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Nice PHP Reference
Posted 14/02/2007 22:41 pm (1 year, 10 months ago) by Miles
Here's to a great PHP reference I've just had a read of with a good selection of ten less obvious PHP-related gems.
http://blog.rightbrainnetworks.com/2006/09/18/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-php/
MySpace Film Competition
Posted 06/02/2007 18:18 pm (1 year, 11 months ago) by Miles
I've just read on the BBC web site that MySpace are running a film competition for film-making enthusiasts to participate in for a chance to direct a £1 million feature film in association with Vertigo Films and Film Four. Given the relevance of both social networking and film to my project, I thought it was interesting. What I am planning to create would be particularly useful in such an application for community members to join together and contribute to a film project -- either the short films or the eventual feature length one.
Next GTA possibilities
Posted 03/02/2007 00:00 am (1 year, 11 months ago) by Miles
I'm really intrigued to know what Rockstar are going to put in their next Grand Theft Auto game to make it different, and possibly revolutionary, over San Andreas. Every game they've made they've added fantastic new features that make the game more interesting. I absolutely loved all the new stuff they put in San Andreas but as yet we really know nothing of what they'll be putting in GTA IV. What with the whole Hot Coffee saga, it's unlikely we'll be seeing anything like that hidden away in the game again and once again they'll probably be required to tone down the violence a little bit more.Posting on a MacBook
Posted 22/01/2007 17:22 pm (1 year, 11 months ago) by Miles
Earlier today, UPS delivered to me a brand new, highly attractive Apple MacBook! I haven't been a big Mac user before now so it's going to take a bit of getting used to but I have to say I'm very impressed so far at least.
I've wanted a laptop for a while now so I could take it to lectures and use it on the train mainly. I said if I was going to buy one I'd get an easily portable one and settled for a MacBook so I'd have both a Mac and PC available to me.
New Term Underway
Posted 16/01/2007 16:17 pm (1 year, 11 months ago) by Miles
I've been back in Plymouth for just over a week now, although it seems like much longer. The three week break was wonderfully relaxing and stress-free I am pleased to say but now I'm back the project briefs are coming in thick and fast and the thinking processes have begun once more. I do like the sound of the projects this term and it's looking like it's going to equal last term in terms of how busy I'll become - but it's satisfying nonetheless.
As this happens to be the first post of the new year, I'd like to wish readers a happy new year. Maybe my new year's resolution should be to try and post more frequently here since I'd like to do so. Often I want to but don't quite know how to approach it so what I post tends to be quite spontaneous and random!
Ah well, over and out for now.
Light Up Bristol
Posted 20/12/2006 14:22 pm (2 years ago) by Miles
Last night I went to "Light Up Bristol" - a light display featuring the highest-power projectors in the country beaming Christmas-themed images onto buildings in College Green in Bristol. I took my HD camcorder and did a little bit of filming, although given the low-light surroundings I'm not sure how the footage is going to turn out like, and I didn't take my tripod thinking it would be too busy with people to use. The quality of the projections were very good and it was an interesting effect achieved, although I had expected it to be a little more animated like a laser light show.
There's a Flickr group with a load of photos if you'd like to get a glimpse for yourself.
Back in the Homeland
Posted 20/12/2006 14:20 pm (2 years ago) by Miles
It's been a very busy end to term at uni and I'm pleased to be back at home soaking up some relaxation time. Just a few days before term ended, some of the university's computer systems failed causing mass pandemonium amongst staff and students. The mail server, Intranet portal and file access all went down and as a result the uni has been forced to postpone all final-week coursework deadlines to the beginning of next term in January instead.
Besides that, which affected the completion of our Remote Data Access Technology coursework, all other coursework was handed in and presented on time. It was takeaways galore in the run-in to a lot of the hand-ins and I'm mostly pleased with the final pieces achieved. I will put the work up in the portfolio section soon.
Bond Back in Style
Posted 17/11/2006 00:51 am (2 years, 1 month ago) by Miles
I just came back from the cinema. I'm a big Bond fan so I had to watch Casino Royale on release day and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Different would be a good way of describing it - a divergence in many ways from previous films but in a very good way. Daniel Craig plays Bond in a never before seen way but it fits what the story tells extremely well. I'm really pleased they've done a good job of it because Die Another Day was pretty dreadful by Bond's standards.
If you haven't seen it yet, do!
No Longer a Teenager
Posted 09/11/2006 15:50 pm (2 years, 1 month ago) by Miles
Should I feel old? For the first time in as long as I can remember the sun is shining and the sky is blue outside today on my birthday and I've entered the realm of being twenty. On my walk back from uni earlier I saw a brilliant sight - a rather large seagul that delved into a bin and pulled out a fish & chips box and then picked it up in its beak and flew off. I found it hilarious so I chased after it and tried to take a picture of it. I did manage to get one of it taking off again but I don't think it's going to come out especially well when I upload it to my PC. Oh and then I walked home further and I saw a tramp puke up about a metre away from me - nice!
I'm catching the train to go home after 6 for the weekend, so I'm looking forward to that.
Fireworks Night 2006 - Plymouth Hoe
Posted 05/11/2006 22:06 pm (2 years, 2 months ago) by Miles
I went and watched the firework display on the Plymouth Hoe this evening which proved a nice opportunity to photograph some fireworks for the first time. I didn't think they'd be all that great but I cranked up the exposure and ended up taking about 60 photos in 10 minutes and ended up with some fairly good ones.
Razorlight, Plymouth Pavilions
Posted 29/10/2006 14:46 pm (2 years, 2 months ago) by Miles
On Thursday we arrived at 7:30pm at Plymouth Pavilions for the start of the Razorlight gig, had a £3.00/pint lager in the bar area, then went and listened to the support acts. At 9:30 Razorlight finally made it on stage to a roaring applause, opening with "In The Morning", the first song on their latest album. The band performed very well, although it was slightly disappointing they didn't express more personality in their performance since they didn't talk a whole lot.
I took a load of photos and have uploaded them to Flickr. The three below I think were taken during arguably Razorlight's current most popular song "America", when the lighting was at its strongest so generally produced the more interesting and better shots.
The second part of our evening was supposed to be spent in the Oceana nightclub but that didn't happen in the end. Despite supposedly being a "VIP only" pre-opening night, when we got there it turned out they weren't letting in any more people, and it wasn't until my housemate had a word with a friend of his that we were let in. No sooner had we walked in through the entrance than we found ourselves walking straight back in the opposite direction because an alarm was set off requesting that the building be evacuated! As we walked back outside the emergency exits flew open and people poured out into the car park and street outside. Within a couple of minutes the fire brigade were on the scene.
Notice the "Evacuation Aid" jacket in the photo below!
Apparently they started letting people back in after an hour or so but we'd long gone back to student land to continue our night.
Plymouth Construction
Posted 03/10/2006 23:32 pm (2 years, 3 months ago) by Miles
Walking around Plymouth these days and everywhere you turn there's redevelopment and construction. Cranes tower above the skyline, pedestrians constantly have to find alternative routes to get where they want to go and the sound of a pneumatic drill is never far away. I suppose the advantage of it all is you know by being here that the place is undergoing a lot of change which is at least a bit exciting. The new shopping centre that's been under construction for a few years now, and was apparently designed way back in the 1980's (some of it looks that way), is due to open this Thursday (5th October), and should add a fair bit of credibility to the city. Here's a look at the university redevelopment on campus looking from just in front of the new shopping mall.
K800i is Mine!
Posted 01/10/2006 15:18 pm (2 years, 3 months ago) by Miles
I have an update on the new phone front... I decided to go for the Sony Ericsson K800i in the end and very nice it is too. The control stick seems a lot better than on the K750i and there's loads more camera features and general cool things.Squirrel Photo
Posted 23/09/2006 18:57 pm (2 years, 3 months ago) by Miles
I just came back from a sit on Plymouth Hoe and on the walk back I saw this squirrel attempting to escape the presence of my camera so I quickly took a photo!
OneWebDay
Posted 22/09/2006 14:43 pm (2 years, 3 months ago) by Miles
Today is OneWebDay - the day when web users from around the world are celebrating the World Wide Web and the impact it has had on all of our lives. Bloggers and Flickr users are being asked to tag all posts and photos with 'OneWebDay' to mark this day.
For more information, see www.onewebday.org.
