I am convinced that until some type of horific event occurs here in the states that we will never get that one person to vote for that could enact any type of meaningful change. The powers that be ($$$$$$$) wouldn't allow for it.

As I get older - I fear the only chance for real change to occur is if some entity (with the financial resources and the moral convictions to take on the big money corporations in their own arena) is able to come from outside the "inner circles" of our current political society and last long enough to make a difference. Unfortunately - anyone capable of meeting that criteria will likely have their own baggage (religion) that influences their objectives.

Dean

Got sidetracked again.........but had a little time this week. This is a very large house - an estate type adaptation of a flw plan from 1912. I really liked the scale / massing / siting and decided to play a little with it. I know that's blasphemy in some circles - but it really wanted it as an exercise to test some modeling/rendering techniques in su.

Have a Happy and safe Fourth all fellow Americans! (transplants as well - since we all were transplanted somewhere down the line)

While the meaning has changed considerably over the years, some things like family and friends gathering for food / spirits / fireworks remain the same. While to others it may seem like all we do is eat too much, drink too much, and then go blow stuff up and make a lot of noise - I would like to believe that the majority of americans reflect for at least a moment during the course of the day or the extended weekend on why we actually celebrate.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces of the United States of America here and abroad. Thank you for your service to our country and flag that represent the principles on which this nation was built by the founding fathers that signed the Declaration of Independence.

Thank You!
Dean

Please don't confuse the current American courts system with justice..........embarassing on a day like to day to see how far from our roots we have strayed from our roots.

Hi Brian - Happy 4th!

So - is your model import issue foing from su to kerky or are you trying to go the other way? I have never tried getting a model from kerky back the other way - I have always utilized kerky as more of arendering studio at the end of the line. Since you rendered this image already - i assume you have the su-kerky exporter installed. So - maybe you are referencing the kerky objects such as the chairs and trees, etc. that can be downloaded from the site. If so - the basic concept is that you download the model zips from the kerky site and then unzip them to the models folder in tha app folders. Now the models import from the insert tab and you should be able to select them the same as the primitives. Models inport to asingle befault axis location within the model - so you then need to select the model in the tree listing at the left and then can move it in the working screen view by grabbing the gizmo that is with it. Not as easy as in su - but it works.

Hope that helps!
Dean

Nice rendering Brian!

What render setting did you use, and which version of Kerky are you using? There is a new beta version currently being called "Boost" with much improved speed and a 64 bit version. While the forum is nowhere nearly as active as here - there are quite a vfew very knowledgeable people that frequent and are very helpfull.

As far as resources - what are you looking for specifically. with regards to materials - they have a rather extensive library available in the download area, and additional user materials in the forum. Not sure if I can answer your question, but I will look for it over on the forum.

BTW - I think there are some astronauts somewhere on the warehouse that might be more in keeping with your subject than the walking guys you have in there now.

Dean

Finally had some more time to work on this. I have settled on the main materials and I am working my way around some more refinements such as the openings, pool, and tennis court. linestyle exports from SU over Kerky Boost ( nice speed increase) color renders.

Hope to post more progress over the weekend!
Dean

@unknownuser said:

Looks like Rummy's been at it a little while longer than I thought. Anyone else starting to think Dubya was a stooge?

Silly me - thought that was rather obvious! Hence why Cheney was often referred to as the "Puppet Master". All the political bantering aside - IMPO Doonesbury seemed to have a more accurate depiction / portrayal of the "W" administration than any of the so-called "Real" news outlets.

Made some progress with the site and some building refinementa. Images are Su styke exports run through the "vintage fotograph" filter in Fotosketcher.

Bytor

Had a computer crash at the beginning of the year due to a trojan that my son downloaded sometime last summer that Norton wasn't tracking. Wiped the whole operating system and killed the machine - but I luckily saved all my working files on a seperate partition. Kahn WIP is in there somewhere - so when I get it fixed / re-built I will resurrect it. Till then - working on a laptop and started something new.

Bytor

Having some fun after having been away from SU for a long time. This one is in the early stages, and is a derivative I am doing from a classic plan. My version will be a "House on a Hill". Nothing done on the site yet - just testing some layered views of straight SU exports - some flavored with fotosketcher.

Bytor

Tom,

Sorry - should have clarified I was referncing the original Friday video and the parody Alan posted. While someone might argue the point - I don't consider what I was intending to comment on Art. My wonderment for "didn't have anything better to do" was in reference to all of the different parodies already out there for the Friday video.

With regards to the Japanese "Artists" - I don't have an opinion either way. I know art (like beauty) is in the eye of the beholder, and everybody has their own tastes - which they are entitled to. For me - I couldn't listen to more than 30 seconds of it. Remidned me too much of the "cookie-monster" bands my son listens to.

I am going to find Simon's post to find something to listen to now..........

I tried watching the whole way through - 10 seconds into it and my dogs started barking because the mailman was coming to the door. Went and collected the mail and tried to quiet them down and realized they sounded better!
IMHO - this kind of stuff is rampant because it is so easy to do anymore with cell phones / cameras / computers, etc. The parody was funny...but I can't help to keep thinking - don't these people have something better to do?
The original to me is just a pop video - not music. Just static in a world that would benefit from more moments of silence!

Dean

Simon,

Thanks for linking this here for everyone. This is a local issue (central PA) for me that can't be publicized enough in my opinion. I had not seen the NYT piece & especially liked the interactive map. It amazes me every day the lack of concern or attention this get's in the local press / news outlets here. Every now and then there will be something - but it passes quickly, and is forgotten. Those that stand to make obscene amounts of money from this have bought the necessary politicians to keep any roadblocks from slowing their progress.

Just as with the oil industry - there is no chance that the average resident can do anything to stop them. And with the price of oil climbing higher based on speculation - the federal govt. has no intention of slowing their retoric on "home grown fuel independence". The wonderfull state of PA is one of only a few affected that does not have a sufficient Tax / regulations in place to protect from the "gold rush" type atmosphere which currently exists. In fact recent efforts will make sure that some previously protected state lands will be available for drilling in the future.

The money to be made with the leases is such that most landowners can not resist the temptation, especially since many have been fighting off forclosure. And the off-shoot boost to local economies has most locals looking the other way to the negatives as their stores and restaurants, and businesses profit from the workers and company's that are doing the work to create and manage the drill sites.

I love this state and there are so many beautifull places, natural places here along rivers and streams that wind through the valleys. It makes me very sad to think of what the whole NG industry is going to do to change the landscape over the course of the next 3, 4, 5 decades.

Dean

Thanks Csaba - that was a great start to my year!

Very, very funny!

Dean

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Rclub24 - I had a 2D cad file that I generated from some pdf files found somewhere a while back on the web. Can't remember where exactly.

A quick little update - finished the deck and changed the stone and wood siding materials. The others were too dreary / dull for my liking. I will post some more when I finish the site context around the house.

Bytor

Have been away from su for a while due to work / life, so I thought I would play a little over the holiday. Messing around with a variation on Kahn's Fisher house to drop it into a different environment as a summer / vacation house type setting on a lake. Just getting started - but thought it might be interesting to do a progress post from start to end - whatever that might be.

C&C most welcomed!
Bytor

Profiteers & Politicians!

Here in PA we have the politicians fighting over if and how much to tax the natural gas industry and their newfound wealth in the Marcellus Shale http://www.marcellus-shale.us/

While the politicians argue back and forth debating what tax rate if any would be fair - the gas companies are ruining the environment of our state by polluting our ground water resources and poisoning the surface sites and any being living in the vicinity of the wells.

In these desperate financial times - the companies pray on landowners with the promise of profit if they sign over their rights. When that doesn't work they use eminent domain to try and claim property from holdouts for drill sites / pipeline right of ways, and storage facilities. Meanwhile the government is still studying the process to determine it's safety and any impact it may have on the environment.

Pure profiteering on all sides!

Solo,

I think Texas has a great shot this year. Cliff Lee's breaking ball the other day was killer. He threw a couple that seemed like they were thrown from first base.

Of course, if they do make it to the series they won't make it past the Phillies!

I love the post season when you get to see some very fine pitching performances in high pressure circumstances.

when you are working in the hot sun and swear you experience the "shadow flicker" while passing through the shade of a tree canopy while walking to another sunny part of the yard!