text:
Lil Tour of Colorado
The time has come to do the RR for our annual "out west" ride. I say annual because the last 2 years it has happened and we caught ourselves saying "next year were going do this" quite a few times. So, it's an annual event. First year it was a solo ride, the next year by brother, Mike, joined me and this year my son joined in the fun.
It was great to have my son Alex along this year. Alex and I have gone on a camping bike trip every year since he was 12, except for last year. He was tied up with summer jobs after his first year of college and didn't have time for a ride with the old man. This year he planned ahead and got a week off for the ride.:clap This was the first time he rode in the mountains, I think he liked it!
Every good Colorado ride starts in Wyoming, right? Ours did anyway. We trailered the bikes from western WI to Laramie Wyoming, about 14 hours of windshield time. We choose Laramie because it was on the interstate and looked like it would not take long to get the bikes on some nice roads (Medicine Bow NF). Minimize truck time, maximize bike time! We would hook up with the Colorado section of the CDR on the first day of riding.
We pulled into the Laramie Americas Best Value Inn on the west side of town about 11:00 pm Saturday night. I had made
arrangements with Charlie, who manages the place, to leave our truck and trailer there for the week. Thanks Charlie!
Sunday Morning packing the bikes and getting ready for a week of Colorado back country!
First days route.
Sunday's route took us down WY 130 to Wy 11 through the national forest. We would hit WY 70 just outside the small town of Encampment and then ride WY 70 over Battle Pass and across the Continental Divide.
Early on in the NF the GPS tried routing us down this rocky trail, we decided that it was a little early in the ride for this punishment.
Just before Encampment the old KLR must have been getting tired, took an nap right in the middle of the road.
There is photographic proof that all the bikes on this ride were tired at one time or another.
North Platte River
Small store at Encampment.
The kid on top of the divide, he loves climbing rocks.
The bikes at the divide outlook.
Entering Colorado
We turned off of WY 70 on to FR807 then onto Stock Road. Stock Road is a wonderful dirt 2 track that was a blast to ride. In fact, with fully loaded 650s there were some downhills that created a little bit of a pucker factor. There were also some awesome views.
Enjoying the view after a significant climb.
The views in this valley were amazing.
Crossing the Wyoming/Colorado border, no visitor center here handing out free maps!
:lurk Looks good!
Steamboat Springs
Shortly after crossing the border we got on NF FR129 (gravel) which then turned into Colorado CR129 (paved). We were originally thinking of camping at Hahn's peak, but it was pretty early when we drove through there so decided to drive to Steamboat Springs for supper then head east on CO 40 and spend the night at Walton Creek camp ground.
Supper was here, great burgers! Ran into a nice couple on a BMW with a doggy box on the back, had a nice chat with them.
Here are a few videos of the first days ride. The mud holes don't look like much in the video, but they were tricky. In one video you can just barely see the Ninja is stuck in the mud.
Quote of the day "doing a wheelie thru it, don't worry"
I should explain our route. Our plan was to ride from Laramie WY connect up to the CDR and ride that to Salida CO. At Salida we would start riding the TAT route (or a version of it) to Dove Creek CO. From Dove Creek our plan was to explore some of the Delores River Canyon and then head north to Mesa on our own route. As you will see many deviations were made for many different reasons. By all accounts a great route, a great ride and a great time even with a little drama thrown in.
We arrived at Walton Creek Campground at dusk and most of the nice sites were already taken. We kept slowly climbing the mountain road hoping to find a nice open site. The road ended at a tower (cellphone maybe) site, there were fire rings up here but we didn't like the fact that there were no trees and there was a threat of thunder storms. From here we did spot a nice circle of pines at a lower elevation. We drove down to the pines and found a nice campsite and fire ring. We set up camp in the dark. While we sere setting up camp a sheriff's car stopped on the road next to us, the deputy reminded us there was a burning ban in place.
We were sleeping by 10:30 only to be woken a few hours later by what I thought was a open pipe harley, but as the noise got closer and closer it had more than 2 cylinders barking. What ever was making that racket was on its way up the mountain. I looked out the tent window and saw the pick up truck throwing gravel and running WFO around the switchback just a few hundred feet from our site. What an asshole. They drove to the top where the tower was, stayed there for about half an hour then retreated down the mountain. There were quite a few campers in this area, I'm sure he impressed them all.
Morning shot of camp
Camp view from the tower site.
Our plan for the day was to get as close to Salida as possible. A late start, bad weather and a wrong turn limited us today.
We left camp and went back to Steamboat Springs to get back on the CDR. Our campsite was about 20 miles off the route in the Medicine Bow - Routt NF, not much we could do if we wanted free camping.
This is on CR 18, an area called Pleasant Valley
We detoured some of the gravel route and took CO 134 and US 40 to get into Kremmling a little sooner, everyone was getting a little hungry and grumpy. After lunch at Subway we drove down to Gore Canyon overlook to take a peek at the Colorado River.
We were lucky enough to see this train go through the tunnel.
After viewing the Colorado it was time to head down CR 33 past Williams Fork Reservoir.
As you can see the reservoir level is very low.
The late afternoon brought thunder storms. This would be a reoccurring event on this trip. It was raining pretty hard when we reached Dillon at about 5:00 pm, we decided a motel would work good this night.
This is a shot of Dillon early in the morning, we slept at the Day's Inn and fueled up at the Shell Station.
This place had great Pizza and the beer was pretty good too.
Nice trip!:clap
We got a good night's sleep at the Super 8 and took advantage of the continental breakfast. We fueled the bikes and were ready to put some serious miles on, hitting the road by 8:00 am. Next stop Salida.
Dillion to Breckenridge was all pavement. On the south side of Breckenridge we started the gravel climb up to Boreas Pass, fantastic views.
Overlooking Breckenridge.
The Kid climbing some more rocks. Notice the orange rain pants, we nick named them his "KTM Racing Pants".
Some more views.
A narrow gauge railroad once snaked up this pass.
|Times are GMT -7. It's 12:51 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2015, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ADVrider 2011-2015


text:
Home > Archives
Friday November 23, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR: The Macau Open is not a Super Series event but it has become one of Lee Chong Wei's favourite stops for various reasons.
In the draw released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), Chong Wei has been named the men's singles top seed and is the favourite to win the Grand Prix Gold tournament for the third time in the absence of all the other top players.
The Nov 27-Dec 2 tournament is the only GP Gold event outside of Malaysia that Chong Wei has competed in over the last few years.
His closest rival will be world No. 7 Kenichi Tago of Japan, who is seeded second.
Besides the venue being his favourite hunting ground, Chong Wei also has a large group of supporters in Macau.
The Malaysian won the Macau Open title in 2009 and 2010 but withdrew last year due to fatigue.
Chong Wei, 30, shows no signs of slowing down just yet. After the Macau Open, he will wrap up his season at the World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen, China, from Dec 12-16. The other Malaysians competing in Macau are former international Wong Choong Hann, Loh Wei Sheng, Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, Zulfadli Zulkifli, Chan Kwong Beng and Goh Soon Huat.
For Kwong Beng, the tournament could well decide his future in the team. Already struggling with poor form, an ankle injury at the Pahang Open last month has made his comeback even tougher.
Said Kwong Beng: "I'm about 80% recovered. There is slight pain but I'm looking forward to doing well in Macau."
He will have to step up because others from the same batch, like Liew Daren and Chong Wei Feng, have done well this year.
Malaysia can bank on five pairs in the men's doubles. They are Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah, Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han, Goh V Shem-Ong Jian Guo and former internationals Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock and
Vountus Indra Mawan-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari.
Neighbours heard cries of children being beaten
RM1mil reward offer for information on Dr M's alleged misdeeds
Body of child found buried in kitchen
'Wild' party ends for 51 at popular mall
Money down the drain
Image on Google Street View may be that of missing boy
Copyright © 1995-2015 Star Media Group Berhad (ROC 10894D)(Formerly known as Star Publications (Malaysia) Berhad)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
As education technology has evolved, so, too, have the kinds of digital tools that school librarians use with their students. More than 750 school librarians responded to SLJ's survey, representing K–12 public and private schools across the country. According to the data, they make the most of what they have, learning one day and sharing that knowledge the next.
The Library as Genius Bar
By May 7, 2012 Leave a Commenton
What Tech in Schools Really Looks Like
By April 30, 2012 8 Commentson
Video: Kids Call for Equity at DML 2012
By March 18, 2012 1 Commenton
Going Mobile: Key issues to consider for schools weighing BYOD
By January 22, 2012 3 Commentson


text:
Apple Ginger Lemon Fruit Roll Ups
August 2, 2010
Servings:Covers three dehydrator sheets.
Apple-y, gingery, lemony goodness.
Refreshing Rawlicious Tacos
June 5, 2010
Servings:serves one
I wanted some kind of taco that was simple and didn't require me to run the food processor or blender, since the hubby was sleeping. This came out great. My hubby tried it and liked it, but I chopped everything up into taco salad for him. A nice quick and refreshing taco (or salad)!!!!
Tacos Fresca
May 2, 2010
Servings:makes about 4 cups
Delicious and fresh tacos without beans or nuts.
Grilled Meat! for stir-frys, BBQ Beef, Kebabs, etc
June 23, 2009
Servings:Makes a large bowl that appears to be about 2 pounds of grilled meat.
This will make a grilled meat type flavor and texture. Very hearty and even chewy. I worked on this for a year. Now it's just right. Goes well with my "Sweet Tangy Southern Barbeque Sauce" mushroom lemon dates sage thyme rosemary
Money Rolls
May 16, 2009
Servings:Good for one person
Pick it, pack it, roll it up. A quick easy lunch or dinner that is one of my all time faves.


text:
StartUpHire is the place to find jobs at Sierra Vista startups. Review the list of Sierra Vista career opportunities to the left. These Sierra Vista, AZ jobs at startups represent some of the most rewarding careers available.
You can refine your job search for Sierra Vista career opportunities by adding a job title, company name, or keyword to the search box above … or click the "Advanced Search" link for more options.
Don't see the employment opportunity you're looking for? Check back soon for more startup jobs in Sierra Vista, or sign up for an email alert (link below) to receive periodic updates on new start up jobs in Sierra Vista, AZ.
Demand for Startup Professionals in Sierra Vista, AZ
Startup Jobs in Minneapolis, MN
Startup Jobs in Research Triangle
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Category: Management Summary: Accelecare is a leading national provider of inpatient, outpatient, and long term care wound management services. Accelecare partners with hospitals and long term care facilities to develop and operate Advanced Wound Care2/17/2015 Sierra Vista, AZ Save This Job


text:
Results 1 to 25 of 25
Thread: Cartoon Kitty Battle
August 7th, 2014 #1
Cartoon Kitty Battle
Ok, so what started as drunken drawing last Friday night has turned into this at the moment. This is NOT done yet, and have a ton to do on the background (it's extremely rough and sketched right now), not to mention many of the background characters (aka the other students), which will give me more experimenting in pose, gesture, and faces. I started with Arlo in the front and center, trying to get crazy with the pose and face design, with a touch of foreshortening on the right arm.
I'm doing every trick I've learned this year into this. I'm still adjusting the perspective of the back buildings of the courtyard, and am thinking of bowing the crowd out a little more to give a more 3D effect, rather than a linear side shot. My approach on this is much different than most too, starting from the front and moving back. Each character was designed separately with their pose and placement in mind (which can be a bit backwards I know). I'm also tilting the axis about 3-4 degrees for a more energetic shot, but don't do it until I compile the image.
If anyone knows some good Photoshop brushes for painting backgrounds like Disney backgrounds, that would be great. Again, there will be a LOT more detail in the background than this point. The front row crowd will be almost as detailed as Archer (the instructor), as well as detailed brick buildings with windows and balconies.
As for the picture, this is Arlo Cashmere at the academy during placement exams (right before graduation). He's in a fight being graded and tested by his mentor/superior/friend/instructor Archer Sullivan standing behind him. His classmates are watching him.....and judging him as well. Arlo's trying to not mess up.
If you can't already tell, I'm going for a serious Disney vibe.
Full 1920x1200 WIP: http://bit.ly/1oInJlg
Hide this ad by registering as a memberAugust 7th, 2014 #2
Ok so several things both drawing related and fighting related. Let's start with drawing:
The leg placement on the main character is way off. The extended leg is fine, but the bent leg feels very awkward. I think this could almost entirely be because of the way the jacket obscures the hips and most of the bent leg as well as the highlight on the jacket that echoes the curve of the knee. Maybe the underlayers will clear this up.
Speaking of, can you upload the gesture stage of this? That will help with the continuity of concepts from crit to crit.
You can get away with some sharp lines in the background. The idea of atmospheric perspective is not so much that things blur in the background, but that contrast pops things forward. So to knock buildings back, you can have sharp lines but reduce color saturation and value range.
So. Fighting stuff. First off what style are you going for? It looks like Mt. Fuji in the background, but he's holding a pirate looking sword.
At any rate, the stance isn't a workable fighting stance (not that it matters too much, but ya know, just cuz). Across all fighting styles, when you're fighting blade on blade, you're doing two things, primarily. 1) You're not giving away your head. 2) You're using your empty hand to guard your heart.
So because of #1, you'd usually be back-weighted until you find an opening, then you'd lunge in (see fencers). But when you lunge in, your head would still be as far back as possible. Because of #2, you'd never touch the ground unless you absolutely had to. You'd have that left hand somewhere near your heart. Not too close, not too extended. Although in Kali knife fighting sometimes you'd have the hand directly on the heart so when it gets stabbed, it goes through the hand instead and you'd trap the blade in your hand then attack. Morbid stuff.
At any rate, it's really good so far.
August 7th, 2014 #3
Thanks again for the detailed response. I see what you're talking about with the left knee. I had thought about it earlier in the process, but wasn't sure. I tried doing the same pose myself to verify it was possible. He's more in a "lunging" pose, pushing forward (after sliding back).
Keep in mind that this isn't Earth. I'm creating a fantasy world where nothing is necessarily based off our reality, but I do understand holding certain elements for the sake of familiarity. As far as the fighting technique, I haven't thought about it deep enough determining what fighting style they use. I also haven't determined exactly who....or WHAT he's fighting in this picture, leaving it to the imagination. It could be another person, a robot, a monster, etc. Arlo's instinct or fighting techniques may be determined by what weapon his foe is holding (or if any at all). However, I know it sounds like I'm finding convenient excuses too.
I agree on the colors for distance and depth. Everything in the background is very soft at the moment due to the sketchiness and crappy brushes I used. I want it crispy, even with a touch of gaussian blur for depth of field, but I want to somehow hold on to the vividness and cartoony colors while still appearing to have that distance and depth.
Here's the rough beginning initial stages. I apologize for the lack of gesture lines. I think I deleted the layer during the night as I was drinking way too much. I also kept thinking about volume, roundness, and depth, but I was taking shortcuts. This picture sort of evolved, and didn't plan on making what you see until later that weekend.
Note that I've changed the sword placement since then.
Last edited by fxscreamer; August 7th, 2014 at 05:31 PM.
August 7th, 2014 #4
Ah ok. I see the stance now. The hips are basically flat, and the knee is outside all the way on the far side of the rib cage(?) In that case, you'd need some indicator that the hips are parallel to the ground. Also I think the femur might be too short...If the leg is simply under the rib cage, then the femur is definitely too short.
And as far as fighting goes, it'd be best to ground it in reality and give a lot of thought to it. Sure it's legit to style things up. But if you give it the depth of thought, it'll give you more to work with in the illustrations.
August 7th, 2014 #5
I think you're right on both accounts. It was the femur I was worried about before you even said it, and the more thought you put into something, it'll show through your art. I'll see what I can do about the femur....but boy howdy will it be some work to extend that knee by this point (gotta drape the jacket over the knee now too)
August 8th, 2014 #6
Ok I pushed it a lot further tonight, but my head is starting to hurt (literally). I'm playing with cartoon smoke and ash/fire debris stuff in the foreground, and I STILL have detail to add on some of the buildings. I drew the crowd again with a little more detail, but am still sketching out how many extras there will be.
August 8th, 2014 #7
Same issues as before.
Are you even practicing structural drawing, or are you just repeating what you are used to do?
August 8th, 2014 #8
August 8th, 2014 #9
The sketchy cats in the background are just that....sketchy. I haven't even begun to properly map them out, just in case that's what you're referring to.
August 8th, 2014 #10
Well, to me it doesn't look like you're thinking structurally, or at least are inconsistent in doing so. Prime example is the half-circle shadow on the red coat of the figure in the foreground. Just makes no sense and works against the form.
The Following User Says Thank You to Benedikt For This Useful Post:
August 8th, 2014 #11
August 8th, 2014 #12
Just with a quick measurement, it looks like the left knee should actually go past the left shoulder.
August 9th, 2014 #13
Hi fxscreamer,
Once again, thank you for posting your work. Instead of a standard critique, I've gone ahead and redrawn your main character in a slightly modified style and using a bit more disciplined technique. I used three phases, each of which makes the next one easier by providing helpful hints of what to draw where. It's a lengthy read as you can see, but I hope you find this useful and give it a shot. Here goes…
First, I put down few perspective lines and a rough skeletal structure using rigid angular forms. I did not use cylindrical or curvy shapes, because they don't imply perspective as well and they are too easy to "cheat into place". I consider all these shapes to be made of wood. They are easy to draw if you understand perspective, because they are mostly just boxes, spheres and pyramids. Their one and only purpose is to give me a rough idea of where the various sides of each body part are facing, and they do this very, very well.
If you look on the left side of this sketch, you can see that the box shapes also make it easy to figure out how a limb should be positioned. If you have the upper torso (in black) and you draw a square on its side, if you were to extend a "table leg" from there, it would be like an arm going out to the side 90 degrees. But if you tilt that little square, now you have an arm that is only raised part way up. There are a number of little things like that you can do, and it makes it easy to figure out where limbs are pointing, which is often the toughest thing.
I do apologize it's a little rough. It's hard to see the perspective on the limbs, but that's because they turned out to be almost entirely in profile. The right forearm is probably the most distinct one.
I sketched it to a point where I was more or less comfortable with the lengths of the limbs and the perspective. There are minor imperfections, but I knew they were there and I was comfortable leaving for now and fixing them in the next two phases. Note that this is very different from not knowing about them and moving ahead anyway—if you are not confident, practice perspective and/or post the sketch for critique.
Next, I took the geometric skeleton down to no more than about 10% opacity and started drawing the anatomy on a separate layer. The reason it's very important to take it to such a low opacity is because I have found without a doubt that if you draw overtop a sketch that is clearly visible to you, you become restricted by the mistakes you made in that sketch, and you simply push them forward into the next phases. If you have the under layer barely visible, just enough to give you little hints, you are free to make much more radical improvements. If you are working on paper, you can use tracing paper or a light-box to achieve the same effect.
How did the skeletal shapes help me draw the anatomy? Well, I am reasonably familiar with human anatomy to begin with, so there is no shortcutting that. But when you throw perspective into the mix, it can become confusing which way the arms are rotated, where the chest is pointing, the head is pointing, whether the legs are going off into the distance or just off to the side, where each muscle should be facing, etc. The walls of the boxes and pegs tell me all of this. Each side of the shape corresponds with the muscles that go there.
In your case, I would consider instead of jumping straight from boxes to anatomy, try and draw the skeleton of the character. It may help all the more with getting the right proportions and indicating where to attach certain muscles. Just remember to do it on a separate layer. Keep each stage separate and nice and clean.
One last thing that is of absolute importance is that you DO NOT consider the boxes and pegs to be any kind of representation of your character's final form. You can use them to judge volume a bit, but that's all. The biggest mistake would be to think that those forms somehow control the contours of your final drawing—they do not! You can draw a gestures over them if you want, realistic or cartoony shapes, doesn't matter. Just use the boxes as subtle hints as to what to draw where. You need freedom when drawing anatomy. A keen inspection would show that I didn't stick entirely to my boxes ;-)
Moving on, I left the anatomy in a more or less passable state. I could see issues, but as before I'd just try to correct some of them in the next stage. So I shrunk the opacity on the anatomy, hid the boxes layer and created a new layer for the final sketch. I used the anatomy layer to drape the clothes over. If you do a decent job of drawing the anatomy in perspective it should help draw the clothes in perspective as well, though the geometric shapes being stuck in my head helped as well.
And that's it. Boxes, anatomy, clothes. There's a ton to learn about the second two, but at least going in that order you won't be totally lost once you do gain that knowledge. You can check perspective in your entire scene this way too. It's really great. I always used to wonder why art books kept going on and on about these boxes and cylinders and basic shapes, and it terrified me to no end to actually use them, but once you get comfortable enough with perspective it really starts making sense why they are indispensable. It becomes so much easier, it almost feels like cheating sometimes :-)
Well, good luck!
Last edited by alex_86; August 9th, 2014 at 02:49 AM.
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to alex_86 For This Useful Post:
August 9th, 2014 #14
Wow that's one hell of a reply! :3
Thanks for the detailed description and layout and explaining it all in exquisite detail. Volume is definitely the big area I need to keep hammering away at. I feel that I'm getting in the good habit of doing gesture and structure, but even then, I've still fallen short, hence the "femur issue". Here's the update progress I have. I mainly focused on fixing Arlo's knee and detailing the crap out of the background. I also adjusted some lighting and redid a lot of previous elements, like the trees.
I'm basically getting it down to the only thing I need to focus on.....lots and lots of kitty classmates in the front row. What a great time to keep pushing gesture, structure, and volume. (ok I'm nervous)
1920x1200 version so you actually SEE the detail: http://bit.ly/1r2AA51
August 10th, 2014 #15
Seriously, unless gravity or muscle molecular machinery works differently in your world, then the space of possible movement that makes sense for combat with a humanoid body isn't going to be much different from our world. If the body is built differently, then you better make it consistent and believable, not explain away the question "why does it look broken" with "it's not Earth".
And the "certain" elements held for sake of familiarity should be structure, perspective, lighting... you know. You can get away with any sorts of fantastic things if you make them look right, but no one will believe even in the mundane things you draw, if you don't.
As far as the fighting technique, I haven't thought about it deep enough determining what fighting style they use.
That's THE problem. The dragon you must defeat.
Yay there you are!
I definitely use gesture and structure on all my character drawings now. It simply helps and makes it easier (as I'm sure you know without a doubt). I have a bad habit that once I get my contour lines, I dump the rough structure lines (bad me..I know).
You must draw nothing in automatic mode, or you will be stuck with this skewed primitive drawing forever. When you are planning the sketch, think of structure. When you are inking, still think of structure. You must feel the structure every second while you are drawing or painting. Think like a sculptor, not like an automatic scribbler. Your habit is your enemy at this point. Every moment you spent lapsing into automatic drawing only reinforces the bad habit.
I'm still trying to get in the habit of focusing on volume and really trying to get that 3D space with the bodies, but I'm definitely a far ways off from mastering it.
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to arenhaus For This Useful Post:
August 10th, 2014 #16
I feel like the karate kid having trouble with "Wax On Wax Off", and you're Mr. Miyagi LOL. Seriously though, I know you're right and I've done six characters today trying to work on gesture, structure, and volume. Here it is below:
Hi-Res is here: http://bit.ly/1rfGDyA
August 11th, 2014 #17
*sigh*. This is borderline awkward and frustrating. I've never done something this ambitious before, my hand hurts, hours and hours of work is about to get critiqued to hell, and there's a bunch of naked anthro cats on the screen. Jesus what has the world come to.
I tried the best I could for a serious first run. I tried keeping the cartoon/Disney spirit with diverse characters and interactions. I bunched them in close for the moment so they're easier to see. I haven't drawn the clothes on them yet or anything.
I promise I tried doing everything by the book. I'm probably rusty as hell, but feel free to castrate me.
August 11th, 2014 #18
You have trouble transitioning from the mannikin to the more finished figure. You lay down the basic forms, and then ignore most of what you could have used to keep the volume solid.
Part of the problem is that you do not plan the volume closely enough. You plot the basic cylinders and eggs, but you make them very formulaic; as if you know there should be a cross in the egg for the head, but you do not care at all how that cross relates to the viewing angle and perspective. You end up with drawing the same egg for every pose, and then try to shoehorn the rest into it. It's the same with every block you draw. They are formulaic, not representing a volume in space - and not representing an actual body doing what a body does.
Then there is the transition from the basic block to the actual body part. You do not have a clear idea of anatomy, and put in formulaic rhythmic lines, too many rounded lines, not nearly enough straight ones to offset them - and no thinking of what volume they describe. So you end up with no clear volume definition in the mannikin and even less definition in the more detailed sketch.
Draw some boxes in perspective, until you can draw a passable cube from any angle without stopping to think. Then we'll see.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to arenhaus For This Useful Post:
August 11th, 2014 #19
I see what you mean and agree. When the volume is too rough to follow as a tool for the contour lines, it starts losing its point, and I was feeling that looking at my previous work. I was also a bit worried that if my shapes were too rigid and exact, it would stiffen the original pose, although I admit they are connected sloppy regardless. For the record though, I'm still aiming for that very plushy and liquid cartoony movement, not so much of the chiseled DC or Marvel look.
I'm at a bit of a dilemma, because I will be out of town for awhile at the end of the week, and I really want to finish this by then. I have many more character projects that I will be doing that don't involve 8 of them, so I can then really focus on one, plot perspective, and make very clean volume shapes. This piece was very impulsive and is starting to become overwhelming and I don't want to lose my inspiration or focus. However, I submit pieces like this to CA so it helps me find a lot of issues as I work on them. I've already found many thanks to everyone's comments, and learn something new every time.
I will be refining and fixing these a lot tonight and doing what I can to make them the best possible for what they are. I could seriously spend the next 2-3 weeks refining and perfecting on this piece if I wanted to (as any artist could with any piece). It's going to take me the whole week as it is just to get this finished. I'm not trying to make excuses, but I'm beginning to juggle a lot with this piece, and would rather move on to another one and single focus on the issues that are currently plaguing me.
Lots of hugs
Last edited by fxscreamer; August 11th, 2014 at 11:10 AM.
August 12th, 2014 #20
Oh and don't forget that we're all being harder on you than others because you're doing really well with this and you actually listen to stuff, then go and do it.
August 13th, 2014 #21
Anyway, I know they aren't perfect, but I spent all day doing line art, base color, and coloring the line art on the 6 students. I'm exhausted. Shade, light rim, and lots and lots of post shading and final production are ahead of me.
Also, you don't see it (haven't posted the revision yet), but I added tons of confetti and balloons to the scene too. The place is screaming with life.
August 14th, 2014 #22
Welp, I did what I could, and this is probably the 98-99% final. I might do some final tweaks, but I like to sit on it for a few hours, or even overnight so I can spot any little details to fix. Thanks to everyone that helped.
Here's the hi-res version 1920x1200. I haven't officially named it yet, but I'm thinking:
"The Academy Placement Exams"
Hi Res Link: http://bit.ly/XlpJ9o
August 15th, 2014 #23
I honestly don't get it. You posted your WIP drawing to get feedback and got plenty of it. The flaws in the structure were pointed out and suggestions were made how to improve and work on fixing these issues. But instead of doing so you kept adding new figures with the same wobbly and unprecise approach you did before and didn't change the main figures.
And this isn't the first time the structural issues were explained to you, as far as i can remember.
So why do you ask for critique when you don't listen to it?
Anything unrelated to elephants is irrelephant.
The Following User Says Thank You to Tiggeraz For This Useful Post:
August 15th, 2014 #24
August 16th, 2014 #25
I think becoming too attached to your own work is a really bad habit, that can lead to overlooking glaring issues and wasting a lot of time on a piece that just doesn't have a good foundation.
And what is so bad about putting a piece aside and starting a new one? The only loss is that you will probably never finish the piece, but in return you gain the awareness of your own weakpoints. The time you spent on finishing the piece could have been used wiser, in my opinion.
Anything unrelated to elephants is irrelephant.
Members who have read this thread: 8
Tags for this Thread


text:
Phylogeography of the Patagonian otter Lontra provocax: adaptive divergence to marine habitat or signature of southern glacial refugia?
Author affiliations
1 Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, Republica 440, Santiago, Chile
2 Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile
3 Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña MacKenna 4860, Santiago, Chile
4 Delegación Regional Patagonia, Administración de Parques Nacionales, Vice Almirante O'Connor 1188, 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
5 Universidad Arturo Prat, Departamento de Ciencias del Mar, Av. Arturo Prat 2120, Iquique, Chile
6 Fundación CEQUA, Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile
Citation and License
BMC Evolutionary Biology 2011, 11:53 doi:10.1186/1471-2148-11-53Published: 28 February 2011
A number of studies have described the extension of ice cover in western Patagonia during the Last Glacial Maximum, providing evidence of a complete cover of terrestrial habitat from 41°S to 56°S and two main refugia, one in south-eastern Tierra del Fuego and the other north of the Chiloé Island. However, recent evidence of high genetic diversity in Patagonian river species suggests the existence of aquatic refugia in this region. Here, we further test this hypothesis based on phylogeographic inferences from a semi-aquatic species that is a top predator of river and marine fauna, the huillín or Southern river otter (Lontra provocax).
We examined mtDNA sequences of the control region, ND5 and Cytochrome-b (2151 bp in total) in 75 samples of L. provocax from 21 locations in river and marine habitats. Phylogenetic analysis illustrates two main divergent clades for L. provocax in continental freshwater habitat. A highly diverse clade was represented by haplotypes from the marine habitat of the Southern Fjords and Channels (SFC) region (43°38' to 53°08'S), whereas only one of these haplotypes was paraphyletic and associated with northern river haplotypes.
Our data support the hypothesis of the persistence of L. provocax in western Patagonia, south of the ice sheet limit, during last glacial maximum (41°S latitude). This limit also corresponds to a strong environmental change, which might have spurred L. provocax differentiation between the two environments.


text: Close 2015 Avg..329 Career Avg..265 Name Danny ValenciaBorn 9/19/1984Height 6-2Weight 220Number 23Position 3BBats RThrows RReg. SeasonPostseasonGame LogSplitsvs PitcherNotes5/15/2015 10:55:00 PMDescription: Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia was 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the loss to the Blue Jays on Friday.Insight: Valencia only had 43 at-bats, but he is slashing .349/.364/.465. If he is available, he is worth picking up in standard leagues. 5/8/2015 10:20:00 AMDescription: Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia is questionable for Friday's game against Boston while dealing with a sprained ankle.Insight: Valencia is hitting .333 with a .807 OPS in 12 games. It didn't seem severe, but he hasn't played since Monday. 8/16/2014 12:15:00 PMDescription: Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia has gone 6-for-20 with two doubles and a homer against Chicago hurler John Danks.Insight: Valencia is hitting .367 with a .920 OPS against lefties this season and .335 with an .886 OPS against them in his career. He's a nice cheap third-base option Saturday. 8/10/2014 11:58:00 AMDescription: Blue Jays infielder Danny Valencia is 10-for-15 (.667) with two doubles and three walks against Tigers starter David Price.Insight: Valencia is kryptonite for left-handed hurlers. He has a career .331 average against southpaws and is hitting .342 against them this season. Valencia is hitting cleanup behind Jose Bautista Sunday against Detroit. 7/28/2014 10:49:00 PMDescription: The Blue Jays have picked up Danny Valencia from the Royals for Liam Hendriks and Erik Kratz.Insight: Valencia has a .282 average and two home runs in 110 at-bats this season. He crushes lefties (.354 this season, .333 career) and will form a platoon with Juan Francisco at third base until Brett Lawrie returns from the DL in August. 5/30/2014 4:05:00 PMDescription: Royals infielder Danny Valencia (sprained left hand) is back in the lineup for Friday night's series opener with Toronto.Insight: Valencia became the Royals everyday third baseman with the demotion of Mike Moustakas. He's batting .279 with a homer and seven RBI in 61 at-bats. He'll bat eighth. 5/27/2014 9:36:00 AMDescription: Royals infielder Danny Valencia is expected to miss a few additional days due to a sprained left hand.Insight: Valencia became the Royals everyday third baseman with the demotion of Mike Moustakas. He's batting .279 with a homer and seven RBI in 61 at-bats. 5/26/2014 6:45:00 AMDescription: Royals infielder Danny Valencia missed Sunday's game against the LA Angels due to a sprained left hand.Insight: Valencia, who has become the Royals everyday first baseman with the demotion of Mike Moustakas, could miss a couple of days, but at least there are no broken bones. He's batting .279 with a homer and seven RBI in 61 at-bats. 5/7/2014 8:22:00 PMDescription: Royals infielder Danny Valencia bashed three hits Wednesday in an 8-0 win over San Diego.Insight: Wednesday marked Valencia's second multi-hit effort of the season. Valencia could be in line to see more at bats if Mike Moustakas (.152, 4 HR, 14 RBI) continues to struggle. Hot9/20/2013 11:00:00 AMDescription: Orioles utility man Danny Valencia is likely to get the start on Friday as he's 9-for-12 with a 1.717 OPS against left-hander David Price.Insight: Valencia has gotten a chance to play in September and made the most of it, batting .378 over 13 games. Make him your surprise starter in Friday's game against the Rays. 8/19/2013 11:29:00 AMDescription: Orioles just-called-up utilty man Danny Valencia is likely to get the start on Monday as he's 7-for-10 with a 1.550 OPS against David Price.Insight: Valencia is batting just .216 in 74 at-bats this season, but could be worth a one-day flier in this favorable matchup. 7/23/2013 11:29:00 AMDescription: Don't be surprised in Orioles utilty man Danny Valencia gets a start on Tuesday against Royals left-hander Bruce Chen.Insight: Valencia is batting just .206 this season, but is a 11-for-20 (.550) over his caareer with five extra-base hits versus Chen. 9/25/2012 10:11:00 AMDescription: Sometimes a mediocre hitter "owns" a great pitcher as is the case with Boston third baseman Danny Valencia and Tampa Bay ace David Price. Valencia is 6-for-7 (.857) in his career against Price with a 1.889 OPS.Insight: Valencia is batting just .188 this season with an ugly .504 OPS and is a career .257 hitter, but might be worth a flier on Tuesday.


text:
Citiparks Opening Swimming Pools On June 14
Citiparks' 18 outdoor swimming pools will open on Friday, June 14, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced today.
PTL Links: May 27, 2013
Some of today's topics include:
2 CitiParks Farmers' Markets To Begin Accepting Food Stamps
From farm fresh fruits and vegetables to flowers and even homemade baked goods, a lot of people are looking forward to the return of farmers' markets.
Citiparks Starts New Season For Roving Art Cart
Allegheny Commons on the North Side was the first of 32 Pittsburgh destinations for Citiparks' 39th annual Roving Art Cart. Kids painted, molded clay sculptures and made fanciful puppets of papier mache under tents set up by volunteers.
CitiParks Outdoor Pools Open
The thermometer has hit 80 degrees and the sun is out. You know what that means: it's time to hit the pool!
PTL Links: June 7, 2012
Some of today's topics include:
Farmer's Market Opens For Summer Season At City-County Building
It is a sure sign that summer is on its way! The first of the Citiparks' Farmer's Markets opened for business Friday morning in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Citiparks' Farmer's Markets
It is a sure sign that summer is on its way!
Family Night Skating
Join us Thursdays in January and February from 7pm-9pm for Family Night Skating at Schenley Park Skating Rink! Make sure to stop by the KDKA Prize wheel for a chance to win a prize! *One child free […]
PTL Links: Aug. 31, 2011
Some of today's topics include:
PTL Links: Aug. 15, 2011
Some of today's topics include:
PTL Links: June 30, 2011
Some of today's featured guests and topics include:
Citiparks Online Registration
Citiparks is now offering online registration for activities at the city's public parks. For more information, visit: http://www.Citiparks.net. Click on "Online Registration."
PTL Links: May 30, 2011
Some of today's featured guests and topics include:


text:
Vancouver, Canada
My Rating
This was a great way to see the highlights of Vancouver. Only downside was that with traffic and whatever the bus was late which meant we were left standing for 25 minutes and another time for 20 minutes (there were no seats at some of the stops). Generally though, a good way to learn about and see the city.
Seattle, Washington
My Rating
I would not class this as a tour. It was a way of getting to Canada. We had smooth sailing, the staff on board were pleasant and I would recommend this as a way to travel rather than fly
San Francisco, California
My Rating
Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. The driver was very knowledgable and entertaining. Alcatraz was a must see.
Los Angeles, California
My Rating
We purchased a 48 hour pass and feel we used it to the max. Great way of getting around.
Some content licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
© 1997–2015 Viator, Inc. 330202 All rights reserved. Viator is a registered trademark of Viator, Inc.
is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc. Travel with an Insider is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc.
Use of this website constitutes acceptance of Viator's Terms & Conditions.
Viator uses cookies to improve your experience on our website. Learn more about how we use cookies and how to change your cookie settings | Close message


text:
The United States installed more solar panels in 2012 than in any previous year, according to a new report, with residential use of solar power up 70 percent over 2011.
You are here
SEIA is the solar energy industry's go-to source for the latest coverage on solar power, including U.S. and international policy, research and polls, business and financing trends, and more. Our staff strives to support the media covering solar energy issues and guide our members on effective media outreach with clear statements, background materials, news and multimedia resources.
SEIA is committed to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today's communities, our economy, and our country.
Learn more from our statements and industry news below.
Get Ready, Utilities: Solar Is Coming
Quick question. Your state has good sunshine, lots of open rooftops, and the cost of solar energy has been falling by 10% per year. Do you think it will take 13 years to double the 10 megawatts (MW) of installed solar power?
Colorado's solar industry continues to gather steam
The solar industry continues to gather steam in Colorado, even as many subsidies have been changed or reduced.
Renewables Could Power Grid 99.9 Percent of the Time
Renewable energy could fully power a large electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 at costs comparable to today's electricity expenses, according to new research by the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College.
Restoring School Programs Through Solar Savings
For decades, there's been a lot of buzz going around regarding the lack of funding in schools across the U.S. All too often, especially in today's volatile economic environment, education budgets are viewed as more of a burden to the overall government budget rather than an important investment in tomorrow's leaders. As a result, programs in early childhood education continue to be cut more and more due to a lack of funding.
More Small Businesses Are Taking the Solar Plunge
Installing solar power at their Shelter Island, N.Y., Ace Hardware store seemed like the right thing to do for the planet, say owners David Gurney and Meredith Page. But now that the brother-and-sister ownership team have the system, they're finding that it's also good for their wallets.
Renewables Want Level Playing Field
Growth in renewables manufacturing is about to slow, and thousands of jobs will be lost, if Congress doesn't level the playing field between renewables and traditional fossil energy sources, renewables advocates told the National Hydropower Association conference April 18 in Washington DC.
Austin City Council to Form Solar Committee
Under pressure from solar-power advocates who fear Austin may short-circuit a budding local industry, the Austin City Council is rethinking the city's strategy for expanding solar power.
LIPA Celebrates Earth Day with Host of Solar Accomplishments, Initiatives
Long Island has become a leader in renewable energy in New York State, the Eastern region and the nation with initiatives and milestones including the installation of Long Island's 5,000th solar roof and Long Island Power Authority's CLEAN Solar Initiative (CSI).
NYSEIA Praises Gov. Cuomo's NY-Sun Initiative
New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) today praised Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's NY-Sun Initiative to double the amount of customer-sited solar power installed annually in New York and quadruple that amount by 2013.


text:
Cairns, Australia
My Rating
We had an incredible day! Check in queues were big but smooth, and smaller than other operators. Our boat Osprey V was smaller than other boat tours, which to us was great as it meant a much more personal day. We were treated like VIPs from the start with tea and coffee, the staff were really friendly, helpful and entertaining, and the experience itself was spectacular. The spots on the reef were beautiful, all equipment for snorkeling and scuba diving was included apart from wetsuit which we didn't need, although we had taken our own just in case. For both myself and my other half, this was our first scuba dive. Our instructor Kim, was very professional, entertaining and knowledgeable, and very patient as it took me a few minutes to get used to it. We spent the day in one of the most beautiful places, with wonderful staff. I can't fault this trip, worth every penny for anyone wanting to see the Great Barrier Reef.
My Photos
Some content licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
© 1997–2015 Viator, Inc. 330207 All rights reserved. Viator is a registered trademark of Viator, Inc.
is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc. Travel with an Insider is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc.
Use of this website constitutes acceptance of Viator's Terms & Conditions.
Viator uses cookies to improve your experience on our website. Learn more about how we use cookies and how to change your cookie settings | Close message


text:
Cheap FKQ to Moline flights
Popular Flights from Fak-Fak, Indonesia
Top Fak-Fak Flights to US Destinations
Top Fak-Fak International Destinations
Popular Flights from Moline, Illinois
Top Moline Flights to US Destinations
Top Moline International Destinations
FKQ to MLI Route Map
Fak-Fak to Moline Flights, Stats and Airplanes
Route information for flights from Fak Fak to Quad City Intl..
8,682.96 miles
MLI - Quad City Intl. Airlines
Browse the most popular airlines servicing the Moline (MLI) airport. Visit their flights pages to learn more about the most popular routes these carriers fly.


text:
Budget Balance Is In Eye Of The Beholder
AP | DAVID ESPO | Posted 05.23.2013 | Politics
Read More: Video, Congress, Mitch McConnell, Spending Cuts, Budget Cuts, Budget, Budget Balance, 113th Congress, Paul Ryan, Politics News
WASHINGTON — When it comes to budgets, balance is in the eye of the congressional beholder. To House Republicans, it means a balanced budget in...
Though Washington is fixated this month on the so-called "fiscal cliff," that manufactured face-off is a bit of a side-show. Far more disturbing is a deeper array of fundamental structural problems of federal governance, of which "Taxmageddon" is just a surface manifestation.


text:
| Sign In
control panel
| Log In
| Sign In
Create a Travel Blog
Travel Guide
Travel Photos
Cheap Travel Insurance
C. America & Caribbean
Middle East
N. America
Oceans & Seas
S. America
Create a Travel Blog
Travel Guide
Travel Photos
Cheap Travel Insurance
C. America & Caribbean
Middle East
N. America
Oceans & Seas
S. America
Travel Blog
North America
United States
Bighorn National Forest
» Bighorn Nat. Forest, Wy.: In Which the A
Bighorn Nat. Forest, Wy.: In Which the Author Praises Old People...
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Round Trip Driving Loop: Chicago, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah (National Park/Forest camping)
North America
United States
Bighorn National Forest
August 1st 2009
Published: August 2nd 2009
Total Distance:
Bighorn National Forest campsite
Cost: $13.00, which i paid.
Today's date Friday, July 31, 2009 Bighorn National Forest to Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
Fast facts:
Hours in truck: 6
Places visited: Bighorn National Forest, Medicine Wheel, Cody, and Yellowstone National Park
Days since shower (although, remember, Sophie the dog and I swan twice): 6.
Where I am right now: in the tent at Grant campground, Yellowstone, time: 11 p.m.
Yesterday started with leaving the Black Hills National Forest and traveling through Lead, Deadwood, and Sturgis Harley Rally. Leaving Sturgis, Sophie and I hit the road (the truck is filthy, something I've not seen much of) at 4 p.m. and head West (sorry, I don't have the Atlas) towards Bighorn National Forest. I've consulted my book, either This Land or Your Land. The author, whose name also escapes me but may be updated later (see day 0 or 1 for close-up photo), is a botanist, and has written 3 greatly detailed in volumes of "boots on the ground" experiences. My initial plan was to take the first exit available, as I was already tired and darkness was beginning to announce its plans to move back in. I had stopped at a visitors center
Nice sunflowers at campsite
You'd never see this at Sturgis!
to garner specific info about campgrounds. I got two sheets of paper, printed from the internet, that I was later discover was two copies of the Southern section.
A side note: I was chatting with two bikers, whom had been to Sturgis already and were planning on taking 3 months to ride around on their bikes. A man approached and started on this long spiel about getting kicked out of home in Cincinnati, Ohio and driving to Seattle with his girlfriend and 3 dogs (that later turned out to be wimpy Chihuihui. Being approached for money is certainly a common occurrence in Chicago, but to be experiencing it here, out in East Bumble was strange. I was up in the air, so I started at the biker, in full regalia and leaning against the back high bar of the "Easy Rider" style bikes. "I'm waiting to see what you're gonna' do," I told him. He exhaled cigarette smoke, leaned further back, then dug into his pocket. I, too, pulled my wad out (and my money!) and found that I only had 20s and 2 singles, which I let go.
I burned it down the empty highway (the whole
Roger and Sophie
78 and still kickin' it!
route has been mysteriously absent of big rigs, good buddy and after the coffee, housed in my huge-ass Travel America gallon jug, settled in (which I got, by the way for free!), I was feeling pretty awake at that point, and, after consulting the aforementioned book, I high-tailed it to Sheridan, which offered a pass through the Northern route. The mountains were absolutely huge and located 10 miles off the highway and through 3-4 small towns (pop. 50-750, etc.) The drive was hairy and required much concentration, and after 20 miles of intense up and down driving and donning my glasses several times to re-read the author's paragraphs, I ended up missing the turn when 14 and 14-A split. I was looking forward, and was still bathed in light enough to enjoy some of the campground (for once!) before darkness.
I passed the high point of about 10,000 feet, and there were several choice campgrounds, but I was psyched for Owens Creek, which promised both an old sawmill and hikes to some waterfalls, and I kept driving, picking up speed and (more) miles. I HAD to finally stop at Bald Mountain as darkness really moved in. There were
Sophie on hike
probably 18 spaces and 4 were occupied with trailers. Sophie and I quickly jumped into the tent and I commenced to writing last entry's blog. It got fairly cold; my handy-dandy thermometer read 40 when I went to sleep at 1 a.m. I slept well, though, as a small creek chortled in the background, producing a variety of drum beats and bass lines (no voices, though, thankfully).
I had set the plan for the day to include Medicine Wheel, a site I'll touch on later. But the author had devoted 3 whole pages to it, so, all in all, I was glad to have taken the route that we did. After all, I was just using the Forest for a "quick camp" while moving through to (bigger and better?) places. Also, a drive through Cody, Wyoming and finally meeting my friends Vik and Suzie, who travel and stay in a cabin, this year and 25 previous summers as well (always on the same 2 weeks in late July).
I had carved out some time to explore the campsite, which was in a small grove of trees, with huge expanses of mostly grass and rock, with tall trees
Ahh...truck camping!
in the distance. Sophie and I walked for twenty minutes towards the tree line, finding interesting formations in the rocks. We spotted no wildlife (Big Horn sheep are common, thus the name of the park), so we headed back to the truck to leave.
Before this however, I had fired up the stove for some Trader Joe's (there's that name again) oatmeal (I'm not a big fan, but I figured that it was quick and easy) with some T.J.'s dried peaches. Still not impressed. I did have 16 ounces of coffee brewed, making all the difference. The sun quickly blew the clouds and cold away, and the frost on the picnic table, shrubs and grasses melted. I was simultaneously making breakfast (well, boiling the water) and decamping the tent, which I had laid on its side to dry out (one thing about tent camping, without a "footprint," material that lays between the tent and the ground and currently do not possess, often times water seeps upwards, wetting the tent in any place that had made contact with the floor.
In any case, was standing in the sun getting toasty warm and chowing down on some hot food
Medicine Wheel view
when a truck drove into the campground. I walked out and flagged the man, as it was still a mystery as to the existence of Owens Creek campground and, more importantly, where was it? How had I missed it?! He'd not heard of the place, but did tell me that I had not yet passed the Medicine Wheel.
Compared to the (one) Sturgis chatter, this guy had it down. Roger, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin revealed both facts and stories in a compact and enjoyable manner for the (perfect time amount of such meetings) next 45 minutes. During this time, he explained how he had been friends with Chuck Yeager, worked the lanai (Florida screened-in back porch) business for 6 years in Miami, served in the Marines in Korea and had shot people ("It's like a bad car accident, you just can't let yourself think about it."), was friends and published through ports and Time magazine author Robert M. Jones, and had taught a hunting and gun safety course through a number of years (he liked working with teachers, and would seek advice as to how to improve his delivery).
Interesting lines from Roger, who was 78 by
Stonhenge of U.S.A.
the way, and still drove, hiked long distances, camped in the back of his truck, was very close with his son(s?), and liked to chat up campers and hikers (especially foreign tourists, which apparently, there are quite a few who make it to this remote part of Wyoming, probably in a rent a car driving to Yellowstone). In fact, he had awoken and driven 30 + miles, many of it uphill and around the same treacherous curves that I had driven (I drove them later, and yes, they were a chore, except the last stretch, which was 4-5 miles straight down the hills to a reservoir, the Lowell Recreation Area) just to see if there was anything going on. Anyway:
"In the military, stationed in Colorado, once I hit the west, I found my heart out here."
"I'd like to see a woman President."
"Obama's showing his true colors" (I didn't press further on this one, for fear of disappointment in this kind soul).
"I've lost faith in the Republican Party; I guess you could call me an Independent."
"I don't think Palin's ready to be President…she's too young, but she could mature in 20
Prayer Flags at Medicine Wheel
"You can never go back."
Many of the folks I've chatted with are retired…good for them for really taking advantage of their golden years…
The three mile drive up to the Medicine Wheel was only 5 minutes from the campsite. The hike, a 1.5 mile up a small gravel service road, offers excellent views of the mountains on both sides. At 9,500 feet, the weather was cloudy and drizzly. Snow was mentioned for that night's forecast, the second time I had endured cold temperatures but missed the white stuff. Sophie, in very cool and relaxed National Park rules (there's a small visitor cabin and were 3 Rangers on staff, one guarding the Medicine Wheel), was able to accompany on the walk. The attraction is the Medicine Wheel, which Robert Mohlenbrock (found his name) called the "American Stonehenge." The circular wheel, constructed of rock, subtitely dominates the wide peak. It is estimated that the date on the object, produced by unknown groups or sources, dates between 1200 and 1700 A.D. Prayer flags are hung on, and placed in by Native Americans, the fences and sacred space. It was a nice a quiet space, and the
Prayer flags at Medicine Wheel
Ranger estimates that they get between 150- 300 visitors a day. The walk back down was also nice, with Sophie bounding about. I saw a nice Blue jay of some sort and viewed snow for the first time on the trip (it was left over from winter).
The ride down to Cody, Wy. Offered some great canyon views. In Cody, I went to the Sierra Trading Post Outlet store (we are bombarded with their catalogs and the store was fairly high-priced as well, with fancy, light rain jackets going for $150). I was able to purchase a variety pack on fancy dehydrated food (2 people, 3 nights); it was marked down because it was all vegetarian, and who the hell would be a vegetarian in cattle county?). I sat in the parking lot and upload the blog (both cell phone and internet service is quite surprising and extensive these days, with both in very, very small towns and in between as well. The catch: mountain/high service is non-existent). The computer's battery ran out just as I quickly selected, almost at random the previous day's photos.
The road to Yellowstone from Cody is surprising smooth, relatively flat,
Prayer Flags at Medicine Wheel
and packed with great views. I was feeling antsy, as I didn't have any camping reservations, and knew it could possibly be tight. The road follows a river much of the time, and for the first time, those fast moving, wide, gushing rivers so common in the West reveal themselves.
Sophie and I are having a good time and are looking forward to Jennifer meeting us in Salt Lake City on August 14th!
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Additional photos below
Photos: 28, Displayed: 28
« Back
Next »
Follow (
Dave P/Green Elvis
Possessing both intellect and carelessness, Dave is a college teacher from Chicago, Illinois. During the "teaching summer break" of 2009, beginning on July 25th and ending August 31, 2009, Dave left Chicago, Illinois in a 1997 Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck, accompanied by his dog, Sophie, in a cross-country "loop" driving trek from Chicago, Illinois to Utah, taking the "southern northern" route across the country (through southern South Dakota and Northern Wyoming). This 38-day driving trip includes details of 5 National Parks, and many more National Forests. A ten...
full info
July 25th 2009
Last Login
January 13th 2014
Forum Posts
Blog Options
Top Photos
Blog Map
Print Version
Brief history of United States
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the origina...
more history
Chicago, Illinois truck camping to Seattle, Washington
November 30th -0001 -» ongoing
Round Trip Driving Loop: Chicago, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah (National Park/Forest camping)
July 25th 2009 -» August 31st 2009
Blogged From
TravelBlog Awards
Author at Medicine Wheel
A bit of snow...
Leaving Bighorn National Forest
Bighorn View
Bighorn National Forest View
Drive to Yellowstone
Drive to Cody
Bighorn Valley
Cody, Wy.
drive to Yellowstone
« Back
Next »
2nd August 2009
non-member comment
nice beard!
You and Sophie look relaxed
Travel Blog
North America
United States
Bighorn National Forest
» Bighorn Nat. Forest, Wy.: In Which the A
Tot: 0.181s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 11; qc: 61; dbt: 0.0593s; 1; m:apollo w:www (188.8.131.52); sld: 3;
; mem: 6.5mb
Copyright Notice: All Rights Reserved
Do not copy images or text from this page without requesting and
receiving permission
. All rights are reserved by the author and photographer.
Contact Dave P/Green Elvis (Greenelvis)
- a lack of a response does not mean that you have permission to use material from this page.
Confirm Email


text:
Sign Up ForFREE Pattern Info!
Tell A Friend!
Out of Stock
With Our "Find This For Me" Service we notify you via email once we have stock!
Piece Code: TEKS
Piece Name: Tea Knife, Solid Piece
Size: 7 1/4 in
Special Characteristics:
© 2015 Replacements, Ltd. All rights reserved
Piece Code: BUCSSB
Piece Name: Bright Cut Solid Buckwheat Cake Server
Size: 7 3/4 in


text:
Similar Products:
Rating: 5.0
Average rating from 14 reviews.
Rating: 5.0
Average rating from 5 reviews.
Rating: 5.0
Average rating from 2 reviews.
Editor's Best Lists:
Products We Are Testing:
Prevue Finch Flight Cage
Give your little birds room to spread their wings! Flight cage features a large front door, 2 food/water cups, 2 solid wood perches and a molded plastic base for easy removal and cleaning. The cage stacks securely on top of other flight cages. Ideal for multiple small birds.
Photosadd photo
add review
Reader's Reviews (0)
Want to review a product, but not finding it? Just add it and review it!
Recent Product Reviews
November 15, 2014 | By Robyn
July 14, 2013 | By Xiaoxiao111
Pink is my favorite color these are wonderful.I will recommend a good website fou you: www.9footballshirt.org
Rating: 5
Freshpet Select Roasted Meals for Cat
June 28, 2013 | By Kittymom314
I introduced this food to my two cats, one is a senior at 13 years and the other is about 7 years. Both females. The 7 year old is a new addition, recently adopted :) Because of their age differenc… more ›


text:
Posted on Nov 29th,2012 in REVERE Bruce-Richardson, Virginia of Kittery ME formerly of Saugus, suddenly on Nov 28th. Beloved wife of Theodore. Devoted mother of Jayne Penta of Revere, Robert Penta of Saugus, Laura Stewart of CO, Gregory Penta of Saugus and the late Terri Kawa. Dear sister of Barbara Cote of Revere Robert Bruce of NH and the late James Bruce. Also survived by 7 loving grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and many nieces and nephews. Funeral prayer services in The Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home 128 Revere St Revere on Sunday at 3:00 pm. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours will be 12:00-3:00pm. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Virginia's memory to the Joslin Diabetes Center 1 Joslin Place Boston MA 02215. Former Legal Secretary. For guest book please visit www.Buonfiglio.com View Full Notice → Virginia (Bruce) Bruce-Richardson 11/28/2012 Revere, MA Share With: Comment's & Condolences Required fields are marked Cancel reply Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Your email address will not be published Comment: You may use these HTML tags and attributes:   <acronym title="">
      <q cite=""> <s>


text:
Are You This Merchant? Click Here »
Always good advice on whether to repair or junk and the work is always first rate. My wife and I have relied on Waban Shoe for many years.
Disclaimer: GiftCards.com Local gift cards are not issued by, sponsored, affiliated or endorsed by the merchant. Are you this merchant? Claim this page.


text:
Community consent?
Of course it's possible for normal, non-programmer people to test unfinished software, it's even the recommended approach to achieve usability. It's never seen at Wikipedia because WP software roll-outs rarely follow best practices, but it works really well for big companies like Google (who gets usability fairly well). The way it's done at other places is with an iterative process for gathering feedback:
- You develop surveys and interviews with users from your target audience, or perform a similar field study to ask for ways that a tools like yours would be used. In a place like Wikipedia, where users form a huge world-wide community, you publish a well-publicized survey and analyze what respondents have to say about the tool's purpose.
- You select a really small set of users (three to five is enough) and present them with the first, non-functional interface (preferably offline, in the same room). Without telling them anything of how to use the tool (this part is important), you ask them whether they can make sense of the proposed interface, and how they would use it to achieve whatever goal is in their minds.
- You annotate all the proposed ways the users intended to use the application, and where they didn't understand something. You fix anything that didn't make sense, and try to change the design to accommodate as many new proposals as possible, before showing the tool again to the next five users. Iterate steps 2 and 3 until no more major problems are found.
- You implement a prototype with the design that emerged from the initial stage. You randomly select an average-sized and diverse group of people and repeat steps 2 and 3 with the functional prototype. You register any proposal of new ways to use the tool, and annotate the places where the initial software architecture wouldn't accommodate those ways of use.
- You throw away the prototype (that step is also important), and design a new architecture that is adequate for all the new usages that were originally unexpected and for which the prototype architecture was a bad fit. At this point you have a software design that suits the needs for a moderately large set of users and that can be expanded with small functional increments.
- Now comes the step that Google does particularly well. You announce worldwide the roll out of a new beta service or interface, explaining that it will be made available in the near future at incremental stages. At each stage you increase the number of users exposed to the new tool, either by providing an invite-only system or by randomly providing opt-ins to larger and larger groups each time. Any user that doesn't want to use the beta software should be allowed to easily revert back to the old system until the end of the beta.
- During the beta phase you add polish, polish and more polish, fix abolutely all workflow-stopper bugs, and include those new functions that are frequently requested by users during the beta stages.
- Finally, you should be confident that your tool is polished, almost bug-free and that it accommodates the needs of the majority of your user base (as compiled from user feedback during the whole process); only the most obscure use cases should be not supported by the tool at this point. This, and no earlier, is when you can do a final roll-out for all users. If you did a proper work, there should be no backlash, because the tool really provides an improved workflow, and nobody complains when they're given a better tool (provided that it is really better for them, not just better for the developer). If there's widespread backlash anyway, it means that you failed somewhere at the previous steps; you then keep track of that failure, so that the next time you don't repeat the same mistakes.
It's a lot of work, and it requires that developers are willing to re-design the whole product according to users specifications; if you instead start from an almost-finished design and architecture, and only try to accommodate the few features that make sense for developers, the end result does not satisfy user needs. As far as I can tell the VE design completely missed steps 1 and 5, and was coerced by the community to implement step 6 (the initial roll-out was nowhere like this best practice, but it's somewhat there now). This means that there's hope for a final release that won't be rejected in full, but that the current editor is not based on a complete understanding of all user needs, and that it stood in the prototype stage - so the current architecture will not be able to accommodate all the expectations from the community without a major redesign.
...and no true ability to judge whether it meets their needs. WhatamIdoing, I find that comment is incredibly dismissive of non-programmer people, for someone who claims to represent the interests of newcomers. Nobody better than the final user can judge whether a software meets their needs; if you assume what should be the needs of users, and later claim that users don't understand those assumed needs, you'd be doing everything backwards.
I appreciate the well-constructed and thoughtful answer, but I don't think that your response answers my question. My question was this: "Do you believe that it is possible for normal, non-programmer people to give informed consent to try out unfinished software that they have no experience with, no knowledge of, and no true ability to judge whether it meets their needs?"
The question you seem to have answered was, "Do you believe people are capable of trying out unfinished software?" The question I actually asked was more like, "Do you believe that it's possible to give en:informed consent to try out unfinished software, given these serious limitations, i.e., that your allegedly informed consent is not what most people would call 'informed' about the subject matter?"
There are well-respected ethicists on both sides of this question, so I can't claim that there is a "right" answer and a "wrong" one. However, I'd like to know your answer.
It may be easier to understand with an example. Consider this case:
The user is an average 20-year-old. He has no experience with software stuff except everyday normal-user things, like sending e-mail and listening to music. Being an approximately median active Wikipedia editor, he makes about five or ten edits a month, most of them trivial changes like typos or adding the name of the latest album released by a band he likes. He receives a message on his talk page from someone he doesn't know, who says, "Hey, go to Special:Preferences and try the new experimental Thing! I really like Thing, and I hope you choose to test it, too!"
At this point in time, given the information he has, is this user capable of giving informed consent to use Thing? Also, is this user capable of giving informed consent to refuse to use Thing?
The reason why I started my post with "of course" and "it's even the recommended approach to achieve usability" it's because it can be done, and it really is the recommended and standard approach to achieve usability. There are several professional fields (user-centered design, user experience, information architecture, interaction design, and anything with an UX in its description) which are all based around processes that depend on it being true.
The tl;dr version of the long post below is that users can give informed consent if you don't expect them to achieve anything useful with the broken/unfinished software; the consent should be given to provide feedback about what is actually built at any given time, not what is in the head of the production team as future possibilities. (And again, the "no true ability to judge whether it meets their needs" is a false assumption - the user can always judge whether the unfinished product meets their needs, and that is exactly the question that must be asked). The good thing about asking about the current version, and not your planned fixes, is that you don't just keep talking about the great design that you think will solve all the user's problems - you have to actually test whether it solves them or not. This is the scientific process at its best.
Of course if all the information you provide is "Hey, go to this page to test this really cool new thing" you're not gaining anything. But you originally asked me if the user could give informed consent to "try out" the software, and now you've shifted to ask whether they can "use" it. Those are very different things, and by conflating them you're asking the wrong question and thus making a serious mistake in the way you approach end-user involvement. The message to the user as well as the way to test the software should be "Do you want participate in an experiment to help us build a better version of Thing? The experiment consists in that you try out this Thing, we see how you try to use it, and you tell us what you think of it".
The goal of these early interactions must not be to assess whether the user can use the software, which means that they could successfully complete tasks that meet their goals with it. Of course they can't do that with an early version; it's unfinished, and it has been designed with only a cursory understanding of their needs, based only on early field research (and that if there's luck; most software is created just from developers' gut feelings).
No, the purpose of early testing is to let users try out the software with the only goal to get feedback from people using the software, watching exactly where they have problems with the design, and asking them if they can make sense of the interface.
If your only goal is to get this feedback so that the product can be later improved, of course users can give informed consent for this kind of sessions. See this example of the process required to ask for this consent. When users are guided through a session like this to use the software, they are perfectly capable to assess whether they're willing to proceed and to answer whether it's useful to them; an answer that for these early sessions should always be "no, I can't use it ([which is expected at this time]), because of reasons X, Y, Z ([which is the valuable thing to learn]). A technician performing the sessions that is experienced in the field can make the most of this feedback so that few users need to be tested. The most important part of the test is not only what users say, but what they do - i.e. whether their use of the software corresponds to how developers thought it would be used.
Of course for a site the size of Wikipedia you need more than a few in-place user tests; the kind of unsupervised feedback you talked about is what I described as step 6, for which users can also give informed consent of the exact kind you asked, provided you've built a system that reasonably fulfill their major needs through steps 1-5; and, much earlier, a lot of research must be done even before design begins (that was step 1, creating surveys to compile user needs from the wide user base). But you'll need actual users testing the unfinished product through steps 2 to 4 to be sure that the software makes sense and that there aren't any obvious gaps in your understanding of the problem, which is something much more common than what software developers are willing to admit.
The link to the usability test script above comes from Don't Make Me Think, a short and very useful introduction to the methods of Usability, and its sequel Rocket Surgery Made Easy (I have no relation with the author, I just think they're very good introductory texts). Although they deal primarily with web pages, the test methods they describe are valid for any kind of software development, and they answer your questions much better than I ever could.


text:
|ISSN 1088-6826(online) ISSN 0002-9939(print)
Codes over and and Hermitian lattices over imaginary quadratic fields
Abstract | References | Similar Articles | Additional Information
Abstract: We introduce a family of bi-dimensional theta functions which give uniformly explicit formulae for the theta series of hermitian lattices over imaginary quadratic fields constructed from codes over and , and give an interesting geometric characterization of the theta series that arise in terms of the basic strongly modular lattice . We identify some of the hermitian lattices constructed and observe an interesting pair of nonisomorphic 3/2 dimensional codes over that give rise to isomorphic hermitian lattices when constructed at the lowest level 7 but nonisomorphic lattices at higher levels. The results show that the two alphabets and are complementary and raise the natural question as to whether there are other such complementary alphabets for codes.
Retrieve articles in Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society with MSC (2000): 11H71, 94B75, 11H31
Retrieve articles in all journals with MSC (2000): 11H71, 94B75, 11H31
Additional Information


text:
Added To Cart
Subtotal: $26.45
Items in Cart: 5
The total agate weight is approximately 156.2ct. The necklace measures 36"L x 5/8"W x 5/16"H. The necklace comes in a decorative pouch with a zip and snap closure.
Part of the South Sea Pearls Collection. Made in Thailand. Do not use jewelry cleaners to clean, use warm water. Put jewelry on last after hair products, make up and perfume. Cultured pearls are a product of mother nature and will have natural birthmarks resembling pores. Size and color will always vary slightly. All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements.
Vermeil Plating:
Pronounced "vermay," vermeil is an electroplating process in which 14K gold or higher is coated over sterling silver. Officially designated by the jewelry industry, items may only be sold as vermeil if they have a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch (2.5 microns) of gold over the silver. Regular gold plating is less than 2.5 microns.
The "vermeil" technique of plating sterling silver with gold originated in France in the 1750s. It differs from "gold filled" or "gold plated" in terms of the thickness or thinness of the microns over sterling silver. "Gold filled" pieces have a much thicker layer, between 15 and 45 microns, which is mechanically bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure. Vermeil is a more expensive version of "gold plated". It does not wear off as quickly as gold plating does. However, over time, vermeil wears off and therefore will require re-plating.
Gold/Platinum Embraced Silver or Bronze:
Our platinum and gold embraced collections feature layers of platinum or gold over sterling silver or bronze for a lustrous, radiant finish everywhere you look and touch.
To care for your plated jewelry items:
Found all over the world, agate has been creatively striped by nature. It is a type of chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers of colors and textures. Each individual agate forms by filling a cavity in a host rock. As a result, agate often is found as a round nodule with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. Tiny quartz crystals called druzy (sometimes spelled as drusy) often form within the stone, adding to its beauty and uniqueness. Agate is a hard stone, within the range of 7.0-9.0 on the Mohs Scale.
In 1497, the mining of agate in the Nahe River valley in Germany gave rise to the cutting center of Idar-Oberstein. When the Nahe agate deposit was exhausted in the nineteenth century, Idar cutters started to develop the agate deposits of Brazil, discovering Brazil's rich deposits of many other gemstones. A famous collection of two to four thousand agate bowls, accumulated by Mithradates, King of Pontus, shows the popularity of agate at the time. Agate bowls were also popular in the Byzantine Empire. Collecting agate bowls became common among European royalty during the Renaissance and many museums in Europe, including the Louvre, have spectacular examples.
Although the small town of Idar-Oberstein is still known for the finest agate carving in the world, today Idar imports a huge range of other gem materials from around the world for cutting and carving in Germany. Cameo master carvers, modern lapidary artists and rough dealers flourish there, exporting their latest gem creations. It is an entire industry that grew from the desire for agate products during the Renaissance.
Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in ancient times. It was said to quench thirst and protect from fevers. Persian magicians used agate to divert storms. Today, some believe that agate is a powerful emotional healer and helps people discern the truth.