Conservatives want to get tough on extremists

Conservatives want to get tough on extremists, or so they say, the latest silly idea is to ban them, yes seriously!  They will also stop them from public speaking, yeah right!   Of course what they haven't done (as usual) is actually think it through.  First as long as we're in the EU they can't interfere with their human rights, and I'm pretty sure public speaking is one of them, secondly banning them isn't going to work either, Personally I very much doubt a person who is willing to blow them self up is going to worry too much about a banning order.  No wonder the rats are leaving the sinking ship........

Doctor Who is really bad now

I've tried, honestly I have to like Peter Capaldi, but it's not working, he's easily the worst doctor who ever!
To be fair to Peter the stories and scripts have been pretty grim, the first episode had the doctor as a confused moron, and even now 6 weeks in he's still playing it stupid.  I mean the cleverest man in the universe, who defeats all the alien enemies has a line like  " You have two jackets? why is one of them defective?" it's bloody dire.
The stories haven't been much better, the first episode had the doctor take a back seat role largely to Vastra and Drax. 
This weeks episode seemed to be an excuse for Danny Pink (bloody silly name for Gods sake) to meet the doctor, and is turning into a sort of confused soap with Clara and Danny and what appears to be an elderly confused uncle sort of doctor (dementia maybe?) 
I have nothing against his age really, but he's just not right for the part.  Far from being a man who saves the world each week he's more like a man who couldn't change a light bulb.
I believe the phrase is physician heal thyself!

Helvetia Rhossilli old and new

The pics of the Helvetia at Rhossilli got me thinking about my older pics of the ship, here one from about 25 years ago (Top) and the one from September 2014 (Bottom)  Theres a fair difference in the roughly 25 years.

Helvetia Rhossilli bay

The Helvetia is one of the best known shipwrecks in the Gower, I haven't been to it for years so decided to check it out again.
The Norwegian ship had a cargo of 500 tons of timber, and sank on October 31 1887, luckly there was no loss of life.

Don't blink 2014 (review)

The story starts off like most slasher movies, a group of young people arrive at a country retreat and find it abandoned, of course they are all out of petrol and are stranded there.   That's where the story starts to vary from the usual slasher type movies, instead of gory murders we have people just vanishing.  It's only at the very end that you sort of find out whats happening (can't give too much away) 
Personally I found the film tedious, there was a lot of talking and arguing, and very very few supprises, even the ending I'd seen coming from way back.
Still it's different from the normal gore on the floor horror films so you have to give it credit for that.

Waynes rating 5/10 if your a horror fan and fancy something different, but don't expect to be scared.

And some world news

An 88 year old woman who fell outside a doctors surgery and was knocked unconscious was refused help by Doctor Christopher Uwagbow, incredibly he claimed he wasn't first aid trained so couldn't help as he'd been sued before.
Personally I think a doctor who won't help an elderly lady should be struck off, and secondly if he's so bad at first aid why would anyone want him as a doctor? My advice avoid Knebworth and Marymead medical centre in Stevnage if you need first aid!

Facebook are planning on flying plane size drones over our heads as part of a plan to connect us all to facebook....  I wonder if Ebay sells anti aircraft guns....

Tescos pork sausages may contain pork.. Tesco admit their pork sausages contain other things including chicken, their venison burgers (yes venison burgers!) may contain as much as 30% lamb, this worry comes after the recent issue with Tescos bolognese mince that was 100% horse meat scandal, and the more recent 250 million profit error.
I have cut down on my Tesco shopping for two reasons, one the price and two the fact that my local Tescos is more like a community centre for the mentally handicapped, and if I'm going to pay top prices I want top quality goods, not what I'm getting in Tescos sadly.

A couple and their autistic 15 month old daughter were forced to leave a bus after a Muslim passenger complained about them singing the pippa pig theme song and making pig noises to their daughter, the passenger complained they were racist. 
Be warned before long a bacon buttie will be a hanging offence in this country...or more lightly a beheading offence......

We've had the bendy bus now the bendy phone has arrived. the new Iphone 6 has a minor issues it seems, if your not careful it can get bent.  Apparently due to the lightweight construction and it's thinness it's easier to bend in your pocket.
To be fair you might be surprised how much force you an put on something in a pocket, especially tight jeans or if you lean on something, and the bigger phone has a bigger area to apply pressure. Something to keep in mind though if you have a new Iphone....   And I don't so all donations to honest Wayne, home for the criminally deranged etc etc etc

Space atation 76 (review)

The 2014 movie is set in a 1970's version of the future  "  IMDb  A 1970s version of the future, where personalities and asteroids collide."
Staring Patrick Wilson and Liv Tyler the movie is an odd mix of sc-fi and comedy, it seems to be trying to be a spoof but sadly it's not clear what it's spoofing.
I understand the cast came up with a lot of the dialogue at the rehearsal stage by improvisation, and frankly it shows.  The film is a miss match and neither fish nor fowl as they say.
By about half way through I'd given up trying to make sense of it, and I was glad to see the credits.

Waynes rating  2/10  only watch if you want to relive the 1970 si-fi era, otherwise buy a drink instead !

Image file sizes

You might be supprised at just how small you can get an image file size and yet still have good quality.
I exported a lot of pics from lightroom a while back with the quality setting on low (somebody else had used it while I was out) Not noticing I then exported a whole batch of pics, it was only later when I went to move the pics I noticed instead of a few GB I had a few MB of images. When I checked the pics were about 200kb each instead of about 5mb. 
Now I'd even looked at the full sized pics and hadn't noticed anything wrong, so I did a few tests.  I tried saving a jpeg at jpeg 2 and the same image at jpeg 12, frankly even at full size I couldn't tell the difference, so then I stacked them as layers, aligned them and set the top layer to difference (to show any differences) while there was a very very faint difference it was bugger all really, certainly nothing you see looking at the image.

Mobile phones???

Out of all the people I know with mobile phones (lots) I can count on the fingers of one hand those who actually answer the bloody things pretty much every time I phone or text them, and couriously they are probably the busiest ones.
I know people who are pretty certain not to answer.  I know people who don't bother carrying their mobile around.... The clues in the word mobile!
I'm starting to wonder if I'm one of a small minority who have actually figured out that a mobile phone is A  Mobile, and B bloody useless if you don't answer it.

Pavement allergy???

There seems to be a number of people in the Neath/Port Talbot area suffering a pavement allergy.  Twice this week I passed older women (old enough to know better) walking down the middle of the road.  Each time I gave a little toot on the horn as a warning and they then go onto the pavement, only to walk back into the road after I pass. 
Now if the pavements were blocked I wouldn't say anything but I actually looked both times and the pavements were clear.
Barking mad or what? with the amount of traffic we get these days it's bloody suicidal to walk down the middle of the road, we raelly need it to be made an offence like many other countries.

Tonights gloomy sunset

A few from tonight, the shot with the rocks was lit by my small pocket torch, both shot on my compact.

Invasion of giant spiders!

Not quite as scary as it sounds but still true.
It's been a good year for spiders, lot of food and the weathers been kind to them, this means many have grown to full size and theres lots more than normal for the time of year.
About now the male spiders start coming in from the cold to look for a mate, this means your house will soon have some bigger than usual spiders eyeing up your bath (and elsewhere)  Last night I found two in my bath and a third on the curtain, all a decent size.
You have been warned!

Canon printer hacked to run doom

Micheal Jordan has successfully hacked a canon printer to run the game doom, it took him four months but presumably Michael is a clever chap..... Ok he has way too much time on his hands, and what he's achieved is totally pointless, but as nerds go he's a clever one.
A tip Michael, get a girlfriend and a life..........

Wind farms....

It's been discovered that many wind turbines are dangerous, not just for the birds for for people as well. There's a been a rash of wind turbines blowing over in the wind, even though they are supposed to be good for 115 mph wind several have blown over in winds of just 55 mph.  It's been discovered that a combination of poor manufacture and bad installation seem to be the main causes. 
So now as well as wasting money building these hopeless turbines in the first place (and all the energy use to make and install them) lots will have to be rebuilt or reinforced and some taken down and installed properly at even more expence and energy wasted.
Bloody stupid or what!

Peter Capaldi as Doctor Who

Well I've given it four weeks before making any kind of decision and I'm afraid I don't like Peter Capaldi as Doctor Who. 
He's just not working for me.  I think the trouble is he's trying to play it for laughs and he can't do it, if he played it straight and dark and nasty it might work, but he hasn't the face for comedy (or the timing) so he just looks silly.
Personally I think the Beeb blundered in the first place by using someone we've seen in the series as another character. 
I've nothing against Peter being older, after all the Doctor started as an old man, and John Hurt is no spring chicken but he was tons better at the doctor, although sadly only briefly.
Sadly I can see this being the end of Doctor Who (maybe the idea?) I'm reading on various forums and the net that Capaldis not much liked by the fans, if viewing figures drop off to much the Beeb will pull the series.
My advice for Capaldi?  Watch some of the early episodes with dear old William Hartnell, he would happily leave his companions behind if it helped him, be darker and please, pretty please stop playing it for laughs.

Discovery channel, not discovering much these days

Discovery channel.  There was a time when people learned stuff from the discovery channel, now it's not really 'discovering' anything, the vast majority of it's programs are reality soaps. 
Watching the same people trying to dig gold or buy/fix used cars every week is boring, what are we discovering? That you can fit up old cars?  I already know you can.  That fat bearded morons can't find gold?  Yep we know that too! (one lot couldn't find gold in a jewelers shop)
These programs following the lives of what at the end of the day are business people going about their boring lives are not exactly cutting edge discovery. 
I mean what's next discovery?  Fat men's toilet breaks?  The dog kennel diaries?  Guy's on the piss?  Get a grip, your called the DISCOVERY CHANNEL!!  Try and discovery a program thats not a reality series, and preferably has some people from outside the United States for a change.... There is actually a world out there you know...   Maybe you could have a program about the discovery channel discovering the rest of the world???

You know it's not going to be a great day when....

You know it's not going to be a great day when.... the ECG nurse comes around the screen with your ECG and says I just need to show this to somebody else... have you got an appointment booked with the doctor today?

Sunset the other night

Heres a few pics of the sunset and related pics from the other night.

Cree 3 in 1 T6 headlamp review

The Cree 3 in 1 headlamp has 3x T6 leds, it's about the same size and weight (near enough) as the 'classic' Petzl headlamp(see picture), so how does it compare?
The Cree feels fairly sturdy but I suspect it's not as waterproof as the Petzl, my tester came with a plug-in car charger so theres a hole in the battery holder at the back of the head to plug it in, the torch uses 2 18650 batteries and has 4 modes.  The center bulb unit, the 2 outer bulb units, all three together, and strobe (I'm told some have 8 modes but mine doesn't) 
The centre bulb has a larger reflector and throws more of a beam, while the 2 outer bulbs have a more spread beam, with all 3 together you get a good blend, theres no zoom function like the Petzl.
Light output.... well it's impossible to compare them really, the Cree is vastly brighter, 1 T6 gives a really good light, 3 gives a superb amount of light.
Those who have used the Petzl will remember the bright 'hotspot' and bugger all around it, or you zoomed the beam and got bright doughnuts of light, and hardly any forward throw of light, the cree on the other hand has a much bigger 'hotspot', although it's not really a spot but a big bright area, and with the 2 side bulbs on as well a very even huge spread with a long throw in the center.
Would I use it for caving... well I'm not sure it's waterproof enough (without testing) and I suspect battery life could be a problem, with 3 T6 bulbs going and only 2 batteries I would expect it to run out of steam around the 2-3 hours mark, although I haven't had time to test it properly yet, thats just not enough for a proper caving expedition
I can see this being great for night hiking/mountain biking or searching for missing persons etc, something where you need a lot of light for a few hours, but not something where it's your only source of light for days, if it had the lower power modes to get better battery life it would be even better.

These can be had for around £10-15 on ebay, handy to carry in the car for repairs or changing a wheel.

Richard Kiel dies age 74

Actor Richard Kiel died yesterday age 74, Richard best remembered as the James Bond villan 'Jaws' was 7 foot 5 inches tall and wore the iconic steen teeth for the part.
Richard leaves a wife and 4 children.

Cree Q5 300 lm flashlight (update/long term review)

The small Cree Q5 which I reviewed in may has had a bit more time to 'settle in' now.  I'm using the torch with an AA battery instead of the optional 14500 battery, battery life seems supprisingly good, even with a cheap part used battery (been used in my flash gun) I had well over an hour of good bright light, and it was still going strong at the end of my walk down off a rough mountain track.
Ok it's never going to be as bright as a T6, but it does have the advantage of being smaller and using a standard AA battery, 12 for a pound in the pound shop by me, and it's bright enough to find your down off a mountain in the dark, and the battery life is better, you'll get a good few hours easy from a decent AA. As I said I had a few hours from a crap part used one.

Recycling could be made a lot easier

Recycling could be made a lot easier.  I've just spent the best part of 20 minutes trying to get the label off a coffee jar to recycle it, same with some milk bottles, the bloody labels are welded to the things.  I ended up putting the coffee jar on the gas flames and burnt the label off (I didn't have oxyacetylene handy) But come on, two curry jars the labels come off easily.  Make life easier guys, or we'll just throw the stuff away!

Court Colman

Court Coman is a big manor house type place near Bridgend, I've been there three days on the trot now so I feel I know it fairly well, the staff are friendly and made me very welcome, the hotel and grounds are very nice. It is a bit off the beaten track but well worth a visit, even if you do come close to battering someone... like I did Sunday, still I managed a bit of self control (not like me really?) heres a few pics of the place.

Well done Neath Port Talbot council

Well done Neath Port Talbot council, you've done a cracking job of wasting money and making life more miserable for the poor bastards who live near the town centre.
What an blindingly stupid idea to close of the motorway junction to the M4 in Port Talbot.  First off you didn't close the really dangerous exit off that crosses the old road (A48) Oh no!, you closed the one onto the motorway instead. 
Despite the local people getting up a petition against it you still went ahead and closed it anyway, remember your elected by the local people to represent them, not to ignore them.
Then you spent the local peoples money building a big steel barrier across the junction (to make bloody sure it stays shut. 
Even worse theres now four men and two lorries sitting there for four hours a day just to close the barrier and move the cones, what a fucking stupid waste of the people your supposed to represents money!.
The locals now have to use the old A48 at peak times, which is now congested..... thats the reason they spent £2 million a mile to build the bloody M4 in the first place morons!

France needs British help.... Again!

It seems the French government has asked for British help in dealing with the immigrants in Calais, obviously they can't be bothered to do the job themselves, and it's easier to let someone else sort out the hard jobs for them ( same as world war two then) 
Perhaps we should ask the Germans to go in and sort things out, after all they did a pretty decent job there last time, and they know the way.  And between you and me I suspect they will deal with the immigrants in their own way......   Nuff said I think!

Hi visibility jackets

The idea behind the hi-vis jacket was a good one, workmen in dangerous places put them on and you could spot them easily.  That worked.... Well until now that is. 
You see the problem is the jackets no longer stand out, back in the day they were the only fluorescent stuff around so the showed up easily, now sadly everybody cashed in and bloody 'dayglow' yellow is everywhere. Every other person is wearing them, bus drivers for example... if you can't see the bloody bus your never going to see the driver lets face it!
The trouble is so many advertising signs, drinks bottles and every other persons with a hi-vis jacket has diluted the effect, we no longer really see the jackets, they just merge into a background of 'dayglow' yellow/orange, so the effect and the whole point of wearing them is lost.
To be honest I'm more lightly to notice someone not wearing a bloody hi-vis jacket these days!

Tonights sunset

A couple of pics of tonights sunset, shot on the compact camera.

Ashya King

Young Ashya Kings parents are now being held in a Spanish jail, apparently charged with neglect for taking him away from medical treatment   Curiously the hospital had already told parent they could do nothing for the boy, which raises the question of what treatment was he taken away from? and if the hospital were doing nothing either, why are they not in court for neglect?     Double standard here methinks!

Cree Skyray king 8500 lumen torch (review)

Cree make a range of Skyray king torches, all feature the cree T6 led, they come in 3-4-5-6 and 7 led configurations, this is the 6 led version review.

The torch is a little smaller than a can of coke, but about the same weight as near as I can tell, so a little too heavy for carrying comfortably in a pocket.  My tester came without any instructions so it took a little while to figure out the odd battery layout. 
The torch uses 4 18650 batteries, curiously all with the positive terminal pointing up (counter intuitive to me) it will also work with just 2 batteries (more on this later)

The torch feels quite solid and sturdy, it doesn't feel like it would break easily, it has the same sort of serrated front bezel (like most cree torches) called the DNA catcher for self defence, it's not as sharp or as pronounced as some. but this torch has some weight behind it, I certainly wouldn't like a smack in the face from it.

The torch has 4 settings, high, medium, low and if you hold down the button for 2 seconds strobe.
Light output is simply awesome! theres no other way to describe it, the torch throws a lot of light a good way but also has a good spread as well, tons of light to see where your going or search the countryside for something.

 My tester has a slightly 'warm' light compared to most led torches, but when I put on my car headlights on full beam they looked dim and yellow by comparison to the torch.
With one of these taped to your car you could drive home no problem if your lights failed, although you might blind a few other motorists.

Using with two batteries.  I wasn't aware the torch would work with only two batteries, while charging the batteries I put in the two charged ones while I waited for the other two, then I accidentally pressed the button while looking at the torch (all too easy) the result was temporarily blinding myself, we're talking minutes not seconds here as well.  Do not look at the torch when it's on or shine it in someones face you will blind them temporarily, and I don't like to think what prolonged close exposure would do, nothing good I suspect. 

You can buy these torches from around £15+ on ebay, for that kind of money this is a lot of torch, and a heck of a lot of light.  There is a brighter 7 led version which is claimed to be over 9000 lumen's.  I'm told that the more leds the more the spread of light, so the 3 and 4 led versions have a much more pronounced beam (many claim the 4 led is the best compromise) if I can get hold of one I'll do a comparrison.