Deep Dream Generator — The Sewing Machine Files

Posted on 19August2017 by

Not all my readers like the output from Deep Dream’s processing engine but many readers do. This post is for the latter. 

As I play with Deep Dream, more and more I come to rely on a small set of “go-to” Style images that have a good chance of producing results I’ll like. 

These are the images used as the “Style” for the AI to blend into the main photo. Meaning, the original photo is still recognizable but incorporates elements of the Style photo as determined by the AI. 

Once you choose a Style photo, you can adjust how heavy or light you want it applied. Heavier, and less of the original will be retained. For 90% of what I do, I leave it at the default settings. 

This post is about one of my Style “go-to” photos:

Honest, when I first looked at this as a possible Style candidate, it was from an impulse to “be weird” and I had no expectations regarding the results.  As it turned out, I applied it to one of the more difficult images I’ve been playing with and liked what I got. 

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Posted in Photography, Photography Stuff | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

roughseasinthemed

Posted on 18August2017 by

There are days when life blindsides you. This is one of those days. 

When I checked my email this morning, I had a notice for a new entry on a blog I read. It was THIS.

Katherine’s pen name was Leonora Smythe and she was a strong, opinionated, direct, smart, and generous person. We first crossed paths when she commented on a few of my fiction pieces. I often commented on her blogs (see below) and she in mine, and we sparred — as I do with many — both in jest and in discussions about serious topics.

We didn’t always agree, and that’s more than OK. She offered perspectives I did not have and broadened my understanding of the world, or at least the parts of it I had no direct exposure to. She was one of a few handful of people whose opinions I trust and respect.

She was helpful and supportive when it came to writing and I would have trusted her to edit my stuff if and when it came to it.

I don’t know the details of her passing and it wouldn’t change anything if I did. Besides, I don’t know her family and I have no desire to intrude in their grief.

Yet, I felt the need to acknowledge that she was here, that she mattered. The only way I have is through this blog

I don’t claim or express more than the acknowledgment that she was someone worth knowing and worth remembering and I don’t want to imply a closeness more than that of two people who exchanged ideas and crossed paths in one area of mutual interest.

Like before, I’m closing the comments on this post, but that didn’t stop people the last time I announced someone’s death. I’m not sure how else to dissuade people from offering condolences and sympathetic comments that will accomplish little more than making me uncomfortable. 

This post is in the memory of roughseasinthemed . . . she was a prolific and eclectic blogger. If interested, read a little about this lady, and that is enough.

https://roughseasinthemed.wordpress.com/editing-writing/

https://kcbooksandmusic.wordpress.com/the-editors-column/

https://cloudsmovingin.wordpress.com/

That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.

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Note: if you are not reading this blog post at DisperserTracks.com, know that it has been copied without permission, and likely is being used by someone with nefarious intention, like attracting you to a malware-infested website.  Could be they also torture small mammals.

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Please, if you are considering bestowing me recognition beyond commenting below, refrain from doing so.  I will decline blogger-to-blogger awards.   I appreciate the intent behind it, but I prefer a comment thanking me for turning you away from a life of crime, religion, or making you a better person in some other way.  That would mean something to me.

If you wish to know more, please read below.

About awards: Blogger Awards
About “likes”:   Of “Likes”, Subscriptions, and Stuff

Note: to those who may click on “like”, or rate the post; if you do not hear from me, know that I am sincerely appreciative, and I thank you for noticing what I do.

. . .  my FP ward  . . . chieken shit.

Finally, if you interpret anything on this blog as me asking or wanting pity, encouragement, or advice to better my life, know my subtle mix of irony, sarcasm, and humor is blowing right by you.

Posted in Writing, Writing Stuff | Tagged , ,

Reading is fundamental

Posted on 18August2017 by

I read. Often. I also write. I also have a vague notion of eventually calling myself a published author.

Mind you, there are a lot of obstacles in my way. One of them is literacy — as in lack thereof. Unsurprisingly, there’s a relationship between the number of people who are literate and the number of people who read books.

I came across a sad video.

That’s a seven-minute video. I went and looked for the original. Here it is:

Here’s the thing with the second video. I doubt many people will watch it. It’s 17 minutes. It’s funny, it’s informative, it’s depressing, but none of that matters . . . it’s 17 minutes long. Way, way, way longer than most people’s attention span.

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Posted in Musings Stuff, Writing Stuff, Opinion, Writing, Stuff | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

It’s Getting Real

Posted on 15August2017 by

Note: this post is approximately 1,250 words with a 9th Grade readability index. Click HERE for complete statistics.

It may not seem like it, but I’ve mostly abstained from posting opinion pieces . . .

Because they are emotionally draining.

Because issues are more complicated than what you read or hear or see, and discussing them get’s messy.

Because I don’t even for a moment think my input will sway anyone’s opinion.

Because the majority of readers are uninterested in my opinion. Especially, opinions they might find challenging.

In real life, I don’t converse with anyone about any of the stuff that’s happening. Some friend might occasionally ask for my opinion, but the amount of time we spend on it is minuscule. Instead, what I like doing — what I enjoy — is reflecting on stuff. I’ve not named this practice, but if it were to demand a name, I’d call it having private thinking parties.

When I write a piece, it’s mostly to put my own thoughts in order.

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Posted in Musings Stuff, Personal | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Sunday with my thoughts – it seems a no-brainer

Posted on 13August2017 by

This is only 1,200 words. Why, even some Australians should manage to stick around to the end of it. 

As I mentioned before, photos appearing on Sunday with my thoughts are gathered and presented in THIS SmugMug Gallery. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you can also click on the photos for a larger version or check out the gallery at the end of the post. This is another one of those where I post an original and then variations of the same, one or maybe more. Except for the above; that’s a straggler from another post.

It’s Sunday, so no exercising today. I’m still sweating, though, but with two fans on me, it’s somewhat under control. FYI, I find snacking is a good way to counter sweating.

Readers might have noticed that I’ve left my opinion posts slide a bit. Oh, sure, I’ve dropped comments here and there, but it’s been a while since I’ve had a dedicated post about “things.”

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Posted in Musings Stuff, Personal, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

A day of stuff

Posted on 12August2017 by

I like the word “stuff” . . . it offers an easy out when I can’t come up with a title for a post. It also sports a nonchalantness that speaks to confidence and aloofness while at the same time connects with the ordinariness of life, especially when referencing July 28th, a well known ordinary day. 

They call those “helmet urchins” and sometimes “shingle urchins” and they’re found at the boundary formed by immovable rocks clashing with dynamic oceans. These guys know something about holding on for dear life as powerful waves assault the shores of this island. 

. . . er . . . actually — at least on this side of the island — waves have been mighty scarce. We’re now on our sixth or seventh week without significant waves. No waves, no surfers . . . it’s been a long spell — a powerful long time — since I last snapped a photo of a surfer. Every day, the water sports a slight chop but is — for the most part — surprisingly calm. 

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Posted in Hawaii, Musings Stuff, Photography, Photography Stuff, Scenery, The Big Island | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

Deep Dream Generator — The Big Dump

Posted on 8August2017 by

My original plan was to showcase groups of my Deep Dreams over a number of blog posts . . . that was Plan A. 

It turns out that Hawaiʻi is twenty-intercontinental-missile-minutes away from North Korea. By some estimates, we’d have roughly eight minutes “to prepare” . . .

There’s a mad scramble on the islands as people search for vintage school desks. Frankly, even as in good a shape as we are, I don’t think we would fit under one of those. 

All of this was precipitated by our intellectually, ethically, and morally challenged Supreme Leader calling out what more and more appears no more than the mirror image of himself a half a world away. The similarities are uncanny; both “leaders” exhibit obvious shortcomings in the reasoning department and both have followers who refuse to see them for the dangerous buffoons that they are. The only difference appears to be Sean Hannity advises only one of these nutsos. Score one for our side.

Anyway, because of this latest development, I decided to dump all my current Deep Dreams efforts in this one post and hope to go live before the end of the world. Because who wouldn’t want these as the last thing they see as we go up in a fireball?

Note: I get that not everyone likes these. Please understand that I cater to a number of different readers. Some like my fiction, some like my photos, some like my rants (mighty few of those), and some like the eclectic nature of this blog and the erratic way it wanders from one thing to another. If this is not your cup of tea (or coffee, or tomato juice), HERE’s one of my marathon posts that will keep you occupied for a good long while.  

Let me start with this . . . 

That is one of my favorites and it involves the blending of a lion from the Cheyenne Zoo with a shot of the dawn in San Leon, Texas. 

By the way, all of these are blendings of two photos and I’m exclusively using my photos. That’s the case for all of the ones below, but that wasn’t the case for some of the earlier ones as I used their styles when I was learning about the tool and its options. 

I did create a SmugMug Gallery that has all my efforts to date (good and bad). Just click HERE.

OK, then, back to all the previously unpublished Deep Dreams.

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Posted in Photography, Photography Stuff | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments