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Category: Random Stuff

So Bad it hurts Kittens

Published by NiteMayr on April 25, 2008

YouTube – where is my mind

where is my mind

This is so bad, I need to share it! This (I imagine) is someone’s idea of cute or clever. It achieves only revulsion and annoyance from me. Not because I feel Ballet is above rock (it’s not) and that the Pixies cannot be used for High Culture (not in the least) it’s just this is so clumsily choreographed. It’s one thing to attempt to make a fusion between Alt Rock and Classical Dance, it’s another thing entirely to have it performed like a middle-school talent show extravaganza (which I admit this could be, but it smacks of “I’m so clever” so I don’ think so).

This is like strapping knives to a pair of kittens and setting them in a box while playing the audio from Thunderdome over it (Two Kitteh Enterz, One Kitteh Leaves), it sounds like a funny concept but really, the kittens will just fall all over themselves and one of them might get hurt.

And who wants to hurt kittens?

Color Correction is your Friend

Published by NiteMayr on April 25, 2008

Color Correct Kevin CompareColor Correct Kevin

I’ve posted these two images to illustrate a point. With access to some post-processing tools (Photoshop, Photoshop Essentials and even Picassa) we an “fix” the little inadequacies of the original images. In this case contrast, sharpness and color issues.

This article is not the one I was looking for on this matter, but it covers the same ground.

You can achieve the same basic fixes in Picassa using the image correction tools therein. Shadows and Sharpen for the most part, with some color correction too. It can make all the difference in an image.

(If you are interested, I was illustrating how bad the countryside smelled, I was ill on the way up to Kincardine last week due to the smell of the poultry farms)

EDIT: Removed Ava Knight’s Pictures

Our Horrible World

Published by NiteMayr on April 23, 2008

Okay, it’s not “our horrible world” but if you’ve never seen an Animal Murder a series of small fluffy animals, this video is for you.

You're never too far from..

Published by NiteMayr on April 23, 2008

First Spider in new house, originally uploaded by NiteMayr.

A SPIDER!!! ARRRRRGH!

I’m not afraid of spiders, I like them fine (as they kill other more pernicious beasties).

Wikipedia has this to say about spiders:

“Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. They are classified in the order Araneae, one of several orders within the larger class of arachnids, a group which also contains scorpions, whip scorpions, mites, ticks, and opiliones (harvestmen). The study of spiders is known as araneology.

All spiders produce silk, a thin, strong protein strand extruded by the spider from spinnerets most commonly found on the end of the abdomen. Many species use it to trap insects in webs, although there are also many species that hunt freely. Silk can be used to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows, build egg sacs, wrap prey, and temporarily hold sperm, among other applications.

All spiders except those in the families Uloboridae and Holarchaeidae, and in the suborder Mesothelae (together about 350 species) can inject venom to protect themselves or to kill prey. Only about 200 species, however, have bites that can pose health problems to humans.[1] Many larger species’ bites may be quite painful, but will not produce lasting health concerns.

Spiders are found all over the world, from the tropics to the Arctic, living underwater in silken domes they supply with air, and on the tops of mountains. In 1973 Skylab 3 took two spiders into space to test their web-spinning capability in free-fall.”

My wife has this to say about them:

“AAaaahhh! Kevin! A Spider, get it away. Don’t you dare put that on me! Keep it away, you bastard!”

Hijinx ensue.

Excitement and Loss

Published by NiteMayr on April 22, 2008

So I didn’t get the job with the brewery. Not because of any personal failing (save accepting it weeks ago) but because it was no longer available. The good news is that I am heading out to Manitoulin Island next week in order to meet with their IT Manager and visit the site. The exciting part here is that Jen gets to come along and we’re spending two nights out there!

We’ll see how that goes. I took some pictures this weekend, some nudes, some family. The family pictures aren’t so good. I’m hoping to take better pictures this weekend of the confirmation of my newphew.

Portishead – Edit

Published by NiteMayr on April 22, 2008

Portishead – Roads

A Quick test post to my blog with my new cross posting settings in place…

Q: Doesn’t this song bring you down?
A: Sure, but in that “only happy when it rains” kind of down. A celebration of down. Kinda emo I guess.