Stefan’s Stuff

Anything I feel like sharing.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 7

December 2nd, 2008 · No Comments · Cool Stuff, Hobby, Images, Photography

Costco sent us a $30 coupon, so I figured I’d get it. After using Photoshop CS2, I find this really does most of what I do now with no problem.

Best of all: it works OK on my 2001Pentium 4 PC.  (In an effort to save money, I’m using it until it falls over.) So far, it works very well. I’m able to process RAW images from my D80 without any problems.

As I play around with it, I discover that it has some features that really like. In the Organizer, you can right click and assign a location to an image by right clicking it and selecting ‘Place on a map…’, and then paste the address. It looked it up the address, prompted me for confirmation and added the GPS coordinates to the files I selected. This sounds trivial, but when I upload to Flickr, it automatically place the image correctly on the map. Here are the EXIF Tags it adds:

GPS Latitude        : 40 deg 45' 9.00" N
GPS Latitude Ref    : North
GPS Longitude       : 73 deg 58' 39.00" W
GPS Longitude Ref   : West
GPS Position        : 40 deg 45' 9.00" N, 73 deg 58' 39.00" W

Which, when posted to Flickr, says the photo is in “Taken in Tenderloin, New York“. Odd. The only gotcha I found is when I add GPS to a NEF file, the coordinates did not make it to the JPEG version. Maybe I did something wrong.

It comes with a photo downloader that I’ll be testing too and It has version control so I can see the before and after of an edit. Moe as I play with it.

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment.

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Looks like I’ll be getting Lasik

November 30th, 2008 · 2 Comments · Cool Stuff, Different, Personal

Janny has bee considering it for a while and wanted me to think about it too. After making an appointment to the Eye Doctor, we’ve decided to do it.

The initial appointment is very comprehensive. The staff at the eye doctor’s office takes various measurements using different tools. It took a while, but when it was all over, we met with a counselor to discuss our options and any questions that we had.  Janny and I had a big list of questions that they answered without any issue.

Wikipedia has a very good write up about the procedure. To be honest, I’m a little nervous as it basically involves using a sharp blade in my eyes.  If I didn’t know so many people who had the procedure, I’ve be even more hesitant.  I’ve been wearing glasses since the third grade and it will be very odd not having a pair of glasses on my face. I’m sure I won’t miss them.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
Let it Rock” by Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne from the “In The City” Album. You can see the video on VH1.

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Better Star Trek XI Trailer

November 23rd, 2008 · No Comments · Different, Video


Saw this on Meta Cafe and figured I’d post it. He wrecked what looks like a classic Corvette?!?!?!

Also, Notice it has the Top On and then it’s down as he approaches he cliff? Hope the rest of the movie doesn’t have issues like that… ;)

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment.

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Sony Noise Canceling headphones

November 22nd, 2008 · No Comments · Cool Stuff, Different

Sony MDR-NC7

Recently I purchased a pair of Sony Noise Canceling headphones (Model MDR-NC7) so I could listen to my Ipod on the subway. I got  my pair at the Sony store in Tanger outlet.

It’s not the best pair, but  for the money, I’m quite pleased with it. It allows me to listen to music on the subway without blasting the volume on my Ipod. Since it covers 87% of the background noise, I can still hear things around me. I’ve noticed that on the sidewalk, the randomness of the street noise gets the best of the Noise Canceling circuit. It’s not really a problem as even without the Noise Canceling turned on it’s a good pair of headphones that fold up and come with a fabric bag to store them in. I also like that the single AAA battery used for the Noise Canceling circuit is in the left side. Other models such as MDR-NC40 put the battery inline to the headset connector.

I think it was a good buy and have recommended them to my co-workers.

They come in Black or White, I got a black pair.

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment

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GOP Member Sen. Lieberman doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist

November 18th, 2008 · No Comments · Current Issues, Different, News, Rants, Video, politics

YouTube Preview Image

Someday, I hope the Democratic leadership will actually develop a backbone. They reward Sen. Lieberman’s behavior by removing him from an Insignificant sub committee? What is the Democratic leadership afraid of?
Unbelievable.

Mark the date, after forgoing ANY oversight of the Bush administration, Sen. Lieberman will now do “Oversight” of the incoming administration. That means continuing to be a Right Wing tool for the GOP.

Keep in mind, this is NOT about payback, this is about NOT rewarding bad behavior. Sen. Lieberman campaigned FOR Sen. McCain and repeated out right falsehoods put out by the GOP. As Sen. Lieberman has demonstrated, he can’t be trusted to be in the Democratic Caucus.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
Dumb” by “Garbage” from the “Version 2.0” Album.

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Star Trek 11 Trailer leaked

November 16th, 2008 · No Comments · Uncategorized

YouTube Preview Image

Looks interesting but I have to wonder if the ship shown at the 53 second mark is the New Enterprise. It has no markings that I can see, but has the general shape. The bridge scenes remind me of “2001: A Space Odyssey”.

I hope it’s not as it would seem that they “Retconed” the story a bit to begin with.  James Kirk is now a juvenile delinquent destined to be the Captain of the Enterprise? Seems unlikely.

Music I’m listening to right Now:
Spooky” by “New Order” from the “Republic” Album. You can see the video here.

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  • After suffering a cold since Wednesday, I stayed home in bed Saturday, Sunday and am out today on Monday. Bad enough that I’m sick, I have work piling up back at the office. Hopefully, I’ll be OK tomorrow and return. (0)

President Elect Obama’s first press conference

November 8th, 2008 · No Comments · Current Issues, News, Video

After 8 years of Reporters having to submit questions in advance, It was refreshing to hav a news conference that wasn’t staged, asked real questions and got straight answers. Comparing President Elect Obama’s Press conference to President GW Bush is like night and day. As a nation, we have major challenges ahead of us. I’m hoping that as President, he’ll continue the dialog with the public via the White House Press Corp.

I’m also hoping that the GOP will be able to work with the President, but it seems that they just intend to fight him about everything. Example, Rep. Boehner is already setting the tone and continuing to be completely partisan as possible. IMO, some members of the GOP just don’t get it. The American public is tired of “You’re with us or you’re against us!” politics. The President Elect represents just the opposite.

Sen. Obama didn’t win by being a “Left wing Liberal” he won because he’s a Centrist and Sen. John McCain represented the far right during most of the election. I thought Sen. McCain’s campaign was Odd on account that he was the GOP moderate who won the Primaries. Most of the other candidates were far more to the Right than Sen. McCain. Despite this, he selected a Evangelical VP Candidate, only attacked and did not speak about the issues.

Sen. Obama DID speak about the issues, offers plans to help resolve things . If Sen. McCain did offer solutions, it was lost in the din of his negative attacks.

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment, I’m sick and watching “How it’s Made” on the Science Channel.

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And America starts a new day

November 5th, 2008 · No Comments · Cool Stuff, Current Issues, Different, politics

As I write this,  Sen. Barack Obama is starting his speech in Chicago. This is a historic occasion that I’m proud to have witnessed. Now is the time for our country to come together and undo the damage done over the last eight years. Now that the election is done, I feel as if a weight of uncertainty has been lifted and hope that things will get better over the next four years. I think Sen. Obama will be a centrist and be able to work with both parties.

Of course, at this time CNN projects that the Democratic party now has at least 56 seats in the Senate. That helps.

Every time I hear him give a speech, I can’t help but think that President elect Obama is a great speaker. I don’t know if he writes his own speeches, but there good. His acceptance speech is very inspiring and the right thing to say to the public. He’s NOT the “Socialist” the McCain campaign painted him out to be and he’s addressing the public to thank his supporters and assure his detractors.

After the last two presidential elections, I wondered if the nation would ever change direction. This election, with such a clear victory, give me renewed hope.

Say that reminds me, Will Stephen Baldwin leave America? I hope not, but will wave Bye-Bye if he does.

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment.

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It all comes down to today

November 4th, 2008 · No Comments · News, politics

After a very long and winding campaign, it all comes down to what the Voting public does today.

Myself, I voted for Sen. Barack Obama for President. My reasons for it came down to a few key things:

  • I want a President who won’t demonize the press when they just report the news. I’m incredibly tired of the “Liberal Media” nonsense that the GOP continues to propogate.
  • I want a President who won’t claim the Opposition “want’s to lose the War in Iraq” without defining what “winning” means. In my opinion, it’s infantile and foolish.
  • I want a President that won’t use Political Agenda over all else.
  • I want a President that won’t use the Dept. of Homeland Security to generate “Terror Alerts” when politically needed.
  • I want a President that will engage in Diplomacy. Telling a country “Do what we want and THEN we’ll talk!” is NOT diplomacy. Even if you have enemies, you need to speak to them.
  • I want a President that won’t cherry pick Intelligence to feed thier propaganda machine.
  • I want a President that won’t constantly use a “Straw man” in every speech.
  • I want a President that will select a Vice President who won’t invent interpretation of his/her office.
  • I want a President that won’t use a Signing statement as a declaration of a intent to break the law.

Frankly, based on the last eight years, I could go on for hours. Sen. John McCain voted with Pres. GW Bush over 90% of the time. Why should I expect him to suddenly diverge from the failed policies of his party?

People think the last Eight years was bad, but frankly, it’s been longer than that.  President Clinton was impeached by a GOP led House of Representatives in 1998. That doesn’t cover the Witch hunt perpetrated by Kenneth Star starting in 1994.

The GOP has been pushing their Radical Right Agenda since the 90’s.  If they lose the Presidential race and seats in the House and Senate, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Music I’m listening to now:
Nothing at the moment.

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