Everythingape

just stumbled across this thread! congrats. the veiws are fantastic.

not that it matters now, but have you tried sketchup pro? You can create easy 3D models. This would have been great for your initial drawings. You can even export your models to google earth. There is a free version and the pro version. I used it when we renovated our basement. We were able to draw up many floorplans and make revisions easily. I've used it to design our deck and landscaping in the back yard. Lots of fun with an easy learning curve.

Thanks, Stilty.

I installed the free version of Sketchup, fiddled with it for a while, but by that time I had come so far with my Photoshop-plans that I didn't bother going all the way. But it really is a great program for anyone to become a "3D-designer".

As a sales rep for professionals in the building trade, I see tons of new homes every day. I can tell you that this house is a thing of beauty. It looks like you have been doing this for years with the progress you have made.

Those views are something dreams are made of...WOW!!!

Best of luck!!

Thanks! You flatter me, sir!

I've probably mentioned it before in this thread, but I call myself a sloppy perfectionist, being easily annoyed by imperfections around me.

Having had little to no experience building houses, it really isn't so bad if you take your time and do a little 'research' before each project. I read a few books before I started, and find a lot of experience online that I try to learn from.

That being said, I have had great help both from friends and family and the people I pay. The building foreman is my neighbour two houses over, so he looks like he's investing a little extra time and effort in getting it just right, as well as helping me out with the part I do myself. Anything seems possible if you're willing to pay.

-Ape-

hey toad,

that was a top notch post. i think you qualify for POTM. just ignore ape, his wifey was standing next to him.

Hey, I was just replying to the poor guy thinking he had done something wrong.. Telling him why I thought there was some growling about a couple of his posts. ..nice of you guys to pick it up after three months though. ..he could have used this support back in september when people were 'ostracizing' his posts.

Congrats! Wear it well.

I didn't like the PAMs at first, but they certainly grow on you.

..but if that's an 8 inch wrist, you must have the tallest wrists in history.

Thanks guys!

View-wise we're a bit jaded around here. I grew up looking at that bay from the island you see through the bedroom window. Only the recent years have I really started to appreciate it.

Our first draft for a house was an architect-drawn, long and narrow thing with tall panorama windows and everything focused westward. I understood the general idea, but I thought it was too cold with all the glass, so we went for my own suggestion.

We've started the home stretch in the house; paint, floors and cupboards left to do. I have great help from my father and father-in-law who get dirty while I am at sea.

I find it hard to take pics worth showing now that the dividing walls are all up, but playing around with panorama shots, basically stitching a lot of photos together, I came up with these. Ignore the obvious fisheye-distortion.

The "Master Bedroom" ('This is where the magic happens')

The dining room

My daughter's room

The living room

Got into a yet another discussion about club spending with a Liverpool-supporting mate this weekend, and I finally found some summed up documentation:

Premier League 'Top 5' spending since 1992

A little caveat about the accuracy of the numbers, ..But I'm not going to check them, of course.

A tight fisted bunch, Arsenal!

PS: Sorry about the heading, DBR.

I use the Colgate thing Teejay uses, It FEELS effective as hell, and brushing with an ordinary brush doesn't feel as effective after you've tried this.

I wish you guys would say which one is the rep!!!!

Hell I own the damn gen and I cannot tell from just looking at the pics!!!!!!

Look at the length of the hands, particularly the minute hand. The rep has shorter hands. That's the easiest way to spot it in these pics. ..and it's not easy to see here, but the He-valve is set a bit lower on the case towards the 10-o'clock marker on the rep. On the genuine it's set on the 'slope' of the lug, nearer 11 o'clock. Also check for the gap between the solid end link and the second link on the bracelet and the pearl which is bigger and more 'blotted' on a rep.

If you get anal you can spot a rep by the colour of the lume on the hour markers, the Omega symbol being too close to the letters underneath, the crown is usually longer on a rep.. and so on.. Our resident Omega experts could probably go on and on..

Hope this helps.

-Ape-

Just got my Seiko Monster today, been wanting this watch for a while.

Got mine today

Very happy with this watch, but I can't really see why people are raving over this bracelet though.. It feels quite normal to me, I actually like the bracelet on my rep quartz PO chrono better.

Quick wristshot:

I'm waiting for mine.. The bracelet package bought 2 weeks ago from ebay seller "japanwatchcenter2006" for $104. I lost a few at around that bid, then they started sending second chance offers, I confirmed it was real and jumped on it. With $30 shipping I think it's a good deal.

Just bid on their watches up to around 104-106 and if you win, great.. If you lose, it looks like they are eager to sell at that price anyway.

-Ape-

I don't see this ruling as solely positive.. You might think me hypocritical, but the watering down of high-end brands like LV/Gucci/DG and whatever bothers me some. In a small town in Norway you'll see old working class women carrying LV bags and wearing a Burberry scarf getting on a bus.. Of course it MIGHT be real, but chances are they got it from someone who spent 2 weeks in Turkey/Thailand/Wherever. It just gets too common.

I like status symbols, the envious looks and the side-poke "hey, check out the watch/bag/car!" people give eachother when one of THOSE pass by. The influx of fake goods takes away a bit of the allure and wow-factor of these things.

I'm not one to spend a lot money on luxury items, but I like thinking you can wear or use them without people automatically thinking/knowing they are fake.

-Ape-

Thanks, Victoria. I deleted the pic.. And haven't decided on a new avatar yet.

And I agree with Pugwash that LV is the one throwing their weight around.. At least in Norway. Whenever there is a case involving counterfeit goods, you always see LV mentioned. After opening a boutique in Oslo I suppose they have closer ties to NACG than most companies. ..I have yet to see Rolex or the Swatch group voicing out in public like LV.

Stavanger Regional Court in Norway tried a lawsuit by Louis Vuitton against a norwegian man, and settled it in favour of the latter.

The man came home from Thailand carrying six fake Louis Vuitton bags, and 5 sets of 25 Mulberry bags. They were confiscated by norwegian customs, and reported to LV who decided to sue for an unknown amount.

The man claimed the bags were not meant for resale and were supposed to be christmas presents for female aquaintances.

The court decided in favour of the traveller stating:"for the time being he's got no business activity that can be traced back to fakes and replicas, and hereby does not exploit LV's trademark".

The principal in this ruling is warranting that you can import whatever you like to norway in terms of copied goods, as long as you don't plan to sell it for profit.

Controversy is added through this man's prior conviction for importing and reselling a substantial amount of pirate copied products.

Needless to say, LV is annoyed by the ruling and says norway is setting the fight against trademark infringement back 10 years.

Kristine M. Madsen of NACG (Norwegian Anti-Counterfeit Group) claims the verdict is appalling, and that her organisation will put pressure on the norwegian government to turn things around.

Link to norwegian article

-Ape-

Gratulerer med overst

That's gotta be the HMS Obsession

Buying a boat unseen from another part of the country, over the phone I tried to get the seller to sign a sales contract I'd faxed him and have him fax it back to me. He refused vehemently stating: "No way! Then you'll be the only one to have this contract!"

The C70 is a pretty car, but depending on how much money you're putting into it, I'd have considered other cars before it.

Gioarmani's V70 is a good one.

A little thing about the "Ford reliability" though: From experiences I have had, you can't really compare US Ford to the european versions. Some models have names in common in both markets, even though they are different cars. The Focus have had a plethora of problems in the US when it's seen as -and considered a reliable car in Europe. (Or scandinavia anyway)

Ford makes no secret of the New Ford Mondeo being built on the same platform that's being used for the much more expensive Volvo S80. (and a lot of other models)

Volvo is less interested in the fact being public knowledge.

I'm on my second Mondeo now, wanting to upgrade to the 2007/8 model wagon. In my biased opinion, not many cars beat it for price vs value. It's yet to be proven over time, but judging from what it's taken from other generation Mondeos, it's a good car. ..and James Bond drives one in Casino Royale.. so -shrug-

Although I disagree with the way some are handling this, I am glad it was brought up.

I guess many of us knew it would come to this.. People aren't saying she is a person that wishes harm on anyone, but rather that the quality of the forum is greatly reduced (and this does not only pertain to just one person) for contributing members, and members seeking related information. I have found some of vbarrett's topics amusing and informative, but there are limits for everything.

I know I am not contributing much in the way of watches and technical input, but I do not take every single chance to start topics and hijack threads with 'lifestyle' posts and comments (much like risti is criticized for) and letting them get in the way of actual replica based content.

As far as the "Letting her know" some of of you are on about, you'd have to be pretty god damn blind not to see the signs. I have not sent a single PM about the matter, but I have seen people's growing disdain for it, and even direct polite remarks that have gone unheeded.

When it goes as far as highly respected members are tiring of the static, contemplating leaving or spending less time here it has got to stop. We can't afford losing many of them before this forum is in freefall.

-Ape-

I'm guessing that's Oslo, or in the rich suburbs around it.

For the record, the single-most expensive Coca-Cola I have ever had, was in a restaurant in Oslo: at the then rate of exchange, U$15.

Might be $25 by now.

OTOH, Oslo was a delight.

Extra clean country filled with happy-go-lucky, democratic people like all Norwegians are, safe, and with pockets of elegance (not as elegant as Stockholm, with respect) all around the capital.

I confess, I preferred Bergen and I loved Trondheim, but Oslo is the kind of city one could easily live in without culture shock.

P.S.: The Inferno Metal Festival was cool. I see they are adding a 4th day for 2008.

Yeah, the rich suburbs west of Oslo, not far between the stylish homes and pools. *envy*

That's an expensive coke even for norway, I hope it came with Bacardi and a twist of lime!

I agree about Stockholm being the more beautiful city, Norway lacks history in terms of urban architecture and construction. In Bergen the old elegance is more concentrated and visible, and it is also my preferred city, having lived there for a while. ..the incessant rain speaks to its disadvantage though.

If you haven't already, and ever find your way north, you should travel around Lofoten. Our friend docblackrock has people up there, and I'm sure he'll vouch for it. In summer, for serenity and quiet natural beauty, you'd be hard pressed to find a better spot in Europe.

-Ape-

It cost for a apartment where i have grown up over 250k$ and that is like SMALL one rom apartment,250k NOK is little over 50k$...

Not to forget all the overprotecting laws we have,like we cant thake resposibility for our own decisions in life.

Tax on cars makes people die beacuse of unsafe cars.

And not to forget we have Mulla Krekar

Cheers,

Dani

No offense, Dani, but you grew up in one of the most, -if not THE most affluent part of the country.. It's geographically a small part of norway, and quite an aside from the norm.

That's why I said what I did about choices. I know people feel close to their communities, but I know that if I couldn't afford living in certain areas in and around our capital, I'd have no trouble driving 30 minutes north or south and get twice or three times the housing for the same money.

This is an expensive country, but I do not fool myself thinking things would be better if we paid less taxes or had less government control. I feel the government acts in norway's best interest, and generally wish the country well. (it doesn't always work).

I totally agree with you about the Krekar case, and think the impotence showed in his case is frustrating, it should have been settled a long time ago by sending him to his native Saudi Arabia, or even better; to the US when they wanted him.

I also see why we can't go at odds with ourselves, our laws and our earlier statements in this case by sending him to Iraq, a country where he'll most likely be sentenced to death. (no matter how much he might deserve it) Simply put because we've condemned that practice as a nation, and would be contributing to it if we did.

It's a shitty truth, but in a way I am happy we're trying to be consistent.

Supporting our laws and standing behind a fair and righteous government is as patriotic as anything you can do with a gun in your hand.

I'm sorry about your dog, Dani. (If you need a new one, a poodle eats less and loves you just as much)

-Ape-

But anyone who has an Oscar for his "documentary"; is considered a shoo-in for another for "Sicko" next year, and had a fawning Palme D'Or awarded him, IS taken seriously by the filmmaking establishment, and intellectual elites.

Oh, I didn't mean you shouldn't take his films, their topics or their desired effect seriously, but the man as a narrator and social commentator purposely lays it on pretty thick, and I think most people see through that and subsequently think for themselves. ..perhaps a bit coloured from what they just saw.

And by "too seriously" was referring more to the people wanting him dead than what Dani said.

Which country gave PROPORTIONALLY more immigrants to the USA than any other country?

Nope, not Ireland. Not Italy. It's not the Jews from Russia, either. The correct answer is Norway.

Yeah.. And I love how you make it sound like it was a gift..

..let me take the opportunity to showcase one of the better traditional norwegian dishes.. Very popular before christmas!

Smalahove! Served with potatoes and rutabaga stew.

..I have no doubt Nanuq eats this once a week, and packs cold seconds for his mountainbike excursions.

And after a while if you can stomach it:

That clip made my mind up on his movies and i understand much better why people are critical to them also.

Norway is not like that movie at all,sure you can come to Bast

Here's my favourite, the $220,000 Cabestan ..you get it in rose gold and PVD as well.. Water Resistant to 30 meters.. Imagine going on a commando raid with one of these strapped to your wetsuit wrist.

..just look at that annoying chain!

Same old boring watches at sea..