What happened today that you liked?

That's awesome @Defenestrar!

Sticking with the good tumor news, my daughter's quarterly MRI to monitor the tumor by her brainstem was yesterday and for the 4th straight time came back totally stable. This means the treatment is working and, in fact, we've got 2, maybe 3 more scans before we finish up the course of treatment and can back to a "watch and wait' mode. Doctors seem very positive overall that we're on a good trajectory!
First, great news! Glad that everyone is having good new wrt tumors.

Second, even if the doctors eventually pronounce her "cured" - consider continuing occasional scans. Not having interim scans after the 5 year "you're cured" declaration is my one regret with handling my ameloblastoma.
 

GodFather

Ars Legatus Legionis
10,197
Subscriptor++
First, great news! Glad that everyone is having good new wrt tumors.

Second, even if the doctors eventually pronounce her "cured" - consider continuing occasional scans. Not having interim scans after the 5 year "you're cured" declaration is my one regret with handling my ameloblastoma.
She's dong yearly scans through at least 20 years old. After that she transfers from her pediatric care and it's uncertain what happens next.
 

Jeff J

Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
7,883
Subscriptor
My three sons played disc golf with me today. Each of them have beaten me before, but today two of them beat my best ever score on the local course and tied with each other. It was good to be together. After next summer, two will be done with college. Who knows when we can do that sort of thing again?
 

Coppercloud

Ars Praefectus
4,711
Subscriptor
After herniating a disk moving in we never really moved into the garage right. There were still unpacked boxes, nothing sorted or organized (and there's a lot of bikes and scooters and stuff that benefits from that), could sometimes get a car in there. But never two and it has the space.

Been that way for 2 years. Cleaned it all out today. It's still a bit cramped because we're planning on getting rid of a few things that are just stuck there for now, but even with that it's not terrible and we can get both vehicles in. I might even have a work bench now, and I know where most of my tools are!
 
Last edited:

Jeff J

Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
7,883
Subscriptor
I chuckled at this headline. It is wonderful that failing to present the true history of Flamin Hot Cheetos is the biggest problem I know if in US politics this week.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230618-215454.png
    Screenshot_20230618-215454.png
    578.8 KB · Views: 42

Technarch

Ars Legatus Legionis
15,598
Subscriptor
Yesterday I took the bodyboards and one of the boys to Pipeline. There was only one other guy in the water. Never surfed there before, but for a while the tide and swells lined up to make some pretty rideable sets for me (as someone who's too chickenshit to ride any wave taller than himself). Made it look easy enough for the boy to come out and try it, and after overcoming his initial hesitation he managed to catch a couple of waves himself.

Last ride of the day we both took off on a clean five-footer and I had a ringside seat to watch my kid ride that wave like a pro.
 

bjn

Ars Praefectus
5,276
Subscriptor++
Yesterday I took the bodyboards and one of the boys to Pipeline. There was only one other guy in the water. Never surfed there before, but for a while the tide and swells lined up to make some pretty rideable sets for me (as someone who's too chickenshit to ride any wave taller than himself). Made it look easy enough for the boy to come out and try it, and after overcoming his initial hesitation he managed to catch a couple of waves himself.

Last ride of the day we both took off on a clean five-footer and I had a ringside seat to watch my kid ride that wave like a pro.
I originally read that as "... I took the bodyguards and one of the boys ..." and thought, "Shit, technarch's an oligarch or the prez or something, boy do we have a mixed bunch on these threads".

Yesterday I got to observe a short film shoot a friend was doing on a virtual production stage. ie: a huge LED screen (10x4m or so) on which you put Unreal Engine. Actors do acting in front of it and hey presto they are now in Camelot/in space/in a war/wherever. The set up does clever parallax stuff so it always looks right from the camera's POV, so it is a big step up from old fashioned back projection, plus you can move stuff around and change things in the virtual bit. I've played with the tech in isolation, but never seen it used in anger. It was pretty cool. I was a lowly stage hand, but I got to be the geezer with the smoke machine.
 

Cognac

Ars Praefectus
5,438
Subscriptor++
I originally read that as "... I took the bodyguards and one of the boys ..." and thought, "Shit, technarch's an oligarch or the prez or something, boy do we have a mixed bunch on these threads".

Yesterday I got to observe a short film shoot a friend was doing on a virtual production stage. ie: a huge LED screen (10x4m or so) on which you put Unreal Engine. Actors do acting in front of it and hey presto they are now in Camelot/in space/in a war/wherever. The set up does clever parallax stuff so it always looks right from the camera's POV, so it is a big step up from old fashioned back projection, plus you can move stuff around and change things in the virtual bit. I've played with the tech in isolation, but never seen it used in anger. It was pretty cool. I was a lowly stage hand, but I got to be the geezer with the smoke machine.
The tech for syncing the LEDs with the cameras is pretty neat too. Where previously you might have needed massive patch panels with leads coming out the wazoo to get every camera to the right location, studios are now moving to IP.
 

bjn

Ars Praefectus
5,276
Subscriptor++
The tech for syncing the LEDs with the cameras is pretty neat too. Where previously you might have needed massive patch panels with leads coming out the wazoo to get every camera to the right location, studios are now moving to IP.
When I started in the VFX biz, it was still all 35mm film, I could probably still load a can if I had to. Just going digital made a huge difference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cognac

von Chaps

Ars Scholae Palatinae
2,186
Subscriptor
Yesterday I got to observe a short film shoot a friend was doing on a virtual production stage. ie: a huge LED screen (10x4m or so) on which you put Unreal Engine. Actors do acting in front of it and hey presto they are now in Camelot/in space/in a war/wherever. The set up does clever parallax stuff so it always looks right from the camera's POV, so it is a big step up from old fashioned back projection, plus you can move stuff around and change things in the virtual bit. I've played with the tech in isolation, but never seen it used in anger. It was pretty cool. I was a lowly stage hand, but I got to be the geezer with the smoke machine.
Is there some huge advantage to this over "green screen and sort it out in post"? Like is it better for the actors (atmosphere), or cheaper? I can see it might be quicker.
 

Not_an_IT_guy

Ars Tribunus Militum
1,601
Subscriptor
I watched Star Wars last night for the first time since it first came out (I caught the very first midnight showing as a teen). Damn, it still holds up.

Got the next 2 queued up for tonight and tomorrow. I'm gonna skip the other 6.
Yeah, once you see the scene where Anikin gets maimed prior to becoming Darth Vader, the series really takes a nosedive. You are getting out at a good point :devilish:
 

Dan Homerick

Ars Praefectus
5,496
Subscriptor++
Is there some huge advantage to this over "green screen and sort it out in post"? Like is it better for the actors (atmosphere), or cheaper? I can see it might be quicker.
As I recall, the Mandalorian uses this tech to get the lighting right. Mismatched lighting between characters and CGI is one of those things where you may not be able to put your finger on why, but makes everything look very fake. They do the final CGI work in post.
 

bjn

Ars Praefectus
5,276
Subscriptor++
Is there some huge advantage to this over "green screen and sort it out in post"? Like is it better for the actors (atmosphere), or cheaper? I can see it might be quicker.
Lighting is one thing that was already mentioned. Further, you can see exactly what you are going to get and so make immediate creative decisions that you can’t with VFX, as you don’t have actors anymore. Shortens time as well, as it’s all in camera, no (or less) fucking around organising post production VFX. It does front load some work though, As you have to build the virtual world before hand.

Edit to fix typo.
 
Last edited:

elitegimp

Ars Tribunus Angusticlavius
7,076
Subscriptor++
Roadrunner in my front courtyard. Those things are so cool looking, I am not sure the novelty will ever wear off. I see them trucking across the rock walls all the time, now.
I only spent two years in New Mexico, but the things I miss the most are seeing road runners and eating delicious food
 

Technarch

Ars Legatus Legionis
15,598
Subscriptor
I only spent two years in New Mexico, but the things I miss the most are seeing road runners and eating delicious food

Loved visiting the branch office in Albuquerque back in the day because of the food options. Gained weight every time.

There was also the accidental balloon festival. Jesus, that had to be almost twenty years ago now.
 

Cognac

Ars Praefectus
5,438
Subscriptor++
Is there some huge advantage to this over "green screen and sort it out in post"? Like is it better for the actors (atmosphere), or cheaper? I can see it might be quicker.
I'm not au fait with the production benefits as I'm not super familiar with the film-making process, but I've heard that it does streamline the process somewhat.

From the technical side of things the video infrastructure becomes much simpler to handle and the signals easier to access from various devices (devices including viewing monitors/stations, PCs for ingest, the LED walls for showing content, or even sending to remote locations in real time). Being digital already gives some of those benefits, but being over IP takes it to another level. And now the installs are running on (admittedly expensive) IP switches instead of (even more expensive) custom-made studio broadcast gear.

If you want some of the really nitty-gritty have a look at the ST-2110 suite of standards. It's gnarly, but it's keeping studios on the cutting edge of video technology.
 
  • Like
Reactions: von Chaps

Ananke

Ars Tribunus Militum
2,499
Subscriptor
Hell! I read that as "moose". 🤯
I do not want to meet a bird that can lift a moose in its beak. Especially not at this time of the year when a female moose will happily attack an articulated lorry if it gets too close to her offspring (and probably win, too!)

Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretty nasti...
 

CrackFraggle

Ars Praefectus
4,854
Subscriptor
The smell of freshly cut grass/hay.

Due to "reasons", the yard had gotten out of control. Wound up being able to hire a friend of my neighbor, and the plants are now getting reset back to a reasonable height (i.e., inches, instead of feet). I'm not thrilled I can't currently do it myself, but I'm good with being able to support a small local business (Dad and his daughter). And, the scent. I know some folks hate it. I'm not those folks.

/inhales deeply
 

Hap

Ars Legatus Legionis
12,273
Subscriptor++
The smell of freshly cut grass/hay.

Due to "reasons", the yard had gotten out of control. Wound up being able to hire a friend of my neighbor, and the plants are now getting reset back to a reasonable height (i.e., inches, instead of feet). I'm not thrilled I can't currently do it myself, but I'm good with being able to support a small local business (Dad and his daughter). And, the scent. I know some folks hate it. I'm not those folks.

/inhales deeply
Good for you. I HATE that smell. I have someone cut my grass and have to wear a mask when taking the dog out. However, that's because I'm allergic to grass (and trees, etc...). I've been trained since childhood that that smell means I'm not going to be feeling well in the near future.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Cognac