RoboCop's distant cousin shows off his keyboard skills:
Now you know why it takes so long for the Feds to file a crime report.
pmslslslslslslslslslslslslslslslslslsl
Monday 12th September, 2011
Tuesday 6th September, 2011
Opinions may vary…
... but I think he's a twat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14793859
Forget wasting money by taking it down on the train or winching it away under a Chinook.
Lend him some spanners, make him wear a hi-viz jacket with "TWAT" emblazoned across it,
and then make him bring his 4x4 back down himself,
bit by bit.
He should be able to cope with that. After all, he describes himself as an out-of-work freelancing vehicle recovery technician!*
* Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-14802363
Wednesday 17th August, 2011
Holiday Blues
Guess the location:
25m from sandy beach, east coast
Fine view of 30 offshore turbines, of which only 27 are working
10m from four lary Essex families who only break out the beer after the bar & excessively-loud disco shut at 01:30 every night
Caravan lacking in equipment and cleanliness
Wish you were here?
Wish I wasn't.
The good news?
There are only three more nights to endure.
Wednesday 10th August, 2011
Finding gold
I follow a lot of blogs, for a lot of reasons. Sometimes for the adventures, sometimes for the humour, sometimes for the contentious issues.
It's not often, however, that I set aside the time to read one in it's entirety. Such a blog would have to be something truly special, a real attention-grabbing, thought-provoking soul-stirrer.
If you're looking for such a thing I urge you to pull your chair to the fireside, (re)fill your glass and settle down for a few hours at http://becausetheyrethere.wordpress.com/
It'll be time well spent.
Monday 8th August, 2011
Review – Montane Lite-Speed H2O Jacket – First thoughts
This item has been supplied on a "review-and-keep" basis by Adam Smith, representing Go Outdoors.
The jacket being reviewed is the Montane Lite-Speed H2O, the Go Outdoors link is here and the Montane link is here.
This jacket is billed by Montane as "THE WORLD’S LIGHTEST WATERPROOF JACKET" and who am I to argue with that claim? Go Outdoors are pushing it as a "Running Jacket", I can assure all and sundry that I'll not be running anywhere in it! No, this jacket is competing with the proofed Montane Featherlite Smock for a place on my "must take" fellwalking-kit list. Sadly I didn't get sent the Black version, but I've no doubt that this Fluoro-Yellow jacket will perform just as well.
If you want the proper spec it's best if you follow the links above, I'll add that the actual weights for the one supplied to me are: jacket 174g, stuffsac 14g (5g if you hack off the Velcro strap and plastic loop), those weights are for a size L.
Although it's a minimalist jacket it looks to be well-constructed with excellent stitch-work and taped seams throughout. The zip is a tad awkward to get moving, I reckon that it needs a bit of "running-in". The hood is basic, it has a single-handed draw-corded captive toggle system for closure but no stiffened or wired peak or anything else techie. The hood stowage is neat with three Velcro patches for keeping the collar closed, the only niggle here is that the FreeFlow H2O fabric is so lightweight that I get the feeling that it (or the stitching) will give way before the Velcro opens. It doesn't, of course. The hemline has a drop-tail and another of those excellent draw-corded closures. Cuffs are "self-fabric" which to the terminally-confused means that the ends of the sleeves are simply folded over a bit of elastic and then tube-stitched. TBH I don't like these cuffs, I much prefer the cuffs on the original Featherlite Smock which have a much better fit and feel. Aside from some reflective bits here and there, that's about all there is... no pockets, no vents and, oddly, no hanging-loop.
I had expected this jacket to be quite similar to the Featherlite Smocks that I already have but it is significantly different. Then again, it has a different job to do. I'll report back when it's been baptised, or when I've been released from custody after being arrested by the Style Police for wearing it in public.
According to Go Outdoors the Retail Price is £90.00 but they're currently in the sale at only £36.82 - perhaps it's time to get one for yourself? If that don't float yer boat, they have plenty of other waterproof jackets for your perusal here.
Oh, nearly forgot! Packed size. Many sources claim that the Lite-Speed H2O is about the size of a small grapefruit. Well, we don't do grapefruits here and so I can't confirm those claims, but I can say with no fear of contraception that it's a bit bigger than an orange, a bit bigger than an apple and quite a bit shorter than a banana...
Observing Report 3rd-4th August 2011 (Garradd through the cloud-gaps)
An odd night - a lot of isolated clouds but with crystal-clear dark skies beyond. I'd got my night-pass from my better-half and wasn't going to waste it, so I got set up for imaging Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd which was up there in the constellation Pegasus, visible as a fuzzy white patch through the binoculars. I set up the scope for a 50-shot run of 300s exposures and let the kit run on auto while I got on with other stuff.
As I expected, most of the exposures were rejected due to the clouds, and I ended up with just three useful frames. Then it rained stair-rods.
No matter, I've stacked and processed them anyway and the result's fair if not brilliant. Give me a clear night for this target and I reckon I could get a much better image. I'll wager that it won't happen soon though, what with all this glorious summer weather. I'll see what I can do in the coming months.
Anyway, it looked something like this:
Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd (04/08/2011 @ 01:09 approx), in the constellation Pegasus.
Subs: 3 light @ 300s, darks and bias frames, ISO400.
1000D on the 6" R-C, guided with PHD.
