Odds & Ends

When Will They Learn Press Conference

2008-11-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

This is Irene, speaking to the press.

Social Networking in Plain English

2008-11-22T08:05:00.001-08:00

Blogs in Plain English

2008-11-20T09:04:00.000-08:00

BCTF TV Ad When Will They Learn

2008-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Margaret Ross test video

2008-11-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

Spore Creature Creater

2008-08-29T22:32:00.001-07:00

I can spend hours upon hours playing with this. It's great fun.

My creations

The one thing I hate about the Olympics

2008-08-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

The olympic games were fantastic! I watched most of the events online via CBC's live stream. However, one thing I hate about the Olympics is:

Why on earth did the IOC let Macdonalds and Coke be one of the official sponsors?! It does not make sense.

The Witcher Versus Arena

2008-08-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

Recently got onto the Witcher's Versus Arena. It's lots of fun. I like the fact that we are not dueling in real time. My first win!

Heheh, not doing so well after a few fights. I need to go read up on strategies...

Ouch!

Startrek Online

2008-08-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Star Trek Online looks like it would be fun. I would love to play in a Star Trek Universe.

Olympic Fail: Blue Screen of Death Strikes Bird's Nest During Opening Ceremonies Torch Lighting

2008-08-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

Olympic Fail: Blue Screen of Death Strikes Bird's Nest During Opening Ceremonies Torch Lighting

Made my day when I saw this on Giz. Nothing like a public display of Microsoft sore spots to get me giggling!

Beijing 2008

2008-08-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

2008 08 08 08:00

At Beiging time 8:00pm, local time 5:00am PDT, the 29th Olympic opening ceremonies began. It was a fantastic show. The show revolved around China's greatest inventions: gun powder, paper, printing press, and the compass. Lots of sparks and colours. A spectacular showcase of some of China's culture. Good to see the ceremony consists of only cultural references.

A very proud moment in China, and a very proud moment for a Chinese.

Aliens truth a cover up? There is nothing wrong with that.

2008-07-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

I was reading a story about Dr Edgar Mitchell claiming that governments have been covering up the truth about aliens.

As far as I'm concern, cover ups are probably not a bad idea when it comes to the sort like aliens. We humans has a very strange definition about intelligence. Judging from the way we treat other species on this planet, there is no telling what will the masses think about, or do to, an alien species from an other planet. The fact that there are intelligent life out there and had came and made contact will bring the sense that humans are the center of the universe into question. We built our civilization based on the notion that "God" made us in its image. That is a very egocentric perception.

Let's face it, humans simply can not understand the notion that intelligence exists even though we are not capable of conceiving such ideas.

Someone pulled a quick one over Microsoft

2008-07-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

First hints of Microsoft’s “fight back” ads appear | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

At one point, everyone thought the earth was flat? Really?

This ad is very appropriate for Microsoft. The entire point of the ad is based on a mis-conception, just like Vista. If you ask me, I think it's the designers' canned way of slanting the big giant.

At one point, Christopher thought the aboriginals were "Indians"...

It's time to move on?

2008-07-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

I remember it was not that long ago, if you tell someone that photographic film will go the way of the Dodos, people will simply laugh and chuckle. Now practically none of my friends or family members owns a film camera anymore.

The same situation will happen to a medium that is much more common: paper. It's around the corner, and it will happen. When it is more profitable to have electronic media than printed media, paper manufacturers will shut down, just like film manufacturers did. An example of a commercial application:
E Ink responsible for Esquire's flashing magazine cover - Engadget

While we're at it, might as well get used to the idea of that mouse disappearing too.

I for one don't use a mouse at work, instead, I use the stylus. I only use a mouse at home when I'm playing games. Other times, I stick to the stylus. Touch, and voice based interface is also nice.

What is Vancouver coming to?

2008-07-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Pirate ship tree house sunk by court ruling

Pretty soon this city would be known as the city where "We will taser new immigrants and give you a ticket for laughing"

Google Wins Agreement To Anonymize YouTube Logs

2008-07-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Slashdot | Google Wins Agreement To Anonymize YouTube Logs

"Power to the People"? At least Google isn't too bad for a "big brother".

Lively by Google

2008-07-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lively is Google's 3D chat room.
This is actually a lot of fun. A little "clunky" to use, but, still pretty cool. I like how I can change her clothes any time I wanted to. It's like playing with dolls all over again! I never played Second Life, so this is quite refreshing. Can't wait for Google to release more content, or let us users make our own.

Edit: after playing with it for several hours, I realized that if the tool bar on the right hand side can auto hind or be toggled, that would be great.

Jokes' on the consumers

2008-05-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

From the live reporting of D:

7:26 - Ballmer: "Let me ask Bill..." is Vista up to your expectations compared to '95 and 3.0? Gates: "There's no product that we've ever shipped that was 100% of what I wanted. That's part of the magic of software, people give you feedback... and you get to make a new version. ... We have a culture of 'we need to do better."

In other words, why give them everything they want, when they will keep giving us money in hopes that the next version will be "better"...

Classic Microsoft.

Portal

2008-05-25T15:56:00.001-07:00

Have been playing Portal this last few days. It's a relatively short game. I love jumping through the portals and slinging myself 300feet up over to where I need to go. It's a fun fun fun game. I love it.

Mt Seymour cabin weekend

2008-05-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

A fun weekend with the gang up Mt Seymour. The dogs were so cute.

Splitz Grill

2008-05-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

The IT gang at Splitz Grill in Vancouver BC for our delayed "Xmas Lunch".

Splitz Grill has some very yummy burgers.

All hail Asus!!

2008-05-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

Slashdot | Linux Desktop to Appear On Every Asus Motherboard

I like the sound of this.

What a joke

2008-05-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Slashdot | Microsoft Reaches Out To Blender

Microsoft has its eyes on Blender. They recently contacted devs at Blender. Here is a small snippet of the email that made me laughed.

"Specifically, Microsoft is slowly shifting toward a more open standards based approach to its file formats. The ISO standard Office Open XML is an example of the direction we are moving towards."

According to MS, they want to make Blender work better on Windows. They want to make all FOSS programs work better on Windows.

I will put a huge "HA HA HA HA" on this one. I will believe that Microsoft is trying to be "more open" when I see them put some effort into making things work better on Linux, not the other way around.

Groklaw articulated this in a better way.

Small victory for gamers...

2008-05-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

The ridiculous 10 day authentication requirement of the upcoming EA games MASS Effect and Spore has been scrapped!

Thanks to the military, who were the chief voice in opposition, EA has decided to drop the authenticate every 10 days requirement from the two upcoming titles. The initial activation is till required, but, this is still good news.

Looking forward to the games once again. I will, however, wait until the activation process is all patched up before dropping any real money on the games.

From the BioWare offical forum.

Games on the Radar, no more

2008-05-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

I was scrolling through /. and found a disturbing news about MASS Effect (ME). The game requires an initial activation and then will need to "phone home" EVERY 10 days (when the game is started) thereafter for as long as EA exists. FAQ can be found on BioWare's ME forum.

Well there goes my appetite to drop $50 for the game. Not only that I have to pay for it, I also have to continuously prove that I am the rightful owner of the copy. I have an always-on internet connection, and authenticating every 10 days isn't such an inconvenience. It's the principle. What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? By actually paying for the game, EA has decided to treat me as a criminal, and I have to prove it to them (every god damn 10 days) that I have not been bad with my purchase. I have been deemed a criminal by buying their game! The game is a single player game that requires you to hook up to the internet every 10 days. There's no other way of playing the game for more than 10 days without authenticating.

In the FAQ forum thread, this is how it's going to be with EA PC titles from now on. Spore will have the same thing when it comes out. I think I'll hold off (as long as I have to) on buying either ME or Spore.

I love BioWare's games, but EA sort of wrecked the fun for everyone.

EA is like Microsoft's little brother... only I can actually live without it.

Installer.app Update

2008-05-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Installer just got a new update. I noticed the installer now refreshes faster, and I love the search function.

More from iPod Touch Fan

Free at last!

2008-05-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

iAppCat - Apple iPhone & iPod Touch Applications, Installer Source Repositories

After Jailbreaking the iPod Touch, I was having a blast with all the appz. The iAppCat repo tool helped a bunch. Register an account, browse through all the apps for the Touch, and add them to a personalized repo. Makes installing apps on the Touch much easier.

Breaking the iPod Touch

2008-05-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

I was having lots of fun Jailbreaking my iPod Touch, following the instructions on iPod Touch Hacks. The instructions are very simple to follow and the process took little over 10 minutes.

I bought a set of Blue Tooth headset/w mic to go with the Touch. The head phones worked perfectly before Jailbreaking, but, the receiver and transmitter seem to stop "seeing" each other after the hack. Maybe it's something I did wrong.

With that said, the Blue Tooth headsets from Panasonic was a good deal at more than half off the price...

[Update] The receiver and transmitter worked again after I loaded some audio onto my iPod. The receiver seems to want to start playing music at the top of my music list every time it's plugged in.

The model I have is the Panasonic RP-BT10.

Scape goat or actual change of culture in the MS empire?

2008-04-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hey! Ho! Time for Ballmer to Go? | Epicenter from Wired.com

The question isn't if Ballmer should be fired. The question is, is this the sign of Microsoft changing? Everything else is just details.

iPhone in the North

2008-04-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

iPhone finally coming to Canada - Engadget

Of all the carriers I guess Apple decided that Rogers is the lesser evil of them all? I don't know if this is good news or not.

MOO cards and stickers

2008-04-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today, the little MOO cards and stickers arrived all the way from UK. They turned out well. The mini cards are of a heavy stock, with matte finish. They have a nice feel to them, not flimsy or anything, and came in a small white plastic box. The stickers are very cute. The booklet is thicker and biger than I thought. Each page contains 6 glossy square stickers.

I uploaded 10 images for my minicards, and, 6 different images for the stickers. Although the images were supper low rez, the out put is good. I really like these little cards, and stickers!

Games on the radar

2008-04-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Coming in May 27, MASS Effect

I have been reading some interesting things about Mass Effect, and am glad to see it's finally coming out for the PC in May. I was temped to purchase an X360 to play this game, and decided against it. My reason at the time being, ME was the only game on an X360 I am remotely interested in, and I think PC is a much better platform to play RPGs.

The Witcher, Enhanced Version.

Just found out that the new version of the Withcer will be delayed without a date. Although disappointed, I am still very much want the enhanced version. I think I might go for the box set with all the extra trinkets even though I already own a copy of this game.

Spore, and the $10 Creature Creator.

When I first hopped on the hype-wagon for this little critter, I thought it will have the potential of being fun. However, Ars Technica, reported that the Creature Creator will be on sale in June for $10.

Although $10 isn't too much money,
I still feel like this is a pre-release hype with nothing much to it.

If this creator is what users will use to create the critters that will populate the world of Spore, and if the world of Spore is supposed to be populated with user created contents, then, why on Earth should I pay $10 dollars for the tool that will essentially come with the game? I can see this as an alternative for purchasing additional copies of the full version of the game, if I want to create little critters on the road or something. Even then, I should be able to take my copy of the creator that I purchased with the full version on the road with me. I shouldn't have to pay twice.

Maybe there is something I am missing. I still think it will be lots of fun to be able to see what the little critters are like sooner rather than later. I will wait and see.

PMS

2008-04-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Premenstrual syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

PMS, I never talk about or express it in any of my creative platforms, but it's such a large part me, that I do not acknowledge. Back in high school, I wrote a lot. I never expressed my anger in any form. I have expressed many emotions, but, I never acknowledged that I feel absolutely fucked up during a few days every month.

This is a good start I guess.

Days as Canadians are getting dangerously to an end

2008-04-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

Pay-per-use family practice to open in Vancouver

The first in Vancouver BC, and perhaps in Canada, a "Pay-per-use" family doctor clinic will be open next month. According to the article, the reason for the clinic is a response to the shortage of family doctors in the province.

However, if there aren't enough qualified doctors in the public sector, the lines only going to get longer, not shorter. It will not be long before doctors see a better paid job and switch to private practices. The cost of living is high, doctors don't want to starve either.

The market is ripe with opportunities for insurance companies. It's not just about the ideal of private or public medical services. It's all about making medical services non affordable without having private insurance along with it. The insurance is where big money goes, and the insurance companies are the ones who want private medical services the most.

What's worst is the fact that the insurance companies are the ones who have the most money to lobby for a government that will allow for this, and we voted for that government.

Sexy...

2008-04-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Peraves' MonoTracer Is Barely a Motorcycle, But It's a Really Easy Ride

The Sliding Pole

2008-04-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

This seems to be the perfect day for me to mention one of my favourite fetish of all time, those Firefighters and the sliding pole!

April 21, 1878 was the day the first sliding pole was installed in Chicago Engine 21.

RIAA escapes sanctions, drops case against homeless man

2008-04-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

I got the Touch - iPod Touch

2008-04-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Buzzing about my iPod Touch, and I love the little thing. Works great for me as a PDA, easy navigations and the touchy-feely feel is amazing. Photos, and hi-def videos from Youtube look great on it.

As a result of hooking up my iPod Touch, I found out that I can sync my Outlook contacts, calendars, mails, Safari/IE bookmarks, etc... It may not be new, but it's news for me! Since I can sync Outlook stuff, I wonder if I installed Sunbird or the likes on my computer, will I be able to sync to those as well? More investigations needed...

All and all, I enjoy having the iPod Touch.

Flocked out

2008-04-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

After a few days using Flock as my main browser, I went back to FireFox. I love Flock. I like the social networking aspect of it, and I like how Flock starts up so fast.

However, I did noticed some minor annoyance. I am not sure why the build-in search function doesn't show my most often searched words as suggestions when I type. There must be an opption some where. I also noticed the newest version of WordPress have some strange glitches when it comes to inserting links from the upload files screen.

I like to iron out some of the odds and ends in Flock, and give it an other try. At the moment, I will stay with FireFox for a little bit longer.

Flock in full

2008-04-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

After successfully installing some of my most used add-ons, I have made Flock as my default browser at work. I am intended to test the browser in full usage. My next endeavor is to try and develop a theme for Flock. The browser needs a bit more colour me thinks...

Blogged with the Flock Browser

FireFox Extensions for Flock

2008-04-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

I was able to use a few FireFox extensions in Flock. The procedure on Flock's extensions pages are easy to follow.

So far, I am able to install the following extensions:

Google Tool Bar
IE Tab
Undo Closed Tab Button
Speed Dial
Grab and Drag
Screen Grab
Copy All URLs
Link Alert
(update Apr 15: seems like this add-on worked when it got installed, but stoped working this morning when I restarted. Curious. I went to the FireFox add-on page for Link Alert, installed the add-on from there, and it worked once more.)

The only one that I tried to use but did not work properly was Colorful Tabs. I guess it's because Colorful Tabs actually re-skin the UI of Flock? I will investigate more on this.

Turns out that most of the extensions from FireFox is compatible with Flock, due to the fact that Flock uses the FireFox core.

Google Tool Bar for Flock

2008-04-14T10:14:00.001-07:00

The hack from Rasterbator has proven to be useful and working. I managed to add the Google Tool Bar to my Flock browser.

- Figure 1 -

The hack as-is did not work. I needed to change the "maxVersion" parameter to 1.1.1 (the version of Flock that is currently installed on my computer when this post is written).

A step closer to using Flock as my default browser. Now if I can find a suitable set of extensions for Flock, then I will be happy.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Speed Dial

2008-04-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

- Figure 1 -

One of my most used FireFox add-ons, Speed Dial. This add-on let me configure as many groups of short cuts as I want, and display them in a grid with thumbnails of the web sites. It gives me a clear visual presentation of my most visited web sties.

I also find the shortcut keys very useful. I got used to the default key combos ctrl+#. I organize my speed dials into groups, and each "group" has 9 thumbnails. (Figure 1)

A short cut can be set via right clicking any where on the desired web page and selecting the option "Set as Speed Dial" (Figure 2), or by using the "Assign Speed Dial" button (Figure 3).

- Figure 2 -

- Figure 3 -

There are plenty of options to set the Speed Dial add-on to behave the way I like. These include the ability to import/export the current setting, so I don't have to start from scratch each time I set up a new computer.

- Figure 4 -

We got to love the fans!

2008-04-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

All haile the Fox!!! The heavens has given us a sign. I should document some of the ways I use FireFox. Seems to be a great time to start!

Flock

2008-04-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

I've been Flocked! Just installed the "Social Browser" Flock, and have been using it for about an hour. I must say, the feeling of being able to get to most of the things I look at within one place is good. I like how I can connect to everything from within the browser.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Adobe Photoshop Express

2008-03-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

Just launched!
The title points to an online version of Photoshop. It is a free service where a user can create online albums to share with others. Just signed up for an account, the process is simple.

Update:
I like the integration with FaceBook, and Picasa. As it is now, Photoshop Express only support JPGs, I wish it will support PNG and other formats in the near future.

An article at Ars Technica has a pretty good run down of the program.
The write up on Wired.com is also very detailed and interesting.

Asus launches Eee PC SDK

2008-03-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

The title links to a brief write up about the newly launched SDK for the Eee.

The 3 day long feast of Easter at Victoria

2008-03-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Cannon A720 IS is working out very well for me. Had a blast with it on Easter. Check out the still photos and clips below.

Nostalgic To Night?

2008-03-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

YouTube - 張國榮跨越97演唱會-紅

Ahh, the 80's... what can I can say?

2008-03-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

YouTube - 張國榮無心睡眠

Is it so hard to understand?

2008-03-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

MPAA boss: Net neutrality would cramp our P2P snooping plans

"We just want more money."

That's the message I get from the MPAA these days. The cost of going to a movie starts at $13 CAD per person, and by the time you throw in the junk food for two, you're ending up paying upwards of $40 for a SINGLE movie. Although prices are dear here in Vancouver BC, the movie theaters are not doing all that bad. (As a matter of fact, the US box office set a record high in 2007.) The MPAA however, thinks the world is coming to an end. Why? People are downloading more and more pirated movies, what else?

Sony "won" the Blue Ray war, and the prices of BR players are steadily going up. The cost of buying a BR DVD starts at $20 upwards. Still cheaper than going to a movie, and you can watch it over and over again, right? Yes, unless you factor in the cost of the BR player. The price of a BR player can set a consumer back $500-$1,000, not to mention the HDTV to make the most out of your blue-ray DVDs.

Ok, I get it, pirates are bad.
Two going to movies for $40 a pop is good.
Buying blue-ray DVDs for $20-$40 a pop is good.
MPAA and "Content Owners" making millions while the average Joe starve is good.

And I make minimum wage (which is $8.00/hr CAD here in BC btw).

I guess the movies have once again become a luxury for the rich only.

No wonder I can't understand them...

In anticipation

2008-03-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

I remember the last time I anticipated the release of a PC game. It was Black & White. The God game from Lion Head that did not do anything for me. I did not enjoy the game, and it was given away to someone who had more fun with it than I did.

Fast forward to today, I find myself re-living that "jump on the hype-wagon" feeling. This time for Spore. The reason I was looking at its game details was because of the curious blog post from Google about posting to Youtube within Spore. So, to satisfy my curiosity, I embarked on a brief journey to learn more about Spore.

Yet an other "God" game, super hyped before release. Even made it onto the iPhone software road map. I'll wait and see.

Let The Race Begin

2008-03-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

WannabEees: Eee PC vs Elonex One vs OLPC vs EasyNote XS vs MSI Wind...

I am glad to see the "race to the bottom" is heating up. More power to the consumers. Owning something tiny can finally become a trend instead of a luxury. This means more people will want that city wide Wi-Fi, and expect more portability with their information.

This brings an interesting challenge to designers. How to maintain balance when monitors at home are getting bigger, but monitors on the road are getting smaller. I sure hope the resolution of these tiny screens can eventually become more on par with the standard monitors.

Now only if mobile network carriers can start a race to the bottom too...

US seizes domain name of Spanish company selling Cuba trips

2008-03-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Democracy? What democracy?

Otaku Avatar Maker : Free

2008-03-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

I can not remember where or how I found the web site: Otaku Avatar Maker. I've known about and used this site for quite a while now.

It's a fun site where one can generate avatars for various uses. It's free, it has always been free. It's simple to use, all you need to do is pick the different parts of the avatar and generate an image.

What piracy crisis? MPAA touts record box office for 2007

2008-03-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Tech that's just wrong - Crave at CNET.co.uk

2008-03-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

The link in the title points to a list of "wrong" technologies reported from CNET.co.uk

On page 9 of the article is the "Google Street View". CNET compared Google's street view to "panopticon". From Wikipedia:

"The Panopticon is a type of prison building designed by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1785. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell whether they are being watched, thereby conveying what one architect has called the "sentiment of an invisible omniscience."^[1] Bentham himself described the Panopticon as "a new mode of obtaining power of mind over mind, in a quantity hitherto without example."

I'm surprised that CNET did not mention anything about the technologies that allowed wire tapping/spying on citizens. I guess it's OK to be watched as long as you're being watched by US government God...

I do, however, agree with their #8, DRM. Can't go wrong with saying DRM is bad...

The self appointed righteousness of some people never seizes to amaze me.

Hands-on with the 9-inch Eee PC - Engadget

2008-03-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

Finally! The "Next Gen" 9 inch Eee is here! Title points to Engadget's hands on article.
I am always excited about good products being popular. This one is extra special because of its price range.

OLPC, Classmate, and Eee compared

2008-03-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

Link in title points to ZD Net's recent comparison of 3 inexpensive UMPC, OLPC's XO, Intel's Classmate PC, and Asus' Eee PC.

It is interesting to see all 3 "side by side" The Eee remains the smallest and most stylish. While the other 2 are more rugged.

BC Crown Counsel Association (beta 1)

2008-03-02T18:22:00.001-08:00

My first adventure with Word Press, bringing the BC Crown Counsel Association's website to the current century. I'm happy about using the tool.

I found an existing template and modded it into something I'm happy with. Documentations and resources on WordPress.org are very useful. Custom themes can be easily distributed.

Microsoft Quietly Launches Private Internet Explorer 8 Beta | Compiler from Wired.com

2008-02-25T15:07:00.000-08:00

From the article:

"... website developers will be able to add a meta tag to their pages telling IE how it should render the page — in traditional mode (non-standard IE 6-style rendering), standards mode (IE 7’s half-baked concept of standards) and super standards mode (where IE will render similar to the way Firefox, Opera and Safari have been doing for the last five years).
A number of developers have decried the meta-tag flagging as a way of versioning the web, which they feel is a bad idea. But regardless of how the meta-tag might play out, we find it interesting that, if the rumors are to be believed, IE 8 will automatically render in traditional mode.
..."

If I get this right, IE 8 will be able to render web pages similar to FireFox, Opera, and Safari, but will not "turn it on" unless it's been scripted in the web site by way of a meta tag? Instead, it will default to a non-standard way of rendering, 2 versions ago?

I guess kudos for at lease trying to be backwards compatible on the web front, unlike other MS products...

Update Mar 3, 2008:
Microsoft recently changed their minds about IE8's compatibility. Sounds like IE8 will be standards compatible by default after all.

From the desktop to the web and back.

2008-02-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

Wired has a post

on Compiler about Adobe's release of the AIR.

This opens up possibilities, and new innovations. I like the idea of only one layer of user interface for most if not all of my applications needs. While the desktop is a wonderful place to work from, it's clear that computing will soon move online rather than staying put in a box under my desk. It's nice to know there are technologies going in that direction. However, I fear who is involved and for what reason.

I have nothing against Adobe, and I think Adobe is one of those "less evil" corporates out there. I use their products day in and day out. I'm sure Adobe will deliver a quality product that is popular over time.

On the other hand, there is a little known project called Prism from Mozilla. Based on the Geko engine that renders content for FireFox and other Mozilla apps, Prism is an application that allow web apps to run as a desktop application.

China wants online boycott of "decadent, backward thoughts"

2008-02-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

I don' understand why sex (or anything to do with sex) and violence have to be in the same category. Sex is healthy. Violence in any form has nothing to do with sex.

I guess it comes as no surprise that China would want the absolute control when it comes to personal rights/freedom. What I find disgusting is the attitude towards freedom and expression of those living in the "land of the free".

Google intoxicates Linux users with Wine improvements

2008-02-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ever since I got my hands on the little Eee, I am becoming more and more impressed with the Linux operating system. I have always been chasing the open source holy grail. With improvements on Wine, the gap between closed and open source can be bridged more easily. This might be enough to prompt me for an all out switch over!

Microsoft prepping proxy fight for Yahoo bid

2008-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

The antitrust fiasco at the turn of the century is still fresh... or has everyone already forgotten? The bully that MS is, replacing the Yahoo board of directors is a given. How else would MS get what they wanted?

Installing ram on a 4G Eee

2008-02-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

Boot the Eee PC's Xandros Desktop in Full-KDE Mode - EeeUser Wiki

2008-02-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

Found a walk through of how to boot the Eee in full desktop mode. Now we're talkin' baby!

My Eee!!

2008-02-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

Had it for a few hours, and loving it.
Read the review from Ars Technica

Huckabee Endorses Fire-And-Brimstone YouTube Competitor 'GodTube' | from Wired.com

2008-01-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

Here I am, thinking naively to myself, "I thought the church and the state was separated for a reason..."

I can see it now, instead of stoning the sinners, the USA will re-introduce "burning alive at the stake". Time to get out the pitchforks!

War on Scientology

2008-01-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

An internet group known as "Anonymous" has declared "War on Scientology". The YouTube video is actually as hilarious as the idea itself.

It's about time

2008-01-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

RIAA wiped off the net | The Register

I firmly believe the day will come for the RIAA to be wiped off the net (surface of this world) for good. Still, such hoax are always fun to know about. This couldn't have happened to a more deserving party.

What to do when there's nothing to do?

2008-01-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

SUCK UK - Message Tape

A very interesting product. for when there is nothing better to do! Good for keeping the little one busy while you're trying to pack.

My leet InBox

2008-01-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

Today my Gmail inbox achieved "leet" status.

Star Trek

2008-01-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Star Trek: Exclusive First Look at the Enterprise - Moviefone

Take a look at the all new (again) USS Enterprise. Link takes you to Moviefone's exclusive first look at the cast.

End Of

2008-01-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

This year we will see the retirement of the most infamous computer tyrant Bill Gates. With him out of the way, what's going to happen to Microsoft? Who will be the next in line to stand in the way of innovation?

I vote for Steve Jobs. The only difference is, Jobs actually have a sense (very good sense) of taste and is innovative.

We will wait and see. Apple's time has come.

iGoogle Custom Themes!!!!!

2008-01-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

Developer's Guide - Themes - Google Code

Have been wondering when Google was going to let us make our own themes. It's finally here! Just noticed it this morning, I'm not sure how long it's been out. Anyways, let's take a look at the dev guide and see how easy it is to create a killer theme.

Til Death will we part...

2008-01-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

Slashdot | Public Request For Microsoft To Release Deprecated File Formats

The USA will have an "ill-legal alien" as their president before Bill Gates will part with his file formats.

SanDisk Prototypes 12-Gigabyte microSDHC Card

2008-01-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

SanDisk Prototypes 12-Gigabyte microSDHC Card
From the article:

"... This marks the largest microSDHC card yet designed, a substantial increase from the 8 GB cards currently available, and not far behind the 16 GB capacity of full-size SDHC cards..."

Who said size doesn't matter? Size ALWAYS matters.

Pownce

2008-01-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

Pownce : Margret L.

A friend sent an invite to Pownce. Seems easy to use and not cumbersome. Nice looking "out of the can" themes. The free account comes with a 10mb limit on file sharing. A pro account costs $20/yr it's not a bad price. I don't mind paying for an upgrade to be able to send large files (up to 100mb), but, I have trouble with the fact I can not do simple customization with the theme unless I go pro.

Short film "Katedra" - Tomek Baginski

2008-01-05T18:31:00.000-08:00

A short film by the same artist that did the opening cut scene for The Witcher.
Katedra (Cathedral) - Tomek Baginski (2002)

Benazir Bhutto: 1953-2007

2007-12-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

The lost of a great woman, and hope for many.

New Pleasure

2007-12-27T00:59:00.000-08:00

I found a new pleasure. It's perverse, but it's irresistibly funny. In the RPG, The Witcher, you get to run around the city shoving people aside. It's hilarious, I like to run around shoving old ladies and drawfs around.

Demo

SmartNav hands-free mouse

2007-12-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

Need to bring this to the attention of our ergo team.

The Witcher

2007-12-24T16:11:00.000-08:00

Recently I found the Witcher. This game is one of the better (if not the best this year) single player RPG on the market today.

Powered by BIOWear's Aurora Engine, developed by CD Projektm The Witcher is better looking than a lot of other RPG out there. It loads slow, that is true. However, it is tolerable. There is lots to do, and although the world isn't as open as Oblivion or Morrowind, it is big enough. I'm still early in the game yet, but I like it very much.

My View!

2007-12-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

SanDisk | Products | Music & Video Players | SanDisk Sansa® View
Finally bought myself one of these. So far it's been good. Interface was easy to handle. The gadget feels solid, and is easily manageable with gloves on. Now, if I can find my killer headphones...

Edit: 20 minutes of turning my place upside-down
I found my little Sennheiser PX100.
Sennheiser makes good headphones. They are quite affordable too.

Daddy spoil me please

2007-11-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

World's Most Expensive Gift Card - The $5 Million Halcyon Dream Card - Born Rich

Who has a $5 million allowance and want to spoil me rotten?

From the article:

"As a Dream Card member, you will have access to an exclusive network of the finest luxury accommodations, services, and goods. The Dream Card recipients have access to Halcyon’s supreme system of private jet charter flights to and from anywhere in the world. They will be given their own Private Aviation Specialist (PAS) and personal concierge to assist with the travel, dining and entertainment needs of even the most discerning traveler. The Holiday Dream Card will enrich you with the ultimate travel experience this holiday, for a whopping sum of US $5,000,000."

WGA's striking humor

2007-11-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

WGA Strike: Daily Show Writers Use Viacom's YouTube Suit to Hilariously Explain the Strike

Worth speaking out for.

Microsoft, get the hell out of my f__kink brain!!

2007-11-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

MyLifeBits Project - Microsoft BARC Media Presence Group

While this is an amazing idea, and will eventually become necessary, but from Microsoft? I would vote for the extinction of all humans before I would hand over my brain to Microsoft!

Electrolytes and an onion

2007-11-15T11:32:00.000-08:00

Taser video shows RCMP shocked immigrant within 25 seconds of arrival

2007-11-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Taser video shows RCMP shocked immigrant within 25 seconds of arrival

A said day.

Vancouver Police Dog Squad

2007-11-13T15:01:00.000-08:00

Celebrating 50 Years!
Event poster in PDF, from VPD

Saturday Nov 17, 2007
Noon to 5 pm
Burrard Seaforth Armoury
1650 Burrard St. Vancouver BC. (map)

Police dog demonstrations every hour
German Shepherd puppy area
Meet current & retired police dogs
Historical photo gallery & videos
T-shirts, posters & memorabilia
Collectable dog cards, stickers & more!

Once upon a time when I was in Vegas

2007-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

Been looking through all my old stuff looking for old Flash animations, and found this!

Kettle Chips

2007-11-09T15:59:00.000-08:00

Natural Potato Chips & Healthy Snack Foods :: KettleFoods.com
I recently tried Kettle Chips and loved it. I tried two flavours: Spicy Thai, and NY Cheddar with Herbs. I like both flavour. I wish I can find more flavours in Vancouver.

My Chopsticks Bra!

2007-11-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Oh the fun!

Solid Gold Louis Vuitton Flash Drive

2007-11-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

This Xmas: what to get for that geek friend that have everything?

Solid Gold Louis Vuitton Flash Drive of course!

Symbian dismisses Google Android

2007-11-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Slashdot | Symbian Blasts Google's Phone Initiative

So sounds like Symbian vice president John Forsyth not only think that Google is not experienced enough to be dabbling in the mobile OS field, he also think that supporting customers is a "deeply unsexy" job.

iGoogle got new themes!

2007-11-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

Google just added 5 new themes to iGoogle personalized homepage.

Grab and Drag :: Firefox Add-ons

2007-11-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Grab and Drag : Firefox Add-ons

When I'm looking at a large page that require me to scroll up and down, I often wish I can have a click and drag function similar to Acrobat's scrolling "hand". I hardly use a mouse when I'm at work. A tablet pen doesn't have a middle button for scrolling/panning. This add-on solved quite a few problems for me.

For people who use Firefox, I highly recommend this add-on. Works well with a mouse and a pen.

Gphone announced today

2007-11-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Official Google Blog: Where's my Gphone?

Most of you heard that the Gphone isn't going to be a phone, but an OS. I look forward to it. Hope we'll see some of its action here in Vancouver too.

Google's OpenSocial API

2007-11-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

Official Google Blog: OpenSocial makes the web better

Orkut currently have a sand box set up for this new API. For those of us who wants to check it out, here's some simple instructions.