Well it may not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but here are a few of my favourite - new - things…
iPhone 4
As to be expected, this evening (in our timezone at least) Apple announced iPhone 4. “This Changes Everything Again”. Now my iPhone 3G looks mega old and rubbish. A few major breakthroughs - a brilliantly high resolution screen, 5 megapixel camera front and back (with led flash and light censor on back), video chat on WiFi + HD video editing directly on phone. Sounds amazing. Looks amazing. Definite yes to upgrading - glad I skipped the 3GS now.
Torchwood - New Global Series
Purely by chance I visited the Torchwood site today to find announcement (dated today) that a new series has been commissioned by BBC Worldwide and the production team is to be led by none other than Russel T. Davies. John Barrowman returns as Capatain Jack Harkness, along with Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper and some new faces. Can’t wait.
HTML5 & CSS3
Although not particularly new - and still along way from being universal - HTML 5 and CSS3 have taken a notable leap forward, with Apple’s heavy backing (no doubt because they hate Flash). See this new page posted by Apple of just a taste of some of the amazing things we can’t yet do because all those (majority) Internet Explorer users can’t see yet: http://www.apple.com/html5/
For kicks see this neat site currently shows HTML5 readyness - even Safari 4 hasn’t ticked all the boxes yet, but it’s come along way. http://html5readiness.com/
Now who says I only post half naked men, funny videos and silly cartoons…
This is an apologetic catchup post due to my lack of bloggage recently, I could say that I’m really busy running a business and exam revision for University - but we all know that students don’t really do anything.
First of all, what a mint couple of episodes of Shameless. I love Mickey more than ever, and yes I agree you do look ‘propa fit’ in unifrom - and Paddy “You’ll always be a bitter cunt”.
Back to work - As students do best, I’ve been getting totally hammered, eating tons of junk food, retaking failed exams (due to the hammered part) and doing tons loads of assignments+revision+ procrastination. Thank god the years nearly coming to an end.
In other areas of spent some business profit on a shiny brand new spanking Sony Vaio. Yes folks - I didn’t buy a MacBook Pro. Why - because they don’t have a full HD 16:9 aspect ratio screen or BlueRay. I was also less than impressed with the spec of them - where has the wow factor gone Apple?!
Back to TV realm - and you’ve really gotta love Brothers & Sisters. It really is an amazing TV show. Nora is the best character for me, closely followed by Kitty, Kevin and Scotty. Although I’m not a huge fan of his character, you’ve also gotta love Rob Lowe - fit, clever and cute = perfect.
I find it interesting that in Brothers & Sisters there is such a diverse range of political differences - Republicans(conservatives) & Democrats(liberal/labour). What’s admirable is that Kitty & Robert (the conservatives) are nothing like our Conservative party. Unlike prize twit David Cameron (despite what he might want you to think), Kitty & Robert are for gay rights (gay marriage, gay adoption etc etc) and small businesses. Unforutnatley if the conservatives get in, we are at worst going to return to a society of prejudice where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, best case scenerio we just won’t progress at all! Please please please vote Labour - Liberal Democrats will not get in (due to our voting system) and we need our nukes until everyone else agrees to get rid of theirs!
Thanks for your time. This has been another form of procrastination whilst I’m listening to the soundtrack of Hairspray attempting to revise whilst drinking lot’s of CocaCola and Milk Chocolate Digestives resulting in failure of test tomorrow and excessive weight gain. Life’s just brill :P
After being skeptical about the new Doctor Who (basically because IMO he’s not very good looking), and the departure of Russell T Davies, I was beginning to think that perhaps it was going a bit down hill.
But it appears I’ve been won over by the re-brand (nice logo, shiny new tardis and sonic screwdriver - oh and new doctor + (nice introduction of) sidekick). Still not a huge fan of Matt Smith - but oh well, I’m sure he’ll grow on me. Very good first episode, now can’t wait for this Saturday and the rest of the series.
I quick post to say that I thought the way that this weeks Shameless handled the mental breakdown of Karen very well. And Rebecca Atkinson (the actress who plays Karen Maguire) performed the role very well. Was very real and quite scary.
How embarrassing would it be to be taken out by a milk float…
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/shameless/episode-guide/series-7/episode-3
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/shameless
Shameless Series 7 started this week, and although I’m probably really sad to admit, but it made me very happy, and really cheered me up. (Perhaps further helped by the several cocktails, bottle of cider and bottle of VK consumed earlier that night - along with plenty of sugar in the form of cake - well it was Lizzies birthday!).
Anyway my favourite character in the first episode was Nin - I mean who wouldn’t want to be that old, that screwed on and that strong. An incredible character - and I hope there are people like Nin in the world.
Other highlights include seeing carl in his boxers (boy has he grown up & got fit) and catching a glimpse (in the opening characters) of carl and mickey, my favourite character, in the sack together.
Anyway what I like about Shameless is that it is just so totally is Shameless. It’s one of the only shows on the TV today which isn’t afraid to bluntly delve into controversial topics. Also I love the concept, I think being shameless is probably one of the most comforting ways of anyone to live their life.
The power of moving pictures indeed.
I am loving Spooks – despite the magical technical things they seem to be able to do that don’t make sense. To hack into a bank we simply go to one of the computers open it up and put a round thing between two wires it seems – and it seems when we shuv it all back in within a matter of seconds the computer is up and running exactly as it was before. Oh well the bombs, running, guns, timers and near-end-of-the-world(or UK) scenarios are always interesting. Wednesday is currently Fish’n’Chips+Waterloo Road+Spooks day for me and Lizz at the moment lol. *guilty pleasures*
Talking about magical technical things that don’t seem to make sense. Windows 7. I really don’t get why everyone is raving about it – is it because it looks “nice” and works? Well they’ve really exceeded expectations: a computer which actually works – who’d of thought it ey. Anyways seems as I get it all free – I’ve just installed a Windows 7 VM which seems to run fast enough so it’ll replace my XP VM. Fortunately I can escape the vista style theme and butterflies by running it in coherence mode with OSX Leopard. Now my mac dock and my windows dock are the same. Mac Power Looks like Mac needs a new slogan because “It just works.” isn’t going to cut it now Windows works as well – I’ll do my best to report on annoyance and crash of Windows 7 at time goes by
I’m stuck in a hell holeish world of an eternal cold and misery lol. It peaked at the end of October after a fantastic night at Alton Towers Scarefest (I love Alton Towers and everything that it stands for) – I woke up and realised that I actually couldn’t open my mouth very much. So I thought oh – it’s ok – it’ll go away. 3 days later I could no longer open my mouth enough to speak or even swallow my own spit – in fact if I had it my way I wouldn’t of swallowed at all because it was just total agony. Anyway hoping for some antibiotics and to go home, I went to the doctors. Unfortunately they said I needed to go hospital. So I spent 3 days in hospital on a IV drip with multiple antibiotics, painkillers and nutrition running through me. I spent my time with a bunch of old men and an infuriating bed-side computer/tv thing which I felt like smashing several times. Not the highest point in my life. Anyway coming to 2 months on – I still have the damn after effects.
Well I have an excuse for not updating my blog this time. Again I’ve gone through massive changes – it’s September again and I’m back in Lincoln (in a new Flat with the wonderful Lizz Brady – see I do mention you!), this time on a Web Technology integrated masters course, which is perfect because I’m in 2 days a week, and the rest is for my business I launched WebFloat.co.uk and I’m really pleased with it, it’s something original and yet, very very simple.
I’ve also had to deal with the threat of legal action from my ex-employer Easy Internet. Anyway the long and short of it is I have been accused of stealing all their clients in some elaborate conspiracy theory. Anyway after repeat attempts to defend myself against legal action and threats to cease trading- I think, just maybe, they have realised that the only threat from me is in their heads.
Right then – Gays. Stop ganging up on Dannii, it wasn’t and isn’t a big deal. It annoys me, it really does. If she’d of said to the little lad (which they did) “all the girls will be crying rivers for you” – was that shock horror, no! Why not say it – it wasn’t malicious, and he said himself he’s not ashamed, so it’s no biggy. Simon Cow showed his true colours again though.
Moody post is over – hope it was both enlightening and entertaining, and even a bit disturbing. I shan’t grammar or spell check it – consider it organic.
7 Months Ago vs Edit: Today
Well first of all I’ve failed miserably with regards to keeping my blog up to date – but I will put in more effort on that front! Anyway I’m on holiday in France and it’s raining so after hacking in and updating WP I thought it was time for a new post! A lot has happened since my last post back in March, so I thought I’d kick start my new effort by doing a quick round up… *Edit: And I’m starting that new effort again lol
After over five years of service, I left my job as SEO Team Leader & Web Designer at Easy Internet in Leicester. I’d been part time for nearly two years and to be honest, it was becoming an unnecessary waste of my time. I decided I’d reached the top of the hill, and I’d prefer to jump off rather than tumble down slowly. All the best to them for the future. *Edit: They since tried to sue my ass for the below - but that’s all now sorted (I think…)
I launched Specific Gravity – www.specificgravity.co.uk – I’m steadily building up a client base and plan to launch a more detailed/comprehensive site in September. I’m also due to launch WebFloat (webfloat.co.uk) in the next few weeks. I’m also looking to launch the new version GAYY.co.uk in the coming months (this has been on hold for about a year). SG and WF will also be taking a more prominent role on my personal sites – aiming for a more personal and transparent image for potential customers/visitors to my business sites. Edit: I did this :D And I’ve also launched other sub brands www.supernovanames.com and www.getgravity.co.uk with more to come soon
I’ve shut down my 7ft reef aquarium, I’ve now sold all of the stock to good homes and I’m in process of selling of the equipment and then the tank. Sad to see it go but what with being a student, running (and funding) a business plus spending most of my time away from home, I really don’t have the time or the spare income to justify it. I set up my Dad with a very small 15″ nano cube tank tho to keep him occupied. I plan to make ReefKeep.in a gallery/tribute sort of thing – mainly for me really, but I’m sure others in the reef keeping community will enjoy it as well – anyway that’ll be on the back-burner perhaps late this year or early next. *Edit: I’ve still not done this. But we have got two little clown fish in the nano cube - and they survived a 5 day marathon on a current treadmill - they are called fish n chips (thanks Lizz)
Other news on my personal site front, SJSNET.co.uk got a makeover – well I’ve decided RetroNerd.org is to replace SJSNET.co.uk by the end of the year, I want to move away from this old identity which really now has no hold over any of my projects. Expect some more enhancements to RetroNerd before this move takes place. EugenetheDragon.info is to be re-designed and updated and I’m planning some retirements for other domains. *EDIT: I’ve since given it another makeover - and eugene etc still has no makeover.
Back to the “real” world. I’m going back to Lincoln University in September to start an Mcomp in Web Technology, providing I pass a maths exam – glad I made the decision to nip the Graphic Design degree in the bud, although I love graphic design, I think my time is better spent elsewhere and this new degree will reinforce my work experience in the web industry. Looking forward to being a fresher for the second time around – this time with just a little bit of restraint. *EDIT: I’m now at uni just finished my semester A - but I’ve changed course, now doing Computer Science. Also have the perfect house for next year with Amy and Lizz
and how could I forget! I managed to get hold of tickets for the Michael Jackson This Is It concert at London o2. Since then Michael Jackson has died – I’m so gutted that we never got to see him live in concert, but even more gutted that we’ll never have the opportunity to hear anything from him again. RIP Michael Jackson. *Edit: But I did see and hear new things from him again. I got my souvenir ticket and went to see This Is It. Total and utter legend.
Some updates to previous posts…
Since my Not To Twitter post back in February, I’ve now joined (reluctantly, but on good advice) Twitter – but you’ll find I’ve not yet become an active user (I don’t think active is a good word for me) I best get to it before they remove my account! http://twitter.com/specificgravity Edit: In fact I now have two twitter accounts, a personal one and a business one. @retronerdorg and @specificgravity
Also on the TV front Hero’s Fugivitives has finished, along with the third season of Brothers & Sisters and Skins. All brilliant, even – dare I say – Robin Hood, though it is what it is. I’m now on the 3rd season of Ugly Betty (love it!), Big Brother (charlie to win of course) and looking forward to watching 5 hours worth of Torchwood when I get home next week. *Edit: I’m now on season 4 of brothers and sisters, season 2 of being human and season 7 of shameless starts Next Thursday. Get In.
On the Apple front I upgraded to the 16gb iPhone 3G as my 18 month o2 contract came to end – which was really stupid because the iPhone 3GS was released a few weeks after – always the case, you can never have the latest model. I’m still running Safari 4 beta – it’s getting better and the initial bugs I reported are now resolved – woo. *Edit: It broke, and I got a brand new one free from Apple.
What with all of these big changes and decisions to make I’ve managed to put on a few stone in weight, which I’m now on an effort to lose again as quickly as humanly possible. Anyway I’m getting back on track again now, still lot’s going on over the next few months – so hopefully posting again soon with something more useful/interesting. Edit: I have failed to lose much weight - although probably lost a little if not put any on.
Well this has been a very interesting look - for me anyway - of what I have achieved and not achieved in the last 7 months and how things have changed.
