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Earth : Asia : Central Asia : Uzbekistan
The meaning of the name Uzbek is disputed. One version is that it is derived from Turkish 'uz/öz' ('good' or 'true') and 'bek' ('guardian').
Uzbekistan is rich in history. Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great. Islam was introduced by Arabs in the 8th-9th century. The most famous leader to come from Uzbekistan is Tamerlane who was born in Shahrisabz south of Samarkand. Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry.
Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991, following the break up of the Soviet Union. In theory the country is a democracy, however, since 1991 it has been run by iron-fisted dictator Islam Karimov, whose security services are widely believed to have killed several hundred protesters in Andijan in 2005 and have been responsible for some severe breaches of the most basic human rights (torture and killings). The country is wealthy in natural resources, yet most of the money is distributed into the president's ruling elite, and much of the country still remains quite poor. Little power exists outside of the presidents family or his close allies. The country remains as the most corrupt out of any former USSR state.
Mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east.
Uzbekistan measures 1450 km West to East and 930 km North to South.
Mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) and Zarafshon; Ferghana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west.
Mar 8 International Women's Day (Xalqaro Xotin-Qizlar Kuni)
Mar 21 Navroz (Persian New Year) (Navro'z Bayrami)
May 9 Remembrance Day, Peace Day or Liberation Day (Xotira va Qadirlash Kuni), remembering that Uzbek troups participated in the Soviet army and that 500.000 Uzbek soldiers were killed in World War II.
Sep 1 Independence Day (Mustaqillik Kuni), remembering the proclamation of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991
Oct 1 Teachers' Day (O'qituvchi va Murabbiylar Kuni)
Dec 8 Constitution Day (Konstitutsiya Kuni), remembering the proclamation of the first constitution of independent Uzbekistan in 1992.
Holidays in accordance with the lunar year: the dates of these holidays vary according to the lunar calendar.
Several of these were once great trading cities on the Silk Road.
Other destinations
Get in
Visas are required for everyone apart from passport holders of CIS countries. A 'Letter of Invitation' (LOI) is no longer required by citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom, but is still required for most others, e.g. for Canadian & US citizens under the simplified visa procedure.
To apply for a visa complete the application form from here, print out the resulting pdf and take to your printed form, together with some photos and a photocopy of your passport to your nearest Uzbek embassy. They will then ask the MFA in Tashkent for permission to issue a visa, which takes 7-14 days. Once this permission is granted you can pick up your visa. To avoid 2 trips to the embassy you can get an LOI in advance (by email) and once approval has been granted you can pick up your visa from your chosen embassy in only 1 visit - this is handy for people travelling who want to pick up a visa 'on the go'. An LOI can be obtained from travel companies when a hotel booking is made. Talk to your local travel agent in your own country. The LOI will typically cost US$30-40 for a short stay. For the latest information see the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [3].
Within 3 days of entrance to the country, you need to make registration, an official statement, indicating the address you are staying at. If you stay at reasonable hotels, they will do it by default, however if you stay at a house, you will face a lot of bureaucratic paperworks in order to register yourself.
When you enter Uzbekistan expect fairly lengthy immigration and passport procedures, but these are fairly painless. In particular you will be asked to declare all the money you are bringing into the country - don't worry about this - declare everything you have and make sure you have less money when you leave. The Uzbek govt don't want precious foreign currency leaving the country.
Travel permits are required for the mountain areas near the border to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, including great parts of the Ugam-Chatkal National Park and Zaamin National Park.
By plane
Tashkent, (IATA: TAS, ICAO: UTTT), is the main international airport of Uzbekistan. The airport itself is reasonably modern and has various international carriers operating as well as the national Uzbekistan Airways [4]. Though the airport infrastructure is good, the staff is not. Expect pointless bureaucracy and an unhelpful attitude from most of them. Baggage claim and customs procedures can be time-consuming - allow two hours.
The are airports at Andijan, Bukhara, Ferghana, Karshi, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Tashkent, Termez and Urgench.
By train
Usable passenger services only exist to Kazakhstan and via Kazakhstan to Russia and Ukraine. These include the following trains:
There are also railway lines linking Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. However, service to Turkmenistan is suspended.
By car
There are roads from surrounding countries but the borders may not be open and there have been security problems. There is a risk of land mines in some border areas.
From Afghanistan
The Friendship Bridge, 10 km south of Termiz, links Afghanistan with Uzbekistan.
From Kazakhstan
There are only two border crossings between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan :
From Kyrgyzstan
From Tajikistan
It is about 55 km from Dushanbe to the border at Denau. Taxis depart from Zarnisar Bazaar in Dushanbe. A seat in a taxi will cost about 8TJS and the trip will take about 90 minutes. There are Miníbusses from the border to the town of Denau. From there you will have to take a shared taxi to Samarkand.
You will have to take a shared taxi from Penjikent to the Tajik-Uzbek border (5 TJS, 22 km) and another one from the border to Samarkand (about 50 km).
By bus
When land borders are open, buses journey to all neighbouring countries.
By boat
Apart from the southern section of the inland Aral sea, Uzbekistan is land-locked. In fact, it's one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world - the other being Liechtenstein.
Get around
By train
The main line Tashkent - Samarkand - Bukhara is served by two express trains named "Registon" and "Sharq": The "Registon" brings you from Tashkent in less than 4 hours to Samarkand and the "Sharq" makes the 600-km-journey Tashkent - Bukhara (with intermediate stop in Samarkand) in about 7,5 hours. A daily overnight train from Tashkent to Bukhara offers the possibility to travel during the night and win one day. Comfortable sleeping cars allow a good sleep. Overnight trains also run from Tashkent and Samarkand to Urgench (3 times weekly) and to Nukus - Kungrad (2 times weekly), so it's also possible to travel to Khiva (30 kilometers from Urgench, taxi/bus available) or to the Aral lake (Moynaq, 70 km from Kungrad) by train.
There are three types of trains:
There are four types of sleepers:
The second best option, and an experience. Don't be put off - these are pretty safe as far as the people go, the roads are a different story - when they exist! But for getting between Nukus and Khiva, or Khiva to Urgench to Bukhara, this is the only realistic way to go.
The taxi driver will have a destination city - so at the ranks ask around for the city you're headed to. If you match, you then negotiate a rate. Ask around beforehand, you can quite easily get ripped off, because each passenger negotiates separately with the driver, so he can charge locals normal rates and take you for all you have.
Once you've done that, you wait. The car only leaves when full, or when the driver gets bored enough. If possible, get thr front passenger seat - 'only a lemon takes the middle seat'. Don't be polite about this - you do NOT want that middle seat. When it's 50C+ in the middle of the desert, with no airconditioning (you pay extra for a car with that), you want to be as close to a window as possible, and with only one person sweating against you!
Also, the roads are slow and sometimes barely existent - dirt tracks with potholes. It takes 6-8 hours from Urgench to Bukhara if you're lucky. Still, the car will probably make it - when you do this section you'll understand why you don't want to risk the bus.
By bus
Bus travel is only for the truly adventurous and not for anyone in a hurry in Uzbekistan. Except for special tours, buses are old, decrepit, crowded, painfully slow and prone to frequent breakdowns. If you do travel any distance on a bus in Uzbekistan, take toilet paper with you and be careful what you eat at stops along the way.
You can travel by private taxi, minibus, or normal bus. While there are official taxis, most cars will become taxis if you wave them down. Meters are rare, so negotiate the price beforehand.
By car
Drive on the right. International driving permit required. Minimum age: 17. Speed limit: 60 to 80 km/h in urban areas, 90 km/h on highways.
There are several paved highways with twe lanes in Uzbekistan:
Urban transport
During the day the metro(underground train)is the good option. After 12 a.m. you are recommended to use taxi services. It is better to call the taxi (car-service) to pick you up in advance. Some car-services can serve the foreign speaking tourists. You can get more information in the hotel.
The majority of citizens are ethnic Uzbeks and most speak Uzbek as their first language, although many also speak Russian. There are also significant numbers of ethnic Tajiks and Kazakhs in Uzbekistan, primarily speaking their native tongue as a first language. In Samarkand and Bukhara, for instance, one is just as likely to hear Tajik being spoken as Uzbek. Russian is widely spoken especially in the cities. In Tashkent the majority of the population speak Russian and one is just as likely to hear it being spoken on the street as Uzbek.
In the semi-autonomous region of Karalkalpakstan in western Uzbekistan, the ethnic Karalkalpaks speak their own language, which is related to Kazakh. Many Karalkalpaks also speak Russian.
In the cities, more and more people speak English, especially those in the hotel and catering trades.
Uzbekistan has preserved a rich architectural heritage. The construction of monumental buildings was seen as a matter of prestige, emphasizing the power of the ruling dynasty, leading families and higher clergy. The external appearance of towns was determined to a great extent by their fortifications. The walls were flanked at regular intervals by semicircular towers and the entrances to towns were marked by darwazas (gates). These gates usually had a high vault and a gallery for lookout and were flanked by two mighty towers. The doors were closed at night and in case of danger. Along the main streets were rows of shops, specialized in different goods, and many skilled craftsmen had their workshops in these stalls. The most important covered markets are called tag, tim or bazaars (shopping passages( and charsu (crossroads, literally "four directions"). In big cities the ark (fortress) was the administrative center. It contained the emir's palace, chancellery, treausry, arsenal and the jail for high-ranking prisoners. The towns also had large public centres, consisting of a maydan (open square) surrounded by large buildings for civil or religious purposes.
Religious buildings
Civic architecture
Architectural Ensembles
Nature Reserves
Uzbekistan finds itself in the curious situation of having a huge trade surplus (from its energy exports) but also having a parallel black market exchange rate. As of August 2011 the official exchange rate was $1 : 1,730 som, but the black market rate was around 2,500, making it worth the effort to avoid official exchange offices. However, money changers are hard to come across - better to ask in one of the numerous mobile phone shops, small grocery shops or just at your hotel. The 500 and 1,000 som notes are the most popular; hence, you will be carrying around bricks of currency. The US dollar is definitely the foreign currency of choice.
ATMs do work with foreign cards, but operate at the official exchange rate, and are usually empty. Hence it's better to prepare sufficient dollars to avoid such situation. Some cash machines do dispense US dollars - however, be careful of withdrawing a large number of dollars and then leaving Uzbekistan with more money than you declared when you entered.
In Uzbekistan people traditionally buy goods at bazaars. Prices are fixed in department stores only. In bazaars, private shops and private souvenir stores haggling is part of the game. Bazaars are the best place to observe the daily life of the locals. The Alayski Bazaar is one of the oldest and most famous bazaars of Central Asia. You will find beautiful rugs, silk, spices, handicrafts and traditional clothes in the Eski Djouva and Chor Su bazaars in the Old City of Tashkent.
Typical souvenirs are:
When you go to restaurants, always ask for menu or price if they do not provide one. While some of the well-established restaurants are surprisingly good value by Western standard, some of the random or less popular restaurants try to take advantage of tourists by ripping off up to 5 times of normal price.
There are two national drinks of Uzbekistan: tea and wine (result of more than a century of Russian domination of the land).
A mind-numbing variety of brands of wine and vodka are available almost everywhere.
Visitors should consider tap water to be unsafe to drink in regions, while in capital of Uzbekistan the water is safe for drinking. In any case drinking bottled water is advised.
In Tashkent there are various night (dance) clubs and restaurants. Usually works till late night/early morning. Take enough cash because drinks and snack is much more expensive than in daily restaurants. Also you can find overnight Uzbek "chill-out" restaurants where you enjoy traditional food laying on large wooden sofas (tapchans/suri). It is not recommended to hang out on the street or parks after 11 p.m. Even if you do not face problems with criminals you definitely attract unwanted interest of local police(militsiya) patrolling the area.
There are many hotels in the country. In Tashkent there are various types of hotels you can stay, it can cost you US$60 and more depending on how much you're willing to pay for your pleasure in hotel.
Yurt stays
Stay safe
The areas of Uzbekistan bordering Afghanistan should be avoided for all but essential travel. Extreme caution should also be exercised in areas of the Ferghana Valley bordering Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. There have been a number of security incidents in this region, as well as several exchanges of gunfire across the Uzbek/Kyrgyz border. Some border areas are also mined. Travellers should therefore avoid these areas and cross only at authorized border crossing points.
For the most part, Uzbekistan is generally safe for visitors, perhaps the by-product of a police state. There are many anecdotal (and a significant number of documented) reports of an increase in street crime, especially in the larger towns, particularly Tashkent. This includes an increase in violent crime. Information on crime is largely available only through word of mouth - both among locals and through the expat community - as the state-controlled press rarely, if ever, reports street crime. As economic conditions in Uzbekistan continue to deteriorate, street crime is increasing.
Normal precautions should be taken, as one would in virtually any country. Especially in the cities (few travellers will spend much time overnight in the small villages), be careful after dark, avoid unlighted areas, and don't walk alone. Even during the day, refrain from openly showing significant amounts of cash. Men should keep wallets in a front pocket and women should keep purses in front of them with a strap around an arm. Avoid wearing flashy or valuable jewellery which can easily be snatched.
Scams are not unheard of. One of the most common (and one that is not limited to Uzbekistan) involves a stranger coming up to the victim and saying they have found cash lying on the street. They will then try to enlist you in a complicated scheme that will result in you "splitting" the cash - of course only after you have put up some of your own. The entire scenario is ludicrous, but apparently enough greedy foreigners fall for it that it continues. If someone comes up to you with the "found cash" routine, tell them straight away that you are not interested (in whatever language you choose) and walk away.
Also beware of locals you don't know who offer to show you the "night life." This should be completely avoided, though some visitors seem to leave their common sense at home.
While all of these precautions should be observed during travel virtually anywhere in the world, for some reason many tourists in Uzbekistan seem to lower their guard. They should not.
It is also possible that you will be asked by police (Militsiya) for documents. This doesn't happen often, but it can, and they have a legal right to do so. By law, you should carry your passport and visa with you in Uzbekistan, though in practice, it is better to make a color scan of the first two pages of your passport and your Uzbek visa before you arrive. Carry the colour copies with you when you're walking around, and keep the original documents in the hotel safe. The scanned documents will almost always suffice. If not, make it clear to the Militsiya officer that he will have to come to your hotel to see the originals. Unless they have something out of the norm in mind (such as a bribe) they will almost always give you a big smile and tell you to go along. Always be polite with the Militsiya, but also be firm. While almost all of them take bribes, they take them from locals. For the most part, they understand that going too far with a foreigner will only cause them problems, especially if the foreigner is neither being abusive nor quaking with fear.
One note about locals offering to show you around: It is common for younger Uzbeks (usually male) who speak English to try and "meet" foreigners at local hotels and offer to serve as interpretors and guides. This is done in daylight and in the open, often in or near some of the smaller but better hotels. This can be rewarding for both the local and the visitor. The local is usually trying to improve their English or French (occasionally other languages, but usually English) and to make a few dollars/euros. If you are approached by a clean-cut person offering such services, and you are interested, question them about their background, what they are proposing to do for you and how much they want to charge you (anywhere between $10-$25 a day is realistic depending on their services and how long they spend with you). Most of the legitimate offers will be from young people who have studied in the West on exchange programs and/or studied at the University of World Diplomacy and/or Languages in Tashkent. If everything seems to fit, their language skills are good and they seem eager and polite, but not pushy, you may want to consider this. They should offer to show you museums, historical sites, cafés, bazaars, cultural advice, generally how to get around, etc. They should ask you what you want to see and/or do. Often this works out well. However, for your and their protection, do not attempt to engage in political discussions of any type.
Again, if they are proposing "night life" (or related) services, do NOT take up their offers.
Due to sliding relationships between the USA and Uzbekistan over the past years the US State Department has strongly discouraged travel to Uzbekistan by American citizens.
Stay healthy
Uzbekistan has not implemented a no-smoking policy in bars and restaurants, unlike many Western countries. Consequently, enclosed spaces can be very unpleasant for non-smokers, especially in the cold weather.
Fruits and vegetables should be peeled before consumption. Avoid drinking Uzbek (locally produced) vodka. Most Uzbek Vodkas are not good even dangerous to your health.
In Uzbekistan, and in Central Asia in general, elderly people are greatly respected. Always treat the elderly with great respect and be deferent to them in all situations. Also be polite with females. Traditionally it is not welcomed to flirt openly with woman. If there is an option to address a male with the question instead of female choose it.
Mobile connection works in most parts of Uzbekistan and the services are cheap. There are several popular mobile service providers in Uzbekistan - Ucell [5], Beeline, MTS (MTC in Cyrillic), Perfectum Mobile. A foreigner can get a SIM card after showing his passport. For activating the cell phone connection a person has to be registered. Generally some vendors are not aware of the law and refuse to sell to foreigners.
You can find Internet cafés in most of the cities. Speeds can sometimes be fast but generally speed is relatively slow.
Further Reading
Colin Thubron, The Lost Heart of Asia, 1994, Penguin


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« Back to people
Adam NashAlumni, Class of 2009
resume: http://www.myspace.com/NashSoundtracks
Before ITP, I was a musician in two touring bands, playing keys and composing material. Igor's Egg, from Ithaca, NY was a storytelling sci-fi prog-funk band (album available summer 2007). Codename, from Philly, plays improvisational rock/jazz fusion and still tours today. I've also always loved writing screenplays and designing games (board and "video").

subset: commoncrawl


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GreenLantern wrote:Nizzy wrote:
P.S. whats your take on IGGY selling his house? Do you think he is ever going to return to the flames eventually? thxSpoiler:I posted something about this in the house thread, linking Iginla's press conference, but he has essentially said he had his choice of 29 hockey teams to go play for and he chose Pittsburgh. He chose this team because they have the two best players in the world, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He stated that he wants to play with those players and ultimately win a Cup. The only way I see Iginla leaving Pittsburgh is if they decide not to sign him at a discount (which as I said above would be foolish) OR he wins a Cup this year. He doesn't see any other team in the league with a better chance than the Pens. And keep in mind his list was submitted BEFORE Murray, BEFORE Morrow, so he isn't just jumping on the bandwagon hoping this one shot works out.
Iginla is a fierce competitor and the only quality that might go above this is his loyalty. He stuck to the city of Calgary like the class act he is despite season after season of crap players and disappointment. As the Captain should he take some blame for this disappointment? Absolutely. But the fault does not lie entirely at his feet. How does that old saying go, you can lead a man to water but you can't make him drink? Oh gosh now I am getting philosophical? Someone stop the madness!
The truth of it is, if it wasn't for him and Kipper the Flames would never had made the playoffs, we never would have had that magical 04 run and I would probably be on medication for severe depression. This kind of loyalty is what you want on your team, Iginla described leaving Calgary as hands down the toughest decision he has ever made in his life. A lot of people will say "Oh yea, no brainer..." but really think about that statement. The toughest decision in your entire life? When all you want to win is a Cup and this team is clearly going full rebuild and you still hesitate down to the last minute to leave? Loyal to a fault.
Also keep in mind that Iginla plays 82 games, and no offense but that seems to be pretty rare for stars on the Pens. In any training camp be it world junior, Olympic or NHL Iginla has always been praised as the best in shape, year after year, the guy is a fitness maniac.
As for selling his house, this doesn't surprise me as I said in the other thread, he summers in BC and I don't expect he will return to this area for at least a few years. The only way he comes back to Calgary as a hockey player is if he wins a Cup this year like I said above.. but even then I can't see it. The Iginla era is over and the best thing he can do for the Flames right now is stay away and let them rebuild their identity. He might come back to retire there if his current team isn't competitive, but believing that team will be the Pens I can't see it.
I fully expect he will be involved in the organization in some way post retirement though. Bah wow long post, sorry for the novel, can you tell I like Iginla?
Good post


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2019 Ram 1500
Rebel 4dr Crew Cab 4WD 5.6 ft SB (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
$931/mo est.
Edmunds' Advice
Price Analysis
163 Days on Lot
Selling slowly, this dealer is motivated to sell soon
Vehicle Details
Price Promise Price: 47557TMV Price: 50042
Ext. Color:
Diamond Black Crystal Pearl Coat
Int. Color:
Black/Red vinyl/cloth
Drive Type:
four wheel drive
All Features & Specs
Side airbag
Wireless phone connectivity
Digital Audio Input
Audio system memory card slot
SiriusXM AM/FM/Satellite Radio
Radio Data System
SiriusXM Satellite Radio(TM)
Total Number of Speakers: 6
Braking Assist
ABS and Driveline Traction Control
Stability controll with anti-roll
Privacy glass: Deep
Polished w/painted accents aluminum rims
Wheel Diameter: 18
Wheel Width: 8
Front fog/driving lights
Leather steering wheel trim
Metal-look shift knob trim
Metal-look dash trim
Aluminum door trim
Metal-look center console trim
Video Monitor Location: Front
Trip computer
External temperature display
Auxilliary engine cooler
Manufacturer's 0-60mph acceleration time (seconds): 7.9 s
Power remote driver mirror adjustment
Heated driver mirror
Heated passenger mirror
Power remote passenger mirror adjustment
Daytime running lights
Audio controls on steering wheel
Front reading lights
Cloth/vinyl seat upholstery
Bucket front seats
Split rear bench
Fold-up cushion rear seats
Rear seats center armrest
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
Transmission gear shifting controls on steering wheel
Electric power steering
Suspension class: Off-road
Manual front air conditioning
Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Tire specific
Remote activated exterior entry lights
Vehicle Emissions: ULEV II
Fuel Type: Regular unleaded
Fuel Capacity: 26.0 gal.
Instrumentation: Low fuel level
Clock: In-radio display
Headlights off auto delay
Dusk sensing headlights
Coil front spring
Regular front stabilizer bar
Independent front suspension classification
Short and long arm front suspension
Front Independent Suspension
Coil rear spring
Rear Stabilizer Bar: Regular
Rigid axle rear suspension
Multi-link rear suspension
Front and rear suspension stabilizer bars
Variable intermittent front wipers
Steel spare wheel rim
Spare Tire Mount Location: Underbody w/crankdown
Black grille
Center Console: Full with covered storage
Overhead console: Mini
Automatic locking hubs
AC power outlet: 1
Curb weight: 5,372 lbs.
Gross vehicle weight: 6,900 lbs.
Overall Length: 232.9"
Overall Width: 82.1"
Overall height: 77.6"
Wheelbase: 144.5"
Front Head Room: 40.9"
Rear Head Room: 39.8"
Front Leg Room: 40.9"
Rear Leg Room: 45.2"
Front Shoulder Room: 66.0"
Rear Shoulder Room: 65.7"
Front Hip Room: 63.4"
Rear Hip Room: 63.4"
Two 12V DC power outlets
Transmission hill holder
Seatbelt pretensioners: Front
Rear center seatbelt: 3-point belt
Door reinforcement: Side-impact door beam
Engine immobilizer
Floor mats: Vinyl/rubber front and rear
Cupholders: Front and rear
Door pockets: Driver, passenger and rear
Seatback storage: 2
Tires: Width: 275 mm
Tires: Profile: 70
Tires: Speed Rating: S
Diameter of tires: 18.0"
Type of tires: AT
Tires: Prefix: LT
Tires: Load Rating: E
Left rear passenger door type: Conventional
Liftgate window: Power
Rear door type: Tailgate
Right rear passenger door type: Conventional
Black bumpers
Fixed antenna
4 Door
Mobile hotspot internet access
Driver airbag
Manual child safety locks
Rear View Camera
Keyless ignition with push button start
5 USB ports
ParkSense rear reverse sensing system
LED low/high beam aero-composite headlights
Dealer Information
Contact Information
Tri-City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
189 Rte 108, Somersworth, NH 03878
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Price excludes all federal, state and local taxes, and all title, license and registration fees. Dealer is under no obligation to include or offer any additional equipment, products or services.
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text:
Actually yes I do know how to create a system.
Reread your own post 114-9 was 2012 AL backtesting record, plus at least 2 losses you had sustained this year up to posting 1 chase, and a losing one at that. As far as JM goes, how is he 10 levels below you. You'ved posted parameters to 1 of your many chases and where the losses occured you incorporated if scenarios, same thing he does. He will at least post his rules. And when you revert to calling me adolescent or childish or to ask my mom permission to play on the computer you'll be showing who the real tool is. Remember the mostly dog chase you posted? You started a new thread becuase you started attacking flareagle like you do eveyone else. You'd be a joke if it wasn't for the fact that in person you're probably sadder than you are funny
Originally Posted by JEFFTHEHAT: Chound and Neilsy 25 I'm proudly awarding you the ignorant posters of the forum award You earned it!
Thank you. That means a lot coming from the most Ignorant person on this or any other forum
Point proven with the name calling and I can't create or backtest a system because of the way I explained it.....ARE YOU REALLY THAT CHALLENGED???? Where did I explain or post or backtested a system I came up with on here?
Let me see here....The great and powerful HATS OVER / UNDER system rule....
Look for a streak of 3 or more overs or under....When streak is boken the 1st game following the streak breaking chase has to be the same as the streak....added filter, 2 of last 3 games from opposing team must be of the upcoming streak being chased.
Example: u u u o u starts a new chase on under as long as opposing team has 2 unders in last 3 games.
Now tell me how clueless I am
Haven't bactested every team yet but it's undefeated on teams I have so far.
It looks like my post started all the negative posts, which wasn't my intention. Your other threads seem legit. It's just that this thread seemed like "Hey guys I have a rad system, but I can't share, Ok bye.".
My point was why bother dangling it in front of us, why not just go bet it?
Like I said I'm with ya on your other threads. I'm sucker for a good betting system.
Really LIKE your baseball systems. C'mon spring.


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Pauline P. Porter (Age 90) died on Friday, December 21, 2012 at home in Alexandria, VA.
Pauline P. Porter (Age 90) died on Friday, December 21, 2012 at home in Alexandria, VA. Polly grew up in southern Arkansas with her brother and four sisters. She enjoyed her time at A&M in Magnolia – especially the attention of a special football player. She and her football player, Wallace Porter, married in April of 1943 after he completed his military training. Following the war, they settled in Fayetteville, NC where Polly started her career as a bookkeeper for a number of local businesses. In 1981 she and Wallace retired to Edgemont AR to enjoy time with family and new friends. Twenty years later she moved to Alexandria, VA to be closer to family. Always interested in others, Polly made friends that she kept close for the rest of her life. She enjoyed her cup of tea in the morning and looking over her flower garden.Polly is survived by her daughter, Ruth Willis, son-in-law, Larry Willis, granddaughter, Jessey Willis, a younger sister, Mary Cheatham, and several nephews and nieces. Family and friends are invited to Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home, Arkadelphia, AR on Sunday, December 30 at 7:00pm. A graveside service will be held on Monday, December 31, 2012 at noon, at the Delamar Family Cemetery near Manning. Although Polly loved flowers, memorial contributions to Southern Arkansas University Foundation, Southern Arkansas University – Box 9174, 100 E University, Magnolia, AR 71753-9973. Sign on-line guest book at www.ruggleswilcox.com.


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Posted on December 10, 2012
Let's assume, just for the sake of bloggery, that you are as far behind in your Christmas shopping as I am, and are looking for ideas. And let's further assume that you somehow failed to attend the Dredge Party last week, and thus lost out on a chance to buy a set of Dennis Rodman paper dolls or a candy dish in the shape of a Hershey's Kiss.
Well, Uncle Blogsy is ready to ride to the rescue. I have just read a handsome collection of short stories which has something for just about every taste. It has lots of pictures and a few good laughs. Your favorite stories may not be the same as mine but, after all, with 125 to choose from, there's plenty for everybody.
The book is, of course, The Newberry 125 Stories From Our Collection. (Newberry Library, 2012, $45). It is the catalogue of the exhibition which now has just three weeks to run, but it will provide food for thought at least until we get around to our Sesquicentennial Exhibition in 2037. It considers the 125 objects in the exhibition and tells the story of each: not just what it is and why it's interesting, but where it came from and why the Newberry has it.
They did come from a variety of sources, from book sales which made national news to one item that was found inside the binding of another book entirely. There's a photo album, things from old scrapbooks, somebody's guest book, and a portable drinking cup. There's also Shakespeare's First Folio, and a book once believed to have come from the landmark-producing press of Gutenberg.
The book tries to answer some of the questions which may occur to you as you leaf through. Why do we have that collection of baseball cards? (They belonged to baseball fan and Studs Lonigan author James T. Farrell.) What makes a paperback book from 1759 such a headliner? (It's a first edition of Voltaire's Candide.) Why do we care about that sketch of a knight in armor set out in a notebook? (Well, A. Conan Doyle drew it as part of the notes for what some people consider his best non-Sherlock work.)
As a publication of a famous research institution, it also points up a number of questions that so far have no answers. Who immortalized his ex by scribbling her name in the margin of the First Folio? What, exactly, did the person who put that devotional print inside the lid of the wooden box have in mind? Who dropped the can of whale meat last time it was on exhibit, so that it was been quietly rotting in a corner of the Moby Dick collection? (Sorry; that's not actually in the book or in the exhibit. That's a previously untold story, just to keep up Uncle Blogsy's reputation for investigative journalism.) Was Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary able to find the pasta machine Jefferson asked for? (Any good book of stories leaves you wishing for more, of course. I am less interested in the pasta machine than in the vase shaped like a duck Jefferson was also looking for. It gives me a new understanding of his multi-faceted intellect: a vase shaped like a duck. What…never mind; we must move along. Christmas is coming.)
The very last story in the book—one page discussing how the exhibition and book were made—is heroic enough to deserve motion picture adaptation. In fact, the whole production, from its discussion of the prizes to be found in old business archives to the coverage of the Bughouse Square Debates held in July during another minor event—is as much a treasure trove as the library it represents. If you have the cash, don't buy just the book: look into the movie rights.
Oh, and in case you didn't know this, it is NOT called a catalogue because the stuff inside is for sale. You cannot buy Pavlova's slippers nor that lovely copy of Hamlet. But I do know where you can get a deal on a candy dish shaped like a Hershey's Kiss.


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I have noticed that the older I get, the more I enjoy celebrating Mother's Day. That is probably due in part to understanding how much my Mom really does for me throughout the year.
My mother had a very busy mother's day – as it coincided with my brother's graduation from pharmacy school, my birthday, my sister's trip to Ireland and my sister-in-law's graduation from optometry school.
Mother's Day has always been kind of special for my mom and me because every once and awhile my birthday will fall on Mother's Day.
Apart from saying happy Mother's Day and getting a card for our mom our family doesn't have any huge traditions for Mother's Day.
I have noticed that the older I get, the more I enjoy celebrating Mother's Day. That is probably due in part to understanding how much my Mom really does for me throughout the year.
While I was in college she worked to keep my bills straight, she has always been there for honest advice and encouragement. She makes me my favorite meals and desserts every time I visit and she is always happy to have a glass of wine with me toward the end of the night.
It's those little things that Mom's do that you don't really understand until you are all moved out of the house and doing things on your own that you miss the most. Like clean laundry or her screaming on the sidelines as I score a goal, or basket or finish first in a race.
This year, in joint celebration of the busiest first weeks of May in history, we went out for pizza. We were scrunched into a booth, eight of us, and she was designated as the person to plate pizza for everyone. Without much elbow room, she held out her arm over the table and smashed a cup of coke into her lap and mine.
What was funny about the spilled coke was that she didn't skip a beat – she continued cutting the pizza for someone else before she even cleaned the coke from her lap. Of course she was a bit embarrassed, but she was also in good humor about it all.
I think that was a good metaphor for the selflessness of my Mom – even with a glass of coke in her lap, she continued to plate a piece of pizza for someone else.
I know my brother, sister and I haven't always made it easy on my mom. Smashing the upstairs hallway or blowing out the siding of the garage with a soccer ball – but I appreciate everything she has done for me, so the least I could do was dedicate a column to my wonderful mother.


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Monday, June 25, 2007
Disney Gets Almost Specific
The scenes that introduce Captain Hook in Peter Pan stand out to me especially after so many long boring totally generic scenes of other characters.
Hook is a pretty standard Disney construction. He has the same construction as all the human characters, only with a pointy nose pasted on. The design is all in the body proportions and the costume. The way he is proportioned and the outfit he's wearing give him his instant iconic look. But the face is fairly standard Disney.
The construction and design is cleverly made to be functional-to make the features pliable and to leave enough room between each feature to move them so that they don't bump into each other when they do move.
It's a very solidly drawn 3 dimensional construction with difficult tall body proportions and like most Disney characters, very hard to control.
That's the Disney animators' greatest skill-controlling tight animation of difficult to draw characters so that it doesn't look like there are any mistakes or jerky actions. They almost always achieve this herculean feat (the original Walt Disney movies) and suitably impress the hell out of us-especially if we are animators. We know how hard it is to do.
The acting in Disney movies is usually a lot less impressive, but Hook is a step in the right direction.
This expression above is not really an expression, It's a stock Disney trick. Squash one eye and stretch the other, which makes the face look organic, rather than mechanic, and organic is what life is.
Squash and stretch and organic pliability are concepts we should understand if we are going to draw life, but they are just the first steps. They are simply tools we could use then to create a lot of unique expressions like humans have. But many animators are merely content with the tools, not the creative use of them.
Frank Thomas is breaking the mold here. He cautiously tries experimenting with Hook's mouth. He is trying out shapes that aren't totally symmetrical and that haven't been drawn before.
The eyes are standard. Nothing new. Squash one, stretch the other. The design of the eyes is the exact same design as all the other characters' eyes and they move exactly the same way as every other character. One at a time. For a take, stretch one up first, and the other follows but doesn't quite make it as high.
Standard eyes, interesting mouth.
For comparison, here is another Disney man. This design is exactly the same design and functional construction as Hook, except fat and with a slightly different nose bulb pasted on. But Smee's expressions are all stock Disney. They aren't expressions, they are merely stretch and squash.
Smee's specific personality trait doesn't happen in his face. He wiggles his fingers every time he gets excited and that's how you know he is a different character than the other pirates who all move the same as hundreds of previous Disney characters.
These mouth shapes Thomas is drawing for Hook are very subtle but original and look more human than the stock mouths we are used to seeing. That is such a radical departure for a Disney character that we start to think of Hook as a real character, by contrast with all the stock characters.
Stock eyes, interesting mouth.
Here's just a really nice angle and tilt of the head.
Same eyes, neat mouth...
I have to wonder, if an animator is capable of taking one part of the face and making original shapes with it, why not do that with the rest of the face? Eyes can be very expressive too. They don't merely squash and stretch.
What is it about Disney films that offer such promise but then never take off? Something or someone is holding everyone back and making them feel guilty if they stray too far from accepted formula. We can forgive a lot of the lack of adventurousness in the drawings and animation, because the draftsmanship and the motion is so awesome.
But for heaven's sake, why not let these animators go and do something?
This Hook stuff looks like Thomas is practicing and getting ready to really do something with the character.
Here are some cool drawings that you don't really see in real time. They are accents on the way to blander expressions. Why not make these keys instead so we can appreciate them?
Peter Pan, like so many Disney movies is a huge unfulfilled promise.
It has a few scenes where it seems like the animators have experimented with certain characters and are now ready to really let loose with them, but the damn story holds them back.
It's 90% filler.
Hook's introduction makes you think he's going to progress and get more and more specific and rich, but he never does. There is no chemistry between him and Pan. Their ancient rivalry is told to us in exposition, but it never comes to life on the screen. They don't seem to connect, even when they fight. They just perform what the story tells them to perform and get it over with.
The story people should have spent more time developing thier relationship and giving them meatier scenes to perform.
Tinker Belle is phenomenally animated and has a great design, but there's nothing for her to do in the story.
The Indian Chief has a very interesting set of dialogue mouth shapes, but once we see that, it never progresses.
It's like Disney teases you with what could be but is never fulfilled. Does anyone have an explanation for this? It's such a mystery!
Instead we get tons of bland boring scenes with generic personalityless characters:
The lost Boys
The snob family
A bunch of generic pirates.
A song about how wonderful Moms are.
(Moms are wonderful, but that's what greeting cards are for, not cartoons.)
Think what kind of a great movie could have been made if they had focused more on Hook, the crocodile, Tinkerbell, the Indians, the mermaids and Pan. These are all the characters that the kids love.
If you lined up an image of each of these characters you would think, "Wow! This is gonna really be fun!"
If you lined up the lost boys, Wendy and the parents and slapped them on a billboard, would anyone want to come see that movie?
That's what modern cartoon movies do, they make stars of the bland characters.
The biggest shame of this Disney blandification and filler is not the classic Disney movies themselves, but the terrible influence these movies have had on later, less skilled generations of animation producers.
Now we have only the blandness and stock acting, but none of the amazing animation or great drawing and none of the characters that at least show promise.
I agree with Milt Kahl about this kinda stuff:
38 comments:
- Kali Fontecchio said...
Captain Hook is definitely a well animated character (except those scenes that were obviously animated by someone else, like an assistant or someone.) There is a lot of skill and knowledge behind those drawings, as you have shown here. I really like those frames where he looks like an alarmed cat!
- Wutatool said...
i really like these kinds of posts(solid drawing type animation) more than the UPA related ones. i find these very educational :)
- Mad Taylor said...
I recently watched Peter Pan and I noticed some really great expressions that Hook does. They all occur when the crocodile is around. Check out the scene when the crocodile first approaches.
My dad wrote the Disney archives and was curious to know what Fred Moore had done on the movie. He did a few scenes before he passed. I'll have to ask my dad what scenes those were again but I think there were only two and I know one had Schmee rowing a boat.
- David said...
I think that most of us animators wouldn't dare come down on a Disney feature this hard, since we have enough trouble keeping our volumes constant, and only dream of moving forms in space so smoothly. That said, the Disney set of stock eye shapes has passed under the critical radar for too long, and it's nice to see someone take issue with it. It's superficially pleasing, sure, but is it the only way to communicate emotion? I hope not. Somehow this post makes me wistful for zanier Disney features, with more 'tactile' and percussive animation.
- Doctor Cerebro said...
i grew up watching disney classics and i cant help but love them. nevertheless i agree with you about the stock acting and constant repetition. I come from spain and it is pretty sad to see that even there producers are trying to apply the disney formula, leading always to pathetic results... it is so awful to watch spanish characters like "El Cid" or whatever acting in this awful and bland disney copy...
Why are you posting Disney stuff? Disney movies are for toddlers and wimps.
- Chris_Garrison said...
> What is it about Disney films that offer such promise but then never take off? ... But for heaven's sake, why not let these animators go and do something? ... It's like Disney teases you with what could be but is never fulfilled. Does anyone have an explanation for this? It's such a mystery!
Here's my explanation -- It is the job of a big publicly traded corporation (i.e. Disney) to make money for its shareholders. It's against the law for them to knowingly waste shareholders' money. If they take too many risks (i.e. experimenting and pushing envelopes), they might not get a big enough return. So, as a corporation, it's actually AGAINST THE LAW for Disney to excel. They can only take baby steps with each project, because they're so deathly afraid of failure.
I think about this in terms of content, too. Animation lends itself perfectly to cool stuff like aliens, and funny stuff like family members who yell at each other. Disney should've made movies about those things in the 60's or something, but the fear of losing money kept them to fairy tales, just taking small forays outside that formula. Finally, with Lilo and Stitch, they decided maybe it wasn't too risky to draw aliens and family members who shout. DECADES LATER than they should've started with that stuff.
- JohnK said...
>>I think that most of us animators wouldn't dare come down on a Disney feature this hard, since we have enough trouble keeping our volumes constant, and only dream of moving forms in space so smoothly.<<
Hi David
yeah I agree with you.
The sheer monumental craftsmanship of moving those characters like that is hard to fathom today.
If you knew what went into the making of the pyramids, you'd be impressed but if you didn't you would just see big dusty triangles.
I just wish people wouldn't talk so much about acting, when that's not the impressive part of the animation.
Didn't Kahl himself long to animate simpler designs, so that he could spend more time on acting and fun stuff?
- Ryan G. said...
I always thought that the reason the main characters were designed so blandly was to be universally accepted. The character has to relate to the "everyman" so therefore it is less specific. The more specific the character gets, the chances are that the millions of people that they want to see the movie, wont relate to them. Is this another decision by the suits or is this a trend among animators?
- PCUnfunny said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- PCUnfunny said...
It's like Disney teases you with what could be but is never fulfilled. Does anyone have an explanation for this? It's such a mystery!"
Disney has always been afraid of life and even more so now. The world is Disney is strictly principle and going beyound that is too big for that narrow scope.
- PCUnfunny said...
By the way, that gold robot in the "meet the robinsons" picture looks like a blander,gayer, C-3PO.
- Wutatool said...
I always thought that the reason the main characters were designed so blandly was to be universally accepted. The character has to relate to the "everyman" so therefore it is less specific
i think the more specific or complex with any drawing you get, the more chance it just plain wont appeal to somebody. look at the abstract asian hello kitty type stuff that is pretty popular. they have no real personality to the drawings, they look completely mindless with not the slightest illusion of thoughts in their heads. you couldnt act with those designs if you tried without pushing them as to be unrecognizable as the iconic, graphic designs they are. thats an extreme example.
so as far as stuff like disney, its either the execs, or the artists, who probably just dont want to take the risk of making something that is just not appealing to a lot of individuals, if they dont have the more relatable proportions. there is huge security in blandness, and thats a sad thing if you wont take any risks.
but i just mean as far as overall character design, i dont think there is any risk if you pull off specific acting with orginal shapes, i dont think thats going to rub anyone the wrong way.
- Kali Fontecchio said...
"i think the more specific or complex with any drawing you get, the more chance it just plain wont appeal to somebody."
I disagree, in fact, I believe the exact opposite of that statement.
"look at the abstract asian hello kitty type stuff that is pretty popular."
The whole Hello Kitty franchise was just created for toys, stationary, etc. whereas you're comparing it to something that was designed to entertain and come to life. There is a pretty big gap between those worlds, don't you think?
- Roberto González said...
Hummm...I'm not sure...
I like Tinkerbell more than Wendy, but they are both kind of generic in their faces, aren't day? Anyway I kinda like Wendy too, for some reason I think her design is adequate to her personality. Wendy's father is pretty generic, but it kinda fits with his personality too. Wendy's brothers could have more interesting designs or personalities.
I used to like the Lost Boys when I was a kid and I still find the design of some of them kind of peculiar. Not the racoon one you posted, that is pretty bland. But the fat and the Foxy ones I think they look good.
Especially Peter Pan I do think he's kinda bland in both design and personality. I actually would prefer if Captain Hook would win, I don't really symphatize with Peter.
- Roberto González said...
Incidentally I am a fan of The Greatest Mouse Detective, I think it's one of the best Disney movies in therms of STORY. Although it's a pretty current film and you probably have a lot of criticisms to do I'd like a post and/or comment about it.
Basil is a different type of Disney heroe and here you could really see the ancient rivalry between Basil and Rattingan IMO.
Also, I forgot to say it previously, Smee looks like Eddie Fitzgerald to me...
- pappy d said...
Where else can you find this kind of serious cartoon scholarship?
Questions of art aside, Hook is a great example of sound industrial design. If you try drawing him, you'll be surprised at how simple his construction is. His face is a concave bean, his nose is a square wedge & his eyes are spheres. Even his ruffles are as simplified as they can be. (Note that when the pressure hit, they eliminated those pointless squiggles on the front of his coat).
You can turn him every which way & you'll still have a clean silhouette. The simple shapes & clean through lines look good in motion & won't strobe like more angular shapes. The bottom line is: They're built for speed, both onscreen & on the assembly line. What individuality they have is largely in how they move.
In a studio the size of Disney, you have artists of widely varying talents (on Pan, everything was hand-inked, too). If your scene has to run the gauntlet, you want to give them something dead simple like balls & beans to draw.
The Indian Chief has a really COOL set of dialog mouth shapes, but he was a bit player & Ward K. probably keyed it all himself.
What really impresses me is that these guys were cranking out 15+ feet a week.
- Wutatool said...
The whole Hello Kitty franchise was just created for toys, stationary, etc. whereas you're comparing it to something that was designed to entertain and come to life. There is a pretty big gap between those worlds, don't you think?
i noticed theres a shitty looking TV show from korea called "pucca" that is that exact same hello kitty aesthetic. i assume it does attempt to tell some semblence of a narrative though i doubt it approaches 'life'.
- Eddie Fitzgerald said...
A terrific post! It may be historic because I doubt that the handling of a major character in "Peter Pan" has ever been criticized this thoroughly in print before.
I mostly agree but not entirely. I definitely wish there had been more specific acting but the amazing thing is that Hook succeeds on some level even without it, maybe for the reason you mentioned, maybe for additional reasons as well. I need to dig out my copy of the film and watch it again!
- Eddie Fitzgerald said...
Roberto: I do NOT look like Smee!!!!!!
- SparkySparky said...
Hey JohnK!
Off topic... you mentioned you are into yodeling. Ever hear of Stimmhorn? Throat singing AND yodeling.
Jus' wonderin' Ren... (I can call you Ren?) :-)
- Marc K said...
"i think the more specific or complex with any drawing you get, the more chance it just plain wont appeal to somebody. look at the abstract asian hello kitty type stuff that is pretty popular. they have no real personality to the drawings, they look completely mindless with not the slightest illusion of thoughts in their heads. you couldnt act with those designs if you tried without pushing them as to be unrecognizable as the iconic, graphic designs they are. thats an extreme example."
Takashi Murakami wrote a lot about Hello Kitty and how his aesthetic fits in with it. Hello Kitty is loved because it is a design that allows the most projection. Hello Kitty doesn't judge its owner. Hello Kitty has no mouth to express feelings. When a little girl feels sad Hello Kitty feels sad with her. When a little girl feels happy Hello Kitty feels happy with her.
- Katie said...
" Something or someone is holding everyone back and making them feel guilty if they stray too far from accepted formula. We can forgive a lot of the lack of adventurousness in the drawings and animation, because the draftsmanship and the motion is so awesome."
You're not really allowing for any kind of style, are you? You could say that Ren and Stimpy is always so crazy and wild... it's like the animators had someone looking over their shoulder the whole time making sure they stuck to that "accepted formula."
"But for heaven's sake, why not let these animators go and do something?"
I find it bewildering that you consider Disney animation and design uninventive and unadventurous. These are the animators who gave us the rules and techniques that students are taught in Animation 1. They made animation and character design what it is.
I used to get annoyed at your posts like this. But then I began hearing stories about you from my instructors. Apparently it's simply the case that you just don't like what's popular... just because it's popular. So now I just kind of shake my head and laugh at posts like this.
- JohnK said...
Hi Katie
thanks for your post. I must challenge it slightly though...Bugs Bunny and Popeye were very popular. So was the Honeymooners, Film Noir movies, the 3 Stooges and lots of other stuff I've done posts on.
Ren and Stimpy and my style is totally influenced by popular entertainment.
Would it have been so different than everything else that was around before if I just accepted what everyone believed about animation at the time?
You're right I stood over people's shoulders... but to get them NOT to follow formulas!
Anyway, I like Hook and just wish they would have given us more of him and took him further.
I wouldn't believe everything your teachers say either. Check the stuff out for yourself and make up your own mind.
When I challenge accepted notions, I do my best to present some evidence to support my opinions, and it's all for a grander purpose, to encourage animators to bring back growth and evolution to our art.
We can't do it with closed eyes...
- Mike said...
i like that johnk doesnt accept anything as perfect, and finds explainable reasons how all sorts of things have room for improvement, have good elements and less good elements.
thats how i was taught you should approach your art skills for your entire life until you are dead, there's always more to learn. Even though you have to stop working on a certain thing it always could have been better. i was told milt kahl said something like that, coincidentaly. that even he saw room for personal growth in his skills even at his genius level.
- JohnK said...
I'd swear I read Milt Kahl hated working on Peter Pan and begged for more cartoony stuff.
- amir avni said...
IMO Milt Kahl's approach to animating is very similar to Bob Mckimson's- Both had solid control of their characters and used subtle 3-dimensional gestures in many of their scenes.
Milt Kahl became a legend, however McKimson is dimmed to many.
That's why I'm glad you've been reminding blog readers and commentary listeners of what McKimson could do. He really deserves the credit.
- Daffodil said...
Hi, I am working on producing the different effects like squash, stretch, joy, etc using a algorithm i found in a paper. But to test this I have not bee able to find images showing these actions. I was wondering if you could help me with this an suggest some sites which show images of cartoon characters depicing these effects. I came across your blog in google search.
Thanks in advance.
- Maximum Awesome said...
Milt Kahl, in 3 youtube videos (disney family album) complains about "middle of the road human characters", saying you just have to accept doing the "straight jobs", and hope there'll be entertainment in other characters.
He didn't specify too much, but it seemed he was bored by their inflexibility more than challenged by their complexity: though he did say "hardest", so I dunno.
- Max Ward said...
Wow I've never read anything analysing a major Disney character like this before.
And Milt Kahl did say he was tired of animating hard to draw bland characters and wanted to get back to characters like Br'er Rabbit, who he thought was the most rich character he ever animated. In this video Milt talks about it in the beginning and towards the middle.
- JohnK said...
Hey thanks for the milt Kahl links!
i posted the clip in the article.
- Gabriel said...
John, your link got screwed. But cool clip, and great post as always.
The best thing about snow white are the witch and the dwarfs, but they made that dwarf look dull in the clip, by showing him right after a ridiculously funny fat guy dancing.
- Marcelo Souza said...
"Why are you posting Disney stuff? Disney movies are for toddlers and wimps."
Please shut up! What are you talking about? No one posting here, including John K. himself, can draw and animate half as well as those giants did. You may not like the type of stories they produced but the sheer draftsmanship is awesome to say the least. Actually I don't know how they did it because even the great ones of today(Keane, Deja etc...) don't come close to those guys. Let's face it, we are a generation of lazy and fat couch potatoes who rush to criticize anything in sight but are mediocre ourselves. We don't want to go through the extensive training and dedication to perfect our skills like they did in those days. The stories may be for "wimps" but to achieve that level of quality you got to be tenacious, you got to have balls, you got to be "macho".
- cemenTIMental said...
Daffodil, are you a robot? You've found an algorithm for Joy? Good luck in your quest to become human i guess. :)
- Mr. Semaj said...
Milt Kahl claimed later in his career that he was indeed dissatisfied with most of the characters he had to animate, to the point where he worked in isolation on The Rescuers. There was a disagreement between he and other animators in how he animated his characters in that movie, and it would incidentally be his last film.
If Kahl was so dissatisfied with drawing mostly humans from the features, why didn't he go back to animating shorts?
- Virgil said...
those Hook poses you like are extremes, and for a good reason. If everything would be that insanely twisted and exaggerated in an animation... well, it would be called... cartoony animation, hahahahaha. I mean, no, there would be a whole lot less contrast, if any. Anyway, I don't agree that only exaggerated expressions should be called expressions, au contraire, in live action, like on a close up especially, you still see a lot of richness, while the intensity of the performance is extremely reduced. Disney style tries to simplify mouth shapes and have smoother shapes in general, with their design and animation. now maybe some people, like you, prefer more jittery scraggly noisy chaotic extreme look/design, but the Disney look is definitely a mature style that has a lot of merit, and a lot of people love it, because it's insanely appealing - maybe not natural, and I had many times I though it's to... aggressively appealing, and artificial, and I felt like it's stupid. but it's a highly polished and researched style that evolved in time, through the hard work and brilliant craftsmanship of lots and lots of artists. like Mozart's music - you could think of it as too simple or too limited by tight rules, but in fact this limiting is its strength, and even if it repeats a lot of the same ideas over and over, there is quite a bit of variety if you look at it closer, and there can be no denying that people love it, which is what matters most.
- mt.per said...
John K. wrote: "I'd swear I read Milt Kahl hated working on Peter Pan and begged for more cartoony stuff."
I thought i read that when Kahl was complaining about this, Ward Kimball gave him a Cheshire Cat grin and said something like 'Yeah Milt, but you do the boring crap so well!'
I've always enjoyed reading your blog, it's terrifically entertaining & educational. I don't always agree though, or maybe I don't understand. I've always thought Hook was one of the best animated characters ever (and we shouldn't forget Hans Conreid's voice). You the praise the drawing of his mouth but criticize the eyes as "standard". I may not have a subtle mind, but they look fine to me. These eyes fit Hook's face, they're not generic, you couldn't cut them out and paste them on some other characters face & get away with it(unlike say, Smee's eyes, or any of the various Disney handsome princes & lovely maidens, and let's not talk about the Hanna-Barbera eyes or Roger Ramjets). Plus, Hook really looks like he can "see" though those eyes, & there's a big variety of emotions just through the eyes and eyebrows. I especially like the look Hook gives as he looks upward & starts to pull the the pistol out of his coat. And the the subtly pensive look he has with the gun on the table as he sucks on his cigars looks to me like the drawings the Disney staff used to make of some guy named Walt.
"....the exact same design as all the other characters' eyes and they move exactly the same way as every other character. One at a time. For a take, stretch one up first, and the other follows but doesn't quite make it as high."
Wasn't that the exact look Walt Disney gave his staff when he didn't like their stuff?
So John K, to show me exactly what we're talking about, my request is for you (or some other talented person) to take some of the Hook drawings and redraw more interesting or appropriate eyes onto his face. Maybe they'll be big improvements....
Last kvetch: You may be right about what's wrong with the Peter Pan story & characters. But I find it true in all the different Peter Pan productions. It's inherent in JM Barrie's original, & while Disney made his changes he no doubt didn't want to stray too far from the beloved original.
Again, I really like this blog. Thanks
- JohnK said...
>>those Hook poses you like are extremes, and for a good reason. If everything would be that insanely twisted and exaggerated in an animation... well, it would be called... cartoony animation,<<
Hey Virgil
really they aren't extreme at all. They are very subtle and mild.
Real people are much more exagerrated and more specific and have a lot more contrast.
More contrast is what most animation needs.
Thanks for your comment.


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If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea, you will need an exam of your mouth, nose, throat, and neck to make sure that there aren't any problems with those tissues or structures. You may be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist).
You will be asked about your sleep habits, such as whether you snore and if your bed partner witnesses that you stop breathing. You will also be asked about daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and if you easily fall asleep. A screening form may be completed, such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).
There are 2 tests that can help in the diagnosis of sleep apnea: the polysomnogram and the multiple sleep latency test. A sleep specialist usually conducts both of these tests in an overnight sleep laboratory. However, it is possible to perform a modified test at home.
Polysomnogram Test (Sleep Study)
For this test, you spend the night in a sleep center. Tiny electrodes are attached to various areas of your body in order to closely monitor your heart rate, eye movements, brain waves, and muscle activity throughout the night. Monitors also record your pulse rate, information about your breathing, changes in the concentration of oxygen in your blood, and your body position. An electrocardiogram (EKG) keeps track of whether you have any changes in your heart's rhythm during sleep. The number of apnea events is recorded.
A modified version of this test can sometimes be performed at home.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea (the most common type of sleep apnea), you may have the same test again, while wearing a face mask that provides positive pressure. This is called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This mask is supposed to prevent the collapse of your airway and maintain your breathing during the night. At times, evaluation with CPAP can occur during the second half of the night after evaluation without CPAP. This is called a split-night study.
Multiple Sleep Latency Test
This test is usually done the day after the polysomnogram. With the same set of electrodes still attached, you are asked to take a series of 20-minute naps, every 2 hours throughout the day. The electrodes provide information about how quickly you fall asleep and how quickly you reach various levels of sleep, particularly the level called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This test can help determine your level of daytime sleepiness due to sleep apnea. If you fall asleep in 5 or fewer minutes, it may be a sign of extreme sleepiness due to sleep apnea. This test is most often performed to evaluate for other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. It is often not necessary when evaluating for sleep apnea.
Other Tests
If you're suspected of having central sleep apnea (less common than obstructive sleep apnea), you may need a variety of other tests to diagnose an underlying medical condition. Your doctor will have to determine what other symptoms you have and use these symptoms to determine which further studies may be needed.
Possible other tests include:
- Blood tests
- Echocardiogram
- MRI or CT scans of your brain
- Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies—brain wave studies
- Electromyogram (EMG) studies—studies of electrical conduction along nerves
- Nocturnal pulse oximetry
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Marcie L. Sidman, MD
- Review Date: 12/2016 -
- Update Date: 05/20/2015 -


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It is no secret that Oak Ridge has been getting some great press lately thanks to Denise Kiernan and her fine book "The Girls of Atomic City" (976.873).
It is no secret that Oak Ridge has been getting some great press lately thanks to Denise Kiernan and her fine book "The Girls of Atomic City" (976.873).
In it she highlights the stories of just a few of the young women who grabbed the opportunity to come to a brand new town — one with no name tucked away in the Tennessee hills — in order to earn a good wage and do their part to end the war. In the process, these plucky women helped change their world and established a thriving city.
Little Shirley Falls, Maine, is one of those places where everyone knows everyone's business and family history. Jim and Bob Burgess were always self-conscious about the freak accident that claimed their father's life, and so they both left town for New York City as soon as they could. Jim is now a high-profile lawyer, cocksure and brittle. Bob is also a lawyer, but he works for Legal Aid. A call from their sister Susan, whose son has committed a disturbing hate crime, takes them back to their hometown — a visit with profound consequences for them all. "The Burgess Boys" is the latest from Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout.
According to investigative journalist Michael Moss most of us are unknowingly addicted to the processed food we eat. The culprits are three inexpensive ingredients — salt, sugar and fat — which the industry manipulates in just about all processed foods offered in supermarkets. As a result, we are suffering from more clinical obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure than ever before, which coincidentally means more money for the health care industry. Moss reveals the disturbing details in "Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us" (613.200).
Ursula Todd is born and dies many times in her life. She is stillborn in 1910 because the doctor is stuck in a snowdrift; yet moments later the scene replays with a doctor on hand to save her. As her life unfolds many times, Ursula begins to get a sense of the history she is reliving — until one day she decides the thing to do would be to assassinate Hitler. Kate Atkinson gives her popular series hero Jackson Brodie a rest in her completely different and unusual new novel, "Life After Life."
A couple of new books on the Afghan War focus on the autumn of 2009 and two particularly deadly attacks on U.S. troops by the Taliban. Cpl. Dakota Meyer tells of the ambush at Ganjigal and the deeds that earned him a Medal of Honor in "Into the Fire: a Firsthand Account of the Most Extraordinary Battle in the Afghan War" (958.100). In "The Outpost: an Untold Story of American Valor" (958.100), ABC News correspondent Jake Tapper relates what happened when 400 Taliban attacked the 50 U.S. soldiers based at the remote Combat Outpost Keating.
A wealthy Iranian businessman hires the upscale investigative firm Ikertu to find out why the buyer of his company has backed out of the transaction. Darius Qazai believes some false information about his past scotched the deal, and he wants Ikertu investigator Ben Webster to find out what it is. Webster takes on the job even though he senses something about Qazai is not quite right. Unfortunately, his instincts prove correct — before long both Ben and his family are threatened by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. "The Jackal's Share" continues Chris Morgan Jones' fine series.
Other new titles:
Fiction — "Warm Bodies," by Isaac Marion;
"The Beautiful Indifference: Stories" (SS), by Sarah Hall;
"Red Velvet Cupcake Murder: a Hannah Swenson Mystery with Recipes!" (M), by Joanne Fluke;
"The Straw Men: a Brother Athelstan Medieval Mystery" (M), by Paul Doherty.
Nonfiction — "American Sniper: the Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" (956.704), by Chris Kyle;
"Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay: Reflections on Art, Family & Survival" (701.030), by Christopher Benfey.


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The Rev. Lowell W. Rasmussen, 99, died Jan. 15, 2013, at Pratt Rehabilitation and Residence Center. He was born Aug. 26, 1913, at Plainview, Neb., the son of Benjamin C. and Leona Mae Hall Rasmussen.
He was a retired Friends Church minister. He attended Friends Bible College, now Barclay College, and graduated from Cascade College in Portland, Ore. He ministered in the Friends churches in Paonia, Colo., Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Muscatine, Iowa, Indianola, Iowa, Derby, Kan., and following retirement, he served as minister of visitation and part-time custodian in the Denver Friends Church, Denver, Colo. He was a member of the Pratt Friends Church. His hobbies were woodworking and painting.
On June 16, 1933, he married Ruth E. Binning at Yankton, S.D. She survives.
Other survivors include a son, Denis L. Rasmussen and wife Verlene, Pratt; a daughter-in-law, Marguerite Rasmussen, Benton; seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Wayne, E. Rasmussen; and two brothers, Ronald and Melvin Rasmussen.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Pratt Friends Church, with Pastor Mike Neifert and the Rev. John Havens officiating. Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m., at Ayres-Calbeck Mortuary. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Pratt Friends Church or Barclay College, Haviland, in care of the mortuary, 115 E. Fourth, Pratt, KS 67124.


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Today THE NEW CARRIAGE by Earle S. Teegarden, Sr.
Well folks, I am finally working on the last part of "A 200 year Chronology of Livingston County". I published the first 100+ years back last summer in a blog article with a promise of finishing it soon. I am past due on that promise. While compiling new information, I took another (much closer) look at the fine work done by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in 1981.
This document is available on our Livingston County Library website and is entitled "Livingston County History - Celebrating 150 Years, 1821-1981." "Nit Pickers" may quibble with the math, but the content is refreshing, organized, and well done. This team was led by Mary Ruth Seiberling and the list of contributors/editors evoke many fond memories of my childhood. The only person I know that is still with us is Miss Virginia Wall.
I found lots of good material for my chronology task, but I also found an appendix of sorts entitled "Old Time Tales" that I had simply overlooked. These stories are prime source snippets as told by our seniors that recall our past. They are charming. Most of them are just the right length and all are on topic for our purpose.
So, my plan for the next little while is to select some of them and provide for your enjoyment. I may include more than one in some posts. There are some tough choices from the dozens available and I invite suggestions. I will entitle this series "Grand River Tales - Part n." So let us celebrate as we remember .
THE NEW CARRIAGE by Earle S. Teegarden, Sr.
As the Teegarden family increased in number and the children grew larger, it was impossible for all of us to go visiting to town or any place in one vehicle unless we went in the big "wagon". So it was necessary that we buy a carriage. It was perhaps about 1910 or 1912 that we secured a new one at the cost of about $100.00.
1 am sure that Dad "looked around" and finally decided to order one from Montgomery Ward and Co. I well remember the Sunday morning when we went to Nettleton to get it. It came "knocked down" and that necessitated considerable unpacking, sorting and assembling various parts. It was quite a job but I think we had some volunteer assistance. You can usually find some men in a crowd who are willing to lend a hand. They had assembled to meet No. 4 or the "Ten O'clock" train and several lingered to help after the train had departed. Even at that I remember we had a late Sunday dinner.
The carriage was well built and very sturdy and strong. The top was not the one with the fringe on top. It rather resembled the shape of a buggy top which gave more protection from the sun and rain and also added to the appearance of the vehicle. The seats were roomy and covered with leather. An attractive sturdy stop at the back seat served as a fender and enabled the passengers to get in and out without difficulty. The wheels were much heavier built then for a buggy and the tongue, doubletrees and singletrees were well constructed. It was black in color and was a carriage of which we were all very proud.
In the winter or if it was raining a complete set of side curtains were provided which were reasonable effective in keeping out the cold and rain. A large covering was so constructed that it was fastened over the dash board and covered the laps and legs of the occupants of the front seat from the elements.
The family used the carriage a great deal and I recall having gone many places in it and it served its purpose very well. The horses that pulled it were only farm animals but the carriage itself would have been appropriate for a smooth city boulevard rather than a country road. Dad kept the carriage in the barn or in a shed so that it retained its good color and appearance for many years.
One Sunday evening as we were returning from Grandmother Schneiter's, we were about one half mile south of the home of Sam Towne and along the east side of the Wolcott 100 acres when we met Fred Dolan who was driving their cows home from pasture. Fred made one observation and said "A wagon load for a dime." I think that mother resented the brash remark but Dad got a big laugh out of the boys remark.
Incidentally this remark appeared on the cover of pencil tablets which we used in school. It contained many sheets of cheap paper for 10 cents and along with the slogan was a picture of a wagon load of children in a cart pulled by one horse so the remark was not original with Fred. One final observation, the new carriage displeased our old dog Bounce and at first he refused to follow it. I have often wondered why the old dog reacted to it in such a manner. He loved to go with the horses but he did not seem to understand about the carriage. That was one way to keep him at home when many other methods failed as he was very insistent in accompanying us when we left home.
After some months, Bounce, began to follow it again and was probably as proud and happy about it as all the Teegardens were.


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Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:ASNA) has a Q.i. Value of 21.00000. The Q.i. Value ranks companies using four ratios. These ratios consist of EBITDA Yield, FCF Yield, Liquidity, and Earnings Yield. The purpose of the Q.i. Value is to help identify companies that are the most undervalued. Typically, the lower the value, the more undervalued the company tends to be.
Checking in on some valuation rankings, Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:ASNA) has a Value Composite score of 11. Developed by James O'Shaughnessy, the VC score uses five valuation ratios. These ratios are price to earnings, price to cash flow, EBITDA to EV, price to book value, and price to sales. The VC is displayed as a number between 1 and 100. In general, a company with a score closer to 0 would be seen as undervalued, and a score closer to 100 would indicate an overvalued company. Adding a sixth ratio, shareholder yield, we can view the Value Composite 2 score which is currently sitting at 12.
Watching some historical volatility numbers on shares of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:ASNA), we can see that the 12 month volatility is presently 58.496500. The 6 month volatility is 58.157400, and the 3 month is spotted at 56.494100. Following volatility data can help measure how much the stock price has fluctuated over the specified time period. Although past volatility action may help project future stock volatility, it may also be vastly different when taking into account other factors that may be driving price action during the measured time period.
Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:ASNA) has a current ERP5 Rank of 92. The ERP5 Rank may assist investors with spotting companies that are undervalued. This ranking uses four ratios. These ratios are Earnings Yield, ROIC, Price to Book, and 5 year average ROIC. When looking at the ERP5 ranking, it is generally considered the lower the value, the better.
We can now take a quick look at some historical stock price index data. Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NasdaqGS:ASNA) presently has a 10 month price index of 0.52055. The price index is calculated by dividing the current share price by the share price ten months ago. A ratio over one indicates an increase in share price over the period. A ratio lower than one shows that the price has decreased over that time period. Looking at some alternate time periods, the 12 month price index is 0.37001, the 24 month is 0.27260, and the 36 month is 0.22042. Narrowing in a bit closer, the 5 month price index is 0.75248, the 3 month is 0.59468, and the 1 month is currently 0.74656.