Mirrorboard: A one-handed keyboard layout for the lazy

Do you have a wearable computer? Are you interested in alternate keyboard layouts but too lazy to learn Dvorak? Do you masturbate at your desk? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be interested in my custom keyboard layout.

I spend most of my desktop time in a web browser and the rest in terminals/messengers. So, like a gamer, I’m usually sitting with one hand on the keyboard and the other on the mouse, typing things occasionally. I found that I was actually biasing myself towards things I could type with my left hand — saying “haha” instead of “lol”, for example. This got me thinking about one-handed keyboard layouts.

Now, there exist all sorts of specially-built one-handed chording keyboards. There are also one-handed layouts like Left-handed Dvorak which can be used with a standard keyboard. That’s no good for me. I’m not going to spend months rewiring my brain just to type a few things faster (Dvorak people, I admire your perseverance, but I do not have the commitment that you do). What I really wanted was a modification of QWERTY that let me occasionally type with one hand without learning anything really new.

http://blag.xkcd.com/2007/08/14/mirrorboard-a-one-handed-keyboard-layout-for-the-lazy/

The potent power of proposals

In the old days, I'd lug my book around and do a dog and pony show with my work meticulously mounted to 16” x 20” black boards. It’s how they taught me to do it in art school. What they didn’t teach me was how to whip up a proper proposal.

I can’t remember the last time I showed my portfolio to a prospect. It’s sitting there in the corner gathering dust. What wins work these days are my proposals. As a matter of fact, if I get to the point of doing a project proposal, nine times out of ten, I’ll land the gig.

For a lot of folks, writing a proposal is often wrought with angst. Where to start? What to include? Don’t sweat it. You’ve come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through the process so you’ll be whipping out potent proposals that close the big deals.

http://www.tortorelladesign.com/marketing_mind/2006/02/potent-power-of-proposals.html

'Smiley Face' Turns Into A Frown: Anna Faris Comedy Going Straight To DVD

Eight months ago, Anna Faris' newest film played to standing-room-only crowds at the Sundance Film Festival, prompting the star of the high-grossing "Scary Movies" series to admit she'd never heard so much laughter during a viewing of one of her flicks.

Over the summer, under-the-influence R-rated films like "Superbad" and "Knocked Up" ruled the box office, seemingly setting the stage for the next great stoner comedy. But now, those looking forward to "Smiley Face" should brace themselves for news that will leave them with a frown: What could potentially be the next great cult comedy is getting dumped onto DVD.

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1570507/20070925/story.jhtml

Jessica Biel Might Lasso Wonder Woman Role For 'Justice League' Movie

Fans looking for ways to describe Jessica Biel will be able to say she's as "beautiful as Aphrodite, as wise as Athena, swifter than Mercury and stronger than Hercules" now that the 25-year-old actress is in talks to play Wonder Woman in George Miller's "Justice League of America" movie, Entertainment Weekly reports.
Biel is the first actor to be officially linked with the ensemble project, which will also feature legendary DC Comics characters such as Superman, Batman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash and Green Lantern. Ryan Reynolds has previously stated he'd love to be in it, now that plans for his Flash movie have fizzled (see " 'The Flash' Isn't Happening? Not So Fast, Ryan Reynolds Says ..."). Christian Bale, on the other hand, told MTV News he doesn't want to don his Batman mask for "JLA."

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1570519/20070925/story.jhtml

THE GALLERY OF FLUID MOTION

This special section from Physics of Fluids features award-winning photographs and videos chosen from among numerous entries to the Annual Gallery of Fluid Motion exhibit, held at the annual meeting of the American Physical Society, Division of Fluid Dynamics.

gallery http://pof.aip.org/pof/gallery/index1.jsp

'Resident Evil' Feasts On 'Chuck,' Takes #1 At Box Office

The Box Office Top Five#1 "Resident Evil: Extinction" ($24 million)#2 "Good Luck Chuck" ($14 million)#3 "The Brave One" ($7.4 million)#4 "3:10 to Yuma" ($6.4 million)#5 "Eastern Promises" ($5.7 million)
It's the end of the world as we know it, and the stars of "Resident Evil: Extinction" feel quite fine. The third in a series of video-game adaptations about a zombie plague, "Extinction" rose from the grave and went straight to the top, finishing in first place with a series-record $24 million opening, putting it on pace to out-earn both previous installments. Say what you will about the flick, but how many threequels this year can boast a series' high gross? Just one; and "The Bourne Ultimatum" had the benefit of being, well, actually really good. Slice it any way you want, but the success of "Extinction" shows the talent behind it has some serious "brraaaainnns!"

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1570351/20070924/story.jhtml

Memorize This!

12 essential facts, formulas, and photographic rules

What happens when your systems go belly-up, when all of that cutting-edge technology dies and you must rely on (gasp!) your own knowledge? It pays to have these basics in your head. They can get you out of a jam and help you get good shots when nothing else will.
1. Sunny 16 rule The basic exposure for an average scene taken on a bright, sunny day is f/16 at a shutter speed equivalent to one over the ISO setting—that is, f/16 at 1/100 sec at ISO 100. From this you can interpolate, and try f/22 at the beach, f/11 on a cloudy-bright day, etc.

2. Moony 11, 8, and 5.6 rules There are many different rules that work well when shooting the moon. One favorite for a proper exposure of a full moon is f/11 at one over the ISO setting. For pictures of a half moon, use the same shutter speed at f/8, and for a quarter moon, use the same shutter speed at f/5.6.

3. Camera shake rule The slowest shutter speed at which you can safely handhold a camera is one over the focal length of the lens in use. As shutter speeds get slower, camera shake is likely to result in an increasing loss of sharpness. So, if you're using a 50mm lens, shoot at 1/60 sec or faster. Not enough light? Use a flash, tripod, or brace your camera against a solid object.

4. Anatomical gray card Metering off an 18-percent neutral gray card is a good way to get a midtone reading that will give you a good overall exposure of a scene. Forgot your gray card? Hold your open hand up so it's facing the light, take a reading off your palm, open up one stop, and shoot. (Various skin tones rarely account for even a full-stop difference.)

5. Depth of field rules When focusing on a deep subject, focus on a point about a third of the way into the picture to maximize depth of field, because the depth-of-field zone behind that point is about twice as deep as the depth-of-field zone in front of it. This works for all apertures and focal lengths, but the smaller the aperture and the shorter the focal length, and the greater the distance you shoot at, the greater the depth of field.

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