Congratulations. You have established that both candidates are either liars, hypocrites or both. What a revelation.
I'm with Ron on this one. I would vote for a third alternative candidate (or not at all, if no suitable alternative is available) rather than vote for either of these political careerists.

Regards
Mr S

More food for thought here with a nice touch of humour and some very polished graphics.
Visit: http://www.duelity.net/

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Chango, if you had read through a few of the previous posts concerning the American election you will see that Ron is choosing to vote for a third alternative.
He knows that this will have little effect on the final outcome, but has been let down time and again by the Republican party and is unimpressed by the Democratic poster boy Obama, he feels that he has little choice left available to him.

I completely understand his dilemma.

The modern day Republican Party is dominated and controlled by Neo-cons who have little, if anything, in common with the traditional grass roots supporters of that party. The Bush administration has been an unmitigated disaster. I can't think of one positive achievement they have made.

Unfortunately, just like here in the UK, the people are faced with voting for either Tweedledee or Tweedledum. It is a never-ending cycle. And the outcome is always the same. The masses convince themselves that after being let down by Tweedledee they will let Tweedledum have another go. After another 5 years or so, they reverse this process. It is quite pathetic really.

Whilst Obama is the current poster boy in the US, we had the same charade played out here in the UK. The poster boy at that time was Tony Blair, leader of New Labour. He was portrayed as a young, fresh, leader "with vision" who was going to shake the establishment from top to bottom. He had pop stars, actors and all the leading liberal/left establishment figures drooling over the prospect of him winning the election. After a long and miserable period of government by the Conservatives he was voted in with a landslide.

Can you guess what happened next?
That’s right. New Labour turned out to be just as corrupt and rotten as the previous administration. In fact, in some ways we are worse off. We allowed the US to drag us in to what feels like never ending wars. We are bankrupt as a nation. Our standard of life, our moral standards have continued to decline etc etc.

All of these things would have happened if the Conservatives had continued to govern of course. My point is, people continually convince themselves that this "new" leader will somehow be different.

Here in the UK a new poster boy is currently being groomed for when Labours turn has ended. His name is David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party. He is, for all intents and purposes, a Tony Blair clone.

The fact is, all the establishment parties are just that. Part of the establishment.
It is in their self-interest to play this game. That way, they all get a turn to stick their noses in to the trough. Politics is simply a career choice for these people.

Most people continue to vote for the establishment parties because they are constantly told that the only other alternatives available are extremists. So the cycle continues.

Most of those banging on at the moment about how Obama will bring real change will be the same people in 5 years or so, scratching their heads and asking how it all went so horribly wrong.

Regards
Mr S

If like me you can't work properly without using a 2 pane file manager then visit: http://www.freecommander.com/

I have always worked with this type of file manager since using Directory Opus on the Commodore Amiga. I have tried many variations on Windows and this has to be one of the best. Particulary as its free!

Regards
Mr S

Considering how valuable the Windowizer tool has been it seems strange on reflection that the same hasn't been done for doors long ago.
This will be a really helpful tool.
I look forward to the the completed project.
Thanks for taking the time out to provide yet another valuable tool.

(The guys at Google are going to have to come with something special for SketchUp 7. The Ruby guys keep racing ahead with new ideas!)

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Sorry Cornel, I have long given up on reading mumbo jumbo from any religious source.

Getting back to consumerism, I came across this recent article which may interest some.

Visit: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/the_standard_of_living_bubble_and_why_its_about_to_go_pop/

Regards
Mr S

Very funny, and really well done.
I don't like to even think how long that took to complete!

Regards
Mr S

Hi Cornel,

You are correct in stating that the Romans provided "Bread and Circuses" for the masses.
But his was provided alongside their pagan religions.

It was the Marxists who sought to replace established religions with their own new religion called communism. "Bread and Circuses" was seen as an essential tool in this process. If that failed, there was always the Gulags.

Liberal democracies have used the same methods but have managed to make many of their elite very rich in the process. Consumerism has a never ending appetite and the capitalist system is happy to feed it.
Consumerism is the life-blood of capitalism.

Religion is the opium of the masses. It is, essentially, a Santa Claus for adults.

Religion (mostly) used fear of the unknown to keep its people under control.
Communism (mostly) used the stick to keep its people under control.
Capitalism (mostly) used the carrot to keep its people under control.

Whether the religion being promoted is political or supernatural in origin is irrelevant to me. They are both used to keep the, always small, independent "thinking" elements of society quiet. The masses have always had a sheep mentality. They just go along with whatever the "norms" of their time are.

It is that small minority of independent minds that provides hope for the future of mankind.

Regards
Mr S

Really top quality images.
As good as anything I have seen produced in "high-end" 3D programs.

As regards the team on the TV...
Well, thats not really "football" anyway. Soccer is the real football

Regards
Mr S

I think it very much depends on the individual.
Some take like a duck to water with these big 3D applications.
Others find it a hard slog. (the latter includes myself).

So, there is no easy answer to this question.
But before I even considered spending the sort of money you are talking about I would purchase something like this: http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=477
You can even download some of the movies for free.
Other tutorials are available from other vendors, I just like the presentation style of http://www.lynda.com.

Digital Tutors are also very good. For more info and free movies visit: http://www.digitaltutors.com/store/home.php?cat=106

Unlike taking classes at college, these DVD tutorials can be played over and over until you understand what is being said.
The costs involved makes much more sense if you are just trying to find out if this is really for you.

Try the sample movies and if it feels "right" proceed further.
Good Luck.

Mr S

Hi,

By coincidence I was sent this recently...

===========

@unknownuser said:

by AJ Marsh

Television, what an amazing technology – a glass window into another World. Ever since the 1950's, TV. has captured our attention and our time. Anyone who wants to sell their product or point of view can not ignore the significance it plays in today's World.

But ... Can we get away from its grasp? Without it, many a person does not know what to do with themselves. Watch people when the power or cable feed goes down. An average American child watches 1500 hours a year according to recent statistics compiled by California State University. The modern television has its grasp on every facet of many of our lives. Our mental, physical, and even spiritual health has deteriorated as we have increasingly replaced normal human activities with channel surfing mania. The introduction of High Definition television sets have only increased this fact. A recent Simpson's episode shows Homer substituting his daily responsibilities of Father, Husband and so forth for the pleasure of this new advanced entertainment. And we view this mockery as comedy? This should make you sick.

I ask you to observe those around you as they watch TV. the next time you depart for the ice box. Look back and watch the expressions of those watching. Do they look like they are full of emotion, thought, and ability? Or do they look like mindless drones? I would bet most of them look like mindless drones. How can this be healthy? What makes this even worse is the majority of current programs televised are utter garbage. No intellectual content whatsoever, especially children's shows. At least in my childhood – the late eighties to early nineties – they talked about the environment or showed what an American soldier was supposed to be. Talking garbage, giddy flamboyant alien puppets, and sexuality amongst the little people are the norm today. It's not innocent as it used to be. Flip to Andy Griffen on the T.V. Land channel and the flip to FX to watch The Shield. Both deal with law enforcement. Which one do you want to influence your child?

Now I call you to reduce your time, if not to totally rid yourself and your loved ones, of this parasite. Cancel your cable and you will not only bank more of your pay check, but be much healthier because of this one action. Think of what awaits you. Think of how much time you can save. How much more you can experience.

Gradually start to pick up your healthy human activities again. Visit the library, become more involved with your family, go walking, hiking, biking, paintballing. Go visit that new park or that new hip restaurant down the street that you meant to take your wife to three months ago. Become human again. Read your news from different sources not from one televised news show. Play football; don't watch some overpaid kid on the TV. do it for you. Begin to make your own thoughts and opinions about everything. Don't except what some show host says as your own. Are you really liberal because MTV tells you that you are? Because it’s the thing to do? Or do you actually think that way?

Discover who you really are, not what television tells you.

===============

The only problem with this type of thing is that it assumes, or hopes, that the majority of people think about such issues. I discovered many years ago that the vast majority don't give these issues a moment’s consideration.
Most people will either look at you as if you have just farted in public or stare at you with a blank expression if you try to discuss anything other than TV/Films, Sport, Drink or Sex.
It may seem snobbish or elitist to say this, but most seem to live an "animalistic" existence.
As long they are supplied with food, drink, sex and kept occupied with entertaining trivia they seem content.

I think it was the Marxists who declared that all the masses require are "Bread and Circuses".
I believe, on this one issue, they may be right.

After saying all this, I am not immune to these things myself.
I enjoy The Simpsons and The Shield on my HD TV.
But I like to think (self-deception?) these things as just a tiny part of my life.

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Funny, thanks for the link.

In the middle of that they provided a flashback reminder of something I haven't seen in a long, long time.
No prizes offered, but does anyone else remember this from one of the older operating systems?
Just as frustrating, but much better than the horrible BSOD that you get with Windows.
See attached.

Answers on a postcard...

Hi,

You guys might like to take a look at this link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076957/MELANIE-PHILIPS-Everyone-destroy-Palin--Obamas-past-examine.html

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

Install Quicktime.
Then visit: http://www.go-2-school.com/podcasts
Some great tutorials here.
After watching each movie simply right click on the movie window and select "Save as quicktime movie".
You can then build up a whole collection that you can burn to disc and watch at your leisure.

Regards
Mr S

Hi,

I have just noticed that I am using v6.1 (not the latest SR1) of Vray.
As my trial period has almost expired anyway I will this latest version.
Sorry for not checking this first.
But to be honest, these small incremental releases v6.0, v6.1 v6.1 SR1 doesn't help matters much.

Also, it would be good idea if you got a bit more than 30 days to try and get to grips with this software.
Does anybody know what the terms, conditions and restrictions are for the "Academic" version?

Thanks

Mr S

Thanks very much for trying.
I, or the software on my machine, must be doing something different to you.
I am still getting the same error message with the file you supplied.
The thing is, I have seen on the ASGvis forums that others or having the same problem as me.
But no solution has been provided.

Regards
Mr S
======

Hi,

That is what I have been doing.

But when I reach this point:

@unknownuser said:

select "import new material" and browse to the .vismat material you just saved.

I get the error message.
If you have the time, could you try importing one of the materials I have made and see if you experience the same problem?

I have attached the following:

BrickRedCladding.vismat (Vray file)
tiles-25_b005.jpg (Bump Map Image)
tiles-25_d100.jpg (Diffuse Image)

Saved as one zip file.
See attached.
Thanks.

Regards
Mr S

Copy of BrickRedCladding.zip

If you manage to use it successfully can you let me know what I may be doing wrong?

Regards
Mr S

My minor wish is that the people at Google employ plot-paris as a consultant.
I think I have read everyone of your suggestions both small and perhaps ambitious and then thought, wow, thats a good idea why didn't I think of that.

Regards
Mr S

Thats right.
The materials at http://www.vray-materials.de/ are for use with 3DS MAX.
Thats why I downloaded and tried to convert them for use with SketchUp.
I didn't actually try to convert the native 3DS .mat files.
I simply reloaded the bitmap files, diffuse, bump and reflection in to Material Studio, generated the preview image which looked great (see attached), and then "Saved as Package" which creates a .vismat file together with the bitmap files.

But when I attempt to import the .vismat file in to Vray for SketchUp it informs me that it is an invalid ASGvis .vismat file.

I'm back to square one!

Regards
Mr S
=======