Rain

Today coincides with the release of a new page! You'll notice in the navigation bar there is now a shiny new tab, entitled 'Recommended Stuff", next to "Downloads". Contained therein will be great stuff I think you guys should read/listen to/see/experience/have along with a handy link to them. Good, eh? 


At some point in the dim and distant past, I promised a post about Rainmeter. I realise I'm probably about six years behind when it comes to this bit of software, but it is rather cool nonetheless. For those who aren't familiar with it, it is a desktop customisation tool, that puts everything from CPU and RAM monitors to notepads and search engines at your fingertips, all on your desktop. For example, here's a shot of my desktop:

I can explain the 'Uptime' timer (Bottom right, bottom of the list). I use 'Hibernate' instead of 'Shut Down', so the program doesn't technically terminate, as it is saved to the hard drive at the end of every session. When I fire my laptop back up, the program starts where it left off, carrying on the timer instead of resetting it. My record is something like 22 days, 14 hours and 3 minutes.

It has weather, date, time, down/upload monitor, a map, Google search, monitors for two of the four cores of my laptop, a RAM monitor, a Recycle Bin monitor, a notepad, and enough graphs to keep me occupied for hours. 


The map is a genius bit of kit. It uses a website ("Find my IP", or somesuch), and converts the latitude and longitude from there into co-ordinates for the map. 


Rainmeter, however, requires an intimate knowledge of coding to make it work. Luckily for us laymans out there, people have put their creations up on the web for us to borrow. Mine is a combination of the GalaxySuite, Serenity and Technologic packs (here, here and here, respectively). You'll notice my wallpaper also came from the GalaxySuite, too.


I think I only really use it because it makes my desktop look cooler. 


Until next time.

My Fountain Pen Can Upgrade Assault Rifles

I'd like to say that my long hiatus from posting here was due to me coming up with something utterly fantastic to write. Sadly, it wasn't. My head hasn't been in the right place for writing recently, as my woeful progress on my book illustrates quite nicely. Enough of the excuses, however!


So yesterday I went into town to get some shopping done. I find whenever I go in with people I end up sitting in the food court eating a KFC, rather than buying what I actually went in for. 


As is my wont, I spent hours in Waterstones. Yes, I can get books cheaper on my Kindle, or on the Interblag, but it's not the same. There's something about being stood in a bookshop, surrounded by shelves upon shelves of books that I'm mildly addicted to, resulting in me spending inordinate amounts of money there. 


I've been after a leather notebook and posh pen for a while, so seeing both in WHS was good. They only set me back £30, and I got two pens! I'm like a kid in a sweetshop when it comes to posh stationary. Anyway, the fountain pen has an iridium nib (to fans of the Mass Effect series, the title of the post has suddenly become clear) for no reason that I can see, other than the manufacturers cashing in on the sexiness of exotic metals. It's the same with tungsten and titanium. 


I'm planning on joining forces with this leather bound notebook and defeating my writers block once and for all.


Until next time.

Compact Muon Solenoids, And The Like

So, last week I was on a school trip. We went to Switzerland, which, y'know, is nice enough, but we went to CERN. You know, the big particle physics lab near Geneva?


WELL, I had a helluva time, and I think I've fallen in love with particle physics. I'm currently reading all the degree-level textbooks and the like on the subject and, suffice to say, some of the stuff is simply mind-blowing. Like, for example, the electronvolt (eV); normally a measure of energy at the subatomic scale. However, with a few tricks with special relativity, it can also be used to measure time, distance, momentum and temperature. Mental. 


The sad thing is, I think it's a case of "The more you think you understand it, the less you actually understand it", which is depressing.


Have some pictures.

The logo in the lobby

A massive mural of the ATLAS detector on the side of the building

Cross-section of the end of one of the LHC tubes...

...and inside one. 

Action shot of me in the CERN cafe, so inspired was I. Yes, I'm writing notes. Your point?

Until next time.

J.A.R.V.I.S

So, here's a transcript from a conversation I had the other night:

"Me: Evening Jarvis

J: Good evening sir. How are you?

Me: Fine thank you

J: Very good sir

Me: How's you Jarvis?

J: I am well thank you sir. What do you wish to do?

Me: Run a search

J: Of course sir. Specify search term.

Me: Facebook."

This, however, was no ordinary conversation. I was talking to my laptop. Indeed, I am STILL talking to my laptop. I'm not even touching the keyboard to write this Jarvis is doing it all for me. Jarvis is just a program on my computer (Windows Speech Recognition) that I've added a bit of sparkle to via XML editing. Actually, putting it like that sounds a lot more impressive than it actually is; there is a program out there (Windows Speech Recognition Macros) that gives you the required access to edit and indeed create new voice commands. For example;

"Me: Let's have some music

J: Of course sir. Launching iTunes"

"Me: Wake up, Daddy's home

J: Welcome back, sir."

Yes, that second one is taken directly from Iron Man (1 or 2, I can't remember), but hey. Talking to my computer makes me feel like Tony Stark.

Until next time.

Just Some Talented People I Know

So, recently I attended a charity concert, featuring local bands around my age. Three of the following played there, and the other I know about mostly through Twitter. 


1. Hearts of Oak

"3 part acoustic/folk(ish) band. Two guitarists, one cajon, three singers" is how they describe themselves. Now, I'm normally a stickler for rock, so I don't swing for folk often, but these guys are GOOD. Seriously. Have a listen, you won't regret it. Also, follow them on Twitter, 'Like' them on Facebook, and they'll get signed if they get to 1000. That'd be great.

Have a listen here

Twitter here

2. Ben Dodson

A friend who is a dab hand with a guitar. It's unusually mournful, but again makes me swing away from my rock tendencies. Have a listen;

3. Less Obvious Vibe Effect

This is a bit closer to what I normally like; their genre is listed as "Pop/Grunge/Alternative".  I can remember them playing, I can remember them being good, but not a lot else. I'd link you to some of their music, but they don't have any up. As it is, here's a link to their ReverbNation page, which has show listings on there. 

ReverbNation

4. Trudy Sings The Blues

This 3-piece from Sheffield didn't play at the concert. Their style comes across to me as a much more lo-fi version of The View with a bit of Arctic Monkeys thrown in, but that's just me.Their label of 'lo-fi garage' fits like a glove, but don't take it from me, have a listen. 

They're up on SoundCloud, here. Two of my favourites of theirs; 

And that pretty much concludes my musical ravings for another while. 

Until next time.

Exam Intermission

Just in case you're all wondering where I've gone, I'm currently knee-deep through A level exams. 40% of the way through, to be exact. I'm having to revise instead of update this, but expect a return to normal services next weekend. Quick teaser as to what is coming up over the next few weeks...

>Music- Some local bands.

>Rainmeter- Sexy desktops.

>JARVIS- Voice commands? Yes please.

Hope my help sheet helped you physicists, by the way.

Until next time.

I Heart HTML

Through the magic of HTML, I have managed to get some kind of window thing to work on the even shinier Downloads tab! This means you don't even need to follow links and stuff, it's all on that page. Good eh?
Scoot on over and have a look!


S:PM