*Shudder*

Downloaded MSN Messenger 7 (beta) last night. And the only way to sum it up is: yurgh.

Firstly, they've tried to make it look nicer and more friendly. What has really happened is that they've added more crap to it. There are now even more of those "tabs" on the left hand side of the contact list, and although you can now change the order in which they appear, there is no longer an option to disable them. Who actually uses the tabs? They're annoying, pointless and just take up space. At the bottom of the contact list there is a search bar. Handy you may think, but it uses MSN search which couldn't find a needle in a haystack. I'd much rather stick with google. Again, this search bar cannot be removed, thus taking up more space.

The conversation windows are also different now. The text input box takes up half the window, which is just unnecesary imo, as I only ever need it to be 2-lines tall. Your display picture is now displayed at the same size as the person you're talking to, but it can be shrunk, or hidden like in previous versions. Next to the boxes for smilies and backgrounds you now get 3 others. 1 lets you send "winks", larger, flash-based emoticons that also have sound emebedded in them. Whilst these may look pretty, I certainly find them annoying. By default they play back automatically, something which I was quick to disable, mainly due to the fact that in previous BETA releases the "wink" code has been open to exploit. You can also send a "nudge", which plays a sound and shakes both the person your speaking to and you conversation window briefly. While this may have a practical use, say someone hasn't responded to you for a while, it can become quite annoying when it is used over and over. I'd go as far as to say this is the single most infuriating thing about this new version of messenger. Lastly, you are given an option to download "packs", which can contain things such as winks, emoticons or backgrounds. From what I gathered, they are not free. At the bottom of the window is a small line of text informing you that you can download these, essentially another advert in addition to the main one displayed at the bottom of the contact list.

There are some nice new features though. It certainly does look a lot prettier, and for newer users I guess it will be simpler to use. You can now choose to set your status before you login, for example you could set yourself so that you appear as offline everytime you log-on. Your current display picture is now shown at the top of the contact list, alongside your display name, and whenevver somone signs in it will show you theor display picture as well as their screen name. However, the good points are few and far between, and are vatsly outnumberd by the bad. Also, consider the fact that it currently consumes a whopping 30Mb of RAM; which just goes to show that the new features are just bloat-ware.

For my money, the best IM client is still Trillian 3.0. This does everything MSN 7 can do, except winks/nudges (which I had turned off anyway). Okay, it may not have the same smileys (it has better ones, and lots of them), and you can't have things such as backgrounds, but I hardly use them anyway. It also lets me connect to MSN/AIM/YIM/ICQ/JABBER/IRC all at once, which is incredibly useful.

And thus, this concludes exactly how bored I am right now.

...and if you look to your left you will see me

Decided to actually get the pictures of my camera and upload some, so I stuck one in my profile. Don't worry, you can always click the x in the corner of your screen to make the ugliness go away.

Today was mostly spent playing San Andreas for 6 hours solid, with a few breaks for eating. Yesterday was spent soing the same. I know that you really wanted to hear all about it.

I'm really bored so I'm going to go and stare at the wall for a bit, and then if I'm feeling really adventurous I might go spin around on my chair for a bit.

Something tells me I need to get out more.

*Yawn*

Back from protrest. Am tired. I wa son local news for like OMG the millionth time (it seems that the local news really will film anything, and quite often they do). Rather boring in total, just standing around shouting a lot and making up witty slogans. As a piece of political irony it seemed that someone had left a no right-turn sign dumped on the road at Whitehall, whather this was a subtle hint for our current shambles of a government I am not sure.

Journey was boring. 7 coaches in total. I sat and listened to music, stared out of the window and played with ballons for most of it. Same on the way back except by this time I had also figured out how to play about with the seat controls, so I did that. I know, sounds so exciting doesn't it. My favourite paret of the journey was about 3/4 of the way down the A21. That strech of road never fails to inspire me.

All in all a rather average day and a rather mediocre blog-post at best. I am very tired and it's the last day of winter-een-mas, so if I manage to pry myself away from the 'net then I may play San Andreas for a bit. I anticipate the highlights of this evening to involve brushing my teeth and going to bed. I tell you, my life is non-stop action.

Farewell, friends.

This is an update

Really. Really it is, honest. Actually I'll be frank (or Geroge, or Howard or whoever else you bloody well want me to be), it's not really that much of an update. But I figured that rather than leving this lying around with nothing in it, I may as well leave a blog lying around with tons of OMFG CRAP in it. So I shall be putting yet more midless drivel into this thing.

Tomorrow I am going to London, to do some protesting or marching or lunching or something like that. Quite likely all at the same time. I was going to take my camera to take pretty pictures that I could then post here. But I figured a) I cannot be arsed to carry a camera around and b) You all know what London bloody well looks like, and some generic picture of the london eye that anyone could have taken a picture of really isn't all that inspiring.

Untill tomorrow, my completely non-existent blog readers that don't exist in any way shape or form ¬_¬

Tsunami Donation Links

Saw these in a thread on the weebls forums, thought I may as well post them here in case anybody bothers reading.

http://www.dec.org.uk/ - UK charity coodinating donations
http://www.worldvision.org.uk/wayst...ion/default.asp - Worldvision UK donation form
http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html - American red cross

international sites:
http://www.oxfam.org/eng/programs_emer_asia.htm - Oxfam international gateway
http://www.wvi.org/wvi/donation/donation.htm - WorldVision International gateway
https://secure.ga3.org/01/helpasia?...p_asia_overview - Save the children international donation page
http://www.supportunicef.org/site/p...1LdP0G&b=276341 - UNICEF international donation page

Happy New Year!

It's new year's eve (at least it was about half an hour ago), and this is a picture of me biting the head of a rubber chicken. Note: I am completely sober. \o/

w00t

Please do forgive me for using "l33t" in the title, but I think it pretty much sums everything up. Tomorrow is the last day of 6th form before the christmas holidays (well technicaly I should be there tuesday as well, but 1 lesson? No way). Also, I've recently found out that all my hard work arsing about with UCAS forms is starting to pay off, I've got conditional offers so far from Aberystwyth, Portsmouth and Hull, and I'm particuarly pleased about Aber offering me a place. At the end of this year I need at least 3 C's in my A-Levels, and I'm sorted. And then there's the scholarship I've applied for, if I get that then I'm sorted out for the next 4 years. Niiiiiice.

Christmas coming up, which means several things. Firstly it means digital camera meaning the ability to post mugshots of moi on the interweb. I spy camwhoring ahoy. Secondly, it also means online PS2 gameage, I'll finally be able to deal death to people online, or at least get beaten horribly by some 12 year old kid. Either one will do me fine, really. But most importantly christmas means food. And lots of it, which means I am = :D

Lastly an update on my interweb activites. I recently discovered 8-bit theatre (yes, I am fully aware I am woefully behind the times). And I'm going to put a link to this wonderous place, right about here. Other than that I have mostly been living on IRC and trying to teach myself Linux. And failing.

Possible more updates over holiday period. Hopefully with pictures.

Now Playing: David Bowie - Beauty and the Beast [02:36/03:34]

Err, yes....

Remind me never to drink again. Actually no, just remond me never to make blog posts whilst drunk.

Onto some serious news. Firstly, and excuse the use of capitals but it is deserving, I HAVE BROADBAND! 1Mbps unlimited ADSl, and it's more beatiful than I ever dared imagine. Deciding it needed a little test I decided to download something, something big. Mandrake Linux 10.0 fit the bill nicely. 2GB of downloading later, and an old PC that I once believed to be dead lives once again. The only problem is that I feel like such a computer newbie when I use linux, but the overall feel of it is just so much nicer than ol' windows.

Now Playing: Bowling For Soup - 03 - Girl All The Bad Guys Want [03:16/03:34]

Arse, why am I listening to modern music? :(

I went in a limo

Right, so this is the second time I;m making an update after returning from someones 18th birthday party. The evening started well, with us all taking a little jaunt around time in a strech limo. Rather nice I must say. Although as was pointed out the economy cola kinda let the feel down, but sod it, after insurng one of those things do you think they can afford real cola? Hell no! And anyway, its a bloody limo! Much woo and yay to be had there.

The party was also very good. I sit at home now typing this, swaying from side to side, cursing the computer monitor for moving around and trying tor ecall exactly how much adn what I had to drink. All I can remember is that last vodka, coimbined with a bigorous bout of headbagin was most certainly not the best of ideas. Ah well, it was all fun anyway. Cheese was also present, whcih was good, and nuts were htere also. Can;t have a party without nuts, no way.

Since I will most likely forget most of this by tomorrow, I'll have to write oit here to forever remind me, and anyone on else on the interweb about it. Well from what I can rewmember it started opf wiuth me forming an "elite gentlemans club,", ehere we discusssed manly things such as backgammob adn sports cars. yes, most fun it was. I decided to get all chappy and drunk brandy, whih was had neat. Very nice. After this I decided to go invade the food on offer, and I subsequentl;y goprged myself silly on cheeses. Wooyay. Deciding I was in need of another drink I decided to try rum. With coke and ice, and despite my displeasyre of diluting drinks, I like it. Although everyone hated it for some unkoinw reason. I have a vereyt odd taste in drinks methinks. Shortly afterwards I was threatened with dancing. Decidin I needed more drink in me to gewt on the dance floor, I got barkeep to mic me up a Martini. Tasted like pepper, but it did the job. i was up and dancing away, and I even proclaimed that "hey Mickey" should be the theme tune of our gentlemans club. I stand by my decision. Deciding I wanted something weaker I popted for a rather pathetric smirnoff ice. Just like l;emopndae, but nice anywya. Mopre dancing if I remember correctly, followed by a Port. Best drink in the world ever, and I made sure I let everyone know tghis. After this I dont really recall in much detail what happend. What I do know for sure is I ordered a Pernod and blackcurrent at some point. Agian,. a very nice drink. I did more dancing, and finally a vodka and red bull to finsih everything off. I also had some cokes in between to stoip me from gettin absoloutley ratfaced, but idotn think it wourked very weel. Then there were more songs, which I found myself dancing to, despite what i ususlay say about dancing. Fianly everything was findshed off byt the obligatory YMCA, gresse and bohemian rhapsody. After which I cam home and decided to write this. yes.

Well thats probably not very interesting, but i like hitting buttons and seeing if a ican hit the right letters. The speeling looks pretty bad, qill be fun to read in the morning. Cant think of anything else to write now, so im going to spin around for a bit, then [roabably collpase and go to sleep. Wooyay.

Now Playing: David Bowie - Suffragette City [01:35/03:26]

I come from the Sun. No, really...

Someone really should tell these people that the sun isn't a planet...

You Are From the Sun

Of all your friends, you're the shining star. You're dramatic - loving attention and the spotlight. You're a totally entertainer and the life of the party. Watch out! The Sun can be stubborn, demanding, and flirty. Overall, you're a great leader and great friend. The very best!

What Planet Are You From?

US Presidential Election 2004 - Bush Victory

Well I thought I may as well add my thoughts on this, after being virtually glued to the news for the past 2 days. I blame my A-Level politics course.

I felt the election was pretty close, with most of the tension towards the end where the final result depended on whether Ohio called Republican or Democrat. Kerry conceaded the election when it became apparent that Bush had the lead in Ohio, although it had not yet been called what party it would favour. Even if it was true, I still think Kerry should have stuck with it until the end. Call me a fool, but I seem to get hung up a lot on matters of principal.

Now despite not actually living in America, all the way through the elction campaign I had always wanted to see a Democrat victory. Not that I feel Kerry would neccesarily be that much better than Bush, but because of what happened with Iraq, I just wanted to see Bush out of the White House. The fanatics are predicting the end of the world, saying that Bush will end up nuking everywhere. Perhaps a litte far flung, but it would be foolish to think that Bush won't continue his "war on terror" into other countries other than Iraq and Afghanistan.

Although I am dissapointed Kerry didn't win, I don't think its all that bad. 4 more years, and Bush is out no matter what thanks to the American constitution stopping people holding the presidency for more than 2 terms. And just think, we will be treated to another 4 years of Deadringers/2DTV impersonations. Which will be nice.

Related to the elction, I feel I must link to a video from Albino Blacksheep. A little late perhaps, all I can say is be prepared (or maybe not).

Now Playing: Various Artists - Living After Midnight - Judas Priest [00:04/03:30]

Got back from Wales on Thursday. Well back to lovely, sunny (may not be true) Hastings, I didnt actualy end up getting home until late Friday night. Wales was as hilly as I remembered from the past, and Aberystwyth turned out to be quite a nice place, the university looked good too. The added bonus is its miles away from anywhere, as someone once said "isolation is paramount". Damn straight.

Friday involved trekking down into the town, and to be pleasently surprised that shops actualy had copies of GTA: San Andreas in stock. The way people had been going on, I thought they would wither have sold out by lunch time, or they had all been pre-ordered or something. Apparently not. Suffice to say this game "rocks" (not literally, no matter how I have tried, standing the game case up on one side does not enable it to move in a rocking motion). At the moment I'm trying to get to grips with some difficult early missions (I suck), and the fact that the map is far bigger than anything Ive ever seen. And thats not counting the other 2/3rds that are still locked. This morning was spent rifing through the countryside on my bike, stopping at farms and gas stations brifly to set fire to things. Yep, definately a bloody excellent game. However, this unexpected purchase has left me with a little dilema, and that is shall I do my coursework like Im supposed to, or just play San An? I think we all know the answer to this question....

Tomorrow its off to London, for no real purpose. Unfortunately this does mean even more train journey's, but watching people's terrified faces as we get on the underground should prove to be priceless.

One last note, if I'm not on the internet anymore, Im busy playing GTA: SA, I'll be back once Rockstar has relinquished my soul....

Now Playing: Queen - Bicycle Race [01:05/03:03]

Where are we going again?

So tomorrow its of to Wales to visit the university in Aberystwyth. 6 hour train journey, and a 2 night stay, so if anything it should prove interesting. Most likely i'll come back absoloutley shattered, and still with a ton of coursework left to do. Oh well, I choose to get myself into all of this I suppose, although I do wonder sometimes quite why.

Anyhoo, I shall update this when I next have access to the internet. No net for at least 3 days, I think I'll probably end up going crazy. Oh wait that's already happened......

Since no one reads this (:D) I shall see none of you in a couple of days time.....

Now Playing: David Bowie - The Jean Genie [00:28/04:07]

Proving that I do occasionally manage to pry myself away from the internet, I actually went outside earlier. You know, to do stuff. Scary I know.

Now the idea of a bike ride may sound pleasant enough, and it probably would have been a nice leisurely outing. That is, of course, if it wasn't for the fact that was raining, cold and very windy. Therefore I was taught a lesson into why cycling into oncoming wind is bad, and why baggy clothing should be avoided in these circumstances, as they do have a nasty tendency of acting as an impromptu sail and blowing you of the road, and into a rather large and muddy puddle, which thankfully was narrowly avoided at the last minute.

And on the subject of road shenanigans, I get to have my first driving lesson next Wednesday. People living in the Hastings area should be afraid. Very afraid }:-)

Now Playing: Dire Straits - Heavy Fuel [01:11/05:01]

MSN Messenger Down

Since precisely somewhere around tea-time yesterday, MSN seems to have gone off for a pint or 20, and didn't bother to tell anyone when it would be back. Watching people make thread after thread on countless forums across the internet has proved to be rather amusing. MSN is down, so get over it and stop whining. Christ, you'd think people didn't have anything else to do with their time. In other IM/Interweb/geek related stuff, I have managed to lurk on IRC for at least a week now, which I'm pleased about as I've always prided myself on my lurking capabilities.

Back in the real world, the stress factor appears to have been turned up to 11.5. Pretty high, I'm sure you'll agree, especially as the scale only goes up to 10. I'm currently trying to find a driving instructor so I can, surprisingly enough, learn how drive. I always thought that my PS2 and a copy of Gran Turismo was tuition enough, but apparently not. Meh. I'm also desperately trying to find universities to go to in a couple of years time. The only place I know I want to go to for definite is Aberystwyth in Wales, which I hope to be visiting sometime at the end of October. Its getting to the point where I will just have to use a pin to chose places at random. Which come to think of it sounds like quite a sensible method of selection...

Now Playing: Various Artists - Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy [02:33/04:00]

File-Sharing

I have'nt updated in ages, but I wanted to rant a bit about this article which I found doing my usual tour of news websites.

The article refers to the recent development of British music companies seeking compensation for music files that have been illegally shared on the internet. Now this may sound fair enough, after all the general consensus with most people is that stealing is wrong. However, calling the sharing of music "theft" seems a little too harsh to me.

Music is, and should be something that is made to please those who listen to it, and for the most part this is the case. We hear songs played, say on the radio, like it, then perhaps go and buy the album. And although we have always had to pay, the prices of albums have never been as extortionist as they are today. £18 for a piece of plastic. Add together the costs of producing a CD, add on little extra as pay for the artist, and I still fail to see how a price of £18 is justified.

It is an age old expression that music should be about the music, and not about making money. And as cliche as it may have become, I still very much agree with this statement. Of course I'm not denying that artists should be rewarded for their work, far from it, but when it comes to what we have now, where people are being sued, I think its a pretty dire situation. The amount of money being lost by file sharing is minimal, compared to the money they are still making through record sales. Also take into account that file sharing does not mean that when someone has downloaded a song they are not going to buy it. Ask anyone and they will tell you that if they really like a song they have downloaded, they will go out and buy it. After all, nothing beats physically holding a new album in your hands. If anything, file sharing is a new, and since it matters so much these days, free advertising medium. And moving back to my original point, surely it should be enough satisfaction to artists that people are listening to their music, and enjoying it. After all, isn't that why they do it? According to the article, it seems not.

Pete Waterman, the hitmaker behind Kylie Minogue and Steps who was on hand for the announcement, said: “This is industry, not the National Health Service. This is music. You buy it.”

To me, that is typical of modern music. An industry. To be produced, and bought. Call me old fashioned, but isn't music an art form? A form of expression, something that can be enjoyed by everyone? It always used to be, until certain people realised that they could capitalise of the popular love of music. Thus was born the record company, and turning music from art into industry.

“There is only a relative handful of people in the music industry who ever make much money — 95 per cent of musicians out there can’t afford to buy their guitars and this kind of theft hurts them as much as anyone else.”

Okay, fair point, but this isn't new. There have been a lot of bands in the past who struggled to replace the strings on their guitars when they were starting out, but they carried on due to their sheer love of playing music. And I am fairly confident that lack of funds were not due to a slump in CD sales, considering CD's hadn't been invented in the 1970's.

Which brings us to the slump in sales. Perhaps this slump is just a result of high prices. A lot of the people buying CD's are teenagers or younger, and are not going to have a lot of money to spend on new albums. The fact that file sharing is to blame is typical of the record companies attitude - prosecute any who will cost them a few pennies, compared to the revenue they are still receiving.

I am not condoning theft, and I am not saying that all music should be free. I realise that would be lunacy, but all I am saying is that shouldn't the authorities being trying to tackle real problems, rather than prosecuting 12 year old kids?

Socialist Men Under Red Father

Two pieces of smurf related news today. Firstly I bring you shocking news that Papa Smurf has been exposed as a communist. If you don't believe me then I suggest you clicky here.

Secondly, I took the quiz, and it turns out that I am this particular smurf.




Find your inner Smurf!

Party party party!

Well now, I've not long been back from a rather slendifulous 18th birthday party. And I'm pretty sure that the fact Im online now shows that I really am criticaly internet addicted. Spelling in this post may be under par (well more than usual), but blame it on an interesting combination of drinks that were consumed by your tuly ealier this evening. My memory is laready a little hazy (although that's pretty normal for me), but I do remember a bout of energetic dancing/jumping/stumblig/falling over to a Madness song, you know the baggy trousers one. Apart from a few Queen songs, the music was the usual modern crap, but then such things are to be expected.

So yes, twas a fun evening, and I am happy that I ate my fair share of peanuts. Free food is something to never be passed up. And the cheese was also nice, but I fear I am beginning to babble so I shall stop right about......................now. More legible update possoibly coming in the morning, depending on how much like the poop I feel.

Oh, and may I also add: "Ged savo tho Quoon".

I am Gandhi

Well I'm not actually him, but this website seems to beilieve so.

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I live!

Yes, indeedy I do! I didnt go anywhere near a boat on Monday, primarily due to my fear of being keel hauled. However, I couldnt excape getting wet, and was dragged out into the water, at which point I found that jeans were not made for swimming in, and causing my legs to sink as if tied to blocks of concrete. However, much fun was had despite the sad loss of Rocky, my (newly acquired) pet rock after an unfortunate diving "incident" (read: being thrown into deep water).

School is starting tomorrow, and this has casued much moping and despair. However it will also mean that I have soemthing to do with my time, which judging by the way the summer has crawled by can only be a good thing. However, it is not a good sign that I have failed to do any work whatsoever, mainly due to me being lazy, but then thats life.

Things have returned to their usual boring self now after 5 days of activity, but I have made two discoveries. Discovery number 1 - Port tastes rather nice. Discovery number 2 - After a quick look on BT's website, it turns out that I am 2 months and 10 days away from warm glowy Broadband-ness. Let the countdown commence......