The Raspberry Pi.  a small cheap computer - very exciting, all over the news, massive waiting lists, etc etc.

And I've finally got my hands on one.  Ok, so it actually arrived several weeks ago, but I've only just found enough spare time to do anything with it. 

I don't need another 'plain' linux machine, and haven't yet had any genius ideas for other cool projects, so it's currently sat next to my tv/stereo, running raspbmc and acting as a media centre.

rainbow pi!

This has led to more spending and general preparation - as well as the pi, cables, SD card, power supply etc, I've also bought a case for it (which obviously had to be the pibow, because hello, it's a RAINBOW! ), powerline adapters so I don't have to move the router or faff about with wifi adapters, and a network hard drive.  Which I vaguely wanted for backup purposes anyway.

So far, so good - although xmbc's user interface is a little bit horrible and annoying at times.  Loving the android app though - there's a lot of geek novelty value in using my phone to control music being streamed to my stereo from a hard drive in a different room

known issues/fiddling so far, for the sake of documenting stuff:

• had to edit ntp.conf with router IP so it would actually get the time/date
• doesn't fit on my tv screen.  possibly my cheap telly's fault, but shrinking by 10% in settings seems to sort it.
• TV refuses to see any hdmi input if I switch things on in the 'wrong' order.  Again probably the telly's fault...

Now, I just need to figure out how to put it on "shuffle everything" mode... and then start poking about with videos as well as music.

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Well, London 2012 is over (with the paralympics still to come, of course)

I've paid no attention to most of the build up - not because I "didn't approve" of London getting the games, but because it's all just crappy media hype and ridiculously scary over commercialism - things I generally try and stay away from.

The actual sport is another matter.  I've been glued to various TV/computer screens watching all sorts of things.  Obviously the canoe slalom and sprint featured quite highly Mountain biking wasn't as exciting as I'd expected to watch on the tv, but the utter carnage of the BMX more than made up for that!

Best not get started on why mens' football shouldn't be there though...

Oh, and the closing ceremony.  I wasn't going to bother, but then I saw who was performing and thought I'd give it a chance for the 'celebration of British music' bit.

Really shouldn't have.  Most of it made me angry, and anyone following me on twitter might have noticed.  In no particular order:

• Spice Girls.  Really can't sing. why not just mime????  I wandered off to do the washing up as soon as they appeared, but also had to mute the sound because it was so awful
• Russell Brand.  I don't understand what he was doing there.  WHY?
• not-quite-Oasis (aka Beady Eye).  doing Wonderwall.  really?  no!  Liam's voice just isn't up to it anymore   Then I got worried when Mr Blue Sky started afterwards in case he was still singing (thankfully not)
• everyone else: stop obsessing over John bloody Lennon.  'Imagine' does my head in, and how can you sing "imagine there's no countries" at the Olympics, where it's all about representing and generally being proud of, er, your country.
• Jessie J.  Well done, you've got an actual singing voice.  But fucking hell stop being so shouty.  And the less said about attempting to ruin Queen the better...

There were some good bits though - Eric Idle, Take That, Queen before shouty woman, The Who, all the fireworks.  Enough to make up for the utter embarrasment of the rest of it?  maybe, I don't know.

Good thing the games will be remembered because of TeamGB doing so well and winning lots of lovely shiny medals really!

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