N.S.T.R.
5 weeks ago
About Me
Picture That Changes Periodically At My Discretion 215
Two holes! Two holes in my dress from Paris. Ah Ah Ah
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tilt Shift
Recently, I've become very interested in tilt shift photography. Now, I know it's nothing new; in fact it's not even new to me. But I've recently learned how to get a similar effect in photoshop. True tilt shift photography uses a special lense that is tilted a an angle so that it shifts the focal plain allowing you to take pictures from a great distance, but only put one section in focus. The result is an optical illusion that makes the subject appear as a minature model, like a train set. Below are before an after pictures. The first one, the before, is a picture of somewhere in Italy that I got from a random web site. The second one is the same picture after I photoshopped it to look like it was taken with a tilt shift lense. Now, I don't claim to be great at photoshop, and I'm still perfecting my technique, but you can get an idea of the effect.
I Have No Problem Working on My Family's Computers
I received a call from one of my cousins today. One of the things we talked about was how I feel about working on computers when I visit my family. I have expressed some negativity towards it, but I think it might have been misunderstood. The fact is that I don't mind doing it. I absolutely have no problems helping where I can. What I meant was, I don't want to spend my entire visit doing it. I love my family; most of which I only see once or twice a year, for 3 or 4 days at a time. I don't want to take away from visiting, playing cards, or just good conversation. One visit I worked on 5 computers. They asked if I minded; I said no. But by the end of the trip I realized I missed out on things. One of my cousins has multiple computers, and the absolute worst luck with viruses and malware. I've worked it out with him where I can take one home with me, fix it, and bring it back with me the next time I see him, and then pick up another one. This has helped a lot. It might even give us excuses to see each other more regularly, which I welcome. Obviously I can't do this for my aunt, who only has one computer; but honestly I'm glad to help while I'm there.
I've always been really close to my cousins. They are a brother and sister me. As we've become adults with our own immediate families, we've had less chance to sit and talk like we used to. My cousin (that just called me) and I have had some good conversations the last several times we've talked. But there was a stretch there, where it seemed like he was only calling me when he had computer problems. Now, I'm not saying that was the case; it may have been just me, but the conversation when straight from the greeting and seeing how we both were, to a problem on the computer. Many years ago, this same cousin pointed out to me that I only sent him forwards in email. I mistook that as he didn't like getting forwards. I made it a point not to send him any forwards for probably a year, before I found out that all he was saying was that he loved me, and wanted to hear from me. He was happy to see when he had an email from me, and then was disappointed when it was just another forward. This is what I'm conveying with this example. Please call me if you need help; just don't only call me when you need help.
Now this particular cousin and I have had several non-computer related phone conversations over the last several months. It's been really nice.
Bottom line: I don't want my family to think that they can't ask for my help. I'm not at all put out by doing it.
I've always been really close to my cousins. They are a brother and sister me. As we've become adults with our own immediate families, we've had less chance to sit and talk like we used to. My cousin (that just called me) and I have had some good conversations the last several times we've talked. But there was a stretch there, where it seemed like he was only calling me when he had computer problems. Now, I'm not saying that was the case; it may have been just me, but the conversation when straight from the greeting and seeing how we both were, to a problem on the computer. Many years ago, this same cousin pointed out to me that I only sent him forwards in email. I mistook that as he didn't like getting forwards. I made it a point not to send him any forwards for probably a year, before I found out that all he was saying was that he loved me, and wanted to hear from me. He was happy to see when he had an email from me, and then was disappointed when it was just another forward. This is what I'm conveying with this example. Please call me if you need help; just don't only call me when you need help.
Now this particular cousin and I have had several non-computer related phone conversations over the last several months. It's been really nice.
Bottom line: I don't want my family to think that they can't ask for my help. I'm not at all put out by doing it.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dukes Part Two
12) Why are the bridges in Hazzard always out or under construction?
13) Rosco was described on a couple of occasions, as the best sheriff in the state before he went crooked. Yet I have trouble seeing Rosco being any more competent at doing the right thing.
14) How can the Dukes know who is chasing them? The police car can be 100 yards behind them, and they say the name of the one chasing them. Even if they can somehow tell Rosco from Enos, How do they know in the myriad of episodes where there was an acting sheriff or deputy? Boss would appoint someone, and in the next scene, Bo and Luke would identify the one chasing them by looking at a police car way behind them in the rearview mirror.
15) Boss always tried to pin things on the Dukes, even when they weren't involved yet. If you were a thief, and you had a history of having your plans foiled by meddling Dukes, why would you force them to take a closer look at what you are doing to clear their names?
16) Does the inside of the General Lee get wet when it rains? The windows are always down.
More to come
13) Rosco was described on a couple of occasions, as the best sheriff in the state before he went crooked. Yet I have trouble seeing Rosco being any more competent at doing the right thing.
14) How can the Dukes know who is chasing them? The police car can be 100 yards behind them, and they say the name of the one chasing them. Even if they can somehow tell Rosco from Enos, How do they know in the myriad of episodes where there was an acting sheriff or deputy? Boss would appoint someone, and in the next scene, Bo and Luke would identify the one chasing them by looking at a police car way behind them in the rearview mirror.
15) Boss always tried to pin things on the Dukes, even when they weren't involved yet. If you were a thief, and you had a history of having your plans foiled by meddling Dukes, why would you force them to take a closer look at what you are doing to clear their names?
16) Does the inside of the General Lee get wet when it rains? The windows are always down.
More to come
The Dukes
CMT has been airing Dukes of Hazzard reruns, and I've been watching them faithfully. There are some things I never noticed in my childhood, that are starting to bother me now that I'm older.
1) The police cars are different; not just slightly, but noticeably different. It's not a big deal from episode to episode; it can be explained by the fact that Rosco and company wreck them so often. However, they recycle many of the stunts. In one chase scene, you can see up to three different kinds of cars, that only resemble each other by the fact that they are white, and have lights on them.
2) Enos left the show for awhile to work for the LAPD in his short lived spin-off show. His stated reason was that he was tired of doing unethical things that Rosco and Boss made him do. Yet, when he returns to Hazzard, he goes right back to work for them. Then in the Reunion Special in 1997, you learn that he at some point, went back to the LAPD.
3) We go from one generation having many children, to a generation having few children. Bo, Luke, Daisy, Coy, and Vance are all cousins; and Jesse is the uncle for all of them. Given that they all have the last name Duke, this means that Jesse had at least five brothers. Jesse has no children, and each of his brothers apparently had only one child each (except for Luke's parents, as there was a long lost brother of Luke's in one episode.)
3b) In a flashback episode to the 1800's we are introduced to Hank, Joe, and Dixie Duke. Hank is Luke's great great grandfather. Joe is Bo's great great grandfather. Dixie is Daisy's great great grandmother. I suppose this means that Dukes we know aren't all first cousins, which could satisfy my previous complaint. However; they all refer to each other as "cousin" from time to time. I would think that this would only be done for first cousins; since in a town the size of Hazzard, if you did this for second and third cousins, you would likely end up calling everyone "cousin."
4) Daisy falls in love with every man that comes to town. They always end up being a bad guy. Bo and Luke always discover this, and have to tell Daisy. She then passionately defends the stranger that she has known for a day, against her cousins that she has grown up with all her life.
5) Why are Coy and Vance never talked about before or after their brief time in season 5? They supposedly, according to the show that introduced them, grew up on the farm and left just prior to the show's beginning. Yet, they never seem to mention them. I can understand prior to season 5, since the writers didn't even know about them, but they could have at least mentioned them after then.
6) Does Boss actually have the authority to fire Rosco? Isn't Sheriff an elected position? Regardless of Boss's obvious Mob-type power, and his County Commissioner status, I would think that it would take more than Boss tearing Rosco's patches off his sleeves and taking his badge, to actually remove him from that position.
7) Why did they wait until the last minute to make their mortgage payment, when they knew that Boss was going to put obstacles in the way? They should be able to make the payment a day early, if they can make it at all.
8) Why do they always donate the reward money for the criminals they capture to the orphanage, or some other good cause. I understand the need to do good deeds, but the Dukes were poor too. Why not pay off your dang mortgage?
9) Why was Daisy the only one who had a job? She had to clean, cook, do laundry, and work for a living. And she seemed to do just as many "farm chores" as Bo and Luke did. Of course maybe her waitress money went to clothes, since she was obviously the only one that owned more than one outfit.
10) Sometimes the Dukes talked on the same CB channel as Rosco, and sometimes they didn't. How did they know which channel to use to reach the ones they wanted to talk to? And how come some of the people they talked to with a CB were talking on a phone? I didn't know you could use a CB to call a phone.
11) Bo and Luke couldn't carry guns because of their probation. This also meant they couldn't leave the county; could leave the county as long as they were back within 20 minutes; or couldn't leave the state; depending on the episode. Yet, they went on the NASCAR circuit, leaving the show for most of a season with no problems. Then, when they came back, they were locked down to the county again.
1) The police cars are different; not just slightly, but noticeably different. It's not a big deal from episode to episode; it can be explained by the fact that Rosco and company wreck them so often. However, they recycle many of the stunts. In one chase scene, you can see up to three different kinds of cars, that only resemble each other by the fact that they are white, and have lights on them.
2) Enos left the show for awhile to work for the LAPD in his short lived spin-off show. His stated reason was that he was tired of doing unethical things that Rosco and Boss made him do. Yet, when he returns to Hazzard, he goes right back to work for them. Then in the Reunion Special in 1997, you learn that he at some point, went back to the LAPD.
3) We go from one generation having many children, to a generation having few children. Bo, Luke, Daisy, Coy, and Vance are all cousins; and Jesse is the uncle for all of them. Given that they all have the last name Duke, this means that Jesse had at least five brothers. Jesse has no children, and each of his brothers apparently had only one child each (except for Luke's parents, as there was a long lost brother of Luke's in one episode.)
3b) In a flashback episode to the 1800's we are introduced to Hank, Joe, and Dixie Duke. Hank is Luke's great great grandfather. Joe is Bo's great great grandfather. Dixie is Daisy's great great grandmother. I suppose this means that Dukes we know aren't all first cousins, which could satisfy my previous complaint. However; they all refer to each other as "cousin" from time to time. I would think that this would only be done for first cousins; since in a town the size of Hazzard, if you did this for second and third cousins, you would likely end up calling everyone "cousin."
4) Daisy falls in love with every man that comes to town. They always end up being a bad guy. Bo and Luke always discover this, and have to tell Daisy. She then passionately defends the stranger that she has known for a day, against her cousins that she has grown up with all her life.
5) Why are Coy and Vance never talked about before or after their brief time in season 5? They supposedly, according to the show that introduced them, grew up on the farm and left just prior to the show's beginning. Yet, they never seem to mention them. I can understand prior to season 5, since the writers didn't even know about them, but they could have at least mentioned them after then.
6) Does Boss actually have the authority to fire Rosco? Isn't Sheriff an elected position? Regardless of Boss's obvious Mob-type power, and his County Commissioner status, I would think that it would take more than Boss tearing Rosco's patches off his sleeves and taking his badge, to actually remove him from that position.
7) Why did they wait until the last minute to make their mortgage payment, when they knew that Boss was going to put obstacles in the way? They should be able to make the payment a day early, if they can make it at all.
8) Why do they always donate the reward money for the criminals they capture to the orphanage, or some other good cause. I understand the need to do good deeds, but the Dukes were poor too. Why not pay off your dang mortgage?
9) Why was Daisy the only one who had a job? She had to clean, cook, do laundry, and work for a living. And she seemed to do just as many "farm chores" as Bo and Luke did. Of course maybe her waitress money went to clothes, since she was obviously the only one that owned more than one outfit.
10) Sometimes the Dukes talked on the same CB channel as Rosco, and sometimes they didn't. How did they know which channel to use to reach the ones they wanted to talk to? And how come some of the people they talked to with a CB were talking on a phone? I didn't know you could use a CB to call a phone.
11) Bo and Luke couldn't carry guns because of their probation. This also meant they couldn't leave the county; could leave the county as long as they were back within 20 minutes; or couldn't leave the state; depending on the episode. Yet, they went on the NASCAR circuit, leaving the show for most of a season with no problems. Then, when they came back, they were locked down to the county again.
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