http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?blogId=1 Michael Welsh, the runner of Michael's Blog. Michael Welsh is also known as yomcat, and has a beautiful wifey called Melissa. Michael Welsh will talk about random stuff in Michael's blog. Stuff like advanced mathematics and pretty beads. If it doesn't offend people, it's not worth saying. yomcat 2010-09-06T20:55:35Z http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1256&blogId=1 Recently, I've been thinking about friends a lot. What is a friend? Who are my friends? Do I want more friends? And more.<br/>Currently, I claim I have 4 friends (who were all in my wedding party. Think about it). I'm comfortable with this, even if Melissa is the only one I see on anything like a regular basis. But what makes these people different from everyone else I know? With Melissa, the answer is obvious. In a way that even a first year could see. But the other three are different. I've known them all longer than I've known Melissa, and each one is different. They're all around my age, and I enjoy hanging out with them, to the extent that I look forward to seeing them (two of them have moved to some remote parts of the country) when I get the chance. I think it's partly due to chemistry, some stalking and lots of shared experiences. Almost all my favourite memories involve at least one of them. In fact, I can't think of any at the moment that don't.<br /> I know that I'm not a very friendly person, though people beg to differ. I'm very introverted, and more often than not, would rather hide in my room playing with Gordon or doing some maths than talk to someone (with 3 exceptions). In social situations when I don't know anyone (a wedding in Palmy over New Years is a great example) I just get bored, and sit there with Steve and play games. I grunt responses and don't talk to people (unless they're talking about maths, in which case they stop when I start using the words "simple kiddie maths" to describe whatever they're doing). I don't try to make new friends, and I'm fine with that. Formal occasions really, really annoy me. It's a hangover from school, and one I have no intention of changing. The informal nature of my wedding reflects this (though that was bordering on too formal).<br /> Back to friends, and some discussion about Jesus. I remember that All Saints did a talk on community or something like that, using Jesus as the example. They talked about how he had his 3 (Peter, James, John), his 12 (the disciples), his 72 and maybe something else. It was awhile ago and the podcasts got trashed when the crappy new website launched. Anyway, I like to think of the equivalent of the 3 as friends. I can't really think of a better definition or axiomatisation, so you'll have to put up with that. Though thinking about it, the only person I currently share on that deep a level with is Melissa. Which may be because I share almost everything with Melissa, because she's so much closer to me than anyone else, and my life isn't going through crisis mode like it was a few years ago. Life just plods along, and nothing ever happens.<br /> I don't want to grow this little group thingy I have. Assuming the links still exist, it's been so long. And having a decent length conversation is too expensive. Am I scared of losing my friends? I guess I am. It is quite a frightening concept.<br /> That leads me to the next circle, the greater circle of friends. Or whatever it's called. Most people I know well enough fit into this category. Uni friends. Church friends. Don't think I have any from any other places. Workmates get into the next bit (PIRAW), along with more people from church and Uni, Palmy and who knows where else. These circles are much more fluid.<br /> <br /> Now some discussion: Do friends need to be bijective? This is actually quite a tough question. I would immediately say no, but I can't really back it up. Thinking about it, being a one-directional friend has some other name. Loving people or somesuch like that. So that means that friendship tends towards being bijective, even though it may not start out that way.<br /> Points to consider: <ul> <li>What makes a good friend?</li> <li>Is it "better" to have a few close friends, or lots of not-so-close ones?</li> <li>What effect does marriage have on friendships?</li> <li>Is it hard to be close friends with someone in a different life situation to you?</li> <li>Where does a mentoring relationship fit into all this?</li> <li>Is "doing coffee" really such a bad thing?</li> </ul> Ranting and Raving 2009-07-28T21:33:24Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1237&blogId=1 So, I applied for graduation. I went along to My VUW, couldn't find "helpful links" (that thing is useless) so gave up and went the csa-public way.<br/>Got to the graduation page, and it said something about my browser not being supported. It's only brand new, and I'm sure it has no problem with 128-bit security (they were telling me to use Firefox 1.5!).<br /> One quick useragent change later, all is well. It really pisses me off when sites can't handle modern browsers that aren't Firefox (which is slow and ugly) or IE (which doesn't run). Ranting and Raving 2009-04-23T16:37:05Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1230&blogId=1 My lights are on. Regardless of whether I'm in the room or not.<br/>Hippy Hour be damned. Ranting and Raving 2009-03-28T18:54:15Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1226&blogId=1 Do first years know anything? Last week it was <a href="http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1223&blogId=1">basic integers</a>, this time around it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_by_example">Proof by example</a>.<br/>An example if you think it's okay. (And not even in LaTeX)<br /> 4² = 2⁴ = 16. Therefore, powers are commutative. <p>Muppets.</p> <p>Yes, I know they're learning. I just like to take out my frustrations on the Internet. And even <a href="https://twitter.com/simon_w/status/1352524901">Simon</a> knows it's wrong. And he's a stupid school kiddie (makes first years seem smart).</p> Ranting and Raving 2009-03-19T19:21:34Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1205&blogId=1 So, <a href="http://www.allsaints.org.nz" rel="nofollow">All Saints</a> has a new blog. It's average, I guess. A lot better than the old piece of crap.<br/>A few things. No security testing has been done yet, or pissing around with Firefox on a decent monitor.<br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://allsaints.org.nz/robots.txt" rel="nofollow">Piss off Google</a></li> <li><a href="http://simon.geek.nz/hotlinks/">Hotlinking is wrong.</a></li> <li><a>If something is coloured as a link...</a></li> <li><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/nzphpug/browse_frm/thread/353f92d61909c319/d131f76d46e71838?tvc=1">Dodgy host</a>.</li> <li><tt>registrant_contact_email: hamish@catchdesign.co.nz</tt></li> <li>Email addresses should be clickable.</li> <li>Too much Flash-based crap. Try looking at it on an iPod.</li> <li>It's a blog. Not a website.</li> <li>Print, not web, design.</li> <li>Meta tags are all screwy.</li> <li>Links are hard-coded.</li> <li>Links need to be seriously checked. Every single one of them.</li> <li>404s aren't done very well.</li> <li>Pale Yellow on White. Great way to make stuff readable.</li> <li>Background breaks on long pages.</li> <li>Search makes no sense.</li> <li>That Flash thing on the front page is annoying.</li> <li>Weekly news as JPGs.</li> <li>Rosters as BMPs.</li> <li>The title tags are so messed up.</li> <li>How can "News" be in the future?</li> <li>Fails as XHTML 1.0 Transitional.</li> <li>SEO.</li> <li>RSS feed headers.</li> </ul> <p>There's probably heaps more wrong with it. I suppose someone will eventually fix all the links but it's still WordPress.<br /> It's still a huge improvement over the old thing, and unlike my "temporary" service time page, probably works in IE as well. And hopefully all the outsourcing doesn't come back to bite them in the arse.</p> <p>Good things:</p> <ul> <li>Apart from some minor design flaws, it looks fine.</li> <li>RSS feeds, when they're linked properly, work.</li> </ul> <p>So, I don't really like it (and haven't looked at it on Gordon yet), but I doubt I'll use it much. It's a much better advertisement for the church than the old one was.</p> Ranting and Raving 2009-01-30T08:16:21Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1204&blogId=1 So, the best explanation for the phrase "Mighty to Save" is because it's biblical. Following on in this theme, I've found some lines that I think would make great worship songs (ie, mindless garbage).<br/><ul type="square"> <li>I will go about barefoot and naked.</li> <li>I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.</li> <li>My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.</li> <li>Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.</li> <li>I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.</li> <li>Bring her out and have her burned to death!</li> <li>Righteous Branch</li> <li>We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes</li> <li>I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth</li> </ul> <p>I can find worse ones, but even churches have limits. In really, really stupid places. Ranting and Raving 2009-01-26T18:58:57Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1195&blogId=1 Officially, the reason we went to Palmy for 8 sleeps was to go to a wedding of two people I'd met once and didn't recognise at all. Surprisingly, I wasn't very interested during <a href="http://tinyurl.com/8jfddc/">their wedding</a>, especially the singing. Though the intended reading (<a href="http://is.gd/ezBp">1 Corinthians 1-13</a>) could have been interesting...<br/>However, I did get the lyrics of the second song (well, the first bit of the first verse) and had a big wtf? moment.<br /> <p><i>I see heaven before me<br /> Angels passing around me<br /> Here I stand in awe of your beauty<br /> Captured by your Holiness</i></p> To my uninterested mind, this sounded like a funeral song.<br /><br /> Okay, now I'm reading the full lyrics of the two songs sung at the wedding, and I can't see what they have to do with a wedding at all. Love (the entire sermon(s) can be summed up as <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=16551284&id=16551326&s=143461">Luv is a Verb</a>) is mentioned twice. The first song is all over the place, but basically comes from Revelation. The second is about heaven, but it does have a train in it (someone told me that they have something to do with weddings).<br /> And since I'm currently bored, here are the complete lyrics:<br /> <p><b>Hosanna</b></p> <p><i>I see the king of glory<br /> Coming on the coulds with fire<br /> The whole earth shakes<br /> The whole earth shakes</i></p> <p><i>I see his love and mercy<br /> Washing over all our sin<br /> The people sing<br /> The people sing</i></p> <p><i>Hosanna<br /> Hosanna<br /> Hosanna in the highest</i></p> <p><i>I see a generation<br /> Rising up to take their place<br /> With selfless faith<br /> With selfless faith</i></p> <p><i>I see a near revival<br /> Stirring as we pray and seek<br /> We're on our kness<br /> We're on our knees</i></p> <p><i>Heal my heart and make it clean<br /> Open up my eyes to the things unseen<br /> Show me how to love like you have loved me<br /> Break my heart for what breaks yours<br /> Everything I am for your kingdoms cause<br /> As I go from nothing into eternity</i></p> <p><b>Lift up your eyes</b></p> <p><i>I see heaven before me<br /> Angels passing around me<br /> Here I stand in awe of your beauty<br /> Captured by your Holiness</i></p> <p><i>Lift up your eyes<br /> All of heaven's in worship<br /> Angels rejoice and the clouds will be filled<br /> With the wonder of your name<br /> With the wonder of your name</i></p> <p><i>The train of his robe fills the temple with glory<br /> Heavenly hosts fall before him in worship<br /> Crying Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty</i></p> <p><i>Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty</i></p> Ranting and Raving 2009-01-05T14:54:09Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1172&blogId=1 It's there for a reason. Use it. Even Ben does now. There is no excuse not to.<br/>I'll do stuff soon. Remember that people are stupid, and email addresses are not as unique as people think... Ranting and Raving 2008-10-22T12:57:18Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1119&blogId=1 My computers are falling to digital pieces. Though I suppose it could be worse. I could be running Windows or actually have some Microsoft product.<br/>Anyway, I broke sudo on Blitz and Strider doesn't like to restart. Nothing too major. Yet. Just very annoying. Especially Blitz. I need to reinstall Leopard this afternoon. Could be fun. <br /><br /> Unless someone knows how to change the permissions on my sudoers file without sudo. And without root. Because I can't just enable root anymore. That's gone. Sometimes I really dislike Apple... Ranting and Raving 2008-04-18T13:43:03Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1105&blogId=1 For you all hippies out there, check out <a href="http://www.earthhour.org/about">Hippy Hour</a>.<br/>Muppets. Stuff 2008-03-10T09:17:06Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1082&blogId=1 These are evil to draw. And piss me off.<br/>That is all.<br /> Oh, feet and inches are stupid.<br /> <br /> Wumbo, there's a rant. Ranting and Raving 2007-12-18T12:32:17Z yomcat http://yomcat.geek.nz/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=1067&blogId=1 natd: I hate you, please die.<br/> Ranting and Raving 2007-11-10T14:49:47Z yomcat