December 12, 2006

The Homers



The Homers, originally uploaded by Patrick Boland.

July 3, 2006

Floating Bed

Magnets

Link.

Way cool. Does anyone know how this can affect the body?

I thought this comment on Engadget was hilaaaaaaaaarious:

“if this bed flips while you are sleeping, the opposite poles will attract with a slam and crush you.”

June 20, 2006

Mason Update

Around two weeks ago, I was playing on my Gamecube happily in my room, I think it was Battalion Wars – that’s not important, though. Anyway, my dad came home and came to say hi to me like always, but unusually I sensed he was lingering slightly and so turned round to see what was up. We then talked for about 15 minutes about how he had just been to see the doctor as he had been experiencing chest pains for the past few days. The doctor gave him around £20 worth of medication, ordered him to stop smoking and told him in more cautious words that if he hadn’t come in he could’ve been in an extremely bad way indeed. The medication was to prevent a heart attack.

Now my dad isn’t in the best of shape. He’s quite large around the stomach, but I wouldn’t describe him as the unhealthiest person I’ve ever seen by a long shot. He’s nearing 50, and to hear this was frankly terrifying. It took a while to sink in, and when my mum came home she was told the result of the doctors appointment, so I had my parents in the same room as me holding each other crying as though it was the last time they’d see each other. A very harrowing experience. My dad was ordered off work for two weeks as well, and so because it was summer holidays I was at home with him, and it was a couple of days later I think that he decided to take a walk to the Tesco down the road, about 5/10 minutes away. He returned looking completely wiped out, and when I asked if he was alright he began to cry, having had to rest about 5 times on the way back and worrying about who would look after grandad (who had a stroke a few years ago and can’t use his right arm, so my dad goes to see him each weekend for shopping/housework/etc..). I shouldn’t need to say I comforted him and didn’t just leave him there…

Anyway, he had a hospital appointment for today. I phoned my house the other day to see how everything was ahead of time, to learn that he’d had a bad day last week and was ready to go into A&E, but calmed down and was alright. Then, to add to the fun, I learnt that one of my cats, Jasmine, isn’t looking very good. She lost a lot of weight a while back, but we couldn’t find out why. Jasmine would also be visiting a medic today. Vikki was really upset about this, as Jasmine really adores her and is pretty much Vikki’s cat, despite Vikki not being at my house most of the time.

The hospital appointment, then. He had some tests done and was diagnosed as having angina (where you get chest pains when your heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood). They don’t know how severe it is yet though until they do another test, which could either take a couple of weeks or a couple of months depending on whether he can get it on his insurance or has to rely on the NHS (I believe there’s a small risk of heart attack/stroke/other associated with it). Basically, it could either A) be cured with medicine alone, B) be cured with a combo of medicine and a smaller operation I think, or C), the one we don’t really want to think about, a heart bypass. Not fun at all.

Oh, and the cat is in overnight at the vet’s, having not eaten or moved all of Sunday, and my dad has told me to prepare myself for the worst about her. It’s all brill at my house, it is.

Cheers for reading you guys. I’ve been meaning to do this blog for ages, I put it on Cubed3 as well cos I’ve been a bit out of it on there.

June 11, 2006

grumpy sy :(

It says SPOOKS!

just read a spoiler for Spooks series 5. Which relates to the cliffhanger at the end of series 4. Obviously by mistake. SCREW YOU WIKIPEDIA!

:(

June 8, 2006

New study :)

Soooooo, there’s not been a post on here for a month so I thought I’d start the ball rolling again (on the first world cup day ;) )

Anyway, most of the study is complete now, just gonna get the windows done. Here’s how it looks now:

new study

What do you thiiiiiiink? Oh yeah, youguys, wanna meet up on Sunday for breakfast?

May 8, 2006

Loves

I wanted Swedish music. I went to It’s A Trap!. Saw their compilation. Liked the first artist. MySpaced her. First song is basically me at uni at the moment. (Highschool Stalker). Getting album and 2 singles. Loves.

And yesterday, you passed me by
I swear, you nearly said Hi
I could have died

May 4, 2006

Lost - 2.20

Lost is stepping up its game. The last 10 minutes were wow. Also check out hanso site:

http://thehansofoundation.org/

when you sign up, the password is breaking strain

all the clues are on here btw…

http://thelostexperienceclues.blogspot.com/

after you watch the ep read this, just answers any concerns…

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700001362

April 28, 2006

My Theory Grows

I seem to have a few supporters from the field of ‘Wii is a marketing ploy’. Few people on C3 have come round to my way of thinking, and I’ve convinced people on a couple of forums too. Hope to God it is a marketing ploy now. On paper = brilliant. Spoken out loud = terrible.

Latest mega-post:

Since I seem to have brought the theory here, I’ll field this. It’s a bloody brilliant strategy, marketing or otherwise, to create a sense of disillusion, of disappointment, before a big reveal. The initial disappointment/anger/upset snowballs inside the person/s or consumer/s and makes them turn their back or partially turn their back on a situation or a product, and then when news is announced that rectifies the situation and adds more to it it makes it all the more impressive, switching said person/s or consumer/s back round to your side. As I say, it’s not mutually exclusive to marketing - it can be done to everyday people about everyday situations.

For example, you might tell somebody that they won’t get something for their birthday, then on the day present it and more. To expand that example with a real life story, this recently happened to me: for one reason or another, I wanted a ukulele. Vikki (ShinyRainbow) said she would get me one, and then for weeks proceeded to spin me a cock and bull story about how they had gone up in price, how they didn’t have any in stock, how the shop that sold them at a reasonable price had shut down, until I was at the point when I was convinced I wouldn’t get one. Come my birthday, out came a ukulele, and the anti-hype made it all the sweeter.

I’m choosing to argue that Nintendo have lain upon us a name that is good on paper but tripe when spoken. In doing so, they have created massive amounts of PR, some positive, mainly negative. ‘Nintendo’ and ‘Wii’ were the themes of the Internet last night, it was absolutely everywhere and even Nintendo’s own websites were totally taken out at one point, and most of the talk was that it was a stupid name. If, in 11 days, Iwata was to come out and announce it as a hoax and then dump the games, the secrets, all the information upon us in an impressive array, as well as a new, decent name, the amount of hype would explode over the anti-hype, as all the outlets would be forced to correct the ‘Wii’ name to the new one, and if the name choice was right then the previously negative comments would be replaced with positive statements. It’s currently negative news permeating the mainstream, but it could easily be swung into hugely positive PR in a week and a half. If they don’t do it, I sincerely believe they will have missed out on the best start to a marketing strategy you could ask for. They did say the viral campaign would start soon recently (Perrin Kaplin (sp?) to IGN), and I believe this is said campaign.

And in response to the BBC and many other media outlets picking up on it (this was on MozLaPunk forums):

Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

——————————————————————————–

I imagine many are picking up on it because it’s such a stupid sounding name. If it is a marketing ploy, this is extremely positive, as it’s creating ‘anti-hype’ amongst people. Then, if they were to announce a new name that’s better at E3, all these media outlets would be forced to announce the changes or risk looking stupid. All information from E3 would also slot into it when changed - free publicity all over the show.

Which has some agreeance too. The next couple of weeks are going to be a total geek fest.

April 27, 2006

I love…

…being sortof in the media.

I’ve just gotten to look at an FPS engine for DS, playable on the PC using the arrow keys and space bar, and clicking, holding and moving about on the bottom screen to look around - nothing different to things already shown, but it still worked well and was quite impressive. Better not say who did it for now in case I’m not supposed to be saying anything.

Nintendo Revolution Officially Named - “Wii”

Download promo clip from C3 if you’re registered.

Introducing … Wii.

As in “we.”

While the code-name “Revolution” expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer.

Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else.

Wii will put people more in touch with their games … and each other. But you’re probably asking: What does the name mean?

Wii sounds like “we,” which emphasizes this console is for everyone.

Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.

Wii has a distinctive “ii” spelling that symbolizes both the unique controllers and the image of people gathering to play.

And Wii, as a name and a console, brings something revolutionary to the world of video games that sets it apart from the crowd.

So that’s Wii. But now Nintendo needs you.

Because, it’s really not about you or me.

It’s about Wii.

And together, Wii will change everything.

What do you think? I think it’s a mint name, rolls off the tongue well, very Nintendo. It sounded shite at first, but then it clicked a few minutes later. If those are the adverts to expect, Nintendo will do well in the UK. My guess at a tagline: “You. Me. Wii.”

April 26, 2006

hehehehehehehe this is amazing

I was flipping through .NET magazine in ASDA this morning, waiting for some photos to be developed. In the magazine, there was an article about a web technology called Ruby On Rails (ROR).

Anyway i’ve taken a keen interest on ROR so decided to read it. It was how to get started with it and how to use it for developing..etc..Towards the end of the article there was a little section saying which sites already use ROR. They had 10. The first one was A List Apart, which in my opinion is the best looking site on the Internet. Then next to that was another site that uses ROR called Spread Reading. “Cool”I thought, i must check it oot. So, what is Spread Reading? (get ready for a wank, mason)

Do you like reading, and talking about books? Do you like surprises?

We like both. Spread is our version of a book club. Each month, we will choose a few members at random and buy them a book. They can come back here, and discuss the book. The only thing we ask is that when they are finished with the book they pass it on to another person. It’s like a book club without the deadlines or cookies or weekly meetings.

I’ve just signed up it’s still a very small community

April 19, 2006

Lost 2X20 Promo

Seen it? This series finalé is going to end up really class. I reckon Michael’s going to do something sick, like try and betray Jack/Kate/maybe other people in return for Walt.

Just read a rumour that the season finalé, the two hour one, is one big Desmond flashback. Fucking class.

April 11, 2006

a’right meeeeen?

No delays!

pretty mint day today, so i’ll tell you aaaall aboot it. Mehdi and I decided to go to Manchester Airport for a coffee. (yeah…) So I took the train to Heald Green. I saw that girl I like at uni while i was buying my ticket, she was sat on her own with a huge luggage (it was almost bigger than her, bless), so she’s either going back home or going somewhere else. Should have said something. “I’m in your Database lectures…hehehehe” but didn’t, anyway got to Heald Green and met Mehdi, and we then took the train to the Airport.

Got to the Airport and decided to go to Terminal 1 to see all the planes, but Terminal 2 had all the travellators so we spent about 15 minutes walking on travellators. They have this hotel at the airport called the SAS Hotel, so we obviously had to pull jokes about the people staying there being SAS soldiers and doing everything over the top. “i’m going down to the lobby” *throws a rope down and shimmy their way down to the lobby*. Receptionist: “do you have a booking?, GOD DAMN YOU, DO YOU HAVING A BOOKING?!?” Also plenty of jookes about Arab terrorists.

Anyway we then went to Terminal 1 and played a bit on the arcade machines. (Mehdi beat me twice at Virtua Tennis :( ) We then grabbed out drinks, I had a lovely Chocolate with a muffin served by a lovely Finn.

After that we went into Manchester and pissed around in the shops. Went to P Rec, Vinyl Exchange then Forbidden Planet, then we suddenly had a Jack Bauer Wanking moment and we kept on going “awww..that guy is a legeeeend” and quoting him, my current favourite being:

“Jack, please, she doesn’t have anything to do with this”
“NOR DO THE PEOPLE DIEING IN THAT HOTEL, TELL ME WHERE THE OTHER VILES ARE OR I WILL MAKE YOU WATCH YOUR DAUGHTER DIE!”

Mehdi bought Season 5 simpsons, so we kept on quoting shit from that. “THEY’RE DOGS. AND THEY’RE PLAYING POKER…MUWHAHAHA!” and the last episode in season 5 being the classic that is . “…when you reach over and put your hand into a pile of goo, that used to be your best friend’s face!” AND the first episode is mint too: Barbershop Quartet. “Apu, there are rumours flying around that you are an Indian, is this true?” So need to get seasons 5,6 and 7 on dvd.

aaanyway we then to look for somewhere to eat, we went to Selfridges and wanted Sushi, but the place was packed since it was lunchtime so we said we’ll do that next time. So went round Selfridges a bit more and found a computer store with tons of Macs. The first one i went to was the one with the 30″ Cinema HD display. Wet myself. Then we checked out the laptops, made a pact with Mehdi that if we stay around Manchester for our placement year and dont’ have to pay for accomodation we will buy the most recent MacBook.

We ended up having lunch at Rice (suprise, suprise…) But it was pretty decent actually, cos it was their first year anniversary so we bought one meal and got another one free. We got 2 starters and 2 meals for £10. I paid. Mehdi owes me. During our meal i showed Animal Crossing to Mehdi, since he’s not seen it being played yet.

Waiting for our meal to digest, we had a talk about the SAS again, so i decided to buy an Andy McNab novel i saw in Oxfam with Mason a while ago (Firewall, it was called. £2.). So Mehdi bought it me. :) Then we split up and I got on the bus and he went upto the train station. With him shouting “THEY’RE DOGS…AND THEY’RE PLAYING POKER! MUWHAHA”

5/5.

April 10, 2006

Slowly getting there…

So, real-world organisation is almost complete. Just need to file the uni work away now, then i can do my database shiiiiit.

I’m giving myself a week to get everything done (including two essays), then I can just focus on revision (5 weeks of it) and nothing else.

Work

April 9, 2006

Jack Bauer Facts

Click here and read, this is funny stuff.