Some food photos

  Got these the other day, and very nice the food was too!

Mudbanks and other things, some black and white pics

  Went for a walk today after shopping, only took the old camera and walk around lens so limited kit. Got these.

Camera bag WAY too heavy!

 

 No, it's no good pretending, my camera bag is silly heavy!   I've tried over the years taking stuff out but then miss it and it creeps back in.  Added to faster lens with better heavier glass and it's now daft.

 I was getting it ready for a weekend shoot, that mean adding a good few sets of flash batteries, that as well as some heavy lens, two bodies and spare camera battries makes matters worse.  I went to put it away today after sorting and it nearly pulled me over backwards.

 Now the killer is I still haven't got all the battries in yet, theres another few sets to go.  

 I'm really stuck between a rock and a hard place.  You see I might need and will probably use most of the kits in the bag during the long day.  So I can't just "go light" on the other hand I dont fancy humping that weight about all day either.

 I'm going to have to look at different kit I think.

Bonkers dog and my new cooker

 This is the new guard dog... well sort of. Trouble is like most boxers he's bonkers.  When I say bonkers I mean bonkers.  Lets put it this way if he was a Viking he'd have the helmet with the horns on the inside.  The lights are on but the lift doesn't go to all the floors.  he's a snadwich, a few plastic plates and a thermos short of a picnic.  Still he is cute.

 My new cookers come, so thats a plus and as I speak the engineer is rebuilding my boiler... I hope.

Flight safety and well done Airbus.

 Your nice shiny Malaysia airlines Airbus A 330 takes off from Brisbane and climbs to 11.000 feet, you and 228 other people enjoy the comfort and view.  What none of you know is the crew have no airspeed indications, and aircraft need to keep above a certain speed to avoid dropping like a brick.

 To make matters worse is they took off like this, it didn't happen in mid air, they actually took off with no airspeed showing .

 The reason is very simple, Brisbane has a wasp problem, no not stinging people (well yes they probably do) but the mud wasp likes to nest in tubes and small holes, the planes pitot tubes for example, this is a heated (in flight) tube sticking out the front of the plane, linked to a sort of barometer, the plane works out the speed from the difference between the air coming in the tube and the static air pressure outside (from a hole somewhere else) obviously if the tube is blocked the system fails to work properly.

 If Mr wasp bungs up the hole you have no speed or the wrong speed.  This has caused fatal crashes in the past, as has icing of the tube if the crew forget to turn the heating on.  Airports have a cure for wasps ect, a sock like cover with a big red tassle on it is put over the tube to keep stuff out... like wasps.  The trick here is to take the sock off before you take off, it's a bitch to reach after!

 So at Brisbane the sock was fitted and left on.  Before takeoff the captain, engineer and dispatch coordinator all do a walk around to look for things just like this, none of them noticed the sock and tassle designed to be easy to see and obvious.  

Before takeoff the the aircraft’s primary instrument displays showed red speed flags in place of airspeed indications  due to the lack of data, now as the crew use the airspeed dial as part of takeoff, theres things called V1 and V2 speed which are important they couldn't have missed the red flags, they still didn't abort the takeoff but went anyway.

 Luckly for the 229 people onboard Mr Airbus had thought of things like this happening (or he'd met the crew before) Either way this particular aircraft was fitted with a system called BUSS, back up speed scale, this helps to keep the aircraft in a safe speed range in the event of the primary system failing.  They were lucky, the next plane doing the same might not have this system!

 The flight landed safely back at Brisbane.   I think it's safe to say this captain will check properly next time he takes off....  I hope..... 

Last day no heating?

 I'm told the engineer is coming today (thurs) to finish my boiler, it's also the day my new cookers supposed to come so fingers crossed.

I'm supposed to be out this evening seeing some old mates, not sure if thats going to happen yet as I need to get the above sorted first, plus I need to get some cash out the bank... beer vouchers if you know what I mean.

the Apprentice tv series

 I've watched the Apprentice since the first series way back in the mists of time. This series seems different though.

 For one thing the classic "buying/selling" episode was missing, one of Lord Sugars favorites.  Secondly the selection of canditates seems odd, not the normal bunch, this lot are more or less unemployable.

 So far as well as the normal blunders these so called business men and women couldn't spell the word Arctic, then went on to make a baby food with the word DIE as part of the label, I mean come on!  How bloody dumb do you have to be to do that?

 I can kind of understand the arctic mistke, under pressure and rushing it's an easy one, but who makes food with the word DIE on the label?  Even a child would pick up on that.

 Then we come to who is going to win.  We're down to a women only final (hardly a supprise with the BBC running the program) but the odd part is the best canditates seem to have all been sacked. Ok to be fair it was a tough choice for Lord Sugar with a bunch of wasters like this but honestly these are not the best you have left.  None of these would get a job with me.

 So who is going to win, well I do have a bit of an idea, but lets watch and see.  My suspicion is this will be the last series anyway, it's lost it's fire, and frankly they need a better group of canditates to start with.  Personally I wouldn't trust this lot to blow up my airbed... and I don't even have one....

Black and white picture

 

 Another black and white pic, this one shot on the compact.

Gritty black and white

 

 Yes it's an old shot, I'm not getting time to get out at the moment. Reworked with higher contrast and a vignette.

 

Third night no heating

 Again last night comfortable enough in bed, I'm not too bothered or missing the heating that much if I'm honest, the cooker on the other hand I am missing, still that should be sorted thursday with any luck.

 I've got the washing situation sorted now and worked that issue out so a hot poor mans shower works fine and gets me nice and clean.

Second night with no heating

 

 Again last night I wasn't cold, the same with my morning "shower" A sink and a jug of hot water and soap up in the bath then a good rinse off  and bingo nice and clean.  The cooking isn't a massive issue yet, I tried to buy a baby belling (one of those mini stoves from bedsit day) but new your talking a £100 and for a few days I cant justify spending that, a used one would have done but I cant find one locally.

First bath with no heating ect ect

 

 Well I had a few options here, one was a cold bath, didn't fancy that idea much, I'm too old and too pampered for that. the next idea was a wash down from the sink, thats what people mostly did back years ago, then often with a jug of cold water and a bowl in their bedroom.

 Next was a poor mans shower, thats a sink full of hot water and you sit or stand in the bath and using a cup or jug more or less have a shower, the norm is to soap up first after a wet down then rinse off well using the cup.  

 Ok it's not as good as a long shower but at least all of you gets washed.  Last option is whats known as a whores bath, thats a wipe down of those important and sweaty places with baby or wet wipes.  This is better that bugger all... thats about the best you can say for it, it helps.

 I went for the poor mans shower, with the aid of a large thermos and a kettle of boiling water I managed to get a good sink full of nice hot water. Ok it was a bit parky coming out with no heating but it is what it is.  I've been colder. And one day I'll be a lot colder, until then at least I'm clean.

First night with no heating or hot water (or cooking)

 

 Well to be fair I wasn't cold last night, quite comfey in bed in fact. I didn't bother with the arctic sleeping bag, it just wasn't cold enough, I did spread a jungle sleeping bag over the quilt for a bit of extra warmth (jungle sleeping bags are fairly thin and open out like a blanket, and fold up small) That was plenty.

 The cooking isn't a big problemin the short term. As well as a few camping stoves I've got a microwave. I also eat a fair bit of cold food normally, sandwiches, stuff like that, and I don't normally eat a lot during the day either, tending to have my main meal at tea time or early evening, thats when something get cooked if its going to be.

 I might pop out on sunday and see if those mini grill thingies are about, you know two electric rings and a grill, like all the bedsits used to have back in the day.  If they are cheap enough I might grab one.

 Now it's boil a kettle for a scrub, thats going to be a bugger, without the stove I can't heat a decent quantity of boiling water in one go so only a half sink full of water for a wash down. That said I'll probably grab a shower down my friends later.  Bummer though I like my morning scrub.

Expensive day....

 

 Oh chuffing great, my boilers got a dodgy valve and they cant get the part until tuesday, and todays bloody friday.  To make matters worse while testing it they discovered a leak in my ancient gas cooker.  So it was off to the shops for a new one, that went well until I found out it's not coming until thrusday. so no hot water, or heating until tuesday and no cooking until thursday. Great!

 Looks like I'm digging out my old army arctic sleeping bag and it's gortex outer cover.  Like toast in that at night.

Wedding couple, a new name?

 I came across a new name for the bride and groom to be today, Sometimes called the Mr and Mrs to be, sometimes bride and groom, sometimes the wedded pair, sometimes even a set.  The new name I came across was combatants.... sounds about right sometimes.... 

Busy week

 Bit of a busy week this week.  Not only did I have an engagement shoot to sort out, I'm also spring cleaning and having a big sort out.  My mothers looking like going into a home soon so I'll need to make space for some of her stuff she wants to keep.

This week is also over the crematoriam time, we go over every year (covid excepted) and put flowers out.  It's 27 years since he died.  I still miss him.

 I suppose I was lucky with my parents, I wasn't abused or battered like some, and there was always food on the table.  Yes we went without some luxuries, money was tight in the 1950's, but we more or less always had a car, my dad needed one for his job so we went out a lot.

 My fathers was a bit like Spike Milligan, similar zany sense of humour, probably where my odd sense of humour comes from (that and a bit of "squaddie" humour thrown in) so he was a laugh, he also knew everybody, a walk around town took hours with stops to chat to everybody and anybody.

 We also knew all the big name celebs of the day, Peter Sellers, Harry Seacombe, Morcome and Wise, I spent a lot of time playing as a child with Eric Morcombes daughter Gail (my dad was in show business) so a good laugh.

 So once a year we go over to remember him and place flowers, although I think of him a lot. Happy Days!

Not a great day!

 

 Today hasn't been the best day I've ever had, that said it's far from the worst day either.

It started early with me not sleeping well (I'm a light sleeper anyway) so I gave up and got up, then I got on with editing yesterdays pictures. That done I started spring cleaning the house. After an hour or so I had to go shopping, thats when me least favorite job started!

 Yep it was clean the cooker time.  Now truth be told I totally HATE cleaning the cooker!  You see with three blokes living alone (now two most of the time) cleaning the house and being tidy is a little way down the list of stuff to do.  As I'm the only one who seems to actually do any work it's left to me to do.... so it gets put off as I'm fairly busy and out a lot.

 So cleaning the cooker.  None of us are the cleanest cooks in the world, fat gets spilled, my youngest son tips more food on the stove than he eats (or so it seems) By the time I find it it's dried on and hard work. After a while the job is just a bitch.  

My normal method is Mr Muscle over cleaner, it takes a little while on the baked on muck but it does the job.  The real problem is I seem to be allergic to the stuff!  One spray and I'm coughing like a covid ward, this effect last for days and makes it a miserable, hatefull bitch of a job for me... so I tend to put it off, which of course makes matters worse in the long run.

 Today while shooping, and buying Mr Muscle I wondered if there was anything less toxic I could use, I found Cillit Bang, so I bought both, if the Cillit stuff doesn't do the job it's back to a gas mask and Mr Muscle.  So did it work you ask?   

 I'm pleased to report it worked great, way better than Mr Muscle if I'm honest, it's way quicker or the dried on grease, it seems to go further (I've got a lot left) and best of all while it does have a slight smell, it's safe to me, no coughing fits and I was able to use it without a full hazmat suit and all the doors and windows open.

Gritty

 Gave this picture the "gritty" look with a photoshop plug-in.

Blacklight 2022 (film review)

 

" Travis Block, a shadowy government agent who specializes in removing operatives whose covers have been exposed, uncovers a deadly conspiracy within his own ranks that reaches the highest echelons of power." IMDb

 The movie stars Liam Neeson as Travis Block.  Emmy Raver-Lampman.  Aidan Quinn and Taylor John Smith.

 The blot is simple, Neeson who is a sort of shadowy FBI agent working for the FNI director Gabrial Robson  (Quinn), finds out theres something fishy going on with the FBI, indeed fishier than a Cods bathing costume.

 The films starts well with action more of less from the start, sadly it slows down a lot after that, there is action but the film is just slow compared to most of Neesons movies.

 The other issue for me was the actors, While Neeson and Quinn did a great job, the others less so. Raver-Lampman (the female lead) came across as wooden and didn't engage with me at all.  Frankly I didn't care much about the other cast, they might as well have not been there, they really added little to the story.

 The title is also a bit of an odd choice, a blacklight is another name for an ultraviolet light, it had nothing at all to do with the story.

Not Leeson best film by a fair margin but not terrible either.

 Waynes Rating 6/10  Watch if your a Neeson fan, give it a miss otherwise

Reading the news.

 

Reading the news, no I'm not talking about Carol Barnes or John Suchet, I'm talking about my friends and family.

 For some reason the people around me feel the need to read me the news.  It's not that I can't read, I read very well and I read a lot of books, I just have people who think I should hear the latest news from them, rather than someone paid by the BBC or whoever.

 The real problem is I don't watch the TV news, because I don't really care about the politically biased crap we're spoon fed by the various channels, maybe biased isn't the right word, censored lying shit is more accurate.  Thats the reason I don't bother watching it in the first place.

 So why people feel the need to tell me the TV lies I can only guess.  Because they do bugger all and have nothing to talk about is one guess. Trying to look important with their finer on the pulse of the world is another guess. Whatever the reason it pisses me off.

 To make it worse it's not the normal "did you see that plane crash in Mexico?" Oh no it's the full story with their opinion on it and what our feeble minded bottom of pond crwling politicians think and arn't they wonderfull...    No They are brain dead morons I wouldn't trust to blow up my airbed, sadly that answer doesn't go down well, as true as it is.

 So heres a suggestion. Don't read the news to me, if I cared I'd read or watch it myself.  But I don't care, and I don't watch it for a reason.  

 So please don't make me suffer it from you, your not making me happy and you wont like me when I'm grumpy.  I hear the news I need to hear, and I probably get a better truer version than your getting from the biased broadcasting comperation or worse still the Daily Mail the joking newspaper (the old sunday sport lied less, and they found Elvis on the moon) most of the news channels have their own agenda too so none are reliable for the truth.

Saint davids day pictures

 Saint David is the patron Saint of Wales, Saint Davids day or the feast of Saint David, falls on the 1st of march each year.  Saint David died in 589AD but wasn't officially made a Saint untill the 12th century.

 Daffodils and leeks are the popular symbols, girls (young ones) tend to dress in tradition Welsh costume and boys (young ones) favor coal miners or rugby player costume.

 As a former press photographer Saint Davids day tended to be looked at with dread.  The norm back then was to go around the various schools and photograph the chilrdens classes dressed in their costumes.  This is huge fun if you love young children dressed in silly costumes all having a fun day, sadly most photographers (like me hated it).

 You see the children see it at a day off school work, while for us photographers it's a ton of work, we have to go to the school, wait around while the teachers get the children out, then we have to set up usually around 30 children in a group.  Trouble is the children want to play, not line up, the teachers are a waste of space (usually) and time is tight for us.

 Back then I was working on film, we had to develop our own films in a darkroom, and print and caption out own prints all by hand (and dry them) it got to the point I was using X-ray film developer to save time as it developed a roll of film in I think 45 seconds.  That sounds quick but you have to load the film on a spiral, develop it, fix it again with X-ray filer (say a minute) wash it and dry the film before printing, and theres no X-ray cheat with the prints (the normal developer/fixer could take say 5 minutes each so a fair saving on time) Plus i'd be shooting a few rools of film at each school, and you had to know each class and school for the captons.

 My records for one Saint Davids day was 27 schools, thats every class in 27 schools spread over 3 or 4  towns in different valleys during the school hours.  Trust me it's not fun!  It works out to probably a minute a class without traveling time.  I was like a Waffen SS comandant, "Rouse Rouse!!" I'd be shouting... well ok it wasn't actually rouse (german for hurrymake or quick) but I'd be like a demented idiot rushing to line them up and go to the next school.  Little suzi missing?, tough shit, don't have time to wait. Click click. follwed by tyres screeching.

 Dont get me wrong I like children... in much the same way Adolf Hitler liked smokers, gypsies and Jews.  Well I like my own children to be honest, others... no.

 So here are todays Saint Davids pics, no children (thank fuck) I went for simple and easy daffodils.