Useful Canon Software info!

If you're like me, and you like to only install certain aspects of software that come with hardware, in this instance, the Canon software that ships with most of their cameras, this may come in handy.

I have a Canon PowerShot S1IS, and one of the features I use often, is the PhotoStitch function, which allows me to take several images, then "stitch" them together using the very good software that Canon ship with the camera. The gotcha that I've found, is that Canon like you to install all their shipped software, which means you then need to remove the bits you don't want...

The following aids you in only installing what you want, using the "Upgrade" packages available from www.canon.com.au ... It's also useful if you "lose" your Canon CDs

Hope this is of use to more people than just me!

1. Visit your local Canon website, and download the software "Upgrade" you require.
2. Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) - I take no responsibility for your ability to use the Registry Editor btw
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
4. If it does not exist, create a new key called Canon
5. Create one of the following keys, dependent on which software you are "Upgrading"
   Zoom Browser: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Canon\ZoomBrowser Ex
   Digital Photo Professional: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Canon\DPP
   EOS Capture: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Canon\EOS Capture
   EOS File Viewer: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Canon\EOSViewerUtility
   PhotoStitch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Canon\PhotoStitch
6. Install the "Upgrade" and you're away!
   
   

New Aussie Flag

Reports that the Australian Prime Minster elect Kevin Rudd has taken the suggestion of the Factions and Unions to change the Australian Flag to the new ALP emblem.

Sunday night saw a hastily appointed meeting of the ALP power brokers to change their emblem from the 6 stars to a condom.

The reason for the new emblem was explained in a media statement said it reflected more accurately the parties and their members political stance.

A condom allows for inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of pricks, and gives you a sense of security while you are actually being well and truly f*cked.

Google Maps Mobile

This looks like a very interesting Google Maps offering; quoted from http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html

Take the power of Google Maps with you on your mobile phone.
New! Google Maps with My Location (beta)


Real-time traffic — See where the congestion is, and estimate delays in over 30 major US metropolitan areas.

Detailed directions — Whether you plan to walk or drive, your route is displayed on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions.

Integrated search results — Local business locations and contact information appear all in one place, integrated on your map.

Easily movable maps — Interactive maps let you zoom in or out, and move in all directions so you can orient yourself visually.

Satellite imagery — Get a bird's eye view of your desired location. (It's like you're there, we swear.)

What's been keeping me from blogging?

Water Ski Racing, is what!

I've gotten involved with a Ski Race Australia registered Water Ski Racking Team, through my mate Kev...

My role in the equation is to drive the support vehicle, and provide maintenance support if and when required.

I'm also taking extensive numbers of digital photographs, on which I'm hoping to be able to gain some financial return...

Here's a photo of the team race boat...

Birthday Wishes...

Happy Birthday MME...

Updates...

Been a while since I've had a chance to sit down and post up some updates on my life...

I finally took delivery of my ute, sometime back in July - man, what a blast this thing is to drive... 6 liters of manually shifted V8 goodness, wrapped up in a nice silver package...

After an artistic session on the camera, I came up with this photo, which doesn't show off the silver, but is totally un-photoshopped!



Aside from the new wheels, I've started in a new role, with a new client - in a process management role, which is a little more hands off than what I'm used to, which is taking some getting used to.

Couple of weeks ago, my mate Kev and I both signed with a water ski racing team, with who we will be competing in the 2007/8 Super Series, which is a set of ski races on various rivers in NSW and Victoria. Kev is going to be the observer for the boat, INXS, whilst I will be pit crew, driving the team bus, and towing the trailer to enable the team to race multiple classes in the same race series. The boat is capable of doing 93 mph on the water (well, this is the fastest we've had her clocked on GPS), with two skiers on 100 foot ropes. The ski racing fraternity are great fun people to be around, which is an immense bonus!

Last night, the fish tank also got a bit of an update, with some new fish, and a heap of new plants. I think it looks pretty good at the moment - very much like a big watery garden :-)



The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty busy - this coming weekend for example - going snow skiing at Mt Buller on Thursday - to take advantage of probably the last week of spring skiing, going out to dinner Friday night, going race testing at Echuca Saturday morning, returning to Melbourne Saturday afternoon, and having the ute at the V8 Supercars Sandown 500 to take part in the parade lap - one of the benefits of having an aussie built car - being able to make it look pretty, and go on international TV... :-) After all that lot, I reckon I will be going back to work on Monday for a rest!!!

Uncyclopedia

Taking the Wikipedia concept, and putting even more comedic, disturbing, and purely random content on the Internet... :-)


Uncyclopedia

for example, want to know HowTo Install Linux On A Dead Badger?

perhaps you're interested in Chuck Norris?

Then there are the sister projects:

Uncyclopedia's sista projects Uncyclopedia is hosted by the Uncyclomedia Foundation, a non-profitable organization that also hosts a range of other projects. UnNews The news source on crack Uncyclopedia The content-free encyclopedia Undictionary The ick!tionary of all things best left unsaid UnTunes Where noisy things can live and prosper Wilde Project Uncyclopedia's founder tells all UnMeta How Uncyclopedia doesn't work UnBooks Content-free books Unquotable Useless misquotes galore Uncycloversity If it makes sense, we don't want it

How do you get a research gig like this?

Potato Chip Flavoring Boosts Longevity Of Concrete

Summarized from : http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/iecred/2007/46/i16/html/ie070527l.html

The ingredient that helps give “salt & vinegar” potato chips that tangy snap is the key to a new waterproof coating for protecting concrete from water damage, scheduled for the current (August 1) issue of ACS’ Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, a bi-weekly journal. Awni Al-Otoom and colleagues in Jordan point out that concrete’s unique properties have made it the world’s most widely used structural material. Concrete, however, is so porous that water soaks in, corroding steel reinforcing bars and meshes that strengthen concrete roads and buildings and causing cracks as water expands and contracts during freeze-thaw cycles. Sealants are commercially available, but they have serious shortcomings, the study notes. In the new report, researchers describe the use of sodium acetate as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly concrete sealant. One of sodium acetate’s many uses is in flavored potato chips. In laboratory studies using freshly made concrete, the researchers showed that sodium acetate seeps into pores in concrete and then hardens and crystallizes upon exposure to water. The resultant swelling blocks entry of additional moisture, they said. Under dry conditions, the crystals shrink back to their original size and allow moisture to evaporate. The net result is “a significant reduction in water permeability,” that “can be expected to increase the service life of the concrete,” the report said.

A Thunder for Thunder

For those who've known me for more than 13 years - I know one of you who reads this has, would know that in the good old days of the Internet, when I ran an ISP, I called myself Thunder...

Well, in the search for a new chariot, I finally decided on a Holden VZ SS Thunder Ute, which, even though being a V8 is so much better value than the SVZ I was looking at earlier.

After an early e-mail to SmartSalary, who are now managing our salary packaging, they located me a Silver Ute, and I dashed down to Elsternwick in my lunch break to drive one, to make sure it was what I wanted, and secured the order!

I should take delivery in a week or so, and she'll look something a lot like this:

Lunch in Paynesville

Headed down to Paynesville on the Gippsland Lakes for a quick lunch of fish and chips today. I hadn't been down there for a couple of years, when I was down there for a long weekend with Michelle and Bevan, who are now in Geraldton.

The wind would have blown a dog off a chain, but the day was beautiful nevertheless...





This cormorant looked for all the world like a penguin from a distance, so I had to take a closer photo of him...

And he STILL looks like a penguin on a post! :-)