A few nice image sites images I found:
The Edge of Chile
Image by Stuck in Customs
Daily Photo - The Edge of Chile
Today's photo comes from the from the very southern tip of the Americas. It is a bitterly cold place, even in the summer. I believe that the glaciation period is relatively recent, so the peaks are extra jagged and everything feels fresh and raw.
I can't believe there are actually people that climb this thing! It was hard enough getting myself up high enough on a distant peak to take this shot. Then again, I'm not exactly in mountain-climbing shape. I've heard the old answer to the question, "Why do you climb the mountain?" The answer is always, "Because it's there". Funny -- that is my same answer when people ask my why I don't want to climb the mountain.
Abduzeedo Gets the Exclusive!
I have released a new video today that you just gotta see. The Exclusive rights to show it were nabbed up by abduzeedo.com/video-week-japan-heartbeats-time-trey-ratcliff and the amazing team of Fabio, Gisele, and all the other from that Brazilian Design Powerhouse! Fabio actually came to my Google Talk on HDR Photography in Mountain View, so it was really cool to meet him in person.
We will be showing the video here on StuckInCustoms tomorrow, but you should head over to Abduzeedo in the meantime. That site is a constant source of artistic inspiration for me... I think you will dig it too.
New Shot from the Textures Tutorial
Today's photo below was made with a few of my 150 Textures from the popular Textures Tutorial. The downloads on this thing have been crazy... There is even an illegal site out there that shows over 30,000 downloads. Pirates! Anyway, I know none of you nice people would do such a thing... so I appreciate the support you give your friendly internet artists! :)
William Beem recently put up a review on the aptly named williambeem.com/2010/05/19/review-trey-ratcliffs-texture-... - I can tell from that photo that he is really getting the hang of it - cool!
From Trey Ratcliff at www.stuckincustoms.com
Maine Coon - Creative Commons by gnuckx
Image by gnuckx
The Maine Coon is a breed of domestic cat well known for its distinctive physical appearance. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, specifically native to the state of Maine, where it is the official State Cat.
Although the Maine Coon’s exact origins and date of introduction to the United States are unknown, many theories have been proposed. The breed was popular in cat shows in the late 1800s, but its existence became threatened when long-haired breeds from overseas were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon has since made a comeback and is now the second most popular cat breed in North America, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA).
The Maine Coon is generally noted for its large bone structure, its rectangular body shape, and a long, flowing coat. The breed can be seen in a variety of colors and are known for their intelligence and gentle personalities. Health problems, such as feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia, are seen in the breed, but testing is available to detect the genes responsible for causing these abnormalities
Origin
The ancestral origins of the Maine Coon are unknown. There are only theories and folktales. One such folktale involves Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, who was executed in 1793. Before her death, Antoinette attempted to escape France with the help of Captain Samuel Clough. She loaded Clough’s ship with her most prized possessions, including six of her favorite long-haired cats. Although Antoinette did not make it to the United States, her pets safely reached the shores of Wiscasset, Maine, where they mated with short-haired breeds and evolved into the modern breed of the Maine Coon.
The face of a Maine Coon
Another folktale involves Captain Charles Coon, an English seafarer who kept long-haired cats aboard his ships. Whenever Coon’s ship would anchor in the New England ports, the felines would exit the ship and mate with the local feral cat population. When long-haired kittens began appearing in the litters of the local cat population, they were referred to as one of “Coon’s cats”.
A theory which is biologically-based, though genetically impossible, is the idea that the modern Maine Coon descended from ancestors of semi-feral domestic cats and raccoons. This could have possibly explained the most common color of the breed (brown tabby) and the bushy tail, which is a characteristic trait. Another idea is that the Maine Coon originated between the matings of domestic cats and wild bobcats, which could explain the tufts of hairs that are so commonly seen on the tips of the ears. There have been reports of domestic cats breeding with bobcats.
The generally-accepted theory among breeders is that the Maine Coon is descended from the pairings of local short-haired domestic cats and long-haired breeds brought overseas by English seafarers (possibly by Captain Charles Coon) or 11th-century Vikings. The connection to the Vikings is seen in the strong resemblance of the Maine Coon to the Norwegian Forest Cat, another breed that is said to be a descendant of cats that traveled with the Vikings.
www.flickr.com/photos/34409164@N06/3208415360/
Mi Maine Coon
Es la primera raza que se desarrolló en Estados Unidos. El nombre proviene de la creencia de los colonizadores de que era el resultado del cruce de un mapache y un gato, cosa imposible.
Su pelaje es tupido, lanoso, resistente a los rigores climáticos, con la piel cubierta por un lustroso pelaje exterior más abundante, con el que soporta el invierno. Generalmente se cuida solo.
Esta raza posee una disposición afable y se lo reconoce en una amplia gama de colores y patrones. El color de los ojos no tiene que hacer juego con el pelaje. También se caracteriza por ser de gran longitud. Se cree que era una mezcla de los gatos de la realeza francesa.
www.flickr.com/photos/34409164@N06/3208415360/
Il mio Maine Coon
Il Maine Coon è una delle più antiche razze naturali del Nord America, tanto da essere considerato generalmente come nativo dello stato del Maine, di cui è il gatto ufficiale. Il suo nome deriva da Maine, lo stato della Nuova Inghilterra in cui veniva avvistato, e da Raccoon, orsetto lavatore in inglese, per via della sua coda molto simile a quella di un procione. Molteplici sono le leggende che circondano l’origine di questo particolare gatto. La più diffusa all’inizio del secolo narrava che per le grandi e pelose orecchie provviste di ciuffi e la coda grossa e inanellata, il Maine Coon fosse il risultato di un incrocio tra una lince e un orsetto lavatore. L’ipotesi, ovviamente assurda, ha comunque contribuito ad alimentare le numerose storie che si tramandano su questa razza. C’è anche chi a tutti i costi ha voluto conferire un’aura regale a questo gatto “rustico”, facendolo addirittura discendere da sei gatti d’Angora che la regina Maria Antonietta, durante la Rivoluzione Francese, avrebbe messo in salvo inviandoli a Wiscasset, nello Stato Americano del Maine. Le origini del Maine Coon hanno creato così tantissime leggende e congetture, nessuna delle quali può essere provata. La teoria più probabile, anche se la meno pittoresca, indicherebbe il Maine Coon come il risultato di un incrocio tra gatti selvatici a pelo corto del continente nordamericano e gatti a pelo lungo d’oltremare. Secondo alcuni infatti, il Maine Coon avrebbe antenati tra i gatti nordici, i progenitori del Norvegese delle Foreste, arrivati in America del Nord nell’anno mille in seguito agli sbarchi dei Vichinghi sulle Isole di Terranova. Secondo altri invece, l’origine del Maine Coon risalirebbe al periodo della colonizzazione quando le navi dei coloni provenienti da tutto il mondo attraccavano sulle coste americane del Nord-est portando al seguito dei gatti per far strage di topi. Erano gatti d’ogni risma, che i marinai dell’epoca apprezzavano più o meno a seconda della loro maggiore o minore capacità di cacciare topi piuttosto che per la loro maggiore o minore bellezza. È però assai probabile che, fra quei “gatti”, tutti uguali e tutti diversi, ci fosse anche qualche antenato degli attuali gatti d’America. La prima segnalazione ufficiale di un Maine Coon, risale al 1861 con una menzione da parte della signora Pierce di un gatto bianco e nero chiamato “Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines”. In Italia il Maine Coon compare solo nel 1986 su un mensile del settore, da allora la diffusione della razza è in continua espansione e i Maine Coon sono ormai protagonisti di successo nelle esposizioni feline.
www.flickr.com/photos/34409164@N06/3208415360/
Mi Maine Coon
Deuxième race féline des États-Unis, et dont la popularité ne cesse de croître à travers le monde, le maine coon est un chat robuste et rustique, façonné par le dur climat de l’État du Maine, sur la côte est des États-Unis. Il est probablement l’une des plus anciennes races naturelles nord-américaine,.
Plusieurs légendes décrivent les origines de la race. La plus répandue raconte que le maine coon est le fruit d’un croisement entre des chats et des ratons laveurs (raccoon en anglais), ce qui expliquerait leur couleur (la plus répandue est le brown tabby) et leur queue très touffue. Bien sûr, il est génétiquement impossible de réaliser un tel croisement mais la race gardera de cette légende son nom. La deuxième avance que ce sont des descendants des six chats angoras envoyés par Marie-Antoinette d’Autriche alors qu’elle préparait une fuite pour échapper à la révolution française. Ces angoras auraient été amenés sur le bateau le Sally du capitaine Samuel Clough de Wiscasset avec les autres effets personnels de la reine. Les angoras se seraient ensuite mêlés aux chats de ferme locaux pour donner naissance au maine coon.
Une autre théorie, un peu moins extravagante celle-ci, avance que la race s’est développée à partir de croisements entre des chats de ferme locaux et d’autres chats à poils longs ou mi-longs importés d’abord par les Vikings aux alentours de l’an 1000. Le maine Coon descendrait alors du chat des forêts norvégiennes, ce qui expliquerait leur ressemblance. Cette hypothèse est appuyée par la ressemblance entre turc de van, sibériens, norvégiens et enfin maine coons dont les origines géographiques correspondent aux déplacements des vikings. Cette ressemblance avec le norvégien peut aussi s’expliquer par le fait que le climat hivernal de la Nouvelle-Angleterre et de la Norvège sont identiques et auraient donc conduits à développer les mêmes spécificités.
Cosey, la première maine coon vainqueur en 1885 à New York
C’est en tout cas ce qu’affirmait Mme Pierce, une des premières propriétaires de maine coon qui avait à l’époque effectué des recherches approfondies sur les origines de la race. Elle avait effectivement trouvé que ces chats étaient arrivés sur les côtes du Maine par la mer, mais pas grâce aux Vikings. Ce serait plutôt par les riches familles du Maine qui possédaient alors de luxueux bateaux et voyageaient beaucoup. Ils auraient ramenés de leurs expéditions de nombreux animaux de compagnie exotiques, notamment pour amuser les enfants. La deuxième hypothèse de Mme Pierce était que des chats angoras furent embarqués à bord des bateaux marchands pour chasser les rats. Dans les deux cas, ils auraient débarqués sur la Côte Est et se seraient mélangés aux chats locaux à poils courts et le brassage aurait donnés le chat à poils mi-long que nous connaissons.
Une autre possibilité est qu’ils aient été importés par les immigrants européens et aient su s’adapter aux conditions de vie et au climat difficile de la région.
En 1860, les fermiers du Maine, très fiers de leurs chats organisaient leurs propres expositions pour élire le champion. Le premier maine coon cité dans la littérature est un mâle noir et blanc nommé Captain Jencks qui appartenait à Mme Pierce. Cela remonte à 1861. Un peu plus tard, en 1895, ce chat de grande taille fit sensation au Madison Square Garden. C’est d’ailleurs une femelle maine coon nommée Cosey qui remporta le concours. En 1897, c’était une douzaine de maine coons qui participaient à une exposition à Boston. Au début du XXe siècle, la popularité de la race dépasse la Côte Est et atteint la Côte Ouest des États-Unis. Puis peu à peu, elle tombe dans l’oubli puisque jusqu’en 1950 la mode est aux persans et aux siamois, laissant de côté le géant américain. A la fin des années 40, on le déclare même un peu vite disparu. Pour que le maine coon retrouve sa popularité, deux éleveurs fondent le Central maine coon cat club en 1953. Trois ans plus tard, ce club écrit également le premier standard de la race. Les efforts paient puisqu’en 1960, la race a retrouvé sa popularité d’antan.
Jeune maine coon brun mackerel tabby et blanc
La race est officiellement reconnue depuis 1967 par l’American Cat Fanciers Association et la Canadian cat association. La CFA tarde à reconnaître la race qu’elle refuse à plusieurs reprises entre 1969 et 1972. Il aura fallut attendre 1973 pour que la fédération reconnaisse la race de façon provisoire et 1976 pour une reconnaissance définitive. Entre temps, en 1972, les différents standards existants sont harmonisés au niveau national.
L’importation du maine coon en France date de 1981 mais la race ne prend son essor qu’au début des années 90 et c’est également à cette époque que l’Allemagne la découvre. La FIFé reconnaît la race en 1983 et le GCCF anglais en 1986.
www.flickr.com/photos/34409164@N06/3208415360/
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maple_seeds
Image by zebtron
