Those clever folks at Commoncraft.org have put together a nice guide to surviving zombie attacks in plain english. Learn and live :)
25.10.07
Updating: Playing with Spokentext.net
I posted the other day about a nifty text-to-speech tool I've been using over at Spokentext.net and mentioned/whinged/whatever about having to use two separate sites to actually embed the audio file it produced in the blog. (Created the file on Spokentext and then hosted it over at Odeo)
The creator of the software commented and pointed out that you can actually embed directly and here's the proof
Hmm, um, actually, that doesn't seem to work.
Here's a hacked version though - just using html/flash embedding rather than javascript (all thanks to our local web/script guru Len, I'm a little noobish at this myself to be honest)
As you can see, this is definitely a tool with potential.
24.10.07
Loving: Hawkey's sledge of Howard
With K-Rudd playing the sensible (but boring and perhaps wussy) political game and doing the whole small target, wedge dodging, hubris avoiding thing, he's been a little slack in coming out and giving our Prime Miniature a good serve.
Fortunately we have ex-PMs to come out and do that for us and Bob Hawke has delivered a beauty in an interview on Sky News.
Here are the first few paragraphs from the story in the Age, read the whole thing here, it's great.
What's that leetspeek term? Oh yeah
PWNED!!!
Fortunately we have ex-PMs to come out and do that for us and Bob Hawke has delivered a beauty in an interview on Sky News.
Here are the first few paragraphs from the story in the Age, read the whole thing here, it's great.
John Howard "buggered up" Australia's economy when he was treasurer and Labor had to fix it, former prime minister Bob Hawke said today.
Mr Hawke branded the current prime minister the worst economic manager in Australian history, pointing to Mr Howard's time as treasurer in the Fraser government.
During that period, he said, unemployment reached 11 per cent, inflation 11 per cent and the budget deficit $9.6 billion - or $40 billion in today's terms.
"The fact is, if you look at the question of economic management, the worst economic manager that this country's had since federation was John Howard," Mr Hawke told Sky News.
"The day after I got elected on March 5 (1983) I had John Stone, the secretary of the Treasury in, and he gave me a written report in which he said the budget deficit which I was inheriting ... was the worst performance of any developed economy in the post-war period.
"That absolutely buggered the Australian economy. And we had to fix it, and we did."
What's that leetspeek term? Oh yeah
PWNED!!!
Interested in: Fido the movie
This one looks like it could either work well or just miss the mark - it's another zombie comedy (zom-com if you prefer) which features domesticated zombies which at some point go wild.
This picks up nicely from the idea touched on at the end of Shaun of the Dead and interestingly comes back to the origins of zombie mythology, which is zombies as slaves. (In Haiti, it wasn't zombies per se that the locals were afraid of - as the whole flesh eating thing isn't part of zombie lore there - but of actually becoming a zombie and having to keep working beyond death)
Best of all though, it stars the guy who played the paedophile dad in Happiness
This picks up nicely from the idea touched on at the end of Shaun of the Dead and interestingly comes back to the origins of zombie mythology, which is zombies as slaves. (In Haiti, it wasn't zombies per se that the locals were afraid of - as the whole flesh eating thing isn't part of zombie lore there - but of actually becoming a zombie and having to keep working beyond death)
Best of all though, it stars the guy who played the paedophile dad in Happiness
23.10.07
Playing: with SpokenText.net
I've been having a look (or a listen rather) to a nifty website that allows you to convert text from a range of sources (documents, text files, pdfs, web sites) into speech.
It has that slightly clunky, overly literal quality to reading that you know and love from text-to-speech converters (might try to keep this in mind if I ever make a movie about evil robots - or good ones for that matter)
Check it out at http://www.spokentext.net
Here's a recording from my bday blog post yesterday. (I like how it thinks that col is short for colonel)
powered by ODEO
Now I won't be offended if no-one listens to this one (as it's something like 40 mins long) but this is a listing of all the tags I've used on posts in the last year or so. It has a slightly hypnotic quality, might be an interesting background sound.
powered by ODEO
It would be great if you didn't have to go through two separate sites to embed this in a site but I'm sure that one day it'll all come together.
It has that slightly clunky, overly literal quality to reading that you know and love from text-to-speech converters (might try to keep this in mind if I ever make a movie about evil robots - or good ones for that matter)
Check it out at http://www.spokentext.net
Here's a recording from my bday blog post yesterday. (I like how it thinks that col is short for colonel)
powered by ODEO
Now I won't be offended if no-one listens to this one (as it's something like 40 mins long) but this is a listing of all the tags I've used on posts in the last year or so. It has a slightly hypnotic quality, might be an interesting background sound.
powered by ODEO
It would be great if you didn't have to go through two separate sites to embed this in a site but I'm sure that one day it'll all come together.
Watching: Skynet's slow birth
I've banged on about the slow rise of killer robots before - in that slightly mad conspiracist/apocalypsist way I do - but every once in a while a news story pops up that suggests that a Terminator-like future dominated by the buggers is coming one step closer.
This story from Wired is just the latest - nine South African soldiers were killed and fourteen wounded when a robot cannon "malfunctioned" during a test last week. (Or was it just feeling a little emo?)
Think I might just brush up on this book again :)
This story from Wired is just the latest - nine South African soldiers were killed and fourteen wounded when a robot cannon "malfunctioned" during a test last week. (Or was it just feeling a little emo?)
The anti-aircraft weapon, an Oerlikon GDF-005, is designed to use passive and active radar, as well as laser range finders, to lock on to "high-speed, low-flying aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and cruise missiles." In "automatic mode," the weapon feeds targeting data from the fire control unit straight to the pair of 35mm guns, and reloads on its own when its emptied its magazine.
Think I might just brush up on this book again :)
22.10.07
Enjoying : Birthday week
Those who know me might be aware of my theory that a single day is clearly not long enough to really celebrate another year of existence and it's a much better proposition to milk it by stretching it out to a week. This doesn't have to be entirely over the top (but it doesn't hurt :) but I think it's something that everyone should be entitled to do.
The balancing side (in theory at least) is that during the rest of the year this frees you to focus a little more on the needs of others. Obviously this is by no means a foolproof system but I think the principle is worthwhile, given that our consumerist culture seems to increasingly give us the message that it's everyone for themselves.
Personally I blame John Howard and his love for the Thatcherist philosophy that there is no society, just competing individuals. (Of course, I tend to blame J-Ho for a lot of things because, well, he sucks :)
Anyway, so far, bday week has been a good one. (Bday week, by the way, starts whenever the bday person chooses - but obviously the actual bday needs to fall inside it at some point).
The leadup has been great - very funny 90 minutes of Howard-bashing humour from Rod Quantock on Friday night (though he didn't mind sticking a couple of jabs to card-table lefties and even Margaret Whitlam). Finally got around to seeing The Simpsons movie on Saturday (after a solid and productive day of study work) and then the official beginning of the week last night with a very nice dinner in the schmicko revolving restaurant on Black Mountain tower. (With extensive views over the city lights of - uh - Canberra).
Woke this morning to hear that J-Ho got rather pwned in the election debate last night - the audio clips on the radio certainly showed this to be the case (although he's lost the last few debates so I guess that doesn't say too much) and then got a couple of super prezzies from the PC including a voucher for a tandem hang-gliding lesson. (Hang gliding has been one of my life aspirations for a long time)
Add to this the radio play version of OK Computer that I discovered yesterday (check the other post today for more info) and another solid days study work yesterday as well as some glorious sunny weather and I'm pretty durned happy.
All in all, life is pretty bloody good.
(cake image not actually mine, borrowed from uwhisper on Flickr)
Playing: Birthday tracks on the radio
Excuse me if this gets a little self indulgent - I try to spend most of the year following the advice of the late great John Peel when it comes to programming this radio show - play some tracks you know they'll like and some you think they'll like.
Ultimately though I guess it's going to be about the music that the presenter (i.e me) likes/loves and wants to share.
Anyway, what with today being my birthday - part of the greater festival known as Birthday week which was launched in fine fashion last night by the PC with a nice dinner in the fancy revolving restaurant atop Black Mountain here in the Can' - this is a selection of tracks that have had some personal meaning over the last year (and beyond)
Jolene Dolly Parton The Very Best Of 2:41
This is probably my fave Dolly song - and the PC is a bit of a Dolly fan so I usually like to include a song or two in each show for her.
Better Go Home Now Dirty Three Dirty Three 3:42
It was only a little while ago that I realised that the version of this album that I had was a mispressing which had the right label but actually contained the Sad & Dangerous album songs. This is a beauty and this track is another fave.
Unguarded Moment The Church El Momento Descuidado 3:35
Beautiful song from an album that I'm constantly struggling to pronounce correctly
I-94 Radio Birdman The Essential Radio Birdman (74-78) 3:36
One of my all-time fave bands and this song gets me in particular - I suspect it's got something to do with the somewhat surreal chorus - Eskimo Pie, comin' for you - ahhh yeah. I remember ads for eskimo pies (some kind of icecream bar) as a kid but never had one.
Our Sunshine Ground Components An Eye For A Brow. A Tooth For A Pick. 4:39
These guys put in a great show at Golden Plains earlier this year and add to this an early fascination with Ned Kelly (subject of the song) and the fact that it was originally a Paul Kelly song (another hero) and it's nigh on impossible to go past.
You turn me on I'm a radio Joni Mitchell Hits 2:39
There's a great line in this that I really connect to - "don't like weak women, you get bored so quick and you don't like strong women cos they're hip to your tricks" - although I actually do like strong women for exactly this reason. Joni is also another PC fave.
Hallelujah Custard Goodbye Cruel World Bonus Disc 4:58
Nice and underrated version of a fantastic Leonard Cohen song that has been covered by pretty well anyone who can sing.
okComputerRadioplayAirbag BBC Radio 4 BBC website 3:12
This is actually something that I discovered only last night - it's available online until Friday on the BBC website and is a radio play that some very cool people put together which is based on the seminal Radiohead album OK Computer. (To mark the albums 10th anniversary).
This particular segment reflects the Airbag track and is just phenomenal - goosebumps stuff as the GPS woman helps the hero of a story through a car-crash he's just had.
Airbag Radiohead Ok Computer 4:44
And here's the original track, just to put it into context.
No Pussy Blues Grinderman Grinderman 4:20
The last few Nick Cave albums (while all pretty well masterpieces) have lacked a certain something in the growly rock department - I was pretty excited earlier in the year to find that this is back in the stuff from the side-project band.
Pop Star Girl Tom Woodward 32-20 Blues 3:53
One of my favourite local discoveries of the last year or so - somehow keep missing him live but will keep trying.
Blue Guitar Fred Smith Bagarap Empires 5:29
Another local fave - this guy embodies all of the positives of the Canberra music scene with intelligent content and quality technique as well as a certain local quirkiness.
New Day Of The Dead Beasts Of Bourbon Little Animals 5:17
Well I'm wearing the Beasts tour tshirt as I type this and still rate their recent show as one of my best rock experiences yet so there had to be some song and this one also has the slightly Drones-ish quality that I've been enjoying of late.
The Man Who Sold The World Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York 4:20
Kurt meets Bowie - it's a gimme
Myth Takes (Acouth Take) !!! Myth Takes (Bonus Disc) 2:14
Thought these guys were ok at Golden Plains earlier in the year but was perhaps a little too "tired" to really appreciate them, listening to the album since then has raised my estimation of them.
Let's Roll 'Em Vanlustbäder The People Versus Vanlustbader 3:33
Keep meaning to listen to these guys a little more as every time a track pops up at random on the ipod I'm always impressed - on my to-do list. (I think I'm also trying to make sure I don't live too much in the rock past as I get older)
How Does It Feel The Zutons Tired of Hangin' Around 3:49
My ipod seems to like these guys a lot as they pop up quite regularly when it's on shuffle - and who am I to argue.
Roscoe Midlake The Trials Of Van Occupanther 4:49
The rest of this album leaves me a little meh - I mean it's pretty good but perhaps a little same-same but there's something about this track that just seems to push all the right buttons.
I Was Made For Lovin' You Kiss The Very Best Of Kiss 4:31
This is perhaps a little indulgent, I remember the days in primary school when Kiss was massive and I've had a soft spot for them ever since. They are so cheesy but put on such a damn fine show.
Idea of Fun The Stooges The Weirdness 3:17
When I finally get off my arse and build a proper FPS game, I think I'll use this as the soundtrack to some kind of walkthrough video. It's a classic, slightly obnoxious and confronting Stooges track.
Ultimately though I guess it's going to be about the music that the presenter (i.e me) likes/loves and wants to share.
Anyway, what with today being my birthday - part of the greater festival known as Birthday week which was launched in fine fashion last night by the PC with a nice dinner in the fancy revolving restaurant atop Black Mountain here in the Can' - this is a selection of tracks that have had some personal meaning over the last year (and beyond)
Jolene Dolly Parton The Very Best Of 2:41
This is probably my fave Dolly song - and the PC is a bit of a Dolly fan so I usually like to include a song or two in each show for her.
Better Go Home Now Dirty Three Dirty Three 3:42
It was only a little while ago that I realised that the version of this album that I had was a mispressing which had the right label but actually contained the Sad & Dangerous album songs. This is a beauty and this track is another fave.
Unguarded Moment The Church El Momento Descuidado 3:35
Beautiful song from an album that I'm constantly struggling to pronounce correctly
I-94 Radio Birdman The Essential Radio Birdman (74-78) 3:36
One of my all-time fave bands and this song gets me in particular - I suspect it's got something to do with the somewhat surreal chorus - Eskimo Pie, comin' for you - ahhh yeah. I remember ads for eskimo pies (some kind of icecream bar) as a kid but never had one.
Our Sunshine Ground Components An Eye For A Brow. A Tooth For A Pick. 4:39
These guys put in a great show at Golden Plains earlier this year and add to this an early fascination with Ned Kelly (subject of the song) and the fact that it was originally a Paul Kelly song (another hero) and it's nigh on impossible to go past.
You turn me on I'm a radio Joni Mitchell Hits 2:39
There's a great line in this that I really connect to - "don't like weak women, you get bored so quick and you don't like strong women cos they're hip to your tricks" - although I actually do like strong women for exactly this reason. Joni is also another PC fave.
Hallelujah Custard Goodbye Cruel World Bonus Disc 4:58
Nice and underrated version of a fantastic Leonard Cohen song that has been covered by pretty well anyone who can sing.
okComputerRadioplayAirbag BBC Radio 4 BBC website 3:12
This is actually something that I discovered only last night - it's available online until Friday on the BBC website and is a radio play that some very cool people put together which is based on the seminal Radiohead album OK Computer. (To mark the albums 10th anniversary).
This particular segment reflects the Airbag track and is just phenomenal - goosebumps stuff as the GPS woman helps the hero of a story through a car-crash he's just had.
Airbag Radiohead Ok Computer 4:44
And here's the original track, just to put it into context.
No Pussy Blues Grinderman Grinderman 4:20
The last few Nick Cave albums (while all pretty well masterpieces) have lacked a certain something in the growly rock department - I was pretty excited earlier in the year to find that this is back in the stuff from the side-project band.
Pop Star Girl Tom Woodward 32-20 Blues 3:53
One of my favourite local discoveries of the last year or so - somehow keep missing him live but will keep trying.
Blue Guitar Fred Smith Bagarap Empires 5:29
Another local fave - this guy embodies all of the positives of the Canberra music scene with intelligent content and quality technique as well as a certain local quirkiness.
New Day Of The Dead Beasts Of Bourbon Little Animals 5:17
Well I'm wearing the Beasts tour tshirt as I type this and still rate their recent show as one of my best rock experiences yet so there had to be some song and this one also has the slightly Drones-ish quality that I've been enjoying of late.
The Man Who Sold The World Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York 4:20
Kurt meets Bowie - it's a gimme
Myth Takes (Acouth Take) !!! Myth Takes (Bonus Disc) 2:14
Thought these guys were ok at Golden Plains earlier in the year but was perhaps a little too "tired" to really appreciate them, listening to the album since then has raised my estimation of them.
Let's Roll 'Em Vanlustbäder The People Versus Vanlustbader 3:33
Keep meaning to listen to these guys a little more as every time a track pops up at random on the ipod I'm always impressed - on my to-do list. (I think I'm also trying to make sure I don't live too much in the rock past as I get older)
How Does It Feel The Zutons Tired of Hangin' Around 3:49
My ipod seems to like these guys a lot as they pop up quite regularly when it's on shuffle - and who am I to argue.
Roscoe Midlake The Trials Of Van Occupanther 4:49
The rest of this album leaves me a little meh - I mean it's pretty good but perhaps a little same-same but there's something about this track that just seems to push all the right buttons.
I Was Made For Lovin' You Kiss The Very Best Of Kiss 4:31
This is perhaps a little indulgent, I remember the days in primary school when Kiss was massive and I've had a soft spot for them ever since. They are so cheesy but put on such a damn fine show.
Idea of Fun The Stooges The Weirdness 3:17
When I finally get off my arse and build a proper FPS game, I think I'll use this as the soundtrack to some kind of walkthrough video. It's a classic, slightly obnoxious and confronting Stooges track.
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