Out of the Blue

One of those old sayings that constantly turns out to be true is "right tool for the right job." A positive example of this was the faucet handle I needed to fix over the weekend, as I had the needle nose pliers to remove the little cap covering the screw to affix it, and more importantly, the Allen wrench to finish the job in three minutes. The negative example was me deciding I could fell the mulberry tree that's endangering our back deck with my sawzall. This actually worked pretty well for branches and smaller sections, but the base of the trunk was just a little larger than my saw blade, which required attacking it from both sides. This took far more time and effort than it should have, though I eventually worked it out. The climax to this amateur hour was me coaxing the last bit of the trunk to break by standing on the deck rail and pushing at it as I reassuring MrsBlue that I was safe. This was just before it cracked, sending it pitching into the forsythia seven or eight feet below, with me following close behind. I somehow managed to come out unscathed, no thanks to my own poor judgement (MrsBlue's account of this is comical, describing me silently disappearing off the deck, followed by a calm "I'm okay" from below). And after all that, to finish off the job and cut down the remainder of the tree to a proper stump I'm going to need to buy or borrow some manner of chainsaw, which would have made easy work of this in the first place.

Felled Links: Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez and Acleacius.
Play: The I of It.
That Way.
Link: ‘Cowboys vs. Aliens’ Star Harrison Ford Slams CGI Effects.
Stories: Navy Destroyer named after hero SEAL. Thanks brother19.
Maori Head Returns to New Zealand After 136 Years. Thanks theAntiELVIS.
Science: Easily distracted people may have too much brain. Thanks Slashdot.
Images: It looks like you're trying to play Minecraft.
Animals with Stuffed Animals. Thanks Neatorama.
Spokane City Council Candidate of the Day.
Media: Nerd Alert: Why Portal 2 Sucks. NSFW.
Star Trek Fan Film from 1971.
The Royal Wedding - redubbed. NSFW.
Follow-up: World's Loudest Cat - Smokey.
A SETI Infographic.
Segway falls and crashes.
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20 Replies. 1 pages. Viewing page 1.
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20.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 10, 2011, 03:27
20.
Re: Out of the Blue May 10, 2011, 03:27
May 10, 2011, 03:27
 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/10/3212994.htm?section=world

Wow.
Shameless self-plug(s): http://drdk.bandcamp.com - also on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, etc.
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19.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 22:27
Kxmode
 
19.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 22:27
May 9, 2011, 22:27
 Kxmode
 
mag wrote on May 9, 2011, 21:53:
Harrison Ford is exactly right. CGI only doesn't look terrible (terrible) when it's just used to make real effects look better. I want to scream every time I see an entirely-CGI character/monster/army glossily shining against a real set. UGH.

My mind rejected young Flynn/CLU from Tron Legacy. Way too uncanny valley for me!
"...and in stonks, Fizzy Squeezy Stocklebocks leaped over Droopy Whoopy Bondfluffs, hitting 300-gigglebits to their 150-snorebucks. Meanwhile, in Whimsyland's market, the pancakes reached parity with pogo sticks."
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18.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 21:53
mag
18.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 21:53
May 9, 2011, 21:53
mag
 
Harrison Ford is exactly right. CGI only doesn't look terrible (terrible) when it's just used to make real effects look better. I want to scream every time I see an entirely-CGI character/monster/army glossily shining against a real set. UGH.
17.
 
Re: Idiana slamming CGI
May 9, 2011, 18:13
17.
Re: Idiana slamming CGI May 9, 2011, 18:13
May 9, 2011, 18:13
 
I hear you there, I'm starting to feel like I want to tell Harrison to stir some Metamucil in with that Prune Juice of his.

It's not the CGI, it's the lack of knowing how to use it, Cecil B. DeMille had no trouble getting an army into the sunset to look good and feel right, this is more about crappy direction, or writing, and the SE department feeling that they can "FIX" it.
16.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 17:56
16.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 17:56
May 9, 2011, 17:56
 
I love it Blue.

I finally finished the last couple levels of Portal 2.
I haven't had much time to play, and wanted to be sure I could give it the time it required to play and possibly replay a few levels I enjoyed.

I enjoyed the game. I feel I got my money's worth, but was not all that impressed with the finale as I was with the original....kind of a been there done that. I think what I enjoyed most about the game was the dialogue of GLaDOS throughout. Some great one liners and jokes. I don't think the 2nd game has the replayability of the first, but I am looking forward to playing co-op.
15.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 17:41
15.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 17:41
May 9, 2011, 17:41
 
If I were Mrs Blue I'd bust a gut laughing ...
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14.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 17:33
14.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 17:33
May 9, 2011, 17:33
 
Blue do a search for tree stump carving and check out some of the sites and images. You can make amazing stuff like this fantasy tower!
"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip." - Henny Youngman
13.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 16:47
13.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 16:47
May 9, 2011, 16:47
 
Don't leave the stump...you need to get the stump and roots out so Mrs. Blue can plant some flowers there or something. Stumps just aren't the asthetic icons that us men think they are...we can justify them as seats or small tables, but the Mrs. will most likely just look at it as a job 1/2 done.

I've removed a lot of stumps and roots...small trees can be removed with nothing more than a chainsaw and shovel, but you may need to get a large pry bar...there's some that are 6' long and almost 2" in diameter with a point on one end and an angled spade on the other so you can get some leverage underneath the stump to loosen it. The chainsaw can be used to cut the stump in half...vertical cut straight through the center of the stump...an axe is handy for some of the thicker roots, but most of the roots will just break off when using the pry bar.

There's also some kind of stump removal powder that is supposed to eat the stump and roots, but it's smelly and takes years to work.

Another reason to remove the stump and roots is that the dead roots hold lots of water and prevents the soil from draining...causing that area to flood easily.
Let's Rock!
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12.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 16:28
12.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 16:28
May 9, 2011, 16:28
 
Hoop wrote on May 9, 2011, 13:30:
I'm the same, I could be about to drop into the grand canyon & yet nobody is gonna hear panic, fear or despair pass through my cold pursed lips.
Guys minds instinctively go into analysis mode even when all control is taken away from them, I would bet Blue you were thinking your way down the whole time, assessing the situation with every snap of a branch. ;)

I do think you're right. It didn't strike me I didn't make any noise until MrsBlue said something about it. But I do distinctly recall spending a remarkable amount of thought on how not to get hurt, considering the time I had to solve that problem was a fraction of a second.
Stephen "Blue" Heaslip
Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life
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11.
 
Idiana slamming CGI
May 9, 2011, 15:15
11.
Idiana slamming CGI May 9, 2011, 15:15
May 9, 2011, 15:15
 
I kind of agree with the sentiment: I miss old-school special effects.

Some of them still look heller impressive and don't break your focus (oh that monster really isn't there). Explosions (with real fire), monsters, stunts, etc.

I'm more impressed with older stuff where they used good prosthetics, latex, glycerin, and strategic camera shots to make it look more menacing that it really was. Maybe your imagination had to work a little, but that was the best part.

Now it's all digital.


I'm not saying I don't like CGI... but I'm nostalgic for some of the old methods.



That all being said, Harrison Ford is blasting CGI, when as far as I can tell he's about to appear in a movie with heavy CGI?



"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurama
10.
 
Re: Was it alright to cut it down?
May 9, 2011, 14:55
10.
Re: Was it alright to cut it down? May 9, 2011, 14:55
May 9, 2011, 14:55
 
Mr. Tact wrote on May 9, 2011, 13:34:
kanniballl wrote on May 9, 2011, 11:29:
Meanwhile, I know we had some people on our block that were big-time nature people. They apparently raised a big stink when a neighbor decided to get rid of 2 bushes on his property. I'm not saying 6' trees, but like 3' or 4' bushes up against his house.

I can't imagine there being a law which would allow them to prevent the removal of a 4' bush against someone else's home.

Oh there wasn't a law about the bushes, but the neighbors still wanted to stop him. Someone said they were considering protests and/or chaining themselves but I don't know if that was an exaggeration.

In any case they were quite upset about it. Something about them being special or whatever.
"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurama
9.
 
Re: Was it alright to cut it down?
May 9, 2011, 13:34
9.
Re: Was it alright to cut it down? May 9, 2011, 13:34
May 9, 2011, 13:34
 
kanniballl wrote on May 9, 2011, 11:29:
Meanwhile, I know we had some people on our block that were big-time nature people. They apparently raised a big stink when a neighbor decided to get rid of 2 bushes on his property. I'm not saying 6' trees, but like 3' or 4' bushes up against his house.

I can't imagine there being a law which would allow them to prevent the removal of a 4' bush against someone else's home.

Last summer I removed both large trees (25'-30') in my backyard. One because it was an annoying gum tree (drops spike ball seed pods) and the other because it was at the end of it's life (a 35 year old Honey Locust). Never said word one to the city.
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” -- Carl Sagan
8.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 13:30
8.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 13:30
May 9, 2011, 13:30
 
I'm the same, I could be about to drop into the grand canyon & yet nobody is gonna hear panic, fear or despair pass through my cold pursed lips.
Guys minds instinctively go into analysis mode even when all control is taken away from them, I would bet Blue you were thinking your way down the whole time, assessing the situation with every snap of a branch.
The earth quakes here have been interesting, women will scream like Banshees during an event & not stop comunicating their fears for days weeks afterwards, guys go quiet.
If you women really want to know what goes on in a guys mind just view all the footage ever created of Homer Simpson thinking out loud to himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhpMLolFkLw&feature=related

This comment was edited on May 9, 2011, 13:41.
Um .. Behind you...
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7.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 11:47
7.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 11:47
May 9, 2011, 11:47
 
I know in my town cutting down trees is a real pain. I know you have to get a permit, and I *think* you also need someone to come out and see if they'll let you.

Yeah it's like that in my town as well, there's a city by-law that requires a licensed contractor to come out and do it. It was the unfortunate side-effect of someone trying to cut down a huge tree and having it take out power to the entire town for 8 hours.
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6.
 
Was it alright to cut it down?
May 9, 2011, 11:29
6.
Was it alright to cut it down? May 9, 2011, 11:29
May 9, 2011, 11:29
 
I know in my town cutting down trees is a real pain. I know you have to get a permit, and I *think* you also need someone to come out and see if they'll let you.



Meanwhile, I know we had some people on our block that were big-time nature people. They apparently raised a big stink when a neighbor decided to get rid of 2 bushes on his property. I'm not saying 6' trees, but like 3' or 4' bushes up against his house.

I think they said they would've tried to stop him.
"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurama
5.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 11:04
5.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 11:04
May 9, 2011, 11:04
 
Mr. Blue:

After reading about your experience with the tree so far, I strongly recommend that you do not get within 10 ft. of a chainsaw.
4.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 10:53
4.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 10:53
May 9, 2011, 10:53
 
How can you NOT have a chainsaw in the basement Blue?



Pffff, and you consider yourself a Doom fan....
I have a nifty blue line!
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3.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 10:25
3.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 10:25
May 9, 2011, 10:25
 
Should have used dynamite.
2.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 10:17
2.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 10:17
May 9, 2011, 10:17
 
How Looney Toons of you, Blue. And you carve a chair or something out of the stump.
"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip." - Henny Youngman
1.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
May 9, 2011, 10:16
nin
1.
Re: Out of the Blue May 9, 2011, 10:16
May 9, 2011, 10:16
nin
 
(MrsBlue's account of this is comical, describing me silently disappearing off the deck, followed by a calm "I'm okay" from below).

Ah-hahahahaha! Tell Mrs next time we need this stuff recorded.
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