Bridge camera desired no more

After my Pentax H90 broke, I was pretty keen on purchasing a bridge camera. I've now decided against this because I value portability so highly. Also, my little H90 is currently in the intensive care unit (it was covered by  my gadget insurance) and will hopefully come back fighting fit.

I wouldn't mind an eventual upgrade to a higher end point-and-shoot with decent manual controls. However,  the current range of compacts really struggle to match up to the Pentax H90's form factor, a key factor behind my enjoyment of taking photos. After hours of searching I found a Canon S95 which looks okay and takes great photos and a Nikon P300 which is very pleasing to the eye, takes great pics, especially in low-light, costs a lot less (£180) and has a funky, Eastern European utilitarian design. Right now, however, the price points are not there. Also, the optical zooms on these cameras are nothing special. I will hold out for a while longer, me thinks.

The form vs function issue is an interesting one because one the one hand Canon tend to make the best quality compacts but because the Nikon P300 is fun and apparantly very nice to hold, you would get more use out of it, thereby taking photos that you otherwise wouldn't take with the Canon. In this respect you can't always do a like for like photo by photo comparison because there will be instances where you wouldn't have taken a photo with the Canon in the first place!

Film: A Bittersweet Life

A Bittersweet Life is the best Korean film I have seen in a while and is the note perfect way to end my recent DVD watching frenzy. Highly recommended to those with a strong stomach for violence.

**** 1/2

Where did the evening go?

I have lost a great deal of time this evening and little has been achieved. I am neither tired from exercise, although exercise I did, nor am I suitably relaxed, and I have tried to relax. I have cooked too much food and am struggling to eat it all. I have put my cardigan on and taken it off repeated times. Still, I am either too hot or too cold. My socks, let me tell you about my socks. I looked for my thick thermal socks but couldn't find them. I slipped on a random pairing from the shelf, beige in color, not worn in a long time; the socks that time forgot. And for good reason too: the ratio of man-made fibres to cotton was too high, causing excess heat and discomfort. I replaced this pair with another beige set. Fortunately, these were made up of more appropriate ingredients, with a higher cotton portion. Alas, just as the comfort began to filter up - comfort starts from the feet up, as the old adage runs - I stepped in a puddle in the kitchen. This is my evening. I hope yours is going well.

Apple

Pre-market: 449.90 +29.49 (7.01%)

Wow, it's a good thing I exited my small short position a couple of months ago. They've just blown the market away with record profits of around $13bn.

Having bought their shares at around $13-$14 and exited for a gain of a few bucks, it pains me to see their roaring success. Still, credit to these guys and especially to the great Steve Jobs, for opening up technology to a much broader audience.

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Orange and the highly profitable lazy customer

Regular readers of this blog will know how much pleasure I derive from saving the occassional pound or two, not as a penny-wise pound-foolish Scrooge McDuc, but more as a savvy customer with a keen eye to value. Well, I have a confession to make: it is that I have been on one of Orange's worst contracts for several months, paying £18 a month on average for unlimited texts and just 100 minutes of talk time. Ruinous I say, absolutely ruinous. How did I sleep at night? Not well, not well at all.

After calling Orange, asking for my PAC code and threatening to leave for better deals elsewhere, they kindly offered the following for £15.50 a month:

- A new Orange smart phone called the Monte Carlo
- 600 minutes
- Unlimited texts
- 500MB data
- Continued home broadband.

What makes this a cracking deal is that I am not keen on smart phones as yet, largely due to their weakling battery lives, and so the newly received smart slab that is the Monte Carlo has been sold on E-bay for around £100. This will reduce my effective bill (over it's 24 month life) to £11.33. Then there is the free home broadband legacy deal which is worth a minimum of £6.50 a month, so that really leaves me paying £4.83 a month which is pretty darn good. And so it is that I remain with Orange. It just sucks that you have to threaten to leave on contract expiry to squeeze a decent deal out of them.

The next challenge is on the camera front. I am planning on upgrading to a bridge camera in the near future but I don't want to dent my budget and so am looking to score about £250 from other avenues to pay for this treat! Plans are afoot!

Virginia Water and the last foray for the Pentax H90, my trusty companion : (

The Pentax H90 struggled again in low light, but having read a few photography magazines I don't feel at all guilty about applying some crazy whippy-dee-doo-da effects post production. They are all at it!

Alas, later in the day the Pentax suffered at my slippery hands of incompetence and the lens has truly jammed. The magic light box of joy is dead. I am going to see if I can get it fixed under my insurance but until then the old Kodak DX7440 has come back out to play, an old brick of a digital camera that rocks a mind-blowing 4MP.

A few pics taken in low light, earlier this evening

Haywire film

Haywire is super stylish as you would expect form Mr Soderbergh, who has given us turkeys such as Ocean's 12 and Ocean's 13. Fortunately, Haywire is much better than these style-over-substance earlier films. The action is fantastic and the music is superb, working to tone down the harshness of the fight scenes, which really are something to behold.

Alas, the story is unsatisfying in it's final conclusion and the dialogue a bit cheesy at times. A little more effort could have made this film a must-see. Instead, it's popcorn fun, albeit very stylish popcorn fun.

Last photo for the day, taken at sunset

Runnymede photo session

Woke up pre-sunrise today and headed over to Runnymede with a house-mate for a little early morning photography session. The change of air both numbed the hands and re-invigorated the spirits. My little Pentax H90 was pushing against the limits on the auto-setting although for the most part it managed to capture enough data in the pictures to so they could be carried over to Photoscape for a little editing. Here be a selection:

Like there weren't going to be any lego people! Notice the new Bruce Lee dude. Does he stand ready to fight ninja or is this the start of a beautiful friendship?

Pentax H90 triple filtered

This one uses the retro filter, then the toy filter, and then the red tone filter. I'm liking the effect:

This one uses the retro and toy filter and then applies a photographic film filter from Photoscape:

My Pentax H90 is a great little toy but it is quite likely already being surpassed by the high-end camera phones. I have the upper hand with battery life, which is a big plus.

Also, whilst I have an eye to future technologies and the latest compacts, I was also looking at past pics taken by my old Kodak DX-7440 (5MP), which are pretty much on par with the H90, if not better! It didn't have the cool filters though and has an impractical form factor (comfortably chunky for single hand snaps and highly configurable, but not so easily pocketed). I may have to brush the dust of the old brick and do a contast and compare.

Downton Abbey

Watched two episodes but it didn't quite hook me. There were a few great lines but it lacked the sharp-tongued wit that makes some period dramas really shine. It's moves at a fast clip at least and it's all good light fluff for soap fans, but one of them I ain't.
And before you think 'look at him, thinking he's better than the masses' let me tell you the true reason why it didn't pull me in: there was a complete absence of ninjas. I thought I saw one in the corner of a room but it was the dancing shadow of a candle light.

Recent films

Both films are highly recommended. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is very brutal and graphic and not at all for the feint hearted (and especially not for cat lovers), but it is one of the best detective stories I've seen of late. I haven't read the book and have no great desire to but I am looking forward to more movies with the same key characters.

K-20 (DVD film) is a different fish altogether. It is set in an alternative history when WWII never took place and is very steam-punkish with loads of retro sets, which makes the movie very easy on the eye. Despite being subtitled, this super-hero style actioner is good fun for all the family, expect small children perhaps, as there is some rough language, shootings and a few beatings but the comic book feel about it makes it enjoyable throughout. I'd give both movies a strong four stars.The story revolves around a masked character who steals from the rich and basically wants to keep for himself, and the circus performer who is mistaken for K-20 and arrested. I think I'll be watching this one again before it goes to the charity shop.

Katlama - the source?

The Katlama mystery post has received an interesting comment:

"Shereen Kadah on Moseley Road in Birmingham have the BEST kathlamas in the UK... Second would be Saleems on Ladypool Rd...

Trust me.. I'm 34 years old and have been eating them since the age of 7!

I believe kathlamas were invented in Birmingham and Shereen Kadah & Saleems were the first to make them in the 60's

Regards
Special K"

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol review

Super-cheesey, met low expectations. Tom Cruise struggles to beat up an old man. Apple sponsorship is evident throughout.

In the less interesting segments my thoughts turned to what I was going to eat for dinner. I opted to oven up two battered fish. One was eaten with lemon and tartar sauce and the other with cheese and ketchup squidged between two slices of slightly toasted rye bread, which was chopped into triangles. Delish. With the Vogel original bread increasingly rare these days, rye bread is fast becoming my back-up.

Short Groupon

It's the next Game Group, I tells ya.

Okay, not quite a Game Group disaster but the business is horrendously overvalued. I've been getting Groupon e-mails sent to one of my Hotmail folders for several months and the deals are often overhyped and are repeated way too often. The occassional true deal such as a cheap car service, which I took up, was great value for money but it didn't make me want to use the garage again because the regular price was out of my league. Groupon shares are currently at $17.90.

Kerrygold spreadable butter is back ... yippeee!

Things were not looking good going into 2012. Kerrygold stopped selling their pure unanimously praised spreadable butter, the perfect partner to a slice of hot Vogel toast. The Kerryold eating populous were up in arms, venting their anger at its replacement which is no more than another ten-a-penny butter vegetable oil blend.

For my part, I wrote an frustrated missive to Kerrygold HQ asking why they had done this and if the issue was related to low sales then they should darn well start selling smaller tubs of the stuff, instead of just offering large family sized tubs. They never got back to me. Could this spell the end for the pure butter spreadable?

Well, I discovered that Presidente have a spreadable but it is French and low in salt, the worst of all possible worlds. The French thing is a joke, but I do hear reports that it isn't quite up to the Kerrygold mark. I also managed to find a Marks&Spencer pure spreadable butter but it too is low salt, so expectations are low.

Nevertheless, I thought I was going to have make do.

Until that is, I went to Sainsbury's today and found this beauty on the shelves:

It's the Kerrygold spreadable and it's in a smaller size. The web-site blurb says:

"We are delighted to announce that the 100% pure Kerrygold Softer Butter is back! You will be able to find this product in selected Sainsburys stores from the middle of Jan 2012.

Initially this product will be available in the same packaging as before, but we are working on some brand new packaging, so look out for this soon (don't worry - the product is exactly the same as it always has been).

Thanks to all the people who got in touch with us - you've all helped to get this product back in stores!!

Kerrygold's Softer products combine our natural taste, with the convenience of softer butter - making your day that little bit easier, but without compromising on that pure butter taste.

Most other 'spreadables' are actually blends of butter and vegetable oil. In fact, they can contain up to 33% vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is an inexpensive ingredient by comparison to pure butter fat and the type of vegetable oil added in these products is usually not declared, with the result that consumers do not know the source or origin or the extent of industrial processing to which the product has been subjected. In stark contrast, Kerrygold Softer Butter is exactly that. It is 100% pure tasty Irish butter, made softer without the addition of vegetable oil.

How did we make our Kerrygold Softer Butter even softer?
Kerrygold Softer Butter is a 100% pure & natural dairy product, containing only one non-dairy ingredient; salt to accentuate its inherent flavour. In order to achieve enhanced spreadability, rather than compromising on the purity & naturalness of butter by adding vegetable oil, we sought a little help from Mother Nature. During the summer months the pastures on which the Kerrygold cows graze are at their most rich and lush. As a consequence, the milk they produce is most abundant in naturally softer milkfat. It is this naturally softer milkfat that is the key to the enhanced spreadabilty of "Now Even Softer" Kerrygold Softer Butter. Using a gentle cooling and crystallization process, we have increased the quantity of this softer milkfat in the butter, resulting in a velvety smooth and "Now Even Softer" Kerrygold Softer Butter."

Here is a list if stores selling the little blocks of gold. Good luck.

Alperton, Wembley, HA0 1PF

Alphington Rd, Exeter, EX2 8NH

Archer Rd, Sheffield, S8 0TD

Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 6BN

Badger Farm, Winchester, S022 4QB

Bagshot Rd, Bracknell, RG12 7SS

Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 6BJ

Banbury, OX16, 9XA

Barnstaple, EX31 3NH

Barnwood, Gloucester GL4 3RT

Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2LA

Bishops Stortford, CM23 3XG

Blackhall, Edinburgh, EH4 2EB

Blackheath, Rowley Regis, B65 0HG

Bramingham Park, Luton, LU3 4AB

Brentwood, CM14 4WQ

Bridgend, CF32 9ST

Broadcut, Fareham, PO16 8SU

Bromley, BR1 1TP

Burpham, Guildford, GU4 7JU

Burton on Trent, DE14 1AA

Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7EJ

Bybrook, Ashford, TN24 8YN

Calcot, Reading, RG31 7SA

Cameron Toll, Edinburgh EH16 5PB

Canley, Coventry, CV4 9BJ

Cannock, WS11 8XP

Castle Court, Bristol, BS4 3BD

Castle Vale, Birmingham, B35 6HB

Cheadle, SK8 3BB

Chesterfield, S41 0UB

Chichester, PO19 7YR

Chippenham, SN14 0BJ

Christchurch, BH23 4RY

Cobham, KT11 1HW

Colchester Ave, Cardiff, CF23 9XN

Coldhams Lane, Cambridge, CB1 3HP

Court House Grn, Coventry CV6 7NS

Craigavon, BT64 1AA

Crayford, Dartford, DA1 4HW

Crystal Peaks, Sheffield, S20 7PJ

Darlington, DL1 5JG

Darnley, Glasgow G53 7RH

Denton, Manchester, M34 3SJ

Dulwich, London, SE22 8BB

Dundee, DD4 8XD

Durham, DH1 5GD

East Mayne, Basildon SS13 1SA

Edenthorpe, Doncaster DN2 5PS

Ellesmere Port, CH65 9HN

Eltham, SE9 5DL

Emersons Grn, BS16 7AE

Enfield, EN1 1TH

Fairfield Park, Bedford, MK41 7PJ

Farlington, Portsmouth, P06 1RR

Forestside, Belfast, BT86 6FX

Fosse Park, LE19 1NT

Gloucester Quays, GL2 5SA

Godalming, GU7 1LQ

Greenwich, London, SE10 0QJ

Hadleigh Rd, Ipswich, IP2 0BX

Hankridge Farm, Taynton, TA1 2LR

Harlow, CM20 2AG

Harrogate, HG2 8QZ

Hawick, TD9 7AD

Hayes, UB3 3EX

Haywards Heath, RH16 1DG

Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE7 7JW

Heaton Park, M9 0QS

Hedge End, S030 2UH

Hempstead Valley, ME7 3PB

Hereford, HR4 0AG

Heyford Hill, OX4 4XR

Hoddesdon, EN11 8HF

Horsham, RH12 1SQ

Hull, HU13 9NS

Kempshott, Basingstoke, RG22 4TW

Kidderminster, DY11 6XP

Kidlington, OX5 2PE

Kiln Lane, KT17 1EQ

Kings Lynn, PE30 1DS

Lancaster, LA1 1HH

Larkfield, Ayleford, ME20 7NA

Leamington, Warwick, CV34 6RH

Livingston, EH54 6RQ

Locksbottom, Orpington, BR6 8NZ

London Colney, St Albans, AL2 1AB

Longwater, Norwich, N55 0JS

Loughborough, LE11 5AS

Low Hall, London, E4 8ST

Macclesfield, SK10 1BJ

Maidenhead, SL6 8AG

Marshall Lake, Solihull, B90 4AJ

Mere Grn, Sutton Coldfield B75 5BT

Merry Hill,Brierley Hill, DY5 1QY

Merton, London, SW19 1DD

Monks Cross, York, YO32 9LG

Moortown, Leeds, LS17 5NY

Nantwich, CW5 6PH

Newbury, RG14 5AB

Newbury Park, Ilford, IG2 7SH

Newcastle U Lyme, ST5 2AF

Newport, NP20 5NJ

Nine Elms, London, SW8 2LF

North Cheam, Sutton. Sm3 9AA

North Walsham, NR28 9DS

Oldbury, B69 3DB

Paignton, TQ3 2HW

Pound Lane, Norwich, NR7 0SR

Preston, PR1 6PJ

Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 4XT

Rice Lane, Liverpool, L9 1NL

Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3QP

Rugby, CV22 6HU

Sale, M33 7SA

Sedlescombe Rd, St Leonard's On Sea, TN37 7SQ

Sevenoaks, TN14 5EG

Shorehead, Huddersfield, HD1 6QR

Shrewsbury, SY3 9NB

Sittingbourne, ME10 4DN

Slough Uxbridge Rd, SL1 1SU

Southend, SS1 1PL

Springfield, Chelmsford, CM2 5PA

Sprucefield, BT27 6UQ

St Albans, AL1 2QU

St Clares, Hampton, TW12 1AN

Stanway, Colchester, CO3 9AA

Stratton, Swindon, SN3 4EW

Sunderland, SR3 1PD

Swansea, SA1 8JA

Sydenham, London, SE26 4PU

Talbot Heath, Poole, BH12 4BA

Tamworth, B78 3HD

Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0JY

Telford, TF3 4AG

Tewkesbury Rd, Cheltenam, GL51 9RR

Thornhill, Cardiff, CF14 9BB

Torquay, TQ2 7HT

Truro, TR1 3XL

Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5QL

Upton, Wirral, CH49 6QG

Uxbridge, UB8 1QW

Wakefield-Marsh, WF1 1QQ

Wandsworth, London, SW18 4AD

Warren Heath, Ipswich, IP3 87Q

Warrington, WA1 2TN

Washington, NE38 7RU

Water Lane, Farnham GU9 9NJ

Weedon Rd, Northampton, NN5 5DG

West Belfast, BT11 9AE

West Grn, Crawley, RH10 8NF

West Hove, Hove, BN3 7GD

White Rose, Leeds, LS11 8LS

Worle, Weston Super Mare, BS22 6BL

Wrexham, LL11 2BA

A couple more Ninja Cole pics

This pic makes good use of a super-strong torch I got at xmas.

Confession

Last week I posted an entry about my longest ever run, which stretched some 8 miles. I came across as a bit of a superman as I commented that I seemed to be suffering little ill effect despite running on concrete and not warming up.

Well, the following day my right knee joint started playing up and has only just healed a week later. It wasn't a bad pain by any means but it was a joint pain and not a muscle pain, which was a bit worrying. Indeed, I went for a short 2m walk today and could still feel it niggling away. Looks like that may well be my run for the year. I may do a few short 1-2m jogs every now and then but for the most part I think I'll stick to pushing a bit of iron about the place every now and then. The mind is young, the body not so much  : (

Chopping food on your plate = blunt knives

Doh, there goes my 'one less thing to wash' approach. Fortunately I have a 'World's Most Amazing Knife Sharpener' to come to the rescue. I have learned that chopping away on ceramic plates is very useful when striving to attain a blunt knife in the shortest space of time possible. Those horrid glass chopping boards are equally useful. Best to stick to good old wood or plastic.

As for whether to go for wood or plsatic, Wikipedia notes that:

"... Wood has some advantages over plastic in that it is somewhat self-healing; shallow cuts in the wood will close up on their own. Wood also has natural anti-septic properties."

"... While plastic is theoretically a more sanitary material than wood for cutting boards, testing has shown this may not be the case. The softer surface of plastic boards is scored by knives, and the resulting grooves and cuts in the surface harbour bacteria even after being well washed. A plastic surface can also ruin the sharp edge of the knife."

Looks like wood is the ultimate winner, although I'm happy continuing with a plastic chopping board for my infrequent use.

Lego Ninja Cole found lurking in the shadows

 

Last few pics

 The light really should have been shone a little higher.

A game of cat and mouse

 

Buzz and Woody invade the Christmas Dinner