Mr Altruistic

Welcome to 2004. I’m going to start the rapid updates again, I’m out of the slump and the ideas are beginning to flow more fluently. Thought I’d get the G5 set-up out of the way first. I promised pics, so here they are. Don’t ask me about the tartan backboard, I’m still not sure why that is there. That’s a professional set-up though. Since most of us peasants couldn’t afford that kind of hardware, it strengthens my point about debating Mac vs PC, as being apple vs oranges (or lemons as some have suggested).

Ive put up a second series of Hill End pics and that notorious bridle track. I’m nearly done on Edinburgh so those shots should be up next time too.

I’m still working on the webmasters resources section, it’s taking a bit more time than I expected as I’ve come across some other search engine optimisation techniques and resources and want to give them the explanation and space they deserve. So it might take a while before I add that.

Merry Xmas & Happy New Year. I think this will be my last post for 2003, too much going on. Thinking about going out for a drink while I’m throwing down a beer. Having just returned from a top-shelf camping expedition, I’m bushwhacked. The weekend was tops with the highlight being the maiden voyage of the Hill End Bridle Track, in particular the geek nailing the 2nd Turon River crossing (Mr Altruistic took the pic). That ROCKED!

I also took a few medicore pics along the way and I think my cam has blown a pixel or 2, so it might be better to check Daves site for pics of the epic journey. The scenery was brilliant all the way along the Bridle Track, so you won’t want to miss any of the shots he has posted. My recommendation, if you are a 4WD enthusiast or interested in Photography is to check out Hill End and Back via the Bridle Track. It showcases the beauty and adventure that one can experience whilst on the historic Bridle Track, heading towards Bathurst.

I’ve stalled a bit on the travel photos at the moment. I’m up to Edinburgh, and there are some good-ish shots just taking my sweet time to sort them out.

I’ve included a nice little present for webmasters in this update. A list of 54 free search engines and directories submissions that I’ve come across in the last couple of years. At the time of posting these are all working and may help to drive additional traffic to your site, or push your site higher in that all important climb to the top of rankings. If you can come up with additional resources OR small search engines, that aren’t FFA sites and are FREE, let me know and I’ll add them to the list and give you a thankyou-link in the process. Look out for the 1st post in the new year as I will be adding a second page of webmaster resources. cheers

I tinkered with the idea of having a vilesilencer xmas version. The prospect of warping santa’s face into something like the one above was very appealing I must say. Then reality of my laziness gene sunk in and I laughed at the idea of me wasting time doing that. So NO there won’t be an ugly santa appearing on this site. Not anytime soon anyways.

Had a nice day out last weekend with the lads getting smashed at Bungalow 8, King Street Wharf. Nothing is finer than sinking the amber, on a hot summery day, in a boutique outdoor bar with water views, under the shade of an umbrella, chatting with good mates and watching beautiful people strolling past going about their daily business. It’s a very serene feeling, or maybe that was just the booze. Who knows?

Saw that Pete bloke there from Big Brother, you know the one with the bum-bleeding Chron’s disease. He was sans Sami Lukis so needless to say he needed the drink as much as we did. I’ve just renewed the domain/host for this site so vilesilencer will be kicking on in 2004 and hopefully I will pull the proverbial finger out and get these other content ideas happening.

Double photo update this time. Nailed the Glasgow photos, we spent quite a few days there and did a day trip up to Glencoe in the ydo3ees Ford Focus hehehe. Ive also added photos from Threave Castle (see below) which is just outside of Dumfries. You have to do a small trek through some interesting countryside before arriving at a jetty where a ferryman scoots you over to the island with the castle on it in his tinny with outboard motor. I’ve also added 2 more pics to the England section (they are the 2 at the bottom).

Another update another set of travel photos. It’s been 2 weeks since the last update so I’m getting slack again. I’m all done with the Europe photos. I tried to salvage some from Germany and Itter, but they really didn’t turn out so good so I’ve shelved them for now. I’ve added the first batch of the UK photos, namely the England side. I had to jam a lot together from Warwick, Worcester, Oxford, York, Bath and the lakes district in order to have a decent selection.

I’ve finally knocked over that Medal of Honor game on the xbox. I hadn’t played it for a while because the first 2 missions I found to be boring. However once you get through the first 2 missions it gets really engaging and I couldn’t stop playing till I was finished.

Greenpeace, who I donate to monthly, has just mailed me their latest update, and surprise surprise they’re asking me for more money. Apparently another rainforest is getting knocked off in Tasmania. Now, I like Greenpeace, and the fact they are fanatical about what they do. They eat Tofu, they ride bikes to work, and they try to save our wildlife. But, what I don’t like, is the way that they ask me “to do more for Greenpeace” by suggesting I donate more money. The blurb is:

It takes courage and financial assistance from supporters like you to campaign for the planet’s survival. That’s why many of our supporters choose to make an additional donation at this time of the year. And that’s why I’m asking you to make yours today.

Needless to say they are lucky to get my donation in the first place and they won’t be getting more, regardless of them highlighting that it is tax deductible. Well thats my rant.

Got bored with the look of the site so I’ve changed it again. I’ve left the majority of the back-end as is, and will do so until I get super-bored with the way it looks. Had a fairly decent play on Final Cut Pro 4, and Soundtrack last weekend. It’s so easy to get a background sound working with a cinematic scene, and it’s really enjoyable. I can imagine logging and capturing clips from a camera to be insanely boring for an editor, they must have tumor-inducing migraines from having to do that. BUT the joy awaiting them after that is done, with adding sound and arranging the scenes certainly makes up for the drudgery they have to go through. I took a pic and small video of the set-up too, I just haven’t downloaded them from the camera yet, maybe next update. So what’s new since the last update apart from the look? Well, I’ve added the remainder of the Italy pics, which are pretty mediocre. Included is Venice, which you might be thinking, wow where are all the great shots of Venice. What can I say… There wasn’t any. The day we went was stinking hot, over-crowded with tourists and my camera cards were both running on empty. To make matters worse it began raining about halfway through the day which ruined all hope of taking any shots. Towards evening as it cleared up I managed to get a few shots on the gondolas, not great, but proof I was there