FastFreddy2

Since my last post, I have acquired a Canon 70-300 EF lens to use with an adapter on the M50. While the 60mm EF-S lens produces super sharp images, the (£500) lens is really quite disappointing. So much so, I have decided to give up the M50 system completely. Since writing, a close friend has acquired a Sony A7R IV, with a 24-105 lens. I am able to borrow this kit any time I'm inclined, and it produces staggering detail in 60mp sized images. The M50 produces 24mp images. It's likely I will buy a Sony A7c to compliment the A7R, or I will buy its predecessor, the A7R III with a 42mp sensor. Either way, the use of full frame sensors with full-frame glass can only help the quality of the images I produce. Sadly, the Canon 70-300 full-frame lens when used with an adapter on the A7R still leaves a lot to be desired. I recently did a wedding using the A7R and the M50. Everyone was very happy with the images produced but of course the quality of the A7R's were far superior. Not that it mattered a great deal to the married couple. I doubt any of the images will be printed, although I can think of 6 that should be.

Time moves on..... Most reading this (both of you) will likely have been double jabbed. In the next few weeks, I expect to get a booster jab too. I'm no longer wearing gloves, as we now know very few infections are achieved through contact, most come via airborne transmission. Sanitisers are everywhere, and free. I sanitise regularly and often. I still wear a mask, but not one of the fancy industrial ones I was using. So far, so good. I've also had a couple of 'adventures' recently. With the mayor of london increasing the ULEZ zone on 25th of October to include every road on the inside of the North and South Circulars, my days of driving my diesel car anywhere in London are numbered. Consequently, I've had a couple of visits out while I still can. More detail on these to follow.

For us with (ahemm) smaller feet, this is the time of year when Autumn/Winter styles appear in the shops and online. While I prefer Spring as a season, Autumn brings colour to the leaves on trees, and a fresh range of boots for trying and buying. Many years ago, I was a UK 7. I'm a good deal heavier than the skinny rake I used to be, so no surprises I'm now a UK 8. I get into many UK 7's still, but I'm pretty much an 8. With Chinese imports, which for reasons best known to the importers come up small (they don't come up small, the numbering is not correct) to the claimed size, I am tending to be a Chinese version of a UK 9. Luckily, many (but not all) online brands now carry a UK 9 because girls are taller, and as we know, taller people have longer feet. Most years, I have spotted one or two potentials for purchase, and foolishly waited for sales to get I'm interested in at a bargain price often missing out on something I might like to own. I will not be doing that this year. One outlet alone, has me interested in 3 styles only weeks in. I will be ordering all three, and one pair is already paid for waiting to be shipped. As they are black patent (as is a second style) I doubt I will wear them out, but since opportunities for this are decreasing, I now claim these to be 'collection pieces' rather than active footwear. Historically, if I couldn't wear a particular style out at some time (or at least for there to be potential for wearing) I have not purchased. I have worn stiletto courts a number of times in the past, while out in venues in London. I've been spotted, and to a small degree, stared at. However, I really couldn't care less what others think. That doesn't mean I'll be walking around shopping malls in black patent thigh highs any time soon. As long as I don't draw a crowd, I'm free to wear what I like as long as I'm discreet. More on styles and supplier performance to follow.

Things don't seem to be improving anywhere at all, but should this surprise us? I've an increasing wealth of experience with "grumpy old men" (not me) who maybe has spent too much time away from the real world. Trump and Biden both too old to realise the world isn't black and white. Looking ahead to the 2024 administration Biden will be 80 years old at the start and Trump will have his 80th birthday a couple of years into it. Around 360 million people in the US, and the best they have to offer is two 'well funded' geriatrics? 80 year olds, should not be running a country and economy the size of the US. At home, "borders", the thing 17.4 million people voted for during the Brexit Referendum, seem to be as leaky as ever. Some days we have 1000 illegal immigrants landing on our shores, many helped by the UK volunteer rescue service the RNLI or 'professional' (funded) charities going out to ensure these invaders are landed here, not returned to France. For those who don't know, a person seeking political asylum anywhere, stops being one (can no longer claim to be one) if they leave their first port or land, of safety. After that, they become economic migrants. It's impossible for anyone leaving Africa or the Middle East to get to the UK, without first travelling through at least 2 countries where 'safe harbour' will have been achieved first. Why is the UK so popular? We have free healthcare (at the point of use) for everyone. We have social housing, given by legislation, as priority to political asylum seekers. We give an income, and a food/subsistence allowance. When these laws were created, the UK expected to see between 0 and perhaps 10 asylum seekers a year. Now we have 1000 a day. Our National Insurance contributions (that funds the welfare state) are about to rise, as is the "Council Tax" (aka community tax that funds things like refuse collection and the police). Those of us old enough to have some history of both these services, will remember weekly refuse collections (now 2 or 3 weekly) and a police visit if you had anything stolen from you or had an altercation with someone. These days, "theft" is considered a civil crime, to be dealt with by your household or vehicle insurer. Gas prices are promised to increase, probably because Russia has an oligarch who needs a new 250 million pound yacht and increasing prices for the raw material for a couple of months will pay for it. Of course the gas companies were privatised to give us a better service and more choice. What it's done is give us the same (effectively) single source of supply, and now we have to pay shareholders dividends too. At least covid may finally be taking a back seat to our lives. It hasn't gone, but the UK vaccination programme has made us all less vulnerable, and life as we knew it, is verrrrrry slowly returning. We will never really get it back fully of course, but hopefully we will be able to stop treating everyone we meet as our prospective executioner.

Similar story with me really, that and my long held view this place was sometimes more like a personal blog for me than a forum. I've done lots, happy to share but unlike some areas in HHp, any photos posted here are subject to collection by google and other search engines. I asked for one administrative change something like 18 months ago, still not actioned. Posts bring interest, which in turn may or may not bring more frequent visits. Like others, I 'stick my head in the door' from time to time but the site does very little for me. HHp might be of interest, but as I've mentioned once or twice previously, I got banned from there because I said someone posting a picture could have made it look better from another angle. Word to the wise, don't fall out with the site owners two best (American) mates. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if that remark got me banned.... I suppose 13 years here is not a bad run ..... 4500+ posts, roughly four times the next most prolific commenter, Puffer.

I only watched the video long enough to decide I couldn't work out who was wearing a heel and who wasn't. (Trousers all 3 inches too long?) Sadly, 70's "inspired" clompy platforms and heels are "on trend". Copyright acknowledged. No commercial benefit, review purposes only. This is undoubtedly an attractive woman, with great (aesthetically pleasing) legs. But those shoes..... Really? >> Full article <<

I had thought that 'Crocs' (almost as painful to type as to look at) were just the ugliest design of shoe I had ever seen. Plainly, I was wrong. Balenciaga made them even uglier. Wondering what the raison d'etre for this might be, I had a look at their website, and found this: 2021 Couture Collection (Not office safe as it has 'music' included in the video.) While many of the styles were just plain awful, they did make a determined attempt to make Collection, pretty androgynous. What I consider completely unacceptable, was hiring skeletal models made to look like drug-addled zombies. Even if I were the richest person on the planet, this 'design' house would not see a penny of my money. I just don't get it, even from an 'art' perspective.

When I left feedback, the 'seller' had just sold two pairs of shoes. Looked at the same seller today, as I'm waiting for the reappearance of the shoes I wanted to buy..... Seems the buyer of the two pairs didn't get their purchase either, and has left negative feedback for both items and as I did as they too had to use Ebay to get a refund. I don't understand this behaviour. AFAIK, if a seller doesn't resolve a claim before Ebays involvement, when Ebay does find against the seller and issue a refund, Ebay keeps the listing fees. So the seller has not only found themselves with negative feedback (hopefully for good this time) but has lost money to get it. Plus, they might likely, still have the shoes they were selling? It was suggested to me, the three pairs of shoes might have been sold for a higher price off Ebay. Possibly. But why wouldn't you then just cancel the sales, give a refund and avoid the negative feedback and ill-will? Just makes no sense to me at all.

I watched the trailer for the documentary, and heard the struggle he still has with speech. I'm was disappointed to read in the Guardian story, two of his assailants only got probation. They didn't quite kill him, but gave it a good go. Probation? Since the "Welcome" version wasn't a 'feel-good' movie, and certainly wasn't suitable for children given the storyline and sexualisation of the female models (dames), I wonder who the target market might have been perceived as? While many of us here would say 'men into wearing high heels' is a larger group than most of us will ever be aware, I very much doubt that particular group could carry the cost of the film, much less make it commercially viable. Maybe one of the producers needed a tax loss?

Weeeelllll, I finally got around to watching the film. I would say, it doesn't make great entertainment, especially if you had paid to see the film in a cinema. In many respects, the storyline would probably have played better as a documentary. I didn't mind the treatment of the story that featured quasi-plastic characters imitating their model counterparts. In fact I would say it helped me to understand how the 'stories' played out. (In Mark's head.) In terms of portraying the struggle of a severely injured person to get into a kind of second life, it was all quite disturbing. For me, not least because I too enjoy wearing a heel from time to time, and I know there are many other men out there who enjoy the same experience. Yes, I think disturbing is the right word. What the film didn't do, is go anyway to explain the how's and why's of why he (and we) like to wear a heel nor why there might be anger by anyone about that liking. Not the purpose of the film I suppose, which was more about how someone dealt with life changing injuries and the PTSD that followed. Precis of his story care of The Guardian >> click << I keep thinking "sad" horrific" "challenge met" ..... But overall the one word that describes the story ..... Disturbing.

As a foreigner, we are repeatedly told America is the home of capitalism and to us foreigners, it does appear to be the case. That isn't necessarily good for anyone in the US unless they own a business with a good income from it. For employees, things don't seem to be so great. Lose your job, probably lose your healthcare. Some places we understand, workers don't get a wage, their income comes from tips. Consequently, in some places, tipping is mandatory. American business models brought 'zero hour contracts' to the UK. When so many people work for businesses with the word Trump in the title, it's likely the owner will to some have a seemingly god-like status. I would suggest it's a false impression provided by someone of little substance. I have read a couple of times recently "history" will not be kind to Trump. From the little I know of his actual achievements and behaviour patterns, I would say he earned that unkindness.

And an indicator of that ...... Full article >> here << Like there's anyone on the planet that's interested, that hasn't seen this already ... Notice the Louboutins have gone, replaced by casual flat shoes that go along with potato sack dress she is wearing. Designer it might be, unflattering it certainly is.

Which I now know, Ebay removed "by accident" and can't reinstate. What is the point of a feedback system to assist buyers, when the market place removes the warning to potential buyers?

I don't think you would have liked my 'teenage entertainment' portfolio. Authored by artistes such as Eric Stanton and John Willie. John Willie example: Almost completely unrealistic, although women were almost certainly slimmer in the austere 1930's, 40's and 50's. And those shaped heels not a million miles away from reality either. In fact I have include a photograph on this site somewhere, of boots not unlike those in the drawing.

This perfume was reported recently, to be the most popular at this time (Early 2021.) Having had a few sniffs of it myself, I have found it pleasant, but not worth the price by some margin. I strongly suspect the real reason for the "popularity" is the design of the bottle the perfume is sold in. I bet Louboutin is kicking himself over it.