Follow me on Twitter! If you use Twitter (or even if you don’t) you can follow me by subscribing to my twitter feed at www.twitter.com/peteranglea. I keep that updated much more frequently than my blog - at least every couple of days. If you ever want to know what I’m doing (or was doing recently), just check that out.

In addition, you can always see my latest tweet (Twitter post) in the right side column on my home page.

Let’s hear it for technology - keeping people connected!

First off, the internship is over. Many, many thanks to Pastor Matt and everyone at Community who taught me, worked with me, or just plain put up with me this summer. It was an immense privilege being able to serve there this summer and Lord-willing during the upcoming school year as well.

As for my classes, I will be taking 16 more credits this semester. They include:

• Hymnology
• History of Music III
• Current Church Issues
• Choral Composition
• 18th c. Counterpoint
• Ministerial Class
• Private Piano and Organ lessons

Basically all Music and two Bible courses. It should be lots of fun.

In addition to classes, the Lord has seen fit to place me into a few positions of leadership here on campus. Firstly, I’m a PC (Prayer Captain). This means that I’m “in charge” of prayer group and the overall spiritual climate of my room and two other adjacent rooms on the hall. We will meet daily for prayer and Bible study. Pray that I will be able to make a positive impact on my prayer group for good. In addition, I am now the crew chief of the FMA stage crew. Our crew (which consists of 9 guys) covers all services, recitals, and other events in the FMA, Stratton Hall, and War Memorial Chapel. Since Rodeheaver is under construction this year, more productions and Artist Series will be held in the FMA. Therefore, we’re counting on having a slightly busier-than-normal year. Pray that I will have the ability and wisdom to effectively lead the operations that will go on this year.

Well, there’s my semester in a nutshell. I’ll try to post updates periodically as the semster progresses, but no promises. See you in December!

Cuil searches more pages on the Web than anyone else—three times as many as Google and ten times as many as Microsoft. [source]

Coming out from under wraps just recently, Cuil is attempting to redefine the way web search is done. After noticing it via a news story on the home page of CNN.com today, I decided to take Cuil for a spin to see what it is made of. Some of what I found was nice, some wasn’t impressive at all. Let’s start with the good news.

Good News

Probably the first thing that strikes you is the fresh design and layout. I don’t think many people readily admit that Google has the prettiest site design out there. In fact, it’s pretty bland. But hey, when you’ve got traffic like they do, I suppose something must be done to keep bandwidth in check.

Speaking of the design, I’ve heard that a black Google homepage would supposedly be good for the environment… maybe Cuil’s got something going there.

I also kinda like everything that Cuil showcases on their Features page. Category drilldowns and tabs would certainly help when searching for terms with several possible meanings. Navigation Suggestions are always nice. I’ve personally been taking advantage of Google Suggest for some time (in my Firefox search toolbar).

The column approach to displaying data is certainly a good way to cut down on wasted page space that you get when viewing Google with a larger resolution monitor.

In addition, including relevant images with the search results certainly makes it easier for you to scan the page and find a helpful result faster.

Bad News

I’m sorry to say that searching for info on Cuil seems to be leagues behind Google’s super-refined algorithms. To test out the differences between these two search engines I tried some identical searches on each of them to see what results were handed to me. First, I tried finding my web design company, xHTMLpro.com using some appropriate keywords that have worked well in the past.

As a side note, while I was preparing this blog post, Cuil’s servers bent underneath the load of traffic and consequently were not returning any results whatsoever. That’s never happened with Google and it certainly highlights Cuil’s unreliability as a personal search engine replacement.

Due to excessive load, our servers didn’t return results. Please try your search again.

1. “web design lebanon, pa” (Google, Cuil)

• Google immediately recognized my attempt to search for local businesses and returned a listing of several design firms in my city. Look. There I am … letter H.
• Cuil came up empty handed! I had to try a few more queries before I even got results. “web design lebanon pennsylvania” returned a bunch of links about tea… [scratch head] Google gave me the same results for that string, too.

2. “xhtmlpro” (Google, Cuil) - I decided to try an “easy” query on both

• Google: bam. At the top where I ought to be.
• Cuil: These results are actually relevant… but what is that image next to my site’s listing? I have no idea where that came from.

Ok, let’s try searching for my own name.

3. “peter anglea” (Google, Cuil)

• Google successfully returned several relevant results on my name. The first 5 results concern me, and a few others as well.
• While Cuil actually returned several results relevant to my name, they didn’t even include my home page among them. Instead there are a few links to other pages on my site.

So, needless to say, Cuil hasn’t proved that their method of searching the web is better yet. I concede that it is new and it probably needs some time to learn from its users so that it can return better results. Right now, it’s kinda lousy actually.

But wait a minute… I’m not sure how Cuil plans to improve their results (and they sure need to) since they state they don’t follow click-throughs or collect any user info.

Because Cuil analyzes Web pages and not click-throughs, we don’t need to know your search history and habits. So our privacy policy is very simple: when you search with Cuil, we do not collect any personally identifiable information, period. We have no idea who sends queries: not by name, not by IP address, and not by cookie. Your search history is your business, not ours. We don’t need to keep logs of our users’ search activity, so we don’t. [source]

That’s part of what makes Google’s results so refined. By collecting data about my search habits (by means of being logged into my Google account) they can give me results that are personalized and ultimately more relevant. I agree that privacy is important on the web, but I’m comfortable with Google’s privacy policies, and hey, they give me what I want almost every time.

Going back to the columns idea … while the column approach could an effective way of displaying data, I’m not sure the world is used to that. Every other search engine in the world lists their results in a vertical list. I for one am not used to scanning search results from side to side to find what I want. Does it actually save time? I find that I’m spending more time looking around, and that delays me finding the links I really want.

Also, it’s nice that Cuil is providing additional helps for its users (Tabs, Drilldowns), but that approach can also result in taking more time to find what you want. Your average internet searcher just wants to see what they want. Right away. While Google is constantly evaluating their user experience so that you can shave split-seconds on your search time, Cuil must think that the better way includes giving users more links to follow.

Much more could be said I suppose. I won’t even touch on the claim that their index is 3x larger than Google (Google did just clain they scan over 1 trillion links now). Feel free to comment on your experience using Cuil (pros, cons, indifferences). As for me, I think it will be some time before they’re actually ready to compete with Google. Right now, it’s just not “cuil.”

Head over to http://vectortuts.com/illustration/creating-a-coffee-cup-with-inkscape/ and give it a read if you’re interested.

As many or most of you know, I’m still working stage at BJU and doing my church music internship at Community Baptist in Greer. My internship is going very well thus far. It’s neat being able to interact with the people there and to get involved in their ministry. Though I was a bit skeptical at first, I think it was wise to go somewhere I hadn’t been before to get a fresh perspective on music ministry and, in a broader sense, church ministry. I have been able to sing in choir (and direct a bit), play in the orchestra, play the keyboards, and sing a few vocal numbers among other things. I’ve just finished a database program that will help Pastor Matt in his efforts to organize the music library (another one of our projects this summer).

Work at stage has been neat as well. I started off working in Rodeheaver during the month of May on some electrical wiring projects. Then we spent the month of June making some renovations to Stratton Hall (which will be finished this week). If you’ve ever been in Stratton Hall, you may recall the reddish-maroon curtain that covered the wall at the back of the auditorium (if not, follow the link above and look at the 360 panorama). Well, we took that down, and constructed a wood-paneled wall that matches the existing paneling on the side walls. In addition, we have swapped out the old ceiling tiles with newer, more acoustic ones. Overall, this should transform the acoustics in SH a good bit and make it more appealing for musical performances.

In other news . . .

• I get to go home for a week starting next Monday! I haven’t been home since January, so it will be good to get to relax and spend some time at home, finally.
• In case any of you are wondering - yes, I’m working on BJU Coffee Tycoon. The new version for next semester (if I get to program everything that I want to) will be supercool. I’ve been conversing with some friends on how to make it better and I’m just starting the programming for it. With any luck, it will be completely different from the first version and hopefully much more enjoyable and realistic.
• I’m awaiting publication on a vector design tutorial that I wrote for www.vectortuts.com. It should be published this week.
• I’ll be able to catch up with everyone on facebook next week when I get home. If you’re still waiting for me to respond to anything facebook-wise from the last month and a half … sorry.

That’s all from me for now. Leave a comment so I don’t get lonely, ok?

Not satisfied with this viewpoint, I rushed up to the light booth (the windows on the front of the building situated one floor above the lobby) and snapped 3 more pictures with the claw right below me. Sweetness.

Feeling pleased with myself, I walked back outside to chat with some stage crew friends who were among the 100 or so onlookers. They had noticed me in the window (go figure) and told me that we probably weren’t allowed to go up there. Oops. Whatever the case may be, I came away with a few impressive shots that nobody else was able to get because I didn’t get the memo about staying out of that particular room while I was at lunch.

Boldly going where no photographer dared to venture… dun-dun-duunnn.

First, the school year is basically over now. Today is the last day of exams for the University. In fact, as I type, I can hear random shouts of joy outside my window as people are finishing their last exams for the year (”I’m DONE!!”, “Finished!”, “It’s all over!”, etc.). In fact, I’ve actually been done with my exams since early Monday morning. Because of work obligations at FMA stage this week, the other stage guys and I had to take all our final exams early so that we would be free to work all this week with the various rehearsals, recitals, performances, and other events filling the FMA calendar. It was hectic trying to finish all major projects AND cram for early exams last week, but it was all worth it just to be done ahead of everybody else. Whew!

I will be singing in the annual Commencement Concert in the FMA this Friday evening. The main attraction for the event is the University Symphonic Wind Band under the direction of Dr. Dan Turner. However, the University combined choirs will be joining the band to premiere a new piece by Dr. Dan Forrest of the composition faculty entitled In Paradisum. In short, it sounds really sweet, but you can read more about it on Dr. Forrest’s website (www.danforrest.com). The Commencement Concert will also feature music such as the Lord of the Rings and the Wind in the Willows (complete with a car crash on stage).

Now, for my summer plans. I will try to summarize them so this post doesn’t get too long. I will be doing my Church Music Internship this summer. I will be serving at Community Baptist Church here in Greenville (Greer, actually). The music pastor I will be interning under is Pastor Matt Whitcomb. Mr. Whitcomb was my choir director here at school this semester. I’m looking forward to learning a lot and getting a better glimpse of my possible future vocation as a church music pastor.

Unfortunately, since I’m doing my internship in SC, I won’t be able to come home much this summer (maybe for a week of vacation, but that has yet to be worked out). I will be living and working full time here on campus at BJU. I will continue to work my present job as stage crew in the FMA and Stratton Hall. There are some renovations that will be done in Stratton Hall this summer and some other projects to work on in the FMA. In addition to working full-time and doing my internship, I hope to fill remaining free time doing some programming projects, web design, and piano practice. Speaking of piano practice, my senior recital has been scheduled for March 6th, 2009 at 5pm in War Memorial Chapel. The exact program has yet to be nailed down, but will include music by Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, and Bartok.

Some prayer requests that I have for the summer are:

• That I would be used greatly of the Lord in my summer internship and music ministry at Community.
• That the Lord would show me more of His future will for my life in regards to the church music ministry.
• That I would have the energy to faithfully fulfill all my duties at work and at church this summer.
• Transportation for going back and forth from BJU to church (I don’t have a car).
• Money for next year’s school bill.
• A continued strengthening of my relationship with God, particularly in the area of Bible reading and prayer.

That’s all for now. I’ll try to post periodic updates of how my summer is going. If you made it all the way to the end of this post you deserve a reward.

Happy 50th to my dad, Steve Anglea. Congratulations on making it over the hill and then some. Have a happy birthday!

This Friday evening (April 11th) at 7pm, the Bob Jones University Concert Choir under the direction of Mr. Matt Whitcomb will perform in the War Memorial Chapel. The concert will include works by Faure (Requiem), Rutter, Vaughn Williams, and Gustafson. The choir will be accompanied by a small chamber orchestra and the impressive Wicks pipe organ in the WMC.

Come if you are able!