Photomatix v4

Photomatic have a new version of my favorite HDR software out. The latest version has several upgrades including the thumbnail options showing the different conversion (on the right here) there's a selective "ghosting" reducer and a change in the options for making your hdr.
How well does it work, in practice it's slightly quicker, it now does single jpeg which is handy if you don't shoot in raw, but as the main settings have remained the same I can still get the same superb results.
With prices from around £35 depending on version if your into HDR it's money well spent.

Drawbacks.... well the only problem I have found so far is I cant find the folder to put my own presets in, I have to load them one by one, don't know why they changes this.

CSI Miami

Now regular readers will know I'm not exactly a fan of this program, but this evening I saw enough of one episode to make my eyes bleed.
So what have I learned?
1. It's ok to trample all over the crime scene in your business suit, and put your briefcase down on the exact spot the body was found.

2. Every outdoor shot has to have a strong orange gradient filter on the camera to make Miami look nicer.

3. It's a really bad idea to watch this drivel in the first place.

Some other news.

It seems that some air traffic controllers are sleeping on the job.... No seriously, they are fast asleep, 6 US ATC were suspended in recent weeks after being found asleep on the job. Note to self, try to fly in the US when the ATC are awake.


The Information Commissioner's Office, the people responsible for protecting our data might as well be asleep too, only 4 out of 2,585 complaints actually received any penalties, worse only 36 cases resulted in any action. Seems like a massive waste of money and space to me.
Sack the bloody lot and get a spaniel instead, ok it wont stop many data protection breaches but then neither does the ICO and you can at least take a spaniel for a walk.

Royal wedding.

Well the big day is getting closer, yesterday I saw on the news that a Muslim group is planning a protest outside the abbey, and to add to the situation the English defence league is planning a counter demonstartion.
This wedding is going to be one big headach for the police, it seems a huge waste of public resources, maybe the time has come for royal weddings to be carried out in Windsor castle or Buck house, and scaled down a bit. This would make security a lot easier and save the country a fortune.
I for one won't be bothering to watch it

Bad back and bad film

Since just before Christmas I have suffered a really bad back, the injury actually goes way back to my younger days and flares up from time to time.
Anyway just before Christmas I injured it again, and have suffered very badly since, it eased off a few weeks ago after leaving me more or less disabled, last week it got worse, leaving me so badly laid up I had to have the Doctor out to me (something I haven't had since being a child) Dosed up on 20 tablets a day and more or less unable to sleep I have been watching the dross that passes for TV overnight.
That brings me to the film... Yes... where do I start. Well last night at silly O clock a film called "Return to savage beach" was on, I missed the beginning but the basic plot (for want of a better word) consisted of several HUGE breasted girls in skimpy costumes running around with some muscle bound gym rejects, in a sort of soft porn James Bond style action adventure.
The film raised several questions for me.
1. Why would the girls leave the treasure to swim half naked off the enemy's island.
2. Why did every bullet fired hit a tree (except the one that hit a medallion)
3. Why do muscle bound jerks have to walk around in a shirt 3 sizes too small, I mean if you want to show off your pecks fine, just leave the shirt off.
4. Why do the baddies have to dress like ninjas with different coloured sashes?
5. Even drugged on painkillers why did I watch this appalling excuse for a film? God knows!

TV advertising some tips

Here's a few tips for any tv advertisers reading this.
First off don't bother advertising, most people don't just buy any old crap they see advertised on telly, especially in a recession when moneys tight. I mean I see an ad for a Dyson cleaner, do I say "oh my god I must run down the shop at 11.30 at night an buy a new hoover" no, I think do I need another overpriced vacuum cleaner.... Errr no I don't, and there's no shops open if I did want to buy one so why waste your money advertising it.
Secondly if your going to advertise something at least have it available, I mean a certain hotel chain advertises rooms for £29 a night, trouble is nobody can ever find one, out of curiosity I tried 3 major cities including London, the cheapest rooms any of this chain had were £65 a night, so why bother advertising something you don't have, just makes me think the hotel are con merchants so I wouldn't stay there anyway now.
Lastly there's something you advertiser need to know, we use the commercial break on telly to make a cuppa, even if we don't want a cuppa we channel hop just to avoid the adverts, and if we have recorded the program on sky we just fast forward over the ad's.
So your wasting your time and money making adverts.

Dragons den (tv series)

I have been watching a few of these over the last few days and I can't help noticing what a miserable grumpy bunch they all are, they say money doesn't buy you happiness, this lot proves it.