Has plenty of things that it generates, especially dungeon maps for the very lazy.

Has plenty of things that it generates, especially dungeon maps for the very lazy. There's also a weird names generator. They look pretty weird to me, or my name's Cthyophoggua!.
http://donjon.bin.sh/

Does what it says.

Does what it says.
http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/world/

Yet another free texture generator!

Yet another free texture generator!
http://www.breatharian.eu/TexiGen/

IsometrIcon is a free Photoshop plugin that helps to transform shapes into isometric orientation.

IsometrIcon is a free Photoshop plugin that helps to transform shapes into isometric orientation. Build simple isometric icons and other elements in seconds with only a few clicks. A true time saving tool for graphic artists and icon build

Interesting idea, but you need to watch the tutorials first! For Photoshop CS5 and above.
http://www.the-orange-box.com/portfolio/isometricon-free-photoshop-plugin/

A series of plugins for Photoshop, from CS3 up.

A series of plugins for Photoshop, from CS3 up.
http://www.the-orange-box.com/portfolio/free-seamless-textures-generator-v-2/

I've been listening to this for years. Thirty three different streams for your enjoyment.

I've been listening to this for years. Thirty three different streams for your enjoyment.
http://somafm.com/

#photography #cellPhoneTowers #fake #trees #mobile #technology

Originally shared by Nuno Luciano

#photography #cellPhoneTowers #fake #trees #mobile #technology

The Fake Cell Phone Towers

The creative attempt to disguise Cell Phone Towers of the mobile infrastructure as something natural (almost insulting).
Photographer Dillon Marsh has documented some of the most egregious examples.

Dillon Marsh, a South African photographer, has created a photo series of the incongruous pieces of infrastructure. They’re from various places around that country: Durbanville, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Eerste River. Amazingly, it seems as though the problem is even worse there: the giant trees are made even more surreal by their total misplacement.

Marsh says he became "intrigued by [their] peculiar nature" after a tower went up near where he grew up. Then he started seeing more of them, and he became hooked:

"In 2009, when I came across another one, I decided to track down and photograph as many of them as I could find around Cape Town. This proved to be way more than I expected and in the end I decided to limit the series to 12 photos so that I could concentrate on new projects."

And while I'm mentioning Photoshop plugins...

And while I'm mentioning Photoshop plugins...
https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/intel-texture-works-plugin

"A collection of texture tools generating normal maps, texture compression, mip map generation and cube map...

"A collection of texture tools generating normal maps, texture compression, mip map generation and cube map formatting packaged as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 7.0, CS, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5 and CS6."
https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

Haven't tested this yet, but I think it's an import/export filter for Photoshop for DDS (DirectDraw Surface) format.

Haven't tested this yet, but I think it's an import/export filter for Photoshop for DDS (DirectDraw Surface) format.
http://www.instructables.com/file/F32PNWBF11S8SYA/

Apparently Micro$oft made .Net open source, and now this - who'd a thunk it?

Apparently Micro$oft made .Net open source, and now this - who'd a thunk it?
http://venturebeat.com/2016/08/18/microsoft-open-sources-powershell-and-extends-it-to-linux/

That one simple difference between Windows users and Linux users

That one simple difference between Windows users and Linux users

A more sophisticated theoretical framework accounting for the observation that the universe is not exactly...

A more sophisticated theoretical framework accounting for the observation that the universe is not exactly homogeneous and that its matter content may not behave as an ideal gas - two key assumptions of standard cosmology - may well be able to account for all observations without requiring dark energy. Indeed, vacuum energy is something of which we have absolutely no understanding in fundamental theory.

D'OH!
http://phys.org/news/2016-10-universe-rateor.html#jCp

This looks clever, but I'm not so sure about the prefab nature of these.

This looks clever, but I'm not so sure about the prefab nature of these. I have a friend up north who lives in a geodesic dome, but she designed and built it herself.
http://inhabitat.com/prefab-smartdome-homes-can-pop-up-in-degraded-hard-to-reach-areas/

How to build a hotel for wild bees | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Originally shared by Rob Jongschaap

How to build a hotel for wild bees | MNN - Mother Nature Network

'Want a fun activity that benefits native bees and that the entire family can do right in your backyard? Build a bee hotel.

A bee hotel is a place you create for native bees — particularly mason bees and leafcutter bees — to make a nest. "The thing about a mason bee home is that it gets people to understand that there are a lot more bees out there than just honeybees," said Becky Griffin, community and school garden coordinator at the Center for Urban Agriculture and University of Georgia Extension for the Northwest District of Georgia.'

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-build-hotel-wild-bees
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/how-build-hotel-wild-bees

Cognitive offloading: How the Internet is increasingly taking over human memory

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

Cognitive offloading: How the Internet is increasingly taking over human memory

Our increasing reliance on the Internet and the ease of access to the vast resource available online is affecting our thought processes for problem solving, recall and learning. In a new article, researchers have found that 'cognitive offloading', or the tendency to rely on things like the Internet as an aide-mémoire, increases after each use.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160816085029.htm

Bricasso Lego Printer by JK Brickworks

Originally shared by Richard Wooding

Bricasso Lego Printer by JK Brickworks 
The final version of JK Brickworks  LEGO mosaic printer. It uses the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 to scan an image and recreate it as a LEGO mosaic using 1x1 LEGO plates. Here I have it scanning and printing the LEGO logo.

Via The Brothers Brick 
http://www.brothers-brick.com/2015/06/26/lego-mosaic-printer/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4neo4fRw2M

My understanding is though, that this was a "dry run" to test the landing technique.

My understanding is though, that this was a "dry run" to test the landing technique. They may learn more from failure than success.

Originally shared by Guido Bibra

Well, that's it then... ESA's Schiaparelli Demo Lander has reached Mars, but made a hard landing and probably even exploded on impact. But the important thing to remember is that the actual orbiter part of the mission is absolutely fine and working!
http://www.universetoday.com/131611/schiaparelli-gone-smashed-surface-mars/

Just a page I found.

Just a page I found.
http://prideout.net/archive/projects.html

So far as I know, this is legit.

So far as I know, this is legit.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/linux-kernels-4-8-3-4-7-9-4-4-26-lts-out-to-patch-dirty-cow-security-flaw-509495.shtml

Boffins!

Boffins!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-21/energy-scientists-accidentally-turn-carbon-dioxide-into-ethanol/7954546?section=science

I remember that was the BIG worry, before it was 2000. Remember all those planes falling out of the sky?

I remember that was the BIG worry, before it was 2000. Remember all those planes falling out of the sky?

Originally shared by Johannes Fritz (Mr. Rar)

1999 + 1 = 1900 (Y2K millennium bug)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=356452454692980&set=a.242051209466439.1073741829.100009846848732&type=3

Originally shared by Dominic Crespi

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=356452454692980&set=a.242051209466439.1073741829.100009846848732&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=356452454692980&set=a.242051209466439.1073741829.100009846848732&type=3

What Happens Inside a Dying Mind?

http://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/387946/the-science-of-near-death-experiences/

Computer weirdness today. I have two computers in the Studio and they seem to have opposite problems.

Computer weirdness today. I have two computers in the Studio and they seem to have opposite problems.

The first is the new version of the Studio PC. Win 7 installed on perfectly. Connects to the Internet and the Home Network. I installed Linux Mint KDE 17 on it as a dual boot, but it only boots straight to Win 7 (/dev/sdb2) unless I use the Supergrub 2 live disk to boot it to Mint. But then I find that Mint has no connection to either the Internet or the Home Network, and neither does the Mint KDE 17 live disk! This is odd, as I thought it had connected to both while in the RecRoom (on another LAN cable). Most peculiar, but it also means I can't install the Grub update for KDE either.

The other is the ex-University Laptop. I did a dual boot install of Mint KDE on that one as well, with Win Vista. The dual boot works perfect and both OSs boot fine. But Win Vista doesn't access either the Internet or the Home Network, whereas Mint accesses both. Not only that, it shows up as a computer on the Home Network and I can share locations on that as well!

I expect it's the same problem on each, in that on the Studio PC Mint doesn't have a driver for the network adapter, where on the Laptop (an older Dell model) it did, whereas when the IT department re-imaged the laptop that didn't include up-to-date drivers for the adapter! Luckilly I have all the original disks that came with the laptop, and the manuals, so I should be able to find the driver somewhere there and get that working. And for the Studio PC, which has a Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller, I should be able to download the linux drivers from  the manufacturers site, and somehow install those (have not done too many manual installs under Linux).

But it's just bloody awkward on both. Of course I could just leave the Laptop as it is, and use the Win Boot to check suspicious disks and memory sticks, et cetera. Then if safe I could swap to Mint and copy the files to the network. Or not. This is the sort of task where I attempt to follow up in the most straight-forward manner, and find myself getting lost very quickly. D'Oh!

Yet another natural media painting program for Mac / Windows.

Yet another natural media painting program for Mac / Windows. The web site allows you to paint in the browser. I'd almost be interested if I didn't already have Paint tool SAI and Clip Studio Paint.
http://www.escapemotions.com/products/rebelle/

The thing is, in Australia at least there's several legal databases which you can search for REAL court cases and...

The thing is, in Australia at least there's several legal databases which you can search for REAL court cases and decision - see http://www.austlii.edu.au/databases.html. So it's likely that there'd be the same in the USA. The hosts these scams are aimed at, just need to do a simple human check on these scam pages.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/10/10/dozens-of-suspicious-court-cases-with-missing-defendants-aim-at-getting-web-pages-taken-down-or-deindexed/?postshare=5221476198702515&tid=ss_gp&utm_term=.6c217fa6cc67

And here's that on video...

And here's that on video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emvEsm9n_w0&feature=share

I'm about to repair a wind toy like this that I bought in Phuket back in 2000. Long overdue repairs.

I'm about to repair a wind toy like this that I bought in Phuket back in 2000. Long overdue repairs.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Flapping-Bird-Toy-out-of-Cardboard/

An OS for lego !!!!!!

An OS for lego !!!!!!
http://brickos.sourceforge.net/

Having installed Linux Mint as a dual boot (with Win Vista) on my old uni laptop, I've discovered that the LAN and...

Having installed Linux Mint as a dual boot (with Win Vista)  on my old uni laptop, I've discovered that the LAN and wireless connections work flawlessly under Min (in fact it's listed in my Win7 home network, but that Vista doesn't (the drivers were all under XP) I'm tempted to remove Win Vista entirely. The  question then becomes, do I just reallocate space on the laptop so that Mint uses it all, or maybe instead install something else in the space that Win Vista occupies now? 

Maybe I could give that Google OS a ago? Thoughts on this?

Consul: The educated monkey:

Originally shared by Maurici Carbo (nummolt apps)

Consul: The educated monkey:
(a mechanical multiplication device)
http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/consul-educated-monkey-or-inventions-william-h-robertson
(Peggy A. Kidwell)
But see also the  comments for the dangers of table-driven computation.

As just seen on ABC Breakfast. Definitely NOT COOL tech.

As just seen on ABC Breakfast. Definitely NOT COOL tech.
http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/5/13175000/samsung-galaxy-note-7-fire-replacement-plane-battery-southwest

I've still been a bit shy of making things in blender.

I've still been a bit shy of making things in blender. This video shows me how easy it would be to make air-conditioning ducts (and lots more).

Also, this silent video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyph2GK85vo
and:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMXcQ2V-VGA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhLdPSZuNac&feature=share

Free online normals utility. Is there anything one CAN'T do online?

Free online normals utility. Is there anything one CAN'T do online?

Originally shared by Hicks Adder

http://cpetry.github.io/NormalMap-Online/
http://cpetry.github.io/NormalMap-Online/

Windows only - OF COURSE!!!!

Windows only - OF COURSE!!!!
http://www.moo0.com/?top=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.moo0.com%2Fsoftware%2F

An uncomfortable truth suggested by the Roman bot is that many of our flesh-and-blood relationships now exist...

An uncomfortable truth suggested by the Roman bot is that many of our flesh-and-blood relationships now exist primarily as exchanges of text, which are becoming increasingly easy to mimic. Kuyda believes there is something — she is not precisely sure what — in this sort of personality-based texting.

To me it inicates just how much of our "internet connections" are mostly in our heads. Of course this was someone she knew IN PERSON rather than only via the net. At best this is a way of coping with grief. At worst, it's a travesty that puts words in the mouths of the dead (which is something I hate and why I dislike bogus quotes).
http://www.theverge.com/a/luka-artificial-intelligence-memorial-roman-mazurenko-bot

More social media?

More social media?
https://stampsy.com/about

ha ha.

ha ha. i watched the demo video on the page and it made me think of Mythbusters (just look at that train derail)! Smash 'em ups!
http://rigsofrods.org/

This looks really good.

This looks really good.
http://www.nikse.dk/subtitleedit/

I'm out hunting wild software tonight. This software simulates Skyscrapers!

I'm out hunting wild software tonight.  This software simulates Skyscrapers! I was reading on the wikipedia page (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper_(software)#Features) that there are "fan made scripts" to create escalators! Oh joy. Some of the screenshots remind me of scenes from The Shining..

With the image below I have to wonder why they built the skyscraper on the Deathstar.
http://www.skyscrapersim.com/screenshots.shtml

Interesting concept.

Interesting concept.
http://scenari-platform.org/projects/scenari/en/pres/co/

I've tried using Font Forge before and been stopped in my tracks because of a high learning curve.

I've tried using Font Forge before and been stopped in my tracks because of a high learning curve. But this looks just the thing that might help.   You can find FontForge (Win/Mac/Linux) at http://fontforge.github.io/en-US/.
http://designwithfontforge.com/en-US/index.html#

Not sure if I understand this exactly, but it seems to be the OPPOSITE of Skynet found in the Terminator films.

Not sure if I understand this exactly, but it seems to be the OPPOSITE of Skynet found in the Terminator films. Rather than achieving sentience, it uses seriously flawed algorithms to suggest people to slaughter with drones. If people used the same algorithms on USA population and sent in the drones afterwards, what would be the result?!
http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2016/02/the-nsas-skynet-program-may-be-killing-thousands-of-innocent-people/

Uh, if you say so...

Uh, if you say so...
http://phys.org/news/2016-05-space-three-dimensional.html

What the!!!!

What the!!!!

Originally shared by Colin Sullender

Generating plasma inside a microwave

Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter (others are solid, liquid, and gas) and the most abundant form of matter in the Universe. It is comprised of ionized atoms with either a positive or negative charge and free electrons. 

As the match burns, electrons are torn from their atoms when chemical bonds break within molecules. Normally those electrons would immediately be re-captured to form the byproducts of combustion. However, the energy provided by the microwave radiation causes this cloud of intermediate ions and free electrons to persist in a semi-stable state. The intense light is a result of these high-energy particles losing energy before being re-energized by the microwave. When the microwave is turned off, the plasma will immediately dissipate since it no longer has the requisite energy to exist. 

WARNING: Doing this could damage your microwave! Also, if you're going to record a video of your microwave, please clean it beforehand.

Source: https://youtu.be/G7lfzA7WzVI

#ScienceGIF   #Science   #GIF   #Plasma   #Microwave   #Match   #Flame   #Electrons   #Energy   #Radiation   #Molecules   #Electromagnetic   #Ions

I couldn't resist doing some browsing. Found this strange beast.

I couldn't resist doing some browsing. Found this strange beast.
 Might logout (for real) now. :P
http://www.cribr.com/