View allAll Photos Tagged Evaluation
Aleksanders Samoilovs from Latvia kicking sand in the air the get the exact direction of the wind before serving into it.
Published November 26th 2011.
Two 550Ex speedlites controlled simultaneously by one Phottix Odin radio receiver. Dual control. Thats TTL or M (remotely adjusted) and either with HSS or SCS!
Warning: This is a non-standard configuration. I am not recommending this use of Odin receivers. If you try this, it is entirely at your own risk. This configuration does not seem to work with 580ExIIs!
I'm still in early testing (as at 26-11-2011), but so far I have got perfect remote Manual flash power fraction control from the Odin TCU in the cam's hot-shoe. The 2 Ex units respond in parallel. The two speedlites - both 550Exs - are initially setup idendentically. The flash-heads are both up in a bounce orientation - wide panels both retracted. This may only apply to 550Exs. This configuration does not seem to work with 580ExIIs - possibly, it only works with pre-'II' series Ex speedlites. I have not tested all Ex speedlites - my guess would be that the pair must be identical twins for this to work. Remember that the 550Exs pre-date all the 'II' series Ex speedlites, so there are potentially a lot of variables to check.
The TTL cord is specifically 'ishoot' brand, their dual cord - and a recent batch (Nov '11). I tried this originally with a Yn dual cord & it seemed not to work. It may turn out that the 'ishoot' version is the only one of the 'dual' cords to work for this configuration. Note that there are several different versions of these 'dual' style TTL cords, which already differ from OC-E3 clones. The 'ishoot', the Yn, the Pixel and the Nissin version all differ externally and probably internally too.
Link: Feb '15:
www.ebay.com/itm/iShoot-2-5m-Flash-SYNC-E-TTL-Off-Camera-...
My logic for using 550Exs was first that they are less than half the price of a new 580ExII, in fact £90 to £130, they are pretty powerfull and they accept external power packs. So this configuration potentially offers the maximum gain for the minimum cost/risk.
Always turn on both speedlites before turning on the Rx unit. I only reconfigure the speedlites (deploy wide panel etc) with both the speedlites and the Rx temporarily switched off. Switch off the Speedlites before switching off the Rx.
This configuration is also good for TTL too - that's with FEC by group & globally - all with the option of HSS! The camera's flashmetering is best set to 'Average' for flash rather than 'Evaluative' (done in cam's Cfns or in the cam's flash menus - not from the camera's top-plate!). Tx to 'stripealipe' for this info - applies at least to the original release firmware (Edit: This restriction only applies to the on-release - later versions remove it). This is running very well indeed from both a 20D & a 7D. The modeling light function, controlled from the Odin TCU, also serves as focus assist. Easy with a little practice!
So, with Phottix Odins, either very nearly twice the power* or half the recycle time - all with a considerable cost saving - preserving remote power adjustment - Manual &/or TTL (& HSS for both) - from the TCU/camera unit. With Odins, M power fractions or FEC under ETTL, are adjusted by Group, directly from the TCU's screen - much quicker than having to delve into the camera's flash menu screens!
*: Not quite twice the power because I tend to splay the flash-heads slightly, giving very much better spread within most modifiers. So it's very much prettier light with smooth shadow transitions with quicker recylcing and/or nearly an extra stop of light.
Edit at 10-12-2011: Leaving TTL to one side, for metered manual flash, albeit (in-cam) metered flash, so far I've got two options. One is to use a variation of Chuck Gardner's white terry towelling reflected flash technique. I think you would need to use the 'only-just-clipping-white' end-point on a dummy shot taken with the white towelling in the subject position. With a bit of thought this can be used for ratios too.
The second option is based on an Expodisc or close clone - the uniform white type. This turns your cam's chip into an incident 'capture-flash' flash-meter and works well maybe sorting WB along the way. You would need to determine your own 'zero point' on your histogram specific to the transmissibility of your Expodisc or clone. Yep, they can be made to work. Likewise Olivier's idea of combining SCS with a long shutter speed, allowing time to reprime the meter before the capture-flash, works too. It assumes rather dim ambient levels and that you revert to a more typical SS for the actual capture - but it works too.
Edit: There are two extra options for using an external flashmeter in an Odin network operating in M flash. See this later post: www.flickr.com/photos/layeroption/11755249874/in/photostream
Edit at 18-12-2011: Being a certifiable, card-carrying strobist uber-nerd, I checked out a second 'ishoot' brand 'dual' ETTL cord with two other 550Exs - and - it worked in this configuration too! So, the warning still applies but it wasn't a fluke. Did I then interpose my Flashzebra 20ft OC-E3 clone on the distal speedlite end? Yep, that worked too - v rarely useful, but it would keep the camera/TCU un-tethered even if you were one Odin Rx short of a full load.
In fact I then daisy-chained 2 'ishoot' dual cords together (symetrically) & yes, 3 550Exs work as one together & respond in both M & TTL as they should. Sweet!
Edit at 04-01-2012: From my padded cell - 3 'ishoot' thingeys - X4 550Exs: Yes!
(My Yn 'dual' ETTL cord definitely does not work like this. And Elv says that Phottix's own 'dual' cord does not work for this configuration either.)
N.B. All of this applies using 550Exs with the original release Phottix Odin firmware. Update 24-08-12: This works with 550Exs and Firmware version 1.2 - Oh yes! - I like these triggers.
Edit at 30-01-2012: Many many hundred pops, scores of reconfigurations; zero issues! That goes for my other Odin Radio Rxs in use controlling either 580ExIIs or 550Exs. That's usually just one Ex to one Rx!
Edit: These Dual TTL cords from 'Ishoot' are becoming harder to find. Try Ebay searches under 'dual ttl cord'. Good luck.
Edit: 2-8-13: This post refers to the original hardware version 'Odin for Canon'. I updated to firmware v1.2 c August 2012. It seems that Phottix migrated to hardware type 'Odin 1.5 for Canon' some time ago.
Edit: 20-09-13: With the Mitros+ (Mitros Plus) just announced, I guess a pair of those could be used without the Dual cords & external Odin Rx. Similar functionality and beans at about X3 the cost - but tempting!
Mercedes Benz O303 at the PS.Depot in Einbeck.
A former coach converted into a special vehicle for testing tires.
Interior front area. Computers for data evaluation used to be here.
Lots of vultures around this stretch of beach, perhaps 15 at the moment. But probably a rich source of protein from nearby wildlife refuge (island). Crescent City, California
Mrs. Hume's Pheasant (Female)
Mrs. Hume's pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae), also known as Hume's pheasant or bar-tailed pheasant, is a large, up to 90 cm long, forest pheasant with a greyish brown head, bare red facial skin, chestnut brown plumage, yellowish bill, brownish orange iris, white wingbars and metallic blue neck feathers. The male has a long greyish white, barred black and brown tail. The female is a chestnut brown bird with whitish throat, buff color belly and white-tipped tail.
This rare and little known pheasant is found throughout forested habitats in China, India, Burma and Thailand. The diet consists mainly of vegetation matters. The female lays three to twelve creamy white eggs in nest of leaves, twigs and feathers.
The name commemorates Mary Ann Grindall Hume, wife of the British naturalist in India Allan Octavian Hume. It is the state bird of Manipur and Mizoram
Due to ongoing habitat loss, fragmented population and being hunted for food, the Mrs. Hume's pheasant is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
Status: Near Threatened
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
The A-14 program originally started in 2005 as a private venture, initiated by Northrop-Grumman together with the Elbit Group as a joint venture through Elbit’s Texas-based aircraft division M7 Aerosystems, an approved supplier to major aerospace clients. The aircraft was intended to replace the USAF’s A-10 attack aircraft as well as early F-16s in the strike role from 2010 onwards. The time slot for the project turned out to be advantageous, because at that time the USAF was contemplating to replace the simple and sturdy A-10 with the much more complex F-35, eventually even with its VTOL variant, and the highly specialized F-117 was retired, too.
The A-14 revived conceptual elements of Grumman’s stillborn A-12 stealth program for the US Navy, which had also been part of the USAF’s plans to replace the supersonic F-111 tactical bomber, but on a less ambitious and expensive level concerning technology, aiming for a more effective compromise between complexity, survivability and costs. The basic idea was an updated LTV A-7D (the A-10’s predecessor from the Vietnam War era), which had far more sophisticated sensor and navigation equipment than the rather simple but sturdy A-10, but with pragmatic stealth features and a high level of survivability in a modern frontline theatre or operations.
M7 Aerosystems started on a blank sheet, even though Northrop-Grumman’s A-12 influence was clearly visible, and to a certain degree the aircraft shared the basic layout with the F-117A. The A-14 was tailored from the start to the ground attack role, and therefore a subsonic design. Measures to reduce radar cross-section included airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets that prevented line-of-sight of the engine faces from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and maintenance covers that could provide a radar return. The A-14 was furthermore designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye.
The resulting airframe was surprisingly large for an attack aircraft – in fact, it rather reminded of a tactical bomber in the F-111/Su-24 class than an alternative to the A-10. The A-14 consisted of a rhomboid-shaped BWB (blended-wing-and-body) with extended wing tips and only a moderate (35°) wing sweep, cambered leading edges, a jagged trailing edge and a protruding cockpit section which extended forward of the main body.
The majority of the A-14’s structure and surface were made out of a carbon-graphite composite material that is stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum, and absorbs a significant amount of radar energy. The central fuselage bulge ended in a short tail stinger with a pair of swept, canted fins as a butterfly tail, which also shrouded the engine’s hot efflux. The fins could have been omitted, thanks to the aerodynamically unstable aircraft’s fly-by-wire steering system, and they effectively increased the A-14’s radar signature as well as its visual profile, but the gain in safety in case of FBW failure or physical damage was regarded as a worthwhile trade-off. Due to its distinctive shape and profile, the A-14 quickly received the unofficial nickname “Squatina”, after the angel shark family.
The spacious and armored cockpit offered room for the crew of two (pilot and WSO or observer for FAC duties), seated side-by-side under a generous glazing, with a very good field of view forward and to the sides. The fuselage structure was constructed around a powerful cannon, the five-barrel GAU-12/U 25 mm ‘Equalizer’ gun, which was, compared with the A-10’s large GAU-8/A, overall much lighter and more compact, but with only little less firepower. It fired a new NATO series of 25 mm ammunition at up to 4.200 RPM. The gun itself was located under the cockpit tub, slightly set off to port side, and the front wheel well was offset to starboard to compensate, similar in arrangement to the A-10 or Su-25. The gun’s ammunition drum and a closed feeding belt system were located behind the cockpit in the aircraft’s center of gravity. An in-flight refueling receptor (for the USAF’s boom system) was located in the aircraft’s spine behind the cockpit, normally hidden under a flush cover.
Due to the gun installation in the fuselage, however, no single large weapon bay to minimize radar cross section and drag through external ordnance was incorporated, since this feature would have increased airframe size and overall weight. Instead, the A-14 received four, fully enclosed compartments between the wide main landing gear wells and legs. The bays could hold single iron bombs of up to 2.000 lb caliber each, up to four 500 lb bombs or CBUs, single laser-guided GBU-14 glide bombs, AGM-154 JSOW or GBU-31/38 JDAM glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick guided missiles or B61 Mod 11 tactical nuclear weapons, as well as the B61 Mod 12 standoff variant, under development at that time). Retractable launch racks for defensive AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were available, too, and additional external pylons could be added, e.g. for oversize ordnance like AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) or AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), or drop tanks for ferry flights. The total in- and external ordnance load was 15,000 lb (6,800 kg).
The A-14 was designed with superior maneuverability at low speeds and altitude in mind and therefore featured a large wing area, with high wing aspect ratio on the outer wing sections, and large ailerons areas. The ailerons were placed at the far ends of the wings for greater rolling moment and were split, making them decelerons, so that they could also be used as air brakes in flight and upon landing.
This wing configuration promoted short takeoffs and landings, permitting operations from primitive forward airfields near front lines. The sturdy landing gear with low-pressure tires supported these tactics, and a retractable arrester hook, hidden by a flush cover under the tail sting, made it possible to use mobile arrested-recovery systems.
The leading edge of the wing had a honeycomb structure panel construction, providing strength with minimal weight; similar panels covered the flap shrouds, elevators, rudders and sections of the fins. The skin panels were integral with the stringers and were fabricated using computer-controlled machining, reducing production time and cost, and this construction made the panels more resistant to damage. The skin was not load-bearing, so damaged skin sections could be easily replaced in the field, with makeshift materials if necessary.
Power came from a pair of F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans, engines that were originally developed for the A-12, but de-navalized and lightened for the A-14. These new engines had an output of 12,000 lbf (53 kN) each and were buried in blended fairings above the wing roots, with jagged intakes and hidden ducts. Flat exhausts on the wings’ upper surface minimized both radar and IR signatures.
Thanks to the generous internal fuel capacity in the wings and the fuselage, the A-14 was able to loiter and operate under 1,000 ft (300 m) ceilings for extended periods. It typically flew at a relatively low speed of 300 knots (350 mph; 560 km/h), which made it a better platform for the ground-attack role than fast fighter-bombers, which often have difficulty targeting small, slow-moving targets or executing more than just a single attack run on a selected target.
A mock-up was presented and tested in the wind tunnel and for radar cross-section in late 2008. The A-14’s exact radar cross-section (RCS) remained classified, but in 2009 M7 Aerosystems released information indicating it had an RCS (from certain angles) of −40 dBsm, equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". With this positive outcome and the effective design, M7 Aerosystems eventually received federal funding for the production of prototypes for an official DT&E (Demonstration Testing and Evaluation) program.
Three prototypes/pre-production aircraft were built in the course of 2010 and 2011, and the first YA-14 made its maiden flight on 10 May 2011. The DT&E started immediately, and the machines (a total of three flying prototypes were completed, plus two additional airframes for static tests) were gradually outfitted with mission avionics and other equipment. This included GPS positioning, an inertial navigation system, passive sensors to detect radar usage, a small, gyroscopically stabilized turret, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing a FLIR boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator, and an experimental 3-D laser scanning LIDAR in the nose as a radiation-less alternative to a navigation and tracking radar.
Soon after the DT&E program gained momentum in 2012, the situation changed for M7 Aerosystems when the US Air Force considered the F-35B STOVL variant as its favored replacement CAS aircraft, but concluded that the aircraft could not generate a sufficient number of sorties. However, the F-35 was established as the A-14’s primary rival and remained on the USAF’s agenda. For instance, at that time the USAF proposed disbanding five A-10 squadrons in its budget request to cut its fleet of 348 A-10s by 102 to lessen cuts to multi-mission aircraft in service that could replace the specialized attack aircraft.
In August 2013, Congress and the Air Force examined various proposals for an A-10 replacement, including the A-14, F-35 and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle, and, despite the A-14’s better qualities in the ground attack role, the F-35 came out as the overall winner, since it was the USAF’s favorite. Despite its complexity, the F-35 was – intended as a multi-role tri-service aircraft and also with the perspective of bigger international sales than the more specialized A-14 – regarded as the more versatile and, in the long run, more cost-efficient procurement option. This sealed the A-14’s fate and the F-35A entered service with U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 (after the F-35B was introduced to the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2015). At that time, the U.S. planned to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which would represent the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades.
Since the A-14’s technology was considered to be too critical to be marketed to export customers (Israel showed early interest in the aircraft, as well as South Korea), the program was cancelled in 2016.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (pilot, WSO)
Length: 54 ft 11 1/2 in (16.78 m)
Wingspan: 62 ft 11 1/2 in (19.22 m)
Height: 11 ft 3 3/4 in (3.45 m)
Wing area: 374.9 ft² (117.5 m²)
Empty weight: 24,959 lb (11,321 kg)
Loaded weight: 30,384 lb (13,782 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,700 kg)
Internal fuel capacity: 11,000 lb (4,990 kg)
Powerplant:
2× General Electric Whitney F412-GE-114 non-afterburning turbofans
with 12,000 lbf (53 kN) thrust each
Performance:
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1,010 km/h, 550 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude /
Mach 0.95 at sea level
Cruise speed: 560 mph (900 km/h, 487 kn) at 40,000 ft altitude
Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 133 lb/ft² (193 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Take-off run: 1,200 m (3,930 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg) over a 15 m (30 ft) obstacle
Armament:
1× General Dynamics GAU-12/U Equalizer 25 mm (0.984 in) 5-barreled rotary cannon
with 1,200 rounds (max. capacity 1,350 rounds)
4x internal weapon bays plus 4x external optional hardpoints with a total capacity of
15,000 lb (6,800 kg) and provisions to carry/deploy a wide range of ordnance
The kit and its assembly:
A major kitbashing project which I had on my idea list for a long time and its main ingredients/body donors already stashed away – but, as with many rather intimidating builds, it takes some external motivation to finally tackle the idea and bring it into hardware form. This came in August 2020 with the “Prototypes” group build at whatifmodellers.com, even though is still took some time to find the courage and mojo to start.
The original inspiration was the idea of a stealthy successor for the A-10, or a kind of more modern A-7 as an alternative to the omnipresent (and rather boring, IMHO) F-35. An early “ingredient” became the fuselage of a Zvezda Ka-58 stealth helicopter kit – I liked the edgy shape, the crocodile-like silhouette and the spacious side-by-side cockpit. Adding wings, however, was more challenging, and I remembered a 1:200 B-2A which I had turned into a light Swedish 1:72 attack stealth aircraft. Why not use another B-2 for the wings and the engines, but this time a bigger 1:144 model that would better match the quite bulbous Ka-58 fuselage? This donor became an Italeri kit.
Work started with the fuselage: the Ka-58’s engine and gearbox hump had to go first and a generous, new dorsal section had to be scratched with 1mm styrene sheet and some PSR. The cockpit and its glazing could be retained and were taken OOB. Under the nose, the Ka-58’s gun turret was omitted and a scratched front landing gear well was implanted instead.
The wings consist of the B-2 model; the lower “fuselage half” had its front end cut away, then the upper fuselage half of the Ka-58 was used as benchmark to cut the B-2’s upper wing/body part in two outer wing panels. Once these elements had been glued together, the Ka-58’s lower nose and tail section were tailored to match the B-2 parts. The B-2 engine bays were taken OOB and mounted next, so that the A-14’s basic hull was complete and the first major PSR session could start. Blending the parts into each other turned out to be a tedious process, since some 2-3 mm wide gaps had to be filled.
Once the basic BWP pack had been finished, I added the fins. These were taken from an 1:72 F-117 kit (IIRC from Italeri), which I had bought in a lot many moons ago. The fins were just adapted at their base to match the tail sting slope, and they were mounted in a 45° angle. This looks very F-117ish but was IMHO the most plausible solution.
Now that the overall length of the aircraft was defined, I could work on the final major assembly part: the wing tips. The 1:144 B-2 came with separate wing tip sections, but they proved to be much too long for the Squatina. After some trials I reduced their length by more than half, so that the B-2’s jagged wing trailing edge was kept. The result looks quite natural, even though blending the cut wing tips to the BWB turned out to be a PSR nightmare because their thickness reduces gently towards the tip – since I took out a good part of the inner section, the resulting step had to be sanded away and hidden with more PSR.
Detail work started next, including the cockpit glazing, the bomb bay (the B-2 kit comes with one of its bays open, and I kept this detail and modified the interior) and the landing gear, the latter was taken from the F-117 donor bank and fitted surprisingly well.
Some sensors were added, too, including a flat glass panel on the nose tip and a triangular IRST fairing under the nose, next to the landing gear well.
Painting and markings:
For a stealth aircraft and a prototype I wanted something subdued or murky, but not an all-black or -grey livery. I eventually settled for the rather dark paint scheme that the USAF applied to its late B-52Gs and the B-1Bs, which consists of two tones from above, FS 36081 (Dark Grey, a.k.a. Dark Gunship Grey) and 34086 (Green Drab), and underneath (FS 36081 and 36118 (Gunship Grey). The irregular pattern was adapted (in a rather liberal fashion) from the USAF’s early B-1Bs, using Humbrol 32, 108 and 125 as basic colors. The 108 turned out to be too bright, so I toned it down with an additional coat of thinned Humbrol 66. While this considerably reduced the contrast between the green and the grey, the combination looks much better and B-1B-esque.
The wings’ leading edges were painted for more contrast with a greyish black (Tar Black, Revell 09), while the landing gear, the interior of the air intakes and the open bomb bay became glossy white. The cockpit was painted in medium grey (Humbrol 140) and the clear parts received a thinned inner coating with a mix of transparent yellow and brown, simulating an anti-radar coating – even though the effect turned out to be minimal, now it looks as of the plastic parts had just yellowed from age…
After the initial livery had been finished the model received a black ink washing and some post-panel shading with slightly brightened variations of the basic tones (using Humbrol 79, 144 and 224). Decals were added next, an individual mix from various sources. The “Stars-and-Bars” come from a PrintScale A-7 sheet, most stencils come from an F-16 sheet.
After some more detail painting and a treatment with graphite on the metal areas (exhausts, gun port), the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
Batman’s next Batwing? Maybe, there’s certainly something fictional about this creation. But the “Squatina” turned out much more conclusive (and even pretty!) than I expected, even though it became a bigger aircraft than intended. And I am positively surprised how good the bodywork became – after all, lots of putty had to be used to fill all the gaps between parts that no one ever expected to be grafted together.
Looks like they're the right length, and they did fit nicely. Time to finish them off!
~
The sewing machine set is an Our Generation set that i bought from eBay. 100% worth it. There's also an American Girl set too, it's a bit more realistic.
Everything else was whipped up by me The walls are made of foamboard, with paper and contact for the wallpaper. They're put together with pins, and so I can take them apart and flat pack them. I have quite a few of them lol. In the end i hope to make this her entire bedroom, adding another wall, and I also hope to turn the woodgrain wall into traditional Japanese ricepaper windows and a door. Hachi live in an old shrine mansion.
Hachi is a Unoa Sist Mod. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask
Template
by Anne Madsen
DrawMore - Graphic Facilitation & Visual Recording
Contact:
drawmorestuff (at) gmail.com
Evaluation:
is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.
CP 2210, a rebuilt GP20 "Aardvark," led a track evaluation train westbound along the IC&E on 6-25-13, inspecting the track at a leisurely 20 MPH here at Irene Road near Kirkland, IL.
Some examples of innovative pedgaogies already in effect on campus include the 4th year capstone history course. Students mentor first year students on academic probation, reflect on the process and learn through teaching. Inquiry-based teaching and community service-based learning were also discussed.
A McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle of the 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron "Green Bats" from Nellis AFB heads out to the range.
The 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron is a composite unit that conducts operational tests of the latest hardware and software enhancements for all fighter and attack aircraft in the USAF inventory prior to release to combat forces.
Princess of South Africa Barbie head on a painted-to-match Volks Dollfie Plus body. The Mbili sculpt is still one of my favorites from Mattel--enough that I forgive the rag-doll floppiness of the body.
evaluation on board. You are allowed to use this image on your website. If you do, please link back to my site as the source: creditscoregeek.com/
Example: Photo by CreditScoreGeek
Thank you!
Mike Cohen
Sgt. Ian Pocklington, assigned to 21st Theater Sustainment Command, takes part in the Close Combat Attack lane portion of U.S. Army Europe's 2013 Best Warrior Competition in Grafenwoehr, Germany Aug. 21. The competition is a weeklong event that tests Soldiers’ physical stamina, leadership, technical knowledge and skill. Winners in the Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer categories of the USAREUR competition will go on to compete at the Department of the Army level. (U.S. Army photo by Gertrud Zach)
A paratrooper with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, teaches soldiers with the Ukrainian Land Forces on how to conduct cardiopulmonary resuscitation and take appropriate action, in the correct sequence, to restore breathing and, if necessary, the pulse Nov. 25, 2015, during a combat lifesaver training as part of Fearless Guardian II at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center near Yavoriv, Ukraine. The Ukrainian Land Forces begin the first week of training where soldiers from the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine will instruct on how to conduct infantry-based, defensive-focused training at the individual and collective levels including medical training in combat lifesaver and casualty evacuation. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Russell M. Gordon, 10th Press Camp Headquarters)
They're not quite report cards in the usual sense, but every few months, I need to evaluate longtime students. Happily, this usually means positive progress, and students wave them like flags as they run to share their good news.
(Note: This post will be dynamically updated until around 01:30 AM Pacific time Monday, January 18, 2010, or whenever I get tired and go to bed.)
Evaluating a set of Skullcandy Lowrider headphones tonight...
Sound output source: Front headphone/line out jack on a Dell Inspiron 530 home computer running Windows XP SP3
Sound board: Realtek HD Audio (WDM) onboard system main board.
Software used: Apple iTunes 9.0.2.25 for Windows
Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
Audio sample log with notes:
"A Little Respect" - Erasure, AAC format, 128 kbps - "I need to upgrade this to 256 kbps stat!"
"Jeremy" - Pearl Jam, mp3 format, 192 kbps - "I should pull out some CDs, and make this a fair comparison"
"Sanctify Yourselves" - Simple Minds, mp3 format, 224 kbps - "Hmmm..."
"Shout" - Tears For Fears, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "TOO LOUD!!! ~_~;"
"Hyperactive" - Thomas Dolby, mp3 format, 192 kbps - "Tell me about your mother... ("Let me tell you about my mother..." ^_^;)
"Anarchy In The U.K." - Sex Pistols, mp3 format, 192 kbps - "Sounds awfully damn flat for 192 kbps, I hope that's just the song or the encoding"
"Cliches Of The World (B Movie)" - The Kinks, AAC format, 256 kbps - "About as good, or better than the cassette I had it on when I was a kid."
"Panic" - The Smiths, mp3 format, 128 kbps - "Oh, well... I still like The Smiths - I'll queue this for a 256 kbps rerip, and FLAC it as well."
"Pop Muzik" - M, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "Grew up with it for 30 years, damn near wore down a 45 of it. Now, if I could only find the B-side version of 'M Factor' - It's a different mix from the album version."
"Don't Disturb This Groove" - The System, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "Never get tired of this song."
"Your Woman" - White Town, AAC format, 256 kbps - "I like this song, and remember when it would get played regularly on KOME-FM in San Jose around 1997. I am not ashamed to say that I have performed this song at karaoke. I would probably perform it in public at karaoke. Yes, it was A GUY who sang this song, in fact, the GUY who IS 'White Town' ^_^;"
"Fantastic Voyage" - Lakeside, mp3 format, 223 kbps approx. (VBR encode) - "Aw, yeah... Only con so far about these headphones is the cord is TOO SHORT! I can't stand up while plugged into the computer."
"Labour of Love" - The Kinks, AAC format, 256 kbps - "Another good one, no major ickiness so far with these headphones. I guess I got what I paid for... Continuing onward."
"Bad Boys" - Wham!, mp3 format, 128 kbps - "Sounds about as good as it does coming out the harman/kardon desktop speakers and subwoofer. This song is one of my guilty pleasures, and another karaoke favorite."
"Promises, Promises" - Naked Eyes, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "More of my teenage high school years coming back..."
"Notorious" - Duran Duran, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "No, No, Notorious! Not quite as good as their early stuff, but I can still listen to it - I actually like 'The Skin Trade' almost as much, or more than this."
"To Live And Die In L.A." - Wang Chung, 153 kbps approx. (VBR) - "Another classic... Man, I feel old tonight."
"Demoliton Man" - The Police, mp3 format, 192 kbps - "The song that came before the film."
"The Chauffeur" - Duran Duran, mp3 format, 128 kbps - "Not bad, but I have the CD, I could rerip this - I seem to recall being on a campaign to have nothing LESS THAN 192 kbps in my digital collection. Wait, I heard flaws and hissing - This is getting a re-rip, with the rest of the RIO album."
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" - Wham!, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "And the guilty pleasures continue..."
"The Hanging Garden" - The Cure, mp3 format, 192 kbps - "Ah, yeah..."
"The Spice Must Flow" - Eon, mp3 format, 160 kbps - "If I wasn't tethered to the computer, I'd get up and dance...."
"Another Nail For My Heart" - Squeeze, mp3 format, 128 kbps - "Ugly hiss... I can hear it. Need to find the disc and re-rip this one too... What was I thinking?"
"Blood Money" - Sisters of Mercy, AAC format, 256 kbps - "Nice... (Last song of the experiment, before I unplug and go to external speakers for sleep...)"
Experiment halting after this song.
Verdict: I got what I paid for, I'm happy. I will take great care not to get them broken.
Evaluation team members and participants of the SUSI-Scholars Exchange Program during a focus group interview in Vietnam.
Sample image taken with a final production Sony A7R V. All are JPEGs straight out of camera. If you find my reviews and samples useful, please treat me to a coffee at www.paypal.me/cameralabs
These samples and comparisons are part of my Sony A7R V review at:
www.cameralabs.com/sony-a7r-mark-v-review/
Feel free to download the original image for evaluation on your own computer or printer, but please don't use it on another website or publication without permission from www.cameralabs.com/
For the Twisted Fairytales project, the initial idea was to use the story of 'Sleeping Beauty' but then chose to do 'The Gingerbread Man' as I thought it would be simpler and less time constraining. Being a gingerbread, the character design was very simple and the story only needed two types of characters, them being 'The Gingerbread Man' and the cannibals (the fox not being needed as only his head would be featured) so I used a template and created two gingerbreads. The main character would feature two round, black eyes and 3 black buttons and the cannibals would have a grass skirts, spears, a bloodstained shirt and an angry expression as standard.
The story went that The Gingerbread Man kills the fox after he learns of his intention to eat him, he then tries to find a town where he would be safe. The Gingerbread Man finds a town which unbeknownst to him is inhabited by cannibals, the cannibals capture the gingerbread man and march him over to a pot where he is cooked and eaten. The story never differentiated throughout the project as what I had in mind seemed elegantly simple and the idea of having cannibals always stuck as it sticks to the theme of Twisted Fairytales and adds a unique twist to the original fairytale where instead of being eaten by any of the people or animals in the town, he is instead ironically eaten by his own kind.
The story featured medias such as pencil to plan out each scene, watercolored and cheap paints to fill the scene and fine liner pens to go around characters and scenery to make them more bold. I marked out the paper and used square card to create the boxes and used a small gingerbread cookie-cutter to create the characters and make sure they were all proportionate.
Though happy with the overall storyboard If I were to change anything I would add more features to The Gingerbread Man (e.g. tie, scarf) as he looks slightly plain and colourless in comparison to the cannibals as he only has black eyes and black buttons and the cannibals have green, grass skirts.