Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The Nerd and Geek Haven

Crazy, Weird, Stupid, Looser,  and the list goes on..., and on. Then there are those labels that I should not put in this blog.

I know them all. Because I was called each and everyone of them. Because I was and I will always be. That NERD.

I still remember Kay Smith. She was not the most prettiest girl in school. But she was real good looking, and I wanted her. But Ben Hemmond, the high schools archery champion, wanted her too. And she wanted his sweater.

She pass me up for a sweater! Oh yes, and a car. A 1956 Rambler American, two tone, black over baby blue.

I was a true sucker for Kay. I did all of her homework, helped her with school projects, and even washed her dog. And her dad gave me the opportunity to repair one of the first color televisions. I was a hit around Nerdsville after that.

Even at our local college, I was there for her. I would take her out when she could not get another date. Took her to McDonald's when ever she called. I even used my MIT (Michigan Institute of Technology) project funds, to take her to New York City, for the Rolling Stones first US concert tour. Then just before graduation. She married this guy in uniform. Heartbreak time. I thought I had a chance. A small one, but a chance. But what hurt the most, was receiving my degree, with only my Mom, my Dad, and my Sister attending.

I remained a true Nerd, for the next 8 years. Then one day, when I was getting off from work. I got robbed in the company's parking lot.

OK I thought; take my money, take my car even. Those items I could replace. But when he decided to take my life. For some strange unknown reason, I got mad. Killer mad.

I swung my heavy 1968 briefcase as hard as I could. And I continue to hit him and hit him with my briefcase. Not with the flat side. But with the corners. I nearly killed him. He was a bloody mess, laying outside my car.

Then the company's security people showed up. Not because I was getting robbed. But because I was beating the holy hell out this guy. They wanted to stop me, because by then, I was kicking him with my black hard leather wing tip Concords.

When it was all over, and I could go home. I sat down in my kitchen, and I ask myself why did I do it. And the answer was clear. I was mad as hell, and I was not going to take it any more. As well as having the fear of God looking me in the face.

The robber represented every cool guy in prep school, middle school, high school, and college that I had the misfortune of dealing with. And from that day forward. My life changed.

Kay showed up in my life later on, transporting her four children from the guy in uniform, and now divorced. I had became the division manager in the companies research department. I was now making a decent sum of money. So after visiting my mother, I dropped by her Dads home, where she was staying. I went there because I had to know why she married Mr. Uniform and not waited for me.

She told me that she went to college to find a husband.

We were sitting in a Burger King..., Kay, her youngest child, and I, having a meal, with the Star Wars Movie showing at the theater across the street.  Kay tried her old charms on me. By requesting that we attend the movie together.

I sat there looking at her, thinking about my college graduation. I really do not know why women think and believe, that they can leave a good caring man, totally high and dry, holding his penis in his hands. Only to return years later, after being blown up in 360 degrees in every direction of their bodies; several times by other guys or the same guy. With the thought that they may not be as spanking brand new as before, But that they are still an A1 used car purchase.

I could not believe that she was willing to pass on her's and Mr. Uniform's problems and responsibilities on to me, if I allowed it.

But that event in the parking lot, had changed me and gave me a fresh new outlook, of who and what I am. And what I could become. So I just stood up and walked away; and went on to a much more fuller and less stressful life.

As a "Weird Kid (that is what they called us), I knew and experience the pain that others today are feeling, including the loneliness of sitting at home watching the other kids play outdoors. Wanting to go out side, but fearing a confrontation. Plus every school day, hating to get on the school bus, to endure a 30 minute bus ride, with the worse kids possible. Or riding your bike down the street, while those stupid (cool) kids threw rocks at you. With them not realizing that if they hit you with one of those rocks, it could kill you. And you start asking yourself. Is that what they want to do? Kill me! 

Or even when you attended high school, wondering and searching for the answers to what makes a cool kid, a cool kid; and what makes you "weird". I know that the answer does not exist. Yet you could not tell me that in the 1950's, or early 1960's.

Well, it brains my friend. Brains. With the ability and the willingness to use them. To understand  and to organize your thoughts, emotions, and ideas, plus to be able to look at a person with Autism and know that you may be looking at a possible genius. To sense that the first correct answer, is only the beginning to all the other correct answers, waiting to be unearthed. The ability to obtain decent employment that pays $70,000.00 a year in the 1970's, and $183,000.00 by the 1990's, and well over $190,000.00 a year, in the early 2000's; until one's retirement.

I often visit my old neighborhood, to spend time with my weird/nerd friends, that are now caring for their parents. Because they know that if they place them in nursing homes, their chances of dying, is a sure thing.

I also, ran into the much older, one time considered to be the (cool kids), struggling to make ends meet, and bitching about nearly everything. Yet half of them, do not even vote during elections.

I even ran into one former cool kid, who is still living his high school days. High School! Everything he speaks of deals with high school,  and how cool it was.

Yea, right.

For whom?

He is still working at a labor job, and is the same age as I am.

Sad.

So there it is my Weird and Nerdy Bros. Lets talk, lets communicate. My email is listed below.

photobean777@gmail.com

Thank You


KennyE


The Inventive Nature of All of YOU

Over the years, I have belonged  to many photographic forums. And at everyone of them. I have met wonderful people.

But I have also met people I wish that I had not met.You know the ones. The one that wants you to conform to his or their way of thinking

Sometimes, you come up against that person, who has this belief that he knows all the information on all the subjects or enough to make him the regent expert.

Then there are the ones that states that he is a chemist, a chemical engineer, a photo engineer. An engineer's, engineer. And you should take his words as law.

Well, in a world of big bombs, mortars, mines,  friendly fire, and suicide bombers. "Who Cares"?

Actually, I do.

I care about those persons that follow my blog. I want to know and I need to know what your thoughts and ideas are; when it comes to photography.

Photography is not just a bunch of formulas made from metol and hydroquinone. Nor is it a bottle of Rodinal. We can not sit and just be satisfied that we have PyroCat HD or something whipped up out of coffee. And we all know that D-76 is not the  latest or the greatest developer out there. It is just the easiest to obtain. Because most of the others, are no longer made. Which does not make it great.

There are many development agents out there, that you may have thought about using or doing something different with. Pyro, Para-Aminophenol HCI, Glycin, Amindol, Chlorohydroquinone, PPD, and a host of others.

Do not sit around thinking that you do not have the knowledge or the training. Because nearly every great invention from the 19th to the 21st century have been created in someone's kitchen, garage, or basement. While they were tinkering with an idea, that others thought, was a dumb idea.

I truly would like to hear from all of you. I will not laugh, nor make fun of you or tell jokes about you. Because I know that somewhere out there, one of you, is that great inventor.

Edison, Ford, Westinghouse, even DuPont, did not have a wealth of education, chemistry or other engineering backgrounds. They merely had the desire to go forward with their dreams and ideas. Edison failed hundreds to thousands of times in his searches, as did Bell. The AK-47, of Russia, was design by a tank mechanic, and it is now one the most use weapons systems in the World. Yet from their small steps, others went on to improve and develop their ideas and dreams. And we now have cellphones that can do nearly everything except give you, your first born.

Do not be afraid to fail. Because the Universe, that we all live in, does not give up its secrets easily,  regardless of its size or importance.

I will not tell you that your idea was already tried or invented. Hell..., I will say, let's do it again. Because inventing something and discovering the Universe's secrets, regardless of its magnitude. Is like sex. You get better at it, the more you do it.

So lets do it again. Just maybe, they or we miss something.

Please, submit your comments, your ideas. Because I do not have a lock on all the intelligence in this Universe or this Planet. God gave me lots of company. He gave me, YOU. And You. Email me even. There is no law against doing that. In fact, I would enjoy hearing from all of YOU.

photobean777@gmail.com

Thank You


KennyE

Monday, July 14, 2014

Lithium Hydroxide and its many uses. And why we need to use it.



I could sit here and preach to you about Lithium Hydroxide, but that would be foolish. Because you can read all about its uses in USP # 2,893,865. 

Plus there is more information in another USP file, filed by Kodak.The USP # 2,739,894.

Yet here is the problem in using the formulas in Kodak USP. They come close to and in ways; exceed in form, to mirror the Kalogen formula. Because 7 grams of Lithium Hydroxide is comparable to 15 to 18 grams of Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. The Boric Acid and the Borax, are additions in the aid of reducing the grain size, and to enhance the fine grain properties of the developers. I recommend using Examples 1 and Example 8, if you decide to use any of the information in the Kodak file. Dilution will be the same as Rodinal or may be more in the beginning. Testing your results will tell you for sure. Also, I would increase the Sulfite content to 90 or 100 grams, in example 8, but do not increase the Boric Acid. Because once mix into the solution (all 400 mg), it will provide a good protection from deterioration. And keeping your tank covered and your storage bottles full, will help as well.

Kalogen, is a developer copied  and sold by Anderson in 1917, as stated in his 1939 book. But in truth, Kalogen was and is a public domain formula, which first appeared in BJP in 1899 to 1903 and appeared again in Wilson's Photographic Magazine Volume 38, 1912..., when Andersen was in High School, then College. Thou the amounts may vary, it is still basically the same formula.

Lithium Hydroxide was once used in the making of Rodinal. Yet they stop using it, due to its high cost. Because unlike Potassium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide that is used in the making of Rodinal today; and in the recent past by AGFA (Which cost very little, when compared to the cost of Lithium Hydroxide). You will only use 8 grams of Lithium Hydroxide, vice 20 to 25 grams of the other two; per 250 to 500 ml of  formulated concentrated developer @ 100% strength. Or 750 to 1000 ml @ 60 to 50% strength.

Note: The percentages are base on 90 grams of Potassium Metabisulfite and 20 grams of Para-Aminophenol HCI. With water to make up the overall volume.

Listed below are some of the formulas that I have tried, which gave me good results, and I chose to share them.





Example 1

Para-Aminophenol HCI................................................05.0 grams
Sodium Sulfite...............................................................90.0 grams
Hydroquinone...............................................................03.0 grams
Boric Acid....................................................................02.0 grams
Potassium Bromide.......................................................00.5 grams
Lithium Hydroxide........................................................00.5 grams

Example 2

Metol............................................................................02.0 grams
Sodium Sulfite...............................................................90.0 grams
Hydroquinone...............................................................04.5 grams
Boric Acid.....................................................................02.0 grams
Glycin...........................................................................07.0 grams
Potassium Bromide........................................................00.5 grams
Lithium Hydroxide.........................................................01.0 grams

These formulas are fine grain and give warm shades to your photos. They are 1000 ml each.

Example 1 is used undiluted or 1:2 @ 8 to 10 minutes. Depending on film.

Example 2 is used diluted 1:3 or 1:5 @ 10 to 14 minutes. Depending on film. To increase sharpness and detail, when using Example 2. Diluted it 1:7, using the same time, if you are developing @ 68 deg..

Notice: I have not used these formulas in a small tank. I am sorry that I failed to state that earlier. The example #2 was tested at a 1:7 with Arista EDU Ultra 400 ISO  4 X 5, and the results were real good.

Small tank users will need to conduct tests to find the best procedure for their film's development. And hopefully, share their information with us.

Lithium Hydroxide is not easy to obtain. You can not purchase Lithium Hydroxide at Home Depot or most photographic houses, because it is costly and if not sold, would tie up too much of the seller's revenue.

If you use  my source,  it cost approx. $23.00 for 30 grams., plus shipping. A link to that source is posted below and it has one of the most highest chemical grades, one can obtain.

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lithium-I-hydroxide-monohydrate-99-5-Analytical-Reagent-ACS-30g-cor/281296232208?_trksid=p2050601.c100085.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140211132617%26meid%3D8427315144639483906%26pid%3D100085%26prg%3D20140211132617%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D281296232208%26clkid%3D8427316730725041088&_qi=RTM1562569

Lithium Hydroxide, can be used in photographic formulas that are package as "single formula mixed formulas". You can mix them dry, and store them for later use, without the fear of the chemicals breaking down due to a dried Hydroxide in the mix. This can not be done with the Sodium or the Potassium Hydroxides. Only Sodium Hydroxide has proven that it can be package in a dried formula, but that is only after it has been blended with Borax. Packaging un-blended Sodium Hydroxide in dry formulas, the mixture will become toxic to the other chemicals in 72 hours or less. And in one week, the complete formula will have turned a brownish yellow.



Thank You



KennyE