Digital Dream Machine

Here’s one of the earliest color icons for the graphics application Photoshop:

This image was pulled from The Abyss: Special Edition, which was one of the first major uses of the application developed by Thomas Knoll, and his brother John Knoll, a visual wizard at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic. Photoshop 1.0 was released for the Apple Macintosh exclusively.

More on the history of Photoshop at Wikipedia.

Snow. Plenty of it.

We didn’t receive as much as they have lately in some parts of the U.S.A. (April’s relatives in Colorado have been stuck inside for quite a while) or across the Canadian prairie provinces, but we’ve received enough to make one really start thinking twice about living here.

Of course, it makes the outdoors look somewhat clean and magical, and it’s great to ski and play around in, but at these amounts (and temperatures), it’s definitely no fun to shovel or work in! Thankfully, the snowblower is able to clear out large portions before we get down to the actual shoveling - which is one of the most physically exercises one can do. We’ve had snow since November 2006, so we’ve already gotten accustomed to it this season, but compared to last year’s mild (even warm) winter, this one certainly is one of the more frigid ones.

I was outside about 2.5 to 3 hours getting the sidewalks, driveway, and road portion clear enough to drive cars through.

A new type of dragon-like dinosaur has been named Dracorex hogwartsia in honor of the celebrated Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.

Photo of Dracorex hogwartsia © The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

The nearly complete skull was discovered by three friends from Sioux City, Iowa during a fossil collecting trip to South Dakota. More information can be found at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Dinosphere website.

Be sure to check out the video interview with the donors of the fossil, the Museum President, and world-renowned paleontologist Dr. Robert Bakker.

Thanks to Atomic Surgery for the link.

Supposedly, the original Hollywood sign is up for sale. Not to be confused with the current one most people see in California, but the original itself, built in 1923 for a real estate development company.

Due to termites, arson, and other damage, the sign needed to be either repaired or replaced. In 1978, ‘Playboy‘ publisher Hugh Hefner sponsored a party to do just that. Celebrities including Gene Autry and Alice Cooper, along with other individuals, kicked in funds to restore the iconic sight.

If the whole sign is too much for your rec room, or that starting bid price is a bit shocking, how about owning a small piece instead?

NPR has a feature on the history of the famous American landmark. Check it out at this link.

I’ve been receiving lots of kind feedback regarding the story, writing, and photography of the Franklin the Tortoise post. A big thanks for your support! Along with the comments, photos of other shelled pets have found their way into my e-mail box, so I thought I’d share them with all you tortoise fans.

3-year-olds Sam (Sulcata) and Ella (Box Turtle) enjoying some tomatoes. Photo from Lori.

Nicholas in the office. 43 lbs. 10 years old. Photo from Kerry.

Nicholas napping. Photo from Kerry.

Stanley and Nicholas. Best of friends. Photo from Kerry.

Morning Nicholas. Photo from Kerry.

Nicholas takes a bath. Photo from Kerry.

Because I’m a bit of a science geek, and because they have that ‘cool’ mythic element to them, news regarding Giant Squids excite me. Well, on September 27th, word spread that a live one had been photographed underwater!

Photograph courtesy T. Kubodera and K. Mori.

Photograph courtesy T. Kubodera and K. Mori.

The Japanese scientists estimated the animal to be an astounding 25 feet long but the longest giant squid on record measured 59 feet (18 meters), including its two elongated tentacles. Along with photos of the exciting discovery, National Geographic posted the story:

“The scientists say they snapped more than 500 images of the massive cephalopod before it broke free after snagging itself on a hook. They also recovered one of the giant squid’s two longest tentacles, which severed during its struggle.

The photo sequence, taken off Japan’s Ogasawara Islands in September 2004, shows the squid homing in on the baited line and enveloping it in “a ball of tentacles.”

Tsunemi Kubodera of the National Science Museum in Tokyo and Kyoichi Mori of the Ogasawara Whale Watching Association report their observations this week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

“Architeuthis appears to be a much more active predator than previously suspected, using its elongated feeding tentacles to strike and tangle prey,” the researchers write.

They add that the squid was found feeding at depths where no light penetrates even during the day.”

Check out the link for the full story and more on the history of the Giant Squid!

This post seems like a fitting one to share one of my all-time favorite poster images. It was created by the great Disney Imagineers and can be seen in the book Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real.

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Imagineering.

If anybody knows where I can get a large-scale poster of the above image, please contact me. I think I see the Nautilus now!

As I was out running errands on Saturday, I saw what I thought to be man playing with his radio-controlled toy. Sure enough he was out there again on Sunday, only this time I got a better look and it definitely wasn’t a toy on the sidewalk…

A nice long sidewalk is the perfect place to stretch the ol’ legs.

That’s right. It’s a man taking his pet tortoise for a walk. Hey, they need exercise too right? A perfect time to do so while we’re having beautifully warm temperatures (finally) in Edmonton. I stopped by with my digital camera to talk to owner Jeff Billyard about the fascinating scene and learn more about his pet.

Easily mistaken for a radio-controlled car from a distance.

Jeff, who graciously took a portion of his time (the tortoise wasn’t racing away anywhere), told me that ‘Franklin’ is a 3-year-old African Spur Tortoise (or Geochelone sulcata as it’s known in scientific terminology) and that he’s cared for Franklin since he was smaller than the palm of his hand. Though, he wasn’t a cheap purchase, Jeff and his family consider ‘Franklin’ to be an excellent value for a pet, who will probably live longer than most of us. Apparently, Tortoises can live an average of 60-80 years, with some living over the ripe age of 100! Astoundingly, he already weighs in at around 25 pounds but can grow up to 200!

Purchased at a city pet store, Franklin is a treasured member of the family, attracting interest from all who see the pair. Jeff said he doesn’t mind the company of strangers when he’s taking Franklin for a walk, and educates the guests on the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. He finds it relaxing to take Franklin for a walk after a tough day at work.

What some of the local (and puzzled) dogs saw.

Surprisingly, Franklin moves quite fast. Not as speedy as an average dog or cat, but at the pace of a smaller canine. He had already moved forward several feet before my camera had a chance to focus on the hard-shelled creature.

It was also quite amusing to see parents walk by and say “Ohhh, you’re the man with the turtle! My son/daughter told me about you!” as if they didn’t believe their children.

Owner Jeff Billyard and Franklin.

The tortoise is a herbivore, meaning he eats fruits and vegetables. While Jeff had fed him lettuce and strawberries when I was there, Franklin found the grass and clover patches to his liking, rapidly devouring any tiny, white blossoms.

Stopping for snacks…

…of tasty clover…yummm!

Franklin seems pretty content. Who couldn’t love a face with a smile like that?

I got a chance to experience what Franklin’s legs felt like and they are quite unique. Though the ’spurs’ look rough and sharp, they’re actually more like cartilage and feel rigid, yet soft. He has quite a long tongue as well with which he uses to get at vegetation.

I’ve seen Tortoises and Terrapins before, and even went snorkeling alongside Sea Turtles in the waters of Hawai’i, but this was certainly an interesting sight you don’t see in Edmonton, Alberta everyday. A welcome change from the usual four-legged friend! Ironically, I had saved 2 frogs from death by lawnmower earlier. It would seem that reptiles and amphibians were on the universe’s order of events for me that day.

You can find more about African Spur Tortoises here and here.

Note: Geochelone sulcata or ‘African Spur Tortoise’ is often confused with ‘African Spur-thigh Tortoise.’ From what I’ve just briefly researched, it seems that using the scientific name helps to distinguish the different reptiles.

Update: I’ve displayed some of the tortoise photos readers have sent me at this other posting.

I’ve always been fascinated by the colorful graphics on the side of the U-Haul vehicles. From the vibrant Giant Squid of Newfoundland, to the little green alien of New Mexico, to the Happy Face Spider of Hawai’i, the graphics are an excellent way to keep the U-Haul brand name ‘out there’. In my opinion, a very smart marketing move that really hasn’t been matched by others. I’ve also wondered if there was a website with photos of the graphics and today, I finally discovered it.

The U-Haul SuperGraphics website features not only the current series of graphics, but wallpapers, coloring books, and some fun, Macromedia Flash-based subsites. For example, the New Mexico section uses a file folder theme with fairly detailed information about the alleged UFO crash in 1947. Not all states and provinces have current graphics, but you can also find press releases and photos as new ones are unveiled on the website.

The ‘Classic SuperGraphics‘ section is devoted to older vehicle illustrations, and though more simplistic, are definitely worth viewing.

Fun stuff!

Some science news for you today:

In the marine archaeology field, researchers recently raised a cannon from an underwater site near North Carolina, hoping the artifact will prove the sunken wreckage it came from was once the flagship of the notorious pirate Blackbeard.

CNN.com features this report on a new planet found in the Milky Way.

Australian palaeontologists have discovered the fossils of what they believe to be a new species of long-necked dinosaur near Queensland.

Meanwhile at the American Museum of Natural History, the first ever fossil of a sleeping non-avian dinosaur has been described by Drs. Mark Norrel and Xu Xing.

Over in East Africa, a new species of Monkey has been discovered. Known as the Highland Mangabey, it was identified by two independent research teams working in separate locations in southern Tanzania.

Keep on learning about the wonderful world in which we live!

Blackbeard’s flag image from Wikipedia.

Not quite Minority Report, The Time Machine, or Back to the Future but certainly intriguing. Check out this link.

More on the project can be found here.

For the skeptics, this article, with one of the project members dismisses the prediction notions.

As suggested by some, if the ‘device’ can’t provide any usable information before the events, is it really capable of predicting the future? Perhaps the whole thing is nothing more than humans looking for a correlation between the results and real-world events?

You know how Lemmings supposedly commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs? That myth really gained momentum from none other than a Disney movie that was filmed right here in Alberta. It’s amazing to think that one smaller Disney film had the effect of creating not only a false representation of an animal and its activities, but also helped create “a metaphor for the behavior of crowds of people who foolishly follow each other, lemming-like regardless of the consequences.”

Click here to read about the creation of the Lemming Suicide Myth.

I actually read this fascinating piece about a year and a half ago while searching the Internet for movies produced in Alberta. Thanks to thedisneyblog for the reminder.

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of Rankin/Bass’s stop-motion animated classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Originally aired by NBC in December, 1964, it’s a Christmas favorite that according to Rankin/Bass fan and historian Rick Goldschmidt, has become “the longest running, highest rated television special in the history of the medium.” From Rudolph’s desire for respect from the other reindeer, to the struggle of Hermey the Elf trying to become a Dentist, to the adventures of Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer is an enduring tale that has remained in the hearts and minds of many children and adults.

Like Jim Henson’s Muppets, the Rankin/Bass characters animated in stop-motion are cartoon beings brought to life in the third dimension. The technique accomplished in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, was also used by Rankin/Bass in other classics including Mad Monster Party, by pioneering animator Willis O’Brien in King Kong, by Ray Harryhausen in Jason and The Argonauts, Clash of the Titans, and the many Sinbad films, by Henry Selick and crew in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and by the Aardman Studio in Chicken Run. Imagine having to animate each character and surrounding props frame by frame. For film, it took between 16 to 24 frames in order to produce one second of film. Think about that. One second. Now imagine how many frames it took to complete the 55-minute film and you have an idea of the enormous amount of work required! Each character’s movements had to be carefully coordinated and because they were talking and singing, their heads had to have mouths that matched the words. An incredibly complex production but the results, as we are all aware of, were simply amazing.

What are holiday specials without holiday music? The soundtrack and narration are as much a part of the magic or Rudolph as the animation. Burl Ives, who narrated for the film as the voice of Sam the Snowman, also provided memorable songs including ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer‘ , ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas‘, and ‘Silver and Gold.’ As the ‘big name’ brought in to attract viewers to the special, his voice and music alone can evoke vivid memories of the colorful animated feature. You can listen to samples and purchase the soundtrack for Rudolph at the iTunes Music Store.

Some interesting facts about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer include:

- The 55-minute film took approximately 18 months to shoot, and like other stop-motion gems, it required the animators to work frame by painstaking frame. The animators had to keep a focused effort on their work; one error could result in having to reanimate and re-film an entire sequence.

- Rudolph, like television’s Bart Simpson (voiced by Nancy Cartwright), was given audio life by a woman, Billy Mae Richards, currently 83 years of age and living in Ontario, Canada.

- As was the case with George Lucas’s original Star Wars Trilogy, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer also had alterations made. For the 1965 rebroadcast, the song and sequence of ‘We’re A Couple Of Misfits‘ was replaced with a new song, ‘Fame and Fortune‘. There were also some minor alterations done, but the film was supposedly restored back to its original condition in 1998. However, eagle-eyed fans will note some differences between the Collector’s Edition DVD and the original airing of the show, most of which are due to ownership and rights issues.

- The character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 by Robert L. May, who at the time, worked as a copywriter for the Chicago-based Montgomery Ward department stores. The book was created as a Christmas story that could be given away as a promotional item to holiday shoppers.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of Rick Goldschmidt and Mark Sykora at RankinBass.com, the histories of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Rankin / Bass company have become more available to the fans. A search around the Internet turned up some rather great links about our favorite reindeer.

The insightful TVParty website features an incredibly in-depth 3-part article by Rick Goldschmidt on the history of the beloved holiday favorite. Topics discussed in the article include the characters and their name problems, the soundtrack written by Johnny Marks, and the re-shoot required to replace one song sequence with another.

CBS has produced new animated Christmas promotional spots featuring the classic characters of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and some of their recent hit shows like Survivor, CSI and Everybody Loves Raymond. In a nod to the old technique, one of the characters remarks that his movements seem a little ‘jerky’ - and if you’re viewing the clip online, the often stuttering video clip quality (sadly available in Real Player only) echoes his statement. In addition to the video clips, the website features a photo gallery, a coloring book, and wallpaper for your computer.

National Public Radio (NPR) has a small article and audio interview with Goldschmidt discussing Rudolph’s 40th anniversary and even some clips from an interview with the voice of Rudolph.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is not the only Christmas Classic the Rankin/Bass Studio created. Other holiday adorations include: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, The Year Without Santa Claus, Jack Frost, The Little Drummer Boy, The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold, and the 2D classic Frosty the Snowman. One of my favorites is the rarely-seen The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus currently only available on VHS. Written by L. Frank Baum, more famously known for creating The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the stop-motion film centers its story on Santa’s journey from myth-filled boyhood in the Forest of Burzee to legendary manhood around the globe. Wonderful creatures and gods, including Knooks and Nymphs, and beautifully detailed and designed by Rankin/Bass, help support Claus in his goal of providing all children, rich or poor, with toys for Christmas. This is both a more spiritual and adventurous take on the legend of Kris Kringle that fans of mythology, fantasy, and stop-motion animation will enjoy. For those not familiar with the wonderful tale, you can read it this link.

The look of Rudolph continues to be emulated today in numerous commercials, movies, and spoofs. A few years ago, animator Corky Quakenbush provided us with a satire on MadTV called Raging Rudolph (Windows Media Player required and Parental Discretion is advised). Combine the gangster films of Martin Scorsese and the work of Rankin/Bass and you have a violence-laden revenge story instead of the friendly childhood version we all know and love. CBS has used the look in their 2004 holiday promos, and many fans have created their own homages on the World Wide Web. Films like Toy Story and Shrek, even owe a debt to Rankin/Bass for helping to bring continued recognition to animated storytelling. And while studios continue to produce new animated holiday tales in 2D, 3D, and Stop-Motion, none will be as cherished or glow as brightly as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

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Special Note:

I’ve been a customer of Amazon.com since they first began life on the Internet. I’ve always experienced great service and found many items I’ve been searching for. Since many of you have asked for recommendations from me, I’ve decided to become an Amazon associate. Your purchases through the links below (or using the search boxes in the sidebar and subsequent links in future articles) provide me with small referral fees and help in continuing to bring you, the reader, interesting and insightful articles. A sincere thanks for your support!

Amazon.com purchase links:

Amazon.ca purchase links:
Purchase Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer on DVD
Purchase Frosty The Snowman on DVD
Purchase The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus on VHS
Purchase Rankin/Bass Christmas Classic DVD Pack
Purchase Jason and the Argonauts on DVD
Purchase The Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD

Thanks to my friend Rick Cortes over at The Drawing Board for letting me know about AnySoldier.com. It’s a great website dedicated to providing information on sending care packages to US Soldiers based on their needs or requests. It’s updated as often as the military contacts can get information sent in, and there are requests from Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine personnel.

My aunt, my wife, and myself gathered some items to send to a group overseas in the hope of cheering them up during the holiday season and in appreciation for doing a job they may not agree with politically, but one they are trying to do good with regardless. Thanks to the efforts of the numerous women and men, many children can go to school for the first time and civilians can enjoy a freedom to criticize current administrations without fear of torture.

The past few days have been spent gathering items to send, but I finally was able to mail it today. A 20 pound package cost $35.00 Canadian to send and should arrive within 30 days. Hopefully just in time for the holidays. We decided against sending food items though, since it could cause more delay at US Customs. We did include things that they asked for, as well as some wool stocking caps (or toques as we call them up here), flip-top gloves, and Christmas decorations and gifts to reinvigorate their morale.

We may not agree with all of the military actions around the world, or the actions of the US leaders, but the soldiers have a number among them who have never been away from family during Christmas. Many of the soldiers do not even receive mail or letters from home. If a package we send can help ease the loneliness and stress over there, then it’s the least we can do. If you can put aside your political beliefs and think of the soldiers as people that could have easily been your or I, then it might help you in deciding to send something to lift their spirits.

I couldn’t find information for Canadian, British or other soldiers, but if you know somebody serving in the military, or just thought about sending something to boost morale, now is as good a time as any to find out how. There is no guarantee it will get there, but as with anything requiring effort, there’s always hope.

Ever wonder what The Magic Kingdom looks like from the air? My wife and I have yet to experience Walt’s California creation, but perhaps you’ll recognize parts of the park you’ve been to. Thanks to the US Geological Survey, aerial photos from 2003 have been merged together to provide a stunning overhead view of the layout and size of Disneyland. If you’re on a high-speed connection, I recommend the 10 MB file for optimum quality viewing.

I wish I could’ve seen the park in its original condition, with the great design work of the 50’s and 60’s era and rides like 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. It seems Disneyland is undergoing constant renovations, with old rides being dismantled and modern ones erected in their place. This is all in order to attract new visitors and entice previous visitors to experience the park again. You never know if your favorite ride will be around for your next visit. Thankfully, with numerous photos and articles, the good folks at MiceAge.com keep us informed of the perpetual facelifts and upgrades at ‘The Happiest Place On Earth.’