Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 9
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Oh hey, the Royals are having a third baby! Just announced on CNN in a red banner. Congrats to Prince William and Dutchess of Cambridge.
Yes, I noticed that in the most recent updates at NOAA and immediately thought of you! After experiencing Harvey's wrath from a flooding and rain perspective, I'm truly concerned about Florida and Louisiana. Here's to hoping that it doesn't miss the small window of opportunity that the models still show to suddenly steer north back into the Atlantic.
Trish
Edit: I didn't realize that I had clicked post instead of draft so I finished my post
@LaPetiteVerita I'm happy to see you got it all sorted out. That render is looking really good! Keep up the good work.
@Novica I don't how anyone can figure out where the hurricane is going to land. I've already heard one report that we won't get much of it and Cuba will get the worst of it, but most forecasters are saying the lower part of FL where I am will get impacted so it's hard to figure out what will actually happen so early. I read one article that said some of the models are doing unusual things because of the latest data points. No idea what that is supposed to mean. I'm not sure the scientists know either. I know there was a state of emergency for FL issued already as a precaution. People are already going crazy down here buying up all of the bread, water and canned goods. My husband went to the store today and shelves are already getting bare. Right now it's just a wait and see what happens game. The only thing we can do is prepare the best we can and see what happens. I'm guessing that there will be more precise guesses about the hurricane's trajectory later in the week as it gets closer.
edit: fixed grammar issue
Funny coincidence, yesterday I heard a joke about Switzerland on the radio and today there's a swiss room in the store. That must mean I'm ment to relate the joke, doesn't it?
(adapting it to the room)
I'm not sure about that Swiss Room, but that poster at least, is a big plus.
I'll find my own way out now.
And stay safe all of you that has nasty weather coming your way! I do not envy you.
OT I will not be online today. Yesterday, the neighbor across the street's dog ripped my next door neighbor's dog out of the stroller and killed it right in front of her. (A teeny chihuahua.) I had just called that neighbor two days ago telling her that her dog was out again. It is important to report ANY TIME your neighbor's dog is out, for this one, there's no documentation about the dog being out, because we were all trying to be good neighbors and not complain. No more. Animal Control is now on speed dial! (And if your dogs get out, TAKE CARE OF IT!)
Yikes on hurricanes and dogs. Hoping everyone stays safe. What crazy weather lately. Things have been peaceful here in the Midwest, I'm just sneezing my head off due to ragweed.
Clarke for G8F
Quickie render of Darwin's newest lady. She looks great and has a ton of options!
Ugh the chihuahua story is upsetting. I love my chihuahua if another dog grabbed it I would be kicking that dog like there was no tomorrow.
I don't understand why owners let their dogs run free. First of all, your dog could get hit by a car, and obviously, it could easily bite or kill other pets, or God forbid, a child. I don't understand what is wrong with people!
She did. She is an EX MARINE. She attacked the dog.
God bless Oklahoma and the other NWS stations. They are releasing extra weather balloons to help get a better feel for the trough coming across there, to help with the hurricane predictions for NOAA!!!! LOVE YOU OKLAHOMA! See it here, it's amazing how folks are really trying to help.
Panhandle, as I suspected yesterday, is coming more into play. The websites I monitor gave a few clues, as did the spaghetti models. The 200 mile drop to the south and west said it for me yesterday, that wasn't "predicted." I thought then, uh oh, more west. By Thursday, if this doesn't turn sharply, Accuweather showed the trough and fronts and steering. Not good, but I am thinking more Cedar Bend/Appalachicola/Tallahasse than over here (I'm west of that. Pensacola is over toward Alabama, for overseas folks who may not have the state memorized.) Cedar Bend is right where the panhandle joins the peninsula.
The 1pm NOAA just came out, now it's 185mph, still intensifying. We are flooded at the ranch with calls to take horses and she has booked four, but that's all the stalls she has. She has 4 outdoor stalls in one building, but I told her that her animals (goats, rabbits, pigs) all have to come in, that tarping their enclosures won't do squat. And frankly, South Florida shouldn't be coming to the Panhandle because we may be in the path more than they are! What a mess.
Going to get some sleep (only 3 hours when my neighbor texted me) as I want to go get more supplies. (Did that two days ago, cart was full. Headed back. First things I got were kitty litter, dog food, cat food. I know who is the most important- I got peanut butter and bread for me!)
Stay safe everyone, I may be saving a lot of money for this sale if Irma has anything to say about it- no cell, no internet for weeks or a month. Been through that already with Ivan and Dennis- and they were only strong Category 3's. TTYL.
I had a dog who was part Malamute. My daughter had one of his litter mates. Those dogs would dig under the fence until they could wiggle out. In the end I had to chain them up when they were outside. One dog outside on the chain, one inside in the crate. Both inside in their crates at night. It wasn't a great existence for either one. Eventually my daughter moved and took her dog. Some months later, he jumped the fence and she never say him again. After I remarried, my husband and I dug a shallow trench under each of the fence sections and poured concrete; Actually bought a cement mixer so we could do it. But we had to keep the fence in top condition, as Sully would get his mouth around any small opening and eventually pull the board off and escape.
We have cats and I used to keep the front window open about 4-inches so they could come and go as they pleased. A board screwed to the window sill prevented it opening more than that. One day, Sully got on the back of the couch and worked his head through. Standing on the back on his hind legs, he managed to get his shoulders through, and the rest of him followed in a heartbeat. I was in the room, saw him get up on the couch and ordered him to get off the furniture. He ignored me and I ran to grab him, but he was out before I could cross the room! And more than once, he all but knocked me or my husband down running out the front door, if it was open more than a few inches. Thankfully, he was a lover not a fighter. But I spent a lot of time chasing that dog through the neighborhood. Raw hamburger helped at first, after that, he'd ignore whatever treat I brough with me. Some animals just need to get out and run. Sully was better suited for a ranch than city life. (He was 12 when he passed away.)
As for hurricanes, you folks are in my prayers. Please stay safe.
The difference is, you did all you could to keep him from escaping, which makes you a responsible pet owner. We see the same dogs loose day after day, usually pit bulls or pit mixes because owners are too damn lazy to put them on a leash and walk them to do their business. We live in the city, a very busy road is half a block away. Its these owners that I have a problem with. Anyone's dog can get loose occaisionally, its the serial offenders I take offense to. And, I don't blame the dogs for their nature either, but I do blame an owner who won't at least try and take good care of their dog(s)
I agree completely. Owning a pet comes with responsibilities. And part of that is knowing what breed of dog you should get for your living situation. Sully was a mixed breed with malamute and german shepherd. The german shepherd would have been fine in the large fenced-in backyard. But I hadn't counted on the roaming nature of the 1/8 malamute being so strong in him. We had a little pomeranian, too. When she died, we said enough with the dogs. At least until we move, if we move.
I did think the escape through the living room window was a funny anecdote, though. That's why I included the story. It's been 14 years since Sully passed, and I still miss him. Not the escaping, but the companionship. He was a really sweet animal. Protective, too. If you came into the yard and he didn't know you, look out.
And in case you thought otherwise, I didn't take offense at your comment. I was just pointing out that some animals are quite resourceful at getting out of their yards! lol I wish I had video of some of the antics Sully and our other dogs got up to. I'm pretty sure I could win some money with America's Funniest Home Videos if I did.
The story of the chihuahua is heartbreaking. I don't think I could bear to have an animal again if I'd seen that happen in front of me to one of mine. I do agree that it can be difficult keeping dogs in, but although it's hard to say it, there are some dogs that probably shouldn't be kept at all, and their owners know it too. I still have a scar on my finger from when one of our dogs bit me when I was younger - we'd had it a couple of weeks, and my dad immediately had it put to sleep, no second chances. I almost felt to blame at the time, but I know my dad did the right thing and that if I ever ended up with a dog who was a danger to my kids or to anyone else then I'd have to do it as well.
On a lighter note, I once had a houdini-hound of my own who probably could have escaped through a letterbox. After I remarried (there's a theme here somewhere, IceDragon :) ) my husband and I put masses of eighteen-inch high fencing in the gaps at the bottom of the hedge all round our garden to stop her getting out. I'll never forget answering the door one day to see my mother-in-law, my dog standing looking sheepish beside her. She (the dog, not my mother-in-law!) had pushed so hard at a section of the fence that she'd put her head through it, and was spotted cheerfully walking up the road with a section of it round her neck. She did look comical though :)
I'll be thinking of everyone affected by the incoming weather and hope you can all stay safe.
Heartbreaking, indeed. It angers me that people do not keep their canines leashed. Ours is, every time. There's no way I would allow our German Shepard off-leash and run the risk of him attacking another animal, or person for that matter. He is very protective, as is the breed, and the idea that anything may cause him to become alerted and agressive just doesn't sit will with us. Keep your head up, Novica, and stay safe.
We have one of those escape artist dogs who is only allowed outside unsupervised if he's on a tie-out. He actually *climbed trees* to escape and go roving. He still gets out sometimes, (even though he's got bad knees and isn't technically allowed to run anymore-- try convincing him of that!) but he's kind of been.... trained by now in the return procedure? He will not return if chased but if I get in his line of sight and then *sit down* on the ground, he trots right over to me (and then gets a cookie). This is not a ton of fun on rainy days when I'm already running late so of course the kids left the front door open too long.... but I do it anyhow.
I really, really want a new canine model so I can make dogs....
We have a houdini of a dog too :sigh: Woodrow Wilson Pig - aka Woody aka Woody Woodpig aka Little Sh** - is a shih tzu/daschund cross. We've had him since he was a pup. He's a roamer and wanderer. We've gone nuts trying to keep him in the yard - he finds a way out every single time. We'd be standing there, patting ourselves on the back and congratulating ourselves for another 'successful' attempt at dog-proofing...and then turn around to see him out on the street. We rent, and the house we're been in for the last 2/3 years doesn't have a fence. So we fenced off part of the back yard from the back door to the big shed. Star pickets and chicken fence as the fence. Thought we were SO clever. Ha Ha <- sarcastic laugh. It turns out, the chicken wire mesh was absolutely useless - cheap rubbish that rusted at the ground line with all the rain we get. Sagged, rusted and Woody would just lift it up with his nose and trot on through. Money being tight, we had no idea when or how we'd be able to replace it. Mother decided it was my turn to be organized (she does all the kids in turn) and turned up one day with a roll of good "dog mesh fence" and some long wooden poles. (She also arrived with a ute load of gravel to create a 'patio' out the back door, but that's another story). My hubby has Menieres and often has really really bad weeks where he can barely get out of bed - and he was in the throes of a bad attack at the time, so it was about two weeks before he could get out there and start the fence. He and a mate spent an afternoon putting up this great dog mesh fence - mum had also gone and bought us a great new gate so he was setting that up too. We were SO pleased - no way was Woody getting through this one! It was tight and strong and wouldn't rust at the bottom.
Unfortunately, we were unfamiliar with dog mesh fence, and the one side that fenced off the big shed....he put in upside down. It's graduated, you see. Smaller hole at the bottom so small animals can't get through...larger holes at top. And yes, he put that part in upside down, so Woody just gaily walks through the large holes at the bottom. :headdesk: It took us about three weeks of tearing our hair out trying to figure out how he was getting out, to realize. So The Woodpig just walks out and roams down the street and does whatever it is he does, when's he on his rounds. Now, Woody has never attacked or bitten a person or another dog in the 8 years we've had him. He barks when people walk by in the street and rushes out - but stops before getting near them. He barks or puffs himself up around other dogs. He has never bitten or attacked anyone or anything. He's never tried to bite a child that visits us. BUT that's not to say he never will. I don't know. He's never done it before, but a dog is a dog - you don't know if something will happen that will make him bite. I have 98% trust in that Woodpig that he would never do it, but I don't want to find out about the slight 2% that may be unknown, if you get what I mean. We are currently working on fixing that fence piece - hubby's in another meniere attack so hopefully we'll be able to either undo the fence and redo it the right way, or put the leftover dog mesh across it to double the fence line there with the small holes at the bottom to prevent him walking out. In which case, he may start digging to get under the fence. He is a wanderer - we're doing all we can to prevent it, but I don't know if we'll ever be successful at containing him. We're home all the time, and both dogs are inside dogs, so he's only sometimes going outside, which is a good thing at least.
Our big dog, Donklewurth Donklebean, is a mastiff X (with a horse, I suspect). He's too big to get out of the fence so he never gets out. Also, he doens't want to get out - he's the complete opposite of the Woodpig in that he doens't roam and doesn't want to. I am more terrified of him somehow getting out, than I am of the Pig, because he has the looks of the type of dog that would freak people out if they saw him wandering and immediately calling animal control. He is the softest, most gentlest, most happiest dog in the world - loves people, loves other dogs, He wants to play with them all. He has never once shown any sort of aggession whatsoever to anything. I have more faith in that big heffalump never deliberately hurting anyone or anything than I do of the Woodpig - but again, you never know what may cause a dog to snap that one time. Some dogs love to roam and don't want to be contained behind a fence - Woody - and some dogs are quite happy being contained and don't try to escape ever - the Bean. I dream of having an 8 ft concrete fence all around the house LOL....but until my dream happens, we have to just be vigilant and try and keep the Woodster in the yard. It's a never ending battle :sigh:
We had a neighbor, at the old house in NY, who who had an escape artist dog. Unfortunately, it was also aggressive when outside of her yard. She came into our yard and bit my youngest. Fortunately, the neighbor covered my out of pocket that insurance didn't cover without any issues whatsoever. She even gave Gordan a little bit for pain and suffering. He was scared of strange dogs for a long time after that. I literally hated that dog because it kept getting out so much that the boys couldn't go out into their own front yard to play.
As for our dogs, I do my best to make sure they never get loose. In the almost 13 years that I've owned them, they've gotten loose about 3 or 4 times. Twice down here in FL and both of those times were due to others who didn't make sure the gate was latched and I didn't realize. Ultimately, my fault because we didn't I didn't make sure we checked the gate before the dogs were let out. This last time was only our male because our female is getting too old to care if she gets out or not. She doesn't really like the outdoors much anymore. He got out, though, because I just didn't realize the landscapers had been to mow as I was out running errands and didn't notice his text. Now, we are extra vigilant about the gate because the police were called this last time since our male dog was in the neighbor's yard and she didn't know whose dog it was which I guess is good in a way because she didn't know we had dogs.
While he's very friendly, my dog is big so can be a little intimidating if you don't know him. I can understand perfectly why she called the police. I promptly went over an apologized for the entire incident. She has kids and I know she had to have been scared to have suddenly seen a big, strange husky in her yard.
@Novica Sometimes even when neighbors do make reports animal control can't do anything. I know the animal control officers in NY were called multiple times for that neighbor's dog. I called them several times myself. And, yet, every time they came over that dog was inside their fence and, since animal control didn't see the dog outside of it, they would or couldn't do anything. It's still good to make the reports, though, I think. It makes it easier for some who needs to try going after an owner in court. It's proof that the owner was on notice and knew that something like this incident with the Chihuahua could happen. It is owners like that who make it all the more difficult for the rest of us who try our best to make sure our animals are under control.
I was just reading back over what I wrote, and it seems like I'm making excuses for that horrid dog who killed your neighbour's dog - gotta apologize for that, for it was NOT my intention. I'm a big advocate for dogs being behind fences (and also for desexing), and that dog most definitely should have been behind a contained fence. If you have a dog that attacks and kills other dogs - and you cannot tell me the owner of that dog didn't know it did that - then you take every single step you can to keep that dog AWAY from other dogs at all times. And if you can't do that, and you have a dog that attacks, then you rehome him somewhere else. What happened to that poor neighbour of yours breaks my heart, and I am furious at the owner of the attacking dog for not controlling him enough.
When I was in grade school, my brother and I had a weekly paper route. One of the rules of the publisher was that we had to put the paper on the front doorknob of each home. We also had to go to each door once a month to collect payment. Needless to say, we came across many dogs, most of them inside the house or in the backyard. Many were friendly but others not so much.
There's two breeds that stand out in my memory from that time: (1) Chihuahuas: these little dogs were the yappiest, jumpiest, ready-to-attack dogs ever, as long as they were behind the screen door. When the owner opened the door, they would quickly back away, still barking like mad. I never cared for them until I later had a neighbor with a long-haired Chihuahua that was one of the sweetest dogs I ever met. (2) German Shepherds: There were several in the neighborhood but one particular house had a German Shepherd that just barked like crazy whenever I walked up to the door. Needless to say, I was leery of going up to this house and sometimes skipped it all together if the dog was particularly loud. One day when I was around 10 or 11, I had just taken a couple of steps from the street onto the driveway to deliver the paper when the dog rushed the front door, jumped and barked as he always did, and in the process hit the latch of the screen door and it popped open. With a mad run he charged me and took a big bit into my thigh! The owner heard the commotion and came right out and called the dog off. Even though that happened in the 60's, every time I see a German Shepherd I have a flash back to that June day and the charging dog (the dog bit several other children within a few weeks so the owner had to put it down).
I have a very vivid memory of being bitten on the back of the upper thigh by a black labrador when I was about 13. I was walking down my street on the way home from school, and the mongrel came up behind me and bit me. I can remember every minute of it, even what I was wearing and what street we were living on. Believe it or not, I actually have a fear of large dogs. (you wouldn't think so, the way I baby our mastiff, but there it is). If I'm walking to the shop, and I see a large dog is out and roaming, I'll go back straight back home and make my husband drive me the 30 seconds to the shop. I know most women, when they are walking, are side-eyeing for danger from an attacker....I'm constantly side-eyeing for a roaming dog.
I didn't take offense at the comment- not to worry.
Now for the interesting part- I went to the animal shelter today to pick up 10 forms- that's in addition to the stack already given out- we are ALL filing complaints. But an hour ago, I decided to get the lady's last name, typed in her address- and the house is in foreclosure. YEAH!!!!!! So when my neighbor wakes up tomorrow, I have that great news for her. It's a small thing, but having that (you-know-what-but I'll say witch) witch across the street move, will at least be some some comfort.
My dog that dug under the fence was solved with unopened bags of MARBLE CHIPS- talking the large ones- the white with the gray veins running through. They are heavy, and uneven- I won't say shart tips- but definitely NOT comfy to paw at. Solved the problem. You don't pour them in the holes, you leave them in the plastic bags (which is industrial strength) and it takes about 6 months for them to weather enough to start disentegrating (and that's in the Florida extreme heat.) THen just put another bag on top of it.
I found a lot of video and pictures of Eddy / Eddie (I have to ask her how to spell it) that I know Candy will want. (She is the same neighbor, you may remember, who I mentioned when we were taking her old dog back and forth to the emergency vet last year- remember her vet was going to send her home at closing time, without oxygen for a dog who couldn't live without it- was in congestive heart failure- as we left for the emergency vet? And I put my foot down and said to give her a portable tank? (They did.) That's the same neighbor.
So if you get to the end of your rope, try those, at Home Depot or any garden center.
I'm liking the hurricane models- going slightly back East on this run- which would still keep it over water. I don't want to wish it on the peninsula of Florida!
Walmart stores sold out of almost everything- except frozen food. As I said, I went at 6am yesterday morning and there was a sense of satisfaction of knowing I did the smart thing. I was just there to get more kitty litter and canned cat food, which they still had quite a bit of. So I got everything yesterday- at least one thing went right today.
I wanted to point this out- I was surprised. This lolani character comes with PSD wings, which you layer (they aren't actual wings) which isn't obvious from the main promo. Do any other products have PSDs?
I waited for the 5am (4am here) update from nhc.noaa.gov and the models have made a decision based on the trough pattern (and maybe those dropped balloons helped!) - the path of Irma is going back to center of state/East. So sad for you folks even while relieved for the Panhandle. But this means folks in the Carolinas or Georgia and up the coast may be getting another track like Matthew. Ouch. Edit- but it does say it could possibly go back west, even though the bulk of the models have shifted East. Is that called covering your hiney or what?!
Praying for all, and don't get me started on dog attacks. I still have the scars from when I was a kid.
Jackson for G3M and G8M
I would like to call this a quick test render, but had to let it go overnight. The background was a real hog and dropped my render into CPU mode. Might do them as separate layers next time as it came out grainy anyhow. But Jackson is looking good! Going to try him in some different scenarios with different options- makeups, tats, etc. Here's the first try:
Nice, Llynara! What was the background that hogged resources?
I like that a lot-thank you! I think it's Mar Sauks, without the interior clutter?
Thanks, it was Marrakesh Souks for Iray. I may try this one again and get rid of anything not on camera. The scene was over 7 GB total with set, hair, outfit and character. Mine usually run well below 4.
oooohh, yeah i can see that would be a bit much. What about, seeing as the background isn't front and center and so noticeable, trying that freebie script that reduces textures? i've used it quite a bit and it's an absolute godsend for reducing consumption.
It's 6:15am, just got back from getting gas. I decided I wouldn't be able to sleep, worrying about the pumps emptying. I was right to go get it now. Three places already had the yellow over the handles, signifying "out." So filled the truck and 5 gallon can, now I can sleep when I get ready. BTW, there are LIVE video streaming of the Category 5 coming to the islands- it's incredible. Palm trees are touching the ground. The one I was watching got knocked off air but was streaming a good ten minutes of it. Just do a search for hurricane irma and see what pops up, it's changing constantly.
Llynara- nice render! Love the intense expression. Will you explain CPU mode? I keep hearing about it and haven't a clue unless it deals with cuda, cores, or Clueless.
Thanks, Novica. CPU mode just means the render stopped using the video card GPU and is only rendering using the CPU and the computer's memory. Often it slows everything down, sometimes it can crash the computer or just lock it up really bad. Mine was crawling last night.