Blackness; A week of deadlines - DUS; MedioPlus; Java;

Well its another week and as promised here are a few Blackness photo's - OK technically they were not taken this week - don't tell anyone though . . . went for a walk with Mandy, Zack (our canine friend - a wee bit overweight - so he needed the walk - I can't talk) Judi & I - was a lovely neck of the woods - don't know it so it was a novel experience for me. Photo's: above me the famous Blackness Castle; Blackness the village & Marina; Judi after the walk; lovely colour from the flowers; looking out across to the Forth Road & Railway bridge; a tree trunk in the woods; Blackness Castle through the trees (as seen from the other side); my walk mates leading the way (me & my camera - continually stopping to click here and there) - A solitary tree that caught our eye.


Well its another week behind me - the end of the semester fast approaches - its been a hard week - 1 research paper - 2 presentations & 1 practical assignment with detailed report - I thought the report was a formality with the focus being on the code - but then I reread the spec - guess what it says a brief description of your program 10 pages I nearly died . . .on the spot . . .so bottom-line I never got the program to work - I think I was close - I know your saying a miss is as good as a mile . . .but I'm getting ahead of myself - that all happened on Friday - lets get back to last weekend . . .
Well Judi and I had discussed things and decided, realistically I had far too much work for us to see each other last weekend - she would end up feeling guilty and God forbid I didn't make any of my deadlines . . . a treacherous slope and easy to say its fine I'll manage . . . in retrospect as much as I didn't like it it was the correct decision - there is just no way I would ahve been able to cope - I worked last week solid - I was off the whole week - went in once for a meeting and that was it . . .

Anyway this week kicked off with AI on Monday - it was revision class and shhh! but some of it is actually making sense - I think if I now took the course again it would all fall into place - sadly that will not happen and my exam is on May 2nd - next weekend is looking more and more like another weekend where Judi & I will only see each other briefly . . . . Monday afternoon met with my e-Commerce team mates - they all showed up this time and I was able to share with them what my vision was and the presentation . . . all in prep for our initial presentaion for Tuesday . . . I nearly fainted when Murvin told me he had not started his DUS research papaer which had to be handed in the next day . . .I told him I had been working on it solid for a week and the formatting alone had taken me 1/2 a day - so I wished him good luck.

Tuesday morning - after a long night preparing the said research paper for hand-in was the launch of MedioPlus - our e-Commerce online music / tv / film / sporting & corporate and special events company - presentation was not flawless - but went down well . . . basically need some more work - everyone presented and all involved - meeting Monday next week to finalise material for hand in on Tuesday and sort out presentation . . . . Afternoon went well - was a wee bit nervous and at last minute PowerPoint played up on Mac . . .some of the slides images went a weird blue colour instead of white . . . . Murvin did not make it and by Friday was still working on it and had not handed in . . . we were given a mark out of 18 for research paper & out of 7 for presentation . . . Murvin did not do either so must have lost the 7 marks already . . .Oh well each to their own . . .

I was totally exhausted and knew I still had to finish my prgramming and write my report for Friday moring hand-in . . . couldn't work Tuesday evening - I contacted Murv and asked if he would help me on Thursday with program - he agreed and it was Wednesady evening before I was able to start report - to cut a long story short finished report Friday morning 10h30 and handed in - as I was saying code does not work but most of it is there - justhope what is there and my report pull me through.


Wednesday was just AI and Peter turned up with model answers - which sometimes left me more confused . . . that's AI for you - I did ask manay a question and received many an answer - sometimes when you don't know enough you can't ask meaningful questions . . .

Anyway - next week - have e-Commerce final presntation and hand-in portfolio which documents each week and how idea developed . . . Friday - presentation for Research Methodology + Essay and inbetween study for AI exam - hope to answer an old AI exam paper and hand it in for marking . . .

That was the week that was my life . . . - Judi here for the weekend - thank goodness . . . . lol - I missed her. . . .

Protest / Campaign - lost marks - lost team members

4th Post
Howdy All - well that is the week over - Started with Java this morning - was up nice and early and in for 09h00 - bought a coffee on the way @ Roland Butter as they have a special at the moment - Made Java and had hoped that Ian would spend some time with me also Christian was coming in so we could work on AI together . . . Mostly uneventful - hung around for a while changing code tinkering and fine tuning and I was rewarded eventually - not before Christian had already showed up - to start work on AI - I had to tell him I was not available, yet. Lab was empty to start with . . .when I arrived it was only Colin & Rory . . .and had I not stopped for coffee - we would have arrived at the same time.

Well, received the dreaded AI exam on web at about 10h30 - but couldn't look at it until after Colin had had a look at my work was roughly 11h05 - it was everything I had feared and some - had to leave whole sections out as I did not know what they wanted - I can't hope for more than about 40% and as for the exam which is still - I reserve judgement - but it will still take a major amount of work - before I am able to say I am on top of it . . . . .

3rd Post - Thursday
Well I had decided t go into Uni this morning as I needed to get my Java material as I had made changes but not replicated my work to my home PC - such that I was now running different versions of this new Practical . . . .never a good idea - always somehow get things mixed up or confused . . . so even although I had no classes needed to go in.

Was up bright and early and the idea was get into the gym before 09h00 - all went according to plan was a wee bit late but still on target . . . got down to the gym only to see 'Closed for staff training - sorry for any inconvenience -reopen @ 10h00' - I could have screamed - anyway no problem - I thought I'll just shift everything around - I'll go to uni first - now my monthly ticket expired during the week - so I had to buy a ticket before boarding the train . . . So they announced the train was arriving when I started buying a ticket by machine - do you think I could conclude my transaction in time to catch that train - You guessed 'No' I was still getting my change when the train was already pulling out of the station . . . I could have screamed - it was onyl later that I realised I had spent more than I should have as I had bought a standard ticket instead of the cheap day return???? So it was not a good start to the day - it got better - it could hardly go down now could it . . . .lol. Got into uni and downloaded my Java material - Mission accomplished - left went to gym and spent the rest of the day studying . . . I have to admit I am now in a panic as there is literally just so much to do - we break up for 2 weeks for tomorrow 30 March - but in the week we come back I have my Java project to hand in; eCommerce presentation to make; A research paper on handheld and mobile browsers to both write up and present; as well as rounding of Designing Usable Systems . . .so lots to do and not much time to do it in. I plan to take a break and holiday and then climb back in with a vengenace . . .hope it works - we are so close to finishing with this next round - on the home street so to speak.

2nd Post
All photo's - went up Arthur's Seat - Edinburgh Holyrood park - above is the logo for our eCommerce idea - and lovely building which I'd buy at the drop of a hat is Pollock Residence - part of university of Edinburgh . . . Oh correct me if I'm wrong . . lol

Wow - the week has kicked off with a bang - had an eCommerce group meeting - guess what? Not a soul turned up? I have some problems here - methinkest - need to get the work done as marks are group marks - Nicole sick (although rumour has it she has gone on holiday) Murv had some other work; Ratna - not sure where he was - Pelagia never turned up . . . a waste of time . . . - I wasn't there last week because Iw as sick so wanted to make sure what we had to do for the next class - Lesley asked us to present and I nearly died - other group presented and there presentation was excellent - so we really have tons of work to do just to catch up. (designed the logo above) . . . . Now Sonia - who has been missing for the last 9 weeks of the course suddenly turned up - and she is in our group - the more the merrier . . .tra la la la la . . .lol.

Maria lectured up a storm - pity I was falling asleep - she was telling us what is happening research wise at Strathclyde - looks like they are world leaders in the Planning arena - with a number of publications under the belt . . . its actually good to know that your studying with some of the best in this area . . . as I say I was falling asleep though, I am afraid - Maria may fall asleep when she marks my exam paper . . .lol - hope not - although I received the fright of my life when I saw the exam paper on line - which is this weeks practical - we are to complete it and hand it in for marks - I thought I had a cunning plan - work on it during the week and then hand in on Friday - only to hear there will be a different paper on Friday - damn - just when you thought you had it covered.

Designing User systems was interesting - David who was supposed to hand in on Friday - asked for an extension - as he was not finished yet - Nicole handed her portion in - even although David said to keep it back until his was finished - Nicole & I took one look at each other and we said we'd hand that portion in so long - just as well because it turns out David never got round to handing anything in - with the result that we lost 50% of the marks before we even started this week - when I asked if we could hand in still - I was told for feedback but not for marks . . . so myself and Murv (as previously stated Nicole not around) - were not impressed - I have completed the documents that should have been handed in, this evening and will forward it in anyway. Murv built a very fancy prototype of our project using an emulator - which allows you to manipulate a mobile phone on the PC as if it were a fully operational mobile phone and show how our program would work - we have even downloaded it and it works fine on various mobile phones - not mine though because I am with Orange - it won't allow me to just download a file - it needs an authenticated file which tells it what the file is and what it does before it will allow its installation on my phone an added layer of security - Murv says it is a good thing . . ..
Emulator works like this - have a look at link mini Opera . . . so Murv is a clever lad . . .

Seems like may be off tomorrow and Thursday and then Friday last day before a 2 week break - Yippeee! thereafter it will be 2 weeks of classes and then EXAMS . . . Judi & I are booked up for a short break in week in Rome after the exams end of May . . .another Yipppeee! but lots of hard work in between . . everything to be handed in after Easter break so not all holidays I can assure you.

1st Post
Just spent a lovely weekend with Judi in Edinburgh and after having tried the bus - which is soooo much cheaper I still prefer the train - half the time and a lot more comfortable and convenient - not dependant on traffic etc., - whoosh and your there - yes that's whoosh . . .Ok, here's the thing though - I can go online and buy a bus ticket return for £3.50 . . . . just have to let them know exactly which bus your going to use - fair enough only so many budget tickets . . . .the train however is £9.20 yes £9.20 a single and £9.30 yep 10p more for a return - except that I can't buy a return - because its only valid for same day return - personally (these are off-peak times) I don't think £9.30 for a return is unreasonable but I never return on the same day so I have to buy 2 singles = £18.40 . . .now this does my head in because I feel it is a rip-off . . .So what I now do is I always buy a return and give the return portion away to someone when I arrive on the other side . . . . I keep a careful eye on Scotrail staff - I don't ask for anything in return although on Friday last week the guy insisted I take £2 as he was only going to Linlithgow it would have cost him £4 one way . . . .

When I came home on Sunday I waited ages or someone to come along so I could give them the ticket - eventually gave up and left the return part on the machine that you have to buy your ticket from - when I was almost at the other end of the station saw someone rushing towards machine - saw him stop in front of it - glance down - pick the ticket up - look around - then looked at ticket again and walked off towards barrier - he hesitantly inserted the ticket and was probably both relieved and pleased and he was on his way. Mission accomplished.

I intend doing this every time I travel . . . . for the extra 10p someone else saves £9 - that's a bargain . . . I explain to people why I am doing it - and say that if they give me 10p I am not out of pocket - but I don't really want anything.



This week from "What the world knows about South Africa online journal"

Q: Can you give me some information about Koala Bear racing in South Africa? (USA)

A: Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific. A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe which does not... oh forget it. Sure, the Koala Bear racing is every Tuesday night in Hillbrow. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is north in South Africa? (USA)

A: Face south and then turn 90 degrees. Contact us when you get there and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into South Africa? (UK)

A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

St Patrick's - Joan Rivers - Weekend - Mat's birthday

Photo's all City Chambers and George Square - apart from Graeme my nephew who has just returned to South Africa . .

Here I am its about 01h00 - Sunday morning - my Birthday, yesterday, St Patrick's day is now a thing of the past - however today is the first day of the rest of my life and / or 1st day in my personal New Year. What did I do / get up to I hear you asking? Well very little actually . . . rushed out to the bank this morning and then Marks & Spencer's as well as ASDA - funnily enough bumped into Isabel with Laura & Brian bought in enough supplies for a week and just chilled the whole day - Judi spoilt and pampered me the whole day - I was watching the Six Nations rugby (Bizarrely France won - some brilliant tries though) - and she was milling around and wouldn't let me do anything - partially watched all 3 games - read the newspaper and just hung out - had some snacks and a very interesting bottle of wine - a South African wine from Wellington - just outside Cape Town - it was lovely a very unusual taste actually . . .
Diemersfontein its actually a coffee / chocolate pinotage and something about it attracted me to it - so I was very pleased when it proved to be such an interesting flavour . . .unusual as well . . . .

Judi showered me with gifts - with the main one being a ring - Which has a celtic design - still getting used to it as I don't have any jewellery - I like it.

My Birthday had kicked off on Friday after uni - 12h00 we finished off with Lord Lithy - him wishing me and all after lecturing all about UML and telling us how important it was - so important that he never actually showed it to us but spoke about it . . . anyway myself, David, Andy, Rory, Philip, Catherine, Johnny, Shagaan, Russel, Idong, Mathias all met up at the Old Printworks and had a few drinks . . .turned into a pleasant afternoon - from there we went to Campus bar (supposedly because they are cheaper . . . I wasn't convinced - I was finding it difficult to buy anyone anything as everyone insisted its my birthday they want to buy me something - unlike South Africa where everything works the other way round - i.e. your birthday you buy everyone a drink and treat them - it took me years to get my head around that but now back to normal . . .lol - I bought a couple of platters of food and I think most people enjoyed themselves - I don't think we've been doing enough of this . . . maybe something that becomes more regular in future . . . bearing in mind our semester is about to a) have an easter break end of March for 2 weeks & b) finishes end of April - two events that probably need celebrating . . . (I invited most of the faculty staff - secretaries right through to Maria head of Dept. - needless to say none came - but I invited them anyway . .

SO how did the week go? Well Monday was AI and I had skipped Wednesday last week so had some catching up to do . . . basically worked on Designing User Systems as we had to make a final decision on Research Papers which we have to present - our group choice turned out to be Handheld and Mobile Internet browsers . . . my part of this will be comparing which browsers there are and how effective they are for mobiles and handheld devices . . Anyway AI - never done any prep work and we are now into our last 4 lectures - enjoyed Monday and Wednesday was the best AI lecture I have attended - somehow things just made sense and I was able to make what I thought were very explanatory notes . . .the proof of this will be where I go back to the notes and use them in conjunction with the slides and see whether they still makes sense or whether they are disjointed - time will tell . . .practical was running various planning tools and seeing how long / how many steps were involved - not sure I completely understand the difference between them all - took printouts fr later reference . . .and skipped my second practical session which I usually fit in because of going for a pint on Friday.

E-commerce - we are up and running and looks very much like our e-commerce product is going to be software which you download (a theoretical business) which allows -video-on-demand; music; and then a selection of live sports programs as well . . a lot of potential and we are going to develop this idea over the next 5 weeks and then eventually present to independent venture capitalists . . .- should be interesting - Ratna approached me and requested that he be part of my team - then asked Pelugia, Murvin, - Nicole sat down at our table and then Pelugia invited Untzizu to join us but she has subsequently decided she is not taking that course . . . so were back to 5. Tuesday's is now quite a long day - start at 09h00 E-commerce; AI for me @ 12h00 then DUS @ 14h00 so were lucky to finish by 16h00 . . .

I spent most of Monday & Wednesday afternoon in the library - doing research seeing if I could find any articles on our topic on Internet browsers and then accessing some books as well . . .

We got together as an E-commerce group on Thursday morning to discuss suggestions and that is basically where our software idea came from . . . met for about an hour prior to Software Construction - where Lord Lithy told us what he wanted to do but wasn't going to do it because he still had to write it but had received a phone call and hence was unable to do so - so today's lecture which was going to be tomorrows would be done now and then today's would become tomorrow's etc., . . . .

Thursday night was really busy first writing up what we had decided from our E-commerce meeting and then working on our DUS prototyping submission for Friday after which it was Java all the way - we are looking at Binary search engines - which are far more efficient for searching material - managed to source a very good book on this material - which explains it well and has some very good examples of how it works including some code - I was able to borrow some of it - which is applicable and in fact it goes way beyond what we need at the moment . Colin sat with me for a short while and we had a look at the code and said I was not to bother with anything other than the bear minimum for the time being . . . still a lot of work - this assignment will count 80% towards the final mark - I have to get my report right as I have fallen horribly short on this point - more focus needed . . .

Earlier in the week I had decided to try to approach the Information Retrieval marks from another angle - I know Monica (our lecturer) now stays in Switzerland - but I thought I'd send her an email asking her how she was and if there was any chance of us getting our marks . . .now I was in the admin office on Friday (last week) kicking up an absolute storm about the fact that we had been promised our marks ages ago and still nothing had materialised . . . well Monica came straight back shocked as she said the marks should have been released a month ago - date on the letters we finally received on Thursday was dated about a month ago??? So who is fooling who here . . . I got 78% so I was quite chuffed.

Last Friday was at Old Printworks were quite a few of us went for a beer to celebrate Mathias' birthday . . . which was most enjoyable . . . David myself & Chris sat around for a while just having a good chat - don't get enough time when your attending classes as its a quick hello and a brief goodbye . . . . then off to Judi's for the weekend.

Monday night went to the King's theatre to see Joan Rivers - she was everything I expected - foul mouthed and insulted everyone / every age group / etc., - told women to get out there and grab everything they can get - applauded Heather McCartney etc., - as I said everything I expected - I enjoyed the evening .






This week's 'From what people know about South Africa' . . . .

Q: Can you tell me the regions in South Africa where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)

A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in South Africa? (France)

A: Only at Christmas.

Q. Are there killer bees in South Africa? (Germany)

A: Not yet, but for you, we'll import them.