Close call with the thirsty metal monster...

So last night I decided to head over (down-and-over) to see my buddy's band play in Richmond (in Melbourne, AU) at the 1890's built Great Britan Hotel. I am sure you can imagine that such a building was probably a pretty early establishment during the birth of Melbourne. Anyways, I get there to this way cool bar, with a pinball machine, two floors, and a beer/smoker garden. Anyways, I don't drink, but I explored a bit and ended up on the basement floor in what seemed to be like a dungeon. Candle-lighted, and very low house lights. Anyways, that's where the band played. So, as usual, I had to take a leak. Well, I was directed through a rather oddly (horse-stall shaped) door, and to my chagrin, as common in pubs/hotels around Melbourne the men's urinal is just a large wall of metal you pee on, and water periodically washes down it. Well, these pee-wall's (is there a proper name?) have a little raised area just before the wall, so most people step up on it and let-loose from there. Well, when I first got to Melbourne (~1.5 years ago) I thought you were /not/ supposed to step on them, so I would effectively pee-behind-the-line. Well, as I learned some time soon after I arrived, you are to stand on the raised-ledge, and hit the wall from there. Well, the ledge was a bit taller than I imagined and I tripped. And that's when that slow-mo life-threatening state of mind kicks in. I was falling forward... forward into the urinal! NooOooOoOooOoo. Luckily my neurons fired a bit faster, and told my hands... "hey hands, ya know you are about to touch a pee-wall... that's pretty gross... yea?" So I retracted my hands, just before touching the wall, and some how, through shear will and fright, I regained balanced and was able to avoid being eaten by the urine-thirsty metallic monster. -Matt

Darth Heater

So I woke up this morning, shades still drawn.  My heater was rockin', yea, it is starting to get chilly here again.  I suppose that is just how the earth rotates.  I love the tilt of our planet.  I would say, at least from last year's perspective, fall was the best season.  Anyways, I heard this freakish Darth Vaderish sound emitting from what I was fearful of... my heater.  Is my heater possed by the spirit of George Lucas and James Earl Jones?!  Nah, I opened the window and caught this...  sorry my DSLR's battery was dead so I had to use my craptabulous phone's camera.



-Matt

Konfurmation

So it's been a pretty stressful few weeks. I have been working on a paper with my advisers for a conference, and I also had my PhD confirmation presentation. The slides are here. Stupid mistake on my part to change some of the source code examples just before the presentation. There are a few typos in there..... anyways, I think the preso went well. I still have to wait for the department head to sign the sheet. Anyways, I also went to the Sydney Road Street Party last Sunday..... mega-huge-street-party. Anyways, peace, love and slayer.

 -Matt

The Wall

So! I went to the Roger Waters show last night at the Rod Laver Arena. Awesome show, he played the Wall, and well, built the Wall. Nice special effects on their projections. What really flipped me out was his relating the story of the Wall to the modern social situation of the world (capitalism, modern war). The faces of war victims were projected on the wall. This leads me to the Wall itself. As the Wall was being constructed during the show, every brick must have been made from some phosphorous material. When each brick was placed, it was not immediately "active" with the projection. It took a few seconds for the brick to become fully illuminated. Really cool effect. Oh yeah, and there were indoor fireworks, awesome music, and of course Waters! -Matt

Kangaroot

So I went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary in North East Victoria. This place is absolutely beautiful. It is not the stereotypical outback that many might imagine. It's in a small hometown, every-one-knows everyone else. You know, the bus driver knows all the passengers, and the kids take a tour-bus coach to school. Tons of wineries all around! It is just a nice forest-like area, with kangaroos, emu, koalas, etc. You get the idea. While I am vegan, and against animal captivity for shear pleasure (e.g. imprisonment), Healesville rescues some of the animals and the zoos here have breeding programs to combat the threat of endangerment. Anyways, I saw two kangaroos do it. Awesome. That is all. -Matt

LinuxJournal gets Chicken'd

Just a few months ago LinuxJournal published an article I had written regarding Linux vDSO system calls.  Anyways, after chatting with one of their employees, they have decided to put it on their front page.  What is exciting is that this information is free and easy to access.  Get yer' nerd on.

-Matt

Time Kills

Hey faithless readers!  I hope all has been jolly and well during the stroll down this new year.  Well, I have been pretty quiet, and have also been working on some paper stuff for my region memory research.  Anyways, I was perusing through the time-nuts mailing list and came across this great quote.  So, gather a nice warm mug of coffee, and enjoy this nugget of excitement I bestow upon you:


"Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils."
Hector Berlioz, before 1869

-Matt