dalehay.com

Pectus Excavatum (5)

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:29:43 GMT

Not really much of a major update, but on Tuesday I got my letter from my surgeon asking the George Elliot hospital, if they're able to book me in for CT Thoracic scan. Today (well technically yesterday - Wednesday) I took it into the hospital and gave it to them.

The lady on the reception desk of the X-Ray department wasn't sure that they do CT scans (or that she wasn't sure they did CT scans for the thoracic area). So she asked someone else, who said "Yes" and she just confirmed my name, date of birth and address... took my landline / daytime number and then told me that they'll send an appointment date out in the post.

So, that's all that's really happened since I've been to Heartlands Hospital. Oh, something slightly on-topic, but not.... those alcohol gel-based hand things... my goodness, don't hospitals go a bit over the top on them... there must have had been about 4-5 bottles that you can use on just the reception desk itself! Let alone loads of big signs saying "Please wash your hands with the gel provided upon entry and exit of this area" ... I mean, yeah OK, it's nice to stay safe from infection... but I was just handing a letter in! However, once I get started on them things... I can't stop... I find them brilliant! :p

Right, I'll stop blabbing now... I'll update you all soon on further progress!

Oh, one final note... Thoracic is pronounced four-rass-ick

Pectus Excavatum (4)

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:14:24 GMT

Right, another update is due about my current Pectus Excavatum journey...

Last Thursday, I ended up going to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital at 9.30am to see the surgeon (who is actually the surgeon that will be doing my chest). He spoke to me about the different procedures that can be used, which included:

A) Ravitch technique - Loads of incisions, small bar, very invasive. 5 and half hour operation.

B) Nuss Procedure - Bar through the chest, the one I want. 1 and half hour operation.

C) Filling the dent with a collagen type solution. (but that's not correcting the bones, but correcting it cosmetically)

D) Pulling the stomach muscles up, and stretching along the two breast muscles, meeting at the point of the dent and attaching them to my breast bone. (Also cosmetic, but not what I want)

I'm going to be wanting the Nuss Procedure. That is my definite choice! Now as the surgeon was explaining to me, the possibility of death during the operation is not what I originally read up of being 1 in 300, but it's around 1 in 100 - yes, one hundred! His exact words were "you can die during the operation" ... not exactly what you want to hear, but they do have to tell you. So, because I'm slightly morbid, I'm actually thinking of arranging a "Pre-death Drink", just incase I pop my clogs on the operating table.

Anyways, so once we went through all the usual stuff and he checked out my chest, he wanted me to have a photo taken (so I can see the before and after from a different point of view and also for medical research / educational use). I signed the form for them to use them under my permission and only for educational use and then off I went to the photo room over in the Education Centre. After arriving at the education centre, I was thinking that I was just going into an office where someone will just use a normal digital camera, but no... it wasn't!! It was a full on photography studio - the white and black backdrops, the big lights with the umbrellas on them hanging from runners on the ceiling. One of the pictures that they did take of my chest is a really really good one and I want to find out if it's possible to get hold of a copy to show you all.

After having the photos done, I ended up going. Also the surgeon is now sending me for a CT scan just to see if everything in my chest is all good and fine, which I have been told I can have it at the local hospital of George Elliot in Nuneaton, then it will be back to the surgeon to see him one last time to get my final bits and bobs prepared and my operation date given, then it'll just be a 6 - 8 week wait. Yay!

I will also be video documenting the journey, when it gets closer to the time and also I will be keeping you updated on here too.

Pete Doherty Arrested (again)

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:15:41 GMT

I just checked the news on BBC News and I saw this on the ticker "Singer Pete Doherty arrested on suspicion of drink driving and drug possession" ... now come on... that end bit is a bit shocking, the drug possession! When does he NEVER have drugs on him. Goodness me.

Best 2 Google Earth Plugins for United States Weather

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:25:47 GMT

Well after having a browse around I found these two plugins for Google Earth that seem to work really good and offer information from NWS (National Weather Service) and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atomospheric Administration).

Total US Doppler Radar
This plugin gives you a (near) live picture of the whole of the United States' doppler readings, which update every 5 minutes (600 seconds). I myself have modified mine though as the original doppler picture has loads of white space, so to change it to a better image that doesn't have the white space, then do the following:

1) Download the plugin.
2) Rename the '.kmz' file so it ends in '.kmz.zip'
3) Unzip it and you should have a file called 'doc.kml'
4) Right-click it and open it with "Word Pad"
5) Find:

    <href>http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/RadarImg/latest.gif</href>

Replace with:

    <href>http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/Conus/RadarImg/latest_radaronly.gif</href>

6) Save the file, open Google Earth and go "File -> Open" and locate the file... wait a few seconds and it's done!

» Download Plugin (Use the link "Get File: Google Earth")

NWS Warnings
This plugin shows the bounderies and locations of the severe weather that is currently happening.

1) Download the plugin.
2) Open Google Earth and go "File -> Open", locate the file and you're done!

» Download Plugin (Use the Real-Time NWS Warnings "Get KMZ File" button)

There is also a Blitzortung.org plugin too that keeps track of lightning in Europe, which is located here ("Get File: Google Earth").

Pectus Excavatum Update

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:43:10 GMT

I received my appointment for Birmingham Heartlands Hospital today. *yay* ... still bricking it though.

My appointment is on Thursday, 25th of June to see a Mr Steyn in the Cardio Thoracic Medicine bit (whatever that means!) ... at a kinda silly time of 9.30am ... god knows how I'll make it over there though at that time, I think I might have to get a later appointment in the daytime... I'll give them a call on Monday.

Street View

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:38:16 GMT

Wicked! I've just had the Google Street View vehicle go past outside the house - luckily I was pre-warned so I went outside on the drive and it passed me. Woohoo... I'm gonna be on Street View (obviously blurred though)

Atlantic Hurricane Season 2009

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:45:34 GMT

As of yesterday (1st June) the Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2009 had begun. So far the National Hurricane Center ("NHC") have predicted a near normal season, with a 70% chance of having 9-14 named storms, of which 4-7 could become hurricanes, including 1-3 major hurricanes - category 3, 4 or 5.

At the time of posting this, there is a small area of low pressure with a lower than 30% chance of forming into anything hefty, though I will keep an eye out.

For all those dalehay.com visitors that are based in the usual hurricane paths then please make sure you have a disaster plan ready, if not then you can view the usual disaster plan outline here.

Referral Form

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:45:25 GMT

This morning I ended up getting my referral form from the nurse practitioner. I was hoping I could goto the hospital in Leicester (as I've heard good reviews about it there for the Nuss Procedure) but sadly my choices were either the University Hospital of Coventry and Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.

I have chose to go with the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham (though I almost panicked when I saw on the website that Good Hope was kinda part of it too... Good Hope, yeah right... you go in and you never return). However luckily the hospitals are far apart and I have just this second finished booking my appointment. The receptionist that took my booking has mentioned that she'll be faxing my information over to the relevant people and that they'll be contacting me back soon (Hopefully in the next few days).

I'm actually suprised that everything is happening so quickly so far. Quite suprising, though I take it once I have seen the relevant people and they've told me everything and I'm put on the waiting list, I'll probably be waiting months - if not, years! Oh well... worth giving it a go.

I'm still very weiry about having the epidural - that's the only thing that's worrying me, as I hate anything to do with the spinal section of the body (I used to keep my ears shut during Biology lessons at school when spinal talk was happening too).

Right, lets see how long it takes for me to be contacted back.

Style Update

Sun, 31 May 2009 12:28:16 GMT

You may be looking at this site and thinking "WTF?!?!" ... well the reason for this is because the original page (when fully loaded) was very heavy and bulky - which all the corner images and also all the background images for the borders and stuff.

I will however return to the rounded corners once CSS3 is 100% fully working with most of the top used browsers around, as there IS a cornered border tag in it. But for the time being, you'll have to get used to this more basic and "straight lined" style.

Oh and if you have any ideas on the correct colour for the logo, then please respond on this news article - as it just doesn't look right at the moment.

Susan Boyle Update

Sun, 24 May 2009 14:43:49 GMT

Susan Boyle has just sang Elaine Paiges "Memory" from Cats. She did catch a few dodgy notes at the beginning, however she picked it up and gave a brilliant performance. The ending was brilliant too! You go for it girl!!

An Update

Sun, 17 May 2009 03:37:40 GMT

I suppose it's time I did an update. Well where to start first... hmm... well I ended up getting a letter from the doctors the other day stating that the nurse practioner that had seen me before about my chest has been "trying to contact me" ... like bollocks has she. Anyways, she wants me to go for a "reversibility testing" thing... not sure what it is - though I have done a good oldé Google search on it and I think it's something to do with breath tests or something like that to see if my lungs are fine, but low-and-behold the usual "you smoke, blah blah" nonsense will dribble from her gob. Also I think she may have like put me on the wrong thing... as a the letter mentions about inhalers... oh well, that's going to be on Tuesday 26th May anyways... but I've (luckily) got another appointment there tomorrow afternoon to see (not my doctor - as he isn't available this week nor next week, as he'll probably be swanning off and living the high life relaxing on a beach somewhere, drowning his sorry life away) ... *cough* ... anywhos... oh yeah, so I've got that appointment tomorrow so I'll see what that bloke says. I think it's the doctor who diagnosed me with epididymitus when I was just turning 16 (and that flared back up just before I was 18) ... it's one hell of a painful thing.

Right, so that's my health out the way... next... oh turd! ... I've just got an email from GoDaddy saying Sound Upload is expiring tomorrow ... oh balls, talk about awkward timing. Suppose I better skank some money from my mother to cover it. Erm... what else is there... erm... oh I've been searching around online to start writing stuff up about all the Open Source / Free Alternatives to "Paid Software" that's lying around on the net. I've mentioned before on here about Spotify [Story: 569], which I'm hoping you've gave a go... though they still haven't got any of The Beatles stuff on there yet. I might even make my playlist and post the link so if you're using Spotify, it'll show all my songs that I've got listed.

Now going back last year, when Britain's Got The Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice was on... well obviously I had to buy the CD, because Geraldine McQueen is like a legend. Well I only noticed earlier when I was looking on WikiPedia about Michelle Mc-massive-anus-Manus that her first album is the same as The Winners Song cover... then it all fell into place, that Peter Ka... I mean, Geraldine McQueen based herself on her. God, I'm so slow!

Been playing my Goonzu Game after redownloading the game client again... half a gig download from a foreign server, with no option to shove it on a download accelerator... I've never seen something as slow since dial-up was around at the turn of the millenium... 2kbps. Though it came down, patched it up too (had to do that manually - grrr!) and also now there's also three servers on there... though I just stick to the Zeus server. Lost my Warehouses and my horse died, so I've now got a horse that has legs that run really fast, yet it only moves slowly... it's so funny... I can't actually ride it as I always end up giggling too much to play properly.

Right... I think that's a big enough update for the moment. Anything else, I will update. (Especially will be updating tomorrow, when I find out what this other doctor says...)

TTFN.

Website Updates

Sun, 03 May 2009 20:12:04 GMT

Well as I'm starting to focus quite a bit on getting people on here, I've started (as you can probably tell) writing bigger articles and not leaving so much time between posts.

As you can see too, there is now a "tags" bit under some of the stories (I haven't finished doing it yet). This will allow you to check other stories with the same keywords in them. For example, if you're looking for a tutorial then if I've done one, it'll come up with you search the tags for tutorial. Very handy for search engines too.

I'm still also pondering on the layout of the site... see I really like it as it's vibrant, funky, unique and one that you're not going to forget as it stands out. However if I do decide to change it... I've got to think about what to. Colours, styling, layout, etc.

And on a final note, I've changed the layout (just a few pages left to do) over on Sound Upload. The site is still up and running and the lyrics section on there is still doing pretty well, with some of the lyrics clocking up 15,000 views in a few weeks.

Pectus Excavatum (2)

Fri, 01 May 2009 09:41:46 GMT

Well I went to the doctors surgery earlier as it was Open Surgery (so no appointment is needed, just first come, first serve) ... other than having to wait a whole 2 hours to be seen, then once I'd got called in, it only lasted about 5 minutes.

I went in and basically explained to the nurse that I have Pectus Excavatum and that it's recently been starting to give me grief. She asked what stuff is happening and I explained it all to her - about the pains here and there, the discomfort, etc.. etc.. and she then listened to my heartbeat while I was breathing on my chest and on my back while sitting. Then she asked me if I do exercise ... and I told her that I am not physically capable of running or jogging the distance from the surgery to the local HSBC branch without being out of breath and feel discomfort. She then asked the usual question that EVERY doctor in the whole of the United Kingdom seem to ask ... "Do you smoke?" ... I said "Yes" and then she ended up giving me the usual "That's not going to help" type of speech.

She then concluded with saying that there is nothing to worry about with it as your body seems to be fine with it and that it could be something that a physiotherapist can look at. (Right... so... the way you find out that your body seems to be fine with things is when they're causing you discomfort?! It's not like having stomach discomfort where you can just goto the toilet and drop a bomb and feel better! This is discomfort that doesn't seem to stop pestering me... and yes I am slowly going to cut down on the cigarettes.) She then went on to say that she'll call me before she leaves work (at 5pm) as she'll be having a little talk with some other doctors to see what they think about it. So I'm now just waiting on a call.

Pectus Excavatum

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:51:09 GMT

For the past few months my chest has started playing up. Not just a tiny bit, but about 5-6 times a week. The things that keep happening are quick sharp shooting pains (that feel like a fencing sword being stabbed into me) around the pectal area, sharp pain when breathing, lack of breathing, pain in the front of a shoulder with very a painful squeeze feeling after breathing in and also I cannot laugh while lying down as the whole of my heart area feels like it's clenching. Oh and also a horrid "pushed down" feeling in the middle of my chest when I breath. So quite a handful of things... other things happen too, but can't be bothered to write them all down.

Now the main cause of it is a body deformality (yay - I'm deformed... what I've always wanted ). The deformality is called Pectus Excavatum - or as other people mistakenly call it Pigeon Chest (which is incorrect as a pigeons chest goes outwards, so that would be Pectus Carinatum). So basically my chest dips inwards between my nips and is kinda pushing / crushing my heart and lungs - which also does have some effect on my stamina (as I can't get the full lung capacity of what other people can due to it having not as much space).

I've had Pectus Excavatum for years and years and as you may have guessed, I'm not one for doing stuff that involves my chest being exposed, like swimming. Though after it giving me quite a lot of grief, I'm going to see the doctor in the morning and see what he says - though as it's the UK, he'll probably just turn around and say "Oh, it's fine, there's nothing wrong with it, go home and do whatever you do and forget about it". If however he does say that, then I'm going to tell him that I'm not happy with it - which you cannot blame me as I doubt anyone else would like to be in this type of pain so many times a week - and that I want something sorting out about it. Knowing the doctors in this country, who usually don't have the foggiest about anything other than a cough or cold always seem to check Google when I mention it to them as they don't understand what it means. It's not hard... "pectus" is obviously your pectal region (breast area) and "excavatum", just think of excavating - you dig some kind of pit... so two and two together comes out with a pit in your pectal region, or they could just look at my chest.

Now if the doctor does actually think something should be done... then more than likely he'll refer me over to see someone at a hospital - as surgery is one of the options of getting it sorted, though I'm a tad bit sketchy of the NHS. However I've started feeling giddy over it all after watching someones videos about his operation that took place in October 2008... he was hooked up on everything... and had needles and god knows what here there and everywhere... oh also he had a catheter, a vomit tray and also a pain button - which when pressed gives him some stuff via the epidural. It's all freaky... but oh well... lets see what the doctor says tomorrow.

St.George's Day

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:46:53 GMT

Well the day is here where we English celebrate the legend of St. George and that dragon. So go out, get bladdered and be merry and don't stop celebrating because other faiths, religions or other peoples ways of thinking offends them!! Be proud of your country. Also the weather is lovely today too, which is good. :-)

Spam Bots

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:22:30 GMT

Why don't spam bots and the people that spawn them understand... this blog based site I've created has a filter system on it that I made... so why waste time spamming me with links to enlarge my penis or to get cheap viagra or (the worst) see slutty Paris Hilton naked... jesus.. we've all seen it! Goodness me.

Go spam somewhere else... as I'm starting to get annoyed with a couple of hundred spam posts a day... though it does keep me busy. I do actually find it quite funny that underneath the links in the posts they always have a nice little message like "Oh and I love your site" ... yeah, that's still not going to get you on the site.

Susan Boyle

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:16:04 GMT

Well as you've noticed I've had a "Susan Boyle for BGT'09" at the top left of dalehay.com for the past week and I just want to say, I hope she wins! What a voice! Also over 20 million collective views on YouTube. There is also loads of overseas coverage of it too and also it's rumoured that she'll be on The ~~Opera~~ Oprah Winfrey Show.

Show your support and vote for her when it gets to that time!

Atheros Communications Inc. - Network - Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:24:54 GMT

If you're on Vista then for the love of all things holy, do NOT install an update that Microsoft thinks you need titled "Atheros Communications Inc. - Network - Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter". Reason being... it seems to fluff up pretty much every computers wireless hardware. If you do want an update or to see an update of your wireless drivers, then goto your wireless manufacturers website.

Update Details:
Atheros Communications Inc. - Network - Atheros AR5007EG Wireless Network Adapter
Download size: 311 KB
You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.
Update type: Optional
Atheros Communications Inc. Network software update released in January, 2009

Britain's Got Talent 2009

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:50:51 GMT

Well, I've got the gossip! Saturday's show has been filmed and I've got the gossip about what happens! If you do not wish to know what / who is on, then please look away now (and browse another page on Dale Hay . com) :p

First is the acts from London with Flawless, Manjit Singh - a Leicester Strongman, Flippin Bonkers - a dance troupe (which one had "I heart Amanda") on his chest, Max Beecher - a contortionist, that Piers said was "horrifically compelling", A Cherry On Top who were a can-can acrobatic dance act who Simon thought were "Bloody Fantastic", Stavros Flatley, Antoinette Akudolu who's a aerial rope act that was good but only shown a tiny bit, Andrew Archeos who sang a spanish song who was also only shown briefly, All Stars Display Team who did a gymnastic dance routine, Andy Demetriou who is a 60 year old phone engineer who claims he is "the old mans Gene Kelly" and hopes the audience and the judges approve of him, though as Demetriou gives Ant & Dec the cue to hit the music the judges look like they are expecting some stylish and funky Gene Kelly moves however Andy just stands there waving his arms like a retard... causing all the judges to hit their buzzers, which leaves Andy a bit pissed off and Ant & Dec had to remove him off stage. Carrying on, there's Challock Hoofers who are elderly tap dancers, Phil Norton who's a rollerskating dancer who fell and didn't impress the judges and finally from London, Bradley and Jamie Ann who were a really shite ballet act. Though they did mouth back when they were poked at (not literally) by Simon Cowell calling him a "hopeless judge"!

Moving up the country, next is Birmingham. The acts from the Midlands are as follows:

Gwyneth Marichi whos a comedic witch that didn't really didn't work and she decided to curse the judges as she was X'd off, Andrew Pugh who was the Captain Jack Sparrow ... well not really... just a plonker in a pirate costume that was cutting fruit with a chainsaw that didn't really make sense, Kelvin Hawkins who was a comedian that just was poo, Good Evans, Rapture who were a dance troupe that has a tiny five year old along with them to, I believe, recreate the Connie Talbot "Awwww... vote for me because I'm so young" factor... however the judges voted yes... yes and yes and finally from Birmingham a stripper named Fabia Cerra, need I say more?

And finally going much-much further up-north... is Glasgow! From the wonderful Scottish city we have... ... ... ... ... ... nothing. Only joking! There is talent in Glasgow! Trust me!

Firstly we have a childrens dance troupe who are aged between 10 and 13 (that sadly DIDN'T get through - ha! *cough*) named Happy Feet Dance Troupe, a bagpipe act that had an oh-so original name Drums N Roses... yes you're thinking the same as me "Guns N Roses" however their performance seemed to have had sounded like the good oldé disco / drunk song of Hokey Cokey which Piers and Amanda were fond of but Simon wasn't - BUZZ!! From him! Next was a world record attempt... everyone OH MY GOD... LISTEN A WORLD RECORD!!! Yes a Mr James Boyd decided to break a world record by eating the most Ferrero Rocher in one minute (I'm sure the American's could eat a box of 24 in less than ten seconds!!)... the current record stands at 7, however he only did 4... loser. Though Ant (from Ant & Dec) tried it and did 5 (In your face Boyd!). Following along with the weirdness of the North was Edmund Gaw who was a bad impressionist, Susan Boyle, Joanna Gray whos talent was really understood and finally Jason Auld who kept falling off his unicycle (well, he should of stopped drinking then!) which ended him up in having the good old 'X' 'X' 'X'.

The show will be on ITV1 this Saturday. Hope you enjoy it! :-)

Record From Your Computer in Vista

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:31:52 GMT

This is a feature that a lot of people who liked to record Skype calls, record streaming audio and other various audio recording tasks used when on Windows XP, however upon using Windows Vista you cannot find the "Stereo" / "Line in" option in your Recording Devices.

Many people believed that Microsoft had got rid of it, however it's still there... it's just hidden. Here is how to get it working again.

1) Right click on your volume option down in the system tray and selected "Recording Devices".

You should now see something like this (usually listing your microphone devices).

2) Right click in the white-space and select "Show Disabled Devices".

You should now see a new device usually titled "Stereo Mix". Right click it and select "Enable".

3) Now if you load up your audio recording program (for my example, I'll be using Audacity). Head to the Options / Preferences and change the Recording Device in your audio program to "Stereo Mix".

Now when you have something playing (i.e; like a DVD or something) you can now record what you're hearing on there straight onto your audio program. :)

Oh they did it...

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:49:35 GMT

Well waking up this morning - yes at stupid o'clock and I've now found out that North Korea has set off the rocket that they was told by others NOT to launch otherwise it'll start a war. So what did they do... they did it. Oh goodness... leave the country alone... let it continue with it's supposedly "peaceful space program"

Free Full (Legal) Games

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:46:48 GMT

After a small amount of time some games go from a commercial license to another license - usually an open source one. Once games fall into the open source type of license then they usually get modified by the gaming community and made into better versions. These are then usually released on developers websites.

One game that has really been modified a lot and released - which I remember playing this game years ago and loved it - was Warzone 2100. I used to play it on PSX ("Playstation") and loved the game, then when I found out - via WikiPedia - that the game was made Open Source and a community decided to make it better, I knew I had to get it and play it. It works on XP, Vista (and [I think] W7).

Warzone 2100 isn't the only game that is now given out for free. You can also get hold of Command and Conquer, that was released 31st August 1995. The game comes complete with Disc One and Disc Two in the form of ISO files (so they can either be burnt to a disc and ran or mounted using something like PowerISO or MagicISO).

Also another few old games are also available for free download. Rockstar (yes, the GTA guys) have also made Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto 2 and some other game called Wild Metal free to download and install.

Who knows, give it another few years and other big titled games might be available.

» Warzone 2100
» Command and Conquer
» Grand Theft Auto
» Grand Theft Auto 2
» Wild Metal

erm... weird...

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:04:06 GMT

Ok... that was just weird. I've just started to get to sleep when all of a sudden the radio comes on! I'm the only one in the room... and the radio has it's function switch on "OFF" and its power switch to "OFF" too. Now that is kinda freaky... so if anyone is deciding to play an April Fools joke on me I'm not falling for it... though that's weird how a radio can power itself without being on. Though it was a good song - Hey There Delilah.

I've put the volume down on the radio so I cannot hear it, but its still going... urgh! Right... hopefully now, I can get some sleep!!

The 4th Dimension and Science Stuff

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:45:25 GMT

Wow! I've just been watching BBC Horizon on the iPlayer and have really learned something amazing. Other than finally understanding about all the usual mathematics that you learn in school when doing geometry (1 dimension - a line, 2 dimensions - a square, 3 dimensions - a cube) ... I'm starting to believe the theory of the 4th dimension.

Now during the episode, I did start understanding a lot more about other things... but the one thing that got me really thinking about it - oh hold on... need the toilet... ... ... ... right am back, where was I... oh yeah - the one thing that got me really thinking was when a professor talked about how many people believe the universe is, in its 4th dimensional state, a donut. He explained this theory when Alan Davis played a game of the classic Atari game Asteroids. When you go off the top of the screen, you appear at the bottom and when you go off the right-hand side of the screen, you re-appear on the left. With the way Asteroids works, it basically backs up the theory that the universe is a donut.

Then to top it off, at the end of the episode, Alan Davis randomly presumed that if light were to travel from Earth and carry on (as we all know, light doesn't stop) it would - if the donut theory is true - carry on forever and - in theory - loop back around the universe and hit us "in the back of the head" (as quoted by Davis). Which to the suprise of the Professer, he said that what Alan had just said is true and that is what everyone is looking for now in space...

The final line that the Professer said was something along the lines of "... one of the stars out there that we see now, could actually be our Sun - just from years and years and years ago."

Now thinking about that - kinda going off the subject now - ... it makes everything sound logical ... and also the fact that if we could travel faster than the speed of light and get to that star in the distance and find that it is Planet Earth and the whole of our Solar System, would that mean that we'd conquered the mystery of Time Travel? (Of which it may also eradicate the theory of the Grandfather Paradox? As we haven't actually travelled back in time, but have - if you get what I mean?!)

Anyway, it's quarter to six in the morning... I really shouldn't be muttering all this. I'm off to bed... leave any comments or whatever you feel on the situation as you normally do. (Click news title and scroll down to the "Add Comment" section). Night!

» BBC Horizon: Alan and Marcus Go Forth and Multiply

Google April Fools 2009

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:40:04 GMT

Well April Fools has started and Google has already started a few off already.

YouTube New Viewing Experience
Stupid and useless, but still funny.
» YouTube New Viewing Experience

Street View Panda
When on Google Street View, in the bottom right hand corner the yellow man is now a Panda.
» Google Maps

gBall
An Australian Football with a built-in GPS system that costs $10 (AUD)
» Google: gBall

I'll update this with anymore that they do when they're discovered.