Congrats, Hawks! Now... go get another one! Work on that starts this week! :)
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Chicago Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup Ring
Congrats, Hawks! Now... go get another one! Work on that starts this week! :)
NASA | IPCC Projections of Temperature and Precipitation in the 21st Century
It's far too late now to argue anymore about who may be to blame for this. It may also be almost too late to start planning for it. But denial is surely as useful as saying the sun won't rise in the morning.
Friday, September 27, 2013
End of the Tunnel
Tonight's Friday Night Movie is a short documentary film recommended by a good friend of mine who has known the narrator, Bernard, for many years. This is a side of life most of us will never know or entirely understand.
End of the Tunnel from jason samuels on Vimeo.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
Do You Really *Need* a Smartphone?
I don't own a smartphone and honestly don't feel as if I *need* one either. I have a clam shell cellphone issued to me for work purposes... but it's far from smart. It makes and receives phone calls, and can text, but that's it, and that's more than enough. The best part about it is that someone else pays the bill. Other than that it's mostly a bother.
I've been alive long enough and survived just about all of it just fine without any cell phone at all, much less a modern smartphone, so I know quite well how to find my way around, how to find out what's going on via other media, and how to communicate sans phone at all. Because of this background it turns out I actually LIKE human interaction AND being completely out of touch. I'm perfectly comfortable in my own skin and listening to nothing more than the sound of my own thoughts, so I don't need to be online 24/7, don't need constant reassurance from others, and find it can be quite nice being completely in the moment with other people without constant phone call interruptions. Given these stipulations it's probably no wonder that I happen to agree with most all of what Louis C.K. said the other night on Conan about modern smartphone "culture" and what it appears to be doing to us and especially modern youth.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me or Louis. It doesn't matter to me in the least. But ask yourself, when was the last time someone disengaged from interacting with you face to face so they could answer their phone? Did it make you wonder who was more important to them at that moment - you, or the unknown entity behind that ring? Ask yourself if it's any wonder that pedestrian accidents are up over 25% in the last few years when so many in crosswalks have their attention buried in a cellphone? And the next time you're out on a typical drive try and count how many drivers you see in other cars texting or reading a cell phone. Do cellphone rings bother you in restaurants, theaters, or in public in general? Do you really enjoy hearing those (often far too loud) telephone conversations (the one side you can hear) in public? How easy is it to ignore them?! Has any of these scenarios just made you wish telephones were just connected to wires again? Do kids seem less engaged to you today than you were with your friends when you were their age? What are the major differences between then and now?
People with iPhones will most likely wildly disagree with all this, and I'm fine with that because I've never been afraid to go against a trend or fad. I think Louis is in this camp too. Judge for yourself. Regardless... I've saved a lot of money on five (5) iPhones as of today... and counting, depending on when you may be reading this.
I've been alive long enough and survived just about all of it just fine without any cell phone at all, much less a modern smartphone, so I know quite well how to find my way around, how to find out what's going on via other media, and how to communicate sans phone at all. Because of this background it turns out I actually LIKE human interaction AND being completely out of touch. I'm perfectly comfortable in my own skin and listening to nothing more than the sound of my own thoughts, so I don't need to be online 24/7, don't need constant reassurance from others, and find it can be quite nice being completely in the moment with other people without constant phone call interruptions. Given these stipulations it's probably no wonder that I happen to agree with most all of what Louis C.K. said the other night on Conan about modern smartphone "culture" and what it appears to be doing to us and especially modern youth.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me or Louis. It doesn't matter to me in the least. But ask yourself, when was the last time someone disengaged from interacting with you face to face so they could answer their phone? Did it make you wonder who was more important to them at that moment - you, or the unknown entity behind that ring? Ask yourself if it's any wonder that pedestrian accidents are up over 25% in the last few years when so many in crosswalks have their attention buried in a cellphone? And the next time you're out on a typical drive try and count how many drivers you see in other cars texting or reading a cell phone. Do cellphone rings bother you in restaurants, theaters, or in public in general? Do you really enjoy hearing those (often far too loud) telephone conversations (the one side you can hear) in public? How easy is it to ignore them?! Has any of these scenarios just made you wish telephones were just connected to wires again? Do kids seem less engaged to you today than you were with your friends when you were their age? What are the major differences between then and now?
People with iPhones will most likely wildly disagree with all this, and I'm fine with that because I've never been afraid to go against a trend or fad. I think Louis is in this camp too. Judge for yourself. Regardless... I've saved a lot of money on five (5) iPhones as of today... and counting, depending on when you may be reading this.
Friday, September 20, 2013
The Red Valentine
This week's Friday Night Movie is a bit mystery, a bit Romeo & Juliet, a bit film noir. Written and directed by Glenn Stewart and from Mindscape Films. Enjoy!
"The Red Valentine" -- A Mindscape Films Picture from Glenn Stewart on Vimeo.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
AutoCAD 2014 & AutoCAD LT 2014 Service Pack 1
Today Autodesk released Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD 2014 and AutoCAD LT 2014. This update can be applied to AutoCAD 2014 installed as a standalone application or for AutoCAD 2014 installed from the AutoCAD, Building Design, Factory Design, Infrastructure Design, Plant Design, or Product Design Suites. The update is also available for 32-bit or 64-bit applications.
AutoCAD 2014 Service Pack 1 can be found HERE.
The ReadMe file containing information about who should install the update and what problems are resolved by it is currently only available in English, but is available HERE.
If you run AutoCAD 2014 or LT 2014 you should download and install this update even if you haven't been experiencing problems with your software.
AutoCAD 2014 Service Pack 1 can be found HERE.
The ReadMe file containing information about who should install the update and what problems are resolved by it is currently only available in English, but is available HERE.
If you run AutoCAD 2014 or LT 2014 you should download and install this update even if you haven't been experiencing problems with your software.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Official San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Time-Lapse
This may be an ultimate, "How It's Made", episode... for those who have seen that program on USA television. If your internet connection can handle it be sure and watch this at full 1080p and full screen and marvel at what has been done. The time-lapse video shows in 4 minutes what cost taxpayers roughly $6.5B over the past 5 years. As of this writing the construction is finally nearing completion.
More images of the construction and information on the design is currently available in the Autodesk Gallery.
More images of the construction and information on the design is currently available in the Autodesk Gallery.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Friday Night Movie
I've been somewhat remiss lately with putting up another FNM edition... but the wait will have been worth it as we delve into a classic Edgar Allen Poe story, one of my personal favorites, "The Tell-Tale Heart". I love the quality of animation in this and especially the dark color palette used. This is exactly the kind of animated short film I especially enjoyed back in the days when I lived in Dayton, OH, and my circle of friends all loved the "midnight movie" scene. We'd watch stuff like this until 5:00 in the morning and stagger out into daybreak on more occasions than one!
Boy... those were the days! So, without further ado, turn down the lights, set your screen full, turn up the speakers, and enjoy tonite's animated short film: "The Tell Tail Heart", from the Talking Animals on Vimeo.
Boy... those were the days! So, without further ado, turn down the lights, set your screen full, turn up the speakers, and enjoy tonite's animated short film: "The Tell Tail Heart", from the Talking Animals on Vimeo.
The Tell-Tale Heart from Talking Animals on Vimeo.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Biggest of the Little
I spent a little time this morning reading an article in one of my professional magazines about the upcoming Virginia Street Bridge Replacement in Reno, NV. In the process I found this charming old video produced in about 1943 that includes a bit of history about the surrounding area and the bridge itself. It's hardly necessary to even mention the dating of the video because it becomes pretty obvious as soon as the narrator begins speaking. The short trip down memory lane that follows quickly becomes quite fun especially if you've ever visited "The Biggest Little City in the World".
Take a break and enjoy a bowl of crockpot stew history where modern engineering technology meets art and culture to produce a new chapter in Reno's Virginia Street Crossing.
Post Script: And I just love little details like this pertaining to the Artwork! What a gathering place and special moment it will create for the community! A new local icon is about to be born there.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Red Bull Cranberries
The important point to note here is that no cranberries were damaged in the production of this video. :)
I just happen to be a native Wisconsin boy who has always loved cranberries... so seeing this was a real treat. Enjoy!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Parking a Cargo Jet
I've been in Honolulu training all of this past week on new software that allows us to model aircraft and design passenger loading bridges. The program runs on top of AutoCAD and I used it tonite to design and confirm a new cargo ramp parking position for a operator coming into Kona soon. It will still take me time to fully absorb all the nuances of this package, and everything we were exposed to, but it's mostly just a matter of practice. The new software is quite a bit easier to operate, has some very cool new features, and can produce simulations in 3D for certain types of equipment. Unfortunately for the project in the video above, the aircraft was not one of those where a 3D presentation could be done. Maybe next time I'll have something.
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