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Mail Bag:
Hey Randy, what's your favorite month or time of year for Steelhead? Ben
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Hi Ben. most anglers like Nov. the most for steelhead. Thats when they are the most visually stimulating, etc.... But its also when the river is the most crowded w/anglers, which offers you less fishing opportunity. I like Dec., Jan., Feb and March for your greatest steelhead fishing opportunities.
WHY?
We lose some of the fishing pressure with some anglers that are hunting, fair weather anglers are wearing their skirts-yukyuk, December holiday family obligations, Dec. business holiday obligations and only a few of us "Full - Time" guides will be working.
All of above affords you greater opportunity as a steelhead angler. And thats why I like the middle of the Winter the most for steelhead. The next period I like is April. Lil warmer and sight fishing is an optional treat.
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Just want to say Randy, I like your posts. They do become very helpful. Keep them coming. I live in NJ and come up one time a yr. I like Nov best. But I do have trouble catching fish when the water goes up. I guess like you said. TOW. LOL!!! But its kind of hard when you live 5 hrs away. When the water goes up can you give me an Idea where these fish will set up on the holes. Like Nov and Dec time. Cause I noticed I have been up there when the river is at 335 and did ok fishing holes. But also went up when the river was 750. And did not catch any steel at all with 750. But I was fishing the holes like I did when it was 335. I know the fish are there but just don't know how they stage when the water goes up. Can you give me some points on how to adapt when this happens. Thanks. Rich W
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HI Rich, I'm happy you enjoy the reports! Great Q!!
Steelhead in Nov.
2-6 feet of rippled water or the heat (rapids) combined w/ a current break.
Steelhead in Dec., Jan. and Feb.
Sloooow deep stuff, holes or pools. Prime non-transitional holding
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Since your Q was on holes when the water goes up. Everything is current break related.
Prime non-transitional holding - Where they will sit for an extended period of time (days and sometimes an entire month or Winter for Steelhead) before there biological clock tells them to find a mate and special rock.
One of the main things I see when the steelhead are holding in the faster water, like now. Anglers do poorly fishing in the deep slow water pools. (Winter lyes) They don't move into that water until the water gets colder. They do this to conserve energy.
If its the Winter time and they are in the deep sloooow water, then anytime their is a higher flow of water they normally will move deeper into the hole. This could be the tail of the hole, the hole within the hole or just far enouph back to where they feel comfortable without having to exert to much energy.
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An example of this would be a big hole that in 335 cfs, they sit more from the middle to the head. In 750 cfs, they sit more in the middle, the deepest part of the tail or the hole within the hole. In a much higher flow, they will sit in the tail, seams, hole within the hole and sometimes along the bank where there is lil to no current. Sooooo, depending on the water flow (cfs) during the Winter time determines where most of them will be and where I will target. Much of this comes with studying the fish and T.O.W. As we all know, there is a lot of empty water out there.
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A hole is comprised of numerous current breaks:
1. The head of the hole at the drop.
2. The hole within the hole (this is like a magnet and also where many fish will hold thru out the Winter, hint-hint)
3. The tail of the hole where the water moves slower.
4. Any boulder's in the hole that break the current flow.
5. The seam's of the hole. (Where the fast water meets the slow water)
6. Sometimes a current break is in the flow - speed of the water. From fast to slow.
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Sooooo, in closing Rich. Everything is current break related. Depending on the water levels determines how each individual current break will effect where the fish will hold. By this determination tells me where I will have the best chance for my clients to get into the most steelhead. I hope this helps in your steelhead quest's! Best Fish's, Randy
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Thanks Randy, I am going up the 1st week in Dec this year. My 1st for Dec. I will do my best on what you said. You could not have explained yourself any better. I really do understand what you are talking about. And yes (TOW) is very important. LOL!!! Be safe out there and save some fish for me. LOL!!! Maybe I will see you drift by and say Hello to you. And again, Thank you for you helpful hints. Catch and Release is where its at for me. For the future of our kids. Happy fishing yourself Randy. Thanks, Rich W.
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Soooo, the lesson for today is there are 3 "basic" ways to locate and target these fish. (1 thru 3, in my opionion. 4-7 is advanced )
1. When the Steelhead are running, fish there transitional resting points as they make there way up the river. Otherwise, you are fishing to fish that are not stopping, decreasing your odds greatly, in my opionion.
2. Once they stop to hold for the remainder of the day, fish these prime transitional holding waters.
3. Find these prime non-transitional holding places in the river all Winter, and just fish those. After all, they aren't going anywhere soon.
4. Find a spot that is a combination of all 1-3. (Or, a spot that has all 3 in close proximity, so you can jump around according to what the fish are telling you to do)
5. Combine 1-4 and find a place above a looong stretch of rapids. The fish get tired after running these rapids. These fish will be in this spot for the longest period of time, offering you the greatest opportunity, all day!
6. Combine 1-5 and make sure that your spot has 98% of the fish in a transitional stage, move into it. This will offer you the greatest opportunity!
7. Combine 1-6 and pick a spot that compresses and or concentrates them. On a dime, like a sardine can, trash can lid or the size of a Volkswagen beetle or bus. This cuts down on all the guess work and allows to to present your offering to all the fish on every drift.
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By utilizing the above, you will have the most fish in front of you for the greatest period of time in a concentrated area offering you the greatest opportunity to present your offering to ALL of them. Fish ON - Baby!!
Now you know what I look for normally.....................
I hope you found "Todays Guide Tip" entertainingly informative or mildly educational.
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May all your door knobs smell of fish
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Thank you all for your words of encouragement, kind words and continued support. Ill continue to do my best in sharing what I've learned through experience, experimentation, borrowed ideas and taught techniques.
Stay tuned for more entertainingly informative and mildly educational reports and articles on this never-ending virtual fishing trip with your host Randy "The Yankee Angler" and friends.
I sincerely hope that what little I've been able to share with you will help you along the path to more enjoyable, safe, knowledgeable fishing.
Thanks for stopping in and spending your valuable internet fishing time here :)
Hope your all enjoying this great fishing!
The Steelhead fishing of your dreams...... ............ we'll make it reeeeeeeeeeeeeel.
(Photo)
Best Steelhead and Salmon Fish's,
Salmon River NY Guide and Author Randy Jones
Visually the cupcakes are quite stunning, and look incredible. Tastewise they leave something to be desired. Some were bland, and didn't leave much of an impression on me, except for the one in the center which was supposed to be a chocolate mint, that one I remember cause it tasted like toothpaste.
All photos in this set taken by JEX, all text written by me, unless otherwise noted.
Marilyn Rushton, a well-known Burnaby citizen, is awarded with the province’s newest honour, the Medal of Good Citizenship.
Rushton is honoured for her for inspirational life of service to the visually impaired community, her contributions to families with blind and visually impaired children, and her energetic support for the musical community.
Learn more: news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016IGR0025-001407
The South Carolina State Library is pleased to host a free workshop on the Great American Eclipse 2017. This interactive and hands on training is specifically designed for visually impaired individuals and those who work with visually impaired populations, including special education teachers, early childhood specialists, teacher aides, paraprofessionals, tutors, counselors, and those in higher education.
Join us on July 26 to learn more about the historical event taking place on August 21, 2017 as a total solar eclipse sweeps across the entire United States, from Oregon to South Carolina.
Attendees will gain knowledge on the uniqueness of this eclipse, why eclipses occur, cultural connections, history, and safe viewing techniques. Discussion topics include NASA, solar systems, gravity, distance and scale, and geometry. All participants will receive a tactile book, digital materials and training resources. This workshop is free, however, registration is required to ensure seat availability.
The workshop instructors are Cynthia Hall, from the Lowcountry Hall of Science and Math (LHSM) and Dr. Cassandra Runyon, from the SC NASA Space Grant Consortium. This workshop is specifically designed for visually impaired individuals and professionals who work with this population and is designed as an educational program based in science, specifically astronomy and geology. Mariah, a visually impaired student at the College of Charleston, is also assisting with this workshop. Service dogs are welcome!
Cynthia Hall serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Geology and is Director of the Lowcountry Hall of Science and Math, the education arm of the School of Science and Math at the College of Charleston. She teaches courses in Environmental Geology, Earth System Science for Teachers, and Marine and Coastal Science for Teachers. Through the Hall, she serves as a critical bridge between science and math faculty and educators in the region, as well as, develops and implements STEM professional development opportunities for educators and designs and develops curricula using effective pedagogical strategies and focusing on STEM-related content.
Dr. Cassandra Runyon is Director of South Carolina NASA Space Grant Consortium and Associate Professor at the College of Charleston in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences specializing in Remote Sensing, GIS, Geomorphology, and Planetary Geology.Dr. Cassandra Runyon is Director of South Carolina NASA Space Grant Consortium and Associate Professor at the College of Charleston in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences specializing in Remote Sensing, GIS, Geomorphology, and Planetary Geology.
Date:
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Time:
9:00AM - 1:00PM
Campus:
South Carolina State Library
Location:
Learning Lab
The display reads:
Redeye is a short-range, man-portable, shoulder fired infrared-homing missile system for use by the front-line troops. The missile is sealed in a launch tube and cannot be removed except by firing. The system requires no support crew or equipment in the forward area. The Redeye gunner must visually acquire and identify his target. He then tracks it through an open sight while activating the missile guidance system. A buzzer sounds when the missile has acquired the target and is ready to fire. When the missile has been fired, the launch tube is discarded.
Range: 3 km (1.8 + miles)
Altitude: 9,800 + feet
Speed: Mach 1.2 + (900 + MPH)
Guidance System: Passive Infrared Homing
Warhead: High Explosive
Motor: Solid Fuel
Length: 4 feet
Diameter: 2 3/4 inches
Weight: 18 lbs (missile) 10.9 lbs (launcher)
Taken December 11th, 2013.
***UPDATE*** 7/2/13 Some things are meant to swim upstream. This is heading exactly that way, where it belongs. Thanks LC.
Many visually impaired people have set up street singing spots to make money. The Cambodia authorities have now banned them as they say they affect the beauty of the city.
"A hay meadow strewn with vibrant wildflowers is an iconic image that many people associate with the Yorkshire Dales. Sadly today only a tiny percentage of these meadows remain.
Over the last fifty years or so, some 97% of meadows in the UK have been lost, largely due to modern, intensive farming methods.
isiting a meadow in full bloom is a seasonal treat for all the senses, with brightly coloured flowers, heady scents, a frothy haze of delicate grasses, and the gentle hum of industrious insects and other wildlife.
Visually stunning and teeming with wildlife, species-rich hay meadows are of high nature conservation and landscape value. A traditionally managed meadow can support up to 120 different species of wildflowers and other plants, as well as many species of invertebrates, bats, mammals and birds. Hay meadows are a vital habitat for bees but many species of bumblebee are in decline and some have already become extinct."
extracts from Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust "Hay Time" programme appeal.
The National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament is the brainchild of several employees of the Iowa City VA Medical Center, along with two visually impaired Iowa Veterans. These visionaries created the TEE Tournament, an acronym standing for TRAINING, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE. In 2008, it became one of six VA national rehabilitation programs for Veterans. The event expanded to include not only blind Veterans, but amputees, wheelchairbound Veterans, and those with other life changing disabilities. It takes place each year in Iowa City.
Prominent footballers, coaches, international experts and representatives from sport organisations and clubs came together for the launch of ‘A Ball for All’ – a project to promote access to the practice of football for blind and visually impaired people.
The launch event, which was organised by Save the Dream, took place at Aspire Zone on the occasion of National Sport Day.
Run in collaboration with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Sasol, under its Definitely Able initiative, Qatar Social & Cultural Centre for the Blind (QSCCB) and Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the event featured French ambassador to Qatar Eric Chevallier, Qatar Sports Club and former Inter Milan player Luis Jimenez and legendary international coach Bora Milutinovic.
Prominent footballers, coaches, international experts and representatives from sport organisations and clubs came together for the launch of ‘A Ball for All’ – a project to promote access to the practice of football for blind and visually impaired people.
The launch event, which was organised by Save the Dream, took place at Aspire Zone on the occasion of National Sport Day.
Run in collaboration with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Sasol, under its Definitely Able initiative, Qatar Social & Cultural Centre for the Blind (QSCCB) and Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the event featured French ambassador to Qatar Eric Chevallier, Qatar Sports Club and former Inter Milan player Luis Jimenez and legendary international coach Bora Milutinovic.
The National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament is the brainchild of several employees of the Iowa City VA Medical Center, along with two visually impaired Iowa Veterans. These visionaries created the TEE Tournament, an acronym standing for TRAINING, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE. In 2008, it became one of VA's six national rehabilitation programs for Veterans. The event expanded to include not only blind Veterans, but amputees, wheelchairbound Veterans, and those with other life changing disabilities. It takes place each year in Iowa City.
Courageous, visually spectacular, emotionally engaging production of raw, provocative dance theatre, inspired by Japanese Butoh, burlesque and cabaret, performed by infamous Australian physical theatre company Zen Zen Zo. Played to packed houses across Australia.
Prominent footballers, coaches, international experts and representatives from sport organisations and clubs came together for the launch of ‘A Ball for All’ – a project to promote access to the practice of football for blind and visually impaired people.
The launch event, which was organised by Save the Dream, took place at Aspire Zone on the occasion of National Sport Day.
Run in collaboration with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Sasol, under its Definitely Able initiative, Qatar Social & Cultural Centre for the Blind (QSCCB) and Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the event featured French ambassador to Qatar Eric Chevallier, Qatar Sports Club and former Inter Milan player Luis Jimenez and legendary international coach Bora Milutinovic.
Blind representatives join government delegates on June 25, 2013, in celebrating agreement on the substantive provisions of an international treaty that will improve access to published works for blind, visually impaired and print disabled people. The treaty will be formally adopted in plenary session on June 27, 2013 and signed on June 28, 2013. The Kingdom of Morrocco hosted WIPO's Diplomatic Conference in Marrakesh from June 17 to 28, 2013.
Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Emmanuel Berrod. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGO License.
For the final project we were required to visually depict a main scene from one of the books we were required to read. This photograph should show our knowledge of line, lighting, framing, point of view, and self portraiture, among others. The scene I chose is one of the most important happenings in the book. Naomi Porter, the protagonist in the novel, is retrieving the brand-new school yearbook camera when she slips going down the school steps and has a severe head trauma while diving to save the camera. James, the mysterious new kid at school is smoking a cigarette and finds her at the bottom of the stairs. He is the one that calls “911” and saves Naomi’s life.
When given the requirements of the final project this scene immediately came to mind. “James” is standing in the bottom left corner of the frame smoking a cigarette. He is wearing a leather jacket. Naomi, played by myself, is slipping on someone’s frozen hot chocolate while coming down the stairs. Snow is in the surrounding landscape. The lines of the stairs should guide the viewer’s eye to “Naomi” and “James”.
When taking the photo of my falling down the stairs, I had a very difficult time staying in the frame. I also had to run up and down the stairs numerous times to press the button. Selecting me was challenging, as well as copying myself into the background and making it look natural. I edited out imperfections in the steps and added drop shadows to the characters to give them more depth. I adjusted the brightness and contrast and stretched the picture to simplify it. This project required a lot of thought and planning. It took me a while to get all of my props together and find a time to take the pictures. I think the resulting picture was successful and it clearly depicts what happened in the book.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
The National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament is the brainchild of several employees of the Iowa City VA Medical Center, along with two visually impaired Iowa Veterans. These visionaries created the TEE Tournament, an acronym standing for TRAINING, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE. In 2008, it became one of VA's six national rehabilitation programs for Veterans. The event expanded to include not only blind Veterans, but amputees, wheelchairbound Veterans, and those with other life changing disabilities. It takes place each year in Iowa City.
When I was out by the Redlands Medical Center taking pictures, across a field I saw this bird fly and then take his place in this huge tree. I watched for a long time. He stayed there, seeming from his high perch to observe his world...and then he flew away.
Critiques welcome.
Visually distilling what a family get-together can look like, for me Part 2. Canon 5D Classic + Sigma ART 35mm F1.4 EF
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
Prominent footballers, coaches, international experts and representatives from sport organisations and clubs came together for the launch of ‘A Ball for All’ – a project to promote access to the practice of football for blind and visually impaired people.
The launch event, which was organised by Save the Dream, took place at Aspire Zone on the occasion of National Sport Day.
Run in collaboration with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), Sasol, under its Definitely Able initiative, Qatar Social & Cultural Centre for the Blind (QSCCB) and Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the event featured French ambassador to Qatar Eric Chevallier, Qatar Sports Club and former Inter Milan player Luis Jimenez and legendary international coach Bora Milutinovic.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
Photo: POH
Portraits of Hope's massive public art and civic project – involving more than 20,000 kids, adults and volunteers – that visually transformed Manhattan. By recruiting and utilizing more than 5,400 fully operational NYC taxis to participate in the unprecedented 4-month exhibition, the cabs and city streets of New York were transformed into a giant mobile canvas. The unprecedented event integrated two key characteristics that define the City: the saturation of the iconic taxis; and the vertical physicality of Manhattan. www.portraitsofhope.org
Garden in Transit -- A Portraits of Hope Project
Portraits of Hope's NYC Public Art and Civic Project -- NYC Taxis
Conceived and Developed by Ed Massey and Bernie Massey, Founders of Portraits of Hope
5,400+ New York City Taxis
23,000 Children and Adults
200+ Participating Schools, Hospitals, and NYC institutions
700,000 Sq. ft. of paintings
Youth and Program Sessions in NY, CA, NJ, OH, GA, PA
Project-based learning: interdisciplinary contemporary issues and civic education and leadership sessions for schools, grades 2 -12
Creative therapy sessions for hospitalized children and persons with disabilities; including cancer, orthopedic ailments, burn trauma, brain and neck injuries, and other serious conditions
10-month program and collaborative phase
4-month New York City public art exhibition
Youth sessions and exhibition in Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island
Portraits of Hope rings NASDAQ opening bell
Special thank you to Helen Bing and Peter Bing, Vornado Realty, Hotel Pennsylvania, MACtac, Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Cordelia Corporation, Veriflora, Wooster Paint Company, Jenner & Block, Purdy-Bessemer Holdings, FedEx, Hudson River Park Trust, Susan Kohlmann, Debbie and Hal Jacobs, Nazdar, Abbot & Abbot Box Corp. AAA Flag & Banner, Bruce and Nancy Newberg Family Fund, Pillsbury Sutro Shaw Pittman, Davidow Charitable Fund, Joleen and Mitch Julis, Armstrong Nickoll Family Foundation, Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation, Ore Hill Partners LLC, Time Warner, Building Maintenance Services LLC, PTG Event Services, FedEx, NASDAQ
Although the Naked Mole Rat IS generally considered one of the least "visually appealing" creatures on earth, it is a fascinating animal. It is endemic to the driest portions of tropical grasslands in East Africa, predominantly in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Within the colony, all adults care for all young equally, and specific labor tasks are divided among productive and non-productive individuals. They exhibit unusually slow rates of both metabolism and respiration. In a most unusual adaptation, they possess NO neurotransmitters in their skin, and are therefore completely incapable of feeling pain, unless their skin is breached.
Naked Mole Rat Eusociality
It is one of only two known species of"eusocial mammals in the entire world. only one queen, and 1-3 males in each colony reproduce. All other individuals function as workers. Following the example of insects such as ants and bees, they live in colonies, which average between 30-300 individuals, in underground burrows. The smaller workers primarily work within the tunnels of the colony, while the larger one's function principally as guards, protecting the colony from attackers.
Naked Mole Rat Uniqueness
Typical individuals average approximately 4 inches (1o cm) in length, and weigh about 1.2 ounces (35 grams). Queens are larger, and weigh about 1.8 ounces (50 grams). They are capable of moving forward or backwards in their tunnels with equal speed and agility. They feed principally upon large tubers that they find in their tunneling. A single large tuber may feed an entire colony for months, possibly even years! They have developed the feeding habit of eating the inside of the tuber, while leaving the outside in intact, allowing it to continually regenerate!
They have become a center piece in scientific research in recent years, in scientific research, because they live many times longer than any other rodent (up to 30 years!), and also hold great promise for cancer research. A unique chemical substance within their cells makes them extremely resistant to cancer, virtually immune! The name of this chemical is: Hyaluronan. #ourbreathingplanet
Photo Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nacktmull.jpg
Photographer: Roman Klementschitz
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
The National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament is the brainchild of several employees of the Iowa City VA Medical Center, along with two visually impaired Iowa Veterans. These visionaries created the TEE Tournament, an acronym standing for TRAINING, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE. In 2008, it became one of six VA national rehabilitation programs for Veterans. The event expanded to include not only blind Veterans, but amputees, wheelchairbound Veterans, and those with other life changing disabilities. It takes place each year in Iowa City.
This work in progress visually explores the rural spaces of the east-west railroad corridor traversing the northern part of Montana called the Hi-Line. I travel these roads during the spring months and am always impressed by the vast open spaces and the small details that show how people live and what they value.
These photographs are inspired by the New Topographics photography that recorded the changing Western United States landscape in the early 1970s due to human intervention. People alter the land with a design and purpose in mind—the everyday structures they build and let decay through time reflect changing cultural values and economic necessities.
Photographing present-day life can help define it for future generations because what is “factual” now becomes more revealing of human values through the lens of time. What will these images tell us about the changing rural American landscape and culture twenty or forty years from now? That is for future generations to decide.
See more on my website
www.jimkushmanphotography.com/GalleryMain.asp?GalleryID=1...
CHELTENHAM ART GALLERY AND MUSEUM COMPETITION REPORT September 07
Invitation: An inviting, open, accessible and visually engaging intervention in the streetscape
Journey: Creating a clear, logical and inspiring circulation route
Flexibility: Clear organisational strategy allowing for the flexible use of the building
Urban Strategy/Architectural form/ Invitation:
The new extension respects the general scale of Clarence Street and at the same time gives an expression of the functions contained at the various levels of the building.
The facade is open at the base to draw passers by into the folds of the building and experience glimpses of the exhibition objects signifying the nature of the building. The public facilities including the café and shop are also at this level. The café can spill out onto the street and to the covered loggia. The loggia is contained by the activity of the education suite on the ground floor and the more protected archive and study area on the first floor. These activities benefit from protected glazed walls looking onto the street.
A double height cut into the new facade, in conjunction with a projecting glass display, signifies the location of the main entrance. This entrance route connects through the building from Clarence Street to Chester Walk creating an important link though the site to the centre of town, extending the public domain.
The façade at the second floor level is generally solid as this contains the main exhibition galleries. The façade steps up above the entrance to reflect the location of a double height gallery space.
Roof terraces at the third floor level allow staff and visitors to the meeting room/hospitality area, a view over the city. This articulation of the façade allows for controlled daylighting into the upper level of the gallery.
Journey:
The secondary space of circulation is the event of the building, as important to the overall experience of the building as the primary gallery spaces. This journey gives a sense of the unfolding experience and order of the building. The journey starts on Clarence Street with the signal and invitation proffered by the projecting glass display and continues through to the main reception in the full height foyer.
To aid orientation the vertical circulation revolves around this foyer with an open stair running parallel to the through route and a series of bridge crossings into the small galleries behind no. 51. The visual invitation to these various levels of gallery space is received in the entrance foyer.
Organisation/flexibility:
The activity of the education suite, located on the ground floor, is visible from the protected loggia. This function can be relocated to allow for public access to the ground floor of the existing library when this becomes available in the future.
The publicly accessible archive and storage area is located on the first floor. Further storage is located on the ground floor and in a basement area.
The temporary gallery, including the existing Arts and Crafts Gallery, occupies the whole of the second floor of both the new extension and the existing and revamped 1989 building. This allows for maximum flexibility in the use of the gallery and facilitates a natural connection in to the existing galleries in the library building.
Whilst not part of the competition site, the ground floor of No. 51 is ideal for use as the café and this has been included in the proposals. It is noted that No. 51 is to be used for artist’s studios. In this context it has been considered a possibility, while providing a new staircase for the new gallery that this could also double up as the stair for the artist’s studios. This would allow for the removal of the rather haphazard existing stair to create more useful studio space. This is, of course, subject to listed building approval.
Materials/services/sustainability:
It is important that the whole design contributes to the sustainable agenda. This includes:
street spaces (loggia) to encourage a range of informal activities
an efficient building form to reduce the amount of heat loss from the envelope
controlled daylighting to appropriate areas to reduce energy requirements
solar shading to south facing glazing
use of natural and renewable materials
habitable roof and rainwater harvesting
The façade is to be constructed of Bath stone laid in random ashlar courses. This stone façade turns into the building and forms one wall of the main public staircase culminating in the lift tower. This together with the stone flooring gives the appropriate signals to the public route through the building and up into the gallery. The internal walls will be a natural lime render in the circulation routes. Painted timber panels will be utilised in the exhibition spaces to allow for flexibility of hanging artworks.
To achieve a sustainable design to meet BREEAM excellent rating, it is proposed to use both natural and renewable materials. Prefabricated, cross laminated timber panels are proposed for floors walls and roof structure. These are from a renewable resource, eliminate site wastage and allow for ease of fixing for art works.
An accessible green roof is proposed for part of the new roofscape in conjunction with rainwater harvesting.
Due to the deep plan and the nature of the exhibits, the gallery will require constant artificial illumination. It is proposed to use a combined heat and power plant to replace the existing gas boilers in the roof space of the 1989 building. This will supply the electricity for the lighting system and the waste heat will be used for warm air space heating.
Accommodation:
From our interpretation of the brief and the answers to questions the following accommodation has been provided:
Gallery space (ground, 1st and 2nd floor)
Picture gallery (1st floor)100 m2
Arts and crafts Gallery200 m2
Temporary gallery300 m2
display (ground and 1st) 30 m2
display existing building (gf)35 m2
Education (ground floor)
Education suite69 m2
Education store50 m2
Museum take-away collection45 m2
Education toilets
Open archive/study (1st floor)150 m2
Storage
Basement240 m2
1st floor160 m2
Temporary exhibition store (gf)40 m2
Offices/workshops
Workshop/office (ground floor)50 m2
Conservation workshop(1st floor) 30 m2
Additional offices (3rd floor)2 x 25 m2
Reception (ground floor)
Café (ground floor no 51)70 m2
Shop (ground floor)46 m2
Toilets (ground floor)
Meeting room (3rd or 4th floor)60 m2
Corporate hospitality (3rd or 4th floor)60 m2
© Melissa Goodman
Visually arresting in pristine white modern style by day and stunning by night, the High Museum of Atlanta is currently offering a visiting collection from the Louvre ...
Arts facilities have led the way for modernists in Atlanta architecture with the sleek white High Museum designed by Richard Meier with a new (2005) addition by Renzo Piano and the recent selection of Santiago Calatrava, known for his dramatic works, for the design of the new 300 million dollar Atlanta Symphony Center.
The guided tour shows visually impaired and blind people the manifold connections between art and technology.
Credit: Florian Voggeneder
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
Visually attractive little bar in the Feast Village dining area at Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
One of the more.. visually interesting (and meme filled) anime series that I can think of is none other than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, which if I'm being completely honest I still don't actually know anything relevant about. I was first introduced to the series when the fighting game came out in the arcade and on the original Playstation. From what I can gather, the series revolves around the fight between the generations of the Joestar family who battle against their immortal supernatural foe, Dio Brando and his forces of darkness using various weapons, Stand abilities (symbiotically bonded magical beings) and of course, EPIC POSING. In fact, the only thing I'm 100 percent certain about in this blurb I just wrote is that there is EPIC POSING.
Well, just after my return to Ontario, I was able to purchase one of these for $20 CAD - presenting the Medicos Super Action Statue JoJo's Bizzare Adventures: Battle Tendency Joseph Joestar figure. Purchased for the purposes of epic posing.
The Jojo series is set in multiple time periods, with the prequel (Battle Tendancy) featuring a Joseph Joestar, the second Jojo and grandfather to the current Jojo (Jotaro), in his prime. Not that I would have minded a middle aged version with a beard and Hermit Purple effects, but this is what I happened upon. What's more interesting is that this my first Medicos product, who make the Super Action Statue series of figures. Unshockingly, the only time I've ever heard their name come up is when Jojo figures are being sold.. but what IS shocking is that apparently they make more than just Jojo figures. Joseph has a MSRP of 6,800 yen, and was popular enough to warrant three releases (2013, 2015, and 2019), along with a repaint with a different head in 2015.
The set comes with the figure, two headsculpts (neutral expression, angry expression with headband), crossbow with drawstring pulled/unpulled effects, a loose bolo, sledgehammer, a variety of posing/weapon holding hands, and a dynamic stand.
The Medicos body (or at least Joseph) seems to be more in line with a true 1/12 scale as compared to Figuarts.... or Joseph is like 7 ft. tall. Either or, I'm OK with it. I'm not sure if there is a base Medicos body, but if there is a one, the Jojo line doed a pretty damn good job at hiding it. Of course, the character designs in the series are so outlandish that there should be no surprise that finding common parts is difficult, though what is easy to see is that the characters all share the same workout regime. Sculptors definitely captured the distinct look of Joseph, down to the eyes and lips that are very much the signature look of the designs. Fabric detailing is pretty much all I could ask for, and the detailing on the muscles is great only to be surpassed by the excellent work done on the hair. Not a dull spot on either sculpt hair wise no matter where you look on that manly mullet of his.
Of course, articulation is the name of the game, and Joseph isn't a slouch either. He features toe, full ankle, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, mid torso, shoulder pivot and rotate with independent joint for shoulder collapse/chest expand, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrist, neck, and head. After some fiddling around with the figure, the only real thing on my wish list was that the hips would allow for further range of motion in the hips, particularly movement of knee towards the body. Neck/head articulation is limited due to the luscious head of hair Joseph has. Otherwise, between the various hands he's got and the ability to move, well, Joseph has all your Voguing needs covered.
Paint is kind of where things fall somewhat apart here.. sort of. For the most part the paint is pretty good. Quality is solid throughout most of the base body, with in my opinion missing paint on the blue part where the knee connecs to the lower leg. Flesh tones are a bit muddy when it comes to texture, most likey the result of a high number of coats needed. Work on the face and hair is surprisingly sharp given the small size, especially the highlights of the eyes. The finer details, however, go a bit into poor quality, most evident with the masking and paint of the fingers and the smaller accents such as the gold on the knuckles, belt buckles, and so on. Bad as it is, however, it thankfully never reaches early 2000s Playarts level of bad, as you can still make out the well detailed fingers and other fine areas, whereas Play Arts would have just dumped a blob of paint on and hoped for the best. Decal work is also pretty good overall, with no real complaints from me.
The overall build is quite good. No issues with warped parts, misaligned joints or limb length, joint strength. Maybe it's just my eyes, but to me it seems like Joseph is made from the same stuff they make NECA, McFarlane, and other North American figures from, just with much, much better QC. I mention this because the plastic seems softer compared to the stuff on my Figuarts, and would be unable to support the finer details use as the meshwork on Endgame Widow's suit. I suspect that material choices might play into the overall price point as well, because sad as it is 6,900 yen is relatively cheap for something like this. Furthermore, while the crossbow and sledgehammer and functional and generally good to look at, upon closer inspection you'll notice some warping and general softness of details.
So overall, a pretty good figure that isn't as crisp looking as Figma or Figuarts, but is able to hold its own due to the very good articulation. The Jojo universe is filled with all sorts of very visually striking characters, and despite my general unfamiliarity of with the property, even I have my favourites. It'll be interesting to see if I run into any of these in the future at a price point that makes me warm and fuzzy, because I really don't see them available for sale that often.
But you can bet if it's on my way somewhere, I'll be there to buy it.
The National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament is the brainchild of several employees of the Iowa City VA Medical Center, along with two visually impaired Iowa Veterans. These visionaries created the TEE Tournament, an acronym standing for TRAINING, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE. In 2008, it became one of six VA national rehabilitation programs for Veterans. The event expanded to include not only blind Veterans, but amputees, wheelchairbound Veterans, and those with other life changing disabilities. It takes place each year in Iowa City.