tom.net.nz http://tom.net.nz Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:16:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Wingsuit Base Jumping http://tom.net.nz/2009/01/wingsuit-base-jumping/ http://tom.net.nz/2009/01/wingsuit-base-jumping/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:16:07 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=29 Another video. Simply amazing.


wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2009/01/wingsuit-base-jumping/feed/ New Lost http://tom.net.nz/2008/12/new-lost/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/12/new-lost/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:21:47 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=28 The new season of Lost is due to start mid-January. Normally I wouldn’t get particularly excited, but I’m once again starting to get curious about what is actually going on - they’ve always planned to air only 6 seasons, and the new season is number 5 - meaning they have only 34 episodes to wrap up the storyline. I’m hoping that this will mean some real explanations will begin coming our way.

I read a theory about the whole storyline a while back (Time Loop Theory) which makes a lot of sense when you have a read. Will be interesting to see how much of it turns out to be accurate.

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/12/new-lost/feed/ Space travel, and all that Jazz http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/space-travel-and-all-that-jazz/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/space-travel-and-all-that-jazz/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:52:07 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=27 I’ve always been absolutely fascinated by space, and I found this (albeit slightly dated) article very inspiring. As it eloquently points out, manned space exploration has all but dropped off the radar, in spite of being perfectly possible scientifically. Have a read!

Better Dreams

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/space-travel-and-all-that-jazz/feed/ The end is nigh http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/the-end-is-nigh/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/the-end-is-nigh/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:51:05 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=26 … Of my time at University, at least. In just over a month I will have sat my final exam, and finished with my Bachelor of Engineering degree, which is very exciting! Between then and now, there are 3 remaining assignments, and 3 exams. Graduation is in March next year. Bring it on, world!

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/10/the-end-is-nigh/feed/ Holidays, or lack thereof http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/holidays-or-lack-thereof/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/holidays-or-lack-thereof/#comments Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:34:00 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=24 Today is the last day of the 2-week mid-semester holidays. Of which I have spent the ENTIRE time working on my final year project. Some holiday. I’m tired, wired, sick, and I have two solid weeks still to go before I have even a little respite. Namely:

  • Report due Monday.
  • Exhibition Friday.
  • Graphics assignment following Monday.
  • Graphics test following Wednesday.
  • Formal methods test following Thursday.

Screw you, uni! I think I’ll be getting a beer tomorrow night after handing in the report.

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/holidays-or-lack-thereof/feed/ Google Chrome http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/google-chrome/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/google-chrome/#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:53:50 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=22 I’m writing this post from the Beta version of Google’s stab at a web browser - Google Chrome. So far it seems pretty nice. Key points for/against:

  • Chrome uses a unique model for its tabs. Each tab runs in an entirely new process (where in other browsers they may run in a new thread). This has many interesting ramifications, such as:
    • Less memory leaks - when you close a tab, any dead memory is wiped with it.
    • Greater stability - if one tab “crashes”, just close it - the rest of the browser soldiers on without problems, similar to closing a process within Windows.
    • Greater security - the individual tab processes can be run at a tighter security level than the overall browser process, to help keep malware at bay.
  • Chrome has introduced a new JavaScript engine called V8 - developed from scratch to be more conducive to large-scale JS applications. This thing is fast. Seriously. I ran Chrome and Firefox 2 through the Sunspider benchmark, and Chrome came out on top, almost 10 times faster. Full details here: chrome-js
  • On the downside, a new browser is always going to be distinctly lacking in extensions. I’m already missing the AdBlock Plus I’ve grown accustomed to on Firefox. However the browser is open-source so we’re likely to see these sorts of things appear in no time.
Get it here! Definitely worth a look, seems to have a lot of potential.
]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/09/google-chrome/feed/ TV Season! http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/tv-season/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/tv-season/#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:17:43 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=21 The new TV season is fast approaching!

  • Prison Break S4 debuts 2nd September
  • Entourage S5 debuts 7th September
  • Heroes S3 debuts 23rd September
  • How I Met Your Mother S4 debuts 23rd September
  • Boston Legal S5 debuts 23rd September
  • The Office S5 debuts 26th September
  • Dexter S3 debuts 29th September
  • American Dad S4 debuts 29th September

Needless to say, I can’t wait! Gonna be a good month :)

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/tv-season/feed/ Trippy Stop Motion http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/trippy-stop-motion/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/trippy-stop-motion/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:04:38 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=20 This guy apparently has a LOT of spare time.

Love it.

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/trippy-stop-motion/feed/ Roller Suit in the Swiss Alps http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/roller-suit-in-the-swiss-alps/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/roller-suit-in-the-swiss-alps/#comments Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:43:46 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=18 This video is fucking awesome. I can’t stop watching!

Did a little research on the guy, turns out the roller suit is his own invention, and he gets up to 110 km/h on it. There are some videos on YouTube.

]]> http://tom.net.nz/2008/08/roller-suit-in-the-swiss-alps/feed/ Sweet flash game http://tom.net.nz/2008/07/sweet-flash-game/ http://tom.net.nz/2008/07/sweet-flash-game/#comments Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:45:08 +0000 Tom http://tom.net.nz/?p=17 Cursor*10 - Very fun, and gets the brain working. I won’t go into details but basically you have to use teamwork with yourself to get to the top level. Play it a couple times, you’ll get the hang of it :)

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