The Silent Blog

Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Edition

2010-09-22T17:05:00.001+02:00

Hasselblad today unveiled a limited-edition Hasselblad H4D produced in cooperation with Ferrari. Finished in a new Ferrari colour called rosso fuoco, or fire red, the Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Edition has been created in celebration of two of the most iconic European brands, both of which started their career in the 1950s. Limited to just 499 cameras worldwide, this special edition camera was unveiled this morning at the Photokina trade show.

I super-eroi dei primi anni settanta

2010-08-24T14:35:00.001+02:00

Arriviamo al 1970 e arriviamo ai Super-Eroi della Marvel che rappresenteranno la novità di riferimento per tutti gli anni '70 dell'Editore milanese. Se gli anni '60 furono segnati dalle produzioni di Luciano Secchi e dalla nascita di Eureka, gli anni '70 saranno marchiati a fuoco dai Super-Eroi Marvel.
L'Agenzia giornalistica internazionale da cui la Corno acquistava già Guerra d'Eroi segnalò la presenza sul mercato americano dei personaggi della Marvel. Si trattava di materiale nuovo e di grande interesse perché proponeva i Super-Eroi sotto una luce decisamente più umana rispetto a quanto visto fino a quel momento, un fatto che poteva portare generazioni di giovani lettori a viverne con più vicinanza e passione le avventure.
Inizialmente, Secchi pensò di proporre materiale d'annata (Uomo Ragno, Devil) insieme a materiale più recente, dalla resa grafica sicuramente più avvincente (Silver Surfer, Dr Strange), su due riviste quattordicinali di 48 pagine, parte a colori, parte in bianco e nero. Si trattava per i tempi di prodotti ben curati che attirarono subito l'attenzione dei lettori. Seguì, nel giro di alcuni anni, la maggior parte del materiale Marvel: Fantastici Quattro e Thor (1971), Capitan America e gli ASE (1973). Nel 1974 esce il Corriere della Paura su progetto editoriale di Maria Grazia Perini. Nel 1975 escono Conan & Ka-Zar, Hulk & Difensori e Shang-Chi Maestro del Kung-Fu. Nel 1976 la rivista gigante Dracula sulla falsariga del Corriere della Paura. Nel 1977 la Corno opziona anche una parte del materiale DC curato da Jack Kirby e Joe Kubert poi proposto sulle due testate Kamandi e il Soldato Fantasma. Nel 1978 è la volta della rivista fantascientifica gli Eterni e nel 1979 dei Difensori. Questo materiale fu proposto in un clima di estrema dinamicità (talvolta purtroppo anche di confusione). Solo tre testate (Uomo Ragno, Fantastici Quattro, Thor) furono abbastanza longeve da raggiungere il decennio di vita. La maggior parte delle altre ebbero vita molto più breve, talune vissero solo poche decine di numeri e i personaggi venivano fatti migrare da una testata all'altra con molta disinvoltura. Le vendite dei titoli "forti" (l'UR nel periodo d'oro arrivò a tirare 100.000 copie) erano tali da permettere di sopportare i flop e rilanciare nuove testate, tentare esperimenti editoriali e quant'altro.

Steaming!

2010-08-24T13:58:00.001+02:00

"STEAMING..!!!!"
Originally uploaded by PhoenixFlyer2008

Incredible shot from a great photostream devoted to military jets.

Ferrovie abbandonate [???]

2010-08-23T18:06:00.001+02:00

Il progetto "Ferrovie abbandonate" nasce da un'iniziativa dell'Associazione Italiana Greenways per conservare la memoria dei tracciati ferroviari non più utilizzati esistenti in Italia, grazie al contributo di Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A.
Infatti, anche nel nostro paese, a partire dagli anni '40-50 lo sviluppo dell'industria automobilistica ha portato alla dismissione di migliaia di chilometri di linee ferroviarie, cui si aggiungono i tratti di linee attive abbandonati in seguito alla realizzazione di varianti di tracciato.
Si tratta di un patrimonio importante, fatto di sedimi continui che si snodano nel territorio e collegano città, borghi e villaggi rurali, di opere d'arte (ponti, viadotti, gallerie), di stazioni e di caselli (spesso di pregevole fattura e collocati in posizioni strategiche), che giacciono per gran parte abbandonati in balia dei vandali o della natura che piano piano se ne riappropria.
Un patrimonio da tutelare e salvare nella sua integrità, trasformandolo in percorsi verdi per la riscoperta e la valorizzazione del territorio o ripristinando il servizio ferroviario con connotati diversi e più legati ad una fruizione ambientale e dei luoghi.

Atomic Robo: Nikola Tesla ha avuto un figlio: è metallico, pesa svariate tonnellate ed è alimentato ad energia nucleare!

2010-08-23T16:53:00.001+02:00

La serie a fumetti più divertente e frizzante degli ultimi due lustri si chiama Atomic Robo. Un curioso incrocio tra Hellboy e il più spaccone tra gli Indiana Jones shakerati nell’armatura di Iron Man.Un improbabile connubbio che funziona e diverte senza mai stancare. Robo è l’uomo meccanico inventato dal geniale Nikola Tesla nel 1923: un Pinocchio metallico a energia nucleare che, come il suo omologo collodiano, desidera diventare umano.
Quest’ultima è una condizione che raggiunge, grazie all’intervento del governo degli Stati Uniti d’America che, in cambio della sua collaborazione, gli concede la cittadinanza statunitense. E per sedare le ire di qualche messicano respinto alla frontiera meridionale della “terra della speranza,” bisogna precisare che Robo la green card se la guadagna ampiamente, impegnato com’è in estenuanti lotte con entità sovrannaturali, ricerche archeologiche e nazisti diesel punk.
Robo è uno scienziato metallico con un senso dell’umorismo pungente che non potrà non farvi innamorare. Il meccanismo di narrazione strizza l’occhio in maniera non troppo velata al più famoso diavolo creato da Mignola: storie o cicli di storie dislocati in epoche non consecutive e giustificate dal fatto che il nostro è un atomico immortale.
Un meccanismo che esercita un fascino intaccabile in chi legge e, soprattutto, consente agli autori di divertirsi a spaziare in epoche diverse, facendo affrontare al nostro protagonista minacce di tutte le epoche. Pubblicato in Italia da Renoir, Atomic Robo è scritto da Brian Clevinger e disegnato magistralmente da Scott Wegener. E’ consigliato a chi desidera addentrarsi in una lettura veloce e divertente.

Fujifilm GF670 Launched – they’re bold!

2010-06-21T13:44:00.001+02:00

FUJIFILM LAUNCHES GF670 PROFESSIONAL MEDIUM FORMAT FOLDING FILM CAMERA

Medium Format Solution for Studio and Professional Photography Applications

Valhalla, NY, February 02, 2010 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced it will launch a high quality film camera, the GF670 Professional medium format folding camera, at PMA 2010. Ideal for professional photographers interested in film photography, the GF670 Professional is a foldable model that features 6x6 and 6x7 dual-format shooting for use with120 and 220 roll film. With its Fujinon EBC 80 mm lens, coupled rangefinder, exposure compensator, and aperture-priority automatic and manual exposure modes, the GF670 Professional produces sharp high quality images.

“When we announced the development of new medium format camera it was received very well by our professional photography customers”, said Kayce Baker, director of trade marketing, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “There is a segment of studio, portrait, and landscape photographers who find that medium format film is the perfect solution for their businesses because of the unique look that film offers as well as the ability to produce high resolution photos in very large sizes. Even as we continue to see advances in pro digital cameras, many photographers still have a passion for the art of traditional film photography and Fujifilm is committed to providing solutions that foster that creativity.”

The Fujifilm GF670 Professional has manual shutter speed control and offers a setting for aperture priority automation. With manual film advancement, exposure counter display, an ISO setting dial, the camera also provides -2/+2 exposure compensation and includes a hot shoe flash mount and a PC sync connection socket. The “whisper quiet” shutter mechanism is an Electronic Leaf shutter with speeds ranging from 4s~1/500s including Bulb with flash sync at all speeds.

U.F.O. a Milano

2010-06-05T10:23:00.003+02:00

U.F.O. a Milano
Originally uploaded by Massimo [B]

Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene.

Flying objects originally created with Bryce 3D, final image assembled with Photoshop.

iPad & Velcro – finally together

2010-05-27T13:40:00.001+02:00

iPad + Velcro from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Two of mankind's greatest inventions, together at last. Note: this is an exploration of what is possible, not necessarily what is practical. Tweet from the street at your own risk!

http://jesserosten.com/2010/ipad-velcro

Panoramic Images with iPhone

2010-05-10T11:04:00.001+02:00

I just installed and played a little bit with this nice iPhone app, Autostitch, which is receiving excellent reviews from the blogosphere. I was quite impressed by the quality of the alignment and by the resulting panorama.

Yesterday I did a test with this sequence of images:

The iPhone 3G lens is quite wide-angled, so Autostitch also has to correct the lens distortion: there is also the nasty detail of the light pole in the two central images. Below the result of Autostitch:

I was quite happy with it, the lens correction and image blending are good (even if the light pole is presenting a problem). Nevertheless, I launched Photoshop CS4 and made the following panorama using its photomerge function:

This is so better than Autostitch: the central pole is perfect, and exposure is also more pleasant. Even more, Photoshop panorama is 4389 x 1351, while Autostitch is 2478 x 716: where are my pixels, Autostitch? I then tried the Autostitch Windows application (available for free here):

Result is closer to Photoshop, at least in size (4988 x 1435) but the pole is still an issue. At the end, you can always trust good ol’ Photoshop!

The famous "Logorama"

2010-04-24T18:43:00.002+02:00

How To Get 150 Free Daily Comics On Your Mac

2010-04-23T14:18:00.001+02:00

I have a few favorite comic strips and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I also have the mother of all Dashboard Widgets in the form of freeComics. Yes, free. freeComics is free. The comics are free.

more…

The application that will never exist

2010-04-22T16:22:00.001+02:00

A screenshot of the application that will never be: it’s a widget to read xkcd comics on your desktop. But: xkcd strips are in PNG format, and good ol’ VB6 does not support it. End of the story.

La rimpatriata

2010-04-20T15:39:00.001+02:00

5a A, elementari Mazzini: bello rivedersi dopo 36 anni

Chiavari. «Sei tu? Ma sei proprio tu?». Sorrisi, risate, abbracci, magari anche un po' di commozione: rivedersi tra vecchi compagni di scuola, addirittura dopo 36 anni per chi aveva perso i contatti, dà sempre una certa emozione. Eppure, evidentemente, il ricordo era ancora vivo se chi ha organizzato la rimpatriata (con i piedi sotto un tavolo, si capisce, il ristorante era il "Vecchio Borgo" di Chiavari) è riuscito a convincere quindici "superstiti" a riunire la classe quinta, sezione A, delle scuole elementari chiavaresi Mazzini, anno scolastico 1973-1974. Le differenze, da allora a oggi, ci sono: basta vedere le due fotografie qui sopra messe a confronto, e le più evidenti non sono certo date dai grembiuli e i fiocchi. Si sa, il tempo passa. Non la memoria, visto che la maggioranza degli "alunni"è tornata a rivedere i vecchi compagni, chi anche da Pisa e chi altro da Milano: sono in diciotto nella foto in bianco e nero che sembra d'epoca. Insomma, ne mancavano solo tre. Qualcuno non c'è più, se n'è andato per sempre in giovane età (e anche il maestro, ancora ben ricordato, si chiamava Mario Russotti), qualcun altro era giustificato. Gli altri si sono rivisti, con le lacrime agli occhi.

I’d love to be there

2010-04-16T16:26:00.001+02:00

No fish were harmed in the making of this product

2010-03-18T15:04:00.001+01:00

Having a bath can be such a relaxing treat when you're in the mood, but let's face it, once you've sat there stewing for a few minutes and the water's started to go a bit cold, the whole experience can become boring. UNLESS that is, you're the proud owner of what must be the coolest darn bath plug on Earth.
Stuck! will fit any plug, anywhere and is quite simply, very cool.

Zero

2010-03-15T16:24:00.001+01:00

Watch concepts without traditional numerics and even analog hands? Minimalism to its extreme – or at least that’s what designer Robert Dabi is pitching. His ZERO watch has two discs (one each for hours and minutes) that spin to tell time. My main problem with many numeric-less concepts is a delay in reading them. The ZERO looks like it may avoid that because I have no problems reading it. No word if it’ll hit the market but the flexible metal/rubber band will come in an array of colors if it does.

Quanto è bella la mia nuova sella

2010-03-09T10:53:00.001+01:00

The B66 and B66 S are among BROOKS’s most loved products, having been on the market since 1927. Classically sprung with double rails for supreme comfort, B66 and B66 S are the ideal all-rounders for daily city or touring use in a rather upright posture. They are most appropriate for cyclists who set their handlebars higher than their saddles. In general, the more upright your riding posture, the wider, and more heavily sprung, the saddle you should choose.

Over almost a century and a half, Brooks England has grown from a small workshop to a byword in quality craftsmanship. Back in 1865, John Boultbee Brooks left his hometown of Hinckley in Leicestershire with just £20 in his pocket.

He headed for Birmingham, where in 1866 he established a business in horse harnesses and general leather goods in Great Charles Street under the name JB Brooks & Co.In 1878, the unfortunate death of Mr Brooks’ horse led to a stroke of inspiration. Unable to afford another horse, he borrowed a bicycle in order to commute to work. But he found the seat so uncomfortable that he vowed to do something about it. On 28 October 1882, Mr Brooks filed his first saddle patent.

Waddling cyclists everywhere threw their hats in the air and the new product was a roaring success. The company became known and respected for its beautiful leather handcrafted saddles, and soon started to make cycle and motorcycle bags and other accessories.

Traditional techniques in manufacturing leather saddles were passed down from generation to generation of craftsmen as the company grew under the guidance of the Brooks family until 1958.

In 1962 Brooks became part of Raleigh and moved to the current works in Smethwick in the West Midlands, just a few miles away from the original premises.

In the last decade, we have struck out on our own again as Brooks England, following a new course that honours the company’s heritage. Inspired by the timeless products designed by our predecessors, we have revived the original slogan ‘Saddles, Bags, Etc’ and introduced a range of cycle bags and other accessories.

Brooks England is steeped in history, a prestige brand that boasts almost 150 years of tradition and expertise. But quality and style never age. So come on in and take a seat.

Pure Fun

2010-03-09T10:47:00.001+01:00

Stramilano 2010: conto alla rovescia

2010-02-25T18:23:00.001+01:00

Pi Day

2010-02-24T12:00:00.001+01:00

I didn’t know that.

And what about “e” day?

“e” is one of those amazing numbers that arises naturally in the scheme of things.

(Others include “pi” π = 3.141592653…, which is the circumference of any circle divided by its diameter; and “phi” φ = 1.6180339887…, which is the so-called “beauty ratio“). Both of these numbers are irrational (that is, their decimals go on forever and never repeat).

e is also an irrational number and it has value:

e = 2.718281828459…

The number e was “discovered” by several mathematicians (Oughtred, Huygens, Jacob Bernoulli, Mercator and Leibniz) but they didn’t quite know they had stumbled on it and didn’t know its significance.

There are some curious properties of e, one of which is that it’s the limiting value as n → ∞ of (1 + ¹/_n)ⁿ.

It can also be found by adding the infinite sum:

e = 1 + ¹/_1! + ¹/_2! + ¹/_3! + …

So what is e good for?

It is used extensively in logarithms (which was the only way to do difficult calculations for hundreds of years before calculators came along), exponential growth (of populations, money or drug concentrations over time) and complex numbers (which were used to design the computer or mobile device you are reading this on).

So happy “e” day (February 7th, or 2/7).

Optimizing Photo Composition

2010-02-23T08:54:00.001+01:00

Aesthetic images evoke an emotional response that transcends mere visual appreciation. In this work we develop a novel computational means for evaluating the composition aesthetics of a given image based on measuring several well-grounded composition guidelines. A compound operator of crop-and-retarget is employed to change the relative position of salient regions in the image and thus to modify the composition aesthetics of the image. We propose an optimization method for automatically producing a maximally-aesthetic version of the input image. We validate the performance of the method and show its effectiveness in a variety of experiments.

How to Watch Oscar-Nominated Shorts (For Free)

2010-02-18T16:52:00.001+01:00

Year after year the Academy nominates a bunch of films for best animated short film and best live-action short film, and consequently, America collectively scratches its greasy, dandruff-laden head. No one watches short films, so why would we have any opinions on these categories? Instead of using the gap created by the short film portion of the Academy Awards to use the toilet in the middle of your Oscar party, why not impress everyone with your brilliant, cultured opinions of this year’s short films? The toilet can wait, because we have friends to one-up!

http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2010/02/17/how-to-watch-oscar-nominated-shorts-for-free/

Vancouver City

2010-02-11T11:36:00.001+01:00

"Vancouver City" music video is an artistic collaboration between Innerlife Project and TimeLapseHD. For more information and music downloads go to www.innerlifeproject.com
These time lapses are shot with a 12 mega pixel digital single lens reflex cameras. Original resolution is 6 times better then HD (high definition). The images have been resized for HD and are much better quality then shown here on YouTube.

Digital Analogue

2010-02-10T09:04:00.001+01:00

Digital Analogue from ftjelly on Vimeo. Since the introduction of digital technology the relationship between camera and photographer has altered dramatically. Speed and accessibility have come at the expense of mystery, intimacy and tactility - qualities exclusive to analogue photography. Initially, and in reaction to this cultural atrophy, I composed a piece of music made entirely from sounds that I had recorded from a collection of antique cameras. Constructed using the digital composition software Reason, this piece carried a strong hip hop feel and seemed to connect past with future technologies. To accompany this track I created a video response that captured traditional, analogue techniques yet also had a strong contemporary theme.
This short film is made entirely with stop motion animation, with over six thousand still photos shot and then edited together. The cameras are literally ‘brought to life’ here, while image composition and lighting is as carefully considered in each video frame as they would be for individual photo shots.

Time lapse: Building an Avatar in Photoshop

2010-01-13T08:39:00.001+01:00

Birth of an AVATAR from Peter Ammentorp Lund on Vimeo.

Originally poste by John Nack on his blog.

Welcome to Apache Junction

2009-12-19T19:12:00.001+01:00

Welcome to Apache Junction
Originally uploaded by Massimo [B]

Apache Junction is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and U.S. Highway 60. Superstition Mountain, the westernmost peak of the Superstition Mountains, is nearby.
The Superstition Mountains, popularly referred to as "The Superstitions" or "The Supes", are a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Arizona area.
The mountain range is in the federally-designated Superstition Wilderness Area, and includes a variety of natural features in addition to the mountain that is its namesake. Weaver's Needle, a prominent landmark and rock climbing destination set behind and to the east of Superstition Mountain, is a tall erosional remnant [1] that plays a significant role in the legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. Peralta Canyon, on the northeast side of Superstition Mountain, contains a popular trail that leads up to Freemont Saddle, which provides a very picturesque view of Weaver's Needle. Miner's Needle is another prominent formation in the wilderness and a popular hiking destination.
As with most of the terrain surrounding the Phoenix metropolitan area, the Superstition Mountains have a desert climate, with high summer temperatures and a handful of perennial sources of water. The altitude in the more remote, eastern portion of the wilderness is higher than the western portion, which lowers temperatures slightly. Numerous hiking trails cross the mountains from multiple access points, including the Peralta Trailhead, the most popular.[2] The Lost Dutchman State Park, located on the west side of Superstition Mountain, includes several short walking trails.

www.fotopedia.com – a new passion

2009-12-15T16:11:00.001+01:00

Leica Minilux Summarit 40mm f/2.4 Perfect!

2009-12-14T16:00:00.001+01:00

Nikon D90 and D5000: are they the same?

2009-12-03T15:09:00.001+01:00

I am in doubt choosing my next camera between Nikon D90 and D5000, which recently are getting closer in terms of pricing.

I went on dpreview.com website (obviously) and I had the idea of using the excellent “Digital Cameras Side-by-Side” tool to compare the features of the two cameras:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d90,nikon_d5000&show=all

Surprise: there are no differences! Only LCD, weight and size are not equal, but, from the technical standpoint, they appear to be the same camera!

Overseas and Overwhelmed – Pictory

2009-12-03T08:55:00.000+01:00

Overseas and Overwhelmed – Pictory

Climate Change Is Inevitable — It’s Time to Adapt

2009-11-30T09:11:00.001+01:00

Wired – at least the online version – it’s always great reading.

The global war on carbon has not gone well for the atmosphere. The really inconvenient truth: We’re toast. Fried. Steamed. Poached.

…

It’s worth keeping in mind that the planet we inhabit has always been fundamentally out of control, driven by fantastically complex, chaotic systems we scarcely understand. With or without our help, dear Mother Earth is capable of producing circumstances highly inimical to human life. Pick whatever black swan you like—how about the next asteroid or an avian superplague or that Yellowstone volcano? Climate change could end up being just a side note.

There are lots of reasons to avoid shifting the focus to adaptation. For starters, “We’re toast” is nobody’s idea of a call to arms. But in fact, an honest accounting of where we stand ought to be the jumping-off place for a more important (and way more interesting) discussion. The real question is not how we can keep things the way they are but how we’ll survive, and maybe even thrive, on a hotter planet. Yes, we should still work on cutting carbon. But we need to be realistic about what that can accomplish and what it can’t.

At the risk of sounding horrifically flip, change is good. Really. Without the challenges inflicted by our volatile environment, starting with some nasty 80 percent-plus species extinctions, Earth would still be the planet of the trilobites. We just need to find a way to do what we’ve always done: adapt and—dare I say—evolve. And then start getting ready for the next ice age.

Mathematical Notation Gets an Upgrade

2009-11-30T09:09:00.001+01:00

For 70 years, mathematicians have been stuck on the Halting Problem: Computers occasionally hang on one line of code and fail to move on to the next, and no one can reliably predict when that will happen. (The result is the unending hourglass or pinwheel of death.) But a few years ago, Microsoft researcher Byron Cook and his colleagues did the unthinkable — they hacked a fix. When Cook tried to describe the workaround, however, he found it impossible to explain with existing mathematical symbols.

His only option, he decided, was to invent new ones. Cook phoned a friend, artist Tauba Auerbach, and after several months of brainstorming, the duo sketched out nine symbols, each of which indicates a function not easily describable with existing notation. Cook is applying the signs in a book on the Halting Problem and plans to submit them for inclusion in LaTeX, the typesetting program mathematicians use to publish their work. “Symbols change over time,” Cook says. “Some really convey what they’re after, and some don’t. Those that do stick.” Hopefully, Cook’s signs will stick around long enough to ensure a glitch-free future.”

The Desktop Wallpaper Project

2009-11-24T12:42:00.001+01:00

Jungle and Rio de Janeiro

2009-11-16T19:11:00.001+01:00

Jungle and Rio de Janeiro
Originally uploaded by Massimo [B]

The jungle is always very close in Rio de Janeiro

Horrifically bad software demo becomes performance art

2009-10-29T17:05:00.001+01:00

Live software demos often go awry, but what happens when the mayhem is intentional? The software demo becomes a bit of performance art foisted on an unsuspecting college classroom as students watch a man and his software both implode before them.

http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/09/horrifically-bad-software-demos-become-performance-art.ars

Piano stairs

2009-10-29T17:00:00.002+01:00

The Sentinel

2009-10-24T10:56:00.003+02:00

The Sentinel

An incredibly beautiful weather vane, lost on the top of a roof in London. Also known as wind vanes or weathercocks, weather wanes are instruments for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building.

Un bellissimo segnavento visto su un tetto di Londra.

Dug’s Special Mission

2009-10-19T22:59:00.011+02:00

Follow "Dug’s Special Mission" exclusively on the Up Blu-ray/DVD releases in stores November 10th! The short is reportedly around 5 minutes long.

Directed by Ronnie del Carmen, this brand new movie based short film follows "the good-hearted dog, Dug [as] he is sent on a series of quests by his mean canine bosses." Of course, those plans always seem to backfire!
Up - DVD Clip No. 1 - Moviefone

The Seatmate From Hell

2009-10-01T10:05:00.001+02:00

I don’t like the whole story of the Terminal Man, but this post is great.

I’m nearly two weeks into my trip, and I’ve had the pleasure of sitting next to some interesting people. One was an engineer working on San Francisco’s new Bay Bridge. Another was a PR director for the United Football League. I’ve also been next to some more, uh, eccentric individuals who are interesting in a different way. They range from neurotic to inappropriate to downright bizarre.

I doubt few will compare to Shauna, who I met on yesterday’s Newark to Orlando flight. I had just moved to an aisle seat in her otherwise empty row so I could stretch out. As the flight attendants finished the safety briefing, Shauna (We’ve changed her name) leaned in and asked if I was allergic to dogs. I replied that I wasn’t, and she pulled a chihuahua from what I thought was a handbag. Its faux-diamond necklace, spelling out KIKI, told me that I had just made one of the worst seating decisions of my life.

A perfect storm of cosmic rays

2009-09-30T08:22:00.001+02:00

Time for the Fantastic Four to appear? Finally!

"In 2009, cosmic ray intensities have increased 19% beyond anything we've seen in the past 50 years," says Richard Mewaldt of Caltech. "The increase is significant, and it could mean we need to re-think how much radiation shielding astronauts take with them on deep-space missions."

The sun's magnetic field is our first line of defense against these highly-charged, energetic particles. The entire solar system from Mercury to Pluto and beyond is surrounded by a bubble of magnetism called "the heliosphere." It springs from the sun's inner magnetic dynamo and is inflated to gargantuan proportions by the solar wind. When a cosmic ray tries to enter the solar system, it must fight through the heliosphere's outer layers; and if it makes it inside, there is a thicket of magnetic fields waiting to scatter and deflect the intruder.

Earth is in no great peril (remember this when your body will take fire – flame on!). Our planet's atmosphere and magnetic field provide some defense against the extra cosmic rays. Indeed, we've experienced much worse in the past. Hundreds of years ago, cosmic ray fluxes were at least 200% to 300% higher than anything measured during the Space Age. Researchers know this because when cosmic rays hit the atmosphere, they produce an isotope of beryllium, ¹⁰Be, which is preserved in polar ice. By examining ice cores, it is possible to estimate cosmic ray fluxes more than a thousand years into the past. Even with the recent surge, cosmic rays today are much weaker than they have been at times in the past millennium.

Order Pizza Right From Your PS3

2009-09-17T18:07:00.001+02:00

Playing video games while throwing back a few beers and eating pizza is the perfect recipe for a chillax Saturday night. Thankfully Pizza Hut has already helped us get our pizza fix easier with their easy to use iPhone app, and now Papa John's is going straight for the gold — the PlayStation 3. So now when you've racked up some serious points singing your brains out withSingstar but you've got the munchies and don't want to stop your sweet sounding music, just click on your PS3's browser homepage. From there you can go straight to the Papa John's ordering page and you can even check out some special offers.

Super-Dense Frozen Water Breaks Final Ice Frontier

2009-09-15T16:39:00.001+02:00

I could not understand a single word, but the image is stunning! Here.

Scientists have created the final predicted form of stable ice, called ice XV, in the lab. But don’t worry — Kurt Vonnegut had nothing to do with it, and the exotic new form of ice can’t destroy civilization.

Pure joy

2009-09-14T14:58:00.001+02:00

Pure joy
Originally uploaded by Massimo B.

Last day of vacations, tomorrow back to school, but today, who cares, I'm having fun with my big brother!

(Yes, it's possible to take action photos with an iPhone, some preparation required - you have to shoot well in advance)

Luc Orient

2009-09-08T09:04:00.001+02:00

Se chiedessimo a un appassionato di fumetti chi è Luc Orient, potremmo trovarci di fronte a due reazioni diverse, e per di più del tutto opposte fra loro: o uno sguardo interrogativo, tipico di chi non ha mai sentito parlare di questo personaggio, o uno nostalgico e sognante, che tradisce colui che torna con la memoria a un tempo remoto e probabilmente più felice di quello presente.

Almeno in Italia, infatti, Luc Orient è apparso tra il 1967 e il 1975, con nove delle sue diciassette avventure, e da allora è caduto in un oblio che ha pochi uguali nel mondo dei fumetti.

Leggete l’articolo, lungo e dettagliatissimo, qui.

Alla fine Luc Orient, con i suoi alti e bassi, si ricorda a lungo. Come scrivevo all'inizio, i suoi non pochi pregi finiscono per scavarsi un posticino nella memoria di quei pochi fortunati che ancora ne ricordano le avventure: è un personaggio che non conosce vie di mezzo, un retaggio di un'epoca particolare in cui la fantascienza non era così complicata, e nello stesso tempo gli alieni non erano semplici mostri animati da puri istinti omicidi, ma piuttosto creature complesse e ricche di sentimenti non diversi dai nostri. Molti storceranno il naso di fronte a questa fantascienza, banale in apparenza e capace solo di vivere alla giornata; ma che ne sarebbe, oggi, dei futuri pessimistici alla Blade Runner, delle realtà virtuali di Matrix, delle vite alternative di Philiph K. Dick e delle space opera alla Star Wars o alla Firefly senza le vecchie, buone, semplici trame ideate dai vari Alex Raymond con Flash Gordon e in seguito da Greg & Paape con Luc Orient?

Splende il sole a Milano

2009-09-06T20:55:00.002+02:00

Splende il sole a Milano
Originally uploaded by Massimo B.

Il contrasto stridente tra le famiglie rom che vivono tra i rifiuti all'ombra del ponte di Via Bisceglie, e il lussuoso palazzo "Torre del Naviglio Grande", distante poche centinaia di metri. Il palazzo "si fa notare anche per un volume vetrato alla sommità che rappresenta un punto di vista panoramico su tutta la scena urbana milanese". Un folto albero fornisce ombra e riparo.

Gipsy families living in abandoned buidings, overlooked by a high-class condo.

A guide to understanding flow charts

2009-08-25T17:23:00.001+02:00

Absolute Masterpiece

Times are changing

2009-08-25T10:43:00.001+02:00

On October 31, 2009, MSN® Encarta® Web sites worldwide will be discontinued. I still remember how expensive the CD version was.

Why are these Encarta Web sites and software products being discontinued?

Encarta has been a popular product around the world for many years. However, the category of traditional encyclopedias and reference material has changed. People today seek and consume information in considerably different ways than in years past. As part of Microsoft’s goal to deliver the most effective and engaging resources for today’s consumer, it has made the decision to exit the Encarta business.

Microsoft's vision is that everyone around the world needs to have access to quality education, and we believe that we can use what we’ve learned and assets we’ve accrued with offerings like Encarta to develop future technology solutions. In doing so, we feel strongly that we are making the right investments that will help make our vision a reality.

Proposed Photoshop CS5 Interface: Hyperrealism

2009-08-21T09:47:00.001+02:00

Summer Sports and Outdoor Shopping List

2009-08-04T17:09:00.001+02:00

	Garmin Forerunner 310XT Garmin has shrunk the guts of this baby enough that it looks almost like a standard, if very odd, watch. Metrosexuals might give it a pass, but soul-sucking hipsters could probably get away with wearing it in public.
	Vibram FiveFingers KSO Vibram FiveFingers will make you look like you have plastic gorilla feet. They'll draw curious, often appalled stares from strangers and mockery from your family. Just like going barefoot, except without the cuts, abrasions and icky stuff between your toes. Ugly as a bucket of vomit. Just looking at the shoes is a one way ticket to the uncanny valley.
	Benchmade 551 Griptilian Flips open as smoother than 18-year Macallan. Grippy, textured handle. Well-balanced. Sturdy hinge-locking mechanism. Blade steel rates 58-61 on the Rockwell C hardness scale, meaning it will hold an edge.
	5.11 Tactical Light for Life Pro Flashlight The 5.11 shrugs off the yoke of battery dependence and instead uses ultracapacitor technology to propel photons. You'll never need to buy another flashlight in your lifetime, at least until they can keep your head alive in a jar. High-power pro flashlight pumps out awesome illumination and recharges ridiculously fast. Flashlight will outlive you. Seriously brilliant, blinding — a boon for flashlight junkies.
	Gerber Remix We wanted to love this skeletonized, futuristic knife, if only because it looks like it might be part Terminator. And we, for one, welcome our future robot overlords.
	Gerber Metolius Fixed Blade Gerber's Metolius is a versatile, inexpensive and fairly lightweight knife that looks incredibly macho. In other words, it's just what you want strapped to your hip when you pull your Prius into state park campsite #304 and start setting up your REI tent and your portable espresso maker. Looks menacing enough for Rambo approval.

Nice idea, horrible name

2009-07-20T14:24:00.001+02:00

Geavity makes it easy to see what your friends have, what others with similar gear say and recommend. Geavity introduces our members to our global community of photographers and encourages them to share their passions with their friends and peers. Geavity is the first social site focused on photography gear and will continue to innovate to bring together the world's photographers.

Our mission

is to enhance the experience of photographers throughout the world by connecting them via the gear that they own and care about.

Center of Geavity

Geavity's members can:

build gear profile to showcase their gear to their friends and to the world
explore and discover gear that are popular in their trusted circles of friends
influence peers by rating and discussing gear online
discuss and learn from people with similar gear
get realtime updates on what gear their friends has just added

Moblin: a First Look at Intel's Open-Source OS

2009-07-03T13:18:00.001+02:00

What's so exciting about the netbook platform is that it gives operating system designers a chance to start again.

They can forget the old-fashioned metaphor of the desktop interface that's been around since the 1970s. They can even abandon the file system concept. Instead, they can create an operating system quite simply geared-up for online activities. The computer becomes a gateway. It ceases to be an end in itself.

Moblin is an example of a platform from which you can launch your online adventures, whatever they may be. It's a jumping off point. It's the ultimate tool for online activities. It entirely shifts the user's focus to online activities, but that's cool because it's where practically all users spend their time.

Microsoft products just don't come close. It's laughable to even think they might. Microsoft is just too tied to the old-fashioned metaphors and ways of working, and could never have produced Moblin. Not in a million years. Technologies like Moblin are just one more nail in the coffin of the Redmond giant.

New great Wired Blog

2009-07-02T14:52:00.001+02:00

With a great story:

(Comic Book) Reading is Fundamental

Some of my best friends as a kid wore capes. No, I’m not talking about my neighborhood pals Eddie, Gary or Ethan. Well, sure, we all dressed up as superheroes at some point I’m sure. But what I’m referring to are the caped crusaders, the men of steel, the living legends who filled my head with stories of sacrifice and glory. Yes, I most definitely grew up on comics.

iPhone Stencil Kit

2009-06-16T09:58:00.001+02:00

This is one of the most beautiful iPhone-related products I've ever seen: A stainless steel stencil kit to quickly draw iPhone applications user interfaces. It even comes with a Zebra mechanical pencil.

I want it badly. They have only made a hundred of these for $16.95 each. If you are one of the thousands of iPhone app developers, you better hurry up here.

I soldatini degli anni '70

2009-06-15T16:25:00.001+02:00

I soldatini Atlantic , Airfix , Baravelli ci hanno regalato lunghe ore di gioco negli anni '70 e rimangono una parte ancora viva della nostra infanzia.

In questi siti puoi trovare informazioni storiche e curiosita' sui soldatini da gioco e da collezione piu' belli e piu' rari , da guardare o da comprare.

http://www.freewebs.com/atlanticplus/

http://www.airfix132.de/

http://www.airfixtoysoldiers.co.uk/

http://www.hatitalywaterloo.it/

http://soli.inav.net/~edzwil/index.html

http://pws.prserv.net/gbinet.dbjames/

Medium Format Lomography – a marketing masterpiece

2009-05-26T11:23:00.001+02:00

Great way to sell a crap camera producing ugly pictures – but there are some great ideas, too.

Back in 1946, the first Lomo Lubitel camera was created in Leningrad. Its name, meaning “Amateur” in Russian, reflected its simplicity.

Shooting with the Lubitel+ is different than anything you have shot before. The combination of its glass lenses, the flexible 120 or 35mm format, fully manual everything, fully automatic nothing, peering into a waist-level finder, slowing things down with focusing and dialing in the correct exposure settings, and a myriad of other analog factors make it a full-bodied experience that activates all of your senses and brings you into a special and very intimate place.

The key to keeping the spirit alive is VARIETY. Doing the same thing gets repetitive and a bit boring. Change it up and inject some fresh passion into your Lomographic relationship! No matter what your mood, the Lubitel+ has a film format to match it. For even if you’ve been around the block with 35mm film more times than you care to count, the union of PANORAMIC sized images (58mm tall!), exposed SPROCKET holes, and a fresh PORTRAIT format will let you see a new – and irresistibly tempting side of 35mm film that you never know existed before.

This is truly “auto-nothing.” This affords you total control over everything that happens. Lubitel+ pictures have their very own look and special analog character. Of course they are sharp, crispy, artistic, painted with light, and grand. But they’re also occasionally random, sometimes too vibrant, often vignetted at the edges, and totally flexible to your wishes and innovative tinkering. Rather than reflecting the objective reality in front of you, they reflect the subjective reality of the Lomographer behind the camera. They will make you look twice.

Mighty Marvel Wallpapers

2009-05-22T13:53:00.001+02:00

Staff picked, May 21st, 2009.

The free source for Marvel super-hero and super-villain wallpapers! Each click will randomly pick an image from Marvel comics, toys, movies, and video games to help you bring a little bit of excitement to your computer’s desktop. If you like a wallpaper, switch to back side clicking the “i” buttom on top-right corner, select wallpaper size and click “Get it” to download it.

What’s New in this Version
- More than 400 new wallpapers added!

freeComics is back!

2009-05-22T09:11:00.001+02:00

freeComics 1.5: all comics are back, lots of new characters included, more than 150 strips supported!
Dilbert, Calvin & Hobbes, Garfield, B.C., Momma and dozens more are again available in freeComics, thanks to a huge redesign of the widget.
The list of comics has been updated to include all the latest release: moreover, several all-time classics are now in full color.

Cooliris

2009-05-20T14:21:00.001+02:00

The plugin that transforms your browser into a lightning fast, cinematic way to enjoy photos and videos from the Web or your desktop.

Memo

2009-05-15T14:49:00.001+02:00

“There is no risk of Wolfram Alpha becoming too smart, or taking over the world. It's good at answering factual questions; it's a computing machine, a tool -- not a mind.”

Let’s remember this when the Singularity will arise.

Wired Gadgets Reviews

2009-05-15T12:49:00.001+02:00

Often very funny:

Panasonic HDC-TM300 HD Camcorder: A multicoated Leica Dicomar lens delivers light to three -- count 'em, three -- photon-sucking, quarter-inch CMOS chips.

The auto-focus tracking feature is straight out of the future: Tap a subject on the LCD, and the camera automatically keeps it in focus.

Although it had far less digital detritus than you'll find in most consumer camcorders, we did notice artifacts during fast pans. Reproduces colors like a Crayola factory - Great zoom tackles action better than Jason Statham.

Vintage Classic

2009-04-29T09:48:00.002+02:00

Old VW Beetle in via Vincenzo Monti, Milano: I don't know why, but in this area I frequently spot vintage cars, in apparently very good shape. I was playing with the 28mm Biogon and it is really a great lens, sharp edge-to-edge, even wide open, and has no distortion. All lenses should be this good.

Werra: weird, but I will not chase it

2009-04-23T11:30:00.001+02:00

My dear friends, please be sure, I will not buy this camera: anyway, it’s very cheap on eBay.

Werra was a sort of a unique camera that it was developed and released by not Zeiss-Ikon but lens manufacturer, Carl-Zeiss Jena. It was well-known in Europe around 1950 to 1960.

The noteworthy feature of this camera is a way of winding the film.
On Werra, there is no film wind lever. Instead, the film is winded with the ring at the base of the lens. This is how it works: Turning this ring clockwise about 60 degrees transports the film to the next exposure, and also it charges the shutter. Winding operation of this is very smooth and easy.
For the shutter is charged at the same time as the film is transported to the next by turning the ring, there in no need to worry about the double exposures, but on the other hand, multiple exposures are not taken with this camera.

One other feature of this is a unique design of its appearance: buttons and other projections on operation around the camera body was omitted as much as possible, and its body design impresses a large number of people.

Titanium Beauty

2009-04-21T19:57:00.003+02:00

Pictures of cameras. Beautiful pictures of cameras. Pictures of beautiful cameras. Beautiful pictures of beautiful cameras. Beautiful pictures of people with cameras. Beautiful pictures of beautiful cameras with beautiful people. Heck, even pictures of nude people with cameras.

It's about the camera.

Kobayashi Maru

2009-04-21T14:14:00.001+02:00

The Kobayashi Maru scenario was an infamous no-win scenario that was part of the curriculum for command-track cadets at Starfleet Academy in the 23rd century. It was primarily used to assess a cadet's discipline, character, and command capabilities when facing an impossible situation as there is no one answer to the problem.

In the scenario, a cadet was placed in command of a starship on patrol near the Klingon Neutral Zone. The starship would receive a distress signal from the SS Kobayashi Maru, a civilian freighter that had been disabled in the zone after having struck a gravitic mine. If the cadet chose to enter the neutral zone in violation of treaties, the starship would be confronted by three Klingon K't'inga-class battle cruisers. The test was considered a no-win scenario because it was impossible for the cadet to simultaneously save the Kobayashi Maru, avoid a fight with the Klingons, and escape from the neutral zone with the starship intact. Electing not to enter the neutral zone to rescue the ship is considered a failure. A cadet's choice of how to handle the rescue operation gave great insight into his or her command decision making.

There were likely several variations of the Kobayashi Maru scenario that existed at various times. It is probable that the Academy instructors periodically retool the scenario to fit current events in the galaxy.

In the 2250s, James T. Kirk became the first (and only known) cadet to ever beat the no-win scenario. After taking the test and failing twice, Kirk took the test a third time after surreptitiously reprogramming the computer to make it possible to win the scenario.

Kirk got a commendation for "original thinking", and later commented wistfully that his stunt "had the virtue of never having been tried." Kirk would later defend his "cheating" by arguing that he didn't believe in the no-win scenario. Ironically, Kirk also defended the test itself by suggesting "how we face death is at least as important as how we face life".

In 2285, Kirk, then an admiral serving as an instructor at the Academy, supervised Lieutenant Saavik's performance in the Kobayashi Maru scenario. Former USS Enterprise crew members Spock, Sulu, Uhura, and McCoy participated as "actors" in the simulation. Saavik's performance was predictably dismal; as Kirk observed, "She destroyed the simulator room and [the crew] with it."

The term "Kobayashi Maru" may be a slang term for any hopeless situation in the 23rd century, at least in Starfleet Culture. Leonard McCoy considered his and James T. Kirk's imprisonment on Rura Penthe to be a "Kobayashi Maru", and told Kirk as much their first night at the penal mine.

A similar simulation was later used in the 24th century. It involved a damaged Ferengi ship and Romulan warbirds instead of Klingon battlecruisers, and was performed on the holodeck.

Trekkers are crazy!

Fibonacci Lampshade

2009-04-20T14:07:00.001+02:00

Alain Jost, 2008
(BTW, another non photo-related post!)The swirling structure of this silicone lampshade is based on the Fibonacci Spiral, a mathematical rule that expresses sequences found in nature. Discovered by an Italian mathematician during the Middle Ages, the sequence explains the arrangement of pinecones, the spirals of sea shells, and other natural, biological patterns. This lampshade can be used with any kind of light bulb or hanging light kit to make an eye-catching addition to any room.

Available at the MoMa store.

Cosmic Motors

2009-04-20T09:22:00.001+02:00

Finally, a post non-related to photography!

Don’t miss this site: http://www.cosmic-motors.com/main.html

And visit this one too: http://www.danielsimon.net/

Poladroid [?]

2009-04-16T17:19:00.001+02:00

«POLADROID» generates images the same way than a Polaroid™ would do (Polaroid™-like). It produces high-defnition images (400 dpi) with the real aspect of a Polaroid™ and perfectly suitable for printing.

UsingPoladroid is straightforward: just drag an drop any JPEG directly on the icon of Poladroid and wait until the image appears... slowly... very slowly. POLADROID is an unusual software, completely crazy, which reproduces all the strange behaviours of a popular picture camera with its unique result but... so much copied: the Polaroid!

The resulting images reproduce all imperfections of a real POLAROID photo, such as:
- colour shifting and vignetting
- having to wait to get the result... can you believe this in a fast-running world?
- processing limitation of 10 images in a raw... yes, a Polaroid cardridge only contains 10 flms! You’ll have to quit the application and relaunch iit to be able to process 10 more fles.

flickr grazie di esistere

2009-04-09T12:45:00.001+02:00

If you don’t believe me, check Patric Shaw photostream (also http://flickriver.com/photos/patric_shaw/)

The Analogue Photographic Society and other oddities…

2009-04-02T17:57:00.001+02:00

"I don't think, film will be completely dead,
but it could possibly become one of the most
luxurious things in the years to come."
Toshihiro Oshima

THIAPS, "The International Analogue Photographic Society" is a platform for photographers who love the tactile quality of film-based images, who enjoy the wet and warm smell of developers and fixative, with a strong believe that ”Film is not dead it just smells funny".
For those who create their photographs with 35mm, rollfilms, sheets and plates, with Polaroid or Liquid Light, with Large Format or any tool whatsoever, as long as chemical processing is involved.

A flickr group for photographers who are NOT using a digital camera.
35mm, 6x6, Polaroid, pinhole, holga, color black and white, whatever, even Liquid Light as long it is not digitally shot.

Polaroid is transforming itself from an analog Instant Film Production Company to a global Consumer Electronics and Digital Imaging company. Production of analog Instant Film stopped in June 2008, closing the factories in Mexico (Instant Packfilm production) and the Netherlands (Instant Integral production).

Impossible b.v. has been founded with the concrete aim to re-invent and re-start production of analog INTEGRAL FILM for vintage Polaroid cameras. Therefore Impossible b.v. has acquired the complete film production equipment in Enschede (NL) from Polaroid, has signed a 10-year lease agreement on the factory building; and has engaged the most experienced team of Integral Film experts worldwide.

The Impossible mission is NOT to re-build Polaroid Integral film but (with the help of strategic partners) to develop a new product with new characteristics, consisting of new optimised components, produced with a streamlined modern setup. An innovative and fresh analog material, sold under a new brand name that perfectly will match the global re-positioning of Integral Films.

Self portrait

2009-03-31T17:51:00.000+02:00

Leica M7 set at 133.000 $

2009-03-19T14:19:00.001+01:00

This is the first of the series with the round serial number 3,000,000. The set with this special serial number was presented to the Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Ribeiro Salgado in May of this year by Dr. Josef Spichtig CEO of Leica Camera AG. The award of special cameras with round serial numbers to important personalities is part of the company's long tradition. With this presentation the company is honouring the all-encompassing humansim of Salgado's photographic work which documents human fates in work groups such as 'Workers' and 'Migrations'. These are important contributions to subjects which occupy the world's attention. Condition A+, absolutely like new condition, absolutely without any signs of wear.

Not exactly cheap…

Celo

2009-03-19T09:17:00.001+01:00

Contax G

In 1994, Contax introduced an apparent oddity: a new line of interchangeable-lens rangefinder cameras that did not use the established Leica-M or Leica-screw lens mounts.

The new camera, the Contax G1, used the "G"-mount, an electronic autofocus mount. Critics were quick to accuse the camera of not being a "true" (mechanical) rangefinder, since it used autofocus and electronically-linked mechanisms. But the AF mechanism in the G1, and later the G2 (introduced in 1996), does indeed use a twin-window system much like that of the older mechanical rangefinders—only in electronic form.

The lenses made by Zeiss for the G-series quickly established it as a camera of worth: the original 45mm f/2 Planar was joined by a 28mm f/2.8 Biogon and a 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar; a 21 f/2.8 Biogon, 16mm f/8 Hologon and a 35mm f/2 Planar were added later. The 45mm Planar in particular gained renown as the sharpest 35mm camera lens ever tested by the Swedish test site Photodo — outclassing even the illustrious Leica50mm Summicron.

With its titanium clad body, sophisticated electronic rangefinder and superb lenses, the G system has not been equalled in the years since its introduction. To its fans, the Contax G2 is the finest 35mm camera ever produced.

Incredible CGI storytelling

2009-03-17T18:27:00.001+01:00

Filmmaker Bruce Branit has created World Builder, in which "a strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves."

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.

SimpleViewer

2009-03-12T16:15:00.001+01:00

SimpleViewer is a free, customizable Flash image viewing application.

Intelligent image pre-loading.
Intuitive image navigation
Lightweight (17k).
Customizable interface - Set text color, frame color and width, navigation position.
Resizable interface - Interface scales to fit browser window.
Cross platform - Windows/Macintosh/Linux (requires Flash 8 or higher).
Flash 8 detection. Users without Flash 8 are messaged to upgrade Flash.
International font support.
Keyboard Navigation (Cursor keys, Home, End, Page Up/Down)
Mousewheel navigation
Optionally right-click to open image in a new window.
Free!

What is Onexposure?

2009-03-12T15:23:00.001+01:00

Onexposure is an artsproject and a photo community with a difference. Take the most talented photobloggers of the web and other famous photographers as well as many serious amateurs, select their best work and put it all in one place - there you have Onexposure. Everyone is welcome to contribute, but every photo is screened, which means it has to be approved by an editor before being published.

Onexposure is like a constantly evolving high class photo gallery with new art every day. We don't judge over good and bad, or over art, we merely decide if a photo fits into our gallery or not. Like in an arts gallery, you can buy many of the photos as prints and hang them on your wall. Onexposure also offers a premium membership, which includes unlimited image hosting and your own professional homepage with complete control over what photos to display.

We created Onexposure because we missed an online collection of only high quality photos, we thought the photo critique was too brief on other sites and we wanted a site that was elegant and easy to navigate. Our mission is to be a source of inspiration and ultimately finding the sublime together, but if the latter doesn't succeed we believe that everyone will develop as photographers and make some friends along the journey.

FREE editors and IDEs for Java, JSP, PHP, HTML, VBScript, JavaScript and other languages

2009-03-11T14:34:00.001+01:00

Modelworks provides a family of customizable products with a script-based architecture for editing text files and developing desktop and Internet applications. Our current products are JPad Pro and SitePad Pro. Both products include basic Java support that uses Sun's JDK/SDK to compile and run. SitePad Pro includes all the features of JPad Pro plus support for XPath, VRML, C# and other .NET languages. You can download an evaluation version from the downloads page. A free license is available.

A key goal for our products is to make it easy for you to work with many different file types. Syntax coloring makes it easy to identify key words, comments and strings. Code folding (outlining) lets you see the overall structure of a file by hiding sections you don't need to work with. Tabs let you switch quickly between editors. Split windows and multiple windows of the same file are available options. The Full Screen feature can be configured to show both menus and toolbars. A reformat command is available to cleanup indentation. Support for all code pages, including ANSI, UNICODE and UTF-8 encodings, lets you edit in any language.

The workspace panel provides access to help, tools (scripts) and multiple views of projects, folders, and open files. Open files are listed in the windows menu, in a windows dialog, in a workspace open files panel, and visible in the tabbed editor panel. The built-in help system provides content, index, search, and favorites panels that let you quickly look up information in html based document sets (such as APIs in javadocs). You can build your own index files using scripts or download pre-built index files from our site. See theUpdates page for a list of available index files.

Amazing Collection of Cartoon Illustration

2009-03-09T14:25:00.001+01:00

Vector art and cartoon characters always amaze us with creative ideas and inspiration. Here it is an amazing collection of cartoon illustrations , collected by graphicmania.net

Leica M Used Buying Guide: A Not So Objective Guide

2009-03-09T10:23:00.001+01:00

Few, if any, cameras provoke such heartfelt discussions as the Leica M's. For every opinion expressed here, you can undoubtedly find someone who has the opposite view. I hope this guide helps you find YOUR OWN best answers, not mine.

Other valuable resources there:

List of Leica M Mount Cameras
Leica M Collectible Investment Guide Not So Objective Picks and Pans
Leica M User's Buyer's Guide: Not So Objective Picks and Pans
Leica M Used Buyer's Check List Don't Get Taken
Leica M Lens User's and Identification Guide
Leica M a la carte Buying Guide Poor choices can mean lower resale value!
Leica M Motors Don't Bother
Leica M Used Market Place Things Change
Leica M Shooting Tips Some Ways are Better than Others
Rangefinder/Viewfinders: More than meets the Eye
Accessory Viewfinders: Which to USE?

Also check this: A blog about photography—specifically, the wonderful, tangible reality of photography using real film and vintage metal cameras.

Amazing 3D Typography That Truly Inspires

2009-03-09T10:11:00.001+01:00

Typography and font design has always amazed us with the wonderful design that can be created from character and words.

We collected amazing 3D designs and truly inspired typography for great artists. Here.

Comics grammar and tradition

2009-03-09T10:08:00.001+01:00

From a comic lettering web site [?!?]

Comic book lettering has some grammatical and aesthetic traditions that are quite unique. What follows is a list that every letterer eventually commits to his/her own mental reference file. The majority of these points are established tradition, sprinkled with modern trends and a bit of my own opinion having lettered professionally for a few years now. The majority of these ideas have been established by Marvel and DC, but opinions vary from editor to editor, even within the same company. I'm often asked to bend or break these rules based on what "feels" best, or more likely, the space constraints within a panel.

As a letterer you're eventually going to see scripts from writers who don't know these standards, aren't interested in them, or just have poor grammar all around. (Although I find the best writers ARE well versed in these points.) It'll be up to you to spot and fix these in the event that the editor misses them.

Fun with Augmented Reality

2009-03-09T09:48:00.001+01:00

Wikipedia describes "augmented reality" as "the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time." Now it's come to Flash, with some amazing results.

The GE Smart Grid site lets you print out a sheet of paper, hold it up to your Web cam, and interact with 3D graphics.

LIFE Photo Archive available on Google Image Search

2009-03-06T21:47:00.003+01:00

We're excited to announce the availability of never-before-seen images from the LIFE photo archive. This effort to bring offline images online was inspired by our mission to organize all the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. This collection of newly-digitized images includes photos and etchings produced and owned by LIFE dating all the way back to the 1750s.

Only a very small percentage of these images have ever been published. The rest have been sitting in dusty archives in the form of negatives, slides, glass plates, etchings, and prints. We're digitizing them so that everyone can easily experience these fascinating moments in time. Today about 20 percent of the collection is online; during the next few months, we will be adding the entire LIFE archive — about 10 million photos.

Experimental & Fun

2009-02-26T14:35:00.003+01:00

http://www.johnwdefeo.com/index.html

Plex Media Center for OS X

2009-02-26T14:17:00.001+01:00

Plex bridges the gap between your Mac and your home theater, doing so with a visually appealing user interface that provides instant access to your media. Plex can play a wide range of video, audio and photo formats as well as online streaming audio and video. The real power of Plex is found in its library features: Organize your media into versatile libraries, automatically retrieve metadata from the Internet, and display your libraries using one of the visually stunning skins.

The latest beta version of Plex adds many more features but is considered a beta program. New features include the Plex Media Server, online video (including Hulu, TED, CNET, Revision3, and more), full iTunes Music support, iTunes DRM Playback, iTunes Visualizers, and Sparkle Updates. Although its considered to be stable, users should note that their may be bugs and features and functionality are constantly changing.

OmniDiskSweeper is a FREE utility for quickly finding and deleting big, useless files

2009-02-26T14:13:00.001+01:00

You then simply browse through the folders and files and delete the large ones which you are no longer using. If a file is part of the system, it'll say so on the panel (in the list of Packages the file belongs to), so you won't accidentally get rid of something that would make your system stop working. The free space on the disk and the ordering of the folders are automatically recalculated. If you aren't sure what's in a file, you can open it by double-clicking on its icon or dragging its icon onto another application. It's that easy! While this concept may seem awfully close to what the Finder does, it's actually amazing how much more useful it is for cleaning up your hard disks. Since the directories and files are sorted by size, you get to quickly zoom in on the big files that are taking up all the space and not worry about the thousands of tiny ones that aren't hurting anyone.

Temporary files, videos you don't want anymore, printer drivers for printers you don't actually own, that 80's music collection you probably shouldn't be storing on your work machine … OmniDiskSweeper helps you find everything that's hogging your drive and clear it out. That way you've got room for the stuff you actually need.

Computer Inside a Wall Plug

2009-02-26T14:11:00.001+01:00

The incredible shrinking computer is about to reach a lower limit in size, with a new computer that's contained entirely within a wall-wart. Any smaller than this, and the computer would disappear inside the electrical outlet.

Called plug computers, Marvell's new gadgets will resemble cellphone chargers but pack a hefty punch.

Plug computers would draw just about 5W of power, come with a 1.2-GHz CPU, a USB port and internet connectivity. They won't have a display, but the devices can be used as a home server or a network attached storage for vacation photos and music downloads.

Thanks for your comment

2009-02-20T15:23:00.001+01:00

Give Up and Use Tables

2009-02-20T15:17:00.001+01:00

I love these guys – and tables too. Here.

You know, we've all been there. We want to make it work with CSS. But sometimes it's just not worth the effort. The hacks and conditional comments ruin our clean markup. And we spend hours trying to make a simple layout work. Occasionally, we have to remind ourselves that we've done enough and it's time to move on.

If you're wasting time fighting with CSS -- and we know you are -- we've got just the tool you need. Download the Give Up and Use Tables timer. We've scientifically determined the maximum amount of time that you should need to make a layout work in CSS: it's 47 minutes. When your time is up, we'll even give you the table code you need. Take three minutes to build a table. And ten minutes to get a donut. Bill the client for an hour. Done.

Smooth Operator: Make More Flattering Portraits

2009-02-20T12:13:00.001+01:00

No matter how attractive the person you're photographing, most people can benefit from a bit of digital tweaking. Here.

If you watch old movies, you've probably seen the moment where the camera cuts to a close-up of a famous leading lady, and everything on-screen gets a little soft and dreamy. This is because many of those leading ladies insisted on being shot in the most flattering manner possible, so cinematographers filmed through gauze or other diffusing material to smooth skin texture.

When you shoot still portraits today, you can use digital equivalents of these same techniques to flatter skin tones and add a bit of glamour. I'll cover two approaches. The first is a manual technique you can use in Photoshop or another image editor. The second, more automated, technique relies on Imagenomic's Portraiture 2.0, an excellent Photoshop-compatible plug-in.

The Flash Wiki: how many flash do you know?

2009-02-17T15:48:00.001+01:00

The Flash is a character produced by DC Comics. Often called "The Fastest Man Alive", the mantle of the Flash has been worn by six individuals, all with the power of extraordinary speed stemming from a mysterious realm called the Speed Force. Here.

Flip Mino HD

2009-02-09T14:29:00.004+01:00

Last addition to my cameras and camcorders collection, was needed as part of the HD chain I'm putting in place.
Samsung LCD TV + Mac Mini + another Mac + MovieHD + Flip Mino HD.
More info here. And don't miss David Pogue review here. Conclusions: "Now, you can’t sell 1.5 million of something without attracting rivals. The Kodak Zi6, the RCA Small Wonder EZ300HD and the Creative Vado HD, for example, are all similar in concept and either available now or coming soon. Most have features the Mino HD lacks. But none is likely to have quite the combination of small size, polished built-in software, customizability and high video quality of the Mino HD. On top of all of its other superlatives, here’s another title that this pocketable hi-def cam deserves: most likable."

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds”

2009-02-05T12:45:00.002+01:00

from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. Here.

The Ebb and Flow of Movies

2009-02-05T12:42:00.000+01:00

Masterpiece of visualization. Here.
Summer blockbusters and holiday hits make up the bulk of box office revenue each year, while contenders for the Oscars tend to attract smaller audiences that build over time. Here's a look at how movies have fared at the box office, after adjusting for inflation.

Lego NYC

2009-02-05T12:40:00.002+01:00

Christoph Niemann's Lego renderings of NYC ephemera are so totally great that they deserve a post all of their own. (The rest of his portfolio is well worth a look, too.)

Another great tutorial

2009-02-05T12:38:00.002+01:00

How to Simulate Fractals in Photoshop
Have you ever seen those outstanding fractal images with a lot of swirls and colors? Some of those were build simulating fractals or repeating shapes, where each shape is a reduced part of the whole, others were build mathematically. In this tutorial, we'll create a stylized fractal design using only Photoshop.

No Comment

2009-01-27T14:50:00.003+01:00

A database of hidden settings for Mac OS X

2009-01-26T16:58:00.002+01:00

Secrets lets you customize many Mac OS settings that are hidden or incomplete. Many of these values can harm your system if used improperly. Use it at your own risk.

Invading The Vintage

2009-01-25T09:20:00.002+01:00

Cute Aliens invading grandpa'postcards. Here.

What will the world be like in 85 years' time?

2009-01-25T09:14:00.003+01:00

How will we fly then? There are no absolute answers, but the visions are fascinating. This Internet site is divided into five sections, in which experts from different fields envision the future of air travel. Hopefully they also inspire You to discuss the future of flying here!

World's best texture site

2009-01-25T09:06:00.002+01:00

Welcome to CGTextures! If you have stumbled on this site by accident and are wondering who needs all these weird pictures of brick walls and other materials, take a look in the user gallery to see what these textures are used for.

The Silent Blog

Hasselblad H4D Ferrari Edition

I super-eroi dei primi anni settanta

Steaming!

Ferrovie abbandonate [???]

Atomic Robo: Nikola Tesla ha avuto un figlio: è metallico, pesa svariate tonnellate ed è alimentato ad energia nucleare!

Fujifilm GF670 Launched – they’re bold!

U.F.O. a Milano

iPad & Velcro – finally together

Panoramic Images with iPhone

The famous "Logorama"

How To Get 150 Free Daily Comics On Your Mac

The application that will never exist

La rimpatriata

I’d love to be there

No fish were harmed in the making of this product

Zero

Quanto è bella la mia nuova sella

Pure Fun

Stramilano 2010: conto alla rovescia

Pi Day

Optimizing Photo Composition

How to Watch Oscar-Nominated Shorts (For Free)

Vancouver City

Digital Analogue

Time lapse: Building an Avatar in Photoshop

Welcome to Apache Junction

www.fotopedia.com – a new passion

Leica Minilux Summarit 40mm f/2.4 Perfect!

Nikon D90 and D5000: are they the same?

Overseas and Overwhelmed – Pictory

Climate Change Is Inevitable — It’s Time to Adapt

Mathematical Notation Gets an Upgrade

The Desktop Wallpaper Project

Jungle and Rio de Janeiro

Horrifically bad software demo becomes performance art

Piano stairs

The Sentinel

Dug’s Special Mission

The Seatmate From Hell

A perfect storm of cosmic rays

Order Pizza Right From Your PS3

Super-Dense Frozen Water Breaks Final Ice Frontier

Pure joy

Luc Orient

Splende il sole a Milano

A guide to understanding flow charts

Times are changing

Proposed Photoshop CS5 Interface: Hyperrealism

Summer Sports and Outdoor Shopping List

Garmin Forerunner 310XT

Vibram FiveFingers KSO

Benchmade 551 Griptilian

5.11 Tactical Light for Life Pro Flashlight

Gerber Remix

Gerber Metolius Fixed Blade

Nice idea, horrible name

Our mission

Center of Geavity

Moblin: a First Look at Intel's Open-Source OS

New great Wired Blog

(Comic Book) Reading is Fundamental

iPhone Stencil Kit

I soldatini degli anni '70

Medium Format Lomography – a marketing masterpiece

Mighty Marvel Wallpapers

freeComics is back!

Cooliris

Memo

Wired Gadgets Reviews

Vintage Classic

Werra: weird, but I will not chase it

Titanium Beauty

Kobayashi Maru

Fibonacci Lampshade

Cosmic Motors

Poladroid [?]

flickr grazie di esistere

The Analogue Photographic Society and other oddities…

Self portrait