Camera tricks

I just came back from an island much compare to the one I am staying. Yes its Hong Kong and did you know its not spell Hongkong in one word. I actually din.

Anyway, in pursue of a decent camera, I had tot of getting the awfully good looking GF-1. This is until my dear CB whom advise me to stick with a lesser camera without the fancy lens changing. Looking around I targeted the Panasonic T27 (aka ZS3 in some region)

It was offered at the airport at a reasonable price including casing and a 8Gb card. And that became my baseline. Walking along Nathan road, I noticed that there were plenty of camera shops. Interestingly all offered Tax free and there are barely any locals patronising. Just a couple of tourist whom are mostly white.

I went abt asking their offer price. Most quote 2500 HKD. Thats about 500 and it was a good price to me. I finally settle on one that look "trustworthy". They quoted be a reduction of 100HKD after some bargaining. They did offered some accessories to up the price but I din budge. Strangely midway through they replaced the person assisting me with one that seems to have been awake for 5 days.

His eyes were red and he look tired. Not to mention impatient. I asked to test the model and he was rude and insist that I hasten up. After some time he informed me that he did not had the stock for the model I wanted and offered a lower range for a cheaper price. I din budge and left.

Crossing the road, there was still time before my shuttle was to arrive. I walked into another shop. I merely asked for the price and he said 1800 HKD. Now thats 360. A big drop. A part of me and glad that the earlier deal fall through becos of the lack of stock.

However this shop was cunning in their own way. The setting of the test model was dim and aimed to let you feel that you are using a entry level camera. They then started encouraging me to try the Canon SX 120. And it seems to be a better all rounder.

The interesting thing is that he too need to get the stock. Amazingly such a well size shop cant house a small camera box. They did however house many lens and filters for the DSLR ranges.

Anyhow while waiting for the stock to arrive, he kept persisting me to get the SX 120. Even offering improve pricing. I am skeptical. I din play along and just waited. And this in total was a 1.5 hrs of wait.

In that period, there were some ang mohs whom came in asking for a particular lens but were enticed to get more expensive ones. I began to realise there is no stock and the deal was the SX120 or nothing else.

Indeed, I read from some articles there this con shops operates by showing you a degraded model of the item you want, only to offer you a gem. It seems they are out for the big bucks.

Having miss the shuttle, I was pissed off and left. A few days later I happened to be back there and went in to ask if they had the stock. Another staff approached me asking for the price the previous guy quoted. When I said 1800 HKD he kept it cool and said that the ZS3 is only available in Japanese. While the one I should get is the multi language T27. And that is 2700HKD.

I just walked off.

Up and Away

I would be away for the next couple of days.

Would be my first trip there and also my very first time on the European made A380.

If you know the history of this Airbus, its a little concerning how delay could a project this big be.

Anyhow dont miss me

Cameras

I am not into photography. The pictures I took doesnt have to compose of ideal lighting or depth in color or exposure or .....

They just have to tell a story and hopefully bring a smile to the person looking at it.

Lately, I caught a giant poster of the Olympus Pen. It looks like a compact DSLR and even has interchangeable lens. This gotten me pretty excited. I like the design of it and am considering to get this for myself.






This is until I chanced upon the Panasonic GF-1. Which has all the features and comes in dashing red.

Now I have no idea which to choose.

The Name game

My real name is...... never reveal online.

Strangely, I owns a couple of nicks that were used to keep my real life private.

DecoderX - A old nick I used when I was still designing Windowblind skins and webpages. No longer in use

!drn - well this came about from eenki whom suggest it. I added the ! because of Russel Peters.

BLM - this is my pen name. For my blogs and things I post online.

Aegis - My gaming nick. Use to struck fear in my opponent. And yes its not scary at all.

drn_blm - My tweet name. simply because all above are taken

The rat trap conclusion

On friday last week, I placed another dose of milo with baking soda into a Styrofoam cup. Just this morning, I saw that the cup has been topple with probably 20% of it eaten.

The rats are smart creatures. They are likely to taste the food and decide if they are poison before finishing it. Seeing that it still contains a hell lot, its likely they knew something was not right.

I pop by to one of the manager seat. His desk area is their supper place. Full of opened packages and messy items all around. I did told him abt this mess but it seems he is more incline for someone else to do the cleaning than himself. What I saw when I peep over today was that the half eaten food had been cleared and that packs of eyedrops have been chewed and suck dry.

I came to the conclusion that this rat pack somehow tasted the poison I had set and when to drink the eyedrop to wash it down.

In other news, the blood donation is making me doze off constantly.

Office fishy

This is my mini shrimp tank. It now has 5 neon tetras and >30 baby cherry shrimps.


The adults have been moved to my home tank and guess what these horny creatures are pregnant again.


Also this is another mini fish tank which I am helping to maintain.


On closer look they are messy with overgrown moss. Need to prune and get another plant.


Lastly, here is Jenny's tank whom I effectively psycho to go out and get one :)


Her rummy nose fishes cant help leaping out.

Letterman extortion

Still my favorite talk show host. Kinda glad he went public about it.

Memories of a fren

About a year ago, I was alerted by a sms that my fren from Poly days has passed away. He had died from complications from a bacteria infection.

In a sad way, he was the only fren I still kept in contact from 10 years back. Having lost him now, the passage to my poly days has effective closed.

Just today, I pop down the NUH blood bank to donate my blood once more. Upon lying down on the comfy chair, my mind suddenly drifted to him. I recalled a lecturer asking if we would like to donate and among seated at that table, only him and myself got up and went for it.

He was one avid blood donor and has been trying to do more for others. I am sadden to have lost this fren. I wish him all the best in the eternal peace.