29 July, 2009

Amazing new video

You've seen those quicktime photos online where you can move your mouse to see anywhere in 360 degrees, well imagine it's video instead of a still picture, try it, it's great!

27 July, 2009

Tron Legacy

Tron was a great movie, and there was always room for a sequel which was planned but nothing seemed to come of it... and then this turned up.



The Original preview clip:

Angry from Footscray writes...

This morning, a fellow I follow of twitter sent me this link while it may be a bit of a joke, I admit to feeling sick to the back teeth of hearing people say that online friends aren't real friends. so as you can see, I replied.

Incase they pull it, here's what I wrote:

The bit about people somehow not being real friends on twitter, or anywhere else online, is a thoughtless thing to say. I met a guy many years ago from the US who I became firm friends with, He came over to visit me and we toured Victoria which is my state here in Australia, Twice. He returned with his wife after they were married. I have another internet friend from interstate who comes to visit me at least twice a year, he'd come more often if plane fares weren't so expensive, so we keep in touch online. Another asked me if I'd like to tour Tasmania with him, He even paid for the ticket, we had a great time. Last week I was sent a gift from a lovely US friend in Oklahoma... She'd sent me a huge box of my favourite chocolates. A woman on twitter sent me a lot of new plants for my garden and some of her home grown fruit and veggies.

Because of the internet, I have formed solid friendships with people all over the world via forums, secondlife and twitter.

And twitter is giving me the opportunity of meeting brand new people who are already showing signs of becoming serious, actual, definately real friends with me.

The internet is just a phone extention, when you talk to people on your mobile, are those people somehow not real?

I don't listen to people who say we can't make friends online, they should put their brain in gear before opening their trap.

If you're not making real friends online, you're not doing it right.

Wolfie!

09 July, 2009

Peter and the Wolfie (Alter Ego)

Here's the short online version of Alter Ego, the Documentary we made last year and has yet to be shown, in full, on SBS in Australia.

It's mainly about people in Secondlife, what they think and feel and how they interact with others.

Secondlife is a 3D virtual world which at first glance looks like a game, but is in fact, a social network. Secondlife is especially beneficial for those who for various reasons find it difficult to get out. I find a lot of people there who've had serious illness or injury, or recovering. It's also great for those who are "stranded" in locations which make getting out and meeting others, quite difficult.

Personally I prefer meeting people online rather than in real life as it's really difficult to find people with a similar mindset and takes too much personal time,
I have also been recovering from illness, though to be honest, I've always prefered being at home with my family where I feel much more comfortable. If for some reason I can't sleep, I can get online and have a chat at 2am if I want. I can't imagine getting in a car at that hour to go somewhere.

Sometimes I do meet friends in "meat space" who I've met online, and that's been fun.
I got a trip to Tassie out of it, and been on a couple of local trips with friends from the US. I feel really close to my online mates, and know the only reason preventing us getting together normally is time, money, health and distance.

I have no idea when Alter Ego goes to air, that's completely up to SBS, but as soon as I know a date I will certainly announce it pretty much everywhere.

The best thing to do is follow me on twitter, however I should warn you, I'm very chatty. ;) - @Wolfie_Rankin

I will also announce the date on the following Secondlife groups: ABC Friends, Rockit, Australians and Dragon's Roost.

*** Latest News *** The show *may* be airing on the 23rd of December

Peter and the Wolfie from Shelley Matulick on Vimeo.

02 July, 2009

How Dave O'Neil escaped Mums' Foot.

About Seven years ago, our cat died, and I thought that it might be nice to bring home a kitten since there were so many others out there who needed a home. So we bought home a lovely little one who was taken away from her mum too soon, and though we tried, She didn't survive. So, About a week later I went back to the vets, and found a box of kittens there.

The Vet told me that Dave O'Neil had found them dumped in a lane and had bought them in.

The box was packed with kittens, and one on the top was beating up all the others... normally I'd go for the quiet ones, but I decided to get this mean one since she looked a lot stronger than the other one we had and lost too quickly.

We bought her home and named her Vicky.

Vicky never stopped fighting, she would stalk us as though we were rodents and leap out and sink her claws and fangs into our ankles, it was play, but sometimes it went a bit far.

"Who did you say found Vicky" asked Mum.

"Dave O'Neil did"

"Right, When I find that Dave O'Neil bloke, I'm going to stick my foot right up his bum".

She was joking of course.

Mum would frown a lot like Shirley Temple, or Arnold from Diff'rent strokes maybe.
The look in her face was brilliant.

So we're watching Spicks one night, when who should appear.

"Is that that Dave O'Neil?"

"Yes Mum, that's him"

"Well when I see him, I'm gunna kick him up his bum that hard...."

One day we're out shopping, and were about to cross the street, when I looked up and saw Dave about to cross over to our side.

We met right near the middle of the street, and I leant over and whispered into Mums ear, "That's him Mum, Go on, Kick his bum, you always wanted to, go on!".

I wondered if Dave heard, because Mum was pretty deaf, so when I say "whispered" I mean at a quiet level that she could actually hear.

We've still got Vicky, and it looks like Dave kept one too as we saw a photo in the local paper of him holding his cat, who looks almost the same.

He probably has the same trouble that we've had with ours.

Wolfie!