the new Canon camera

I spent most of the day learning about my new Canon Rebel 500d and learning to use its RAW converter software.  As I look at the RAW thumbnails beside the large Jpeg in this program I can see the difference. The jpegs look washed out beside the RAW.  Apparently the jpegs are compressed  RAW files.  The compression  is done in the camera, of course.  So, yes there is a huge advantage to shooting RAW.  The files are larger and have far more data. So, finally I understand that.
Something I cannot understand is this: 
Live View mode is only available, surprisingly, in the Rebel T1i's Creative zone modes, namely Program, Shutter, Aperture, Manual, and A-DEP. The order of these modes has been inverted on the Rebel T1i, starting with Live Mode, then Live Face Detect, and finally Quick mode. 

Also in the movie mode of course.

Otherwise, in the basic modes I need to use the view finder.  That is totally odd.  Its a good thing I hardly ever use the basic modes.  But I am going to take the camera down to London Drugs where I bought it, in the morning and just ask about it, to be sure, I have it right.  I would be happy to find that I am wrong! 

I need to learn how to add the extra ISO speeds and get more familiar with how to navigate.  Right now its just punch the buttons until I get to the thing I want to change.   I was shooting with the 50mm which is not IS.  But it works pretty good without IS. 

I have the above phalenopsis in bloom, as well as two more of my $12.00 orchids that I buy from the grocery store when they are on for half price.  My little ladyslipper is in bloom also.  There are a few violets in bloom also.

Today I made a beef tongue in the pressure cooker.  I added about a tablespoon of pickling spice, and cinnamon, a bay leaf, some celery seed, half a cup of chopped onion, a garlic clove, 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup of sugar, salt and pepper.  The house was smelling wonderful from this combination of spices.  The tongue is delicious.  I should have taken it out of the cooker, sooner, though.  Its is very very soft... almost like butter.