I am a PhD (Computer Science) student studying under Prof. Aditya Ghose at SITACS, University of Wollongong. I've previously researched fast non-heuristic methods for constructing hypertree decompositions. More recently I've been researching methods to make distributed local search algorithms complete without excluding their default opportunistic behaviour.

Some links

PhD Comics

PhD doesn't mean "Doctor of Philosophy" - it means "piled higher and deeper". The comic itself is (unfortunately) very accurate, showing the classic PhD student, and the reality of PhD supervision.

CSS Zen Garden

I'm a strong believer that HTML should be structured around it's content, and the appearance should be determined by CSS. CSS Zen Garden is an awesome site showing just how correctly structured HTML can be made to look very different just by using CSS. I still think they go a bit overboard with the styling, and I dislike fixed-width, but the sheer level of transformation they can achieve is amazing.

VG Computing

Bought my laptop from here. I tried to order from a large seller first - 4 emails and (now months) later and I still haven't recevied a human response. VG Computing was fast, reponsive and still had a better prices! Thanks Bill!

bash.org

Funny quotes from IRC - for when you're bored or otherwise don't want to face reality. Most are just funny, but this a particularly insightful quote:

Berawler: Is there any sanity or light left in this shrivelled husk of a world?
SingingDancingMoose: There was, but we had to trade it in for the internet.

You also have to love this (yes, it's a very nerdy quote):

Dark_Brood: #define sizeof(x) rand()
Rangsk: you can do that?
Dark_Brood: Yup
Catafriggm: OMFG!
Catafriggm: That's disgusting!

Google Maps

Google Maps provides an interesting satellite map service. By providing longitude/latitude information you can find places like Wollongong. This map is centred on North Wollongong; a suburb of Wollongong about equidistant from the University and my unit.
To the south you can see the steel works, and in the centre of the map is a little 'hook' of coastline, corresponding to Wollongong harbour and lighthouse. You can also find places like my hometown. Note the big holes in the ground formed by coal mines. Moving down to the south east you can see just how big business coal mining is in Muswellbrook.