The Major Memory Card Debacle!

I forgot to tell you about my unfortunate Memory Card debacle! What's that you say... a debacle concerning Memory cards, how come? Exactly, it should never have happened, and I'm still a bit pissed off about it! You may recall how I purchased myself a 10.1 Megapixel digital camera, just after Christmas. I took some photos. The onboard memory can store about 20 images. So far, so good. I looked at the manual and it said "This camera takes SD cards or MMC cards!" I thought, "That's great, I'll get something with decent capacity, so I'll only ever need one card. 4 GB should do it!"

I ordered a card online, MMC+, apparently backwards compatible with MMC. I put the card in the camera and it said "Memory Full". I used the "Copy Images to Card" facility, and it said "Memory Full". I took the card out, and of course the memory was still full, so I deleted all the images, then re-inserted the card. The memory was still full, so I deleted all the images from the card and the memory was still full. I took the card out again and I was back where I started.

So, I found a mate with an older camera, 7 Megapixel I believe, and tried his 2 GB SD card in my camera. It worked straight away. Just to see what would happen, I asked him to try my MMC+ card in his camera, and that bloody well worked too. I asked him if he'd like to buy my MMC+ card... and he wasn't interested. So now I'll have to get myself a 2 GB SD card just so I can use my camera, and I'm stuck with a 4 GB MMC+ card that won't operate in a brand new camera, but will in an old one. I have no idea why, but I just want to take some photos. Is that too flaming much to ask?

A Rampaging Monster!

Ah well, there weren't any new Radiohead tracks last night, and so, Ed in fact did lie to me! How could you Ed? Radiohead are also set to make an appearance on the 200th Later with Jools Holland this Friday coming (a week today in fact), but there's very little chance of them playing unheard tracks on that occasion. I make this Radiohead's 5th appearance on the show, including their 2001 special when they played a full set to a very lucky audience.

What other good stuff do we have to look forward too? Well, both myself and my son have got quite excited about this:

Cloverfield will go on general release tonight, although it doesn't come to the UK until February 1st, which is OK with me. I'll have more time then anyhow. I haven't really got in on all the hype. I saw the first trailer and that was enough for me. I don't want to know anything else about the plot until I see it. I do know there's a monster, but that's all I do know!

I quite fancy getting to a concert this year, I'd especially like to go and see Sigur Ros, but I don't think they're touring. I should go and see Radiohead at Glasgow Green, but I'll be working that day. Can't really get out of it either. Ah well, hopefully a chance to see a half-decent band will materialise in due course!

And Now... The Radiohead Takeover!

Well, last night's Radiohead in-store gig didn't come off exactly as it was intended, but at least they did play eventually after having to move to a bigger venue next door (93 Feet East), on the recommendation of the Police, as there was a huge crowd hoping to be admitted. Only 150 very lucky sods actually got in, so the rest had to freeze as I suggested they might, yesterday.

That's not the end of it though. I'm typing this hurriedly, because Radiohead are about to "takeover" the Zane Lowe show on Radio 1, and I want to hear it on the off chance they might play a new song. I had hoped they would play one last night, but they didn't. Anyhow, Ed suggested last week, that there'd be a new song played this week, so I'm thinking that it would have to be tonight. or else Ed has lied to me.

I thought I was going to be ill yesterday. My guts were churning all day, but it never came to anything thank goodness. Being in school with all those kids, you'd think illness was inevitable, but I try to stay welll back from the ones that are obviously ill. Which is OK until they ask for asssistance, in which case I have to put myself right in the line of fire. It wouldn't be so bad if I was getting paid!

Radiohead In-Store Webcast Tonight!

Yay, good times to be a Radiohead fan. First it was the unexpected album download, followed by a boxset with an additional CD. Then they did the Thumbs Down webcast, playing Smiths, New Order and Bjork covers. For New Year they did the Scotch Mist webcast, playing all the tracks from the new album. At 8 pm tonight (GMT), they're going to be playing a free in-store gig at Rough Trade East in London, which will be simultaneously webcast. Delightful!

What to expect? Well, we know they've been rehearsing a Siouxie and the Banshees cover, and last week Ed let the cat out of the bag when he said that they'd been rehearsing new tracks as well, including one which was particularly brilliant, that they wanted to play the following week. Play it tonight!!!

By the time I publish this post there will only be an hour until it starts. Some people have been queuing all day long to get in, and to be honest who can blame them. It's a very rare opportunity to see a band of Radiohead's calibre in such an intimate setting. Those who can't get in however, will have the opportunity to stand outside in the freezing cold and watch it on screens there. Good luck if that happens to be you, it's not warm tonight!

Inward Looking Outlaw!

One of these days I'm going to write a book, and it will be a proper book with a start, middle and end. A proper ending, one where all the sub-plots are resolved, you know like in Martin Chuzzlewit. Clearly the finest piece of writing Dickens ever committed to paper!

Do I have any ideas? You bet I have. I've had a bunch of notes written more than 10 years ago, lying gathering dust, all set to be brought to life in the tale of a Highland outlaw that makes Rob Roy look tame. What's more, it's a true story with lots of dramatic twists and turns and a rather surprising ending. I don't want to give too much away, you might steal my idea.

I could have other ideas for a story I suppose. I have toyed with writing a work of complete fiction, but the areas of fiction which I like are fairly well trodden already I'm afraid. I quite like the idea of a Sci-Fi story, there's so much freedom to take it where you want to go, but it would have to be something really wild to amuse my brain. Modern Science Fiction doesn't have the same punch as the tales Sci-Fi authors of the 60's were mass producing. I suppose, that since Space Exploration was taking place then, authors were inspired by that. Now there's very little truly inspiring in the World, worth writing about. It's a shame, we've become so inwards looking, that we've sort of abandoned the idea that anything exciting could exist out there!

The Icing On the Cake!

Better buy yourself a pair of wellies fast, judging by what I'm reading on the ice melting news front. Not only are the Greenland glaciers calving icebergs faster than ever, but apparently scientists have just realised, that the Antarctic ice-shelves which they thought weren't seeing much action, have melted away by 60 billion tonnes last year. So, they thought it wasn't too bad, but actually it is! That invariably means that sea-levels are bound to rise, soon, and by a lot. For the majority of the World's population, who just happen to live in low-lying coastal areas, that could spell wet feet I'm afraid.

Not that I'm too far above sea-level myself, but far enough to get my ass the hell out of here on time. If it waves I'l say goodbye. I know that "The Day After Tomorrow" sort of covered it, but I suspect that we're due a few more films of that sort, just to remind us how the planet intends to get back at us for using cars and sometimes leaving a light on when we go out!

I don't believe that shit for a minute. It's heavy industry that's mainly responsible for pollution, but they contribute more to the economy than you do, so why should they take the blame. They're flushing the World down the pan, while Governments feably protest on their behalf that it's the public that should hold themselves accountable. Who's to say that it's not just a natural phenomena anyhow? Maybe the ice was due to melt around now, and it was going to happen come what may. I've got no problem with it. Shit happens, you learn from it and you move on!

Satellites Come Crashing Down!

Today I have mainly been trying to install a new satellite dish. It was in a box when I received it, so first I had to assemble the component parts. That was reasonably easy. Next, I had to take my old dish down, that was relatively difficult as it's 12 feet up, so I sent for a man with a ladder (dad) and proceeded to remove it. He decided that the cable was worse for wear, so we ripped that out too.

Now to put up the new dish... wait the holes in the wall for the old dish don't line up with the plate fixings for the new dish. So my father drilled a few new holes. But he used too large a drill-bit and the bolts wouldn't take hold. So now the whole operation has been put back till tomorrow, when I won't be here. So he'll be doing it all on his own. I dread to think what I'll come home too.

On the insomnia side of things, my sleep patterns seem to have returned to a reasonably regular type. I've definitely been sleeping a lot better the last 2 or 3 nights. I probably need to take up hill walking or something so I can get some good fresh air. I'm sure the exercise would help too, if it doesn't kill me first. Yes, I definitely need to take up an outdoor pursuit, especially once I find myself indoors all week long. That day isn't that far off I suppose (already happening intermittently), and I do like a spot of fresh air, as opposed to air-con!

Drop the Camera and Run!

Hey, I don't know if this is real, but even if it isn't, then well done to whoever faked it! It would be natural to assume that it's faked, because let's face it, if you saw something like this happening, you'd literally shit yourself, drop the camera and run for your life. But, the intrinsic idea, I like very much, that someone just might find themselves where they're in a position to capture something unbelieveable on film, and that no-one would believe it was real.

We all know that U.S airforce bases are probably communicating with aliens anyhow, testing out alien technology recovered from crash sites and especially seeing if they can get a leading edge on military technology design using technology probably designed for the most peaceful of purposes. That's why we as a human race would be deeply supicious of alien contact. We'd wonder seriously if they planned to attack us, because, more than likely, we' do it to them given half a chance.

Empty Head Section!

Yes it is quite comical if you're a Web developer, but I'm not sure I'd go this far, and I wonder if he has "/body" on the back of his heel. Or even if he has "head" in the middle of his scalp, because that in particular would require some pain, I'm certain (blogger won't let me show HTML tags... bah). Still, some people are proud of their geekdom, like this graffiti artist for instance:

I would like to think that this is from the wall of a public toilet, but probably not. The plain fact is that everyone is a nerd of some sort, whether your thing is computers, films, books, music, sport, television, there is going to be something you're nerdy about. Make no mistake, it's written in your DNA.

Tonight I have what we in Scotland call a "Do". That is to say, I'm going to a "Do". What the hell am I talking about? Simply put, a special event of any description. Preferably one where drink flows freely. Not that I'll be drinking, no no, not I, I have a leading role in this event, so am required to have my wits about me. Why don't I just tell you what it is? Well, where's the mystery in that?

This Is A Sterile Area! Please Wash Your Hands!

I managed to get some sleep last night, not as much as I'd have liked, but I got some. I know I did because I woke up remembering something I'd dreamt. I had a really busy day yesterday, so if I hadn't slept, it would have made today difficult, that's for sure. Still waiting to hear back from the University regarding how I did in my assessment. I'd have liked to spend more time on it, but there simply wasn't any time. One week was all we had really. I'm sure Ill do alright mind you. I'd be very unpleasantly surprised if I haven't.

Network problems still abound at the school. It has made things harder than they should be, but we're getting through it reasonably well. Today we were building pc's, so they enjoyed that, and there are more to be made tomorrow. It makes a nice change. It's been a while since I put a pc together, but let's face it, it's not that difficult is it?

One of my major concerns is just how exactly I'm going to get through these four weeks without catching something. Contagion is rampant among the pupils, with many of them spluttering and coughing. A quarantined area needs to be set up for those afflicted (joke). Even worse is the Winter sickness bug. Scary stuff! I know why they're in school though. Both parents working, no where else to go. A parent will take a day off for their child, but they can't spare more than that, so the sickly child must return to school posthaste. That's just a fact of modern living isn't it? In fact, more than likely, the parent is "the parent" as opposed to one of the parents! C'est la vie!