I recommend a book. I read at least a dozen when I started, including every single one the library had. But here's a start, on the subjects above.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Aperture and depth of field
One who is interested in serious photography would do well to use a camera with manual controls (as well as automatic), and to know things like what does the aperture numbers mean, and how do they affect depth of field (background blur).
I recommend a book. I read at least a dozen when I started, including every single one the library had. But here's a start, on the subjects above.
I recommend a book. I read at least a dozen when I started, including every single one the library had. But here's a start, on the subjects above.
Is Apple dropping its pro customers?
Is Apple dropping its pro customers?, article on my gadget blog.
Why I was banned on Google+
Why I was banned on Google+, article.
I took for granted that if Google wanted to compete with FriendFace, sorry FaceBook, then one of the things they would correct first would be the horrible relationship FB has with privacy of its customers. Silly me.
I took for granted that if Google wanted to compete with FriendFace, sorry FaceBook, then one of the things they would correct first would be the horrible relationship FB has with privacy of its customers. Silly me.
Radical solutions
A woman was terribly overweight, so she visited her doctor. He put her on a diet.
"I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks," the doctor instructed. "The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least 5 pounds."
The woman followed the doctor's instructions. When she returned two weeks later, the doctor put her on the scale and was amazed she'd lost nearly 20 pounds!
"That's amazing!" the doctor said. "Did this happen from just following my instructions?"
"Yes," the woman replied, and then added, "I'll tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead on the third day."
"From hunger?" the doctor asked.
"No," the woman answered. "From all that skipping!"
"I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks," the doctor instructed. "The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least 5 pounds."
The woman followed the doctor's instructions. When she returned two weeks later, the doctor put her on the scale and was amazed she'd lost nearly 20 pounds!
"That's amazing!" the doctor said. "Did this happen from just following my instructions?"
"Yes," the woman replied, and then added, "I'll tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead on the third day."
"From hunger?" the doctor asked.
"No," the woman answered. "From all that skipping!"
Friday, July 29, 2011
A metal sculpture (updated)
Can anybody tell me what this chinese sculpture is likely to be made of? It has rusty spots, but surely nobody would make a sculpture out of iron?
Andreas said:
Why not iron? Find a magnet and find out ...
Of course!
... Well, it's not iron.
Funny about those rusty spots then.
[By the way, those and the general weathered look has a large part in why I wanted exactly this one. I even mailed to make sure I wouldn't get another sample.]
Update:
Bert asked for macro pictures, which I now provide below, and had a question:
How heavy is the statue?
Not bad, maybe 6 kilos, it's definitely hollow. The bottom is a thin sheet soldered on, the body is more solid, walls must be several milimeters. Definitely metal, heavy-ish, and doesn't feel like it would dent easily. ... I think on the site it said it was bronze, it could be low-grade bronze with steel and stuff mixed in, perhaps.
It's 40cm (16") tall.
Andreas said:
Why not iron? Find a magnet and find out ...
Of course!
... Well, it's not iron.
Funny about those rusty spots then.
[By the way, those and the general weathered look has a large part in why I wanted exactly this one. I even mailed to make sure I wouldn't get another sample.]
Update:
Bert asked for macro pictures, which I now provide below, and had a question:
How heavy is the statue?
Not bad, maybe 6 kilos, it's definitely hollow. The bottom is a thin sheet soldered on, the body is more solid, walls must be several milimeters. Definitely metal, heavy-ish, and doesn't feel like it would dent easily. ... I think on the site it said it was bronze, it could be low-grade bronze with steel and stuff mixed in, perhaps.
It's 40cm (16") tall.
(Click for big pic)
By the way, the pics are from a years-old Canon Ixus 960 (Powershot 950). Those small Canons are awesome. I got it in 2007. Here are some other pics from it. I think the best of class presently is the S95.
Good old days
My friend Charles wrote:
I was, at the time, a representative with an Apple Reseller in Philadelphia when the Mac was rolled out. We were scheduled for training prior the Jan 22 1984 roll out date. The training was scheduled at a hotel and when we got there we were first shown how the Mac went together. The first thing I noticed was the shipping cartons the computers arrived in were assembled inside out so the shippers would not know just what they were transporting. Those were halcyon days, the margins on computers at that time was about 40% . We made money, Apple made money, there was no internet sales. Ahh to live in the past.
I was, at the time, a representative with an Apple Reseller in Philadelphia when the Mac was rolled out. We were scheduled for training prior the Jan 22 1984 roll out date. The training was scheduled at a hotel and when we got there we were first shown how the Mac went together. The first thing I noticed was the shipping cartons the computers arrived in were assembled inside out so the shippers would not know just what they were transporting. Those were halcyon days, the margins on computers at that time was about 40% . We made money, Apple made money, there was no internet sales. Ahh to live in the past.
Yes, I remember nearly as long ago (late eighties?), a friend told me he had talked his big company into buying a specialized computer, for something like $5 grand, call it $8k adjusting for inflation. I asked him what for, and he laughed and said “just desktop publishing”. I asked him years later what that super-duper-NASA computer had been, turns out it was just a standard Mac costing that much at the time! (Probably with a laser printer.) May have been fun and carefree times for the resellers, but we customers have more fun now!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Google+ Pulls In 20 Million in 3 Weeks
Google+ Pulls In 20 Million in 3 Weeks, article.
It's just funny, cuz Google has attempted the Big Social thingy at least two or three times before, and those were complete flops. I guess they have done something right this time.
I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know if they have eliminated whatever factor(s) it is that makes FaceBook rub me the wrong way so harshly.
It's just funny, cuz Google has attempted the Big Social thingy at least two or three times before, and those were complete flops. I guess they have done something right this time.
I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know if they have eliminated whatever factor(s) it is that makes FaceBook rub me the wrong way so harshly.
Jumping chasms
Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.
- David Lloyd George
----
No kidding.
I wonder if the fear of a big change is the main reason you see so many people who are just stuck for years or even decades in undesirable jobs or situations or relationships.
Of course not all big jumps are good just because they are big! So it takes some evaluation of the situation, and some guidance with the higher self, or inner feeling, whatever you prefer.
- David Lloyd George
----
No kidding.
I wonder if the fear of a big change is the main reason you see so many people who are just stuck for years or even decades in undesirable jobs or situations or relationships.
Of course not all big jumps are good just because they are big! So it takes some evaluation of the situation, and some guidance with the higher self, or inner feeling, whatever you prefer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)