CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-22 17:44:47 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

I don't care what the creator calls it
#gif   #jif   #SteveWilhite   #gui  

<rant>So we learned once and for all, that a GIF (graphics interchange format) is pronounced by the man who created it, Steve Wilhite, as jif (soft g).

Despite this news and the pithy way Wilhite describes the supposedly unmistakable and clever link between GIF and a peanut butter commercial slogan, I am sorry ... I will never be able to call it a jif. Why? Because it's freaking stupid.  Would anyone ever have considered calling a graphical user interface (GUI) a jewie if the first person who thought of it claimed it should be pronounced that way? No, because that would be freaking stupid too. </rant>

2013-05-22 13:05:47 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Tumblr!

Can't wait for an invite. 

2013-05-16 16:31:19 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

#newlayout  

I actually really like the new layout, though I was skeptical when I read an advanced article comparing it to Pinterest. While I get some of the comparisons, I still think G+ is cleaner and more engaging. It is also better than the previous version in terms of providing more scan-able content and better image and video handling.

As with other users however, I want it to #autoupdate  rather than making me hit that damned button to see new stuff (something I can't stand about Twitter).

If we are missing a setting or something, someone please let us know.

2013-05-15 04:00:21 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Mucha's work comes to life!

This is my final university project. It's been a long journey, a lot of sweat and tears but it was worth it. I absolutely love Mucha's work and this painting 'Reverie' from 1897 (which means 'daydream') is one of my favourites (check out the painting here: http://www.muchafoundation.org/gallery/themes/theme/art-posters/object/78 ) - "Mucha's design shows a dreamy-eyed young woman leafing through a book of decorative designs, possibly printers' samples. The prominent disk behind her is elaborately decorated with flowers and their stems forming a lace-like pattern."

Set, Costume and Props: Larissa Gauger
Model: Alana Armstrong
Make-up: Jake Alexander Armstrong
Photo: Phoebe Cheong Photography

2013-05-14 17:58:54 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Weird clash of interests ...

I sold my stock in Tesla at a good profit and with the money I made from it, I am paying to rebuild the engine of our '64 GTO.

2013-05-12 14:00:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

A race between The Singluarity and CO2 levels

#singularity   #thesingularity   #co2emissions   #co2   #400ppm  

Ray Kurzweil's Singularity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity) is supposed to occur (theoretically) in 2045, a point at which technological progress will be so rapid that humans, aided by machine intelligence, will have the technological means to solve any and every perceived problem (except of course the problem of machine intelligence evolving beyond that of human intelligence and the near certainty that we fragile little bags of blood and bones are toast the moment machines determine they don't need us, but that's another article). 

One of the biggest perceived problems facing humanity today is the rise in atmospheric CO2 and the global climate change it is believed by many experts to precipitate. This pastweek,... more »

2013-05-09 18:59:00 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Tesla stock up 30% today

My Tesla stock just jumped 30% on the day. I don't really know what happened yet. Either they released quarterly results or some exciting news.

Feverishly hunting now. More to come. :) #teslamotors  

Update: Looks like the big news is that the Tesla Model S just scored a 99/100 with Consumer Reports. It appears that is the highest automobile score ever attained. Freaking awesome, Tesla! Way to go!

2013-05-08 15:15:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Microsoft will stay relevant

#microsoft   #microsoftoffice   #android   #apple   #google   #ios   #office365   #windows  

The decoupling of Office and Windows has been a reality since Mac users have been able to obtain the quintessential business productivity applications and with the nearly wholesale migration to mobile devices along with a slew of non-MS tools allowing users to view and edit Office files, it is a natural move to see MS broaden support for mobile OSs. What is surprising however, is how quickly Microsoft is establishing themselves as a serious leader in cloud (also SaaS) computing, which in my opinion is by far the more viable access strategy for a mobile world. Of course Google was already paving the way, but took some serious lumps as Apple's native app-driven model and tight standards made better use of device capabilities than didthe ope... more »

2013-05-07 14:45:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Just completed a remix for NMERCER. You should like her page (not a moral imperative mind you, but you will feel better for doing so)

2013-05-02 16:55:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Lesson from Afghanistan jet crash

#cargojetcrash    #afghanistanjetcrash   #jetcrash  

I am electing not to embed the video (only the youtube link). It it is a pretty horrific thing to behold and I want the reader to have a choice in whether or not to view it. U.S. Cargo Plane Crashes in Bagram Airfield Afghanistan, Killing 7 ( source LiveLeak.com ) crash

The plane appears only to be a few hundred feet in the air when it stalls and crashes to earth, immediately erupting into a huge fireball. All passengers are lost. There have been "crashes" of large jets with some survivors, but in those cases I think it is more accurate to call these incidents very rough, semi-controlled landings.

In a true crash of a large jet - even at very low altitudes - it is pretty clear from the video that there is practically no chance of survival. I flyregu... more »

2013-05-01 02:46:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

New PANTyRAID isn't really dubstep (but I like it)

#PillowTalk   #PANTyRAID  

Pantyraid is coming out with a new release PillowTalk, available for pre-sale now. The track That's the Spot is linked up for listeners to preview. One thing I noticed was that quite a few listeners took an opportunity to comment their disappointment that the track doesn't seem to cut new ground, yet also that it wasn't representative of the well-known Pantyraid style, which tends toward a heavily melodic top end. I agree that it is completely absent here.

My take is that it is a good bit like some of their older stuff, but with an even more disciplined, minimalist approach. The track keeps a very strict progression, not giving too much away too early. The payoff isn't huge when it does kick in, but I think I like that restraint as it causes the listener to parsew... more »

2013-04-29 15:26:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

And this is why this guy is awesome... I wonder when our PM will do something like this?

http://youtu.be/BQ-E08LuuxQ

2013-04-24 20:05:11 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

When it doesn't make sense to wireframe

#uidesign   #webdev   #webdevelopmenttips

Completing and editing wireframes is a very productive use of time when the design, creative content, and coding are all going to be done by different work groups. It is an especially important tool if there is any sort of feedback and approval chain as it allows the client or leadership to make design changes with efficiency and little disruption, steering to the desired outcome before the real work is started. Most companies wouldn't think to engage a web development project without mapping everything out in wireframe form.

I have found that for solo projects however, wireframe is (arguably) not a productive use of time. If a single individual will be designing, creating content, and coding a page, I don't see the benefit in using a separate tool to layout a design thenh... more »

2013-04-17 16:34:00 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

2013-04-03 15:27:40 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Male grooming tips - go girly for great skin

#healthyliving   #mensfashion   #menshealth   #tipsandtricks  

I don't mean to brag but I regularly get compliments on my skin. When I was younger, I was called "pretty boy" and it drove me crazy because I took it as a jab. Now I am 43 and while no longer a "pretty boy", my skin is probably 10 years younger than I am. Genetics helps but like most guys, I am really pretty hard on my skin, so I can't just do nothing. With tons of home renovation or landscaping projects, my legs and arms stay gashed up and sawdust or dirt is always in my hair and every pore on my face. I mean, it can get ugly. But I clean up well and I don't spend money on special male grooming products. I have a super-simple approach.

1. Take care of the inside: I don't smoke and if I really had perfectdisc... more »

2013-03-23 05:26:46 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

My non-photo Holiday Card Contest submission at minted.com
#art #graphicdesign   #stationary   #holidaycards  

I just submitted my first design at minted.com, which is an artist and designer community-driven start-up in San Francisco. Artists upload designs that may then be purchased by customers for high quality cards, stationary, or even framed fine art. They are having a contest/challenge for holiday card designs. I don't mean to spam, but if you are a minted.com user and want to check it out (and vote for my design), you can get to it here: http://www.minted.com/design-rating/85417

If you are a graphic designer or artist you should definitely check out minted. It is really easy to use and in general the designs from the community are top notch.

2013-03-01 12:52:48 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

For years copyright maximalists have been asking the question " You wouldn't download a car would you?" We are now getting to the point where that is about to become a possibility. 

#3dprinting   #downloadacar   #automotive  

2013-02-23 15:00:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

The computer for what's next #apple   #ipad   #google   #chromebook   #chromebookpixel   #surface   #kindle   #kindlefirehd   #cloudcomputing   #tldr  

I noticed that the recent iPad commercial is a near complete rip-off of the Surface commercials as far as audio-visual pace and music style goes. It says something when the clear and obvious front runner begins mimicking the antics of the weakest player in the market. I take it that MS has done something right enough (at least with their ads) to get some flattery from the fruit. That said, as much as I am rooting for Windows8 to keep Microsoft in the game, the computing world is pretty quickly becoming all about Google stuff vs Apple stuff.

Sure, Amazon is in there trading blows with Apple, trying to be the obvious value alternative with Kindle Fire HD, but Amazon's bark is worse than thebite it i... more »

2013-02-17 17:32:11 (6 comments, 6 reshares, 3 +1s)

The most inspirational thing I've seen in years #parkour   #freerunning   #documentary  

Sure, it is inspirational to see a surfer who had her arm bitten off by a shark make a comeback to the sport she loves but that's not an experience that most of us could relate to. Nearly all of us however use to move a lot more than we do now. When we were kids - at least those of us who grew up before the explosion of gaming consoles - we'd climb trees, do back flips into the pool, jump on the trampoline, and jump over stuff like benches, boulders, hedges, etc.

As a fit 43 year old, I have taken up Parkour, thanks in large part to the encouragement of +Paul Spoerry, who I understand also does Parkour. I started small but have made very quick progress probably due to a history of diving (like tricks from a high dive) and skateboarding. I forgot how natural it feels tose... more »

2013-02-11 13:17:23 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Two great tastes that taste great together - LED and Graphene

Two of my favorite technologies join forces to create a brighter future (literally and figuratively).

2013-02-06 13:59:08 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/preorder-crazyflie-nano-quadcopter-kit-10dof-with-crazyradio-bccfk02a-p-1365.html?cPath=170_172

2013-01-29 18:30:22 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

LowHero.DLL is now on Grooveshark.com

#grooveshark   #spotify   #musicdiscovery   #internetradio   #streamingmusic  

Grooveshark is a free music discovery and social radio engine along the lines of Spotify. DailyTekk.com actually rates Grooveshark just above Pandora due to the ease of collecting and sharing playlists.

If you haven't checked Grooveshark out, give it a try. There are mobile apps for all the platforms and the web interface is pretty clean. The selection of artists is expansive, with licensing from many labels and distributors.

While you're there, definitely add LowHero.DLL to a list.

2013-01-27 21:17:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

The new corporate employee - why 2013 is the year to get a job

#corporateamerica   #globalization   #outsourcing   #creativity   #entrepreneur     #economicrecovery   #innovation  

I imagine the article linked below by +james altucher will be shared a lot in social media circles. Though I am about to give a (somewhat long) retort to the article, I would like to point out that the article is excellent - IF - you don't read too much into it.

I like Altucher. I think he is a bold visionary. Honestly, these are the sorts of people you should be reading regularly. Altucher's not as swashbuckling, but I rate him in line with for instance +Richard Branson, one of my favorite icons.

There is a fair amount of truth in the article with regard to how globalization and automation are having a huge impact on the corporate 'middleclass... more »

2013-01-26 14:04:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Vine - why I hope it fails and how I know it won't

#vine   #twitter   #socialmedia  

We know that people can be more creative sometimes when working within tight constraints. On the surface, Vine's 6 second limitation for video tweets seems like it will spawn some pretty interesting stuff and maybe for one out of a thousand vines, this will be the case. But what about the rest of it? It is uncertain at the outset what people will do with it. On one hand, you could view it as a natural extension of photography, i.e. if an image is good, six seconds of the image in motion might be better. On the other hand, perhaps some people will be clever enough to use it to generate informative and entertaining content. But then there's the third hand.

I don't tend to be a guy that's just automatically dismissive. While I don't personally care much forex... more »

2013-01-21 14:28:55 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

+Thomas P. Mims Welcome to G+. Just a heads up, it works more like twitter than facebook in that circling is more like following than friending, only in G+ you have a much better interface for interacting with people you follow (and who follow you) than in twitter. People's biggest first complaint when they come here is that 'no one is here'. Actually, there are tons of people here ... just probably not the friends you have on facebook. :)

Use the search bar above to search topics you're into then circle people who are into the same stuff you like. Then be sure to interact with them on their posts.

Good to see you here. Cheers!

2013-01-21 14:23:19 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

2013-01-18 03:37:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Bandcamp for Fans - Excellent Execution

A few years ago, I chose Bandcamp as the primary distribution channel for LowHero.DLL, at least temporarily foregoing industry mainstays like iTunes. I haven't had any regrets. One thing (among many) I love about Bandcamp is that they put so much thought into and take the appropriate amount of time to develop new features. They also pay keen attention to what artists (and now fans) really want and how they want it. For this reason, every enhancement Bandcamp makes to their service is a hit with users.

I expect Bandcamp for Fans will not be the exception to this high standard. The functionality may seem a bit familiar on the surface but Bandcamp is known for taking some institutional ideas and innovating. It will probably draw comparisons to Pinterest or Spotify from some. That's some good company but I think this may end up being a... more »

2013-01-12 13:34:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

In the general public, conversations about #climatechange  tend to revolve around specific weather events and arguments driven by   #climatechangedenialism  . I am interested in know what specifics #climatescience  suggests might happen to different areas of the world, like where I live. The information is out there, such as the referenced draft report here.
A few highlights: drought may increase for Arizona, northwest Mexico, and the Iberian peninsula. Parts of the eastern and northeastern  areas of the United States may see more frequent flooding as might parts of northwestern China. The Arctic may warm considerably while the Antarctic may not warm much. Earth's climate system is #complexity  by definition, so only time will tell. 

2013-01-11 00:57:32 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

2013-01-07 13:06:57 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Yet again I feel the need to scold New Scientist for crappy reporting on physics. Ulrich Schneider and colleagues have gotten some atoms to have negative temperatures.  That's nothing new!  What's new is that they're doing it not using the atoms' spins, or other discrete quantities: they're doing it using the motion of the atoms.   But:

1) The article doesn't say that.

2) The blurb here says the existence of negative temperatures "could help us understand dark matter."  Well, anything is possible, but this is not at all what Schneider's new work is about!   The article says dark energy has negative pressure - true, according to our theories - "which suggests it might have negative temperature."  Oh yeah?  That seems very unlikely to me.   Clearly this aspect was emphasized just to catch our attention. 

3) They alsosay this n... more »

2013-01-06 13:19:31 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Inverted states at extreme temperatures
A bizarre reaction to negative Kelvin temps opens window to the possibility of 100% efficiency engines and properties of dark matter
#sciencesunday  

Very cool finding in my feed this morning.

2012-12-30 19:08:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

The Paramount - Great Bauhaus Style

One of my favorite buildings in St. Petersburg, The Paramount at 721 1st Ave North, is a great example of 20's era Florida Bauhaus style, which is also attributed within the broader umbrella of Art Deco style.

2012-12-30 15:45:49 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Stuff I learned in 2012 #1

1. Americans love to spend money 

Even when we're broke, Americans will dig deep. We truly don't know what a bottom looks like. The stock market bottomed out in 2009 but the recession deepened right into 2011 as people still drove their SUVs and purchased expensive iPads and gorgeous LED TV's.

In 2012, we were barely crawling from beneath the rock and a bunch of people still didn't have jobs or were losing their homes. Consumer confidence continued as a key focal point of the economy, and in terms of household spending, dips (in growth) were measured in relatively small amounts when compared to the wild fluctuations in the stock market. A couple percentage points decrease in growth of consumer spending equates to billions and billions of dollars but if you look at the whole, people really didn't stop buying. Itw... more »

2012-12-22 15:20:11 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Poll: Where do you (yes, you personally) discover new music and in particular, read music reviews of independent artists?

I encourage as many people in the community as possible to answer, because then every musician reading this will be clued into blogs and other sites to which they should consider submitting music for promotional purposes. Thanks!

2012-12-22 15:13:09 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Poll: Where do you (yes, you personally) discover new music and in particular, read music reviews of independent artists?

I encourage as many people in the community as possible to answer, because then every musician reading this will be clued into blogs and other sites to which they should consider submitting music for promotional purposes. Thanks!

2012-12-21 21:36:01 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

"I rock it film noir, baby!"

Geeking Out Alone is the first single from my upcoming 2013 release.

My first original track in several months actually.

Download for free  (temporarily) at SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lowhero-dll/geeking-out-alone

2012-12-21 21:31:25 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

New LowHero.DLL Track - Geeking Out Alone

LowHero.DLL is waking up from a short sleep. The dreams were good though, and have inspired some new music.

Please enjoy this early release of the first single from an upcoming EP titled, Lost Cablegrams, due for release in May 2013.

#music   #indiemusic   #indieelectronica   #indietronicmusic   #indietronicmusic   #alternativerock   #alternativepop   #altpop   #film   #filmnoir   #louisebrooks   #diaryofalostgirl   #pandorasbox   #beautyprize   #geek   #geekingout  

2012-12-21 03:09:55 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

Incredible stuff

#robotics   #darpa   #ls3   #bostondynamics  

Navigating deep gullies, up steep slopes, over fallen branches, through dense woods, and between tight shipping containers, as LS3 follows his master on a forced march.

2012-12-20 18:49:08 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

I deleted my Instagram account, and I don’t regret it a bit

You may have heard about the brouhaha unfolding a couple days ago about Instagram updating its terms of service to give them the right to use any and all user-uploaded photos in advertising, without being required to compensate, seek permission from, or even notify the person who uploaded the photo in the first place. Like thousands of other Instagram users, I gave it some thought and decided that this was a step too far, and I deleted my account.

It didn’t take long for Instagram (recently acquired by Facebook) to notice the backlash. They quickly went into damage-control mode and announced that they’d be rescinding the offending text in a future draft of the user agreement – at which point there was much “herp derp“ing from quarters like TechCruch, pointing fingers and laughing at all of us suckers whowere too qu... more »

2012-12-20 13:32:45 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Dripping with fun sarcasm

This is probably the one time when mean spirited is not only justified, it's appropriate, so don't feel too guilty as you read this scathing account of the many layers of idiocy surrounding doomsday scenarios.

#doomsday2012   #2012apocalypse   #apocalypse2012   #endoftheworld2012

2012-12-18 01:17:51 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

So if there was one thing that differentiates the promotional effort used to get soundtrack gigs from the type of promotion it takes to get attention to an artist's conventionally released music, CDs for purchase or label interest for instance, what would it be?

2012-12-14 14:40:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2012-12-13 23:13:36 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

You can skip this ad in ...

#youtube   #youtubeads   #youtubeadvertising   #meme  

2012-12-13 18:26:52 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

No more loud TV commercials as of today

#communications   #tv   #networktv   #cbs   #abc   #nbc   #tvcommercials  

This is a day I've been waiting for since hearing about a new law over a year ago. Beginning today, networks are banned from incorporating a volume differential between commercials and regular programming. Thank you to our government for some good regulation.

I get most of my entertainment via the web but I do still catch my favorite network shows via OTA TV. Two of the big three networks (ABC and CBS) have been grievously bad with the volume of their commercials. I have measured ABC it to be no less than 4 notches via the volume on my remote and it seemed to get worse over the last year. Kudos to NBC for their restraint. It was enough of a differentiator for me to gravitate to some of their shows over favorites on otherchanne... more »

2012-12-12 20:19:08 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

So you have this carnie and he's looking around at the side show acts, the bearded lady, tattooed man, Siamese twins, snake charmer, and others ... and he's seeing the crowds at the shows shrink because the rubes have seen it all before ... and he comes up with the perfect solution, being that he'll create a new show, wherein he'll take a large hammer and drive a few metal spikes through his scrotum to the delight and awe of stunned onlookers.

How did he even come up with that?

2012-12-12 19:52:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Never buy mid-grade gasoline

Mid-grade gasoline is the worst value for your dollar as the math below demonstrates.

Before I show you the math, let's address whether you need premium gasoline at all. Basically, the rule is that if you are driving a stock car that doesn't have a high-compression engine (most vehicles don't), you should go with Regular (the lowest priced) 87 octane gasoline as your car is likely tuned for lower octane.

If you drive a performance vehicle, something turbo charged or a classic hot rod for instance, you may need higher octane, in which case you should go with the premium (the highest price) 93 octane.

So why not save a few bucks on mid? It's simply a matter of what it is you are paying for - octane rating - and how much more of it you are going to get for your money.

Using the image linked... more »

2012-12-07 14:48:28 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

I had no idea what Loading Ready Run was until this invite and have been checking it out for the last half hour. Now my brain is soggy and a little bit on the sour side. Thanks for that.

2012-12-06 13:43:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Glad I waited a while to see Prometheus

#ridleyscott   #prometheusmovie   #scifi  

It feels almost as if Prometheus came out a few years ago. I am not going to write a full review because most all of you have probably seen it, so there isn't any point. That is not to say I don't have some strong opinions on it, mostly positive.

I'd like to thank everyone for writing such damning reviews because I went into this completely expecting it to suck stinky eggs. I was pleasantly surprised and more than that, found myself highly entertained and impressed by the end of it.

I do agree with some of the critiques, for instance the character development (yes, some of the characters are just completely idiotic and cliche - not even in a fun, tongue-in-cheek sort of way). I also was less enthralled by relatively brief forays into totally predictableth... more »

2012-12-04 02:03:04 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

New lighting tech will replace fluorescents and rival LED

It isn't every day a new technology comes in to disrupt a major market. LED was already threatening compact fluorescents as prices are coming down and new ways to configure the grouping of LEDs in fixtures are leading to a range of applications. LEDs are also being filtered for more natural luminescence (reduction of the blue).

LEDs are great but this new thing is pretty exciting, firstly because efficiency rivals LED, but also because you can fabricate these things in almost any shape. That creates the sort of wide band usage potential that changes the game completely. 

Check it out.