Learn how to fill paths with text to create typographic art

• Illustrator (I used CS4 but any version should be fine). Just download a 30-day trial from Adobe if you need it.
• A photo or image with strong sense of line

I’ve used a synoptic chart as a source image, as I’m one of those interesting people who loves to look at weather maps (any sort of map, actually). Contour lines are my favourite because aside from conveying information, they are also expressive and unpredictable. Almost poetic, if you use your imagination!

Following is the tutorial on how to make your own synoptic typography:

I’m horrified by the source of this quote.  I mean absolutely horrified. So much so I refuse to quote it’s source, you’ll just have to look it up. But today, it works:

“I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, theres a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep your head up…. and handle it.”

If I was making an attempt at being intellectual, I might have instead called this post, Aequam memento rebus in arduis servare mentem – (Remember when life’s path is steep to keep your mind even). It’s just today, words need to be as they are, no pretence, just what they are.

I’ve spent the day at the less enjoyable job. I wonder if today I have actually made a difference. Interviewing people today, I have seen several people who had already been drainking pre-lunch (to the point of making my eyes water), people who’s hope of finding work has all but vanished and one person who has not lost hope, but gave me a sharp shock back to remembering that teaching can knock you off your feet. We were discussing child protection, a major part of one of the courses I teach, by opening up this subject it became the catalyst for them to talk about their own experience of disclosure from the child’s perspective. During the discussion, this person’s face changed from the strong adult person to the confused child who was only able to make partial disclosures for fear of hurting those around them. I remembered at that exact moment why being a social worker had been such a tough career choice. I had loved that job, knowing I made a difference daily, but the pain that I felt knowing what children were dealing with was just too much once I became a mother (tbh, even before that I would come home in tears daily knowing that I had walked away from kids that needed help that I couldn’t offer). I theoretically knew that as a teacher disclosures were possible, but when working with adults you tend to think about it less. The situation which this person described was one a child should never have to live through and has left me very grateful for my sheltered childhood. Yes, I played big boys games before I really understood what they meant, but that was partially me rebelling and being led astray outside the home. Not the same. Nowhere near. 

So I’m left in this weird numb state. I came home and couldn’t talk about it. There’s something that I need to get closure on, except when I have a moment where someone points out just how pointless my issues are compared to what they could be I feel terrible for finding them so hard to deal with. Then I just fold up like a telescope (thank you Alice).  So, for now I’m capable of screaming lots of words in my head that will come streaming from my fingers on the keyboard, but I’m unable to communicate any of this verbally.

So what issues is it at all possible to not have covered in the masses of posts I’ve done? Well nothing actually. And that’s what’s so frustrating. It’s no longer a disclosure for me, it’s become picking to pieces the things that bother me most. Like daily whining about my useless uterus (in fact I may just call it that from now… ), the general longing for it to work rather than require donantion and medical coaxing out of  my eggs. And for those of a nervous disposition look away now, and the magnifying glass to this whole thing still all boils down to me having locked away things for such a long time, and working on the basis that having disclosed everything in the blog (going back a year) everything should have found closure. Except it hasn’t really. Probably because once I’d said it, I put it all back neatly in it’s box to rot when in fact I probably hould have thrown some dettol on it. I am aware at this point I’m totally beating around the bush and no-one actually knows what I’m talking about. I’m not so good at getting this nasty little skeleton out of the closet – it bites. I think what has been getting to me is the question, how is it that I’m ok with the whole sex thing (more than ok if we’re being honest here) having experienced the less nice side of it? The ex, the revolting excuse for a man that I’ve mentioned before, I’ve used the big R word here too. Combine the two and that’s where I’m going with this. Nasty period of time in my life and therein followed some serious body issues. To this day I am utterly convinced of my uselessness in that department (despite evidence to the contrary), I remember being informed of my uselessness, I believe the term ’sack of potatoes’ was used, with hindsight having said no before then not being totally happy with the whole act happening in the first place probably didn’t help. So now, in the moment is very very different. However, there are occasions when I continue to wonder if he had a point which is a dangerous road to walk down.

So there, weird stuff in my head. Other people have it far worse, but for tonight I am null. Blank girl.

The AP is reporting that the legendary professional Basketball player Allen Iverson is set to announce his retirement from the N.B.A. Iverson , a former Most Valuable Player for the N.B.A. has been in the league since the 1996 season, in which he was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Iverson

He played with the Sixers for 10 years. During his tenure he was Rookie of the Year, League MVP, 2x All-Star MVP, and led the league in scoring for four years. After his rookie season, during which he led the 76ers in points, assists and minutes, Iverson was named the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year and was a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

The 10-time All-Star played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.

The New York Knicks considered signing Iverson last week after he cleared waivers, before deciding he would take too much playing time away from younger players they are trying to develop.

With no apparent interest from any other NBA teams, Allen Iverson is set to retire.

Iverson will always be credited for popularizing the streetball style move called the cross-over, and for his exciting tricky aggressive driving style of play.

He was never the tallest on the floor, just the most dangerous player that always wanted the ball.

Allen Iverson is a sho-in for the Hall of Fame, and I suspect that he can still run with the best of them, given a team that can design their plays to allow Iverson to shoot at will.

I personally enjoyed the years I got to watch him compete in the NBA, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.

Thanks for the 100 percent effort Allen Iverson…you were worth watching and you will be missed.

Read the full story here…

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPZfEWbAiIKgjsNDLhC1jiVSsJZAD9C78M580

No.  He’s not done.  He’s about as retired as Brett Favre.  The difference is that there was a market for Brett Favre.  After the 2010 free agent sweepstakes is over, there will be a lot of teams left out holding a bunch of money they don’t want to use on the 2011 class, and they’ll try to sign AI.  He basically admitted its a forced retirement.  Another thing he could do is sucker some Greek or Italian team to spend the GDP of Luxembourg to sign him.

Now, he was a bonehead.  Most of his career he was.  He was one of the most selfish players ever without the success of other ballhogs to offset that fact.  He never won in the Finals, and the one year that he was there, he was totally outclassed.  He was a part of that disastrous Olympic basketball team.  That being said, I still think he’s a Hall of Famer and a first ballot one.  I don’t think it’s right to let his recent history color his achievements.

Why?  He has the stats.  All-star games, scoring titles, been to the NBA Finals.  He had a huge effect on the NBA for better, but mostly worse.  His crossover was the one that everyone practiced on the courts the next day.  Jordan’s maybe, but AI’s yes.  He also passes the eye test.  What do I mean?  I think he’s in a different class than say Vince Carter.  They both are good players, but even in his best years, I don’t think I would have taken a chance on Vince Carter as my franchise guy.  I (maybe, probably) would have with AI.  Even knowing what an idiot he is now.

Allen Iverson reportedly retired today…. Facing reduced interest from teams and a refusal to sit on the bench for anyone he is going out on his own terms. The greatest small guard to ever play the game (not practice mind you). I -really- hope this isnt the end of his career… For whatever reason I have always felt a kindred spirit with the guy and have cheered for him since he entered the league; even though his best years were in my division against my team. Last month even though we nded up winning a championship I was lamenting to someone my Celtics didnt trade Al Jefferson for him instead of Kevin Garnett. Allen Iverson is a personal hero of mine. That doesnt mean im not aware and upset that he is being a dumbass… And in this case…

Today has just been a shitty day. Like when I woke up a few Christmases ago to the news James Brown had died. I “Should’ve stayed in bed”

The story this year: after The Bobcats decided against signing him for some fucking reason he ended up with Memphis?! After being hurt in the preseason he didnt take kindly to coming off the bench (a recurring theme the last two seasons) and went home. And stayed.

2:42 my jaw dropped. Really.
2:50 against MJ was his rookie year
4:00 christalmighty

Here is to hoping we get one more season of The Answer. I mean, Christ, the man can cross-over dribble a FOOTBALL

Your affectionate Uncle O

Man.. Allen Iverson is retiring.  So much talent, so much passion, and so much attitude.  I still remember the first time he did THE CROSSOVER during an NBA game.  The next day, we spent the entire lunch period in the gym, trying to imitate him.  I know he had a few stumbles over the years, but I choose to remember the happier times.

The best to do it since Tim Hardaway.

Iverson’s statement [here]

Thanks for everything, AI.. We’ll miss you!

…And now with retirement looming, I prefer to remember AI like this…

Definisi Natural Language Processing
Natural Language Processing (NLP) merupakan salah satu bidang ilmu dari Artificial Intelligence (kecerdasan buatan) yang mempelajari komunikasi antara manusia dengan komputer melalui bahasa alami (bahasa sehari-hari yang digunakan oleh manusia).
NLP tidak bertujuan untuk mentransformasikan bahasa yang diterima dalam bentuk suara ke dalam bentuk digital dan/atau sebaliknya, melainkan bertujuan untuk memahami arti dari ucapan yang diberikan dalam bahasa alami dan memberikan respon uang sesuai misalnya dengan melakukan suatu aksi tertentu atau menampilkan data tertentu.
Dengan pengertian diatas kami akan mencoba untuk merancang Robot Pembersih Karpet dengan menggunakan NLP dengan inputnya adalah bahasa alami manusia seperti “Robot, cuci karpet” maka output yang dihendaki adalah robot pembersih karpet itu segera mencuci karpet yang telah disediakan.

1.Grammar (Struktur bahasa yang digunakan)
Grammar adalah aturan-aturan pembentukan suatu kalimat dalam sebuah bahasa (tata bahasa). Dengan adanya grammar ini parsing yang dilakukan sangat cepat dengan hanya melakukan proses searching. Parser akan mencari aturan-aturan yang tepat untuk membentuk struktur suatu kalimat.
Grammar yang kami gunakan adalah sebagai berikut :
Kalimat (K) → Frase Kata Benda (FB) + Frase Kata Kerja (FK)
Frase Kata Benda (FB) → Artikula (A) + Kata Benda (KB)
Frase Kata Kerja (FK) → Kata Kerja (KK) + Frase Kata Benda (FB)
Artikula → si dan sang
Kata Benda → Robot
Kata Kerja → Bersihkan, Cucikan, Jemurkan
2.Struktur Data untuk menyimpan rule yang sudah ditentukan
Struktur data :
1.(K,FB,FK)
2.(FB,A,KB)
3.(FK,KK,FB)
4.(FK,KK)
5.(A,[ ])
3.Algoritma dalam membuat Parser NLP
Algoritma yang kami gunakan dalam membuat parser NLP adalah algoritma Top-down Parsing. Algoritma ini bekerja dengan cara menguraikan sebuah kalimat mulai dari unsur-unsur pembentuk kalimat yang besar seperti Frase Kata Benda (FB),Frase Kata Kerja (FK),artikula(A),kata Benda(KB), dan Kata Kerja (KK).
Hal ini dilakukan terus-menerus sampai semua komponen yang dihasilkan ialah constituent terkecil dalam kalimat, yaitu kata.
Algoritmanya adalah:
1.Periksa apakah input kalimat (K) dimulai dengan unsur-unsur pembentuk kalimat dalam grammar (FB,FK,KK,KB, dan A)
2.jika ya maka sekarang kalimat tebentuk menjadi dua. Misalkan : kalimat input yang dimasukkan ke sistem adalah
“Hai robot bersihkan karpet itu ”
C K1
C = unsur pertama pembentuk kalimat
K1 = Sisa kalimat setelah C dikeluarkan dari K
4.periksa apakah variabel C merupakan terminal (kata). Jika ya maka proses berhenti sampai di tahap ini. Tapi jika tidak maka akan memeriksa sekumpulan unsur pembentuk kalimat selanjutnya misalnya [FB,FK],[A,KB],dll
5.Ulangi tahap nomer 4 sampai unsur pembentuk kalimat yang didapat = kata (unsur pembentuk kalimat yang terkecil).

Algoritma dengan menggunakan IF yaitu :

1.Apakah kalimat dimulai dengan constituent?
2.Jika ya, maka K = C + K1
C = Constituent
K1= sisanya
3.Apakah C = terminal ?
4.Jika ya, stop
5.Jika tidak, lanjutkan ke parse list
6.Parse list : ulangi langkah 3

Udviklingen indenfor AI (artificial intelligence) er efterhånden ved at være nået til et punkt, hvor robotterne virkelig ligner mennesker. Vi er langt fra Star Wars R2D2 og tættere på terminator. En robot er ikke længere en skrodtbunke som rasler, når den går, men en menneskelig figur som kan genkende andre mennesker som har ansigtsudtryk og som endda har en form for følelser. Robotten Jules er lavet af et plastisk matriale kaldet Frubber ™. Materialet gør det muligt for Jules at vise realistiske ansigtsudtryk og tale naturligt. I følge firmaet hansonrobotics som står bag Jules, kan dette materiale blive en del af fremtidens proteser og plastikkirurgi.

Se Jules sige farvel til sin familie, får han blive slukket og pakket ned.

Following 1-4 MA declined to comment so that exchange is declared a win (see his profile here).  According to  SingInst  the future’s gonna be oh-so-advanced only infallible computers (designed & marketed by them, natch) could handle it. But, as noted, if something is infallible it by definition can’t be contradicted. Their ‘infallible’ is just a classic circular argument. What they really imply is expertise in algorithmic programming, which you can’t deny they have – see prev.

A weekend without blogging. Mr T got an email on Frday asking why I hadn’t blogged, my friend had nothing to read’. So this should keep her amused for a while – We’re currently in the car on the way home from Wales, a day later than expected due to the heavens opening and most of the UK being hit with rain. We ought to be used to the wet stuff, it makes up 80% of our weather, except we’re used to grey, dull, drizzle which is more annoying than exciting. This rain was more flood everything type stuff, the kind where you look out of the window and contemplate building an ark. Instead what we did was to stay an extra night with our friends and come home today (let’s ignore the guilt of midget missing a day of school for this…) on the basis of better safe than sorry.

Good weekend? Yes. In the whirlwind that can be my mind at times, our visits to Wales act like a more physical form of lithium for my moods. The ups and down become undulations and I can feel peaceful and more myself for a while. Going home this time, what were at one point childish tears at not wanting to return to normality have become the realisation that my dose of peace has been topped up and alongside Mr T the helter skelter is less likely to be polished and for a while the mats have run out. For now I can enjoy the contentment.

Hardly describes the weekend does it? Ok, Thursday started it off – I wasn’t sure about whether to go or not. Mini midget had been ill all week and she was only just coming out the other side. Then Mr T’s parents phoned to say they couldn’t look after the midgets as they had come down with equally icky germs. Looked like every thing was off. Then Mr T talked to Lady S and asked if we could bring the masses with us (this was fine, but it generally feels like we inflict the midgets on people and it’s only fair to be concerned). So back on it was…

 Friday Mr T and I finished work together and packed up the car with mini midget, we picked the midget up from school together and set off for Wales. I should explain something about this really. I love Wales, the place, the clean air, the people (who just seem friendlier), the random oddities who wander around the local supermarkets in their PJs, the accent, and Lady S and Mr L live there.  We go there as much as possible and the girls have begun to share my love of the place.

So we arrived Friday just in time for the girls to say hi and head off to bed which they did very well considering they’d just sat in the car for nearly 4 hours. So, with the kids in bed an evening in front of Children in need, cwtched up on the sofa began. Saturday was spent in Cardiff Bay where the weather had started to set in, lunch was found in the lovely Chinese restaurant and then all energy run off in Techniquest (this has to be the most fantastic science museum for midgets). Micro midget discovered a fascination with fish which was beyond cute, and as the kids all headed towards meltdown we headed home. In the sheeting, biblical rain (hmm…..).

Sunday morning, oooh err…. It’s a bit wet out there. We looked at the weather report and noticed a flipping great swirly cloud of black that was about to swirl its way across the whole of Wales and the UK.  Made breakfast and talked about whether or not to drive back. Phoned parents, both sets confirmed the weather locally was pants. Nice weather lady mentioned a gap in the weather today. Decision made. Stay the extra night, deal with reusing kids clothes an drive home in safety. Not the end of the worlds, and if we were to get stranded with anyone, I can think of far worse people! So thank you Lady S and Mr G not only for a wonderful weekend but also for not making us go out in the scary rain. And now I must sign off due to excessive lack of battery!

When it comes to predicting the future, Dr. Ian Pearson is one futurologist who generally gets it right. Having worked as an engineer for BT he now works for future consultancy Futurizon.He spoke to the author about his vision for the IT future… (more)

http://kl.am/54kO

I was sitting in today’s KBAI class when one of my classmates raised a question of creativity is accidental. My professor went on to explain that there are instances of creativity being serendipity but it is purely logical. The class was the followed by concepts on visual reasoning and how analogy is derived.

But isn’t creativity purely serendipity? Think about the Bohr’s model of atom( the conventional example). How could one draw an analogy of a solar system by mere mapping of concepts?  With this contemplation I entered my theory class where we had a lecture on Fast Fourier Transforms and symmetric roots. And the domain of problem changes drastically when trying to find symmetric roots. We look at roots of unity to solve the problem and the algorithm then turns out so elegant. And you say Eureka!!! It all fits in.

But how did it all fit in. Was it so logical for us to look at roots of unity or the person just stumbled upon it?.

Ebay

Os produtos populares foram destacados na busca.

Url: www.ebay.com

On the comic-art angle, you’ve had  glamtek. Get ready for rough-tek, which explores the way tek develops a sort of ‘pop-culture’, ie like Harley Davidsons, but with a futuristic vista (the Mad Max syndrome). It’s easy to relate to attention-grabbing images, (‘Sky Captain’  sorta stuff - the sort of world you’d have no trouble getting into).

There’s also a few future-tek graphic novels out there dealing with future politics (see ‘MSN’ for Transmetropolitan). As you might expect of comics they’re very good on behaviour which is a horrendously complicated maelstrom of choices & values. Democracy may be a political system but all it’s there for is to give the ability to exercise our choices & values.  Particularly Stateside these vary even within parties – the idea of the individual, rugged or not, is hard to eradicate.

It strikes me that’s where the AI house-of-cards falls down - all that’s excluded from the equation since politics just gives an expression to human values (or lack of I guess).  While there are seemingly infinite possiblities of algorithmic programming - do the words choices or values appear anywhere? Reckon they don’t - a discussion of AI implies there are none! (over to your favorite dystopia again).

Hang on a minute – it just struck me algorithms are very useful things, without them the net doesn’t function intelligently. That’s fine since it’s an enabling technology. The whole point of enabling tek is it relates to human behaviour (a car is enabling, right?) But these are 2 different things – behaviour is a personal thing, I’ve mine you’ve yours. A computer can never have the option of choice in the sense it’s not independent – it’s a machine with machine rules (algorithms). 

Some of these rules  might turn out to be infallibly correct. Fine, but what’s correct for me as a  right-winger isn’t so for you as a left-winger – it’s called opinion & debate, rhetoric, polemic.. the list goes on. Another way of looking at it is a computer can never have an opinion if it’s infallibly correct – pure tautology! (see ‘AM’ from Harlan Ellison’s dystopia ‘I Have No Mouth & I must Scream’).

It’s obviously no surprise Anissimov reels-off these algorithms since that’s his job as a top-drawer mathematical programmer. So you might say there are 2 types of intelligence – machine & human (or animal, let’s not forget Coyote lore here). It’s fair enough to posit some guys having a robotic-like way of thought. Any road, ‘we are machine’ is the exact opposite of reality (& of myth, legend & the list goes on & on).                        

(4/4 may or may not have some connection to Harlan Ellison’s Repent Harlequin Said the Ticktockman) 

THE BLOG IS DECLARED OPEN FOR BIZ FOLLOWING AN EXTENDED HIATUS TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS FROM OUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSIENTS. A GOOD WAY TO GET A FEEL FOR CONTENT IS CHECK TAGS (see ‘Glamtek’) – LAST 4 ENTRIES READ IN SEQ.   

'my fellow humans, uh, make it non-humans - or is that post-humans?'

Here’s a thought-experiment: would anyone vote for politicos if they didn’t know what they looked like? No way – what Anissimov has in mind is a benign oligarchy. So, who wants a faceless dictator, huh? Better to design one. Now it gets more like a vid-game, someone has to design the virtual appearance.

spot the difference

 What it amounts to is even infallible AI has to have enabling technology or no one takes it seriously!