I am still not connected to the net at home so the update process is still slow. Should have dial up later today though and broadband sometime in the very near future. Then of course I will have to think of other excuses for infrquent updating.
The studio situation is close to being resolved - I have figured out a plan for a minature heavily computer based studio that will fit on the desk I have available. My XTk (details) will serve as not only a sound source but a midi controller and I will get a very small (and cheap mixer) to route signals into the computer. Once this is up I will finally finish the projects I have on the go - not least the storytellers project (edited by my friend Rick) which is getting on for being the best part of a year late (eek).
The Friends reunited website has brought all sorts of people out of the woodwork. There is a comment under another of these entries from someone who lived in my street when we where growing up. I have also been in touch with Dave who I used to run positive with. As you can see he is running another software house now. The friends reunited site is a brilliant idea. Its great being nosy at what people are up to now.
One of the more amusing things that croped up out of the blue was the whole Bert is evil thing. Best of all is the fact that he appears on real banners held by supporters of Osama Bin Laden. As time has gone by the conspiricy theorists have been hard at work. For real mind blowing overview of nearly all the theories I have seen so far check out the inimitable Richard Hoagland.
On a more serious note I have been reading a couple of excellent books recently - "No Logo" by Naomi Klein. I disagree with a lot of the sentiments of this book (of which more at another time.) however the book does provide some fascinating insights into modern capitalist society. The other book I have been reading is the brilliant Emergence by Steven Johnson. The subject matter is one that should be familiar to all computer scientists - that of how systems comprised of a simple set of components or rules generates complex and often unpredictable behaviour. What is great about this book is the way in which the author covers the concepts covering everything from ants nests to Renaissance florence and all sorts of things in between. The writing on cities is particularly good and very poetic. It has made me want to go back and read Invisible Cities.
If you are looking for interesting,entertaining and sometimes very strange things on the web you have to check out Memepool. The Daily Grail is also well worth a look too.
Posted by Mark at October 11, 2001 02:59 PM