Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas



Merry Christmas to all!! And hope you can all get to know the true meaning of Christmas.

Even though Santa is not really an important part of Christmas (despite the fact that you see Santa around more than Jesus during Christmas), this is an interesting link- if you want to know where Santa is right NOW! through Google Earth. Wow!

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Christmas series #2- Best Silent Night I've ever heard

I remember listening to this years ago way before I started using internet... on some TV show. It's amazing.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Thank God it's not Friday

Wow, what's that all about? Who on earth doesn't like Friday?? Well, maybe when I'm on call in the weekends.

You'll never guess what this is all about.

Click here.

Political Correctness?? Or what??

I've been sponsoring a child in Sri Lanka for a few years through World Vision. They send us blank Christmas cards every year, so that we can write something for the kids.

I was really disappointed when a woman called me today and told me what I wrote on the card had to be deleted. Guess what I have written down??

"May God Bless You."

I told her I wrote this in the card EVERY YEAR. She didn't seem to be sure how to answer my question, and just said the condition in Sri Lanka have changed. I don't know a lot about Sri Lanka apart from the tsunami a few years ago and Tamil Tiger, so I couldn't argue with her, and I am sure she was under some order from above.

I seemed to remember Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country, if it were someplace like Iraq, or any Muslim country, I think I would understand this. It's Buddhism!! And Buddhists ,in my impression, are generally more tolerant to other religions, and honestly the term "God" can be interpreted differently by different people.

I did an internet search, and found that I am right. (I copied this from the Sri Lanka tourism site.)
Sri Lanka is a multi-religious society. Though Buddhism is the major religion, other religions such as Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are also followed.
Of course, I don't know the current condition in Sri Lanka, it could be really volatile.

I just can't help wondering if this is some kind of an attempt of political correctness. Just like what they're trying to do in the Western countries, avoid the term "Christmas", and use the word "holidays" instead... it's really stupid to send a Christmas card and avoid the term "Christmas" like plague...

World Vision is a CHRISTIAN organisation
... I think I have expected more from them. While I don't think it is a good idea to antagonise the local people by religion like the South Korean missionaries, neither do I think it's good to do some sort of self-censorship automatically.

I am really disappointed by this.

(Note: Please tell me if you know more about Sri Lanka, any conflicts over religion or politics.)

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Pearl Harbour


Summary from imdb.com (in case you have no idea what the movie is about)
The classic story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is told through the eyes of two boyhood friends, now serving as officers in the Army Air Corps. Rafe is an energetic young pilot who is selected to fly with the British in Europe while America is still not at war. After Rafe is shot down and presumed killed, however, Danny comforts Rafe's former lover, Evelyn, and the two draw closer. But, when Rafe turns up alive, the two former friends become enemies, and it is through the turmoil of Pearl Harbor that the two may reconcile their differences.

I really can't see why these people fell in love. I only remember the heroine said "the guy's butt is cute." and the hero said, "you're so beautiful."... I agree looks are an important part of the attraction, however, for a 3 hour movie with not much plot, frankly, I think I expect more than that... You don't spend the rest of your life with someone because their butts or looks... Am I getting really old to think like this??

As for the plot, the movie felt like a 2-hour one being stretched into 3 hours, unless we can get to know more about the characters (which we don't), then it may be ok... Luckily I was doing MCQs while watching it last night... =P

So you may ask, anything good about the movie??? well... Ben Affleck looks really gorgeous in the military uniform... HAHA!!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Public Displays of Affections (edited)

It is a very common thing to see couples embracing each other inside MTR trains.

A woman snuggled in the arms of a man right in front of me inside a crowded MTR train today. It was nothing unusual.

Until the woman talked to a boy who was standing behind her (I think he is around 10 years old), then I realised the boy is actually the son of the couple!!!!

Then I don't know whether I should envy the couple for their "lasting passion" =P or feel embarrassed for the boy...

I have never seen parents like that. I am not a prude against PDAs, but I don't think it's polite/appropriate for people to act like "the world is just the two of them alone" even around friends, and let alone their children... unbelievable...

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Awake



Wonder if this movie is going to be shown in HK?? It's a story about a guy who is having awareness during surgery...

The tagline is wrong about its incidence though... "Every year, one in 700 people wakes up during surgery. When they planned her husband's murder, they never thought he'd be the one." =P

Monday, December 10, 2007

Ada Choi is getting married!

Just heard from TVB, actress Ada Choi is getting married to an actor from China named Max Zhang. (Just did a search on google, coz I have no idea who this guy is, and found out that both of their blogs got links to each other's blog. =P)

The letter she sent to the press was shown on TV. I have just caught a glimpse of it while parts of her praises of her future husband was being read, like being handsome.

What I want to mention is the point I have glimpsed on the letter but was not being mentioned on TV... She mentioned her future husband is loyal to God. Interesting, to find an actor from China who is a good Christian, hmm. I have always liked her, just really happy to hear this piece of news.

Reminiscing

Do you think your life was better before?? Do you ever dream about going back to a certain time in the past??

A few friends told me they'd rather be children again, because they were happier as a child. (And they are younger than me...)

I have never wanted that. I am happy with my life, right now. I think I am happier as an adult now. I do have quite a few things to worry about in my life as a grown-up, but I don't think I wanted to go back in time and get rid of all the stuff I have learnt in my life through all the bad times...

Though I suspect I'll probably miss my twenties later on... =P

And this pic is just for fun. =)

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Christmas series #1- photo

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I took this photo a few hours ago. Just wanted post it up here to add some Christmas "feel" here.

And I just realised that you can actually see me in the reflections!! HAHA!!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

ASUS Eee PC

I've been thinking about buying a UMPC for quite some time... I saw this computer today... The specs are really lousy, but the price is really attractive...

It is actually LESS THAN HK$3000!!!

Wow!

With a 4GB harddrive, most people suggested using an external memory... hmm... 4GB is really really not enough for me when I go travelling and taking pictures crazily... I can bring my external harddrive I suppose, but I really don't want to carry that many things around...

Outlook

From the Merriam Webster Dictionary...

Outlook
1 a: a place offering a view b: a view from a particular place

2: point of view
3: the act of looking out
4: the prospect for the future

For all the Hongkongers, please use the word "appearance" if you want to describe somebody's appearance.

The worst thing today was that the guy actually knew the correct meaning of the word, but all these people who thought they knew the meaning of this word "corrected" him...

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Kindle


I saw this in Amazon today...

Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device

Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both "lefties" and "righties" can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

We wanted Kindle to be completely mobile and simple to use for everyone, so we made it wireless. No PC and no syncing needed. Using the same 3G network as advanced cell phones, we deliver your content using our own wireless delivery system, Amazon Whispernet. Unlike WiFi, you’ll never need to locate a hotspot. There are no confusing service plans, yearly contracts, or monthly wireless bills—we take care of the hassles so you can just read.

With Whispernet, you can be anywhere, think of a book, and get it in one minute. Similarly, your content automatically comes to you, wherever you are. Newspaper subscriptions are delivered wirelessly each morning. Most magazines arrive before they hit newsstands. Haven’t read the book for tomorrow night’s book club? Get it in a minute. Finished your book in the airport? Download the sequel while you board the plane. Whether you’re in the mood for something serious or hilarious, lighthearted or studious, Kindle delivers your spontaneous reading choices on demand.

And because we know you can't judge a book by its cover, Kindle lets you download and read the beginning of books for free. This way, you can try it out—if you like it, simply buy and download with 1-Click, right from your Kindle, and continue reading. Want to try a newspaper as well? All newspaper subscriptions start with a risk-free two-week trial.

Kindle’s paperback size and expandable memory let you travel light with your library. With the freedom to download what you want, when you want, we hope you’ll never again find yourself stuck without a great read.

We're very proud to introduce Amazon Kindle and we hope you like it as much as we do.

- The Amazon Kindle Team

seems like a really interesting device... hmm... you can even read magazines, newspapers, wikipedia from it... See the video from the link above to see how amazing it is according to Amazon... is it really that good...??

Monday, November 19, 2007

District Council Election yesterday...

As expected, Candidate number one won... he got double the number of votes of candidate number two... sigh...

To see the results of all districts, see here. (I don't know why I can't find this page on google... I had to go to other sites and find a link to this site... on google, I can only find the link to the results of the election in 2003!!)

Sunday, November 18, 2007

MTR

I was really early today, so I had time to take a few photos along the way. I know we won't be able to see these for long...

Hong Kong is just constantly changing...

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I took this last photo at 9:15am, and when I went home today at 1:30pm, this old man was still squatting in the same position as before. See more of my thoughts about this old man on my other blog.

District Council Election TODAY!

I left home early to go and vote for the District Council election today. As I have said before, there are two candidates in my constituency. Number one is someone claimed to be independent BUT got support from leaders of the DAB. (Yeah, you’re REALLY independent.) He won last time because of all the gifts, cheap tours and befriending elderly in the district. (I met him TWICE this week, he never even looked at me, nor talked to me, but I saw him talking to all elderly people, urging them to vote for him. I guess he KNEW young people are not going to vote for him.) Then there’s the other candidate number one who has recently lost his wife, he lost in the last election, even when he’s on the democratic side (and July 1st effect was really significant last time).

This morning, as I was walking to the polling station, I noticed one thing, the assistants for candidate number one are mostly elderly people or middle-aged women. For candidate number two, there are far less assistants but most of them are middle aged men or young people.

I don’t know if it’s because of the time (I voted before 9am) or what, I was the first female in my age group (and around the same ID number) to vote =P, hope there are more young people voting later, otherwise candidate number one will won in a landslide. (I think he’ll win anyway, but I don’t want him to win too easily.)

After I have voted (for candidate number two of course, though I never sought help from District Councillors, I just hated candidate number one, and don’t want him to win.) and left the station, there was this girl doing a station polling survey. She asked me which candidate I voted for and why. A) political party B) service C) I don’t remember D) Others… I chose A… but the fact is I really don’t like candidate number one. =P

Saturday, November 17, 2007

It's been almost a year since the Morocco trip...

I went to Morocco alone with a tour company last year around Christmas. During the ten-day trip, I managed to know a group of really good tourmates. Maybe because of our common enemy, we have managed to get really close during the trip and I have really enjoyed my time with them.

I ran into one of those friends at work some time ago. Other than that I haven't thought about the trip for some time, concentrating on my studies... until recently when I have received an email from one of the friends from Morocco inviting me to another trip to Nepal in Christmas, I wish I could go, but it's impossible...

Then I started thinking about the good times I had in Morocco. The really memorable places. Two places came into my mind- Fez and Marrakesh.

I remembered the alleys we have walked through in the medina of Fez.



The tanneries...



The whole city...



And Marrakesh, of course! The snake charmers!!



Place Jemaa-el Fna after sunset



Inside the souks...



My next Islamic target is IRAN!!! Which reminds me... I have to pass my exams before I can go anyway other than Australia... sigh...

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Long lost friends...

My friend list on Facebook reached 200 today...

I managed to find most of my good friends from all the past years except for a few. Last night I dreamt about one of these missing friends... Just wondering how she is now. I couldn't even find her on Facebook.

It's so difficult to find good friends, and even harder to keep them.

Last week, a TV show discussed the phenomenon of Facebook. A woman said it's a lot easier to keep in touch with friends through Facebook, you can "X"/give gifts to 20 friends in 2 hrs, which is impossible in real life. =P

Just wondering how long the popularity of Facebook will last... (A few years ago, Friendster was really popular.) I don't want to search for or add all these friends again... Keeping in touch through Facebook is time consuming enough...

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Remember??

I don't know if I am abnormal or what... I tend to remember what people have said. I don't mean this in a "I'll remember A has badmouthed about me forever." kind of way. (Tho I do remember those, unfortunately. =P)

I mean I remember it when people told me about their jobs/interests/whatever... However, people were often surprised because they sometimes don't even remember telling me those, or don't expect me to remember it.

The problem is I often expect people to remember what I have told them as well. I have a pretty low expectation actually, however, (I am impatient, I KNOW that!) if I have told someone something a couple of times, I don't think it's too much to expect for them to REMEMBER it... right? (Maybe I'm wrong... sigh...) I really don't have the patience to explain the same thing OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

Maybe it's God's homework for me to learn patience...

P.S. This memory of mine is not 100% foolproof, so don't tell me next time if I don't remember something you have told me. =P

Saturday, November 10, 2007

District Council Election

One day after I turned 18, I got a form to register as a voter even though there were no upcoming election or promotional campaigns for registration. Because I had been looking forward to vote ever since I was a kid.

I have voted every single time since I am eligible, except once for the election committee for the Chief executive. (I need to work 24 hours that day. Anyway, I didn't think it would make any difference. Donald Tsang was going to win regardless of whom I voted for.)

I did not really want to vote in the upcoming District Council election though, because I didn't really have a preference in this case.

There are these two candidates. One is the previous District Councillor, the other is the present one. The present one won last time because he organised all these cheap "eating and drinking" tours. =P He won even when he was on the DAB side AND DAB lost in a landslide last time. And the other District Councillor was actually in one of the more "democratic" parties.

A few days ago, I saw this previous District Councillor in a suit when I was going to work. It was a particularly windy and cold morning and he stood there alone, holding his pamphlets. After I got home, my mom told me his wife died 2 years ago according to the promotional pamphlets she got.

I feel really sorry for that guy, now I'm thinking maybe I should just go and vote for him out of pity... I don't like those "eating and drinking" tours anyway...

Is that a really weird reason to vote?????

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera may sound foreign to you. What about 卡塔爾半島電視台??

Like most people in Hong Kong, when I think about Al Jazeera, I'll think of Osama bin Laden and a bunch of terrorists...

That is why this program from RTHK surprised me. Everyone should watch it. This channel is not just the enemy of the Americans, it is also the enemy of the Arabs! And many of its staff are recruited from the BBC!!!! (Click on the above link and hear the British accent of the guy (sheikh something, forgot his name) from the TV channel in the middle of the program!!!!)

I did a bit of a search on the web
Official website of Al Jazeera
YouTube page on Al Jazerra (you can actually watch their English programs here!!!)

If you take a look at their programs, it isn't that much different from what we would think of as a "normal" TV channel...

Interesting... I'll certainly watch the next episode on Al Jazeera...

Thursday, November 01, 2007

How to preserve a building??

In Hong Kong, this would have be scoffed as being impossible... It's just plain sad to look at the new Star Ferry pier in Central... =P When will HK ever go this far to save our own heritage?




Read more about how this church was moved in order to preserve it here!

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Democracy

I remembered this series of novel I read when I was in secondary school called the Legend of Galactic Heroes. There were these two countries, one with democracy but bad politicians, another controlled by a good emperor who governed justly.

I used to really believe in democracy to be something worth fighting for. Especially while I was in college and in the years 2003-2004. (I joined the first two July the 1st rallies.)

Then as I see all these politicians crazily attacking each other while making all these empty promises for votes. I wonder if universal suffrage will make Hong Kong a better place.

However, recently, my views changed again when I see all the injustices. Now like Yang Wenli in the book- the Legend of the Galactic Heroes, I believe the worst of all democratic countries is still better than the worst of all totalitarian countries.

I don't like the democrats in HK but the DAB is really worse... (I have finally read this famous or infamous essay Martin Lee wrote. And I have to say I can't find any fault with this.)

I think the most important thing for China is not democracy, I don't think the Chinese population is ready for it yet. When will China have the Rule of Law?
(Watch the latest HK Connection documentary on Chinese lawyers if you're interested.)

Without democracy and the rule of Law, even basic human rights can be lost. It's just plain sad to watch the documentary. These lawyers are so courageous.

公盟

Thursday, October 25, 2007

What do you think this is??



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o
l
l

d
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Sex toy?? No!

This is actually a COMPUTER!!! I don't mean a robot... I mean it's actually a computer...

Don't believe me... Read more here...

This "Ten Commandments" computer is really unbelievable as well...

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Items you never know could be recycled

Did you know eyeglasses, foam packaging, shoes (!), carpets, jeans, iPods can be recycled??!!!

Some of the things on the list I knew about, e.g. CDs, monitors, printer cartridges, batteries... but seriously... eyeglasses!! and shoes!!

Read more here.

The fabulous Dumbledore?

Dumbledore is gay, 'Harry Potter' author reveals

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

I've never been a great Harry Potter fan. I've read the books apart from the last one. (I've been waiting until after my exams to read it since I'm not particularly looking forward to it.) Seriously I have never even thought about the possibility of Dumbledore being gay, for me he's just a great grandfatherly character. What strikes me are the last two paragraphs in this piece of the news...

Rowling, finishing a brief "Open Book Tour" of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a "prolonged argument for tolerance" and urged her fans to "question authority."

Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.


Seriously, what kind of impression are "Christians" giving now??

What kind of reader I am!

What Kind of Reader Are You?
Your Result: Dedicated Reader

You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.

Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Create Your Own Quiz


What kind of horrible code is this??!! The red bars only shows up in IE, not Firefox, I have no idea how to fix this, but I could see the bars in the original website after I did the quiz with Firefox...

Monday, October 22, 2007

Travelling to Afghanistan: Stupid but interesting?

I have just read this interesting story on a Western woman's trip to Afghanistan to celebrate her own birthday.

No ordinary trip: Visiting Afghanistan

I wish I have the courage and the opportunity to go. =P

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Whitening masks

I seldom use whitening products apart from sunscreen.

When I watched the TVB report last Tuesday about whitening and tanning product, I was surprised to hear that some whitening masks actually contain fluorescent substances to make your face whiter!!

I found this report on Consumer Council's website... there're bacteria as well... scary...

Imagine your face glowing in the dark... =P

Monday, October 15, 2007

Stop buying Bottled Water

Bloggers Unite - Blog Action Day

Today is Blog Action Day, and the topic is on environmental protection. I've decided to challenge you guys to do one thing to help the earth that should be possible for all of you.

After some thinking, I've come up with bottled water.

Apart from my wallet and my keys, there are two things I bring every day wherever I go. One is umbrella, the second is bottled water. I use the same bottle over and over until it gets old, and refill the water at home/work/church.

It is plainly unwise to buy bottled water- both financially and environmentally. Recycling/reusing them is easy to do, and helps the environment.

According to a 2001 report of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), roughly 1.5 million tons of plastic are expended in the bottling of 89 billion liters of water each year.

Besides the sheer number of plastic bottles produced each year, the energy required to manufacture and transport these bottles to market severely drains limited fossil fuels. Bottled water companies, due to their unregulated use of valuable resources and their production of billions of plastic bottles have presented a significant strain on the environment.

From PBS.org
"There's been a major public relations campaign launched to convince the people that bottled water is safer, and better, and purer than tap water; what our study found is: it ain't necessarily so."

And a story of a guy who broke up with his girlfriend because he refused to pay for a new bottled water.

I thought I was extreme already, carrying all the bottles in my bag until I can find a recycle bin, even when they are all empty and even when I'm travelling overseas. (I also do the same thing with paper. I never put paper into rubbish bin. =P) Btw, my water bottle is regularly cleaned.

The problem of reusing is that water stored in old plastic bottles are of poorer quality, no one is sure of the long term effects, but for most of the stuff we use, we're not sure of the long term effect anyway, so it's ok for me. If you're really afraid, you can buy a safer reusable water bottle. Scroll down this page to see safer water bottles.

PLEASE START HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN STARTING FROM TODAY!!

Check out my other blog for another environmentally related post.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Buying English Books in HK

The biggest English bookstore in Hong Kong must be PageOne, I have never bought any books there. The books are so expensive, and most of the time I can't find the books I want there.

I usually shop first by choosing a book at Amazon.com, you can browse through parts of the book after entering details of a valid credit card. (They won't charge you for it, I guess that's just to make sure you can actually buy a book.) Then I'll buy the book at Paddyfield.com. You can buy a book there at the original price. And you can get free delivery for purchases over HK$150.

I have recommended this online bookstore to many of my friends. (I thought many of my friends knew, then I discovered some still don't, that's why I am writing this post.) Try it if you want to save money on your books.

I still can't find a good English second hand book store on the Kowloon side (to sell my books) yet. (I'm too lazy to drag all my books to one I found in Central.) Please tell me if you know of any.

GROW old together??

I remembered reading an article on the newspaper about the story of a wife who decided she had to break up with her husband because he did not grow at the same pace with her over the years of their marriage.

I know how that can happen. Even when two people are together, their pace and direction can be remarkably different. And when one grows really differently, the other will also be affected.

Even if you're in love and in synchrony the day you're married, how can you know that this person will grow like you in the future?

On the other hand, is that a justified ground for a divorce??

I have finally read this book (and I'll write about it later on my other blog), and... I am too lazy to type it up or scan it, so sorry for the poor quality.

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I guess it's also true for non-Christian marriages, in the old days, marriage was not as fragile when individual personality was not that emphasized. Marriage was about family more than about individual then, and it was much more likely that couples could grow old together.

P.S. I have finished writing a brief review here.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Promotion

I don't know about other professions, in mine, explicit promotion is forbidden.

A few days ago, I browsed through a very popular blogger's Facebook profile. (He's also in my profession, but I don't know him personally, though we have quite a few common friends actually according to Facebook =P. And I don't like reading his blog, but I know about him.)

He listed his business address & phone number on his profile page.

I don't know how effective this kind of promotion is, or if it's intended to be a promotion maybe it's just a way of correspondence, though I do not think that is the case. I guess with a popular blogs, you can pretty much promote anything. It's easier than getting someone to interview you on TV. Or posing in the nude for magazine covers like a certain lawyer. =P

October 15

If you know me, you'll know my concern for the environment. This year, the theme for Blog Action Day is environment. Join in if you have a blog.

Bloggers Unite - Blog Action Day

Macbook



Saw this in a shop last week... WOW!! It's so good looking!!! (The picture above simply doesn't do it justice.) And so small!! I want to buy it, but my Fujitsu notebook is working really fine... =P Maybe I'll buy it as a gift to myself if I pass my exams...

However, I'll need to buy Microsoft Office for Mac if I'm really gonna use it... and it's real expensive... hmm...

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Book Storage

The problem with my love for reading is how to store books.

I have ran out of shelves for putting books on long ago and started storing books in boxes. However, they got so high, I can't even get them down... I have recently bought two more boxes to put under my bed...

And then there's the problem of storing paperback. I don't know why the quality of paper of English paperbacks are so much poorer than that of Chinese books. (And I don't read Chinese books much these days.) They got yellowish much more quickly. (Probably want us to buy hardcovers, but I can't buy hardcovers for every book! Not every book has the hardcover version anyway...)

I tried a lot of ways and still my books are deteriorating rapidly.

I have seriously considered e-books, but I really hate reading from the screen and it's just different to curl up in your bed with a real book.

Here's my latest investment in an attempt to protect my books and conserve the environment... a bit expensive tho...

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Supposed to be a dehumidifier... wonder if it works...

Any good ways to protect your books you can share??

Here's some info I found years ago, I've been following most of the advice as far as possible. (No air-conditioning room for storage I'm afraid. =P) Still...

William?? I don't like William... hmm...



What Kind of Guy Will You Fall For?

You would fall for the gentleman. Keep an eye out for your love at your next formal or field trip to the opera. Watch out for bad boys who walk on the inside of the curb and don't hold the door for you, and you'll end up with the guy who's suave, sophisticated, and classy through-and-through.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Monday, October 01, 2007

A Fistful of Charms


The first half of the book is like non-stop adventure with lots of surprises, I loved it! The second half is not that great tho, it's good, just not great. The adventure is still non-stop, but I can't help feeling the plot is being dragged on and on, even when there're still plenty of action. It took way too long to for them execute the plan they had come up with in the middle of the book. That combined with the lack of Kristen, the development of Rachel's relationship with Ivy, the continued presence of Nick whom I have come to dislike with this book really dampened my enjoyment of this book.

One problem I can foresee is that the sexual relationship between Ivy and Rachel seems to be inevitable and I really do NOT want that to happen. (I don't know why, I'm okay with reading about Jules & Robin, Lord John & Percy.)

However, I'd rather read about Rachel the bi than Anita Blake the Second. Ms Harrison, just please don't turn Rachel Morgan into Anita the Second.

I'm waiting for the paperback of For a Few Demons More. I don't think I'll buy a hardcover.

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Dead Until Dark



Dead Until Dark- Charlaine Harris

I really don't understand why everyone is raving about it... I don't like the voice of the writer, and I don't like the heroine. She's just so dumb. (Going out to rescue a vampire from two bad people armed with nothing but a chain??? Stupidity! Her grandma was killed in the house because the killer wanted to kill her instead, yet she stayed in the house alone after her grandma has been killed??!!! How dumb is she??) And then there's the lack of emotions... The emotions were "told" by the writer, but just told like, a statement. Sookie is sad. You can see her being really sad tho. Yeah, she cried. However, you just don't feel that she is sad.

I have liked books with stupid heroines/writing if only there're lovable heroes, unfortunately, I didn't like Bill... Oh... Vampire BILL! =P (The name is terrible...)
I think Sam do have some potential but the stupid woman had to fall in love with Bill, so...

And about the plot... there's nothing special... Well, it's easy to read, no brain matter needed... and it didn't get really boring in the middle, but it has never been interesting/exciting anywhere in the book.

If you wanna read some fantasy books with vampires/werewolves, etc, pls read the Rachel Morgan series or the earlier Anita Blake series... The plots are better, the heroines are smarter and the heroes are much more interesting...

Don't waste your money on this one.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Force of Nature


Force of Nature- My second book with homosexual heroes in this week in a row. (I have actually finished it a few days ago.)

Wow! Unbelievably good. I really can't believe that I love this homosexual suspense/romance (sorry Ric and Annie, you two are clearly not the main characters in this book). I'm so glad it's so much better than the previous book Into the Storm, because I actually bought the hardcover... =P

You'll definitely enjoy this story about a gay FBI agent and an Academy Award nominee who's also an alcoholic, how they tried to stop the son of a gangster from smuggling one of the leaders of Al Qaeda into the States. (With the help of Annie and Ric of course. They are supposed to be the main cast here.) Sounds interesting?? It is.

Unlike Into the Storm, this one actually have a good action/suspense plot. You need to read the previous books in order to fully enjoy this one. (At least Hot Target.)

I was kinda surprised coz I expected this whole arc like Sam and Alyssa... where we have to endure the agony of seeing Jules and Robin separate in the end of this book...

I am glad that I didn't. However, it also means we have not much chance to see them again (I know there's a novella coming...)

I understand there's a lot of discrimination against homosexual people, and Suz tried to make the world a better place for her son through this book. However, if only there's a little bit less preaching about this through the characters then it'll be perfect. She has already done a really good job in presenting an action story in which the heroes happened to be two very likeable homosexual people.

I think there should be more good novels/movies with characters who are just happened to be Christians. I have never read any really good ones apart from the Outlander series.

More people hate homosexuals than Christians now, but I think the world is changing, I can foresee a world with more people hating Christians than homosexuals in the future. Enough of my own babbling...

What City Should You Live In?



What City Should You Live In?

You should live in New York City. America's largest city will ensure that you will blend into the crowd. You are the brooding type--introspective, creative, and eccentric--and NYC's cutting-edge, individualistic culture and ambience will appeal to you.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Burma

Unlike the protests almost 20 years ago (I don't remember anything from then, I was too young, just heard this from the news), this time there is the internet. (From BBC)


The protests were sparked by the government's decision to double the price of fuel in the impoverished nation.


Dozens of protesters, including Buddhist monks, were injured, and at least 100 people have been arrested.


Some of the monks have reportedly urged civilians not to join in their demonstrations.


But some witnesses said civilians were shielding monks marching elsewhere in the city.

These monks are risking their lives for the people of their country. What are we Christians doing in our own world?? And when are we going to have that kind of influence/respect in any country?

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade



After a month's wait since its publication, I have finally managed to get my hands on a copy of the latest Lord John novel- Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade.

In 1758, in the heart of the Seven Years’ War, Britain fights by the side of Prussia in the Rhineland. For Lord John and his titled brother Hal, the battlefield will be a welcome respite from the torturous mystery that burns poisonously in their family’s history. Seventeen years earlier, Lord John’s late father, the Duke of Pardloe, was found dead, a pistol in his hand and accusations of his role as a Jacobite agent staining forever a family’s honor.

Now unlaid ghosts from the past are stirring. Lord John’s brother has mysteriously received a page of their late father’s missing diary. Someone is taunting the Grey family with secrets from the grave, but Hal, with secrets of his own, refuses to pursue the matter and orders his brother to do likewise. Frustrated, John turns to a man who has been both his prisoner and his confessor: the Scottish Jacobite James Fraser.

Fraser can tell many secrets—and withhold many others. But war, a forbidden affair, and Fraser’s own secrets will complicate Lord John’s quest. Until James Fraser yields the missing piece of an astounding puzzle—and Lord John, caught between his courage and his conscience, must decide whether his family’s honor is worth his life.

I have finally finished reading it last night. WOW!

Considering the fact that I don't even like Lord John, and I don't like mysteries (I don't think this is not really a mystery tho), I don't particularly like the homosexual stuff, this story managed to engage my emotions as I have never expected.

As always, Diana managed to weave beautiful canvas, scenes that interlock with each other and so much details you'll surely miss on the first read. The depth of the struggle & conflict of Lord John, how it was written, wow! I can just say I'm stunned. (It became even more unbelievable after reading the interpretation of a critical scene near the end in the Books & Writers Community forum by Herself. How can this scene be written?? WOW!)

You cannot find better novels in character development/vivid creation of scenes/skilled use of words than those written by Herself. Mind you, these are not for light reading. =P And I'm afraid one do need to read the Outlander series to be able to fully appreciate the book.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

The Link??

Lok Fu Shopping Centre appears in every single promotional material for the Link. It's like the best of ALL the public housing estate shopping centres.

And even before the Link bought all these, all these politicians have been warning everyone-- one day all these poor people will suffer coz the shops will be forced to close when business is just about money...

Well... look what I see in the Lok Fu Shopping Centre today... all the shoe shops are closing... Is it really because of the Link??!! (sorry for the poor quality, I tried to "snap and run" as I don't want to look like a fool, taking pics of these shops... =P)

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I bought a pair of sandals (tho I seldom wear them, but it's so cheap... with the closing sale... HAHA!!)

If the Link is really closing all these relatively "cheap" shops down, then the livelihood of some of the people can be really affected... hmm...

For those of you interested in what I actually do...

I do a lot more than that, but haha, it does a pretty good job summing up what I do and it's real funny...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Ernie Almighty?

Chambers lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in Douglas County Court, seeks a permanent injunction ordering God to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats.

The lawsuit admits God goes by all sorts of alias, names, titles and designations and it also recognizes the fact that the defendant is omnipresent.In the lawsuit, Chambers said he's tried to contact God numerous times."

Plaintiff, despite reasonable efforts to effectuate personal service upon defendant 'Come out, come out, wherever you are,' has been unable to do so,'" Chambers said.

The suit also requests that the court, given the peculiar circumstances of this case, waive personal service. It said that being omniscient, the plaintiff assumes God will have actual knowledge of the action.

The lawsuit accuses God "of making and continuing to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons, including constituents of Plaintiff who Plaintiff has the duty to represent." It says God has caused "fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects and the like.

"The suit also says God has caused "calamitous catastrophes resulting in the wide-spread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants including innocent babes, infants, children, the aged and infirm without mercy or distinction."

Chambers also says God "has manifested neither compassion nor remorse, proclaiming that defendant will laugh" when calamity comes.

Chambers asks for the court to grant him a summary judgment. He said as an alternative, he wants the judge to set a date for a hearing as expeditiously as possible and enter a permanent injunction enjoining God from engaging in the types of deleterious actions and the making of terroristic threats described in the lawsuit.

After reading this part from a Chinese newspaper excerpt (posted by my friend who was very angry), I was thinking WHAT A STUPID GUY (referring to Ernie, not my friend)... sigh... then I read this

State Sen. Ernie Chambers is suing God. He said on Monday that it is to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits.

Chambers said senators periodically have offered bills prohibiting the filing of certain types of suits. He said his main objection is that the constitution requires that the doors to the courthouse be open to all.

It seems that this guy is not stupid after all. Haha! =P With quite a good sense of humour actually. =P I think this can be made into another movie-- Ernie Almighty. The details of the suit can be found here. It's hilarious!! This may not be the best way to do it, but certainly a creative way.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Long wait... my TBR list growing...


The latest novel by my No. 1 fav writer Diana Gabaldon opened on its first week of sale #8 on the New York Times bestselling list. And I have ordered it before it was published... however, I have just got it today... HAHA!! So happy!!

I have also got the latest book by Suzanne Brockmann-- Force of Nature as well. It is on the NYT list as well... (I couldn't wait for Jules and Robin's story... so I got the hardcover as well... Her previous books in the Troubleshooters series are such good military and suspense fiction. Unlike those written by men with great action plot, where the heroes have relationship/sex with the female characters, purely to satisfy the "Jame Bond" complex of readers/writers in my opinion, because you can find no other reason why these people would suddenly sleep together, other than the adrenaline rush, I suppose. The plot may be exciting, but the characters are usually poorly developed... As for women, lots of them tried writing romantic suspense out there, but the end result is usually something that is neither suspenseful nor romantic =P However, it's very different for her books. I have always loved reading her books, really good action plot and characters whose development and relationship evolved around the plot, but her skills seemed to be deteriorating in Into the Storm, I hope I didn't waste my money on Force of Nature...)


It was not until today that I realised I've got two books on the top of my TBR pile with homosexual heroes... =P HAHA!!

Monday, September 17, 2007

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2 in E minor

I used to have a neighbour who loved singing karaoke, and obviously with no idea that his voice was a significant cause of noise pollution.

I also have some neighbours who love turning their music up, as a result I am often forced to listen to whatever they happen to like... REPEATEDLY!

Recently a few weeks ago, I was listening to my fav piece of symphony from Rachmaninov (this is the only piece I like actually, haha!!), and surprisingly noted that someone who lives near me was also playing the same thing at the same time as well... Yesterday, the same thing happened, what a coincidence...

It's not some pop music, not even Mozart or Beethoven or "popera" Pavarotti... and I live in a public housing estate... which makes the chance of this happening quite rare...

Listen here.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

I scored last night?

Are you surprised by this title??

I was when I saw this statement- "I scored last night" on a kid's T-shirt in CHURCH today... Maybe it's just my dirty mind, but that was the first thing that came to my mind... until I saw the back of the T-shirt, it was a Nike Basketball T-shirt... (If you're not surprised, or have no idea what I mean, pls click on the word score and see definition 36a.) I'm pretty sure it's supposedly to be a wordplay, well, some may find it funny, but I don't think people would wear it to church when they realised what it meant?? I don't think parents would buy it if they knew...?? Maybe I'm wrong...

I remembered when I was a kid my father used to tell me never wear T-shirts with words you don't understand. Though in this case, all the words are pretty easy to understand... =P

I see quite a lot of T-shirts with meaning like these in shops in TST these days, just wondering how many people who buy them know what is really written on these T-shirts... =P

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

What can a mom do to penalise her 61-year old son??

Still quite a lot apparently.

Mother took away her 61-year-old son's allowance
Says he stayed out too late and didn't tell her where he was
Woman also asked police to make son behave
Police helped to make up; allowance restored

I must be joking right?

Read this

Unbelievable... Yep. It's 61 NOT 16...

Ever lived 22 years in a motel??



For David and Jean Davidson, it is home.

They arrived in 1985, and enjoyed it so much that they never left.

"We have everything we need here - and the staff are like family now. We only have to walk across the car park for meals.

"There is just no reason why we'd want to go home."

The couple's love affair with the Travelodge began 22 years ago when they stopped in Newark, Nottinghamshire, during a visit to see a sick aunt.

When she died four months later they packed their bags, locked up their one-bedroom flat in Sheffield and moved into the roadside hotel.

In 1997, they decided it was time for a change.

Mrs Davidson, 70, who is wheelchair-bound, said yesterday: "I really like living here - it's so convenient. Our room is on the ground floor so there are no stairs or lifts to deal with.

"We don't get hit with huge heating bills over the winter and it's safer than a lot of places these days.

"For us it's a better and cheaper option than an old people's home and we're well looked after."

The couple have spent no less than £97,000 on their hotel costs over the course of 22 years — a sum which could have bought them a two bedroom terrace home in the Lincolnshire area.

The couple, who have a 54-year-old son, now have their own housekeeper and give and receive Christmas, birthday and anniversary presents from staff.

“We know Travelodge has really loyal customers throughout the UK but the Davidson’s are unique. They have made a Travelodge their home. To recognise their remarkable loyalty, we are going to rename their room from number one to ‘The Davidson’s Suite’ and mount a plaque in reception.”

Read it on Daily Mail or the Times

Friends and Facebook

Facebook study reveals users 'trophy friends'
It's hard to make close friends on Facebook, study says

The circle of friends of internet users is expanding vastly, with some acquiring millions of new pals as if they were collecting action figures, stamps or collectables.

However, the overwhelming majority are merely nodding cyberacquaintances and the number of core friends remains mostly unchanged, at only around five people, according to a new survey.

Earlier work by Prof Robin Dunbar at the University of Liverpool showed that most people have an average of 150 people in their social network, with a core of around five close friends, reflecting limitations on the capacity of the human brain.

Another unusual feature of virtual socializing is "defriending" where people are removed from a list of friends, rather than allowed to "fade out", as in real life. One colleague did this because his new friend used poor English, he said.

Despite this extraordinary flux of making and breaking friendships, the actual number of close friends "is approximately the same as in the face to face world," said Dr Reader.

There are "good evolutionary reasons" why this should be. Making friendships means investing time, even money, in another person. To ensure that investment is worthwhile, face to face contact is invaluable, he said. But "it is very easy to be deceptive on the internet."

Of all the sites, the majority - 90 per cent - of close friends have been met face to face. "Face to face contact is a requirement for intimate friendships."

Even so, it's a good way to keep in touch with hundreds of people I have known in my still kinda short life... =P I don't ever add friends whom I don't know. 5 close friends... hmm... I think I have slightly more than that... but I have to say that's a pretty close estimate...

I think this answered my previous question, one simply doesn't have enough capacity in his/her brain to have this many friends. HAHA!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Facebook... again?!

I've been adding more and more friends on Facebook, and browsing through their pages and the groups they have joined...

I have joined a group called-- People Who Always Have To Spell Their Names For Other People, I'm not talking about my first name, but my last name AND my Chinese name... which is unbelievable because both are such easy, though I have been called so many different names since I was in kindergarten... sigh... even from people I have known for some time... sigh...

spell

Back to some more interesting group names, here're some more for my friends at work
I Hate Stupid Consults From Stupid Doctors
I'm a doctor and I hope my patients don't see me on facebook....
"Things I learned on "Grey's Anatomy" that I didn't learn in medical school

And some selected items from the last group... I have only watched 1 or 2 episodes of Grey's Anatomy while I was in Auckland, my only impression was that it was more about relationship (especially sex) than medicine... =P I remembered I've been sitting there for 1/2 an hour watching character A slept with B, then C with D, then E with F... (sorry I don't know/remember the characters...) quite boring actually, but this list is hilarious! And these mistakes are present in almost EVERY medical drama... (Sorry to the fans of the series)

1. Residents perform (and direct) complex surgeries without an attending present
2. Surgical interns rotate through OB/Gyn
3. Asystole is a shockable rhythm (I saw this on the Taiwanese medical drama recently shown on TV as well...)
4. Anesthesiologists are a myth (except when needed to run out of the room in a panic) !!!!!!! (This is true even for ER!!! I mean on the TV series!)
5. A major university teaching hospital has only a surgical residency program and no medical students
6. Patients need only oxygen via a nasal cannula while undergoing surgery
7. Surgical residents dictate all care given to every patient in the hospital
8. A surgical resident has more power than the chief of surgery
9. Orthopedics residents perform any type of surgery, including Gyn surgeries
10. The chief of surgery runs the hospital
11. Internship lasts for 3 years
12. World-class neurosurgeons live in trailers
13. Clinical brain death leads to absolutely no long-term neurological consequences and has an extremely short recovery time
14. Interns perform fellowship-level procedures after studying for a couple hours
15. There is no ancillary staff at most hospitals
16. Surgeons run the ER
17. Informed consent is a myth
18. Organ transplants are given to patients with an "in" with the chief of surgery
19. Interns perform surgeries solo on the first day of internship (all we really needed to know about surgery we learned in medical school)
20. Cardiothoracic surgeons routinely perform appendectomies
21. Nurses play no routine role in patient care
22. Doctors routinely develop romantic relationships with their patients
22a. This is in no way frowned-upon
23. Familial consent is not necessary to perform an autopsy
24. HIPAA is a myth
25. OB/Gyn training includes pediatric cardiothoracic surgery training
26. Intubation is not a standard, accepted medical practice (see #6)
27. Interns routinely perform their own MRIs
28. 100% recovery of functioning is routine after every surgical procedure
29. Surgical interns insert epidural catheters without supervision (also, see #4) Well, at least these script writer KNEW about epidurals... =P Can that be a consolation?
30. Symptoms of a cerebellar herniation mimic those of a common cold
31. Surgeons know enough medicine to run a clinic
32. The Bell Commission rules seemingly haven't reached all hospitals yet
32a. Despite seemingly working 100+ hours a week, interns still have time to look beautiful
33. Cardiothoracic surgeons manage arrhythmias intra-op (see #4) They also give blood transfusion... =P in most medical drama...
34. Face masks are optional in the OR
35. Interns must, in addition to sleeping with an attending, pass a test in order to move on to PGY2
36. You can keep your license after cutting a patient's LVAD wire on purpose and "going on probation" for the hospital with no legal consequences
37. It is completely professional for medical staff to fight each other in front of patients
38. Unlike other forms of alcohol, tequila actually does not impair your ability to render decisions on critical medical issues
39. Hospital shifts start at a decent morning hour
40. Surgical interns have time to eat lunch. Sitting down. All at the same time.
41. Residents schedule their own surgeries (and can cancel them for personal diversions)
42. Standard first-line treatment for hiccups is chlorpromazine given IM, without consent
43. Standard first-line treatment for GERD is endoscopic fundal plication
43a. H2 blockers and PPIs are a myth
44. Bacterial endocarditis "is nothing to worry about"
45. Toxic megacolon "just happens" and "is nothing to worry about"
46. Placenta accreta is an obscure medical term that only OB/Gyn's seem to know
46a. It is standard to attempt a vaginal delivery with a diagnosis of placenta accreta
47. It is impossible to determine the paternity of a fetus while it is still in utero
48. Regulations regarding hospital privileges and state licensing are a myth
49. The five lowest-scoring interns on the "intern test" do not get asked back to the program (see #35)
50. "Do you have any pain?... Any... anything?" constitutes sufficient history-taking when a patient has been in a car accident
51. General surgery interns routinely work in the NICU
52. Orthopedics chief residents preside over general surgery residents
53. This chief of surgery, when he reaches his mid-50's, should probably step down for being "too old"
54. PGY4 Orthopedics residents are the only available surgeons with enough expertise to bounce back and forth between 3 concurrent surgeries

Monday, September 10, 2007

Introvert??

Just read this description of an introvert from a link on a friend's blog. (Red words are my own comments)

D
o you know someone who needs hours alone every day?
ME!

Who loves quiet conversations about feelings or ideas, and can give a dynamite presentation to a big audience, but seems awkward in groups and maladroit at small talk?
May not be able to give DYNAMITE presentation, but I think I'm ok when I'm presenting/talking something I know...

Who has to be dragged to parties and then needs the rest of the day to recuperate?
ME! I just dislike going out. And really need a day to recuperate after "playing"...

Who growls or scowls or grunts or winces when accosted with pleasantries by people who are just trying to be nice?
Well, I do that sometimes... =P

Just wondering how many people would actually think that I'm an introvert...

Read the whole article here.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Write what you know

Read this incredible story about a Polish murderer. Will the book become a bestseller? =P

Thursday, September 06, 2007

God vs evil

I didn't post this is the wrong blog, I figured even non-Christians can benefit from this, so here's something from my fav theologian-- NT Wright. This is part of his answer for the question-- "Why would a merciful God allow disasters -- natural or manmade -- to happen?"

Big Question, Bigger Assumptions

This is one of the big ones, of course, and if there was a straightforward or easy answer someone -- Irenaeus, Aquinas, whoever -- would have come up with it. The problem is contained in the assumptions in the question: 'a good God' and the like. We are never, repeat never, in a position where we can size up God and decide what such a being ought really to do. A lot of people today assume, vaguely, that God ought to be running things, stopping earthquakes, preventing road accidents, whatever. They seldom stop to imagine what their own world might be like if God really stepped in every time we were about to do something wrong.

The Bible doesn't pose, or answer, the question that way. It tells a long, complex narrative about a plan launched by the creator God to heal creation. This plan, begun with the call of Abraham, reaches its climax in Jesus and his horrific death, and works out from there, not to the rescue of souls from a doomed world, but to the healing and renewal of the whole creation. That is the framework within which we may be able not indeed to answer the question as posed, but to grapple with the actual world in which evil remains so powerful yet Jesus and his followers declare that the creator God is becoming king.

Contact

A friend of mine told me I haven't called her in months, I told her it's just months, not years! :)

Frankly, I didn't try to keep in touch with most of the people I knew. (I didn't realise how many people I have forgotten until the recent Facebook fervor.) I usually tried to keep in touch with my "good" friends, but I realised some of my "good" friends in primary school have even forgotten about me, like "Who are you?" when I tried to add them as my friend on Facebook. =P

As one grows up (NOT grows old, please note that!), and the friends' list grows longer and longer, can one really keep in touch with all these people??

I'm already so busy and tired that I have no energy to do the things I should be doing.

Now with MSN, Facebook, the world seems to be a much smaller place, it is MUCH easier to keep in contact with friends, BUT you spend extra time to talk to friends you would not see otherwise if these tools didn't exist. =P

When I saw an "ex-good friend" of mine smoking on my way home today (she wasn't a smoker back then), I realised even with these tools, there're still a lot of good friends whom I really need to call.

How can one have time for all these??

Monday, September 03, 2007

What kind of world will it be?

A colleague of mine told me her 9 year-old son has NEVER taken a bus in his life... Another colleague of mine told me some time ago that she needed to go and see her daughter off in the airport because her school choir was going to Vienna!!

I was going to church by bus on my own when I was nine. And I didn't go to Vienna until I was 21 using my own money.

When these children grow up, what will the world be like?

(I read on Ming Pao today, a story about a very rich billionaire-- Tin Ka Ping, who donated almost all his money to schools and universities, he doesn't even have a car of his own and need to take MTR every day. His wife and he spend HK$3000/month only... What a contrast...)

Facebook


Like many people, I have become addicted to Facebook. This is an article I found on Time.com about Facebook.

Facebook is, in Silicon Vall--ese, a "social network": a website for keeping track of your friends and sending them messages and sharing photos and doing all those other things that a good little Web 2.0 company is supposed to help you do. It was started by Harvard students in 2004 as a tool for meeting-- or at least discreetly ogling--other Harvard students, and it still has a reputation as a hangout for teenagers and the teenaged-at-heart. Which is ironic because Facebook is really about making the Web grow up.

Whereas Google is a brilliant technological hack, Facebook is primarily a feat of social engineering. (It wouldn't be a bad idea for Google to acquire Facebook, the way it snaffled YouTube, but it's almost certainly too late in the day for that. Yahoo! offered a billion for Facebook last year and was rebuffed.) Facebook's appeal is both obvious and rather subtle. It's a website, but in a sense, it's another version of the Internet itself: a Net within the Net, one that's everything the larger Net is not. Facebook is cleanly designed and has a classy, upmarket feel to it--a whiff of the Ivy League still clings. People tend to use their real names on Facebook. They also declare their sex, age, whereabouts, romantic status and institutional affiliations. Identity is not a performance or a toy on Facebook; it is a fixed and orderly fact. Nobody does anything secretly: a news feed constantly updates your friends on your activities. On Facebook, everybody knows you're a dog.

Maybe that's why Facebook's fastest-growing demographic consists of people 35 or older: they're refugees from the uncouth wider Web. Every community must negotiate the imperatives of individual freedom and collective social order, and Facebook constitutes a critical rebalancing of the Internet's founding vision of unfettered electronic liberty. Of course, it is possible to misbehave on Facebook--it's just self-defeating. Unlike the Internet, Facebook is structured around an opt-in philosophy; people have to consent to have contact with or even see others on the network. If you're annoying folks, you'll essentially cease to exist, as those you annoy drop you off the grid.

Facebook has taken steps this year to expand its functionality by allowing outside developers to create applications that integrate with its pages, which brings with it expanded opportunities for abuse. (No doubt Griffith is hard at work on FacebookScanner.) But it has also hung on doggedly to its core insight: that the most important function of a social network is connecting people and that its second most important function is keeping them apart.

1 billion!!! WOW!!

I love all the additional functionality! Although I'm not 35 or older =P

I have recorded all my trips with the Trips application, and some of my books with the iRead application... and we can give free virtual gifts to friends as well... Not to mention I have found dozens of long lost friends...

Yeah, I know I'm addicted... =P




Friday, August 31, 2007

Globalization

On the tenth anniversary of Princess Diana's death, I have received this in email.

Finally, a definition of globalization I can understand and to which I can relate

Question: What is the truest definition of Globalization?

Answer: Princess Diana's death

Question: How come?

Answer:An English princess
with an Egyptian boyfriend
crashes in a French tunnel,
driving a German car
with a Dutch engine,
driven by a Belgian who was drunk
on Scottish whisky,(check the bottle before you change the spelling),
followed closely by Italian Paparazzi,
on Japanese motorcycles;
treated by an American doctor,
using Brazilian medicines.
===============================
This is sent to you by
an American,
using Bill Gates' technology,
and you're probably reading this on your computer,
that uses Taiwanese chips,
and a Korean monitor,
assembled byBangladeshi workers
in a Singapore plant,
transported by Indian lorry-drivers,
hijacked by Indonesians,
unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen,
and trucked to you by Mexican illegals.....

That, my friends, is Globalization!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Tao Fong Shan

I usually stay in cheap backpacker type accommodation when I travel. This retreat camp I went to last weekend is also a backpacker accommodation, though I doubt if any backpackers really stay there...

but the facilities is really great for the price, let's take a look at the twin room...



I guess part of its appeal (especially to overseas tourists) is the Chinese architecture.







And wildlife...



And the canteen got free internet!!!



Of course, the downside is the its remote location... and being a retreat camp, noise is required to be kept to a minimum... not a place for party-goers...

For more of my experience in the camp (and more photos), read this.