Up the river

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 15th, 2007 in News and weather | 0 comments

In AuGres that is:

Last night was  a cold one,  -5 degree’s with a light breeze.  The high today was about 22 degree’s.

There are fish in the river,  under about 8 or nine inches of ice,  but most of them seem to be small Walleye.   Not to many keepers, and it’s been awful cold to be out there fishing.  The ladies tried it for a few hours yesterday,  until my better half managed to step on her fishing line while baiting a hook,  and hooked her thumb real good.  (Easy to do when it’s bitter cold and your bundled up so heavy)  Her Sister pushed the hook through and we cut off the barb, then pulled out the hook.  A quick call to the Doc this morning, had us running down to St. Mary’s to get her tetanus vacine updated.  That ice fishing stuff can get pretty dangerous!

~~GB

 

Adventures of the Video Cadet pt. III

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 13th, 2007 in Technology and Music | 0 comments

Today’s little adventure was watching yesterday’s two hour episode of “24″ on the new HDTV,  via the PC input from the web. (wireless)

The TV put’s out a beautiful 50 inch PC screen!  Transversing the web to the “24” reruns sight, was pretty normal, and bringing up the video worked exactly the same as it would have on the laptop screen.  Once I had selected the proper episode and clicked full screen,  we watch the two back to back episodes without any problems.  Small downer: I couldn’t find a way to remove the “Windows Explorer” framing on the big screen,  so the actual picture was not 50 inches.  The title bar and such were always visable.  The video quality was fair to good and the sound was stereo.  Fox say’s the web broadcast is HD,  but it wasn’t up to over the air HD quality.  Still it was pretty nice to be able to watch the missed episodes on the big screen rather than a 19 inch PC screen.  Overall,  I would give the PC input on the Samsung HD-5086,  about a B plus.

For a quick side adventure, I popped in a VCR taped movie.  The VCR quickly grabbed the input from the Satelitte feed,  and worked as it would on any other TV set.  The picture was actually much better than we get over the Satelitte feed,  but not as good as the DVD pictures.  Considering the limitations of VCR tape,  I’d give this method an “A”.

 

~~Cadet Video

Grammy’s

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 12th, 2007 in News and weather | 0 comments

Did I watch the Grammy’s,  NO!   I did read the local (liberal) newspaper write up on it though.  So the Dixie Chicks got a bunch of Grammy’s for their -so so- album?  I listened to it once when it was first released and again about a month later, then tossed it aside.  Besides being full of contempt and anger,  it just isn’t that good.  If (according to the Bay City Times)  the five Grammy’s show a shift in culture in the United States,  we’re in big trouble.  With not one single viable presidential canidate being put forth by any party,  and the Dicksy Chiks being made heros,   it’s going to take a miracle to get us through the next decade.

~~GB

Adventures of the Video Cadet II

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 11th, 2007 in Technology and Music | 0 comments

Tonight the video fare was “Brother’s Grimm” on standard wide screen DVD.  The DVD player is now also connected via S-Video cable.  The quality was acceptable,  but,  not mind blowing, and I’m still a bit disallusioned by the fact that there seems to be absolutely no standard in wide screen technology.  If I can’t get much in the HDTV 16×9 format,  why didn’t I buy a TV with 16X7 format, (or what ever it is that most DVD’s are produced in??  It seems that regardless of what I watch on it,  about 90 percent of the time,  I’m wasting about 15 to 20 percent of that expensive screen real estate.

I’m now hoping that when I get the satellite cable relocated so I can put the Sat box next to the HDTV,  and I use the S-Video cable to connect the two,  that I’ll get something at least close to the picture I get when I connect the DVD via S-video cable.  Otherwise,  it’s pretty much like watching TV through a COKE BOTTLE!

~~Cadet Video

Typical Dumocrat

Posted by Greybeard on Feb 11th, 2007 in News and weather, Political | 0 comments

Jennie Grandhold has proposed a new budget.  TAX, TAX, and TAX some more!  She’s told the legislature that “There is NO ALTERNATIVE PLAN”.    Yup,  that’s a Democrat for ya,  put new taxes on the people who can afford it least,  and offer the uppercust a nice tax break in the process.  (Whuppee,  if I buy a new car every couple of years,  I’ll get a tax break).  If you voted for Jennie,  I hope you’re happy now!  This, following massive increases for hunting and fishing licenses, reductions in pensions,  and cut’s in heatlth care benefits!

~~GB