Thursday, July 03, 2014
An avian engineer?
[Thanks to Bert]
I've never heard of anything like this. I've heard that apes will sometimes "use tools", like using a fallen branch to reach a fallen fruit, but a bird carefully making feathers from paper to extend her tail!!?
I wonder if the reasons are cosmetic or aerodynamic.
Kent sez:
"Actually, that's just how love birds collect nesting material to take back to their nest hollow."
Haha, brilliant. Thanks.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Winners of Person with a Bag photo contest
Winners of Person with a Bag photo contest
The prizes are on the way to the winners.
First prize, a Muzetto bag from Waterfield:
The prizes are on the way to the winners.
First prize, a Muzetto bag from Waterfield:
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| By TC[Girl] |
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| Shared 2nd prize: Roger B |
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| Shared second price: Russ |
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| Runner-up: Merle |
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| Runner-up: Pavel |
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| Runner-up: Alan-D |
Monday, June 30, 2014
Urgent: last day for photo contest entry
Today Monday is the last day for photo contest entry.
Entries are fewer than the earlier contests, so your chances are better, enter now!
(You can still enter so long as it's still Monday anywhere on the planet.)
Entries are fewer than the earlier contests, so your chances are better, enter now!
(You can still enter so long as it's still Monday anywhere on the planet.)
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Jon Barry; egrets (herons) mating dance
[Note, don't forget the photo contest, deadline is Monday!]
Photo by my colleague and pal Jon Barry.
OK Go optical tricks video
[Thanks to Bert]
Funny enough, if they did this perfectly, it would be less convincing, because it would look like it was digitally made...
(As usual you can click on the YouTube logo or the Full Screen symbol on lower right to see it larger.)
.JPG)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
58 Cognitive biases
58 Cognitive biases, article.
...we are prone to hundreds of proven biases that cause us to think and act irrationally, and even thinking we're rational despite evidence of irrationality in others is known as blind spot bias.
...we are prone to hundreds of proven biases that cause us to think and act irrationally, and even thinking we're rational despite evidence of irrationality in others is known as blind spot bias.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Ministry - What a Wonderful World
One of my favorite songs, rendered by one of my favorite bands. And yet, such an unlikely combination!
(If you prefer your industrial thrash faster, go to the latter half. But I think the slower version is, well, wonderful. Actually the faster one too.)
I am reading Al Jourgensen's Autobio, and all I can say so far is that if you think it's a miracle Iggy Pop is still alive... !!! The amount of alcohol, crack, and heroin the man has consumed is phenomenal, he must be a demi-god to still walk upright and be coherent.
By the way, here is one of those cases where the live version beats the studio version. The long intro is fantastic, with the two drummers. (It should optimally be played loud to be appreciated, much of Ministry's music has a distinct Wall Of Sound quality.)
(Woa, this is an hour. Enough for anybody but real fans, I fear! :-)
I never liked the brain-dead aggression of Ministry concerts. I feel it does not have anything to do with the brilliance of the music. And to my relief, Al feels some of the same, he hates touring, and he dislikes the violent audience, most of who are clearly there because they like something else in his music than he does himself.
He even claims that his hatred of touring is the reason for his abuse, but I think that issue is probably more complex than so.
(If you prefer your industrial thrash faster, go to the latter half. But I think the slower version is, well, wonderful. Actually the faster one too.)
I am reading Al Jourgensen's Autobio, and all I can say so far is that if you think it's a miracle Iggy Pop is still alive... !!! The amount of alcohol, crack, and heroin the man has consumed is phenomenal, he must be a demi-god to still walk upright and be coherent.
By the way, here is one of those cases where the live version beats the studio version. The long intro is fantastic, with the two drummers. (It should optimally be played loud to be appreciated, much of Ministry's music has a distinct Wall Of Sound quality.)
(Woa, this is an hour. Enough for anybody but real fans, I fear! :-)
I never liked the brain-dead aggression of Ministry concerts. I feel it does not have anything to do with the brilliance of the music. And to my relief, Al feels some of the same, he hates touring, and he dislikes the violent audience, most of who are clearly there because they like something else in his music than he does himself.
He even claims that his hatred of touring is the reason for his abuse, but I think that issue is probably more complex than so.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
New step in realistic 3D (updated)
I subscribe to 3D Artist magazine, and this was on a recent cover. No photo, all computer-generated.
Woa.
(If you want it even larger than Blogger allows, get it here.)
Page below is from another article, about the app Zbrush, which allows the artist to press and sculpt intuitively, like with a lump of clay, rather than with numbers and sliders. It was used for the basic head above. But notice that some even do the hair with Zbrush. There are a legion of techniques and clearly a ton of work involved in making 3D images...
Woa.
(If you want it even larger than Blogger allows, get it here.)
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| (Pages from the article. Click for big pic.) |
Page below is from another article, about the app Zbrush, which allows the artist to press and sculpt intuitively, like with a lump of clay, rather than with numbers and sliders. It was used for the basic head above. But notice that some even do the hair with Zbrush. There are a legion of techniques and clearly a ton of work involved in making 3D images...
Monday, June 16, 2014
New photo contest: "Person with a bag" deadline 6.30.2014, cash prizes
Contest has ended. The winder was:
New photo contest:
New photo contest:
"Person with a bag"
I'm awarding three prizes of $100 each for what I judge to be the most interesting or pleasing photographs sent to me before the end of Monday 30 June 2014.
This, plus a first prize which is sponsored by Waterfield Design, see below.
- Each author may send one (1) picture.
- The picture may not previously have won prizes or have been published in a professional publication, on- or offline.
- The author's name must be in the file name. (Example: joe-joeson-13.jpg)
- No text added to the picture, please.
- Shortest edge should be at least 1200 pixels, longest edge less than 3000 pixels.
- JPG format. Maximum file size: 2 megabytes.
- Photos may be color or monochrome.
- Judging is entirely subjective. Fulfilment depends on a minimum of quality and quantity of submissions.
I plan that early in of July, I will post several of the best entries, and the winners. I require a Paypal address to pay to, or a physical one for cash or the first price.
Send entries to my eolake-[at]-stobblehouse.com address.
(I will give an email confirmation when I get your entry.)
Notice that we are not necessarily talking about "bag people" here (I fact I prefer that the bag not be plastic or paper), but rather simply "person with a bag", which is a very broad spectrum indeed, and would include street photography, documentary, portraits, and whatnot.
Waterfield Design has kindly donated their Muzetto bag for the our first prize. It is a brilliant and original bag, and was in fact the very first one I bought from them myself. It is perfect for urban use, college, work...
It is a very versatile and stylish bag for any gender or age, and it will be in the medium size, it will fit a 11-inch laptop or of course any current tablet, and more. It will be like the one on the left in the picture below (maybe a bit smaller), brown leather with black accents. Subtly beautiful. (If you'd like a different size or accent color, you can ask for that, but it might take a couple weeks extra to deliver it.)
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This is not a casual sponsorship. The contest was inspired by me getting my new Waterfield Outbag duffel bag. (See my recent review.)
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