
The biggest catch-22 I encountered was bringing the camera to a party or bar, the natural habitat for the S1000pj. While images in broad daylight were sharp and color accurate, I had much more trouble getting clear images in dim places without flash. That's not surprising for this class of camera - I wouldn't expect any point-and-shoot to get a clear image in near-dark - but it is something to consider since the S1000pj is very much a "party camera."
The projector performance was better than I expected. The darker the room, the better the projected image looked, and projecting onto a white surface is best. Even in our office, with the lights turned off and a few window shades open, the projected images still looked good. Near-dark or completely dark is best, but you're still able to see basic forms and colors of images even if you can't kill the lights in your makeshift theater. Nikon lists the projector can be used as close as 10 inches from a wall or as far as six and a half feet. Take a look at our video walkthrough to see the projector in action.
Shooting Performance
The Coolpix S1000pj is a good performer in terms of speed. It came in on top of the pack in our shutter lag test. AF acquisition in the studio test was a good 0.43 seconds. In the field, the camera felt reasonably fast. In dim light, AF acquisition slowed slightly, approaching a second in most difficult conditions. The S1000pj captured four images at about 1.0 fps before the camera paused to clear the buffer. That's not bad for a pocket point-and-shoot that isn't exactly built for speed.
Shutter Lag
Camera | Time (seconds) |
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj | 0.01 |
Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS | 0.02 |
Sony Cyber-shot S2100 | 0.02 |
Olympus Stylus 7010 | 0.03 |
AF Acquisition
Camera | Time (seconds) |
Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS | 0.43 |
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj | 0.43 |
Olympus Stylus 7010 | 0.45 |
Sony Cyber-shot S2100 | 0.68 |
Continuous Shooting
Camera | Frames | Framerate* |
Olympus Stylus 7010 | 2 | 1.7 fps |
Nikon Coolpix S1000pj | 4 | 1.0 fps |
Sony Cyber-shot S2100 | ∞ | 1.0 fps |
Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS | ∞ | 0.9 fps |
*Note: Continuous shooting framerates are based on the camera's fastest full-resolution JPEG continuous shooting mode, using the fastest media type available (300x CF, SDHC, etc.). "Frames" denote the number of captures recorded per burst before the camera stops/slows to clear the buffer.
Staying mostly within center auto focus mode, I rarely had a problem finding focus even in relatively dark conditions. Nikon equipped the S1000pj with image stabilization in spades - namely, their 5-way Vibration Reduction system. A key part of the system is optical image stabilization. I got clear, usable images at shutter speeds at around 1/10 second. As you'd expect, anything slower was too much for the optical stabilization system to overcome. Enacting the "Hybrid" stabilization applies a combination of optical stabilization and digital processing techniques. It's hard to say how effective the technique was; it seemed to clear up some fine detail in a few test shots, but the images were still (as Nikon admits is possible) somewhat grainy.
Flash range is listed at 1 to 11 feet at wide angle, and 1 to 8 feet telephoto. That measured up to my own findings. The flash recharged and was ready to fire after a full discharge in seconds.
The rechargeable Lithium-ion battery used by the S1000pj is rated to about 220 shots. That number was right on par with my images. Although, I used the flash sparingly and projected images for a minute or two at a time. Heavier use of flash and projector would drain the battery quicker.
Lens Performance
For a small lens tucked into the corner, the S1000pj's optics do a nice job. Details at the center of the frame are sharp. Moving toward the corners of the image below, you'll see some noticeable softening. Chromatic aberration seems to be under control at the center of images too, although it becomes apparent in high contrast areas near the image's edges.
The S1000pj carries a 5x optical zoom lens with an equivalent range of 28-140mm - a nice wide angle. Maximum aperture ranges from f/3.9 at wide angle to f/5.8 at telephoto.
Barrel distortion (lines bowing outward in an image) seems to be well-controlled at wide angle. There wasn't evidence of pincushion distortion (lines bowing inward) at telephoto either.
Video Quality
The Coolpix S1000pj records video in standard 640 x 480 definition. The video I recorded in mid-day sunlight of passing cars is acceptable, although grainier than I would have liked. Shooting video of a train with the sun setting to the right proved more challenging. Glare that reflected from the hood of a car threw a nasty blue vertical line across the image, and the video was once again grainy.
Don't count on the S1000pj for recording high-quality video of vacations or other events. It's a shame that it's not stronger since the S1000pj is designed to project recorded video.
Image Quality
Exposure was somewhat inconsistent under mixed lighting, but for the most part, the S1000pj's evaluative-only metering worked well. The LCD offers a full-time live view as the camera calculates exposure and chooses a white balance setting. As long as ISO sensitivity is kept to 200 or below, fine details are recorded nicely. Options to manually set color, saturation, or sharpness are absent, although you'll find a "vivid" processing mode along with black and white, cyanotype, and sepia under the shooting menu.
When dark situations demanded use of flash, the S1000pj's unit worked successfully. Skin tones looked natural and weren't washed out. Flash modes include an automatic red eye reduction setting. That's the mode used automatically by the "party/indoor" scene setting, which I found useful in places like a dark concert hall.
Colors were generally reproduced faithfully. Cloudy skies and mixed lighting sometimes flattened out colors, especially reds, although I don't think it will be enough to bother most users.
Auto white balance performed well indoors and outdoors, although it produced a very orange look to scenes with tungsten lighting. The S1000pj offers several white balance modes including a manual mode.
Auto White Balance, 3200k incandescent light
Before looking at our studio samples, I expected to see plenty of noise at close inspection from ISO 400 and above. The studio results backed me up. Though the reduced thumbnail images look good through ISO 400, pixel peepers will find noise and evidence of noise-reduction in the 100% crops.
ISO 80, 100% crop |
ISO 100, 100% crop |
ISO 200, 100% crop |
ISO 400, 100% crop |
ISO 800, 100% crop |
ISO 1600, 100% crop |
Shots at ISO 800 and 1600 look smoothed-over and colors have been somewhat flattened. The camera's noise-reduction system seems to be at work as early as ISO 200. Relying on the full range of ISO settings in auto ISO mode will result in grainy, smoothed-over images indoors and in poor lighting. Nikon does provide two fixed-range ISO settings, ISO 80-200 and ISO 80-400, to address the problem The camera has an ISO 3200 setting at a reduced 3 megapixel resolution.
The Nikon S1000pj was created for a specific set of photographers: the party-goer, proud parent, and all-around show-off are most likely to find this camera appealing. Based on my experience using the S1000pj, I'd say that if you fit into one of the categories above, you won't be disappointed. Just don't expect it to outperform other basic Nikon point-and-shoots or to project images in bright rooms or against dark surfaces with stunning results. And do expect to use flash when indoor lighting is dim.
If it's "oohing" and "aahing" you're after, the S1000pj will deliver. It will capture outdoor snapshots nicely and brightly-lit interior images fairly well. Performance slips in dim light indoors and outdoors as noise levels climb and noise-reduction smooths out fine detail. But that's expected for a camera of this size.
The bottom line is that you could spend as much (or maybe even less) on a camera that takes better images in low light. You could find a camera at a lower price point that offers greater control over image quality or features a much bigger zoom range. But you won't have a built-in projector. If that's a sacrifice you don't want to make, the S1000pj is your best (well, only) option.


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Color Picker
for Mac OSX
Buy now
Eye dropper
Color Picker will automatically freeze the screen for you so that you can easily select the exact pixel you want to get the color from while not being distracted by moving objects.
Retina support
Full support for retina displays and full support for multiple monitors. Also support for mixed setups with mixed retina and standard displays.
Color Picker will display a zoom-in window/loupe that you can use to select colors with great precision. The window is movable and resizable and you can place it where it is best fit.
It will be easy for you to get an efficient work flow with Color Picker. By default you get a list of all reformatted formats after picking a color and can chose any of them to copy. If you rather want a specific format you can select it as the default and it will be available in the clipboard immediately after clicking the pixel.
In control
While Color Picker is designed to be very lightweight special care has also been taken to keep out of your way when you don't need it. You will be in full control of your color picking and when done it will nicely reside in your menu bar waiting for your next command.
24 Color Formats
Regardless if you are a web designer, graphics artist or a developer you will find good use of the features of Color Picker. Basic RGB and HSL formats are included. You can for example get the value sin Hex, percentage and decimal. You can even get named colors when supported. Formatting for various of programming languages is included.
Don't just take our word for it :)
Andy Drizen
Brilliant idea
I love being able to set the format and have the colour automatically copy to pasteboard. Thanks for making this.
Simple, fast, effective
Nice little app. Simple and fast. Good tool for designers.
Great color picker!
Works great, tons of format options, easy to select the format you want, and excellent customer service!
Thank you- it's pretty much perfect. This is the 4th color utility I've purchased, and the first one that actually works.
Thank You!!!!
Seriously thank you. So glad I found this today. So frustrated with taking screenshots, pasting into photoshop, selecting the color…..just to grab a hex value. Huge time saver.
Well Done!
Exactly what I expect from a great OSX app: 1. It does exactly what it promises to do. 2. It surprised me with innovative new functionaly that expanded my idea of how this tool could be useful to me.

subset: commoncrawl


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(Norton 370) He's made scads of solid senders all over the globe, but here's the one man racket squad's first full length Norton platter and we think it's his best offering to date! THUNDER AND LIGHTNING features brand new Bloodshot Bill-penned rockers like Crazy 'Bout The Girl and The Hunt plus killer remakes of Tooter Botman's title thumper and Eddie Cochran's brooding Dark Lonely Street -- GET THIS ALBUM!
All The Time/Be Mine Tonight/Crazy Bout That Girl/My Brand Of Blues/Old Moon/Girl I Don't Know/Dark Lonely Street/Thunder And Lightning/Crazy Party/Puppy Dog Love/Hang In There/The Hunt/Hot Hot Mama/Stop!
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Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) says victims of gun violence should have been brought sooner to lobby Congress but blames the failure of the Manchin-Toomey amendment on the "anti-democratic" filibuster.
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Conference Services
Are you looking for comfortable and affordable housing for your conference guests in Atlanta?
If you are planning a conference, meeting, or special event in Atlanta and need conference housing and/or event space, please complete the form below; your request will be submitted, reviewed, and you will be contacted by conference staff.
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I often find interior design inspiration in films, and this adaptation of the comic book "Kingsman: The Secret Service" looks to be full of great sets that can spark all kinds of ideas for your space. Let's take a look at a few of them:
The Tailor Shop
To my American eyes, this could not be more clearly traditional British interior design–lots of wood, a leather easy chair, framed photos, and brass accents. Some rooms that use the same elements to great effect include these:
The Sydney home of Leah Fraser and David Shrimpton.
This terrific update of the wood, leather, and brass look happens to be in a Swedish hotel.
Designers Roman and Williams know how to modernize traditional looks for today's lifestyle.
Secret Entrance
What's a spy movie–especially a funny one–without a secret entrance? I especially like the brick and tile work and have rounded up a few examples of how that translates into interiors:
Loving the look of this kitchen with brick floors and full walls of subway tile.
The green subway tile here looks great with wood and stainless steel–as good as it does with brick.
More gorgeous green subway tile used throughout the bathrooms of the Hotel Praktik Rambla in Barcelona.
I hope these examples have given you some ideas for how films can inspire your home decorating projects. Have a look at the trailer for Kingsman: The Secret Service — it looks good, don't you think?
p.s. A couple of the pieces in these images are available on the Japanese Trash Shop; here they are for your convenience:


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About the Department of Accounting and Finance
The Department is part of Lancaster University Management School, with a 20-year reputation for producing world-leading research.
The Department of Accounting and Finance takes pride in its established reputation for excellence in both research and teaching. The Higher Education Funding Council for England and its predecessors have consistently ranked the Department in the highest research quality category, corresponding to research of international excellence.
The Department hosts a diverse group of scholars who have reached international reputation in key areas of accounting and finance such as accounting and bank regulation, quality of accounting information and narrative reporting, corporate finance and in particular issues on corporate governance, empirical banking, financial econometrics and market pricing. In any given year the Department hosts about 20 seminars with leading researchers from around the world and has an active visitors program.
An important feature of the Department is its strong commitment towards high-quality education at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. All programs offered by the Department enjoy a triple accreditation by the three main business school accreditation bodies: AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. The Financial Times Global Masters in Finance 2013 ranking placed Lancaster's MSc in Finance 36th in the world and 11th in the UK. The Department also offers an innovative four-year undergraduate degree scheme, the EY Degree, in partnership with EY and ICAS. The new degree provides students with up to 18 months' paid work experience with EY, and a fast track to qualification as a chartered accountant.


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Miller is a New York-based staff writer covering startups and small business. Miller is a graduate of Brown University.
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Tournaments :: news
Walmart Bass Fishing League - Choo Choo
LAKE NEELY HENRY (Sept. 22-23, 2001)
Kennedy wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Neely Henry Lake
GADSDEN, Ala. — Steve Kennedy of Hoover, Ala., topped 90 competitors on Neely Henry Lake this weekend with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 2 ounces to win $6,347 and 400 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division season finale.
After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in second place with an opening day catch of five bass weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces, Kennedy out fished runner up Jonathan Newton of Rogersville, Ala., by 1 pounds, 14 ounces to take the win.
Newton qualified for the final round in sixth place with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 9 ounces and finished up with a final round catch weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces to win $3,173.
Brad Ritter of Lexington, Ala., took third place and collected $1,587 with 10 pounds, 14 ounces. Terry Tucker of Gadsden, Ala., placed fourth and earned $1,375 with 10 pounds, 11 ounces, while Paul Redwine of Crossville, Tenn., placed fifth and earned $1,269 with 9 pounds, 8 ounces.
Jerry McCafferty of Muscle Shoals, Ala., won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $950 with a 4-pound, 13-ounce bass on opening day.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,076 went to Greg Watson of Kimberly, Ala., who topped 88 competitors with a final round catch of five bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,538 went to Kevin Edwards of Danville, Ala., with 7 pounds, 8 ounces, while Kerry Waggoner of Childersburg, Ala., took third place and $769 with 7 pounds, 7 ounces.
Edwards won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $450 with a 3-pound, 15-ounce bass that he caught on opening day.
Boater Terry Watson of Kimberly, Ala., won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished in 12th place with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 11 ounces.
Newton landed the Divisional Points Championship and $1,000 with 1,098 points won during five regular season tournaments. Watson landed the Co-Angler Points Championship and $500 with 1,100 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Choo Choo Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 9-13 on Weiss Lake near Cedar Bluff, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Carolina, Ozark and Illini divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, which features an estimated purse of $345,000 and ranks as one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling. The top two boaters and co-anglers may also qualify for the Ranger M1 tournament in Mobile, Ala., Feb. 27-March 2, 2002, where they can win up to $1 million in the world's richest freshwater tournament.
Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.


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Governor Albert Brewer was born in Tennessee—but Alabamians claims him as a native son. Governor Brewer earned his degrees from the University of Alabama—but those of us at Samford claim him as one of our own. He has served on the faculty of our Cumberland School of Law since 1987. On January 1, The Anniston Star named him as 2008 Alabamian of the Year. In the newspaper article announcing the selection, Dean John Carroll said, "Albert Brewer combines the best qualities of my two favorite lawyers, Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers, and Atticus Finch. He is a man of great wit, keen intellect and lionhearted courage. He is also a man of deep faith who carries his faith not on his sleeve but in his heart. I simply have never met a finer person."
The world is better because of Albert Brewer.
The mission of Samford University is to nurture persons in their development of intellect, creativity, faith, and personhood. As a Christian university, the community fosters academic, career, and ethical competency while encouraging social and civic responsibility, and service to others.
The Samford community values lifelong:
Anchored in Christian understanding, Samford University will be a diverse community, stressing vigorous learning and personal faith, in the Baptist tradition. Within that commonality, the Community will be innovative in teaching, learning and research; sensitive to global issues; aggressive in self-assessment and continuous improvement. Faithful to its mission, Samford will be known and acknowledged worldwide by holding to its core values. The world will be better for it.


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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Prisoner's Dilemma sets you free,
By Amazon Customer "Chris Cross" (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed (Hardcover)
The book starts at a very gentle pace, perhaps because the co-author, Roger Highfield wanted to add a human and personal touch to a book that depends on maths and logic quite a bit. If you were looking for real science to sink your teeth into and if you thumb through it in a bookstore, and read the first little, you may decide that this is another biographic biopic and set it aside as unlikely to satisfy what you have a need for just then.
But when you get to the end of the introduction to the prisoner's dilemma, you suddenly realise that the book which was hovering over the launch pad as if it would settle back and put its engines off, is now taking off majestically. For me, the realisation happened when Nowak completed the introduction to the dilemma and then made the startling declaration that it was not just another of the many games in game theory, but a powerful and complex thought system, according to him, something that far exceeds chess in its possibilities. The rest of the book then becomes a dazzling account of Nowak's research and philosophy. Direct reciprocity, then indirect, then the formation of civilizations and so on, the tools, including the fascinating Game of Life, all presented with his gentle warmth and humanity. By the end of the book, you will regret it is over, and sit back in the happy feeling that all is not lost for humanity and that we could still achieve a world, built on solid math and logic and reason, that has room for kindness, charity, selflessness and peace. A different world indeed, from that sketched out for us by Dawkins and a world that Dennett is slowly coming round to. |
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SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed by Roger Highfield (Hardcover - March 22 2011)
Used & New from: CDN$ 2.73
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ScriptSpot is a diverse online community of artists and developers who come together to find and share scripts that empower their creativity with 3ds Max or SketchUp. Our users come from all parts of the world and work in everything from visual effects to gaming, architecture, students or hobbyists.
Register for free and be part of the community!
Found this nice little free 'unbiased' renderer a week ago named Indigo. Real fun to play around with and as such I scripted up a 3dsmax interface for it. Give it a shot in case youre bored ;)
Easy way to set VrayHDRI map. Select object with VrayHDRI map and run the script
Tutorial - http://www.tepavicharov.com/scripts/vray_hdri_tool_preview.avi
This script renders all visible cameras in the scene with the choosen render settings
Mechnology ViewRender was originally written to help us light scenes interactively. It has the ability to update a render as you move objects - lights - or cameras in your scene.
New features added since version 0.5:* Added the ability to render only selected objects* Limited use of the Right-Click menu
This script converts movement in 3ds max to After Effects.(converting 3d positional data into 2d positional data) Great for tracking with objects - replacing footage using corner pinning etc..data can be pasted straight to a layer. The script can be downloaded from Adobe studio exchange/after effects/ plugins.
CopyToClipboard - 3DS MAX Render Effect allows you to copy the rendered image to the Windows clipboard.
- v1.0.1 (20.10.2007) added support for MAX 2008.
The PassMonkey is the precursor to the RenderMonkey that is currently in development. This allows you to set your scene based off of your selection sets and your saved render presets. Has controls for environment background maps - toggling atmospherics and effects as well.
Updated to v0.9 - This Render Effect displays additional information such as frame number - file name - render time etc. as overlay onto your rendered image. Useful for previews - previzualisation and other non-final renderings - should work with any 3dsmax-compliant renderer. All parameters animatable.
mR_pRime is a script for Autodesk 3dsmax 7 and 7.5 containing preset render settings for the included mental ray renderer. Each preset have been carefully optimized for both speed and quality - resulting in easy and quick view of your renders.
Very simple little script - Allows you to set frames to be rendered. Scrub through your timeline and hit 'Add' to add the current frame to the render queue. Hit 'Update' when you're done - and the frames will be added to the queue.


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Pathe have rights to clips in Time to Remember programmes but not to commentary or whole programme as screened.
Reel 2. Continued.
01:17:08 Dog sledge team in Northern Canada. The sledge is being pulled through a forested area with lots of snow.
01:17:17 Prospectors running across field. Two men seated holding unidentified devices. Two heavily bearded men (they could be aboriginal?).
01:17:31 Men climbing up the edge of ice sheet. Man jumps across a crevice (shot from below). His colleague follows him.
01:17:43 Sun high up in the sky. High angle shot of mule train about to cross river. Closer shot of men with mule train walking across hilly terrain.
01:18:02 Decorated dome of oriental mosque. Front of mosque - again highly decorated. (Quick shots). Atmospheric shots of far eastern street. Troops called to inspection in tented camp in desert area (there are palm trees in the back ground). C/U soldier playing reveille on bugle. Ranks of soldiers fix bayonets to rifles. (Voice over suggests that this could be Sudan - wherever it is, it certainly isn't turn of the century).
End of Neg Reel.
01:18:42 Sun through overcast sky. Artillery guns fire salute. Band of soldiers playing at Queen Victoria's funeral. Horses draw coffin on gun carriage past crowds. Soldiers stand alongside as pallbearers lift coffin. Guns fire salute.


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It's rare that we play preview code with the aim of simply having fun with a game. We're usually too busy taking notes and trying to make sure we've not missed anything. However, with our hands-on preview of Sonic Generations already posted by Mr Patterson, the pressure was off when Sega visited our UK office. After the obligatory demo for fellow journos from the various magazines, I was left with the Sega rep to actually have some fun with it. The challenge? Speedrunning, of course!
Speedrunning is an important part of any Sonic game. The reason I awarded Sonic 4: Episode 1 such a high score was because after you'd finished the enjoyable levels and collected all the emeralds, the replay value offered by the speedrun leaderboards turned it into a completely different game. Sonic Generations knows this and has some key features up its sleeve that make that speedrun experience even better.
But of course, there are the two different styles of play in Sonic Generations, each requiring completely different skills. Let's start with…
Modern Sonic
The gangly-legged, green-eyed Sonic's Green Hill Zone is spectacular. I don't want to retread too much ground here, but it really looks rather special. The dash button that was first used in Sonic Rush is here in full effect, warping the screen as you shoot forward at huge velocities. In speedrunners' hands, it's invaluable.
Firstly it means even the slightest mistake can be brushed off with a quick tap of the X button, getting Sonic back to sound barrier-bothering speed instantly. Secondly, it acts as a combo gauge because you need to keep it filled by collecting rings and destroying badniks as you go – otherwise you'll end up with a boostless Sonic, which is rather sad.
Above: The floating bonus hoops to pass through are still present in Modern Sonic's levels (low centre)
The side-on Modern Sonic gameplay is actually a lot better than I expected, as I was never a massive fan of Sonic Unleashed's 2D sections. The movement of Sonic at low speeds is smooth and solid, with a good sense of inertia. Learning when to press B to slide under obstacles might be more of a test of memory than reflexes, but giving you dashing, sliding and jumping to think about makes the 'perfect run' a complex but achievable goal.
Compared to other first levels in Sonic games, Modern Sonic's act is actually quite long. My first go was completed in just under three minutes, and I was going for speed. While there are few genuine alternative routes through Modern Sonic's more linear level, staying high up is definitely your primary goal.
Above: Apologies for the same screenshots - Sega hasn't released any new ones for a while
There are a few sections where Sonic is travelling quickly to the right, jumping between grind rails and consecutive platforms each lower than the next. The idea is to avoid plummeting down into the bottom of the route. The chances of death from the bottom of the screen are minimal, but meeting a time-sapping wall with a spring back to your left are genuine 'curse, pause, retry' moments.
Everything you do here is graded when you finish the act, with time, rings and hits taken into consideration before you're given a letter rank. There's even a bonus if you make it through unscathed. Interestingly, getting hit doesn't lose all of your rings – it just affects your score at the end of the level. It's perhaps a little too reliable on the perfect route to make the game look its most flowing, but that's been true of modern Sonic since Sonic Adventure 2.
But you're probably aware of Unleashed-style Sonic. What about the new version of Old Sonic?
Old Sonic
This is extremely promising. After all those nasty things I said about Sonic 4's visual style and how good the recent fan projects have been, Generations finally gets it right. The music, the colours, the sense of mystery… it's all here in superb style. I'm getting to the speedrun bit, but just have to tell you about the little details, like the animation of the badniks that's worthy of a CG movie, or the ear-kissing diagetic noise that accompanies the lower half of the level.
That's right – get down into the caves and everything sounds different. You can hear what sounds like wild bird calls echoing around the rock walls, perfectly complementing the light filtering through the lush, iconic Green Hill trees. It's really rather wonderful.
But the little details also seem to be married to the gameplay – especially in terms of speedrunning. For instance, the leaping fish near the start of the level are black silhouettes as they leap up, before flipping round as they fall.
It's only when they are in this second stage that they hit you as you run by, which again allows the speedrunner to zoom on through, while the more methodical gamer will have the chance to enjoy destroying them.
It just means you won't have your first few steps as new 'old' Sonic spoiled by death.
Above: Sure, that was crap and you'll have to restart, but ain't it worth it to see the badniks' fine animation?
Obviously, it's a celebration of the old game and several key elements of the original Green Hill Act 1's stage layout have been reproduced here. The motobug at the start, the first platform with the 10 Rings monitor, items hidden in trees… there's even the S-bend pipe with the ramp at the end, throwing you into the air where a veil of rings waits to be collected.
However, while the main route through the level is understandably simplistic for gamers to take in the magnificent sights and sounds, a couple more plays reveal the speedrunner's best friend. Shortcuts – and plenty of 'em.
Above: This still from the trailer shows you one shortcut. Use the Buzz Bomber as a stepping stone. It's hard!
Most of them are signposted if you're quick enough to react. We were playing on the biggest TV in the building (80in, I believe) which sounds great, but it's not the best way to see what's coming at you. But once the shortcuts have been spotted, it's not too hard getting into them every time.
Some of them are classic Sonic – Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2 featured a left-facing spring in your path that most players will hit and there's one in new Green Hill Zone too. There's a perfectly enjoyable route if you hit it and fall through the floor that had collapsed behind you, but if you see it fast enough (or more likely remember it's there), you can jump over it and save yourself a load of time.
One thing the new game offers speedrunners over Sonic 4 is split times that come up on the screen as you pass checkpoints. There were always key moments in Sonic 4's speedrun where you'd look at the clock to see if you were up or not, but these precise splits make it all that much easier and official.
Above: In the game itself, checkpoints bring up split times on the screen showing you how well you're doing
I got the Old Sonic first act down to 1m23s before we had to call it a day. It's going to get down below 1m, but I seriously doubt we'll be getting near that 30s barrier this time. But then again, I thought that about Sonic 4 and the leaderboards (and YouTube) say otherwise.
There were other things in the demo that intrigued me. For instance, there are five special red rings to collect in the Old Sonic stage, which currently don't trigger anything. Also, there was no hint of a bonus stage, which I seriously hope a) is going to be put in soon and b) is a remake of the pipe run from Sonic 2. We had the Sonic 1 rotating maze in Sonic 4, so it makes sense to expect it.
Sonic's movement reminded me a lot of Sonic Colors'. His jump is surprisingly shallow, making some platforming sections that should have been easy actually rather tricky. Also, rolling into a ball and hitting a spring doesn't carry inertia like it used to – running into said spring and staying on your feet to run up walls is the way to get up them.
Above: 'Old' Sonic's jump can only just make it up to that platform with the spring. It feels a tad too shallow
Finally, while you can crouch and press jump repeatedly to rev up like you could from Sonic 2 onwards, X now does this on its own, revving you to top speed straight away. It's also used to smash through boulders, complete with a button prompt. It's at odds with the rest of the authenticity of movement and is likely an inclusion for casual-gamers - the original Sonic 1's near-invisible weak walls that you could run up to and roll through were too much for many novices. But again, for speedrunners, the X button helps as a quick-reset to get you back up to speed after a coming to a halt.
It's already loads of fun and looking sublime, despite its early, unfinished state. I can't wait to see which other levels will be included from Sonic's vast back catalogue. In fact, I just can't wait to play it again. It's nailed the visuals, the speed, the platforming challenge and the nostalgia factor. But, crucially, it feels like a new Sonic game, like this is the real Sonic 4. In fact, it does make you wonder why Sonic 4 was made at all, but hey ho. Suffice to say, this is the one to watch. I daren't believe it can fully recapture the magic of the 16-bit classics but, based on this evidence, it's going to be damn close.
23 May, 2011


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At our school's recent book fair, my 10 year old picked up this book: Basher History: States & Capitals - United We Stand ($8.09, Amazon). He's in 5th grade and will be learning all of the states and capitals this year so I thought it was great that he bought this. Colorful and animated, I wasn't surprised either - this book actually makes … [Read more...]
Easy Chapter Books for Emerging Readers (Around Ages 6-8)
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Looking for something for your 10 year old son to read? We're always on the hunt for new, exciting books to interest my 10-year-old. He was once a reluctant reader; he enjoys reading now but it definitely has to be a particular type of book full of adventure and fun for him to enjoy it. Here's a list of 10 books he or his friends have recently … [Read more...]
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10 Books You Need to Read in 2014 #BookClub
I read up a storm during the month of December. I think it was holiday procrastination or something. I've been trying hard to break out of my "norm" for book choices and I think I've done a good job doing that - and really enjoyed some books I wouldn't normally pick up! Being in a new book club has helped too since the host picks the book. I … [Read more...]
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My 4th grade boy loved this book. He stayed up two nights in a row reading Spirit Animals - Book 1 (Wild Born) ($7.79 for Hardcover) after we bought it at our Scholastic school book fair. He's clearly taking after my love of sci-fi and fantasy as this is a cool series about teenage kids who can call their own "spirit animals" out once they come … [Read more...]
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As far back as I can remember, I loved to read. I remember reading in Kindergarten, elementary school and beyond and just loving books. Judy Blume was my inappropriate author choice in elementary school and thanks to an older cousin, by middle school, I was reading Judith Krantz and Danielle Steel. (Probably with many a shocked look on my face at … [Read more...]
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Today's Holiday Gift Guide is all about... Books, books, and more books! The Hunger Games Trilogy $31 Pinkalicious $9 I See Me! Personalized Books $29.95 (Variable titles - all can be personalized!) The Dangerous Book for Boys $16 1,000 Places to See Before You Die $12 Delirium $10.98 Merry Christmas … [Read more...]
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It's been awhile since I've read a book that makes me actually think. I know that sounds horribly tragic, especially seeing as I was once quite the book worm. But these days my book of choice is usually some teen fantasy book that involves vampires and teenage angst. But the latest I picked up was a borrow from a friend - the Memoirs of … [Read more...]


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Dungeon depth in the past, present and future {WoW}
Apr 19th 2008 12:03PM @arya i totally agree with what you are saying
instances such as blackrock depth's have the feeling that you are actually in the game, in the lore. The amazing architecture and the sheer size of the instance are epic. More instances like this, that have heart and feeling. More instances where you feel like you are in the game and in the lore, and it seems like you are making a difference!


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Shifting Perspectives: Raiding early Blackwing Descent as a balance druid {WoW}
Jan 22nd 2011 12:51PM Whenever we tried to use a limited amount of players @ ranged distance, pillars would spawn in melee. We determined there was a minimum amount of ranged players necessary to avoid this (10 for 25man). This was in line with other boss mechanics that needed a minimum number of players at ranged distance for thrown abilities.
Is this not the case? Because everytime we tested with less than 10 at ranged, a pillar would erupt in melee...
We already have the achieve and enough ranged to make it a non-issue, but I don't understand why other teams would not get the melee-pillar wipes we did with so few at ranged distance.
Shifting Perspectives: Heroic ICC for balance druids -- Plagueworks and Frostwing Halls {WoW}
Sep 11th 2010 3:49PM I guess I'm used to far more competent healers. We never have an issue, from the progression kill till now.
Shifting Perspectives: Heroic ICC for balance druids -- Plagueworks and Frostwing Halls {WoW}
Sep 11th 2010 11:14AM I am a little amazed at how lackluster this 'guide' is on maximizing your dps for these encounters. There are so many nuances and tactics left out.
Just a small note on the other comments... If you spell queue an instant after a cast spell(Wrath or Starfire), then you only receive one stack instead of two.
Unchained Magic rotations can easily be accomplished that only get to 3 stacks.
Starfire, Moonfire, Starfire, Insect Swarm, Starfire, Typhoon, let stack clear.
Even on heroic 25, a Power Word Shield is more than enough to absorb 3 stacks on an explosion.
Arcane Brilliance: I hope for an icy apocalypse {WoW}
May 9th 2010 10:58AM My frost mage consistently does 10-11k in icc25 and is only around 5400gs. The potential is certainly there, just not the population of skilled players that choose to play the spec.
Cataclysm: Stats and system changes for balance druids {WoW}
Mar 2nd 2010 4:48PM Has no one else read the armor type bonus given to classes? If you wear the armor type you're supposed to, you'll get a bonus to your stats in some way. Sooooo, when this spirit>hit conversion is proved to be bogus for us and we take a few cloth pieces to compensate, we're getting screwed again because we won't get the 'all-leather-wearing bonus'.
Gold Capped: Making ridiculous sums of money on the auction house {WoW}
Feb 14th 2010 3:27PM Good luck with the new column. I'm just passing the 600k mark myself since beginning in November.
Concise and well thought-out writing so far, keep it up.
Win one of five TCG codes today on WoW Insider {WoW}
May 19th 2009 12:34PM Yummy free loot


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I've seen many threads in the past talking about growing firs outside their normal range. At the local nursery this week and I noticed a bunch of abies nordmanniana. I know that abies firma is a popular choice for heat tolerance. abies concolor also has some heat tolerance. How to these 3 compare and what others are there? I'm only interested in trees I can get, I don't want to search the world for some extremely rare species. With so many nordmanniana at the nursery, someone here must be growing them. I'm sure nothing including firma will grow well in the open sun here in OK, but with some shade, will they perform, or are they a total waste of time? |
Follow-Up Postings:
Give them a try; make sure they are on their own roots, not grafted on rootstocks of a cold-climate species like A. fraseri. If you can find them, also look out for Abies pinsapo, A. recurvata, and A. chensiensis. Resin |
A. firma is the most resistant to rot, which is caused by wetness & warmth. That's why it can grow in north Florida. In OK, with the dry summers you've been having, getting enough water to the thing might be more of the challenge. Therefore I wonder if A. pinsapo (or even A. numidica/A. cilicica, etc...the other warm climate Mediterranean firs) would be more dry-summer tolerant. OTOH, A. recurvata comes from wet summer China but hasn't seemed too thirsty for me. Still this is a much moister climate than the lower great plains, so YMMV on that. A. firma is in the same series...all of which seem pretty tough...A. pindrow survived this summer, with the hottest July ever, while A. spectabilis died in the almost-as-hot summer 2010, even though it was grafted onto A. firma. So, yeah, definitely try A. firma but recognize it might not be the most drought tolerant. In OK I wouldn't have high hopes the Nordmann fir, the area it comes from is just too salubrious in my opinion. There are just a few old ones in the cooler parts of the NC Piedmont, unlike A firma that goes all the way down to the Gulf Coast. |
With so many nordmanniana at the nursery, someone here must be growing them. Don't count on it. Nowadays even the "better" nurseries sell plants that they shouldn't, in my opinion. |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5/6 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 23, 11 at 8:57
Abies nordmanniana will grow there. /Mark/texjagman/ in or near Oklahoma City has commented about them being typical landscape specimens. I'll link you below to a thread. Dax |
Here is a link that might be useful: Mark's Comment
Dax...did your Abies nordmanniana posted in the link survive this summer? Dave |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5/6 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 23, 11 at 16:44
oh yeah. I have many-many seedlings of nordmann here. Dax |
I have a nordmann growing here in Nashville for many years now. It has come through very hot humid summers and drought. Looks perfect and is my favorite conifer in the yard. The only other fir I've managed to grow is firma. I got this one from Forest Farm. |
Thanks. It's good to know the Nordmann fir is heat tolerant. It still wouldn't be my first choice for a place like OK though. And as for texjagman's post, he said one "Golden Spreader" died on him, and that he sees other Nordmanns with light green growth but didn't make it clear whether they were mature landscape specimens or not. I think there's a mindset difference here...I suspect in the south-central plains it's common to have irrigated lawns and gardens. I only water newly established plants just enough to keep them from dying. So in a hot dry climate I might prefer to plant a very drought tolerant fir. If you have sprinklers and everything gets watered anyhow, I guess establishing a variety of firs would be easier. |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5/6 (My Page) on Sat, Nov 26, 11 at 9:41
Golden Spreader is a difficult plant and what it was grafted on is going to be strictly luck. For a few bucks this person will know. Well worth the experience. Whether or not a perfect distinction can be drawn about the size of the nordmann's Mark is seeing is not 100% possible but one would draw that him seeing them is more to favor the likelihood that that he's not seeing little seedlings about but rather those that are at least recognizable from a distance. That's a decent bet I'm led to believe. Furthermore, I'm not watering mine at all. Only been in the ground since 08 - and I lost none this year with 6-8 weeks of blinding temps and combined with drought. I have 25 of them. Dax |
Why has Golden Spreader been a difficult plant for me? It's the only conifer the damn rabbits (aka, the lop-eared rats!) have started eating! Had to put a fence around it! At least, I'm pretty sure it's rabbits, looks more like their handiwork than the deer. If anything because the bites are small and the remains mostly gone, i.e. consumed. I've almost never seen the stupid deer actually "eat" something. They just "sample" a plant by chewing 1/2 of the stems off and leaving them on the ground. They remind me of the parrot my family used to have that would "eat" fresh fruit by taking a 3X3 millimeter sliver of a piece of it, and slinging the other 98% of the mass across the room! |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5/6 (My Page) on Sat, Nov 26, 11 at 12:37
Little brains. Dax |
I would not get a grafted fir unless the understock is firma for a hot climate. This is very unlikely unless the grower is in a southern area or bragging out it. For a species I like nordmann from my experience. Much more attractive than firma. I've also seen numidica do well in hot areas but mine died. There are a few firs in southern europe that may do well and some natural hybrids with nordmann. |
I am in a hot and dry Z6--right next to Z7, and maybe properly in Z7, except for cold winter nights. Anyway, here the best growing fir is holophylla--the 80 year-old specimens at the VA Arboretum are absolutely spectacular. The Nordmanns there are growing well also. On my place I have Nordmanns, bournmullerana, holophylla, koreana, chensiensis, cilicica, cephalonica, and numidica. So far all are doing well. All are seedlings--not grafted on some rootstock unsuitalbe to our hot, dry summers. The climate where a tree is native is not always a good guide to the kind of climate in which a tree may grow beautifully. Norway spruce is adaptable to climates much hotter and drier than their native climate. The best example is the Baldcypress, which grows in dry soils and much further north than any native baldcypress will be found. I believe that many firs are very adaptable to much hotter and drier climates than their native environment. I also believe that many are more cold hardy than advertised. --spruce |
Do I understand you. These firs will grow in zone7,8,9 with no problem. Or no more then any other conifer. |
jolj: Did you adress this question to me "Do I understand you. I'm not sure. I was discussing this topic posted by greatplainsturf, Z6 or 7, and in my post I said I was a near Z7, but technically in Z6. Many people will say there are no good firs for Z6 and Z7. I say "bunk." As for Z8 and higher, I have my doubts. As for other conifers, many pines are more heat tolerant than fir trees, but many firs, I think, are as, or more heat tolerant, than some of the spruces. But, specifically, as for OK, Z6 or Z7, there is more severe daytime heat than here in VA, so I would not guarnatee success there with the firs I mentioned. But if they do well here, I think they would be worth a try. --spruce |
- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Tue, Nov 29, 11 at 21:57
Thanks Spruce I don't know if any of these would work in full sun. Firma seems like the best bet, though it's absent from your list. I've never thought of holophylla though. Anyone know which of holophylla or firma is most tolerant to hot temps with wind and sun? |
Here are the Rushford groupings, from a message that fell off the end of the forum (via Resin): Group 1 bracteata. Seems group 4 is the most (humid) heat tolerant overall. Abies recurvata and A. pindrow did great for me in this hot summer. Followed by 3, then, 2 or 8? The Nikko fir grows in NC. This looks more like it(!): |
Very hot & very wet? (i.e., New Orleans) A. firma is your only choice. Very hot and drought prone: sure try others, including A. equi-trojani (arguably the Turkish form of Nordmann...yes, it is more attractive than A. firma, generally speaking...if nothing else because it has fragrant foliage.) |
I live in central Arkansas zone 7b with very hot and humid summers. I've had good luck with Abies pinsapo, concolor, and firma. Several Abies koreana have turned brown and died overnight. I've also tried Abies nordmanniana numerous times without success. I don't know what type of rootstock was used on my previous Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' attempts or Abies koreana cultivars. Most of my previous A. nordmanniana specimens would slowly die with branch dieback affecting different areas of the plant as each year passed. They definitely didn't thrive! I always removed them after about 3-4 years because they looked so ratty. In regard to sun/shade, moisture, wind protection, I've planted then im a lot of different areas. Nothing helped. I'll never attempt A. koreana again but maybe A. nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader'. It'll have to come from a dependable grower who can confirm Abies firma rootstock was used. If it doesn't survive, I'll then be done with A. nordmanniana. My successful Abies pinsapo, concolor, and firma all receive early sun and evening shade. All my newly planted Abies receive full time shade (30-40% cloth)for the first 2 years then they're on their own. Is this necessary???...who knows? It works for me and I havnt lost one yet with this method. I repeat the procedure for all new Abies pinsapo, concolor, or firma planted. I plan on trying Abies cephalonica this spring. I'm also planting 3-4 more Abies pinsapo and concolor specimens. |
Fir lovers: My fir here that I mentioned are all seedlings. I am just a bit suspicious of rootstocks and don't want to plant any grafted fir. Of course, if you want a cultivar, it is had to find them grafted on the same species. Tough! Also, one can't ignore soils. The firs I have growing here, and those at the VA Arboretum, are growing on very deep, rich soils. The rooting zone of most of my soils and those at the Arboretum is at least 50 inches, and in some cases over 60 inches. So if one person has bad luck, but another reports wonderful success in a zone with the same kind of climate, the difference may be soil. --spruce |
- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Wed, Dec 7, 11 at 21:47
I know it's not a fir, but i didnt think there was need for a new thread. I saw a picture today of a picea omorika bruns and fell in love. How does this tree stack up in the heat compared to picea abies or pungens. I'd love to add on of these to my collection. |
turf: Best to start a new topic with this. From my limited observation, P. omorika, as a species, is not so heat or drought tolerant as P. abies or P. pungens. Norway spruce seems to me to be the best for warmer and drier climates, at least with the right strain, and the right soil (with good magnesium). But I have not seen very many older P. omorika in Z6 or Z7. When they are young, they look wonderful. But the very few older ones I have seen look a bit thin and sick to me in warmer and drier areas. But, again, I stress the importance of soils, and I have not seen any older P.omorika where I knew anything about the soils they were growing in. I can say, almost for sure, that in Z6 and/or Z7, they will be slow growing. Actually, at my timberland in moist Z5, they grow slowly on most of the soils there that are relatively well-drained. I have two planted in a bottomland soil that is heavy, and waterlogged at depth. On this site they grow almost as fast as Norway spruce. I have one weeping variety of P. Omorika growing at my timberland, but I am not sure it is a Bruns. It is very pretty, and quite narrow, and is growing fairly slowly. Anyway, for a narrow upright weeping tree--not nearly narrow as the Bruns however, try some of the Norway spruce cultivars, such as 'Pruhoniceana', 'Rothenhaus', and 'Aarburg'. I am growing all of these. A real star in my book is the P orientalis 'Nutans.' P. orientlis is one of the more heat tolerant spruce, and this cultivar can become incredibly graceful, with just the right amount of irregularity. Of course, I am also growing those here in Northern VA. Based on what I know--or think I know--about P. omorika in my climate here (a hot and dry Z6), and a comment or two from folks on this forum, I have passed on trying the Bruns here. --spruce |
- Posted by coniferjoy (My Page) on Fri, Dec 9, 11 at 2:49
Spruce, I think that you mean 'Pendula Bruns' instead of 'Bruns', these are differend from eachother. The first one is a narrow weeper while the second is like the species only more silvery blue... |
Coniferjoy: Thanks, I carelessly thought I was using a short form of the name. But now that you mention it, I remember that 'Bruns' is another thing altogether. It never hurts to be careful with cultivar names! --spruce |
- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Mon, Dec 26, 11 at 1:13
Abies Concolor seems to be the native fir with the most heat tolerance. abciximab in arkansas says he is growing one. how does this one stack up compared to firma and nordman as well as picea pungens and picea abies? I love the long blue needles from recent posts on this forum. |
Abies concolor if sourced from the SW USA. We have many in New Mexico surviving in very xeric conditions with 15 inches of rainfall a year or less in bad years. |
Some but not all of my Picea omorika cultivars suffered some damage from the drought and high temps this last summer. I lost one 'Pendula' and others suffered more then normal needle cast. All established and in good health. In my opinion not as durable as Picea abies or pungens. Dave |
I still think Nordmann fir can be a viable option. Hotter than heck in Nashville, Tennessee this summer and very dry in June. Many days over 100F. Then July was hot, wet and humid. This guy has been in the ground for 5 years now and is doing great. |
Here is a link that might be useful: my nordmann fir
- Posted by fairfield8619 Zone 8 N LA (My Page) on Thu, Oct 4, 12 at 23:44
I can't see it and I really want to! |
- Posted by jimbobfeeny 5a IN (My Page) on Sat, Oct 6, 12 at 8:32
I've noticed that a lot of christmas tree farms around here (mind you, there aren't that many) are beginning to plant Canaan fir (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis). I wonder if this is the most heat-tolerant of the balsam group? We have problems with root rot on frasers around here, and it's a bit too warm for Balsam. We are USDA zone 5 and AHS heat zone 5. I've constantly been looking for a more heat tolerant eastern fir, wondering if there really is significant differences in geographic races. Would a balsam fir from Michigan or Wisconsin do better in Indiana than one from Nova Scotia? Provenance is something I've always been intrigued by. I grow a lot of Northern trees that wouldn't normally be found around here (Many are found in far Northern Indiana), often with success. I've found that, planted as a seedling, anyways, once a tree reaches head height, I consider it completely established. I've also noticed that trees from more Northern climes establish better and have a better chance of success if planted as a young seedling or even started from seed here. Maybe I'm crazy for thinking like that! I've planted some Canaan fir seedlings this spring - Only 1 took. It's been a rough year that way... However, I plan to try more next year! |
- Posted by jimbobfeeny 5a IN (My Page) on Sat, Oct 6, 12 at 8:39
Actually it's been a rough year all around. We are drought-free now - 1 inch below normal. (Actually, we made that up last night). We've had 12 inches of rain since August 1st! That's how our climate goes, though - Makes it seem worthwhile watering all those plants for three months. They're fine, now! |
- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Sat, Oct 6, 12 at 11:02
Addressing Spruce's comments that where a tree grows natively is not always a reliable sign for where it will grow...balsam fir is a common "weed tree" just 50 miles north of where I live. In ditches, logging ruts, pretty much anywhere, it comes up thickly. Here in the woods, it is never found. Yet I see trees of this species, having undoubtedly been dug "up north", brought back and planted in yards, all with no difficulty. My take is that while conditions are suitable here for the species, in a forest setting, it gets outcompeted by other trees relentlessly, such that it is simply not a component. So a tree planted in a yard, where competitive factors are not in play, will do fine. Not directly a soils/climate thing, in this case. +oM |
Since I was quoted again on this thread like I was one other time on this same subject let me qualify my comment I made in that thread. I said I had a couple of them in my gardens but one had fried and one was doing well in a mostly shaded setting. I went on to say I see a lot of people with these that push more lime green rather than the cream color that was being shown in that thread. But I never said they were a good plant for this climate. Those varietals like many other conifers sold in our nurseries and planted all over the city don't survive long here....especially in the current heat cycle climate we're in the last couple of years. Eventually my second 'Golden Spreader' also fried. As a varietal I would not try and grow them here even though they are seen in many nurseries. If you do they need to be set up under a drip irrigation system for the summer months and at least in a well dappled shade area if not full shade to survive here. mark |
Arawa, have you tried Abies cephalonica?? It should well in your zone and it looks to me that it is fa more drought tolerant. Today I saw one year old seedlings, very healthy that saw rain once in May, once in early September and nothing more. And they were at 3000 ft altitude, just over Athens which is zone 9 and barely touching zone 8b... If you haven't you should try it. In 2 years I'll be able to send out some of my seedlings to anyone interested. Or in few days, fresh seeds worldwide. Best regards, |
- Posted by jimbobfeeny 5a IN (My Page) on Sun, Oct 7, 12 at 18:09
Around here (Zone 5), I need a fir that can withstand the occasional heat spell. We tied some weather records - 7 days over 100, one day at 105. Mind you, we usually only have a week or two of 90s, broken by stretches of cooler 80s. And usually, the warmer it is, the more rain we get. This year has been anomalous from the norm. (understatement of the year) |
- Posted by ingeborgdot 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 14:46
I know this is an old thread but has anyone come up with a good guideline or is it really just too much of hit and miss? What # category have you found to be the most heat tolerant? I live in the high plains. 3000' alt., dry heat. Summers get hot, but nights tend to cool down nicely. We may have 100 to 105 for weeks in summer but our nights will cool down to less than 70 most of the time with some nights getting to low 60's or even upper 50's in late spring or early fall. I think this does tend to help plants cope a little bit. All of my plants are on a drip system so I really do control the moisture to them. Does anyone have any suggestions at all as to what they have tried? I have grown Abies koreana Cis for 2 years now and it looks great. I have had Abies koreana Green Carpet for a year and same there. My Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' is a year and a half and is thriving so far. My nordmanniana Berlin struggled some as the new growth burned off but I had it in a bad place and did not get enough water to it as it was new. We'll see how this summer goes. I have had Abies lasiocarpa var arizonica 'Compacta' for a year now and it is getting ready to bud out. What a nice blue color. |
Where exactly are you located?? It's not only heat what ends up killing firs.... |
- Posted by ingeborgdot 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 15:48
Western KS high plains. |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5b (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 15:58
You have a distinct advantage indeed living up in altitude and having cool nights. And conifers like soil that is on the moist side versus the dry side. There you have a given advantage too with your irrigation. On their own roots you should try: And for other firs you wish to grow you will have to find growers that know their understocks. You should go with the flow of growers using Abies firma as rootstocks or find someone growing on Nordmann. I was just reading about this, this morning. 'Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo For the Southeast'. The authors talk about siting firs to keep them out of the blazing afternoon sun. This in conjunction with water and species-selection will take you a long way. Dax |
- Posted by ingeborgdot 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 16:14
Thanks. Sounds great but trying to find some of those seems to be difficult. I am looking for very small dwarf plants or even miniatures as my areas that I have are not big but I love to collect with well over 100 varieties to this point. |
- Posted by gardener365 IL 5b (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 17:22
Well, I'd recommend the obvious... you need to buddy up with a grafter. Look into Gee Farms & Western Evergreen and Coenosium Gardens. Each Fall early on Bob Fincham (Coenosium) takes special requests. As of recently I've heard that Jason at Western Evergreen has something like an eight plant minimum for requests of (1) thing. That's an estimated guess though. You'd have to contact him to learn the real situation. Gary Gee custom grafts but I don't know his policy. Bob has always been easy to work with. It's been a few three years since I asked him for custom grafting, however... Just trying to help you. I don't know what else to say. Dax |
- Posted by ingeborgdot 6 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 16, 13 at 18:25
Thanks. I didn't know that was an option. I guess I learn something everyday on here. I will also keep looking. I have found some but just not many. |
Ingeborgdot, definitely try Mediterranean firs (Abies cephalonica, Abies cilicica, Abis pinsapo, Abies nebrodensis - if you can find seeds! -, Abies tazaotana, Abies numidica. FW Schumacher and Sheffields are good vendors for seeds. Here's a scientific comparison of the temperature and precipitation of the native habitats of Mediterranean firs: http://utenvironment.org/upload_cec_files/abies_drought_comparison.pdf Abies concolor should do even better than Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica, since they're native to the same area but at lower elevation. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Temperature and Precipitation comparison of the native habitats of Mediterranean firs
You need to be careful with A. firma rootstock in alkaline soil. A. nordmanniana does much better for me... the problem would be finding plants grafted onto A. nordmanniana. bluecone, very interesting article!!! osprey |
Wow. I haven't been on here for so long. I need to get back to the forum. I am in Nashville, TN USA. Here is a picture of my Nordmanniana grown from a 1 gal from Forest Farm. Sorry the pic is sideways! It has been in the ground for probably 7 years now. It has seen every summer Nashville could throw at it including 110F dry heat and 95F with unbearable humidity. I have not watered it a lot. Mostly just when we have an extended drought for a couple weeks I will give it a good drink. Side note as far as spruces, Norway, Colorado do fine, I also have a Chinese spruce that has done well. I would have to look it up to see what it was but it looks like Colorado but not quite as blue. Oriental spruce does well and is beautiful but grows slow. Get Serbian spruce grafted on Norway and they do better IMO. Serbian on its own roots has died for me while grafted varieties did fine. I can only assume they were grafted to Norway. Abies koreana I've killed but I have seen a few do OK around town. Must be grafted to firma. |
- Posted by hairmetal4ever Z7 MD (My Page) on Sun, May 11, 14 at 9:24
Has anyone tried A. homolepis in the Mid Atlantic? Seems similar to firma, hollophylla, etc. |
Hair, no, but got a A holophylla and A nordmanniana last spring. Holophylla looks good (buds sprouting) -- nordmanniana might not make it. |
midtn, nice Nordmann. I grew up at a house w/a 90 ft Nordmann. It was the only one I ever saw of any size other than in the DC arboretum (later I saw a few in the Va arb). During the hottest, driest summer (with lawns browned-out), it would get a bit of spider-mite infestation low down, but nothing serious. |
- Posted by hairmetal4ever Z7 MD (My Page) on Sun, May 11, 14 at 18:10
Beng, Nordmann pushes late, so you might be OK. I have some hollophylla I am starting from seed. They are just 1" sprouts with cotyledon leaves so far, but a little bud is forming in the center of a few. |
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text: Found a card in the mail tonight, with an old-style wax seal on it. Looked lovely, except that the seal didn't keep. (or perhaps the USPS decided to inspect it.) Inside was a three dimensional papercrafty greeting card and enough glitter to possibly warrant the USPS needing to inspect it, (just in case.) Was not signed, so I'm hoping this actually did come from a Secret Santa, (and not perhaps an anthrax terrorist.)


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I am married to the greatest man! He is my willing food taste tester. I have had the previlage of learning to cook from my Grandmother. She owned 3 resturants and has cooked her entire life until she became ill and then she was the conducter and I the band. I learned more living with her in the last 10 years and it has made me a woman confident in most areas of cooking and will make me a good wife and mother. Any recipe I submit is dedicated to her and her ability to smell a dish and make. To take simple foods and make them sing. She gave me our family cookbook which was her Grandmother's and is very old. I hope to one day master those recipes.


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Secret Donors back new Obamacare push . . . Politico
Hillary shuts door on critics on the way out . . . Associated Press
Citizenship question rankles both Parties . . . Washington Post
Hagel performs poorly, but it won't matter . . . Washington Post
Obama jobs council shutting down . . . Fox News
Romney campaign donated $90K for Sandy relief . . . Politico
EPA defies court, commands biofuel production . . . Fox News
Surge of Americans delaying retirement . . . Wall Street Journal
Previous post: Quote of the Day || February 1, 2013
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The Obama Morning News || February 1, 2013
{ 11 comments }
- February 1, 2013 at 8:20 am
One would think that more than a simple majority of the Senate would be required for ratifying new Cabinet officers. Chuckie came across as an idiot but he'll be rubber stamped in. God Help America.
- February 1, 2013 at 8:36 am
Rick, if this guy is confirmed, Western civilization is at stake. I've seen punch-drunk, ex-prize fighters who were more articulate.
Senators shocked at how ill-prepared Hagel is:
http://freebeacon.com/cnn-senators-shocked-at-how-ill-prepared-hagel-is/- February 1, 2013 at 9:15 am
MrHagel's appearance and demeanor at the hearings are incongruous with everything the Dept of Defense demands of all those it governs; he looked disheveled with his sloppy haircut, and his reluctance to own up to his mistakes made him appear to be either stupid or a political hack who doesn't know what he's talking about.
It seems that he will be confirmed by the loyal Dems who will overlook all his faults and make excuses for his errors. They'll blame his poor performance on the mean Repubs who weren't even polite to a former colleague.
- February 1, 2013 at 9:12 am
The EPA story is another frightening example of this administration's total lack of regard for the separation of powers and the rule of Constitutional law. The EPA was slapped down by the DC Appeals court when it came to mandating biofuel production levels, and then turned around and raised the levels the next week.
I hope this case goes to the SCOTUS, and this WH gets the beat down it deserves. Perhaps the Constitutional scholars in the WH need to review Marbury v Madison and the right of judicial review. For the EPA to flagrantly ignore the DC Appeals court's decision flies in the face of over 200+ years of judicial precedent. Hopefully a Supreme Court ruling will put the administration on notice that it is not imperial, but rather simply an elected guardian of the Republic.
- February 1, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Yep, SCOTUS will save us from Obama's extraconstitutional forays. Let's see, there's Kagin, GInsberg, Sotomayor, Breyer, Roberts…
AND, he gets to pick more later! Maybe THIS GUY!
"As someone who has taught constitutional law for almost 40 years, I am ashamed it took me so long to see how bizarre all this is. Imagine that after careful study a government official — say, the president or one of the party leaders in Congress — reaches a considered judgment that a particular course of action is best for the country. Suddenly, someone bursts into the room with new information: a group of white propertied men who have been dead for two centuries, knew nothing of our present situation, acted illegally under existing law and thought it was fine to own slaves might have disagreed with this course of action. Is it even remotely rational that the official should change his or her mind because of this divination?" -Louis Michael Seidman
Not only sounds like a good fit FOR Obama, but considering he's a Constitutional "scholar" that doesn't like the Constitution, he sounds like he IS Obama!
Hope I didn't give Prezzy any ideas…
I also recommend that Justices Thomas, Alito, and Scalia have food tasters with them if they dine at Obama's table! Kennedy, not so much, I'm sure they know they'll own HIM in time….
- February 1, 2013 at 9:50 am
So Hagel, like Obamacare, will pass with Democratic votes only.
- February 1, 2013 at 10:37 am
Sure looks like it. According to them he did a great job at the hearing. It's sad when even the media said he did a poor job.
- February 1, 2013 at 12:15 pm
The left-wing media (NYT, WaPo) are taking Hillary's stance: yes, he did a terrible job during the confirmation hearing, but what does it matter?
- February 1, 2013 at 2:36 pm
The magic word now for this cabinet – "But what does it matter?"
- February 1, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Maybe it's an inferiority complex? After all, Hope and Hilz both grew up (if I can use that term loosely) in a time frame that may have been influnced by this scene from "Meatballs"…
"Tripper: And even if we win, if we win, HAH! Even if we win! Even if we play so far above our heads that our noses bleed for a week to ten days; even if God in Heaven above comes down and points his hand at our side of the field; even if every man woman and child held hands together and prayed for us to win, it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking girls would still go out with the guys from Mohawk because they've got all the money! It just doesn't matter if we win or we lose. IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!
Rest of group: IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER… "
Bear in mind that they were the bookish, thick-ankled feminist and the skinny foreign kid back in the day. This probably left scars they carry to this day – and Prezzy d o e s like his REVENGE!
THAT would explain A LOT! ITS SOCIETY"S FAULT! LET"S TAKE IT OUT ON SOCIETY!


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