Well after 6 months of ‘actively seeking work’ interspersed with some freelancing jobs I’ve just started a new full time job as a Junior Web Developer, hooray for me 😀 . It means some of my other extra-curricular projects (planned flash games, sculptures, t-shirt designs, re-designing and building my own websites, CG models and animations, starting to keep fit, etc., etc.) are going to suffer whilst I re-adjust to a normal working week, but hopefully in the not too distant future I’ll be kicking the internet’s ass during the day and belting out some more artistic projects in the evenings (either that or watching tv 😛 ).
100 Year Old Fish!
Blimey, the world doesn’t get any less weird (which of course is a good thing, more weirdness I say).
The age of the fish was determined by removing an ear bone, known as the otolith, which contains growth rings similar to those in tree trunks.
The estimated age was between 90 and 115 years old
For Sale
I’ve decided to sell my Toshiba Tecra M4 Tablet PC if anyone is interested in owning it (one careful driver).
It’s a great machine, 2ghz processor, 1 gb ram and an 80 gb Hard Drive it’s comparable to some peoples desktop machines, with the added benefit of the wacom digitizer built into the screen so you can draw (512 levels of pressure sensitivity) write (built in hand-writing recognition) and even dictate to it (built in voice recognition).
I wasn’t using it to it’s full potential even with the Multi-Dock docking station I have for it (included for free in the sale), allowing you to use it like a monitor with a separate mouse and keyboard whilst still using the pen on the screen, either in upright portrait or landscape, or flat on your desk/lap and so thought as it’s still under a year old someone else would get better use out of it than me.
It’s already listed on the dreaded eBay Toshiba Tecra M4
To see one actually being used to it’s full potential check out the previously mentioned tutorial video’s by Onezumi HERE
The 300
I finally managed to go and see The 300, and I was not disappointed.
My girlfriend admitted it was OK but that she got a little bored due the fact that most of the entire film is a series of battles (and surprising too as I thought at least all of the testosterone filled near nekkid men would have held her interest but it seems she likes a little bit more story if she can get it).
The story itself was good, admittedly a little thin, but if you’re expecting an in depth drama then I think perhaps your expectations are a little skewed anyway if you saw the trailer for this and thought “now there’s the intellectual treat I was looking for”
As a friend of mine described it to me before I went there was “…lot’s of fancy killin’…” and the whole thing looks great throughout What more do you want?, go see it now.
Canyon Shooter
I gave myself the challenge of creating an entire game demo in flash, including simple 3D models built in 3DS Max and rendered off for in-game graphics over a weekend and this is the result.
Let me know if it’s too easy/too hard and if anyone would like me to continue the project and turn it into a full game.
Real life Jekyll and Hyde?
A quiet night’s sleep is not an option for Derek Rogers or his wife – because he turns from a mild-mannered “Dr Jekyll” by day to a “Mr Hyde” by night.
First time I’ve heard of someone having to take a potion before going to bed to stop them, becoming ‘Hyde’-like
Blue Peter Scandal
Now if any more proof was needed to illustrate the decline of children’s TV in the UK, other than just trying to watch 5 minutes or more of it (there is the occasional good cartoon, but they are almost always imported), look no further than the following news story.
The hosts of BBC children’s programme Blue Peter have apologised to viewers after the results of a competition were faked last November.
Premium phone line regulator Icstis is investigating the incident, which was discovered when another visitor to the programme set, Mona Zahoor, wrote to the BBC’s Have Your Say messageboard.
It’s a sad state of affairs when a show with over 4000 episodes under it’s belt and nearing it’s 50th anniversary is found to be an out and out liar, makes you wonder how many other things they’ve lied to us about over the years, was that even a real elephant doing it’s ‘business’ live on air?, and how exactly did all of those pets die?!
The Eve Figure
For those of you that already read Applegeeks you’ll already know about the Eve Figure they’ve had made, for those that don’t and like collectable figures/toys/model kits etc there’s a bunch of images here:- http://www.applegeeks.com/theevefigure/ It’s listed as currently not for sale, but due to the huge amount of responses they’ve had for it I think it’s not going to be too long before they decide to release a retail version.
I’ve been reading their webcomic for a couple of years now, and highly recommended it to everyone else out there, there’s a mix of humour along with some real storytelling and drama and consistently good artwork, to the point where I decided to start making my own Eve Figure a couple of months back when I recently began sculpting again, but haven’t got very far yet. Seeing the excellent work they’ve had produced on their professionally made figure has left me undecided as to finish my version off, or try to convert it to a different character, we’ll see how the mood takes me I guess.
Sicaf Sand Art
Don’t know how I missed this, some really impressive real-time artwork using just sand and light. This guy even gives Tony Hart a run for his money (Hart Beat and it’s variations used to be amongst my favourite shows as a kid). Gotta give credit to WilySteve over at the The Clubhouse Forum for posting a link to this one.
Smell-O-Vision?
The equivalent of Scratch ‘n’ Sniff for the internet, hmm ,interesting idea, but to be honest why?
Within a decade the net will be able to deliver smells as fast as it does data, predicts a report.