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td.com wishes our Web Designer Guru

HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY!

Wherever you are… lol

Luc, CW, Jo

Damn the University of Manchester, School of Computer Science timetable system.
I woke up dragged myself out of bed for class this morning at the ungodly hour of 8am, well ungodly if you played foosball the night before and now can’t really grip anything with your right hand properly… There were 2 choices, either stay under my warm Double Duck Down Duvet (yes… 4 D’s just like my results =p) OR Brave the -4 degree temperatures and walk to Uni for Class 20 Mins away. Me Being the Dumbass that i am… I went to class. Freezing my nuts off, i faced the sub zero temperatures and 20 minutes later, despite every part of my exposed skin being numb to the point of dropping off, I reached Kilburn on Time.

Briskly walking to LF15, hoping im not THAT late… I swung open the doors…

TIAO
NO ONE!

Was there something i didnt know??? Class Change!? NOO ITS IMPORTANT ESSAY DISCUSSION FOR WED ARGH

Apparently Many of my fellow classmates felt the same way…

“Fooking ‘ell, I fookin dragged me Hungover white arse out here in the fookin cold to have class cancelled?”
“I’d fookin kill someone if i wasnt so fookin hungover”
“...(the guy who speaks no english)”

So i decided to check it out… why the hell was class cancelled without notice… Is this Grounds for a class action Lawsuit? Hmmm

Direct quote from the Lab manual

“Examples class takes place on weeks 2,3,5,6,7,9”

what

the

fuck?

Might as well say “Example classes take place when the moon is high in the sky and the humidity is EXACTLY 70%. The week must be a prime number or in the range of the integral of the square root of 1 – x^2. If the week is an even number, subtract the molar mass of Ceasium and add the atomic number of Potassium followed by dividing it by the amount of Neutrons in the 5th Isotope of Plutonium.” I could go on forever… You get what i mean… Where is the freaking pattern there… As I said… thats why i’m Pissed… Cant this stupid crap be every week? Or every other week? Why do they have to come up with a satanic Number Line like that… At least if it was the fibonacci sequence.. i could guess it… BLEAH

LuC
ENG031

The number of underaged girls—read: 11-15; 16- to 17-year-olds have generally developed a bit more brain—whoring themselves on Friendster is simply bloodcurdling. HAVE YOU SEEN? I won’t even bother to include any links. Just start at the profile of one of the most hamsap, girl-chasing friends you have on your own list (admit it, everyone has at least one of them) and all these girls are 3 clicks away.

Look cupcakes, no matter how many coats of Dulux ICI and layers of bling bling you slap on when you flip your poker-straight hair and pout seductively into your Ixus 500, anyone can tell you’re fresh out of primary school. Don’t be surprised that paedophiles make up a good chunk of your 1500 friends in your 5-FULL FULL FULL FULL FULL going on 6 profiles OK? Yuck. Michael Jackson isn’t in the news for nothing these days. Take heed.

Guess its no secret right now, but Wordpress 1.5 “Strayhorn” has just been released. With over 10k downloads (and the official announcement hasn’t even been made yet!) this is indeed good news for the WP community. Check out the review here and here.

While this might not mean much to the the average reader, it means quite alot for myself as it marks fantastic progress in the blogware that runs this site. People flocked to Wordpress after MovableType went 3.0 and SixApart changed their pricing policy – but what people neglect to remember that MT was never Open Source in the first place.

Why do I continue to choose WP? It’s Open-Source FREE, its EASY TO USE, its HEAVILY MODIFIABLE and runs on PHP + MySQL.

Td.com has stuck with Wordpress since its inception at version 0.7 or so after the fork in the original b2 code by Michel Valdrighi occurred. Its currently powered by WP 1.2.2, has a radio.blog 1.4 courtesy of RadioblogClub and runs a stripped-to-the-core version of OnlyShout as the ShoutBox. I’m pimping OnlyShout as THE shoutbox script for any site as the shouts are contained in a single txt flatfile storing at the most, 13 last posts ONLY. Any spam attempts and the textfile’s nuked. I’ll probably look into an IP tracking feature for more spammasination proofness. The layout for the site is a DIY, Kubrick-inspired skin done by yours truly. There are no other hacks of sorts in td.com except redirection via .htaccess for the author links on the side. Other than that, td.com is all kosher code.

I’ll update this entry as td.com begets more changes to itself. After all, it is my code playground.

Since my 9am has been cancelled, I thought i might do a bit of public service. As you know there has been a Worm going around MSN that makes you send files to everyone on your contact list after you accept a file from someone who has gotten the worm (hope you see the vicious cycle).

Firstly… DONT ACCEPT ANY FILE WITH A STRANGE ASS NAME. PERIOD. if you wanna get into specifics, Dont accept any file with extension *.pif, *.exe, *.bat . The Pif file extension is the oldest form of file a hacker has used to contain a program or trigger. I Guess if you want to list all the files that you shouldnt accept…. I can kinda pull out a few…

• Drunk_lol.pif
• Webcam_004.pif
• sexy_bedroom.pif
• naked_party.pif
• love_me.pif
• LOL.scr
• Webcam.pif
• bedroom-thongs.pif
• naked_drunk.pif
• LMAO.pif
• ROFL.pif
• underware.pif
• Hot.pif
• new_webcam.pif
• hahahaha.pif
• me_2005.pif
• sister.pif

Those are just a few of the files being passed around… Another one is the handcuffs.pif being passed thru a URL. Don’t click on it… for the love of God… if you are unsure IM the guy who is sending it and ask if its a real file! Aish. Here is an image of how the worm (called the Bropia worm) works.

Courtesy of Trend Micro.

Anyway… for quick removal… go to the Symantec Website

What if that doesnt work? Hopefully you will have an antivirus program on your PC…

UPDATE YOUR DEFINITIONS

Do a FULL SYSTEM SCAN and if that doesn’t bring anything up, try an online scan. If virus scanners dont pick it up, download a spyware cleaner if you dont have one already. Good ones include Adaware and Spybot search and destroy.

If all these newfangled scanners still do jack shit, we’ll just have to deal with it the old fashioned way.
If you are not too computer literate, at this point you should scream for help… The Next section is not advised unless you know what you are doing or unless you are talking to someone who does.

1. CTRL-ALT-DELETE
2. Check the tasks running under your Username.
3. Look for anything running that looks odd… Like something in your task manager with a *.pif extension maybe? Select and KILL!
4. Look for all instances of msn running. SELECT and KILL!
5. Look for anything looking strange with msmsg or msmsl or umsmsg or something like that… you see the pattern…. KILL!
6. Open The Run Dialog box (windows key – R) and ype MSCONFIG
7. Click the startup tab
8. Again uncheck all the things that you think shouldnt be there… Dont worry… theres always system restore if you kill the wrong one =)
9. Check your Root Folder (C:), Delete anything with the *.pif extension and the filenames i have previously mentioned.
10. Check the recieved files directory in My documents. Do the Same as 9
11. If anything goes wrong… Or it doesnt work…. Google is your friend. =p
12. Get Linux.

** Get a Mac… we all know Mac OS X is the bomb…. Not to mention Its coming to NON Mac Based machines soon!

If you have any questions… Just email me...

Luc
(Done on Fedora 2 Distro of Linux, GNOME Environment. I havent Crashed yet.)

Im sure all of you have certain cliques in your respective classes, be it the cool kids and not so cool kids in High School, The Scholars and Stayers in College, we all have been in one or more different circles.

Guess what?

Uni life is no different. This is the lowdown on MY Freaking class… 1st Year Computer Science, University of Manchester.

Let me just start by saying… there are only about 9 – 10 girls in a class of 200… Sad huh… but yeah its comp sci… Its not LAW or ECONS where the girl : guy ratio is about 4:1… Lucky buggers. We’ll get back to where the Girls fit in later.

OYA…. If you think im being racist/sexist/colourist/slangist or whatever -ist you think… Next class you have… Just look around.. You know i’m right. Im not attempting to bang your race/religion/sex/fashion sense…. just humour me ok…

Manchester is a VERY multicultural City and it is no surprise… you can see the divide VERY clearly in the lecture hall…

1) Whites
In Comp Sci, there are a few types of white guys… e.g.

i) Whites that “can’t ever be arsed”
as the title suggests, the phrase “cant be arsed” or “couldn’t be arsed” pops up in conversation more than once per meeting. They would rather “go for a fag/pint/joint/” than get the labs done and basically “couldnt be bollocked” with much else. SOMEHOW…. they manage to get ALL work done by deadline, and score for exams… Regular Haunts? Around the Dustbin, having a fag.

ii) Whites that are PURE geeks
Some may argue… why can’t you put this as a more GENERAL clique? Since there are other Geeks who are not white….

Why?

Coz i feel like it.
Moving on. These Guys, wear “M!CR0$0vT sUxXx0rZ” Hoodies, and have jeans with pockets that can fit a small dog in it. Often have wallet chains and Sweaters that they wear EVERYDAMNDAY. You can ALWAYS overhear them discussing the “latest counterstrike Cheat patches” or the “L337est MMORPG PwR Lvling BuGz111”... Oh they wear thick ass Glasses and think the world is against them. Hangout, where else? The Lab surfing for Cheetz

iii) Whites Who Know everything
Nuff sed… Sit in front, in packs absorbing every bit of information thrown at them. Regular Haunts, i have no idea…. i dont see them out of lecs

iv) Whites Who Know Nothing
And are not worried. How do i know this? They are in their Regular spots at the VERY BACK VERY CORNER of the lecture hall, asleep/talking to their mates/texting people/asleep/reading the papers (The Sun). When talked to, all they say is “I got so f&*# Wankered Last night at _” or “My Mate Scored some Well good weed and we got Shitfaced till morning” I wonder how the hell they get thru labs. Haunt? The Pub… DUH!

v) Cool whites
Too cool, know nothing about them… refuse to be caught dead with an Oriental Bloke like myself. Haunts? Various Girls Rooms in Halls, the pub or Club Trop.

Phew… Those are JUST about all the whites in my class… Now… the Asians….

2) Asians (not Chinese, in UK, Asians are Pakistanis/Arabs/Afghans/ etc… you get the picture

i) Asians who dont say anything and look like they know as much as they say
Have NO clue what they are doing… NEVER say anything in Lectures/Group Meetings/Examples Classes/tutorials. I swear… I dont even think they speak English. They always have a blank look on their faces, covered by a THICK layer of facial hair. They Hang Around in bunches and speak their respective languages EVERYWHERE they go. Hangout… Kebab Places

ii) Asians who Say too much
They Try to out talk everyone. In lectures, they come up with some “smart sounding” question that is of NO RELEVANCE to what is being taught. And in Group meetings, they tell everyone how to do thier job and never do their own. A right bunch of Pricks if you ask me. They usually are loners coz no one is smart enough to be their friend, actually no one wants to be their friend. Hang Out? Who Cares?

iii) Asians who were brought up in UK
They Integrate with the locals well… Speak with a brit accent, and tend to be really nice. The Not Nice ones, hang out with the Blacks… The Asian Version of a Yob.

I think thats it for the Asians…Now the Blacks… or People of African Descent (PAD)

3) PAD
There is only one type of PAD in my class… The Rapper Wannabe. 6ft million Inches in height, wears Bling Bling, Full Rapper Gear down to the Bandana Under the cap/Afro/Corn Rows. The only thing i have heard from them is “WOT?” or “WOTS HE GOIN ON ABOUT”. They come in 15 Minutes late for class in a whole Gang, complete with Ho’s of course… (Unsuspecting Asian Girls who wanna be “popular”). And Seriously, i sat next to them today in maths, and i feared for my iPod… They Spend time, doodling little Graffiti on where they are supposed to be writing notes, and those who write notes, dont know what the heck it means. I Swear… in lectures i have once seen them gambling with the dice… SHEESH… Usually the most disruptive people in the class… Haunts? I wouldnt know… Moss Side i guess… =p

And last but not least… The Orientals…

4) Orientals

i) Hongkees/China/taiwan guys who speak NO English.
I mean Seriously… NO english. You know whats the funniest part? They did A’s in UK… Seriously… They cant even pronounce the Name they did their A’s in properly either “Les chester/ durr hamm/ war wick” You get the picture… Decked out in LV/Gucci/Versace the likes, only shop in Selfridges… SIGH… They tend to overdress to classes… i.e bare back n Mini Skirt… with makeup of course… or in the case of a guy, shirt and jeans, leather shoes… etc. They Keep to themselves, No wonder they speak no english. Hangouts? Snooker or Mahjong.. you pick.

ii) Orientals who were raised in UK
Speak English PERFECTLY well… With an English/American/English-American accent which can be switched on or off. Never go to class, coz they are too cool for class… Share the same traits (WEALTH AND OVERDRESSING) as their english Impaired counterparts. Hang out with whoever they deem cool enough to be in their presence! Hang out? Selfridges or M2…

iii) Orientals who Mix around
Hang out with Whites and with other orientals…Have no accent but their own countrys and speak enough english to get along. Get work done… And have enough time to have fun after… Obsessed with getting work done actually… a quote

“whos your valentine?”
“Snake Program Loh… Boh Bian…. Im sleeping with Snake.java tonight”

Nuff said.

iv) Skema Orientals
Copy Notes for a class which the slides and handouts are on the net/board/resource centre. Study hard for a class with no Exams and Do the Optional Optionals in the lab. Always 4 exercises ahead of the rest, and Never seen without notes/book in hand. The Geekiest of Geek. Hangouts? Library.

Im tired… That was an insanely Long blog… Im too lazy to blog where the Girls fit in… heres a short version

1)Ms Popluar… All guys salivate over her just coz shes the best looking of all (not good looking also)
2)Ho… Nuff sed
3)Loner. No one talks to her coz she looks scary
4)Asian with brit accent, constantly having loud discussions with girlfriends how she “did that well fit guy in Lucid”

How Concise….

Which one are you?
I dont think This applies to all courses tho…. perhaps just mine =)
Luc

Yup, whooptee-fucking-doo. In a rather irritable mood, due to a myriad of reasons. Topping the list is my copy of WoW hasn’t arrived yet, that’s what you get for ticking “Super Saver Delivery” on amazon, stupid me. Missing someone, but communication kinda broke down, sucks. Just finished playing Castlevania:Aria Of Sorrows, finished Zelda: Minish Cap before that, I’m averaging one GBA game per week… I need to slow down. Gamecube mod chip is being really fussy when it comes to different mini DVD-Rs. My group mates think just because I did the project last year I should be group leader, wtf. I hate problem based learning, I’m learning how to understand obscure microprocessor data sheets more than anything else. Some of the Sheila on 7 songs can be quite depressing. Listening to 3EB – Slow Motion on repeat can really kill your mood. Lacking sleep, workload isn’t getting any lighter, shit fuck goddamnit.

Isn’t having a blog useful ?

On a lighter note, got stoned the other day, which is always good. Sister wrote a much needed ego-boosting testimonial on my friendster, yay =) which reminds me, the pink shit layout actually displays correctly in opera, I found that pretty cool.

With any hope, my copy of WoW will arrive tomorrow. That combined with coursework will mean that I will be on hiatus till… I don’t know. Not that anybody will notice anyway. Heh.