Phlegmatic

I'm basing this assessment partly on the quality of tonight's episode, but mostly because of Jack's car.

This one is the one shot mostly by me using the little camera borrowed from work. I did the editing yesterday. I've never done any video editing before and before yesterday afternoon knew absolutely nothing about what was involved. From installing the software (Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9) to finishing the video only took a few hours, which says a lot for how user-friendly this software is.

My personal choice for this year's You're Hired! winner has just posted on facebook that she's got through to the interview stage for the junior version of The Apprentice.

This is the girl I'm referring to:

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I was thinking* of buying one. I enjoyed using this thing http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kodak-1451491-Zi6-Pocket-Camcorder/dp/B001U77PUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246213359&sr=1-1 at the You're Hired! final, but as you'd imagine, the quality ain't great (just about good enough for me to put together a highlights reel for YouTube hopefully).

I'd assumed that camcorders capable of proper television quality with nice optical zoom lenses and built in hard disks would be a lot more expensive, but this Sony one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DCRSR37ES-Handycam-Camcorder-Built/dp/B001PGXA0K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246213685&sr=1-1 isn't actually that much more in absolute terms.

Is there anyone out there who knows about camcorders and would be able to comment? The reviews look good.












* Anyone who knows me well will know that this is only the start of a complex research and procurement process. I've been thinking of hiring a qualified procurement professional to help with this sort of thing. If only I knew one...

Linux

Samsung makes netbooks with both Windows XP and Linux. The return rate of their Linux netbooks is 40% because "people find the Linux experience so difficult". This should be a cautionary tale for anyone at non-nerd level considering a Linux PC. You don't buy a computer for the operating system - the OS should be the thing you see in between turning the machine on and starting the program you want to use.

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I can get blase about UNESCO World Heritage Sites here in Cornwall where I live in one, but now my home town has one too!

Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal across the Dee Valley becomes Britain's 28th World Heritage Site.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/8122916.stm

It's not a bridge to go over if you suffer from vertigo. There is a railing between the single footpath and the 126ft drop, but not between the canal and the drop on the other side, so if you go over on a boat, you are very close to the edge.

Anyone else been watching Glastonbury? I've watched a fair bit of it so far since the number of bands that I at least quite like was rather higher than average.

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Easily the headline of the day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8118257.stm

...is a good thing. That is all.

Well, not exactly wild, but certainly frisky. I've borrowed one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/KODAK-Zi6-Pocket-Camcorder-black/dp/B001U77PUA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top from work. Can you guess why?

Anyway, to put it through its paces, I took it with me when we walked the dogs in Tavistock this evening. Lots and lots of ponies. In a way, they are Dartmoor ponies, since they're ponies and they're on Dartmoor. Really though, they're Shetlands. Anyway, lots of them either had foals or looked as if they were about to. So I filmed some, and uploaded the video to YouTube:



Incidentally, the small stone hut you can see briefly off to the left was designed by Lutyens.

Having clinched the Champions League, I've splurged almost all of my big transfer budget on Atletico Madrid's Argentinian superstar Sergio Aguero, for a world record £103million. I also spent rather less on Ajax captain Thomas Vermaelen, who in real life has just moved to Arsenal.

My Manchester United team won the 2014-2015 Champions League last night, beating Manchester City (yes, an all-Manc final) on penalties.

Beat Ajax in the first knockout round, Barcelona in the quarter-final, Arsenal in the semi-final (on away goals).

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I appreciate that this isn't of interest to most of you. I'm recording this as much for my own reference as anything.

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That's White Dwarf, the 'Science Fiction and Fantasy Games Magazine', not Red Dwarf, the comedy science fiction television series.

I own quite a few White Dwarf magazines from the time before the magazine was dedicated solely to Games Workshop's own games. I also own the first 90 issues in .pdf format, bought on an offical CD-ROM last year. I've been reading through them recently, and I thought I'd share my thoughts...

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What a great idea! Take the sort of D&D campaigns I used to play in when I was thirteen (right down to smutty names, scantily clad female PCs and comedy homosexuals) and turn it into a television series.

It worked though. I will definitely stay watching.


Actually last night was a good night for comedy on TV. Krod Mandoon, a new Mitchell & Webb series and England's performance in the 20:20...

Has anyone been watching Joss Wheedon's new series, 'Dollhouse'? I've got the first few episodes recorded, but want to know whether I should actually watch them.

...it's been fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFG2P-toC6k