How to fake an HDR effect in photoshop

clipped from www.flickr.com [ 1 ] We'll call the original layer "LAYER1", now duplicate LAYER1 and place it above that layer. (We'll call this "LAYER2") [ 2 ] Change the Blending option of LAYER2 to "Overlay" [ 3 ] Go to Image > Adjustements > Desaturate (SHIFT + CTRL + U) [ 4 ] Now invert LAYER2: Image > Adjustements > Invert (CTRL + I) [ 5 ] And add a gaussian Blur to it (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) around 40 pixels [ 6 ] Now duplicate LAYER1 and place it above LAYER2, name this layer "LAYER3" [ 7 ] Change the blending type of LAYER3 to "Linear Light" [ 8 ] Give LAYER3 an opacity around 62%. And you're done (For better results, tweak this percentage)

'Jurassic Parkette' – the prehistoric island ruled by dwarf dinosaurs

clipped from www.telegraph.co.uk Found: 'Jurassic Parkette' – the prehistoric island ruled by dwarf dinosaurs A prehistoric "lost world" ruled by miniature dinosaurs has been discovered by palaeontologists. The creatures lived on an island – a kind of pigmy Jurassic Park – and were up to eight times smaller than some of their mainland cousins. One of the island-dwelling dinosaurs, named Magyarosaurus, was little bigger than a horse, but was related to some of the largest creatures to ever walk the Earth – gigantic titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus, which reached up to 100 feet long and weighed around 80 tons. Another of the dinosaurs was found to be a primitive dwarfed species similar to large duck-billed herbivores like Iguanodon, which could grow to be up to 10 feet long and weighed more than three tons. Fossils from the dwarf dinosaurs were found in what is now modern day Romania, in an area known as Hateg, which, 65 million years ago – when the creatures were living there – was an island.

Split Pea Soup & Yummy Garlic Croutons

* Split peas absorb lots of water as they cook, so check the soup often and add liquid as needed.
* The peas only need to be cooked until they are tender, but if you like a smoother, creamier texture, cook them longer until they soften and fall apart.
* If you like really silky soup, take the extra step of pureeing the peas once they have softened. This is a great job for your immersion blender if you have one, but you can also do it in batches in your regular countertop blender.

Fill 'er Up


Ham, bacon, and sausage all go exceptionally well with peas. One of the most traditional ways of making split pea soup is to flavor it with ham bones. Most recipes include onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. In the herb department, bay leaves, thyme, mint, marjoram, rosemary, and parsley are all delicious enhancements to a pot of pea soup. If you like to flavor your soup with tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar, wine or any other acidic ingredients ...

clipped from allrecipes.com Split Pea Soup Jennifer Anderson Split pea soup is so thick and hearty, it's a meal in itself. Not only do split peas make a thick and hearty pot of soup, they're also an excellent source of protein, folate and fiber. Once you add some vegetables and slice a few thick pieces of fresh multigrain bread to serve on the side, you've got a deeply satisfying meal that's low in fat and high in flavor and nutrition. Some of Our Favorites Split Pea Soup with Rosemary Slow Cooker Split Pea Sausage Soup Split Pea and Ham Soup II Pumpkin and Split Pea Soup More Pea Soup Recipes Related Links How to Make Stock Healthy Soups More Soup Recipes To Soak or Not to Soak Overnight soaking does help to shorten the cooking time, but split peas cook relatively quickly. Unsoaked peas take from 1 to 2 hours of simmering, depending on how broken down you like them; There's no difference between yellow and green split peas--just color.

incredibly Preserved 165-Million-Year-Old Spider Fossil Found

Yet 165 million years ago, they lived on a small continent called the North China Block.

“At some point something caused their range to contract to this part of southern North America,”

clipped from www.wired.com Scientists have unearthed an almost perfectly preserved spider fossil in China dating back to the middle Jurassic era, 165 million years ago. The fossilized spiders, Eoplectreurys gertschi, are older than the only two other specimens known by around 120 million years. found at a site with fossilized salamanders, small primitive mammals, insects and water crustaceans. During the Jurassic era, the fossil bed was part of a lake in a volcanic region Spider fossils from this period are rare, because the arachnids’ soft bodies don’t preserve well. The pristine fossil pictured in these photos was probably created when the spider was trapped in volcanic ash. The ultrafine clay particles squashed the spider without breaking up the animals’ delicate cuticle findings also suggest this family of spiders was once much more widespread than it is today. Currently, the family has only been found living in California, Arizona, Mexico and Cuba. 165 million years ago

Ali-G Interviews Posh Spice and David Beckham

BEWARE! RUDE.CRUDE..DOWNRIGHT FUNNY AND BIZARRE FUN INTERVIEW....DO NOT WATCH IF EASILY OFFENDED

clipped from www.youtube.com

Welcome to Hell: Sand Demons of Dante’s Inferno [49 Pics]

Dante stands at the edge of the world of damned souls and reads:

"Through me is the way into the woeful city; through me is the way into eternal woe; through me is the way among the lost people. Justice moved my lofty maker: the divine Power, the supreme Wisdom and the primal Love made me. Before me were no things created, unless eternal, and I eternal last. Leave every hope, ye who enter!"

The result was Hell, represented as scenes, mythological figures, and as some of the most famous characters from Dante’s Inferno.

clipped from webecoist.com It’s cold and snowy in many places throughout the world. So let’s think warm thoughts like warm summer sand and sandcastles. In fact, think hot. Burning hot, flames of hell hot, and mix that with sand. What do you get? Dante’s Inferno. What in hell is that? No, not the game. It is a sand sculpture opera based on the Italian classic masterpiece and produced by the City of Jesolo, Venice, Italy. Welcome to Hell and the sand demons of Dante’s Inferno in 49 photos. Welcome to Hell Dante’s Inferno The Lustful, The Gluttons, The Avaricious River Styx & The City Of Dis Circle 6 The Heretics Circle 7 Circle 8 Circle 8 Continued Circle 9: Satan, Leaving Hell By Angie Jesolo Lido has a theme-based sand sculpture festival each year and last summer they asked a team of 18 professional sand sculpture artists to illustrate Dante’s Inferno. More specifically, the participating artists were asked to take their inspiration for verses 1-9 of Canto III of Inferno.