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...

P1050357

P1050363

P1050369

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!