Lock Keyboard - For Cleaning Maybe?

Kid-Key-Lock is a simple program to lock specific keyboard and mouse  functions.

Stock Trading Software

Quote Tracker is a great free trading-tracking program.

Think or Swim is Ameritrade's web based trader.

NirSoft Launcher - More Great Portable Utilities

One of the quality producers of Windows software is Nir Sofer, who has produced more than one hundred different portable applications for the Windows operating system. Generally speaking, all Nirsoft applications are high quality programs that are highly popular and used by many Windows users.

I like several NirSoft utilities and appreciate their launcher package. You can add the Sysinternals package, too. Security Essentials will give some positives so just "allow" them. NirSoft and Sysinternals combined take about 45 MB.

Tip: ghacks.net

Format Flash Media If Unuseable

This HDD Low Level Format utility is free for home use. It can erase and Low-Level Format a SATA, IDE, SAS, SCSI or SSD hard disk drive. Will also work with any USB and FIREWIRE external drive enclosures as well as SD, MMC, MemoryStick and CompactFlash media.

Use only on hopeless media.

Tip: PCMech

Security Software Downloader (the easy way to find stuff)

SSDownloader or Security Software Downloader is a small, easy to use download manager specially designed for security software.

It is stand alone non-installing software that links to all the good security programs. Great for new installs.

Hat Tip: gHacks.net

Monitor Bandwidth

NetLimiter to monitor what is sucking up your bandwidth. It wants to start automatically with every boot, I just said no because I have Startup Monitor installed (and you should too).

HDTV Calibration Disk Free

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=948496

Are You Lusting After Google+

Here is a link with invites. Keep opening links. When you finally get to the "Join" page, just do it. You will know when you are there because it will say, well, "join".

Now that I am "joined" what do we do? Invite others I guess.

Gimp Is A Must Have For Me

I do love Gimp for image manipulation. When creating a graphic for a blog, I find it indispensible.

(now if I only could spell "useless")
Download Gimp
Install it. Standalone is possible but adding scripts and plug-ins is easier if it is installed.
Now go to Gimp’s plug-in registry.

Once there type in “layer effects”, scroll down and download layerfx.scm. Place this file in the “scripts” folder. C:\Users\Your Name\.gimp-2.6\scripts. Reopen Gimp and you will now have a new menu called Script Fu with some nifty stuff, “bevel and emboss” for one.\
Get Liquid Rescale, FX Foundry, G'MIC (awesome), Auto Rotate, arrow script and layerfx.scm if the above method does not work. Layerfx.scm has the scriptfu layers which are very important.
Gimp plugins are .exe files copied to the "plugin" directory. Do Not try install them.
Fonts: Titling (great for poster) fonts can be in sub folders for Gimp. Bazooka for fun flyer.
Gimp will use your Windows fonts but if you want to install additional fonts just for Gimp simply drop the font into Gimp's font folder. Which will be here:C:\Users\"your name"\.gimp-2.6\fonts
A good place to learn a few things is GimpTricks Youtube channel. Unlike many tutorials where you watch them install Gimp, search for a picture and load it, this woman gets to the nitty-gritty right now. ePhotozine is another place for good advice. Another good YouTube site.

Scripts for 2.8
FX Foundry
Normal Map Plugin

Photoshop is fine but bloated for my use. Gimp is free and does everything I need and more. Yes I can place Angelina Jolie's lips on your face.

Arch Text
Adjusting the arch text (I don't like his language but he settles down)
Textures
Python for Gimp is tough to install and I'm still working on it: Actually I gave up for now.
Using Python scripts (find it here) Gimp works fine without it but some functions are missing. Finding the correct files takes some hunting.
Charicature
Obama Hope create just use snipping tool


place screen behind text
copy paste area as new layer
desaturate and brightness and lower contrast -70ist
fill with this color
use these setting on bucket fill
opacity around 50
multiply
Dark blue

r17
g4
b173
drop that layer opacity to 80
create mask and fade by with blend tool

Cartoon technique

• Layer->Duplicate Layer
• Select the new layer, Filters->Edge-Detect->Edge, select Sobel, Amount should be 2.0, andBlack should be checked.
• Invert the edge-mask layer, it’s in Layers->Colors->Invert
• Back in the Layers Dialog, change the Layer Mode to Divide

Play around with Layer mode settings, desaturate the top layer, blur or otherwise mess up the bottom layer.
Or this:
The bulk of the effect is accomplished by creating a duplicate layer and setting its blend mode to "Value", then running the "Colors->Retinex" filter on the duplicate with a Scale of "16" and a Dynamic "0.1"

This works well but remember to use originals to color and saturate. http://herselfswebtools.com/2007/06/7-steps-to-turn-a-photo-into-a-cartoon-using-gimp.html

HDR can be created with http://www.hdrlabs.com/picturenaut/index.html
Watch the tutorial on YouTube Fotolinq here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qroY5QhgTnI
there are 4 videos for HDR.

PDF Stuff

Because I don't want to write this again.

Do it online:

http://www.pdftoword.com/

Do it from the desktop:

http://www.hellopdf.com/download.php

I have not used either of the above so if they don't work, try something else.

Use PDF XChange Viewer instead of Adobe:

http://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer

If it installs a pdf printer I would delete it and use the one of those below.

This is a great, fast pdf handler. Typer in the PDF with "typewriter", add, delete, move pages.

Print anything to pdf with doPDF:

Install it and it becomes a printer option like selecting Brother Tonerhog.

If you wish to remove the security in a pdf, reprint the opened pdf to doPDF and save.

http://www.dopdf.com/

Or use Bullzip (same as doPDF):

http://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php

Make a Cartoon of an Image

http://www.cartoonize.net/

This could be useful for, say, Harry Reid's face

Fonts

Where to go list:

TypeNow
Dafont
Here

I thought I had a list and wanted to add this. Who stole my list? Eh, I probably never had one.

New York Times Headline = Chomsky

New York Times Small Headline = Times New Roman Italic