CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-21 17:20:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Isolating a figure by making the background a sketch

The Google street view image came from Lodz, Poland, I used Gimp to change the color levels and erase unwanted features, then G'MIC to make a B&W sketch, the Gimp's Colorize and some hue shifting until I got the right blue. Then I used G'MIC to add random color ellipses, and finally a Gimp layer mask to edit back in the girl. For the layer mask, I used black for the legs and hair to get full transparency, but #3c3c3c for the rest of her to get a faint sense of the sketch so that the figure wouldn't stand out too starkly.

2013-05-21 15:00:07 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

The Girl from Ipanema visits Lodz

+Artistic Google is touring Poland, so I stopped in Lodz and noticed this young lady. I followed her down the street, honestly. What can I say, I'm a guy. Anyway, this is a digital enhancement of the original GSV at http://goo.gl/maps/ibOVV. I used +GIMP and +G'MIC for this.

+Rob Robinson +Jamal Masood +Chee Yow +Jan McCartney +Patrick Sheeran  #artisticgoogle #googlestreetview #poland

2013-05-21 02:12:30 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

On April 17, a paper arrived in the inbox of the Annals of Mathematics. Written by a mathematician virtually unknown to the experts in his field — a 50-something lecturer at the University of New Hampshire named Yitang Zhang — the paper claimed to have taken a huge step forward in understanding one of mathematics’ oldest problems, the twin primes conjecture.  And it had!  Rumors swept through the mathematics community that a great advance had been made by a researcher no one seemed to know — someone whose talents had been so overlooked after he earned his doctorate in 1992 that he had found it difficult to get an academic job, working for several years as an accountant and even in a Subway sandwich shop.

For the whole story read this:

https://simonsfoundation.org/features/science-news/unheralded-mathematician-bridges-the-prime-gap/

Thanks to +Ian Agol forpointing ... more »

2013-05-20 16:49:58 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Can somebody remind me how to find the slider to see all the posts from a circle?

I don't need notifications, just to have all the posts show up in my stream. I thought there was some way to do it, but can't find it.

2013-05-20 13:50:24 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

My daughter's baking blog always makes me hungry

For the sake of my weight, it is probably a good thing I only get to sample these by sight. But still... drools

2013-05-20 11:30:49 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

can't go past Martin Place without taking a shot down the side of the GPO.... my favorite corner of #Sydney  

#streetpics   #streephotography   #bwphotography   

2013-05-17 18:22:00 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Hey, Google, let's talk
Photos are pretty. I get it. But I'm on Google+ to read what people have to say, and hiding everything under Read More just means people will Read Less. Please, expand the amount you show so that people will interact in a way that is more than mindless plussing of photos. OK? #googleplusupdate  

2013-05-17 17:51:10 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

There should be an award for ten years of blogging

And that reward should probably be a stiff drink.

2013-05-17 12:39:32 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

My 13th +GIMP tutorial

In honor of the traditional feeling about the number 13, I made this tutorial on how take a normal photo and make it look like a mug shot in a few easy steps. Also, with this mini-lesson, I have adopted a suggestion by +Júlio Mullet and have included a rough transcript and the steps written down in the linked mini-lesson, http://mini-lessons.info/Gimp13

2013-05-17 13:02:20 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 2 +1s)

My 13th +GIMP tutorial

In honor of the traditional feeling about the number 13, I made this tutorial on how to take a normal photo and make it look like a mug shot in a few easy steps. Also, with this mini-lesson, I adopted a suggestion by +Júlio Mullet and have included a rough transcript and the steps written down in the linked mini-lesson, http://mini-lessons.info/Gimp13

2013-05-16 14:46:38 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 2 +1s)

My most popular +GIMP tutorial so far

This has been very well received. For several more videos, be sure to check out my playlist at http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons or visit http://mini-lessons.info/Gimp for the videos plus extra information and tips.

2013-05-15 21:52:14 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

So, why don't they show the view count on photos anymore when you go to Photo details?

#googleplusupdate  

2013-05-15 20:40:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Oh, the inhumanity

Though she (my daughter) says the recipe is delicious, it is sad watching the poor little fellows melt.

2013-05-15 15:16:05 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

I don't normally feel the need to notate the Before and the After

Usually it is obvious, but this is a counter intuitive photo-manipulation. I used Gimp to simulate a Google Street View screen capture. You can watch the process (sped up considerably, of course) at Back to Street View (speed un-art)

Because you don't always want to make an image cleaner.

Image credit: Jacek Policinski

2013-05-15 15:00:29 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Back to Street View

I decided to try a little experiment with +Artistic Google's trip to Poland, inspired by a video that I saw today that went backward. This doesn't, but it has a similar feel. The end result is shown below, but I can't include the actual URL for obvious reasons. The cathedral in question is at http://goo.gl/maps/axXyq. Now, having seen the image, watch the process at Back to Street View (speed un-art) #artisticgoogle  

+Jan McCartney +Jamal Masood +Rob Robinson +Patrick Sheeran +Chee Yow

2013-05-14 15:44:12 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Fantastic! Photographer styles daughter as five strong, inspirational women for her fifth birthday:

http://www.jaimemoorephotography.com/2013/05/09/not-just-a-girl/

2013-05-14 12:20:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

New to GIMP? Or just looking for new ideas?

My series of very brief video tutorials is a good way to learn interesting ways to use Gimp without investing a lot of time (or any money).

http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons

#gimp #gimptutorial #gimp28  

2013-05-13 18:29:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

From Spy to Try to Buy

My post today is how I am moving from a strategy that has worked for a long time, "From Try to Buy", to a new strategy that I hope is even better, "From Spy to Try to Buy".  Read at http://planetlotus.org/af74cc

2013-05-13 17:20:27 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

2013-05-12 19:43:21 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

The Light

Digitally edited image for +Artistic Google from the original Google Street View at http://goo.gl/maps/1LPjF.

+Jamal Masood +Chee Yow +Rob Robinson +Jan McCartney +Patrick Sheeran 

2013-05-12 13:24:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there

You make the world go around. Really. Thanks!

2013-05-11 20:27:16 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Not sure which +GIMP tutorial to make next

I have a few different one's partially planned. I could do one on the  Wavelet Decompose plugin for photofinishing, or I could do another on the +G'MIC filters to show how to make a sketch-like version of a photo. Perhaps I could even do one on the Cage Transform, as that is a tricky one to get working. Just not sure.

My previous ones are at http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons

2013-05-09 15:37:19 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

I'm sure you've already seen this...

2013-05-09 12:39:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-08 18:04:28 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

My daughter was quoted on Al Jazeera

Or rather, one of her tweets was.

#firstworldambiguousjoys  

2013-05-08 15:23:50 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

Comments now working on Mini-Lessons.info

If you like a particular video tutorial, would like to see something different, or even have a problem with the information presented, please leave a comment. Feedback is always welcome.

2013-05-08 15:23:30 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Comments now working on Mini-Lessons.info

If you like a particular video tutorial, would like to see something different, or even have a problem with the information presented, please leave a comment. Feedback is always welcome.

2013-05-07 22:55:30 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Another mini-lesson on adding a ghostly figure in Gimp 2.8

This was fun to make, and has a better result than just shifting down the opacity.

2013-05-07 21:27:25 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 1 +1s)

Another mini-lesson on adding a ghostly figure in Gimp 2.8

This was fun to make, and has a better result than just shifting down the opacity.

2013-05-07 01:06:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Looking for books about Gimp for some free advertising

As part of my new tutorials site, Mini-Lessons.info, I use the sidebar to list books that are related to the topic. Several of the tutorials are about Gimp 2.8, so there are currently four books shown on Gimp. I'd be happy to list others as well, so if you have a favorite or have written one yourself, let me know.

2013-05-07 01:03:56 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Looking for books about Gimp for some free advertising

As part of my new tutorials site, http://mini-lessons.info site, I use the sidebar to list resources (mostly books) that are related to the topic. Several of the tutorials are about Gimp 2.8, so there are currently four books shown on Gimp. I'd be happy to list others as well, so if you have a favorite or have written one yourself, let me know.

2013-05-07 01:01:19 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Looking for books about +GIMP for some free advertising

As part of my new mini-lessons.info site, I use the sidebar to list resources (mostly books) that are related to the topic. I just added +Alex Standiford's book All About Layer Masks because I saw it mentioned in one of his tutorials (or perhaps he mentioned it here - I don't recall). I'd be happy to list others as well, so if you have a favorite or have written one yourself, let me know.

2013-05-06 17:05:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

A very short tutorial

While there are certainly more comprehensive tutorials on Domino's Internet Site Rules, I decided it would be fun to do a self-referential mini-lesson on using them to simplify the URLs on my new tutorial site, mini-lessons.info

Plus, me doing an admin-ish demo? What fun.

2013-05-06 16:39:27 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

New Gimp 2.8 tutorial

This very brief demo shows how to use +GIMP to quickly and easily do touch ups on a portrait. It is not meant to replace more sophisticated methods, but to provide a way for beginners to do some quick-and-dirty fixes that help a lot.

Find more information and pro tips on this lesson, as well as many other tutorials and demos, at mini-lessons.info

#GIMP  

2013-05-06 02:27:09 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 5 +1s)

A new mini-lesson (tutorial) on Gimp 2.8 is up

This is my first try at posting a link to the mini-lesson.info page rather than the Youtube video. I haven't decided yet how to best use the page, but thyis at least gives you an idea of how it looks.

2013-05-03 12:57:14 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2013-05-03 15:34:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Creating a new tutorials website

I am building a website called mini-lessons.info around the tutorials I make (many more are planned). The idea is that along with the embedded video, there will be additional notes, links, images and pro tips that relate to that tutorial. Also, I plan to list related books and other resources on the sidebar.

You can go to a topic such as GIMP by going to http://mini-lessons.info/GIMP, or go to a specific lesson such as GIMP#10 by going to http://mini-lessons.info/GIMP10. That way, if somebody finds the video through Youtube, I can provide a simple link to the rest of the lesson. Each video will stand alone, but each mini-lesson will have additional useful material on the website. The website isn't 100% finished, and I am slowly adding the additional tutorials and filling out the additional notes. I hope to add comments, but want to see if I... more »

2013-05-03 15:35:07 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Anybody want a peek at my new website?

I decided to create a website called mini-lessons.info built around the tutorials I have been making. The idea is that along with the embedded video, there will be notes and pro tips that relate to that tutorial. Also, I plan to list books and resources on the left.

See the sample at http://mini-lessons.info/GIMP10 for an idea. That goes to a specific lesson, or you can go to http://mini-lessons.info/GIMP for a whole topic. The website isn't 100% finished, and I am slowly adding the additional tutorials, but I wanted a framework for storing additional files, graphics or links as well as the tips.

2013-05-01 17:42:56 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Marketing a rifle for children?

Arming a 5 year-old? When I was young, they had BB guns that were incredibly low-powered (you could shoot yourself in the arm and go ouch! but not break the skin), and we didn't get those until our teens. I know, I know, the Second Amendment bow deeply, but this is insane.

Update: See Kids Corner http://www.crickett.com/crickett_kidscorner.php for the marketing.

2013-04-30 18:01:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Pulling details out of a dark image with Retinex tool in Gimp 2.8

In this mini-lesson, I demonstrate how the Retinex tool built into Gimp 2.8 is an interesting alternative way to start processing an image which is too dark or underexposed to show the colors and details properly. You can find more of my mini-lessons at http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons

2013-04-30 16:42:21 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Romance writers

This is my surprisingly small (so far) circle for authors of Romance (including YA romance, Erotic romance, Paranormal romance - anything romance!) who are active on G+. It is intended to be used to find each other for writerly chit chat and advice, and for others to find us (i.e., fans, readers, up-and-coming fictionistas).

This list is growing, but is very small compared to some of my other shared genre circles. Please share this circle with readers and other authors. Let me know if you or somebody you know belongs in this circle.

2013-04-30 13:51:19 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Science Fiction Writers Circle

This is my circle for authors of Science Fiction who are active on G+ (within about the past six weeks). It is intended to be used to find each other for writerly chit chat and advice, and for others to find us (i.e., fans, readers, bug-eyed monsters).

Please re-share this circle with fans and other SF writers. Let others who belong on this list let me know. I will share this periodically.

2013-04-29 18:21:45 (9 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

2013-04-29 15:10:23 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

Pulling details out of a dark with Retinex tool in Gimp 2.8

In this mini-lesson, I demonstrate how the Retinex tool built into Gimp 2.8 is an interesting alternative way to start processing an image which is too dark or underexposed to show the colors and details properly. You can find more of my mini-lessons at http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons

2013-04-29 18:20:17 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 1 +1s)

Pulling details out of a dark image with Retinex tool in Gimp 2.8

In this mini-lesson, I demonstrate how the Retinex tool built into Gimp 2.8 is an interesting alternative way to start processing an image which is too dark or underexposed to show the colors and details properly. You can find more of my mini-lessons at http://bit.ly/Gimp28Mini-Lessons

2013-04-26 17:53:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Amazon wins

OK, I have my worries about monopolies and such, but my experience with this microphone has been interesting. Amazon carries it, but was out of stock. I ordered it from another vendor through Amazon ($69+free shipping), but a day later they said it was out of stock. Tried another ($69+4.95 shipping), but after two days, same. Tried a third ($69+free shipping) and after a very frustrating week and a half after they said it had already shipped, I convinced them to cancel since they hadn't.

Finally, yesterday, Amazon had it again, so I bought it for $43.33+free 2 day shipping (Prime). It is on the truck to be delivered today. I can't wait.

2013-04-25 16:09:16 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Summer's Almost Here -- Detroit, MI

2013-05-17 20:16:34 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Mists of Time

Another stop in Bulgaria for +Artistic Google, this time in Nesebar, on the coast of the Black Sea (though it is a bit more urban that this suggests). This is a digitally modified screen capture from a Google Street View at http://goo.gl/maps/Nfn8e.

+Jan McCartney +Rob Robinson +Jamal Masood +Chee Yow +Patrick Sheeran 

2013-04-24 18:03:55 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Remember when the Onion used to be genuinely funny?

It's been a while. Sad to see a satirical news source that so little understands satire anymore.

2013-04-24 12:42:33 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Interactive pajamas?

Smart PJs are polka-dot pattered sleep-ware for children. But those dots aren't random -- they're actually code that sorta-kinda function like barcodes. 

By using an app to capture the pattern of a cluster of dots, a bedtime story is conjured up on the phone.

How cool is that?

http://www.smartpjs.com/