Kat's Big Adventure

ignoring thesis writing

2008-07-23T16:31:24Z

I did this ages ago and just noticed all the images have gone. Here's a new improved version, no changing images, just the first thing that appeared:

Create your own! Hosted and ReWritten by darkman424

demon_cock @ 2007-09-25T16:07:00

2007-09-25T15:11:32Z

took me about an hour, but managed to get my car insurance for the next year from £660 for 10 months (paid off per month) to £445 for 12 months (paid off all in one go)

Not a bad saving since I stayed with the same insurance provider, just wish I hadn't spent ages messing around with endsleigh (web quote wasn't too bad, but went on the phone to put in little extras like my immobiliser/alarm and it ended up costing MORE!)

it was only a matter of time I suppose...

2007-07-20T10:22:25Z

DONKEY PUNCH (advised cert 18)

Running Time 1hr 33mins approx.

Donkey Punch is an intense, real-world shocker with a classic simplicity: a tight group of young people trapped in a single location. No escape, no rescue, can they trust each other long enough to survive? It fuses intense, surgical, concept-driven storytelling with Byzantine mindgames and power plays. It has the feeling of being inspired by true events, and perhaps should be. Donkey Punch is about how a single mistake generates devastating consequences. How split-second decisions lead characters down relentless paths of action that can never be reversed. It is about risk, chance and the games people play for their own survival. It is about the fine line that separates eroticism from aggression. It is about devastating dynamics inside a community of people isolated and alone. And throughout everything It is about very attractive young people doing terrible things to each other in sun-drenched luxury.

And I thought the porn film was going to come out in the cinema... It does make me wonder how much detail they're going to go into explaining the title...

demon_cock @ 2007-06-25T14:31:00

2007-06-25T13:33:23Z

It's worrying how many roads out of Sheffield are blocked today. They include my "safe route" the one that I take when the weather's bad and I don't want to risk going on Snake Pass.

Hmmmm....

Perhaps spending the night in the office tonight :(

On the bright side, Mike probably won't be able to get home either, so we can be stranded together!

demon_cock @ 2007-05-23T13:59:00

2007-05-23T13:04:21Z

Ever wondered which would win between a herd of water buffalo, a pride of lions and a couple of crocodiles? I know I have. In fact, sometimes I just stay awake at night, staring at the ceiling and thinking about it. Well, no more sleepless nights for me!

(unfortunately a long video with some stupid americans talking all the stupid way through. Turn the sound down unless you want to hear a woman go "oh no, the poor thing" about 50 times. You're on a safari! What the hell did you expect to see?)

Ooooh, and stare at the plus! Stare at the plus!!

demon_cock @ 2007-03-23T11:35:00

2007-03-23T11:38:52Z

At the London launch everyone who bought a PS3 also received a free 46-inch HD television and a taxi home.

Well... that's one way of getting people to buy it, but a £2800 loss per console is a bit silly.

You'll buy your customers yet, Sony!

demon_cock @ 2007-02-16T23:00:00

2007-02-16T23:15:21Z

My computer assplode today :(

thankyous go to dave for helping me realise what the problem was, so instead of me checking prices of new computers or new motherboards, I'm just looking for a graphics card.

And I've just found one on ebay for a quid. Hope the price doesn't go up :)

demon_cock @ 2007-02-06T14:32:00

2007-02-06T14:52:16Z

So, things going a little rubbish as far as technology is concerned, I bought a cool car kit for my pda/phone, then the day I put it in my car the phone's mic and speaker both die, or so it seems in any case. Handsfree still works, but no noises apart from that. Copied the pim file across to my sd card so I'd still be able to use the phonebook when I transferred back to my old (seemingly massive) phone, but it's a different version of windows mobile OS so it's incompatible :( Checked t-mobile's website and it was down for maintenance! Bastards, maintaining shit. Tried flashing the firmware from t-mobile's (less easily found) tech website, but to no avail.

Add to that the fact that my wireless keyboard & mouse combo is interfering with my freeview signal (and my computer is right next to the tv) and taking my car into the garage and finding out they did everything apart from the tasks I wanted them to do (making it the second time they've "forgotten" to replace my fan belt and the fourth time I've tried to get my fan belt replaced at different garages), and I was a bit annoyed last night. Even after my glorious victory over excel, when I learned how to use =AVERAGE(OFFSET(C$7,(ROW()-ROW(D$7))*10,,10,)) to do a moving average with a period of ten rows, I was still not satisfied. Perhaps this was because it had taken me five fucking hours of searching through internet forums (yes, people actually talk about how to use excel better... these people actually seem to enjoy using it!) looking for a technique to which I did not know the name, and I left the office at 7pm.

But, today is another day, and excel mastery of yesterday allowed data analysis to forge ahead! And phoning t-mobile put me promptly through to someone who not only believed everything I told him, after me realising I need the serial from the back of my handset (bugger, left it at home) said he'd phone me back at 9pm tonight so I can make sure I've had chance to get home!

He = awesome

And now back to data analysis. Think I might write something in my thesis about the similarities between executive control of the brain and car ECUs, just because it seems like a cool analogy.

--UPDATE--

He rang me up at nine on the fucking dot. Wow, he earned me remembering his name at least. They'll send me a packet for my phone and then will fix it and send it back. Still, it's out of action for a week or so at least :( time to try and reregister this old phone for my wireless and GPRS...

demon_cock @ 2006-12-22T13:07:00

2006-12-22T13:15:23Z

So pissed off with uni right now.

They decided to change the student maintenance payments over from a cheque system to being paid directly into bank accounts. I was meant to get my Jan/Feb/Mar payment through yesterday.

Checked today... Nothing.

So I phoned the finance office. "Oh yes, you need to reregister before we can give you your money. No, we didn't send you anything telling you to reregister, we just assume you know by SOME SORT OF FUCKING TELEPATHIC LINK. No, there's no point in coming into uni, the bursary secretary has left early assuming she won't be needed, and we won't bother doing anything if you fill the forms in today. Yes, yes you are COMPLETELY FUCKED for Christmas."

So. The only thing I can do is go into uni on the 2nd, fill in the forms (assuming the department has sorted out their side of it) and then wait TWO WEEKS till I can get a cheque.

--UPDATE--

After an angry letter to the departmental supervisor (CC'd to my supervisor and the finance department), I've driven into Sheffield and been given a loan of £300 cash to last me for the next couple of weeks till they sort it out. I'm glad I don't have to pay rent till the 15th.

demon_cock @ 2006-11-21T13:47:00

2006-11-21T12:47:54Z

I seem to be making more and more of these "its not a proper post" thingies, but this couldn't wait... Just got an email from my brother with this video linked in, it's what happens when people think they don't have to obey the "buses only" signs that are around cross street in the centre of manchester...

It's not as if you can't find another way around the city

The second guy is priceless... AIRBAG TO THE FACE!!

Save Top Gear!

2006-09-28T08:16:02Z

I'm planning to make a proper post within the next month or two, but until then, something is more important:

I have just read and signed the online petition:

"Save Top Gear!"

hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/tg100/

I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider
signing yourself.

--

Jeremy Clarkson's take on it all here. Why oh why does he write for the Sun?

demon_cock @ 2006-09-24T12:37:00

2006-09-24T12:41:41Z

the internet just went down :( don't know why, don't know for how long

(posting this from my phone)

--EDIT--

It's back up now, after a bit of waiting around and then rebooting the router about 5 times...

demon_cock @ 2006-09-12T11:31:00

2006-09-12T10:31:18Z

Not that I'm jumping on the bandwagon or anything...

Create your own! Originally Written By ga_woo, Hosted and ReWritten by darkman424

I'll give a high five to anyone who can work out the obscure ones... That said, they're in alphabetical order, so it won't be too hard when looking at my interests list, but I've missed some out as well

demon_cock @ 2006-08-30T16:27:00

2006-08-30T15:28:21Z

This is probably the best thing on the internet right now.

That is all.

--EDIT--

That is not all. HA! Just to clarify, the best thing on the internet is an ebay auction for some woman's account of her personal communion with Jesus, where he told her the cure to cancer (among other things)

demon_cock @ 2006-08-04T20:46:00

2006-08-04T19:48:22Z

Our internet just went down for ten minutes...

.. it felt like I'd died inside...

demon_cock @ 2006-07-17T12:38:00

2006-07-17T12:26:20Z

Back now from the conference in Maastricht.

So, wasn't too bad, the conference was the International Ergonomics Association conference... Not entirely my area, but there was a psychophysiology section and a human computer interaction in process control systems session that we presented a paper in. Some boring stuff (there was even a paper about a new design of ergonomic toilet) but some of the things I went to were really good (some cool virtual reality talks and one guy who was trying to show that solar winds had an effect on performance and heart rate).

Maastricht was a fairly standard european city... Pretty clean, an old styled town centre with narrow streets, street cafes etc. (And a Miffy Shop!). But had the fun of being in the Netherlands, so nestled between the posh shops were sex boutiques and weed cafes. Spent the whole week with a load of German speakers, some from Austria, one from Switzerland, but most from Germany. That was interesting, because they'd forget my woeful grasp of German after about half an hour and slip more and more into their native tongue without translating. I think I managed to remember a bit of stuff from my GCSE german, enough to know when the conversation wasn't really of much interest anyway. The conference party was amusing, just because a load of old lecturers got really drunk and then ended up dancing in a line to YMCA. I'm guessing they were keeping a low profile the day after.

Coming back on the aeroplane was almost delayed for 3 hours because they'd overbooked the flight. But just as we were losing all hope, a group of business men decided they'd much prefer the "cashmoney compensation" and take a later flight. The upside of this was that we ended up in "premium" class for the way back, so much better sandwiches.

On Saturday we saw Superman Returns in 3D in the Imax, just because the Imax is always super cool. It was packed, even though it was a midnight showing. Very good, but I was so tired by the end of it, and then had to work our way through the drunken retards that populate the printworks on a saturday night - all the guys pumped up on alcohol and testosterone, and all the girls selling their wares....

For my birthday yesterday, Jess (who is awesome) got me ZIM! so I've been watching that for a while (including the never before seen episodes). Does it not amaze you?

Then we went to the guys' new house, which was about 20 degrees cooler than our flat is at the moment. Seriously, dying from the heat here.

Should be in uni today, but helped Jess get some things from arty shops in town, and then decided not to bother... So working from home it is!

Quote of the day

2006-06-23T11:25:25Z

An ant queen loses her virginity in a gang-bang so hardcore that the males she mates with all die of exhaustion after the bacchanal.

demon_cock @ 2006-06-08T14:39:00

2006-06-08T13:40:24Z

Jessy's laptop was stolen from the chinese art centre :(

coursework of doom!

2006-05-30T13:24:05Z

Spent my bank holiday Monday, from 11am to 11PM in the office doing coursework for a module. Got home just after 12, got to bed around 1, got up at 7am ready for going back into uni for 9:30am.

Finished my coursework finally and sent it off just before 12.

I want to go to bed!

demon_cock @ 2006-05-25T12:55:00

2006-05-25T11:59:07Z

I've just found probably the best website for explaining drug effects in the brain. Lots of cool animations!

drugs and the brain

But I really should be doing work. No work has been done thus far today....

demon_cock @ 2006-05-12T21:30:00

2006-05-12T20:31:34Z

It's 9:30pm... I got into uni at 9:30am... I think I may leave the office now

demon_cock @ 2006-05-08T18:50:00

2006-05-08T17:51:10Z

You are Ultra-Peepi, Mega Hamster! Who can guess at your motives as you trash cities and trample the squirmy humans. And who cares? You are just soooo Cutsiewootsyfluffynessismsy, awwww...

We cannot resist the
hypnotic power of Peepi!

Take The Mighty Invader Zim Test!

I have gotta get me one of these!

2006-04-28T08:24:30Z

I heard about this a while ago. What I didn't know is that now the NASA based one plugs into an xbox and works with burnout!

(although it isn't a jedi psychokinetic-esque technology, it just "enhances" the gaming experience by making it harder or easier depending on your state of mind. Don't get too stressed!)

--EDIT--

Looking more closely at it, the NASA-technology box is based on the work by Pope, and I'm using his measure as part of my research... It isn't the most reliable measure in the world though... Not really what I'd call an "engagement index" anyway.

demon_cock @ 2006-04-07T08:06:00

2006-04-07T07:07:19Z

In work already :(

The aftermath of Miles' wedding

2006-03-31T10:58:32Z

Ah, still laughing after an msn conversation with Miles.... Some may be able to guess why... I'll give you a couple of clues...

1) Mum and Ian, when told, said "ah right"
2) We had our suspicions
3) Ian was right
4) It involves Asia and Miles
5) They knew before the wedding, but it apparently wasn't the reason for the wedding
6) Probably a good thing Asia quit smoking
7) But she probably shouldn't be drinking either...
8) It's too soon
9) ....well, it will be in about 7 months....
10) it rhymes with bregnancy....

Got it yet? Oh dear....

In other news, I was working my arse off all day yesterday till 7:30 programming, and I've found out today that my supervisor wants it to change significantly by the end of today... yay.... and I still have work to do on another program (+ testing) before wednesday... My supervisor thinks programming is like imagination... anythings possible and it doesn't take any effort....