Actual news post here! (part 1)

Part 1 of an unknown number of parts.

Ok of all the news posts this is going to be the most boring, the longest and probably has the most "geek" factor.

I'm going down with a cold. How rubbish. Every time I got a cold am supprised at just how much snot comes out of your nose! I'm not all that good at my biology n all that, but really? If my body spent more time trying to get better instead of making bogies we would never get colds.

Hmm boring bits first I think, university life and work.

My University course has been progressivly getting worse as the years have gone by, as some may have gathered already. I agree with the idea that in your final year you have to do more "independant learning" but when your lectures just say "Go do a project." with no constraints or guide lines, its pushing it a bit. So I am have made up and now am working on 6 projects all at once. An interesting review of some of the DSP effects in Adobe Audition 2, which Adobe have made look very shiny. A DVD which has a 5.1 surround sound music track on it. A 2000 word report on Music Recommendation systems such as Last.fm/AudioScrobbler. An 8000 word (or equivalent with practical work) report on NINJAM, an online music collaboration project (including a poster). Another 8000 word (or euquivalent) on how to set up a home server for streaming music and finally a Flash presentation on a CD-ROM.

But once I have done all of that (and I am actually probably close to half way through now) and done 2 whole exams I have finished university!! Woooooooo! When you put it in that perspective, I deserve some time off from doing any work I think.

Shiny things I have seen lately

Its not overly a new thing (ie has been around since just before Christmas) but I found a new audio editing application that is for all you people who are currently using Audacity (you poor poor people) Reaper http://www.cockos.com/reaper/ is a fast developing and currently free multi-tracking piece of software. Not much more to say there, but even if you use something like Cubase or Logic, check it out. Its amazingly good for a 1mb download.

I don't watch a huge ammount of telly these days, despite having access to cable because there isn't really much worth watching. However, there are 3 programs that I am currently keeping tabs on. Lost (was a bit late on the uptake for that one and season 1 was just finishing on UK telly when I started) 24, now just over halfway though Day 5, its good to see that it has improved after the dip in Day 4. Lastly there is the new Prison Break, like 24 its less of a soap and more of a film in lots of parts. Its on Chanel 5 (never thought i would recommend a program on that station!) on Mondays at 10pm. Check it out, its highly addictive.

Finally and most exciting of all

I'm going to Finland! Yup, Dave is actually going to be leaving the country! A good friend of mine, Dave Skipper is getting married over there so I am getting me a passport and will be jetting over to Finland for a nice weekend! I can't wait!

Enough news for now. Tune in for more soon (maybe)