I recently upgraded to the latest version of the Flash™ authoring tool that I use. There are lots of new features in the latest release, several of which I used for the slideshow seen here.
The tool lets me break up the images into whimsical shapes and then the effects browser allows me to preview the transition effect before choosing it. This is the result:
The images were made in November at the site of the new house in Arizona.
I have been playing with some new software the past few days. It’s a package for authoring Flash™ animations. I made our Thanksgiving e-card using the tool. I discovered a spiral object in the auto shapes component list. After playing with it for a while, I managed to get this animated spiral effect. It doesn’t do anything but it was fun to play with the new software.
Earlier this week while we were out to our new house to deliver some electrical fixtures, I snapped a picture pair to merge into a 3D anaglyph image.
The subject is the little downhill wash that runs through our property from the hill above. The wash runs down and then below the pad where our house stands.
Verna has been putting Critter Crunch up in the wash which has successfully attracted many quail to the area. We were at the property this morning and there were several quail there quacking and having a feast.
You will need red/cyan 3D glasses to view the image – click to enlarge. If you don’t have your pair yet, you can see the 2D version here.
On our last trip to Arizona, we took some time out to go to the Pedestrian overpass across the Hassayampa River near Downtown Wickenburg. I posted a panorama of the view from the bridge a couple of days ago.
As you enter the walkway (which used to be part of US Highway 60), you pass this bronze sculpture of a horse rearing up on its hind legs. I paused to take a pair of images to merge into the 3D version seen here. Click on the image to enlarge.
Of course, if you don’t have your 3D glasses, you can see the 2D image here.
After nearly twenty years, my old Hewlett Packard 4L Laserjet printer finally bought the farm. The venerable old printer started misfeeding the paper last night causing jams and errors. I tried troubleshooting it for a while but it stubbornly refused to cooperate. So I disconnected it from the network and loaded it up to go to the HAZMAT recycle center on Friday. I have a bunch of other HAZMAT items boxed up so the timing is right.
Even before showing signs of failure, it started getting hard to find toner cartridges for the old printer. Fortunately, one on-line source came through a couple of years ago when I ordered a couple of toner cartridges. I used one up and the last one we had started to exhibit signs of going out of toner.
The last time I installed the printer on the new laptop, I had a difficult time locating an on-line source for a proper printer driver. I guess the signs were all there that the time has come for a new printer.
We will be in the market for a new printer when the new house in Arizona is complete. In California, we’re going to scout out and buy a cheapie printer to use until we finally get the house on the market.
I got tired of the suction-cup GPS mount that came stock with my Garmin 205W. The GPS was exposed to the sun on the windshield and the temperatures where we’ve been this summer worried me that the unit might be getting too much heat. I went on-line and found a nifty little dash mount which I ordered from Amazon last week.
The mount attaches itself to the dash with an adhesive and its footprint is very small which allows us to put it almost anywhere there is a small vacant spot. I chose to attach it to the spot just above the On-Star panel (which we never use) in the SUV. This location is also convenient because it puts the GPS in closer proximity to the passenger if Verna (or myself) need to assist with navigation.
Another plus to the dash mount is that the power cord can be coiled up and isn’t flopping around in the drivers visual field of regard. I kept the suction cup mount in case we need to use the GPS in Verna’s Convertible or if we’re renting a truck or RV.
Click on the image to enlarge.
