Website finally running

Finally finished work on the website today. Its now live on www.bazkennedy.com. Still a slight issue with the domain (won't work with out the www) but I hope to have that resolved soon. The idea is that i can use the website to show off some of the work I've done, in particular apps and websites I've created.

I'll hopefully be updating the blog a bit more as well to discuss the various projects i'm working on and my random thoughts.

New Photos: Mountain Bike Trek

Yesterday I went down to see the UL Mountain Biking Club's new track on campus. The track is located down by the boathouse. I took the opportunity to try out the different settings on my camera. Got some great shots and some not so great shots.

Mountain biking track

New Photos: International Students first night in UL 2011

Yesterday saw the latest bunch of International Students arrive in UL. They include students from America, Spain, France, Germany and Canada. Last night, they went to the Stables Club for their first night out in UL.

International Students' first party 2011

BatucaMob

Last Sunday my parents traveled to the Cliffs of Moher to take part in a "BatucaMob” - a flash mob (one of several simultaneously happening around Europe) comprising of music (provided by the Kilfenora Cheili Band) and thumping empty waste bins, trash cans and other containers. The event, organized by my aunt Pauline McDonagh , marked the start of the 2010 European Week for Waste Reduction. More details available at www.managewaste.ie or www.ewwr.eu.

Kinect Hacking

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks you'll have heard of Kinect, Microsoft's answer to the Wii. The Kinect is a "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience" for the Xbox 360 (and will be available for PC users when Windows 8 is launched). The Kinect sensor uses motion sensors, 3d scanning and fancial/audio recognition software to enhance the gaming experience.

Kinect has only been on the market for a few weeks now but already several people have taken a screwdriver to their kinect sensors. Using the device's hardware they've come up with some fantastic "hacks".

Here's some of the more interesting one so far:

ofxKinect 3D draw 001 from Memo Akten on Vimeo.

and my personal favorite

Interactive Puppet Prototype with Xbox Kinect from Theo Watson on Vimeo.

And all this was done with a fortnight. There's some amazingly creative people out there- I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.

scouts - creating a better world

As I type 44 members of scouting Ireland are in India as part of operation hope. There project involves working to inprove a local orphanage.(updates on http://venturehope.blogspot.com/)
it is through their efforts and the efforts of other scout groups both in Ireland and elsewhere that the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) is able to achieve their tag line (creating a better world)

There are roughly 28 million scouts in the world today. if every scouts did one thing to improve the world, think of the results. Imagine 28 million projects in one day, 28 million acts of kindness, 28 million attempts to create a better world.

The question is now how do we make this happen

Apologies

Dear blog
I'm sorry for ignoring you these past few days. I have things to say but alas no time nor words to express them. I have been busy at work and busy working on another blog (www.CaherdavinScouts.WordPress.com). However i shall be returning soon and i promise there will be posts galore.

Your friend

Barry