Shaun’s Blog

A goon linked me to a youtube video in the “Share stuff that blows your mind” thread and it blew my mind. I can’t really explain what it’s about, but the title may give it away.

Be prepared for monotonous voices and futuristic sound effects!

So.. if you actually did get to the end like I did, what do you make of it?

Ed Dunhil and his colleague came to the University of Hull to showcase some new Microsoft technologies as a part of the Microsoft Inspiration Tour and as well as giving us all a sweet Microsoft t-shirt and pen, taught us about what’s up and coming in the world of Microsoft.

Microsoft Silverlight

Microsoft’s Silverlight, although similar to Flash, has lots of benefits.

Flash is around 30mb, whereas Silverlight is 5mb. Microsoft’s Silverlight can be created by anybody from a novice user who wants to create an applet using drag and drop design techniques, to the advanced user who wants to code their custom javascript or events into the applet. It’s about creating a rich user experience combining animations, audio and video with interactivity.

Microsoft XNA

Games development in the United Kingdom is booming at the momement and Microsoft’s XNA helps games developers, with the aide of a framework, to build games which can be compiled and played on a variety of systems, including Microsoft’s very own XBOX 360. The guys showed us a 3D game that a developer spent two months creating, which is a racing car game which uses a rollercoaster engine.

XNA Game Studio 2.0 will have an XBOX Live API… who knows?

I have absolutely no idea how genuine these are, but a friend of mine brought these to my attention. They are supposedly genuine exchanges between pilots and air traffic controllers. Some are believeable and some are just plain awesome.

“TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees.”
“Centre, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?”
“Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?” [1]

Allegedly, a Pan Am 727 flight waiting for start clearance in Munich overheard the following:
Lufthansa (in German): “Ground, what is our start clearance time?”
Ground (in English): “If you want an answer you must speak in English.”
Lufthansa (in English): “I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?”
Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): “Because you lost the bloody war.” [1]

From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long takeoff queue: “I’m f…ing bored!”
Ground Traffic Control: “Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!”
Unknown aircraft: “I said I was f…ing bored, not f…ing stupid!” [1]

Allegedly the German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They, it is alleged, not only expect one to know one’s gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them.

So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.
Speedbird 206: “Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway.”
Ground: “Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven.” The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
Ground: “Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?”
Speedbird 206: “Stand by, Ground, I’m looking up our gate location now.”
Ground (with quite arrogant impatience): “Speedbird 206, have you not been to Frankfurt before?”
Speedbird 206 (coolly): “Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark,…… and I didn’t land.” [1]

[1] source

Knock knock!

Who’s there?

It’s the courior people and we have a parcel for you, sir.

A PARCEL!

Jolly Ranchers, Hot Tamales, Pop Rocks, Taffy, Double Oreos, Cool Hot Tamales, Hershey’s, Peanut Butter M&Ms, Big Red Gum, Winterfresh Gum, Reese’s Pieces, Tonnes of Kool Aid and other stuff that’s buried underneath which I can’t see!

Thank you Tara for my USA care package.