2007 — 26 July: summer outings
Actually I had an unreported extra little adventure1 yesterday. In the late afternoon Mike P whizzed me down to the Millbrook branch of Comet to deliver a verdict on the 52" Samsung LCD (1080p) HDTV display he is already in the process of acquiring.2 We saw it being fed directly from a Sony Blu-ray sampler disc and it was the "best so far" in my opinion. Quite stunning, and superb black levels, too. Somewhat inspired, I went so far as to try Heroes on BBC satellite HD yesterday evening but found it riddled with persistent lip-sync problems — maybe there's another firmware upgrade due for my box? I freely admit that 768p (while very watchable) is no match for 1080p, of course!
Yesterday, by the way, was very definitely a Good Day. We both like Good Days... But, this morning, we now have to tidy the place up a bit ahead of a "mid-morning" visit3 by one of the District Nursing team. Hark, is that the distant sound of an approaching portable Dyson?
One by one, heh?
Today's Guardian tells me that the chap — Laszlo Kovacs — who wielded the camera on (among many other films) Easy Rider has died, at 74. Now that was quite a film in its day. I admit I never realised he worked on Miss Congeniality though.
I also note, a little belatedly (I've been somewhat preoccupied of late, you know), it's 100 years since the birth of Robert Heinlein. The Arts & Letters site currently hosts three excellent links to mini-biographies and articles about this amazing chap who kept me sane and entertained in my adolescence:
- A Wall Street Journal Opinion piece by Taylor Dinerman
- A piece by Brian Doherty
- A piece by Dwayne A Day
A District Nurse has inspected us
And left behind a prescription, a question or two to be asked during next week's hospital visit (for Day 1 of the next Chemo cycle), and vital contact details for any emergencies and upsets in the (I hope, Heinlein-style, far distant) future. This is calming goodness.