Google Maps Downunder Updated May 18, 2006
Posted by wsogmm in web.1 comment so far
I have just been playing with the google maps API for the first time. It's very cool and seems quite easy to use for simple stuff, but it has got a lot of depth (like anything google does) for people who want to get into it. There is so much you can do… you can even use it in Flash – check out Flash Earth, very nicely done.
But the big news for the people here in the land downunder is that it seems that they have added the local street data for Australia today. I'm not sure if you can do searches by local streets here yet, but the visuals are there, so it's a start. I might look around for a press release or a peek over at the google maps blog. [update 19/5/06: Google finally puts Australia on the map - smh.com.au]
It's funny to think that I started playing with this page this morning and the map for Austalia was basically blank. Now it's evening and I can see all the streets in and around Adelaide. Good timing, especially when there are thoughts of using the google maps API for my work related stuff, based in Australia.I will have to check google earth and see if the data has been updated there too.
Turbulance Level 7 May 18, 2006
Posted by wsogmm in DT, Music.add a comment
I uploaded a few songs in 1999 to mp3.com.au and then I left them for a few years… these were just some electronic experimental tracks that I created on my old PII233, using software like 'Rebirth' and 'Acid'.
When I returned to the site sometime in 2003 I was surprised to find that one of the songs; 'Turbulance Level 7' had gone to number 1 in the music charts under the Acid/Electronica catagory. It stayed high in the charts for a few years and then over the last year it started to drop away. I have never promoted the songs or really tried to make anything of it… but then today I noticed that it has jumped back to number 1. Should I be producing more music?
If you would like to hear some oldschool electronic experiments go hear: http://www.mp3.com.au/dt
I will eventually post some of my guitar based music here so you can hear the other side of the story…
Whoop de doo Yahoo! May 16, 2006
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Here's a preview of a new home for Yahoo, so break out your Internet Explorer for the new Yahoo: http://www.yahoo.com/preview (It doesn't work in Flock, I haven't tried Firefox yet…)
It's been a long time since I last visited Yahoo and from a quick glance it seems to me that nothing has really changed… or maybe it's that I don't really care! I am not a big fan of yahoo… maybe back in the mid 90's they had something going, but those days are long gone.
web2.0 how do you do? May 16, 2006
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I like really like the new web, you know… web 2.0.
Here's a good resource for all things web 2.0 that I stumbled across today:
http://www.buzzshout.com/
Here's a few of my favorite web 2.0 apps that I have explored or that I am using so far…
Last.fm
If you're into music, you'll love tag radio. An interesting music community.
Google Calendar
Actually, most of the services that google has introduced (or bought) lately are just plain cool: google earth & maps; personalised home; google video… the list goes on.
del.icio.us
Social bookmarking and tagging.
I am hoping to try out this cool looking online database app: Dabble DB …As soon as they send me an invite!
And you gotta love all the Logos of all these new online services.
So much to do and so little time…
Day 3 My plans for the WSOGMM May 7, 2006
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I've been working online for almost 12 years now, and it certainly is an interesting occupation… but keeping up with everything, all the changes that are always taking place online, takes time.
And time is the one thing that no one seems to have much of anymore… We are all time poor – I know I am. Being in a relationship, having a 2 year old son, work and just life in general means that I don't have the same amount of time to play around with flash, edit videos, compose music… those kinds of things, even manage my mp3s and photos, let alone figure out what's going on with web2.0.
So this blog will be where I explore all those things that interest me … I just have to make some time to do it.
It's Sunday at noon, my son Che wants his lunch now. I've got to mock up some designs for work this afternoon and don't be surprised if there is also some more activity on this blog.
Day 1.2 Time travel May 5, 2006
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I have just been exploring my old space on H2G2
Here is an old bio of mine from 7 years ago: http://db.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/A192485
I was a bit obsessed by the whole hitchhikers guide thing at the time, and really not much has changed.
Day 1.1 Who the hell am I anyway? May 5, 2006
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If you have read the first post you will now know about the WSOGMM, and remember I said know and not understand… because if you did understand the workings of the WSOGMM you probably wouldn't be here reading this blog (You'd be doing much more interesting stuff in some other part of the Mish Mash).
And that brings me to the main part of this post – Who the hell am I?
Well I am a fairly average guy from the land of OZ and I am brave enough to admit that I have a big problem…
…I have way too many interests – and not enough time to explore them!
If you continue to read this blog in the future, I imagine you will get a pretty good idea of what those interests are…
Some facts about me:
- I have a loving partner, her name is Beajaye
- She and I have a beautiful 2 year old boy named Che
- I work for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) as a new media developer
- I play guitar and love music
I will reveal more in time.
Day 1 in the whole sort of general mish mash May 5, 2006
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Welcome to my view of the whole sort of general mish mash.
Now, you may be wondering what the whole sort of general mish mash is? Well this should give you an idea…
'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy has, in what we laughingly call the past, had a great deal to say on the subject of parallel universes. Very little of this is, however, at all comprehensible to anyone below the level of Advanced God, and since it is now well-established that all known gods came into existence a good three millionths of a second after the Universe began rather than, as they usually claimed, the previous week, they already have a great deal of explaining to do as it is, and are therefore not available for comment on matters of deep physics at this time.
One encouraging thing the Guide does have to say on the subject of parallel universes is that you don't stand the remotest chance of understanding it. You can therefore say "What?" and "Eh?" and even go cross-eyes and start to blither if you like without any fear of making a fool of yourself. The first thing to realize about parallel universes, the Guide says, is that they are not parallel.
It is also important to realize that they are not, strictly speaking, universes either, but it is easiest if you try and realize that a little later, after you've realized that everything you've realized up to that moment is not true.
The reason they are not universes is that any given universe is not actually a thing as such, but is just a way of looking at what is generally known as the WSOGMM, or Whole Sort of General Mish Mash. The Whole Sort of General Mish Mash doesn't actually exist either, but it is just the sum total of all the different ways there would be of looking at it if it did.
The reason they are not parallel is the same reason that the sea is not parallel. It doesn't mean anything. You can slice the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash any way you like and you will generally come up with something that someone will call home. Please feel free to blither now.'
From the book "Mostly Harmless" by Douglas Adams
