View allAll Photos Tagged Ultimately
Novak Djokovic having his Visa rejected and ultimately being detained in the Park Hotel, in Carlton, where dozens of refugees have been detained for a number of years - has brought international attention to the Australian government's treatment of people seeking asylum.
Rally initiated by the Refugee Action Collective and supported by numerous other groups.
My website: www.matthrkac.com.au
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/matt.hrkac/
And Facebook: www.facebook.com/MattHrkac
Support my work: paypal.me/matthrkac
Whatever happens,
Ultimately, Jesus CHRIST is still KING! [English]
起こり、どのような
最終的には、イエス·キリストは、まだ王です！ [Japanese]
Anuman ang mangyari,
sa huli, si KRISTO pa rin ang HARI! [Tagalog]
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
Ultimately, it will hang over the baby bed, but figuring out how to hang it from the 12-foot ceiling is something D will have to deal with! :)
The Hidden Treasure at the Mountain's Shoulder.
This place is the work area of so many endeavours; Entoto's High plateau, where it appears among adorable Juniper hills and dreamlike meadows. Ultimately, beyond the horizon of golden fields, this landscape of forgotten dreams reveals its southern border in the abyss Bees' Cliff (14). Here it shows very soon; the beautiful path (42) to Entoto Natural Park (Nursery) 34, where the massive work has elapsed with nature restoration for many years.
1. The community Entoto Kidane Mehret
The community Entoto Kidane Mehret - An Elevated Protectorate.
The society Entoto Kidane Mehret is a very dedicated and appealing mountain town but should indeed more precisely be described as a deeply devoted religious Sanctuary and Protectorate of Nature and Inhabitants.
A trust-making station with the dignity of a cliff fortress.
Although Entoto Kidane Mehret (1) is quite highly located and appearing distant due to its height above the Capital, nevertheless it's equipped with a station for regular bus and taxi traffic. This quaint town's structure creates here a harmonic embrace of the extensive and impressive Entoto Kidane Mehret Church (32), Monastery and Sacred Water Source (31), Juniperus procera Forest (indigenous) 30.
Entoto Natural Park road and map info.
The entrance to the Park is to the right of the sanctuary.
A historical protectorate with a sanctuary's reliability.
For a long time, this has been a religious protectorate of Entoto's nature, thus gaining excellent protection that has been deeply associated with religious devotion and conviction. However, the Hotel and Guesthouse is missing, which means that the nearest location to the guest house for tourism and dining is the Shero Meda (Shiromeda) community.
Shero Meda (Shiromeda) - A well-established community for transportation and amenities.
This society is the central station for further taxi and bus services to Entoto Kidane Mehret (1). However, the town and station Shero Meda is close enough to Entoto Kidane Mehret to offer a pleasant walk to Entoto Natural Park. Shero Meda (Shiromeda) is also the place that allows the easiest access to Entoto Maryam, located on Entoto's plateau.
Guest Houses, Hotels and Restaurants.
Continuing up towards the mountain massif and Entoto Natural Park, this offers a certain selection of accommodations and as the area is in progress, it is a nice opportunity for restaurants, cafes and hotels up to some mile north of Shero Meda's (Shiromeda) centre.
Accommodation north of Shero Meda (Shiromeda)
The two choices of travel routes starting from Shero Meda centre and continuing up the hill towards Entoto Kidane Mehret and Entoto Maryam offer here some small and inviting neighbourhoods. At this outer boundary of Shero Meda are shown a few streets where the roads up to Entoto Kidane Mehret and Entoto Maryam are joined, providing convenient access to amenities up to a mile north of Shero Meda's centre.
A Great Plateau Ledge for View and Activities.
Arriving at the high viewpoint (16) is very convenient, as the substantial rise upwards offers some beautiful and exciting rests with magnificent scenery and historical surprises with old Italian fortifications (38) and trees of a surprising dignified furrowed patina.
An Ideal Place for the Well-Equipped Family.
From this location (16) provides pleasant resting places for picnics in pleasant tranquillity and contemplation about the unique nature, which is facilitated easily by the high point of view, even over the mist-veiled Capital far below the southern slopes. Much closer the farmhouse is reminded and not far below even the chanting walls of Entoto Kidane Mehret Church (32).
2. Shops for Picnics and Adventures.
The most necessary for the Park's experience and picnics as well as candy shop (2) is across the bus stop from the community (1). For those who are very early in the hours of dawn, there is a small shop also at the beginning of the Juniper forest, just next to the health spring with its associated buildings (31).
5. The Concealed Path of Kidane Mehret.
A refreshing cool stream still runs in leap and joy. Beyond the secrets of Entoto Kidane Mehret's sacred stone walls, (32) a path to Bees' Cliff (14) and further exhilarated explorations.
A hidden path between the sanctuary and the gorge.
The trail runs attractively hidden behind Entoto Kidane Mehret (32) in a concealed curve below its wall and passing through a small part of the village before the path (5) opens along a deep ravine and finishing with a downhill towards a traditional bridge.
The different choices uphill from this bridge starts either from (37) or even (19) is an attractive way to these natural pools just above Bees' Cliff (14).
The paths up to Bees' Cliff (14) offer several options; the northern hillside of the tributary gorge (36), but also the southern slope of (38-39) - (15-16) and (41).
Multiple trail options from the bridge at Kidane Mehret Church (32).
Thus, there are several very different of paths choices just uphill from point (38) but also becomes enriched by a more thorough, independent, acquaintance with the full south-eastern to north-western eroded soil road (41) located just above points (14 - 16).
Grandiose scenarios of the Canyon's trails.
These trails are all characterised by the unique and dramatic slopes at the canyon (35). The options of trails are here beautifully inspiring and often in contact with each other, allowing another choice of a path by a relaxing return or to an intersection towards an alternative height above the gorge. This option might follow the shoreline of the river (35) or even at the slope's upper plateau ledge.
** However, it is clear that the canyon's slopes in some places are too steep to allow a confrontation with a vertical commitment, but just this offers what constitutes the extra interesting in wildlife scenarios and thus giving the walks an unforgettable value.
A canyon of adorable beauty and lush greenery.
Independent opinion or perception of these alternative trails, they are all so surprisingly beautiful and varied that they offer far greater entertainment than could be expected from the memories or impressions of the other nature types around the Capital or even compared to the charming countryside with its beautiful scenery.
In this magnificent canyon of seductively smooth light and living, shadows are, however, all the paths, so captivating inviting that any visitors never are at risk to be without all types pure and vitalizing surprises.
073/366 long hallways
“It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention.” ―Conan O'Brien
Said to have been born in Bognor Regis, Sussex, in England (although later reports said he was born at sea), after arriving in New Zealand and reaching young manhood Andrews was involved with the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers for five years, Cromwell Rifles in Otago for two years (where he gained a commissioned rank), then NZ Engineer Volunteers, and ultimately attained the rank of Captain. He joined the NZ Staff Corps as a Lieutenant in 1911, and served during the First World War in Gallipoli, France, Belgium and Egypt, rising to the rank of Major, mentioned in despatches, and second in command of the Otago Regiment. He received the OBE for his war service.
He was promoted to Lieut.-Colonel on his return, and served for two years as Assistant Adjutant-General at Defence Headquarters. With retrenchment, he was regraded Major and posted to Paeroa and a command of the No 2 Regimental District. In December 1927, less than a year before he died, he regained the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, as well as Assistant-Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of Northern Command.
On 26 November 1928, he was found dead in his Remuera home, the victim of a heart attack. He had failed to turn up at the office on Friday 23 November, and there was no response to their telephone calls, so a Major Finnis went around to Andrews’ house to check on him, and found him dead in the passageway, still in pyjamas. Apparently, he hadn’t been in the best of health just before his death, and was home alone because his wife was away visiting family.
His wife Christina Cameron Andrews, nee MacKenzie, whom he married in 1900, also served during the First World War, as a nursing volunteer with the Royal Army Nursing Service. She died in 1957.
Source: Lisa Truttman – Timespanner
OBITUARY.
LIEUT.-COL. C. E. ANDREWS.
FINE MILITARY RECORD
SUDDEN DEATH IN AUCKLAND.
A military officer with a splendid record of service, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles E. Andrews, O.B.E., N.Z.S.G., was found dead at his residence, Maurice Avenue, Remuera, on Monday evening. He was 53 years of age.
At the time of his death Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews was assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general, Northern Command. His non-appearance at the defence headquarters on Monday prompted telephonic communication with his residence, but there was no response. An officer who made a personal inquiry found the house locked, and on forcing an entrance he discovered Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews lying dead in the hall. It is supposed he was the victim of a sudden heart attack. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews had not enjoyed good health recently, and had suffered considerably from neuralgia.
Born at sea Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews had spent the greater portion of his life in the Dominion, and during the war served at Gallipoli. His early military experience was gained as a member of the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers, and later in the South Island he was connected with tho Cromwell Rifle Volunteers. Subsequently he became a lieutenant in No. 1 Company, New Zealand Engineers, Cliristchurch. On the formation of the New Zealand Staff Corps he became a lieutenant on the permanent staff, the appointment being made in 1911. In the following year he was promoted to captain. He was adjutant of the South Canterbury Regiment from 1911 to 1913, and later officer commanding Group 10. Timaru.
With the outbreak of war Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews was stationed at various training camps, and left New Zealand as second in command of the Otago Regiment. Wounded at Gallipoli Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews was invalided home. Appointed district officer at General Headquarters, Wellington, in February, 1917, he later held the position of assistant adjutant-general and general staff officer, with first-class ranking. In 1922 he was appointed officer-in-charge of No. 1 Regimental District, Paeroa. Less than a year ago he was appointed assistant-adjutant and quartermaster-general Northern Command, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrews is survived by his wife, who was on holiday in Christchurch at the time of his death. There is no family. The funeral will take place at Waikumete Cemetery this morning, when full honours will be accorded. The gun-carriage will be escorted by members of the 13th Battery, and the Royal New Zealand Artillery will provide the firing party at the graveside. The flag at the Northern Command was flown at half-mast yesterday.
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19281128.2.138
Link to Image of Lieut.-Colonel Andrews
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19281128.2.14.2
Lieut.-Colonel Andrews being honoured at Waikumete Cemetery
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19281129.2.14.10
Plot 53: Charles Eric Andrews – Heart
DEATHS.
ANDREWS. —On November 26, at his residence, 9, Marris Avenue, Remuera, Lieut.-Colonel Charles Eric Andrews, O.B.E., N.Z. Staff Corps, aged 53 years. Funeral will take place from Messrs. C. Little and Son's Mortuary, Hobson Street, at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow (Wednesday).
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19281127.2.3
Great War Veteran
(fern)
Lieutenant Colonel
C. E. ANDREWS O.B.E.
N.Z. Staff Corps
died 26-11-1928.
N Z
E F
aged 53.
View Charles’ military personnel file on line:
ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServle...
View and contribute to Charles’ profile on the Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph data base:
www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/recor...
Intention:
Complexity
Reference:
"Balance is, ultimately, not something we can opt out of. Our photographs will be balanced—statically or dynamically—or they’ll be imbalanced, but the balance in an image will affect how people experience your photograph." -DuChemin
Outcome:
Took me far too long to organize these cards, but it was worth it to create my favorite picture from this project. The designs along with the lines create so many shapes, and with the help of editing the contrast is very eye catching. The direction of the lighting was unintentional but it adds just a slight bit of depth to the cards, almost making it look like an optical illusion.
Edits:
Removed color.
Increased: Contrast, Sharpness, and Shadow Intensity.
Decreased: Highlights.
Agate ("Fairburn Agate") from the Black Hills of western South Dakota, USA. (public display, South Dakota School of Mines Museum of Geology, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA)
"Agate" is a rockhound/collector term for cavities in rocks (usually sedimentary rocks such as limestone or igneous rocks such as basalt) that have been partially or completely filled with irregularly concentric layers of microcrystalline, fibrous quartz (chalcedony - SiO2). Agate is quartz.
Attractive, multicolored and multipatterned agate has long been collected from a large area near the towns of Fairburn and Interior and south of the town of Kadoka and in the White River Badlands. This region has surficial, loose, late Cenozoic-aged gravels derived from weathering and erosion of bedrock in the Black Hills. Some of this gravel is agate. The Fairburn-area agates are remarkably colorful and desirable. The highest-quality examples have sold in the past for between 10,000 and 20,000 American dollars.
Studies have shown that Fairburn Agate is ultimately derived from limestones of the Minnelusa Formation (Upper Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian), which outcrops in the nearby Black Hills.
The Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek, South Africa, is dedicated to the cultural influences that Huguenots have brought to the Cape Colony (and ultimately the whole of South Africa) after their immigration during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The monument was designed by J.C. Jongens, completed in 1945 and inaugurated by Dr. A.J van der Merwe on April 17th 1948.
The three high arches symbolizes the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. On top of the arches is the sun of righteousness and above that, the cross of their Christian faith.
The central female figure, created by Coert Steynberg, personifies religious freedom with a bible in her one hand and broken chain in the other. She is casting off her cloak of oppression and her position on top of the globe shows her spiritual freedom. The fleur-de-lis on her robe represents a noble spirit and character.
The southern tip of the globe shows the symbols of their religion (the Bible), art and culture (the harp), the agriculture and viticulture (the sheaf of corn and grape vine) and industry (spinning wheel).
The water pond, reflecting the colonnade behind it, expresses the undisturbed tranquility of mind and spiritual peace the Huguenots experienced after much conflict and strife.
The Memorial Museum neighbouring the monument elaborates on the history of the French Huguenots who settled in the Cape, and especially in the Franschhoek valley. On exhibition are the various tools they used to make wine, clothes they wore and the culture and desire for a better life that they brought with them.
Also on the site are wine cellars joined by a colonnade, which bears the words Post Tenebras Lux (lit. "after darkness [comes] light"). It was the motto of the Protestants during the Reformation, and is also inscribed on the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland.
(Wikipedia)
I am no longer a photo blogger. My term is up.
As the end neared I was tempted to extend this project, but ultimately I think it's better to stick within the original constraints and move on.
I considered jumping straight into another project, and wrote an angry email to a domain squatter who's sitting on day517.com, but in the end that seemed hasty. I prefer to wait a while, consider my options, and I will move forward with another project when I've settled on something as staunchly as I settled on Day 516 eighteen months or so ago.
I started this project as a way to reengage with photography. I consider myself reengaged; I also consider myself a little jaded and will undoubtedly take fewer pictures over the coming weeks. But, I am better prepared to face the next photographic challenge.
The self-imposed rules of the project have suited me well. By forcing myself to take photographs every day, I've gathered a diverse and somewhat disparate array of images… but there are repeating themes and threads to be found. As I move forward I hope to isolate and explore these themes more purposefully, to create collections of images that relate to and add meaning to each other as opposed to focussing always on the one image at hand… but that's an exploration for another day, and another place.
While I haven't written much here, I have at times expressed my opinion, discussed photography and travel among other things, and I've not been shy about expressing personal feelings.
The final entry needed to have some weight behind it so here I am with gorgeous Cat, who has done more to support me over the past year and a half than any reasonable person could ever expect.
We started this journey together based on a shared dream to live in Buenos Aires. If we were going there, it seemed obvious, we should make a trip out of it, and so we started in New York.
The journey has eclipsed the destination… we're currently ambling slowly around Ecuador and have no plans to move on soon… we have few plans at all and that's the point really. We will not get to Buenos Aires this year; we will return to Ireland before we set foot in Argentina, and that feels great because we are travelling together through this vast continent unimpinged by itinerary or expectation.
Novak Djokovic having his Visa rejected and ultimately being detained in the Park Hotel, in Carlton, where dozens of refugees have been detained for a number of years - has brought international attention to the Australian government's treatment of people seeking asylum.
Rally initiated by the Refugee Action Collective and supported by numerous other groups.
My website: www.matthrkac.com.au
Follow me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/matt.hrkac/
And Facebook: www.facebook.com/MattHrkac
Support my work: paypal.me/matthrkac
I went to Antioch today to ultimately drop the kids (minus Valerie) off with Mom and Dad so I could go to Oakley for Greg's wedding celebration. He got married recently, but since the wedding was in Mexico, it wasn't possible for me (and many others) to attend. Naturally Paul was there too so I had to get a picture with my boys. I hadn't seen either of them in a while and it was great meeting Greg's wife.
The XK120 was ultimately available in two open versions, first as an open 2-seater described in the US market as the roadster (and designated OTS, for open two-seater, in America), then also as a drophead coupé (DHC) from 1953; and also as a closed, or fixed head coupé (FHC) from 1951
Agate ("Fairburn Agate") from the Black Hills of western South Dakota, USA. (public display, South Dakota School of Mines Museum of Geology, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA)
"Agate" is a rockhound/collector term for cavities in rocks (usually sedimentary rocks such as limestone or igneous rocks such as basalt) that have been partially or completely filled with irregularly concentric layers of microcrystalline, fibrous quartz (chalcedony - SiO2). Agate is quartz.
Attractive, multicolored and multipatterned agate has long been collected from a large area near the towns of Fairburn and Interior and south of the town of Kadoka and in the White River Badlands. This region has surficial, loose, late Cenozoic-aged gravels derived from weathering and erosion of bedrock in the Black Hills. Some of this gravel is agate. The Fairburn-area agates are remarkably colorful and desirable. The highest-quality examples have sold in the past for between 10,000 and 20,000 American dollars.
Studies have shown that Fairburn Agate is ultimately derived from limestones of the Minnelusa Formation (Upper Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian), which outcrops in the nearby Black Hills.
Here are the six test shots I took in one early November afternoon, developed last week at Intrepid Studios with help from my colleague Dan.
Throughout the process of designing the Intrepid film holder this year (which can be seen on my IG account @wikhasi) I’ve ended up with a respectable album of 4x5” negatives.
Each cassette holds two photos- one either side, and must be completely light tight.
It needs to endure all kinds of weather and handling without exposing the negatives inside, it has to be lightweight and portable and easy to use.
For our purposes, it also has to be straightforward to build and repeatable without testing every single unit… it’s been a surprisingly difficult journey.
These are photos 86 to 92; and by the time this product is released I will have shot well over 100.
It’s weird to compare the colossal amount of work it’s taken to shoot 100 large format negatives vs how easily I could take 100 photos on my iPhone.
I don’t think there’s any point in pitting them against each other though, in my mind they’re both legitimate forms of photography and the creative process is about picking the right tool for the job.
Ultimately I’m just excited about making cool things.
Intrepid 4x5 MK5
Kodak Portra 160
Fujinon 250mm & Rodenstock 150mm
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
Saint-Malo came onto our radar by accident, as the destination of an ultimately undelivered guitar and the setting of a bestselling novel. After a dreamy morning in the medieval abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel, we decided to drive west to the citadel city.
Saint-Malo sits as it has for centuries: sticking out into the ocean, connected by a narrow neck of land to the rest of France, completely walled off. This area, with its prime geography, has been inhabited since ancient times. It was the birthplace and launching pad of the 16th century explorer Jacques Cartier, the first European explorer to sail up what is now known as Canada’s Saint Lawrence River, and was later known as a city of corsairs, or pirates. The symbol of the city is an ermine, a weasel-like creature wearing a little scarf who would have been great at ferreting out the rats of the ships in harbour. Although the city was almost completely destroyed at the end of WWII, it has been carefully rebuilt.
Walking the soaring walls, we turned one eye in to the fascinating architecture of symmetrical six-storey buildings, tiny lanes, brightly coloured grand hotels, and the cafés selling crepes and Kouign Amann, the culinary treats of Brittany.
The other eye was fixed out to the sea. Under a freshly scrubbed winter sky, it was easy to feel how the sea called those early sailors to set off into the wide blue horizon. With our cheeks painted pink by the wind and the sky painted gold with sunset, we were happy we had chanced to walk the walls of Saint-Malo one unforgettable afternoon.
Closed store front selling the pleasures of smoking...and ultimately, death.
Besides taking a few candid shots of the parade and people and other things along the parade route, the theme for my shoot today seemed to turn into photographing interesting signs.
Particularly odd to me was that the parade was lead off by about a dozen Korean/Chinese entries which puzzled me. Colorfully dressed kid/adult dancers, former politicians, pastors, etc.
My thinking turned to the socio-economic and cultural evolution of neighborhoods. Areas that were all white, saw their neighborhoods change with the migration of coloreds, blacks, Negroes, African-Americans (choose your own term as the politically correct term changes thru time). Those areas are now seeing those of Spanish speaking heritage change neighborhoods. And, the South Koreans are now following the demographic evolution by changing neighborhoods. Perhaps that is what I saw in all these entries...a neighborhood changing from what was and is still almost 100% black to one that is more diverse.
UPS damaged the box that was delivered to us.
Ultimately, this unit was replaced with Advance RMA, where they send you the replacement before you send the original back. But I apparently sent the replacement back in the original box, the serial numbers didn't match, and so I was charged for a 2nd power supply. UPS sent it back, left it in the rain, box all the way soaked through. They just picked it up today (7/15), so this crap has been going on for almost two months now. I'm thinking UPS is going to pay me for my power supply. I don't want a replacement, I just want my $110 back. I don't NEED two power supplies!
UPS delivery, cardboard box, damaged package.
front yard, Clint and Carolyn's house, Alexandria, Virginia.
May 25, 2011.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL.wordpress.com
... Read Carolyn's blog at CarolynCASL.wordpress.com
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
The U.S. Mission is sponsoring an exhibition of works by American Artist Ross Rossin. Today the artist and his team could be seen at the Palais des Nations mounting the 15 larger than life canvasses that are included in the show. The exhibit entitled 'Ultimately Humanâ centers around portraits of American human rights defenders such as Jimmy Carter, Maya Angelou, Ted Turner and others. If you would like to register for the official opening reception on Thursday, October 27 at 6:00 pm, please visit the following page:
www.unog.ch/unog/website/calendar.nsf/(httpEvents)/3541DCE296993913C125803B005AB068?OpenDocument
U.S. Mission Photo/Eric Bridiers;
BS - Bohanna Stables. Although ultimately made as a 'Kit Car' based on the Hillman Imp, the original 'Hillman Imp Jeep' was intended to be a series production car manufactured by Chrysler UK (who owned the Hillman brand at the time).
In the end just 42 examples were built. This example based on a 1964 Singer Chamois
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
via
Hiring staff for your medical or dental practice is a significant investment in your time and money—but it’s worth it. Your receptionist, billing clerk, and office manager interact/perform necessary tasks and set the tone for your practice, ultimately enabling you to become successful. To your patients, the front office staff is the face of your practice, so you need professional workers who best represent you. Here’s how to find and hire the best staff for your practice.
1. Post an enticing ad
Create an appealing job listing that is specific about the job requirements and your practice. Include a straightforward title, summary, responsibilities, qualifications, work schedule, compensation, and performance expectations for evaluation.
Qualifications should specify exceptional communication skills, strong negotiating skills, a calm demeanor, and tech savviness.
Indicate the personality type that would best fit your practice.
Be creative (without being flip) when describing the work environment—the ad is marketing for your practice and should attract the right candidates.
Post to sites like Indeed.com, LinkedIn, and industry-specific job boards. Local colleges also have job boards for students and graduates who are searching for part-time or full-time work. Newspaper classifieds are also useful.
2. Plan to compensate generously
Invest in your staff and your profits will rise. Both pay and cross-training—enabling employees to learn skills that they can employ during so-called idle time—ensure higher levels of productivity and better service for your patients. “Pay more than your competition,” says Leslie Blackwell, a Richmond, VA-based dental practice office manager. “Several dollars more per hour can make a big difference in the caliber of employee you may be able to hire.” Use sites with pay estimates like Salary.com and Glassdoor for a baseline figure and offer more. This will elicit more qualified applicants and increase the likelihood your hire will be more satisfied and stay longer. It’s less expensive to retain happy staff than to deal with the lost productivity and time lost due to turnover.
3. Solicit referrals
Ask your current employees if they know someone good for the role you’re hiring. “Chances are good that they have worked in other offices and may have worked with great people in the past,” says Blackwell. Getting a referral is a cheaper and faster way to hire and generally produces a better hire. A referred hire typically stays at the job longer than a traditional hire; the same is true for the employee who successfully referred a candidate. Incentivize referrals with a bonus award program.
4. Look for applicants with relevant experience
Previous work in a similar practice is an obvious marker of an applicant’s suitability for a front office job, but don’t limit your search to this criterion. Many customer-facing service professions, like those in high-end hotels, restaurants, and banks, require traits and skills that are directly applicable to dealing with patients. “These people have been trained to understand that customer service is of prime importance, and have been taught the tools to bring that to their job every day,” says Dr. Edward Alvarez, a New York City-based cosmetic dentist. Individuals with experience in the military are also primed for the demands of a front office job. “They are disciplined, responsible, and have excellent work ethic,” Alvarez says.
5. Interview and pay attention to personality
More important than work experience and skill sets, personality cannot be trained. Front office staff should mirror your typical patient in terms of dress and demeanor. A sincere smile will go a long way towards making your patients feel comfortable when entering your practice. “A smile is a must,” says Florida-based dentist Katia Friedman. “We’re in the smile business.” Ask questions to determine the applicant’s attitudes regarding sensitive information (confidential to the patient), conflict and confrontation management (payment collection), professionalism, and organization. “I do role-playing,” Friedman says. “I pretend I’m a difficult patient or I have a specific question. How do they handle that situation?” Remember that you can train skills, so hire based on personality. “I look for the right mindset,” Friedman says. “I want someone interested in what our practice is about and in seeing us grow.”
6. Take note of everything
You can learn a lot about a candidate before you ask him or her your first interview question. “Look at the small things that your potential new hire does during the interview process to know how they’ll show up later,” says Dr. Meredith Sagan, a Santa Monica-based psychiatrist. “By watching how your candidate shows up for their initial interactions with you, you will know how they will show up for you and your office in the future.” Promptness in returning calls and emails, the ability to follow directions, and arriving at the interview on time, well-groomed, and ready to work demonstrate the type of employee the applicant will be.
7. Take your time
Dr. Katia Friedman
Finding and hiring a new employee can take as much as three months. Don’t rush the search process: plan to interview as many as 10 or 20 candidates before making a decision, and don’t settle for a hire that you don’t click with. “I interview a lot of candidates to make a hire—up to twenty before I make a decision on somebody,” Friedman says. “I’m happy to do it because sometimes I need to meet another person to get closer to what I really want. Of course, sometimes there’s a great connection right away, a perfect fit, and I don’t have to do that many.”
8. Talk to references
Before making a job offer, call the applicant’s references to confirm prior employment and work performance and to learn what his or her strengths and weaknesses are, what it was like working with him or her, why he or she left the previous job, whether the reference would rehire him or her, and anything else relevant to his or her suitability for the job you’re hiring for. Prompt references to address specific traits like punctuality, crisis management, work ethic, and how he or she handles mistakes.
9. Start a new hire with a probationary period
Some aspects of working in a practice’s front office may not be apparent to a candidate prior to starting work. Similarly, some traits of a hire might not have been obvious during your pre-offer interactions. Use a trial period to confirm there’s a good match for both you and the new employee. “A hire may have a stellar résumé and stellar references but is just not a good fit,” says Dr. Brian Levine, a New York City-based reproductive endocrinologist. “Have someone spend a day in the office. They’ll tell you if they don’t like what they see.” Then continue with an extended trial. “Do a 90-day trial period with all new front office staff,” Blackwell says. “Make it clear from the beginning that this is basically an extended interview. If you discover anything that concerns you during that trial period, don’t be afraid to part ways.”
See the Original Article at Zocdoc
teethinadayflorida.com/how-to-hire-the-best-front-office-...
Is ultimately the only person you have to answer to.
I've been slipping through the years
And my old clothes don't fit like
They once did
So they hang like ghosts
Of the people I've been
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
A neat, though ultimately pointless, display outside Misono-za. I suppose at certain times of day it moves or changes or something, puts on a small automated show.
Pretty neat, though. I don't know when or why, but this particular pattern of green, orange, and black stripes is quite standard for the stage curtains in kabuki. The faces represent the different standardized forms of makeup (kumadori) for different characters.
Man’s reliance on nuclear power, ultimately, was the very dependency that would destroy everything. Humanity was notorious for its avarice. Every enterprise known to man employed penny-shaving tactics in business, and construction was certainly no stranger to that principle. When a construction company won a bid for a Pacific shoreline reactor, the cost-cutting practices went in effect immediately, affecting everything from materials to staffiing. The job was finished before deadline and far under budget, resulting in promotions for those in charge of the project, and a hefty profit for those financially invested in it. Things were good… for a while. The cheap materials and rushed cratsmanship didn’t hold up for long, as five years later, the reactor was put to the test during a meltdown… and the reactor failed, miserably. What came next was expected, and unstoppable.
Featured on Life In Plastic: nerditis.com/2015/11/18/life-in-plastic-toy-review-strang...
Saint-Malo came onto our radar by accident, as the destination of an ultimately undelivered guitar and the setting of a bestselling novel. After a dreamy morning in the medieval abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel, we decided to drive west to the citadel city.
Saint-Malo sits as it has for centuries: sticking out into the ocean, connected by a narrow neck of land to the rest of France, completely walled off. This area, with its prime geography, has been inhabited since ancient times. It was the birthplace and launching pad of the 16th century explorer Jacques Cartier, the first European explorer to sail up what is now known as Canada’s Saint Lawrence River, and was later known as a city of corsairs, or pirates. The symbol of the city is an ermine, a weasel-like creature wearing a little scarf who would have been great at ferreting out the rats of the ships in harbour. Although the city was almost completely destroyed at the end of WWII, it has been carefully rebuilt.
Walking the soaring walls, we turned one eye in to the fascinating architecture of symmetrical six-storey buildings, tiny lanes, brightly coloured grand hotels, and the cafés selling crepes and Kouign Amann, the culinary treats of Brittany.
The other eye was fixed out to the sea. Under a freshly scrubbed winter sky, it was easy to feel how the sea called those early sailors to set off into the wide blue horizon. With our cheeks painted pink by the wind and the sky painted gold with sunset, we were happy we had chanced to walk the walls of Saint-Malo one unforgettable afternoon.
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
========
Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
The complexity and rarity of a Rube Goldberg machine makes it all the more interesting to watch from start to finish. This overcomplicated contraption which ultimately performs a simple task, has turned up in popular commercials, events, movies, and TV shows.
At the famous Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City, Bank of America and their partner RED®, wanted to display a unique activation showing that small actions can create a big reaction—bringing us one step closer to ending the AIDS epidemic in Africa.
In order to make this idea tangible, Bank of America worked with a well-known marketing agency, Octagon, in hopes to build a Rube Goldberg experience. Octagon reached out to Britten, a creative production company in Traverse City, Michigan, to help bring this concept to life in just one month. The president, Paul Britten, was more than willing to accept this challenge as his background is in architecture.
“It took a lot of study on Rube Goldberg and his thinking. We created storyboards of each and every element in the process. Then created three-dimensional models until we were confident that the scale of each component was going to work,” said Paul.
The first trigger of the domino effect was to swipe an oversized Bank of America credit card that caused the machine to activate and go through a series of 10 different steps, until it opened up a gift box at the end with a RED® gift inside. The Rube Goldberg was designed to look like old-fashioned toys, built out of plywood, and cut using a MultiCam CNC router.
The Rube Goldberg Experience was on display for four days in Bryant Park, and raised thousands of dollars for project RED®. The entire machine was delivered in-person, assembled, tested, and staffed by Britten’s creative team. “We’ve been in business since 1985, originating as a sign company, but today we are really architects of special projects. We help agencies and other creative people bring their creative ideas to life. We only had a month to pull off this project, from the very first phone call until opening day. The kids were thrilled, there is nothing more fun than seeing their smiling faces,” said Paul.
Britten is one of the few creative companies that has the resources and manpower to oversee every step of a project like this including the initial concept, site survey, design, production, and final installation.
via
Hiring staff for your medical or dental practice is a significant investment in your time and money—but it’s worth it. Your receptionist, billing clerk, and office manager interact/perform necessary tasks and set the tone for your practice, ultimately enabling you to become successful. To your patients, the front office staff is the face of your practice, so you need professional workers who best represent you. Here’s how to find and hire the best staff for your practice.
1. Post an enticing ad
Create an appealing job listing that is specific about the job requirements and your practice. Include a straightforward title, summary, responsibilities, qualifications, work schedule, compensation, and performance expectations for evaluation.
Qualifications should specify exceptional communication skills, strong negotiating skills, a calm demeanor, and tech savviness.
Indicate the personality type that would best fit your practice.
Be creative (without being flip) when describing the work environment—the ad is marketing for your practice and should attract the right candidates.
Post to sites like Indeed.com, LinkedIn, and industry-specific job boards. Local colleges also have job boards for students and graduates who are searching for part-time or full-time work. Newspaper classifieds are also useful.
2. Plan to compensate generously
Invest in your staff and your profits will rise. Both pay and cross-training—enabling employees to learn skills that they can employ during so-called idle time—ensure higher levels of productivity and better service for your patients. “Pay more than your competition,” says Leslie Blackwell, a Richmond, VA-based dental practice office manager. “Several dollars more per hour can make a big difference in the caliber of employee you may be able to hire.” Use sites with pay estimates like Salary.com and Glassdoor for a baseline figure and offer more. This will elicit more qualified applicants and increase the likelihood your hire will be more satisfied and stay longer. It’s less expensive to retain happy staff than to deal with the lost productivity and time lost due to turnover.
3. Solicit referrals
Ask your current employees if they know someone good for the role you’re hiring. “Chances are good that they have worked in other offices and may have worked with great people in the past,” says Blackwell. Getting a referral is a cheaper and faster way to hire and generally produces a better hire. A referred hire typically stays at the job longer than a traditional hire; the same is true for the employee who successfully referred a candidate. Incentivize referrals with a bonus award program.
4. Look for applicants with relevant experience
Previous work in a similar practice is an obvious marker of an applicant’s suitability for a front office job, but don’t limit your search to this criterion. Many customer-facing service professions, like those in high-end hotels, restaurants, and banks, require traits and skills that are directly applicable to dealing with patients. “These people have been trained to understand that customer service is of prime importance, and have been taught the tools to bring that to their job every day,” says Dr. Edward Alvarez, a New York City-based cosmetic dentist. Individuals with experience in the military are also primed for the demands of a front office job. “They are disciplined, responsible, and have excellent work ethic,” Alvarez says.
5. Interview and pay attention to personality
More important than work experience and skill sets, personality cannot be trained. Front office staff should mirror your typical patient in terms of dress and demeanor. A sincere smile will go a long way towards making your patients feel comfortable when entering your practice. “A smile is a must,” says Florida-based dentist Katia Friedman. “We’re in the smile business.” Ask questions to determine the applicant’s attitudes regarding sensitive information (confidential to the patient), conflict and confrontation management (payment collection), professionalism, and organization. “I do role-playing,” Friedman says. “I pretend I’m a difficult patient or I have a specific question. How do they handle that situation?” Remember that you can train skills, so hire based on personality. “I look for the right mindset,” Friedman says. “I want someone interested in what our practice is about and in seeing us grow.”
6. Take note of everything
You can learn a lot about a candidate before you ask him or her your first interview question. “Look at the small things that your potential new hire does during the interview process to know how they’ll show up later,” says Dr. Meredith Sagan, a Santa Monica-based psychiatrist. “By watching how your candidate shows up for their initial interactions with you, you will know how they will show up for you and your office in the future.” Promptness in returning calls and emails, the ability to follow directions, and arriving at the interview on time, well-groomed, and ready to work demonstrate the type of employee the applicant will be.
7. Take your time
Dr. Katia Friedman
Finding and hiring a new employee can take as much as three months. Don’t rush the search process: plan to interview as many as 10 or 20 candidates before making a decision, and don’t settle for a hire that you don’t click with. “I interview a lot of candidates to make a hire—up to twenty before I make a decision on somebody,” Friedman says. “I’m happy to do it because sometimes I need to meet another person to get closer to what I really want. Of course, sometimes there’s a great connection right away, a perfect fit, and I don’t have to do that many.”
8. Talk to references
Before making a job offer, call the applicant’s references to confirm prior employment and work performance and to learn what his or her strengths and weaknesses are, what it was like working with him or her, why he or she left the previous job, whether the reference would rehire him or her, and anything else relevant to his or her suitability for the job you’re hiring for. Prompt references to address specific traits like punctuality, crisis management, work ethic, and how he or she handles mistakes.
9. Start a new hire with a probationary period
Some aspects of working in a practice’s front office may not be apparent to a candidate prior to starting work. Similarly, some traits of a hire might not have been obvious during your pre-offer interactions. Use a trial period to confirm there’s a good match for both you and the new employee. “A hire may have a stellar résumé and stellar references but is just not a good fit,” says Dr. Brian Levine, a New York City-based reproductive endocrinologist. “Have someone spend a day in the office. They’ll tell you if they don’t like what they see.” Then continue with an extended trial. “Do a 90-day trial period with all new front office staff,” Blackwell says. “Make it clear from the beginning that this is basically an extended interview. If you discover anything that concerns you during that trial period, don’t be afraid to part ways.”
See the Original Article at Zocdoc
from FDG Teeth in One Day Dental Implants teethinadayflorida.com/how-to-hire-the-best-front-office-... teethinadayfl.tumblr.com/post/163267149440
...well ultimately one of them doesn't. Have I just given the plot away?
Press photo shoot for various local newspapers. January 2007.
This image was ultimately rejected, but not for anything unflattering. The concern was that, given all of the environmental elements I added, this quarter scale statue looked more like something from one of my sixth-scale figure shoots.
An ultimately adorable eyelash set with the girl melody herself <3 who doesn't love a sanrio character?
Mp Price: 150
Stay Kawaii <3
Stay Kawaii <3
First one of 2023 - the Tunshi Studios Mai Shiranui figure.
The P2 Genesis Emen version had a lot going for it, but ultimately many collectors weren't too thrilled with the overly cartoon heads sculpt. I mean, Mai isn't a real person, so that's why the TBLeague version didn't check off any boxes for me. But the Genesis version looked like a caricature of what Mai ought to look like.
That's why when the Tunshi Studios version was solicited, there was quite a bit of interest, though that price was kind of painful. Blogger photos showed they had worked on the sculpt even more since the preview days, and I'll admit even I decided to bite based on them.
Of course, I keep forgetting most people aren't as critical as I am.
Anywho, the package arrived on December 30th, and here we are.
So for those of you keeping track, there are technically for licensed Mai Shiranui figures - TBLeague, 2 x Genesis Emen, and Tunshi Studios.
I'm going to simplify the jumble of thoughts I have into this - based on discussion I've had, I've come to the conclusion that the Tunshi Studios version basically takes the TBLeague figure, plops on a new head, removes a pair of feet and adds on a some accessories and possibly some new hands.
The Umbrella is sturdy, being plastic with a metal rod, but there's only one hand that can hold the rod. The weight also makes your positing options limited to "resting on the shoulder".
The tassels feature an embedded wire for posing, but they're so weak they basically aren't going to be doing much.
The body is a TBLeague seamless S24. If you're familiar with Seamless bodies, you'll know that generally speaking, most poses aren't really an issues, though ankle and wrist range of motion isn't that great. There's always that issue with proportions (curves, muscles, and leg length) so that shouldn't surprise anyone.
Then we get to the head. The two expressions aren't too bad, though they are a bit difficult to aim correctly if you're trying to get them to look directly at the camera. What's disappointing is the quality of the paint work, especially considering not only the price, but also, the complexity, which is low compared to your typical sculpt from Hot Toys, which generally only cost this much AFTER the Sideshow markup.
So overall, I'd say that it's not a bad product, just overpriced. The Genesis version is cheaper, and though the head sculpt isn't perfect, you'll have budget leftover for a body upgrade, and the likelihood of a better headsculpt is more likely due to the larger, more standard socket size.
As Seier observes, Future Systems had "nothing to do with the future and little to do with systems." The retro-Jetsonian future of this building is charming and indeed quite photogenic but it is, ultimately, a "look" applied to an ordinary building. I don't have a deep-seated issue with that, and I freely admit my biases in favor of ordinary buildings dressed up in ways that appeal to my personal tastes. So, the odd monumentality of this building (discussed here) notwithstanding, I think this is basically okay.
Setting aside the merits of this building, I'd just like to try and unpack its background. When Jan Kaplický passed away last year, I and many other young ignorant souls were surprised to learn that he was 71 years old. His most famous projects (this, Selfridges, the unbuilt Prague Library) seemed so utterly of the 90s at first glance. Let's work our way backwards from Metropolis to the heart of the matter.
The waterfront location and the visual impact are reminiscent of nothing so much as Bertrand Goldberg's Marina City. Goldberg was one of the last batch of students at Mies's Bauhaus before it was forced out of business by the Nazis, and so might have come across the curvier of Mies's Friedrichstrasse towers. That form is only remotely suggested in Marina City, although other of Mies's students followed it explicitly and in fact it's become a convenient crib for Herzog & de Meuron and Reiser/Umemoto as well. Goldberg executed his best-known projects in the actual age of the Jetsons, when the futurism of these shapes wasn't yet retro, but still projective, even if we might now call it naive.
Jan Kaplický is a tougher egg to crack. A full generation younger than Goldberg, he started out under, of all people, Denys Lasdun, one of the more accomplished of the British Brutalists who attempted to synthesize the clarity of high Mies and the formal play of late Corb. We can see the Corb here in the siting of the building as a freestanding tower (now in a basin of gravel instead of a verdant park), and in the accoutrements of the roof. But Kaplický hopped around, working on the Pompidou Centre (which certainly was supposed to have something to do with both the future and systems); he settled down with Norman Foster, who splits the difference between future and systems almost from project to project.
What I'm getting at is that the representation of future-ness and the actual accomplishment of futuristic effects seem to have appeared with equal frequency in the development of Kaplický's career. I need to track down the early, paper projects of Future Systems, which might shed some light on all this, particularly on the connections to other UK-based goofballs of the period (i.e. Archigram). It would be interesting to compare this building with Peter Cook's Kunsthaus, essentially a post-dated Archigram project.
The moral of all this is that, as perhaps in music, certain signifiers became fixed as "futuristic" sometime around 1955. (See this ILX thread for more on musical futurosity.) I don't think Kaplický was being retro-futuristic - I think he was still genuinely excited by these forms and thought they were super neat. For that matter, I suspect that most people viewing this building read as wild, zany, new and bold - not a throwback. So Mies, Corb, Lasdun, Piano & Rogers, Spacely Sprockets, Future Systems, and Greg Lynn may in fact be very close neighbors.
The Aztecs were originally nomadic. They wandered through the land now called Mexico, settling briefly in various areas ruled by more powerful people. All the while, an old prophecy led them to believe that they'd eventually find a permanent home in a place where an eagle perched on a cactus as it gnawed a serpent. One day in the 14th century, they finally spied this very sign on an island in a lake. Then and there they began building the city that ultimately became the heart of their vast realm. (Rob Brezsny)
[Sorry I haven't posted in a while, spent a lot of time working on the book]
I had a weird, disappointing, and ultimately good time out trackside today.
Got to my spot about 10:00 AM or so, then 20 minutes or so to hike out to my spot. Immediately the freights started coming. One after the next for a little while.
After a few freights, I texted my friend @railfanscajonpass that I was out there. This is a friend who benches 5-6 days a week, so I figured he was probably out somewhere close. He was, he pulled up like 20 minutes later and we hung out for an hour or two, and then he was off to hit up another spot.
After a while it seemed like the freights slowed down and I had some time before the next one. I hiked over I would guess 1/4 mile to a bridge spot that always has new graff. That spot also has one throw up that I always shoot because everyone who comes through there signs it. White outline and the black fill has probably 100 smaller (in size) names written in the fill. Every time I come up here there's new names. I've been flicking this for a couple years now. This time however, someone buffed and went over the entire piece and a piece next to it. What the hell ?!
Look, I'm not even a writer, but damn. Even I know that this wasn't right...
========
Later, I was at a different spot, and two dudes were acting super sketchy really close to where I was, which weirded me out enough that I hiked further down the tracks and this lead to something, I found another good view to catch the freights from. A little something different you might notice in today's photos. Turns out one guy was painting under the trestle, and the other guy kept coming up by me as a lookout. Whatever... I get out there to be away from people. So, I did. And found a new spot!
Caught a lot of great pieces today, got to hang out with my friend, and didn't get bit by any rattlesnakes! In the end, it was a good day.
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Pick up a copy of my book if you can. Every little bit helps me out.
SoCal Freight Benching: Graffiti on Freight Trains - Vol.1
www.amazon.com/SoCal-Freight-Benching-Graffiti-Trains/dp/...
I whisper in the stillness
I was no longer the explorer. The history that had propelled me through the corridor of statues had ultimately brought me to this point, at the heart of the design.
The moss-slicked walls and the smell of ancient rot were gone, replaced by the sterile, oppressive symmetry of this chamber. It was the gallery I had sensed earlier, the true stage behind the proscenium arch of the gully. My matte-black suit, still marked from the descent, felt foreign against the polished dark stone of the room.
My internal narrator remained silent. The "Paraknowing" that had tugged at my limbs like strings had stopped pulling, leaving me standing rigid in the centre of the room. On the walls, dark, indistinct portraits observed me—not with the stone-blind eyes of the fertility idols or the mammoth I held in my palm, but with a gaze that felt disturbingly familiar.
I looked down at the debris scattered around the dais: shards of white, resembling the polymerised glass I had crushed earlier, or perhaps remnants of a script I was expected to read. The silence here wasn't empty; it was expectant. I was no longer just an exhibit; I was now part of the collection.
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