Oakfairy

By Gemma Correll [website | tumblr | blogspot]

In 2010, Dave Brailsford faced a tough job. No British cyclist had ever won the Tour de France, but as the new General Manager and Performance Director for Team Sky (Great Britain's professional cycling team), that's what Brailsford was asked to do. His approach was simple: Brailsford believed in a concept that he referred to as the "aggregation of marginal gains."

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Planning your goals is one step of being productive, but it's just as important to review those goals, set sub-tasks and provide context with larger objectives. Be Limitless shares a productivity trick to do all this: The Rule Of 3.

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karenhallion:

The Seagulls have the Phonebox

A post I made for my photo blog that may give folks an insight into retouching practices.

froggieslightroom:

There is a lot of photoshop controversy with the new Black Widow poster. You might have seen the above image floating around tumblr. It has some commentary added about what they think had been altered and it isn’t far off. 

People are upset and I definitely understand why. But there are also a lot of photoshop “experts” weighing in on how this image was manipulated, and many of them are close, but I don’t think any of them really know what the hell they are talking about. 

While I can’t claim to know every edit that was made to this image, I can give you a close idea of how an image like this is produced. I’m not going to make too many judgments about the ethics. I think that has been covered pretty well.

First off, this is a hybrid image. An initial photograph is taken, and then a digital artist essentially paints over it. The painting layers and the photograph layers are blended together to create an almost surreal effect. Like the image could be a painting or a photo and it kind of blows your mind a little trying to figure which it is.

It’s both. So don’t hurt your brain too much. 

You’ll see this done a lot with superhero movies because the images almost look like they could grace the page of a comic book. I think it is a neat effect when done properly. 

The initial photograph is taken with very bland lighting. The subject is very evenly lit so there are no heavy highlights or shadows. If you were to see the original photo you would probably think it wasn’t very well done. That is because the digital artist wishes to paint in the dramatic lighting themselves. That is the main way they create the overall effect. They paint in highlights and shadow. They enhance textures. They will use the color of the original as a reference, but usually they will repaint or dodge and burn to get the effect they want. 

The part of this image that people don’t care for are the adjustments to Scarlett’s actual features. Yes, her waist was absolutely brought in. This is done with a tool called “liquify” in photoshop. It’s a very easy adjustment to make and takes about 20 seconds. This is extremely common practice and it’s possible that 20 second adjustment is the most controversial of all. 

The below image took me about 30 seconds total, and as you can see, it can be taken to some pretty extreme lengths with almost no effort at all. 

I can’t say for sure, but her neck was probably lengthened in the poster. This is pretty standard practice, though it is very hard to detect. This is probably the silliest practice in retouching. I have never once said, “Man, I wish that person’s neck was longer.”

People say that her breasts are enhanced, and that is true, but I don’t think they are “enhanced” the way people think. In photoshop, if you want to enlarge breasts, you would use the “bloat” function in the Liquify tool. Again, this is another 20 second adjustment and it produces surprisingly realistic results. 

I don’t think this artist actually enlarged her breasts a great deal, but rather made them more… pronounced. He added a heavy highlight on the top and a shadow on the bottom. This gives the illusion of depth and makes the breasts stand out more. 

To show you some examples I did some very quick and dirty adjustments. Keep in mind if I had higher res files to work with, I could get much more realistic results. I just wanted to give you a rough idea.

This is the standard technique for enlarging breasts using the bloat tool. 

The tool expands the area and makes it seem more spherical. Photoshop will probably tell you this function has all sorts of practical applications. But I’m pretty sure they created it for boobs. 

Below is the “pronounced” effect I think they used in the poster. It is just simple shading and highlighting. Nothing is enlarged, but it still gives that effect. 

And, of course, you can use both techniques at once. Which is also a possibility in the poster.  

The only thing I am not too sure about is the length of the arms. I have definitely heard of people making legs longer, but I don’t recall arm lengthening being a general practice. In my opinion I think it was just the way the image was shot. 

In photography there is a technique where you can use a wide angle lens from a low angle to give your subject a more powerful appearance. Think of yourself standing at the base of a tall statue. As you look up, it seems massive and imposing. That is because of perspective distortion. Close things seem large, far things seem small, and it is what gives us a sense of something’s size. 

So if you create that same effect in a photo with a wide angle lens and a normal human, it creates that sense of power. Which is what I think they wanted to convey with the image. However, that perspective distortion can make a person’s features seem a bit unnatural. Limbs seem the wrong length. Proportions seem a bit off. For the most part our brain interprets the image correctly, but if you do a very close inspection of the photo, then these distortions become more noticeable. 

I looked at press photos of Miss Johansson, and she does have long, slender arms. I think her naturally long arms + distortion is why they appear a bit funny looking. I don’t think it was a purposeful decision.

I think the sad part is that if they had not brought in the waist, pronounced the breasts, and lengthened the neck, this would have been a pretty badass image in its own right. She is a beautiful woman and I don’t see how making these unrealistic adjustments made this image any better. 

Above is an excerpt from ‘Personhood’ by Lauren Zuniga, which can  be viewed here. 

Va? Behöver vi verkligen ett syskon?

I juli förra året kom nyheten att Supernatural eventuellt skulle få ett småsyskon aka en spinoff. Mycket mer än så fanns inte att tillägga då. Men i dag nåddes jag av beskedet att Supernaturals moderkanal, The CW, plockat upp spinoffen till pilot och att den nya serien ska heta Supernatural: Tribes. (Lökig titel, men, men...)
Därtill kom en kort programförklaring: "Supernatural: Tribes will explore the clashing hunter and monster cultures of Chicago."

Så istället för roadtrips blir det cityaction. Monster vs jägare. Jag tänker Angel?

wintersoldierofourdiscontent:

I’m really tired of this general trend I’ve been seeing over the past few months, where people are behaving as though it’s something shameful and terrible to have started reading Marvel comics because they saw the movies.

Before the MCU got me interested in the history of those characters as they were originally written, I thought mainstream comics were just dumb neckbeard bait, all half-naked women in ridiculous poses that even the world’s best professional contortionists couldn’t replicate and meatheaded square-jawed dudes in capes showing up just in the nick of time. You know, nothing to take seriously, and certainly nothing worth my time. Up to that point, I’d read all of Sandman and a few Hellblazer trades; I’d of course read Watchmen, because that was “literary” and thus I could feel superior for having read it.

Boy, was I wrong.

Marvel comics have made me laugh until I cried; they’ve made me cry until I was almost sick; they’ve fascinated and intrigued and educated and horrified me—sometimes all at once. I’ve fallen in love with so many characters—Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Carol Danvers, Valkyrie, Steve Rogers, Misty Knight, Sharon Carter, Annabelle Riggs, Sam Wilson, Danny Rand, Luke Cage—that it actually kind of astonishes me. I first became acquainted with some of those characters via the MCU, and liked them quite a bit, but reading the comics (specifically, 616-verse) was what made me love them.

I don’t know what I really wanted to accomplish with my post tonight except to say that I’d like people to stop being shitty about, and to, fans who came in through the MCU. There’s absolutely nothing shameful about entering the world of comics by way of a really, really good set of movies, and honestly, as the premiere date of Captain America: The Winter Soldier approaches, I’ve become less and less tolerant of complaints about new fans who want to come and play in the sandbox.

I mean, for fuck’s sake. We’ve got more than 50 years of continuity involved here. There’s plenty of room for everyone.

So watch what the fuck you say. You never know which of your followers—who might be posting screencaps of panels and reblogging work from various comic artists and engaging with you in discussions every Wednesday—came in from the MCU. You never know who’s listening, so have a care. That’s all I’m saying.

Yes, the fan-favorite Firefly crew are finally back in action, thanks to Dark horse's new series, while the Dredd movie gets a comic sequel as well. Plus Snowpiercer, super-Brits, Captain Jane T. Kirk (really!) and more, all in this week's comics!

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Feeling dread is a sign from your spirit guides and the universe that you are off path. Do not ignore the feeling of dread or bad things will happen. Let’s look at dread more closely.

Do you feel dread when you get up for work in the morning? Do you dread going to your job?

Do you feel dread when you’re driving home after work and have to face your spouse or partner? Do you drive around the block a few extra times to prepare yourself to deal with an unhappy home life? Or simply to delay the inevitable?

Do you feel dread when you think about your day? Your future? An upcoming speech? A presentation at work? A date with your girlfriend? Sales calls?

Dread is a clairsentient sensation inside your body that is basically telling you, “Stop, you’re going the wrong way. This way be trouble. This isn’t your ideal path. You’ve gone off the rails. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”

But dread is awesome precisely because it IS a sign. It’s feedback from the universe. It’s there to clue you in to the fact that you are not happy about something in your life. Dread is not something to be tolerated. Dread is not something you want to ignore. Dread is a wakeup call. It’s a gift.

When you feel dread about anything, stop and assess your situation.

Is this a temporary dread like you are dreading making a presentation or going to the dentist?

Or is this an ongoing permanent dread like, “If I have to spend one more day at this job I will shoot myself?”

Try to identify exactly what you’re dreading. Then ask yourself these questions:

• Have I simply outgrown this situation?
• Is it time to move on?
• Can I take control of the situation and make it better?
• Can I move laterally into something I would enjoy more?
• If I end this relationship will I feel relieved?
• If I get this handled will I then feel good about the situation?

Sometimes you have to let go of something completely, just say “I’m out. I’m done.” If you feel a sense of relief just thinking about quitting, that’s a sign that you should do it.

But sometimes a situation just needs an adjustment.

I’ll give you an example from my own life about dread and how I used it to adjust course.

In 2006 I started my blog and I started doing readings shortly thereafter. I was so excited to wake up every morning and do readings. I’d sometimes do 8-12 readings a day. And I’d blog sometimes 3 days a week.

As the years passed, however, I started to notice this feeling of dread when I thought about doing readings and blogging.

I checked in with myself. I still loved giving readings. And I still loved writing. So why was I feeling dread?

It took me a little bit of time to realize that what I was feeling was a need to expand, and doing so many readings and writing so many articles was actually preventing me from having the time to expand the way I wanted to.

I felt like I owed it to my readers to keep blogging like a fiend and to keep doing readings every day of the week.

But a wise friend told me, “Do what you want to do. People will adjust.”

So I cut back on the number of blog posts I did, and I cut back on the number of readings I allowed myself to do each week.

Suddenly I had space. I could breathe. There was air!!

And in that space, I was able to expand. I started doing professional intuitive trainings. I created an audio program. In short order I also did a couple of workshops, a couple of teleseminars, created more products, and even wrote a book on astral projection which I thought I’d never have time to get to.

And I was still blogging and still doing readings. I was just doing them when I wanted to, not when I had to.

And the dread left. I was on track again. I was excited to get to work each day.

So ask yourself… what is causing you dread? What is the dread trying to tell you? What do you need to do more of or less of to be happy? How could you change or adjust your trajectory so that you’re in sync again with your path?

Your path is your own to create. Dread is the clue that you are off course. Make adjustments and keep on going.

geardrops:

graceisreallyweird:

sandandglass:

Jessica Williams talks to John Tamny, columnist for Forbes

John Tamny, professional asshole

Daily wish to the universe that this woman be given her own show like she deserves to have.

inkytasty:

thearetical:

This is (one reason) why I love the internet.

Oh, god. I’m sobbing. This is one of the most beautiful things.

Some hardcover books need a little breaking in—especially if you experience "creep" (text getting lost in the gutter of the pages). Here's how to solve this problem without ruining the book's spine.

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Anyone who's seen Thor: The Dark World knows that Chris Evans makes a cameo as Captain America (well, as Loki pretending to be Cap, at least). But as it turns out Marvel shot another version of the scene with Tom Hiddleston in Cap's outfit instead. Let's watch!

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Oh, Texas.

From Tabletop viewer J, who writes: “On the last episode of Tabletop you said there had better be a statue of you in Lenin-style in Petrograd. Well, I cant sculpture so I made a picture. I however cant say I use Paint much, but here you have something in the style of what you asked for.”

gladosandwheatley:

Visit to the vet for a wellness check. They were so excited to see the other dogs and ended up tiring themselves out. 

The vet wasn’t all that bad (even tho Wheatley peed on his chart) and we got some dental chews out of it!

When you assume, you make an ass out of u and also u. Don’t asuume. 

[video]

[reddit]

Graham Norton, Lena Dunham, and Idris Elba help an audience member reply to a text message. [video]

Github är favoritplatsen för open source-projekt. Det är ett nördarnas paradis (i alla positiva bemärkelser som kan tänkas). Ett av dess projekt tog en oväntad – och otroligt spännande – vändning häromdagen.

Det är alltså ett av hundratusentals projekt, och det är en helt vanlig ”ticket” i systemet. Men när den ansvarige svarar upphör allt normalt.

Artem Genvald meddelar att han har noterat det här önskemålet, men att det måste vänta för att han har fullt upp med revolutionen. Men det slutar så klart inte där – gör det någonsin det på nätet?

Hans besked tar skruv. En skärmdump delas flitigt och han får frågor, kommentarer och massor med stöd. Och återkommer två dagar senare.

Det här innebär i praktiken att ett inte oansenligt antal människor som prenumererar på den här tråden kommer att få reda på utfallet av revolutionen i Ukraina via ett arbetsredskap för open source-utveckling. Inte via traditionella medier, inte ens via traditionella sociala medier. Utan via github.

Det är något både vackert och fascinerande över den tanken.

Kontakta Joakim Jardenberg | Nyhetsförmedling 2014 publicerades på: jardenberg unedited

By maped
Meanwhile, the bowl of petunias thought, "Oh no, not again."

This afternoon, outside our building, in the snow…

ZELDA: *sees two other dogs*

ZELDA: I gotta go talk to THOSE DOGS.

ZELDA: *pulls frantically*

ME: Calm down.

ZELDA *pulls frantically*

ME: Okay, girl, okay.

ZELDA: Have … to … go … over … there …

ZELDA *pulls frantically*

ME: *takes to other dogs*

OTHER DOGS: *wag tails*

ZELDA: *stretches out on ground in frozen puddle, displaying all the goods*

ZELDA: I JUST CHECKED MY WATCH AND IT’S CHECK OUT MY JUNK O’CLOCK. BEHOLD.

OTHER DOGS: *ARE INTERESTED*

ME: Zelda!

ZELDA: What?

ME: You are in A PUDDLE.

ZELDA: But I have to show these dogs my junk?

OTHER DOGS: *ARE INTERESTED*

ME: Girl, no. No. Get up.

ZELDA: Why? This doesn’t seem to be the kind of thing you would normally have a problem with. I have no SHAME about MY JUNK.

OTHER DOGS: *MUCH SNIFFING*

ME: That’s not what this is about.

ZELDA: I’m just trying to determine your position vis-à-vis me displaying my junk to these dogs.

OTHER DOGS: *SO MUCH SNIFFING*

ME: My problem isn’t you displaying your junk. It’s the fact that you are doing it in a puddle of freezing water on a freezing day.

ZELDA: You have a political issue with puddles, then?

ME: I don’t have a political problem with the puddles. My concern is hypothermia. And after that, the filth.

ZELDA: That last bit is totally a book title.

ME: Maybe. Just get out of the puddle.

ZELDA: brb *splays wider*

OTHER DOGS: *ALL THE SNIFFING*

ME: *lifts Zelda out of puddle*

ZELDA: But …

ME: *takes Zelda to day care*

At day care, 3 minutes later…

ME: *tells story of the junk and the puddle*

ME: And so anyway, that’s why she needs a towel.

DAYCARE: Hey, you know, we assign all the dogs here a high school personality. Want to hear what Zelda’s is?

ME: *is uncertain*

ZELDA: *wags tail at door to the dog room*

DAYCARE: She’s that cheerleader that everyone wants to get with?

ME: ಠ_ಠ

ZELDA: *wags tail at door to the dog room*

DAYCARE: But not a slutty one.

ME: ಠ_ಠ

ZELDA: *goes into dog room*

ZELDA: GOTTA GO. JUNK 2 SHOW.

[video] [h/t: lovelylops]

The most compelling thing I’ve read on the subject is by Dr. Anne Fausto-Sterling. She maps out 5 sexes and makes some excellent suggestions of how doctors should handle intersex babies. 

You can read the essay here.

This is an excellent article she wrote for PBS. 

And she wrote a follow up essay called “The Five Sexes, Revisited" which is also very good. 

Best Friends by Elena Shumilova [500px]


[h/t: wolverxne]

paint-fanduhms:

An apple a day keeps The Doctor away.