Groone's World

A day at the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary

groone — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:18:40 +0000

Decided to take my wife to the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary as a nice get away Mothers day gift. We followed the trail and ended up getting lost when we found that the way out was covered with water and we had to take another route. Here are a few pictures I took of the location. It’s absolutely beautiful.

Old Tree

Odd Square Flower

Looks Like Death

Seriously, looks like Death

Red in Brown

Beautiful Pond

Fern growing out of the burned ground

Papercraft: Sandman Mask

groone — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:22:25 +0000

Okay so I decided to make an alternative costume to handle my husky weight. I decided on the golden age Wesley Dodds Sandman. I didn’t feel like sculpting the gas mask myself so I found a 3d render of a mask on the web. I don’t know who did it, but with the amount of remodeling I had to do with it I feel justified to call it partially mine and offer it up here. Understand that a bit of work will need to be done with it when it is glassed like the eyes being cut out and circular eyeholes added. I would make two extra of the mouth pieces and add them as they holes since in the comic they are similar size.

Golden Age Sandman

Sandman

weslydodds_v2.zip – Download

Ultimate Iron Man Progress

groone — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:54:16 +0000

Since a lot of you have emailed me on how I am doing with the progress of my Ulimate Iron Man build I decided to upload a picture. It’s going along slowly but then I am not in a rush due to the weight I need to lose. I think I can do the calves and boots next but that will be all until I lose the remainder of my weight loss goal…to which I celebrated my half way mark this past Sunday with bacon and pulled pork. Yum!

I think I have the forearms a bit too big but since there isn’t really a good model to go by I’ll just have to wing it. They were easy enough to put together so what’s another set? I really need to get a mannequin so if anyone knows a place to get a full body cheap or even free please let me know.

Papercraft: Ultimate Iron Man

groone — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:26:08 +0000

Here are the Ultimate Ironman pepakura files I’ve been using. I did not design these. I found them on the web somewhere. I’ve zipped them up and added some break down pictures so that you can tell where the parts fit on the body.

Ultimate_Ironman_Pep_Files.zip – Download

Ultimate Iron Man Pencil 4 by ncajayon

Free ebook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012

groone — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:11:34 +0000

I’m always on the lookout for a fantastic deal and today I found one. Our friends on the msdn.com web blog are giving away a fantastic ebook – Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012. Now if you’re like me this deal will make you giddy all over because books aren’t cheap and for someone to give away a full paged technical manual on a new Microsoft Product is just unheard of. I’ve read the first couple of chapters and it is really a nicely done book. This is what they say:

source: http://blogs.msdn.com/…/free-ebook-introducing-microsoft-sql-server-2012.aspx

Friends, the final and complete version of Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012, by Ross Mistry (@RossMistry) and Stacia Misner (@StaciaMisner), is now ready as a free download! You can download the PDF version of this title here (288 pages; 10.8 MB).

We will update this post soon with links to EPUB and MOBI files. We expect these files to be available by March 23. UPDATE: The EPUB is here, and the MOBI is here.

If you prefer a hard copy of the book, you can order it here for $14.99.

Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 includes 10 chapters:

PART I DATABASE ADMINISTRATION (by Ross Mistry)

1. SQL Server 2012 Editions and Engine Enhancements

2. High-Availability and Disaster-Recovery Enhancements

3. Performance and Scalability

4. Security Enhancements

5. Programmability and Beyond-Relational Enhancements

PART II BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE DEVELOPMENT (by Stacia Misner)

6. Integration Services

7. Data Quality Services

8. Master Data Services

9. Analysis Services and PowerPivot

10. Reporting Services

We are releasing this title to help you learn about the new features and capabilities in SQL Server 2012, which Microsoft released to manufacturing (RTM) on March 6, 2012. You can expect general availability of the product to begin on April 1, 2012.

Please help us share the news about this ebook. And enjoy!

You can’t beat this deal. Incidentally, SQL stands for “Structured Query language.” Download it today before it disappears in the nether reaches of the Microsoft blog abyss. Here is a link a local link to the mobi just in case .Download

My last time going to Steak’n Shake

groone — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:47:37 +0000

I’ve been to Steak’n Shake in Mobile Alabama on Schillinger road twice. My first experience was okay and my second and last experience was bad. We are on weight watchers and very rarely eat out now but on this day we decided to partake in a nice big juicy greasy hamburger. My wife ordered the original steak burger single. This is what they advertise.

While I understand what is advertised and what is actually received will differ. This, my friends, is just horrible. It wasn’t even a patty of meat. It was a few crumbs that looked like it was brought out of their grill trap. We were too far away to return it so it was money lost because it wasn’t eatable. Do not waste your money on this restaurant. Here are the pics.

Here is an update. I was called yesterday by the manager of the store that did this. She offered me a free meal to compensate and “make right” to us with the problem we had. I declined the free meal because that will not solve the problem. My wife told the manager that the only way to solve the problem is to take the time that we went to the store, find out who was cooking the meal and then retrain or fire the person that thought the meal we received was acceptable. Only by doing this will the problem be “made right.” Please do not go to Steak’n Shake until there is a publicly announced reform of the restaurant chain.

We as consumers cannot sit complacent. With the high prices we need to let businesses know we will not be taken advantage of. Businesses need to understand that they are in business because of us and to rip us off is the last thing they should be doing. It is unfortunate that the high price of gasoline won over this time in the fact that we didn’t want to spend more money by driving back to the store. This won’t happen again though. When the time comes for us to splurge on a hamburger we will sit in the drive through and thoroughly inspect the food before driving off. It is our money and we expect a quality product.

African Violet

groone — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:33:54 +0000

Continuing on the photography posts. Here is an African Violet that I grew.

Mobile Azalea

groone — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:16:26 +0000

I’m just trying my hand at photography. I need to take some classes I think. Here is an azalea.

Pure White Azalea

groone — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:54:03 +0000

Alt Costume: Wesly Dodd

groone — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:51:40 +0000

I decided that the weight may not be coming off fast enough for my Ultimate Ironman build so I am also working on an alternate build of golden age Sandman Wesly Dodd. I received the hat the other day and I think it is a great match for the fedora that he wears.

Sandman

I like this hat and I’m thinking of wearing it all the time. It’s a part of the mans ensemble that I am sad is no longer a daily part of our lives. Back in the day men wore chapeau’s everywhere they went.

Farm House In Maine

groone — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:40:21 +0000

This is a picture of my wife’s family farmhouse in Dover-Foxcroft Maine. I enhanced it with darker contrast and a shift-tilt type appearance through Photoshop.

Dover-Foxcroft Maine Farmhouse

My Ultimate Ironman Pep Build

groone — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:11:33 +0000

Ultimate Iron Man

I am working on an Ultimate Ironman costume build in anticipation to weight loss so I have to build it carefully and make sure I get it to the size I want to be. Kind of hard to do since I am 3 sizes the size I want to be. That is roughly 6 inches too round. It’s a goal and this build is helping me with the goal. You may look at these pictures and say, “That isn’t Ironman.” and I would agree with you. It is Ultimate Ironman. It was a version of Ironman written by Orson Scott Card one of my favorite all time writers.

This was one of the more difficult builds I have done but it was well worth the time it took. The hard part were the vents on the back. They don’t set very well but I think I can fix it when I glass it. The helmet will definitely look nice when it is done. I will update soon with the armor builds in the next few days.