Bottom left:  RAW,  top left:  camera’s jpeg,  right:  my working of the RAW file. See more below.

I’ve been asked what RAW means in digital cameras.  It’s the raw data as read out from the pixel sites on the camera’s sensor, all 16 million strings of 1’s and 0’s.  Good cameras allocate 12 – 16 bits per pixel, so 12 x 16 million bits is a lot of data, usually around 25MB to 30MB.

The lower left photo above is the RAW file with no processing in camera.  Flat, dull, not quite sharp, low saturation, and with some lens defects as well.

All digital cameras do in-camera processing (in the instant after you take the shot) to give you a jpeg file as well.  I nearly tossed this shot, ignored it – until now, five years later!

Here’s the RAW again:

Next below is the camera’s jpeg:

And here’s my rework this morning:

I’m rather pleased with that.  It goes into Volume III of my Veni Vidi Pici series, in production now.  Volume II should be back from the printers this week.  Churning ’em out.

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Yesterday a friend forwarded one of those viral emails to me, one that purports to solve all Australia’s problem with one simple idea.  At face value, it sounded a bit good, but at the end it degenerated into one of those rants against politicians.  “Cut down on pollies perks”, their allowances, take away their government credit cards etc etc.  Make them use their own.

I get a bit tired of this kind of talk.  I happen to support parliamentarians.  If the job is so easy and lucrative, let the critics step forward. 

• To be selected, you’ll have to go through years of party membership, then a gruelling preselection process;
• You will lose your entire private life if elected;
• You will work 18 hour days seven days a week; 
• You’ll have assistants in your office but the phone will never stop ringing at home or your mobile; 
• You will be exhausted by all the travel;
• You’ll be exhausted by 14-16 hour house sittings;
• You’ll have to sit through endless boring meetings;
• You’ll have to give endless meaningless speeches;
• You’ll have the media hounds examining every word you say or print looking for slip-ups; 
• Your financial affairs will be gone over, looking for gotchas;
• Your marital affairs will be exposed looking for any other affairs; 
• Your entire life history will be exposed, looking for any dirt at any stage; 
• You’ll be pressured to favour special interest groups, and undermined if you don’t;
• etc etc

Roll up, roll up ladies and gentlemen, easy money, free credit cards, free travel!

As far as I’m concerned, they earn every cent. If it’s easy money, why don’t the critics step up?

I’m not saying the sender endorsed all these slurs, he doesn’t, just that I get tired of people who compose this stuff.  I’m a great admirer of many politicians and former politicians.  It’s a tough job!

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I’m trying to psych myself up for the drastic gastric.  The list of dietary changes needed is daunting, as is the list of dietary mineral and vitamin supplements needed due to lack of food absorption.  But if I can drop all my other medications as the kilos drop off, it balances out, I suppose. It’s scary.  But I feel so bad at the moment that it seems as if it can’t be worse.  I’m in danger from too high blood sugar which is not responding to medication.  It’s making me feel so tired and lacking in energy and strength.

My food bills should go down markedly (although they’re pretty low already) and since I’m already saving about $25 per week on dog food, plus I’m saving a big weekly bill for beer, I’ll have a lot more pocket money to spend on cameras!  Heh heh.