Wednesday, 12 November 2014

A new toy


I walked past a charity shop yesterday and saw this in the window, so - at £4 - I thought I would buy it.

Of course, it was missing the driver installation disc, but that would only have worked on a P.C. anyway, so I shelved it for the night (and started getting all philosophical instead - it was something I heard on the radio, btw).

In the process of trying to download a Mac-friendly system to use it, I came upon - eventually - a forum which told me that the ordinary 'Photo Booth' on this Mac will run it, so I plugged it in and tried again. Hurrah. It worked.

It is only a kid's microscope, so the quality isn't brilliant, but this is what my dead pet Damsel Fly looks like at 20X. It goes up to 350X, but the image quality becomes too horrible to make it worthwhile.

More time to be wasted.


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35 comments:

  1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 02:45

    Sherlock. All I need now is the right hat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rachel Phillips12 November 2014 at 03:10

    You were listening to crap radio. If you'd had tv on you could have listened to the top 20 Queen records of all time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jacqueline @ HOME12 November 2014 at 03:45

    You certainly didn't have any trouble getting intimate with your dead pet Damsel fly !!
    I was watching Portrait Artist of the Year when Tom was getting high, Rachel !! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  4. ADRIAN12 November 2014 at 05:27

    It was a bargain. If you can be bothered try taking lots of images and stacking them in Zerene Stacker. It costs a fortune but they will lend it you for a month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ADRIAN12 November 2014 at 05:29

      PS. I think a bit of it's leg fell off. If you want to sell it let me know.

      Delete
    2. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:31

      There are about three on eBay right now for about £25 - including software. Best get one of those, Adrian. Half of its arse fell off, and maybe a leg or two which I have only just noticed thanks to Bresser and the Meade Corporation.

      Delete
    3. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:38

      Oh, wait a minute - if you want a bit of the leg, then I can do it for £7 plus postage.

      Delete
    4. ADRIAN12 November 2014 at 23:10

      I'll pass; thanks all the same.

      Delete
  5. Cro Magnon12 November 2014 at 05:40

    If you require any dead Hornets, or Wasps, just let me know...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:34

      Rachel supplies me with swarms of live ones, thank you.

      Delete
  6. Joanne Noragon12 November 2014 at 06:05

    I was going to wonder if, having got your money's worth, the charity shop might buy it back. At a discount, of course. But it seems Adrian would take it off your hands, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:33

      See my response to Adrian - £40 new, but £20 used.

      Delete
  7. Mise12 November 2014 at 08:00

    I worry that the Compact but Adorable is becoming full of dead insects and stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:36

      I am going to carry out a sperm count on myself soon - you know, spot the mutants swimming around with one or two active ones with only one tail, that sort of thing.

      If anyone wants to give me a hand with the experiment, then just say the word. You have my email.

      Delete
    2. Rachel Phillips12 November 2014 at 12:49

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 13:07

      Removing the biological evidence, eh?

      Delete
    4. Rachel Phillips12 November 2014 at 13:20

      I changed my mind about saying what I said.

      Delete
    5. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 15:12

      That's what I thought. Spooky, eh?

      Delete
    6. Rachel Phillips12 November 2014 at 20:38

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    7. Tom Stephenson13 November 2014 at 02:14

      You didn't carry out your threat of giving up the demon drink, I see.

      Delete
    8. Rachel Phillips13 November 2014 at 02:54

      You were drunk at the time of your comment which was taking the piss and i was sober when i replied this morning.

      Delete
    9. Tom Stephenson13 November 2014 at 03:02

      Whatever, but could you stop hi-jacking potential conversations by telling me to fuck off on someone else's thread, please? If you want to do that constantly, then at least make your own comment and stop scaring away other people who don't want to get involved in your rantings.

      Delete
    10. Tom Stephenson13 November 2014 at 11:23

      Any future abuse or anti-social disruption should be sent to: tjstephenson@talktalk.net, then I can ignore it in peace.

      Delete
    11. Rachel Phillips13 November 2014 at 11:45

      That's right delete the bit you don't want anyone to see.

      Delete
    12. Tom Stephenson13 November 2014 at 11:54

      I will, don't fret about that.

      Delete
    13. Rachel Phillips13 November 2014 at 19:38

      And so will I.

      Delete
  8. The Weaver of Grass12 November 2014 at 08:13

    It is only a couple of days since I accused you of having an eye for a pretty girl and here you are keeping pet damsel flies - am not sure what to make of it all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 11:37

      Neither am I, Weave. I feel a tight-rope under my feet.

      Delete
  9. elaine 12 November 2014 at 14:33

    when I first saw the photo I thought it was a room heater - which would probably be more useful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tom Stephenson12 November 2014 at 15:13

      Especially this time of year!

      Delete
    2. Tom Stephenson13 November 2014 at 02:15

      That was one of the lamest responses to a comment I have ever given. I must have been drunk.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous13 November 2014 at 02:38

    Size and proportions are everything. I thought it was a an outdoor heater.

    ReplyDelete

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