Merlins Tower

Allstate Insurance - Tilt Shift Commercial

Posted on January 31st, 2010 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, Photography, Photoshop, Video, YouTube.

In my attempt at Photography - I have been playing with the Tilt-Shift to make a scene look like it is a model platform.

Seeing this Allstate Insurance Commercial on TV today it reminded me how much I like this technique and this would be a fun project to do someday on video.

If you check out Photoshop Nations on Geeks - You can see some of the Tilt Shift Attempts in photoshop.

If you want to learn more about Tilt Shift Photography Take a look here: Wikipedia - Tilt Shift Photography

Technorati Tags: Tiltshift, Tilt+Shift, Tilt, Shift, Photography, Techniques, Allstate, Insurance

0 comments.

Simple iPhone Speaker Enhancer - Low Tech

Posted on January 17th, 2010 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Cell Phone, Communication, Hack, MP3, Music, Toy, Weird Stuff, iPhone.

I could not pass up sharing this simple smartphone ( Blackberry, iPhone, Droid etc) Speakerphone Enhancer. I wish I would have thought of this - This really is a quick and dirty (only if you leave the glass dirty) Solution that really works. I can’t believe how well this works. I tried it today and the sound is increased - Now this is not hi-fi - But it works in a pinch when you need a little extra boost. Make sure to put the speaker side down - The bottom of the iPhone down. This causes an echo chamber and increases the volume of the sound. Just a little quick and easy solution. Great from when you are away from your regular speakers or dock.

But if you want a little (Well a lot better speaker system for your iphone - I would suggest checking out this page at amazon: Iphone Speaker Docks.

Info From UnPlugged.

Technorati Tags: iphone, blackberry, rim, speaker, dock, cheap, hack, speakerphone, enhancer

0 comments.

Video: The History of Writing and Fountain Pen Usage..

Posted on January 3rd, 2010 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Communication, Fountain Pen, Journaling, Notetaking, Video.

I recently saw this on Twitter and had to share this great video - By the W A Shaeffer Pen Company and Produced by the Jam Handy Organization (Just love that name)

This is a Western Electric Company Print Copyright MCMXLVII (1947)

This video starts out with a little girl attempting to communicate with her crayons - Drawing the start of communicaton - it then goes on to shows the progression of the alphabet from the early Egyptian times to the modern alphabet.

The video then goes on to show the progression of the pen from early reed pen to the “Modern” fountain pen.

What I really liked was they show old style pens - eyedropper pen - different ways of taking ink with you, The full progression of fountain pens. Make sure to visit your local dealer to match the pen to your handwriting style. (Still good advice) Fine , Medium or broad tips.

I also liked that they showed how the pens are to be filled.

Here it is - The Twenty Six Old Characters. (Internet Archive)

Technorati Tags: History, Alphabet, 26, Letters, Alphabet, Communication, Western, Electric, Jam, Handy, Twitter, Fountain, Pen

0 comments.

Making of a Great Commercial - Prius Ad

Posted on July 11th, 2009 by Merlin.
Categories: Anything Else, Art, Communication, Photography, TV, YouTube.

I love the Pruis Commercial - The One made up of People that make up the landscape. The grass that changes from Snow to it blowing in the wind. The concept of this ad is just amazing. I just found this on YouTube - about the making of this amazing commercial.

Over 1,000,000 people were created from 200 extras.

9 - 12 Hour Days - 9 Different Nature costumes were Created:

• 150 - Grass/ Water People
• 22 - Trunks
• 20 - Stones
• 30 - Leaves
• 20 - Clouds
• 10 - Sun
• 8 - Flowers
• 8 - Buterflies
• 23 Autumn Leaves

Technorati Tags: Prius, TV, Commercial, People, Landscape, generated

0 comments.

Please Vote for Mystic Kitty

Posted on May 26th, 2009 by Merlin.
Categories: Announcement, Art, Communication, Photography, Weird Stuff.

Mystic Kitty Sitting Pretty

To the left is the Photo that Got Listed at Purina.com on their PetCharts

My Photo of My Cat (Mystic)  is one of  the Top 10 Photos of the day & Top 20 Photos of  the Week at Purina.com On Their Pet Charts Website.

( http://bit.ly/Mystic )

Woudl You Please Vote For “Mystic Kitty - Sitting Pretty”

And Please Forward  this Link/Post on to anyone you might like to share this with to vote for My Mystic. (Or  Even any of the Other Photos at Purina too)

Much Thanks…

Merlin  &  Mystic Too
*^v^*^v^*^v^*^v^*

Technorati Tags: Cat, Top, Ten, Photo, Phtography, Kitten, Contest, , Mystic, Merlin, Purina, , Canon, D500, T1i, Eos, Rebel

0 comments.

Using Cornell Note System in Business

Posted on April 11th, 2009 by Merlin.
Categories: Communication, DIY, Freeware, GTD, HPDA, Hack, Human, Indexcards, Life, Notetaking, Office, Pen.

Yes, I use the Cornell Note System in my daily life. I find it a great way to organize my notes and ideas from Meetings, Conference Calls, and What I did or need to do each day. I also use it when reading a new book that I want to take some notes on. I even draw the dividing lines in my notebooks now to help me organize my thoughts there as well. 

I made a modified version of Note Paper from Cornell-Notes.com to include a time clock to help me track my time and what I need to do and what I have completed and what I have coming up. 

I posted it on Scribd.com for all to use.

To use the clock in the upper left  to shade in the time (Begining to end) and mark a Letter or symbol near it and Use the Letter / symbol to Highlite the notes from that time slice.  I also use this with the Cue Column to track my upcoming meetings and schedule for the day.

How many times have you wondered what you did and have not clue where your day went - Keeping this with me allows me to make notes and annotate what I complete and see why I had to push other things off of my plate for the day. In the notes area I am able to write the tips and note things that I didn’t know and this allows me to update documentation and let others know the little fixes I used. I keeps these daily and use the summaries to help me find info I need from past notes / days.

And I have scheduled time weekly  later in the day Friday (while the week is still fresh in my mind) and look over the past week and see what info was good - I sometimes will highlight portions or copy off data and store it in other notebooks for future reference material. But I also scan the more important pages and put it into my evernote  system as well as that come with me on my iphone and it is easily accessable via their web page.

I also want to note every day I  look over the previous day and get my new notepage prepared for the day. Writing down what I need to do - checking my online calendar and seeing what I have scheduled for myself.  This way I have that info at hand even if I am not at my desk. This is also when I summarize my previous days notes making the weekly summary on Friday’s even easier. This only take me about 10 to 20 mins each morning but it saves alot more time through out the day then what I put into it.

Technorati Tags: Cornell, Notes, Note, paper, Organization, Sytem, business, calendar, schedule, free, organizer

0 comments.

Virtual Sound - Auditory Illusions and Phase 4 Stereo

Posted on April 11th, 2009 by Merlin.
Categories: Art, Communication, Human, Life, MP3, Music, USB.

I really love my music - I carry it pretty much everywhere I go - I have a Archos 605 Media Player (It is one of the best around) Besides having an iPhone as well.

Recently I added the SRS Audio Sandbox on to my PC to add depth to all the sound and music I play on the computer - I will be writing a more detailed review in the future about this. But in the mean time - If you don’t have it and want your music to really pop - I fully recommend purchasing it for your PC.

This gets me to todays information - Virtual Sounds or Auditory Illusions - I recently came across this Page @ One Mans Blog - about getting a Virtual Haircut - This is amazing recording - They are recorded using what is called Holophonics - I recommend using headphones or the SRS Labs Audio Sandbox - Or even better the SRS Labs Audio Sandbox with Headphones with its headphone 360 mode  - All I can say is WOW - These are really cool and fun to listen to.  

This got me to thinking about some recording my dad used to have and play on the record player - They are the Phase 4 Stereo Recordings from London. I found out you can purchase some of  them at Amazonand I am currently listening to Mantovani by Mantovoni as I write this entry. Amazon list quite a few - and many are only available on LP - To listen and record these you will need a Record player - I recommend using the either of the following two units from Amazon - ( Audio Technica AT-LP2DUSB LP-to-Digital Recording System with USB ) or ( Ion TTUSB Turntable with USB Record ) I  use the Audio Technica one - I don’t own it but I get to borrow it from my brother. Plus don’t forget to check out your local library for some of these records - some are able to be loaned out for your listening pleasure.

Technorati Tags: auditory, illusions, auditory+illusions, Phase+4, Phase+IV, Holophonic, Sound, 3d, SRS, Stereo, Music, LP, Records, Record+Player, 45, 33

0 comments.

Older »