Mostly Harmless

Mostly about my amusement

Author: Jan Dembowski (page 54 of 96)

November 6, 2008

Flash diffusers

I don’t (yet) own a flash so from time to time I use the built in pop-up flash.  This produces harsh light so I picked up the Puffer by Gary Fong.  It’s a diffuser that softens up the flash and I’ve been thinking of getting is for a week or two.

Here is an example just using one of my models.  The top is without the puffer and is too bright.  The puffer softens up the flash; it works better with people.

It’s about $20.  I’ve been careful putting this into the hot shoe but I can see why some people have broken theirs.  The plastic is brittle and feels like it will break easily.  It should have been made out of plastic that is a little more pliable but if I’m careful I should have no problems.

It works but I need to pick up a SB-600 flash.   This is not bad but nothing beats bouncing the flash off of the ceiling.

November 1, 2008

Your VP candidate is so dumb she…

This is going to put Your Mama Is So Dumb jokes in perspective.

“If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations,” Palin told host Chris Plante, “then I don’t know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.”

Sarah Palin on a WMAL-AM interview

There seems to be some idea that after November 4th (assuming John McCain loses) that the litmus test for “Real” GOP membership will be how you reacted to Sarah Palin.  Which is a funny idea because she did not have to go through the Republican primaries. Mitt Romney and Tom Ridge competing with her should be fun to watch.

Oh, and to all those people who want to know about Barack Obama’s associations? Keith Olbermann tears that down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSjRggE2Nek

I don’t normally watch Olbermann as I find him to be a little too righteous and long winded, but that is a funny video.

October 29, 2008

Governor Palin shows lots of class

Okay, I guess Bill Ayers 15 minutes are up.  Now their linking Senator Obama with the PLO.

Here is the appropriate response:

The Obama campaign called Palin’s remarks “another recycled, manufactured controversy from the McCain campaign to distract voters’ attention from John McCain’s lockstep support for George Bush’s economic policies.”

Palin accuses Obama of ties to second ‘radical professor’ – CNN.com

Not able to speak intelligently about the McCain campaign’s proposed policies for energy, foriegn policy, and the economy, she continues to appeal to the worst of their supporters. Why can’t they just talk up what THEY would do in the white house? CNN has a fact-check article here.

I know that Governor Palin’s time is running down, and if John McCain loses this election I’ll be glad just to get Palin out of the news cycle.  That is, assuming McCain loses.  I am pretty sure that election night is going to be a nail biter.

October 27, 2008

Senator Stevens is convicted of all 7 counts!

Holy mackerel.

Mr. Stevens’s defense was largely built on the notion that many of the goods and services he received were unasked for, and were things for which he had no use.

Alaska Senator Is Convicted of Violating Ethics Rules – NYTimes.com.

I’m reading it but I don’t believe it.  Wonder if he’ll resign? 8 days left in his race.  It would not be the first time a convicted criminal was elected into office and it’s a good bet he’ll appeal.

But if he has to serve some prison time how will he serve as senator? I wonder if he’ll do the right thing and resign?

October 20, 2008

Fall Anime

I’ve picked up watching Gundam 00 Season 2 and the going is slow.  I know it’s only the third episode but it’s really reminding me of Zeta Gundam.  That’s probably an overreaction but if a Camille Biden clone shows up then I’m walking away from the series.

The other show I’m starting is Ga Rei Zero.  It’s a horror show based on a manga.  The basic story is that evil spirits are violently attacking people.  These spirits can only be seen using special equipment or you need to be born with the natural ability.

People with this ability fight using weapons that have been “blessed”. The action is good and the animation is very well done.  One on the people introduced rides a motorcycle and uses the wheels to attack “Category C” spirits.

It’s a horror anime alright. The entire team that is introduced to the viewer is massacred in the last 5 minutes of the first episode.  That was an odd twist and I expected some of them to be revived in the second episode.  That did not happen and I’m interested enough to see how the show plays out.

October 18, 2008

Joost got better

One of the things that I did not like about Joost was it needed a client to work. On my PCs that client frequently crashed so I uninstalled it and did not bother to try it much.

Now they’ve converted to a Flash based web page.  I’ve just watched some of my favorite scenes from The Professional and a CSI episode. So far there is a brief ad before the show but it’s not intrusive.  It went from a kludgy client to a simple web based service.

I don’t think I’ll watch whole movies on Joost but it just got added to my list of fun time wasters.

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Jan Dembowski

Jan Dembowski

I am a software enthusiast who is easily amused and definitely mostly harmless.

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