Cameras we loved

 While the peace talks around Ukraine continue to unravel faster than a cat playing with a ball of wool given Trumps lack of real grasp of the issues and Putin's ability to play him like a fiddle we'll get on other things as that changes every other hour.

Photography in various forms was always a thing with me from 127 film cameras, some pre-loaded variants such as the one I had in 1974 through 1976 in those heady days of Rollermania - and the camera had to returned to Renfewshire for developing and reloading! through Kodak  120 "Box" cameras bought cheaply from bring and buy stores to the Kodak Instant one I had in 1980.

Because of legal issues with Poloroid the originators of Instant Cameras whose prints self developed out of the camera, they had to discontinue it and start a replacement program which was when I first got a Disc Camera.

 The disc camera was designed to be really easy to use using 8mm film mounted on a disc in a caddy you cliped in and unclipped to load it unlike threading film or slotting in a 126 or 110 cartridge and unlike many 126 camera came with built in, automatic electronic flash for indoor pictures rather than flash cubes you had to manually turn and change.

I used it taking pictures of favourite places often with many memories for me  - and many of use cameras (or facilities on modern smart phones) to preserve memories although images tended to be a bit grainy lacking fine resolution.

By the 1990's I'd bought a Vivitar 35mm compact camera that had auto focusing and automated loading which armed wiith a decent 100 iso film took much better pictures but the think I liked about that Disc camera was its easy of carriage, fitting into a pocket or small clutch bag easily. 

R.i.p Joan "Biddy" Baxter

This week we go back to the past with the reported death Monday that Joan "Biddy" Baxter (pictured centre) the producer for some twenty-six years until the end of 1988 of Blue Peter had died aged 92 years.

Blue Peter is a U.K. institution, a magazine style show of around a half hour length on the BBC that began as a breath experiment and to which it is fair to say Biddy coming in secured its feature and set the standards that are still there.

Often criticized by left-liberal types as too middle class, stuffy and more compared to shows that tried to compete such as Magpie nonetheless it proved popular not least for that the ideas were drawn mainly from what its audience wanted, writing in, competitions you could join in winning a prize and that a badge system that a reward for interests and new activities that some evidence was needed was set up by her and expanded to cover Green topics and music.

No question of write in, maybe hand over a payment and get anything, you jolly well had to work for it but then it was about inspiring children and rewarding so that makes sense.

Another thing was Animals. Aware some could never have access to a pet, the show had pets you could follow, taking an interest in and wildlife was shown too and visits to places too.

Presenters had to be on top of their scripts because she believed children deserved the best show they could have and perhaps her biggest fault was she was strict over that that could be overbearing.

A show that remains the longest running children's tv show in the World, a shining example of what she achieved and was as a child I loved the show.

R.I.P. Biddy. 

 

 

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Tidy up ends

 

Well it does happen to be Friday  which means I'm busy helping the one of kind (thankfully) Grump out with the shopping after posting my Postal Vote renewal application blank of the Electoral Services of this inept council first class as the Royal Meow delays things if you don't.

 

And yes Old Me has returned from the mid 2010's probably aided by reading a new book that took me back to things with my first love musically which having nearly finished I'd say was well written and puts you very much in this band members shoes. Definitely worth it.

 I'm also finishing something off that got stalled from the same era as the old Avatar, as in 2014 I started getting in dribs and drabs the Official Remastered Edition of the conductor Herbert von Karajan's recordings for Emi Records from the late 1940's to 1984 which came out in themed box of differing sizes.

This one has his recordings from the late 1940's and late 1950's of Choral Works, some from the era of the 78 rpm shellac disc sounding better than ever  which was the big plus point of this very comprehensive set of issues.

Time for an ice cream now! 

Into August

So, it is Friday and a New Month during the summer vacations here so while it is cooler if a bit wet what's going on this week?

Well a Big Baby came to Scotland and played golf between various political meetings with the Prime Minister, the First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the European Union who kind of invited herself that went fairly well by Trump standards - no tantrums and swearing.

Perhaps he was on Cow-pol? 

The Lionesses roared winning the penalty shoot outs so a 1-1 draw was converted to 3-1 win over Spain at the final of the Women's Euro's defending their previous win, bagged a reception at 10 Downing Street, London and after an open top bus parade, held a party for all including the youngest girl fans.

Football has been refreshed with lots of new girls teams being established, more women watching games and a different feel to the game.

Thank you women for making it all happen and delivering the bestest posthumous spanking to the Football Association that said women and girls can't play football. They beeping can! And how!!!! 

This week saw the Beano comic mark its 87th birthday, still going strong.

The world has changed from when casual racial tropes and stereotypes might of been seen as appropriate, gender roles have changes for boys and girls as well those pesky grown ups and modern technology has altered lives including children.

All the evidence shows children do love a humour based comic but production cost and issues with getting magazines out to them in stores plus online marketing make it difficult.