blads blog

Way back in 2011 , I was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma, titled,  Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL).  It was considered to be totally non-aggressive and is commonly known as "the Lazy Cancer".  As  “it” was not causing me any concern or stress, it was decided that we would not interfere with it… So we did and watch wait approach and go on with our lives... Middle of this year, I started having "hip" issues and it turns it was a bursitis which was resolved very effectively with cortisone injection.  Shortly after that, started getting "back problems", nothing too much at first, then legs started to have "pins and needles". Late October, I finally had some "free time" to get into my GP and get CT scan... unfortunately another large mass (5.1cm x 5.6cm x 2.2cm) was found, roughly in the middle of my back which was putting pressure on my spinal canal / nerves. In I go for another biopsy... and again w...

Once again, Autodesk have provided a subscription only mid-year release.  For the full review, refer to Redstack's blog site , where it was first posted.

Autodesk University , or AU as its more commonly known by is an annual conference run by Autodesk each year, where all the biggest CAD geeks on the planet assemble and compare notes on best practices for their industries and try to outdo each other when squealing in glee over the latest updates to their favourite CAD package.   Whether you're interested in  Revit ,  AutoCAD ,  Inventor ,  BIM ,  Civil 3D ,  3D printing , point clouds or anything else CAD, design, architecture or engineering related, AU is a huge show with something for everyone. I've had the opportunity to attend AU for the past ten years and I must tell you: I have squealed with the best of them!  Seriously, AU is a fantastic event that gives you the opportunity to look at your everyday work processes in ways you’ve never even considered. Let me put that into perspective for you. I’ve been using CAD in excess for 30+ years now, I've been an architectural technician, buil...

Something a bit different this time around, another alternative varietal favourite of mine in ... Trincadeira  is one of a number of Portuguese red wine varieties which have been introduced into Australia. In early days it was used extensively used to make a port style wine. Rich in colour, with good acidity and rarely an excess of alcohol, Trincadeira or Tinta Amarela (if you are speaking to a Portuguese Douro producer) makes wines of serious quality when ripe. Properly ripened, it has vibrant raspberry fruit tempered by herby, peppery, spicy, floral complexity, and it can age well. Typically, in Australia, it is used in a blended capacity, however there are now a number of wineries producing a single varietal wine.  One of which,as mentioned is a particular favourite of mine... Patritti Wines .  Patritti was the first Australian winery to release a Trincadeira red wine under its official Portuguese varietal name. Recently their 2012 Trincadeira wine wa...

Torbreck 2007 Old Vines Shiraz Another stunning Shiraz, (or as my US friends call it a "Syrah"), however this time it is from the famous Barossa Valley.   I was pleasantly surprised with this wine as it had fantastic fruit-driven sweetness, reminiscent of a traditional home-styled Italian/European red wine. Not something that I expect from a wine from 100-year old vines. Deep garnet red in colour with flickers of purple, the wine’s high-toned aromas of black cherries, five spice, crème de cassis and spring flowers are supported by a rich core of roasted earth, liquorice, and provençal herbs. The palate offers a soft latent richness and silken-like texture with subtle notes of crushed cherries, plums and earth - all neatly wound by a taut spine of acidity and ripe supple tannins and fruity sweetness. Oh my god, it was Gorgeous!!!

Australia's most popular grape varietal, Shiraz is full-bodied with high alcohol, and vibrant berry and plum on both the nose and palate. Some years ago I discovered the Mitolo brand and it’s was a very good surprise, indeed!!!   Today's selection is a Mitolo 2006 Shiraz 'G.A.M.' (the initials of the Mitolo children, “Gemma, Alexander & Marco”) wine has an opaque purple-ish colour, has an aromatic array of roasted coffee, violets, lavender, pepper, Asian spices, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur.  In the mouth it is velvety-textured, deep, concentrated, opulent, and altogether hedonistic.  The focus is on McLaren Vale fruit from Willunga, which is located towards the most southern part of the district. Thankfully I have other bottles of this vintage, as it has been suggested that it will drink well through to 2020.  It is definitely a personal favourite.

OK I promised fellow Redstack  co-worker and Blogger, Damien Jovica  to write a review on this blog of a wine that I've had during the past week, usually at "Wine O'Clock, Friday afternoon... so that end, I'd like to present to you all, my first "Wine of The Week" - a glorious 2008 Symphonia Tannat. What the heck is a Tannat, you say???  I am a big fan of Alternative varietal red wines and I found this variety some 7 years in NE Victoria.... and WOW what a stunner!!! For the uninitiated, Tannat's homeland is the South Western area of France, and one of its synonyms, Madiran, is also the name of an important appellation in that part of the world.  Wines of this variety are notable for their very high levels of tannin. Tannat wines are also very high in polyphenols - these are good chemicals in wine that keep your heart healthy (according to researcher & author Roger Corder in the book " The Red Wine Diet "). T annat's have a reputat...

Recently Autodesk gave me the opportunity on relating my experiences with their new Stereo Panoramas feature It was first posted by Autodesk .  See   Rendering Pro - My Stereo Panorama Experience by Bill Adams A still of the interior I later rendered as a stereo panorama

ULTIMAKER 2 Having a 3D Printer can open up a world of customization faster and closer to home. With the Ultimaker 2, you can personalize the objects in your life and have fun doing it. Designed for both the novice and the skilled, the Ultimaker 2 is well built and easy to interface with, and it creates stunning 3D prints. For its large build sizes, included accessories, robust software and print-quality score, the Ultimaker 2 wins!!! Every inch of the Ultimaker 2 is designed to create the most effortless and enjoyable 3D printing experience ever. With ground-breaking 20 micron definition and near silent operation, it’s a leap forward in accurate 3D printing. Everything's taken care of from the moment it’s out of the box, it’s ready to go. Intuitive software quickly and intelligently prepares your design for print. A radial scroll wheel allows for adjustment to speed and heat even whilst it’s printing. Long print jobs come with the reassurance of hours upon hours of conti...

If there were ever a time to upgrade your AutoCAD license it is now! So what's new? Whilst there doesn’t seem to be any one “new” thing, there is a plethora of product enhancements to existing commands and features. One thing that isn't new is the DWG file type, yes AutoCAD 2016 will still run on AutoCAD 2013 DWG. Here’s a brief list of some of the new enhancements and features…          Snap to geometric centre.  A new object snap mode – geometric centre, or GCE at the command-line – allows you to snap to the centre of closed polylines, whether regular or irregular.           REVCLOUD command has some new options.           The DIM command has been updated. The command has combined all dimensions creation controls into one command. Simply type DIM on the command line and right-click. Thankfully, I no longer have to find or remember the commands for the individual dimension types.   ...

The place that  Revit  holds in Australia's architecture and construction scene is simply undeniable. Since the time I became one of Australia's first users of the software back in the early 2000s, I've seen its presence Down Under grow in leaps and bounds, and for good reason. But where does the appeal even come from in the first place? I think the solid backing and reputation of Autodesk, who owns and produces Revit, certainly has a part to play. In addition to its technical superiority there's a huge worldwide support base to fall back on, and that definitely lends it an aura of credibility. There are certainly a lot of other products out there - many of which I've used at some point - but it's clear that few come close to Revit. It's become even better over the years. With a new rendering engine, you can do a lot more things with it than before. From incorporating structural and MEP disciplines to point cloud compatibility, it's a much more slic...