Talkhk - General Ramblings

I want articles for my site

2012-01-24T12:00:00.000+08:00

I want articles for my site: Well written articles and web content are great ways to make money online, especially if you want to sell products from your site

How to Choose the Best Digital Camera

2012-01-24T11:58:00.000+08:00

How to Choose the Best Digital Camera: New technology means it becomes increasingly difficult to choose a new digital camera. This article sets you on the right track.

2011-05-10T22:05:00.003+08:00

Whoa. Two years later, in a different country and the blog is still active.
So I will take advantage of this space and tell you about a new site for Article writing.
It is:

http://www.ijargon.com/

and is for anyone who wants articles written for their blogs, their websites or even for business reports. Not only that, but ijargon.com can also visit your website and have a look over any pages that you think could benefit from a makeover in English. I have seen many great sites which have been written by someone for whom English is their second or even third language. I am really jealous of their level of fluency in English as a second language, but I can add that final polish to their site content to draw even more visitors in.
How about you? Do you need help, or new ideas?
If you are not sure, have a look at the questions and answers at:

http://www.ijargon.com/faq.html

Have fun!

How Fast is my Internet Connection?

2009-04-05T18:30:00.003+08:00

My internet connection speed seems to fluctuate on a minute-by-minute basis, so I thought I would see what the actual throughput rate is.

A couple of years ago I used a great little freeware program called Connection Guard. It showed exactly the information that I wanted i.e. an updated number every few seconds of how fast my throughput was in kilobytes. I could see when my connection was running smoothly, and when it was playing silly-billies. Very useful information when you want to see whether it is the service provider or the website that is having problems.

Unfortunately, the Connection Guard program has not been updated by the programmer, and the available version will not run on Windows Vista.

That is a real pity for me.

So I looked online for an alternative.
I found one called Connection Monitor which I thought would perform the same task as Connection Guard. However, Connection Monitor only checks whether the link is live or not, by pinging Google every few seconds. Not what I wanted. After a couple of minutes, I uninstalled the program. Nothing wrong with it, just not what I was looking for.

So I continued looking for an alternative.

As I searched, it struck me how many programs assume that you want to speed up your connection, or speed up downloads and RAM and things. I don't want all that. I just want to know in plain numbers whether my line speed is running at a constant 1kbs or 45Kbs (I am obviously not connected through the fastest network so I don't expect too much).

So I kept searching.

I changed my keywords slightly and it now appeared that all the programs were offering a 'Speed Test', which simply uploads and downloads a known file from a known location and calculates the upload/download speeds.

Again, not what I want. A point-in-time result can be inaccurate and misleading. I want constant updates every few seconds for as long - or as short - as I want.

I searched again, downloaded a few programs, tried them and promptly uninstalled them.

Nothing seemed to satisfy.

Then I found BitMeter.
Yup, this'll do nicely. It has a different interface to what I have been used to, but it basically shows second by second the upload/download speed. It will even calibrate its graph to suit your particular connection speed, which is nice.

Then, as with buses, I suddenly came across another nice application: Net Meter.
Reassuringly, both programs show very similar throughput rates when they are both running, therefore it seems these are reliable programs.

So, at last I will be able to see exactly how slow my connection is. The next time I can't download something, I will have better information to forward to my service provider.

Design your website for your Customers, not for yourself

2009-04-02T12:08:00.003+08:00

I was trying to access some information online to get my car serviced.
A very simple operation, you would think. Just get onto the internet and check for service centres in my area.

I wish it was that simple.

I logged onto the internet. Unfortunately, my connection is quite slow.
I went to http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.ph and waited.
And waited...

The site eventually loaded its front page and I tried to navigate to its list of service centres.
I waited.
And I waited.

I was then confronted with a long list of service centres, which I wanted to copy and save as a list for future reference.

Fat chance.
The list was created with Adobe Flash.

So, even though I could look at the list and scroll through it slowly online, there was no way for me to get the information downloaded and printed onto paper to keep in my car.

So, Mitsubishi (and other car makers/dealers, I'm sure), please have pity on your poor Customers. We don't all have fast connections (especially since moving from Hong Kong to the Philippines), so we have to make do with what is available in our area. Help us by giving us a site we can use and in return we will be more likely to use your services.

Mind you, I did find a workaround:
I took a screenshot of the dealers' addresses and copied it to ABBYY FineReader. I ran it through the OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and, voila, I was able to export the resulting text into a Word Document without any errors, ready for printing.
Great utility, ABBYY! Thanks for that!

DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2008 (Viva La Pop) - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits

2009-04-01T18:16:00.003+08:00

This is a great mashup from a brilliant masher.
I have followed DJ Earworm for several years and thoroughly enjoyed his audio mashes.Now here is a video mashup of the "Top 25 Billboard Hits" for 2008.

Yes, he released this on 25 December 2008, so this isn't exactly breaking news, but I've been kinda busy with other things recently.

Here's the URL, in glorious Youtube High Quality:

Enjoy, and I hope it turns you onto other great mashes, both audio and video.

More great mashes at:

DJ Earworm
Dunproofin
BootieUSA

And Many More...

So Long, Hong Kong, and thanks for all the fish

2009-03-01T10:06:00.002+08:00

That's its then. We're leaving Hong Kong.

I can't find a job in Hong Kong because I'm either too old, not local, wrong experience or a combination of various factors.

So we're wandering over to the Philippines to see what fortunes await us there.

We are just about fully packed now, the apartment looks bare (it's still not sold and its going to be a challenge to maintain the mortgage) and we'll be flying very soon.

Obviously there won't be any blog entries for a while until my PC catches up with us (it's travelling by sea with all the other stuff), but I hope to resume as soon as possible.

We're nervous but excited and we're treating it as an adventure and a challenge.

If anyone wants to rent or buy our Hong Kong apartment, just let me know.

OMG - Are We Forsaking You?

2009-02-28T22:15:00.004+08:00

OMG. It's really annoying.

It seems to have become ingrained in our culture and language, especially with the teens and pre-teens.

OMG! The younger ones exclaim (using the phonetic Oh-Em-Gee!), either not realising that it actually means "Oh, My God!", or realising it but not wanting to incur the wrath of their grandparents.

I even heard it several times during a live broadcast of an awards ceremony, in its various forms of OMG, Oh my God, Oh my Gosh.

So I decided to see how the internet viewed and reported the phrase.

Good old Wikipedia. You can always rely on them to provide a good indicator of zeitgeist.

Here's what they have to say about OMG:

OMG may refer to:
Oh My God, a common abbreviation used in SMS and Instant Messaging
omg!, a celebrity news and gossip website run by Yahoo!
Object Management Group, the consortium responsible for CORBA architecture, Unified Modeling Language, and Model-driven architecture
Oh My Goddess!, a seinen manga series by Kosuke Fujishima
Olympiad of Misguided Geeks, a programming contest on The Daily WTF
Filename extension for the OpenMG file format
Old Man Gloom, a band originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico
Old Mutual Group, an international insurance company
OM Group, a chemistry firm based in Cleveland, Ohio, stock symbol NYSE:OMG
Operation Market Garden, an Allied plan in World War II
Operational manoeuvre group, A Soviet organisational maneuver warfare concept

But I notice there was nothing relating directly to religion.

So then I wiki'd (can wiki be used as a verb now?) for "Oh My God".

This time, the result was:

Oh My God may refer to:In music:Oh My God (band), an American indie rock band
Oh, My God! (Doug E. Fresh album)
"Oh My God" (Guns N' Roses song)
"Oh My God" (Ida Maria song)
"Oh My God" (Kaiser Chiefs song), notably covered by Mark Ronson, featuring Lily Allen
"Oh My God" (Michael Franti song)
"Oh My God" (A Tribe Called Quest song)
"Oh My God", a song by Jars of Clay from Good Monsters
"O My God", a song by The Police from Synchronicity

In other uses:
Oh! My God (2006 film), a South Korean film
Oh, My God (2008 film), an Indian film
Oh My God! (video game), an arcade puzzle game
Oh My Gods!, a webcomic
Oh-My-God particle, a particular case of an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray

Now, you will notice that even "In other uses" there is absolutely no mention about it being a short prayer or entreaty to the Almighty.

Has religion become so irrelevant or "Politically Incorrect" that there must be no mention of erm... you know... God... Jesus... And (shhh) other religious things like that?

That reminds me of an instance, a couple of decades ago, when I saw a priest being completely frustrated by something beyond his control so he stepped outside into the open air, threw up his arms to Heaven and shouted at the top of his voice , "Oh, my GOD!!" with a joyful expression on his face. It cheered us all up no end.

Anyway, back to the plot...

Wikipedia had nothing about religion within its OMG entries, so I tried their dictionary, the cleverly-named wiktionary. I looked up the phrase and alleluia! I found this entry:

Interjection
oh my God! or oh, my God!1. (offensive to some) Said in excitement, shock, awe, dismay, or supplication.

Hooray! One word. There it was. Supplication.

Maybe there is still a glowing ember of religion which has not completely burned out yet. Let's hope so, anyway.

P.S. Yes, I know that instead of ranting about it I could become a wiki editor and add the religious details. But then I think "Me? Become a wiki editor? OMG!"

Where am I, for MSN sake?

2009-02-26T23:07:00.003+08:00

I was browsing the MSN home page and clicked on a search link. It was one that interested me - "who invented the internal combustion engine?"

After reading through the resulting link, I clicked on the "back" button to get back to MSN and...

I arrived at in.msn.com.

Notice the "in." part at the beginning of the address. At the top of the page, the title was "You are on the MSN India Home Page".

Well, thanks very much. But why, may I ask?

I was previously reading the MSN home page, which I assume is based in the United States; I was reading it from a computer which is based in Hong Kong; the computer is set to use British English settings. Nothing in that lot should even suggest that I need to surf the Indian site.

So, why MSN India?

I must admit that the page does look interesting: some nice photos of Bollywood actors and actresses (none of whom do I recognise - sorry!), some "candy". e.g. Guess The Celebrity Quiz, a column titled "Cricket and Sports" (India regards Cricket as much more than a mere sport) and many other interesting articles.

Maybe MSN is still thinking about the "Slumdog Millionaires" recent sweep of all the film awards, and they think that we should all look at the India site to see what else India has to offer.

Well, why not? But then maybe we should also be given the occasional peek at MSN Philippines , MSN Ireland or MSN Colombia to maintain a balanced outlook.

Kennedy, Vivaldi plus some old rocker in the background

2009-02-25T22:12:00.002+08:00

There I was, enjoying listening to a wonderful recording of Nigel Kennedy and the Berliner Philharmoniker playing Vivaldi concerti (Vivaldi II) while I was surfing on the internet.

I suddenly became aware that what I was hearing was not what I remembered from the recording.

After a moment or two of trying to figure out where the dissonant tones were coming from, I realised that the website that I was looking at was actually playing some background music or other, with no visible method of turning that music off.

It completely threw me and ruined my enjoyment of Kennedy and Vivaldi.

Please, webmasters, have consideration for us surfers. Unless it is a radio site, or video site or recording label site, what is the point of putting music on your site? All it achieved is my hasty departure from that site to another, silent site.

I know the internet is a multimedia platform, but please let me make the choice of which particular media I want to experience at any given point.

Indiana Batman and The Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine

2009-02-24T11:54:00.004+08:00

I think amazon.com were grasping at very tenuous straws.

The online store sent me one of their regular newsletter emails, recommending two movies on DVD which they thought I might be interested in:

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and "The Dark Knight".

Well, yes, they are absolutely right that those two movies do sound pretty darned good and I would definitely be interested in them.

But what I could not understand was the footnote in the e-mail.
It read:

We recommended the items above because you purchased or rated:
› Thomas & Friends: Classic Collection - Series 2 [DVD]
› Thomas & Friends: Classic Collection - Series 1 [DVD]
› Pingu - Pingu Forever [DVD]

For those of you who are not au fait with the above characters, I should explain that Thomas and Friends relates the adventures of old-fashioned steam trains on a fictitious island, while Pingu is about the capers of an errant young penguin.

Both Thomas and Pingu are animations for infants, so I don't really see the connection with Indiana Jones or The Batman.

Never mind, I've put those two movies on my "sometime-in-the-future" shopping list, so I guess Amazon's marketing methods are working.

Bon Jovi - A Vampire's Worst Enemy

2009-02-23T13:46:00.000+08:00

Well that was an unexpected surprise, and a very nice one at that.

I happened to switch on the television and caught the opening credits of a film I had never seen and never even heard of before: John Carpenter's Vampires - Los Muertos.

I think this might be a sequel to the 1998 movie "John Carpenter's Vampires" and this time stars that venerable rocker John Bon Jovi.

Yes, Bon Jovi goes monster hunting and actually makes a surprisingly good job of it.

At the start, you keep thinking of Bon Jovi the singer, but after a short while, as testament to his acting, Bon Jovi becomes Derek Bliss the Vampire Slayer.

Not an all-star cast, but the actors were well cast in their respective roles; Arly Jover as the enigmatic and very tasty vampiress; Natasha Wagner as Bon Jovi's love-interest (albeit a bit too spaced out at times for the thrilling scenes); Cristián de la Fuente as a very hunky Father Rodrigo; big man Darius McCrary as the no-nonsense hunter and Diego Luna as Sancho the Mexican teenager who needs to become a man quickly if he is to survive.

A little weak to start, the tension and suspense build throughout the movie and throws in a couple of unexpected twists.

As with most things associated with John Carpenter, you can expect plenty of explicit and implied gore à la The Fog, The Thing, Christine etc.

If you get a chance, you should see this movie. Like me, you also might also be pleasantly surprised and thrilled.

One thing I need to comment on, though...Vampires must be pretty damned stupid:

There they were, living and vampiring in Mexico, one of the sunniest, brightest places on the planet and consequently having a great deal of trouble trying to stay in the shadows.

If I was a vampire, I'd high-tail it to somewhere like Scandinavia or Iceland for December and migrate to the Antarctic in July.

The sun is practically non-existent during those times in those places and there'd plenty of polar scientists to feed on.

Rapidshare not so rapid

2009-02-22T08:29:00.000+08:00

A friend wanted to send me a home video, but the file was too large to send through e-mail. As he did not have anywhere to store it online, he uploaded it to Rapidshare and sent me the URL to download it.

It was a 50Mb video file, so I reckoned (from previous experience) that it should take no more than about 5 or 6 minutes to download.

Or so I thought.

The file started downloading with no problem, but I noticed the download speed was incredibly slow and it would take not 5 minutes, but 55 minutes to download.

After noticing that it had taken five minutes to download just a couple of megabytes, I decided to cancel the download and try again.

Unfortunately, Rapidshare then informed me that I had "reached the download limit for free-users" and I could "try again in about 14 minutes".

Darnit.

So I waited about 20 minutes.

I tried again.

Rapidshare then informed me:

The download session has expired. Please click here to start the download again.
Possible reasons:
The download takes to (sic) long to be saved.
For this download, in the background your Internet Service Provider has assigned a new IP address. If you are for example an AOL customer, or use a similar Service Provider, please try to use a different browser.

I have no idea what they are talking about, but I followed their advice to "click here to start the download again".

Hooray. The download started again.

Then it informed me that the transfer rate is 14.3Kb/s and the estimated time for the download to complete is another 56 minutes and 20 seconds.

Maybe next time I will just ask my friend to send me some photos.

Web Design for Dummies or Silliest Copywriting example for Dummies?

2009-02-21T00:14:00.004+08:00

I saw some blurb on a website, advertising a book Web Design For Dummies, 2nd Edition and it struck me how silly the wording was.

The blurb read as follows:
How many times have you visited a Web site and thought that you could do a better job if only you had the knowledge and skills?

Now, one could equally ask, "How many times have you been to a piano recital and thought that you could do a better job if only you could play the piano".

Or maybe, "How many times have you watched a street juggler and thought that you could do a better job if only you knew how to juggle".

It actually reminds me of my father, when he used to joke, "If we had some ham, we could cook ham and eggs for dinner - if we had some eggs".

That just about sums it up.

I bet the book is really useful, though.

As a footnote, I see there is going to be a new "Dummies" book out titled Web Design All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies.

That one definitely looks very tasty and will be available from 11 May 2009.

VLC - there is such a thing as a free lunch

2009-02-20T13:38:00.003+08:00

Excellent quality though it may be, Microsoft Windows Media Player (WMP) does have its shortcomings.

It cannot play all the formats of audio and video that are now freely available online, and it has a really annoying habit of wanting to 'phone home' (i.e. send information back to Microsoft) every time I use it.
So, for anything other than mainstream audio mp3 playing or video avi watching, I use other - independent - software.
My main two for video and audio are VLC (VideoLAN Client) Media Player and Media Player Classic, both of which are completely free to use (remember to check their licence agreements to see any restrictions of use).

Today, I was trying to play a video file with an flv extension. WMP cannot play it, so I always use VLC for these files. In this instance, however, not even VLC could play it. I have no idea why. Maybe I was playing a new version of flv which used a new codec. Who knows?

So I checked my version of VLC and noticed that it was version 0.8.6i and I wondered if there was a later version available. I went to the VideoLAN site and, sure enough, a newer version was available - 0.9.8a. It might not seem a big jump in version numbers, but it made all the difference.

I downloaded it - for free - installed it and was politely informed: "There is an older version of VLC on your system. Would you like to uninstall it before installing the new one?". I answered yes and the whole uninstall/install process went through smoothly in a matter of seconds.

I tried opening the awkward flv and hey, presto! it worked! No ifs, no buts, no mucking about, it just worked. I was also pleased to see that the User Interface had been updated in the new version and it now looks very smart with nice menu icons and fresh 'skin'.

That's how software should be. Free, no fuss, no advertisements, just doing its job in the best possible way.

You have to admire and applaud these dedicated guys and girls who genuinely do these things purely for the sake of their art and to help others.

You see, there really is such a thing as a free lunch if you know where to look. Just remember to say Thanks to the people providing the lunch.

Old details die hard when it comes to banking

2009-02-19T12:04:00.002+08:00

I wanted to inform my bank of the change in my mobile phone number so I logged into their internet site and proceeded to change the details.

Unfortunately, when it came to saving the details, the bank procedure includes sending a message to my mobile to ensure it really is me changing the details.

Not a problem if you are changing your address or email details.

However, to confirm a change of a mobile phone number, the bank sends a security text message... to the mobile number which is in their records. Which in my case is the old mobile number, of course.

So it is actually impossible to change a mobile number online.

I had to traipse all the way to my nearest branch, go through the queuing process and make a request to the assistant behind the counter to change my number.

It was completed without fuss, but I could have done without the hassle of having to make a special journey just to change the mobile number.

Perhaps they could setup a special hotline number that Customers could call and retrieve a temporary code which must used within five minutes. That way, all the details can be changed online. So I sent them an email suggesting that.

Well, it's an idea anyway.

Hong Kong property price increase

2009-02-18T11:36:00.002+08:00

I had a pleasant surprise, for a change.

I went online and had a look at the HSBC Property Valuation Tool to see how my apartment is faring.

A week or so ago, HSBC valued it at HKD2,770,000.

It is now actually valued at HKD2,800,000. Well, I am very pleased to see that the price has actually increased since last week. Not by much, but up is better than down.

Could this be an indicator that the property market has turned for the better, or perhaps at least stabilised?

I sincerely hope so.

Also, bearing in mind that the banks undervalue properties on their sites to safeguard themselves and their mortgage offerings (I read that somewhere recently, but don't take my word for it), my apartment should now be worth about HKD3,200,000.

So, if there is anyone who wants to buy my 641 square foot Hong Kong apartment while the price is still low, just send a message to me at this address: hawkphil (at) gmail (dot) com.

At the time of writing this, my selling price is HKD3.2 million, but this will probably go up as the market improves if no-one wants to buy now.

Here are a couple of pics of the apartment (when it had furniture in it).

Spell Checkers - because nobody's perfect

2009-02-17T12:59:00.004+08:00

I don't know if it is audacity, innocence or arrogance that makes some people think they are immune or exempt from human error.

I noticed the following words in a forum thread that was discussing the usefulness of a spell checker when putting words online.

I donot use a spell checker and believe in my english while typing online...
... I tend to double check my spellings and my grammar, so I donot leave any bad impression o the reader.

No, of course not, my friend. No bad impressions at all.

Darwin Awards - will the real idiots please stand up

2009-02-16T01:10:00.003+08:00

Someone sent me an email entitled "2008 DARWIN Awards", which listed ten particularly stupid types of people.

For example, there was a man who ID'd himself as a purse snatcher in a Police Line-up; another pointed a gun at himself and pulled the trigger to see why the gun was misfiring - but this time it worked properly; and so on.

There are some great stories in the email about some really stupid people. Unfortunately, according to that wonderful leveller of truth, Snopes, only one of the ten tales in the Darwin Awards is actually verifiably true.

I really don't care that I am being sent these stories - I love to read them, and I don't receive them too often.

What worries me a little is that people unquestioningly believe what they read on the internet, or receive through their email.

The people I receive these emails from are intelligent, responsible people who occupy senior positions in respected companies. Makes me wonder sometimes.

Hopefully, these people who forward these emails reserve their common-sense and professional judgement for their actual work and just let unimportant trivia pass through like a ship in the night.

We screwed up - let's blame the computer

2009-02-15T17:05:00.003+08:00

I received an email from my web host, informing me that the SSL* certificate on one of my websites is about to expire and I should renew as soon as possible.

It's good to see that my service provider is being proactive. There are just a couple of problems with their message:

The website that they told me about does not belong to me.
I currently do not have any SSL certificates because I don't need them at the moment.

So I sent an email back to my provider, telling them (in a nice way, of course), that I think they have their wires crossed somewhere and please could they check their records.

Within a few hours, I received a very polite and well-scripted email from their Support-desk.

They acknowledged my email, admitted there was an error and they apologised. I like that. Efficient and honest.

Except, there was one additional thing in their response that caught my eye. Here is an excerpt from the email. See if you think the same as me.

We have received and reviewed your e-mail. We apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused you. The e-mail that you received was sent to you by mistake. Since these e-mails are system generated, we cannot control or guarantee its accuracy for sending out promotional e-mails.

So what they are saying is sorry, yes there was an error and we hope you accept our apologies.
However, they also say, in the last sentence, that the emails are system generated and they have no control over what is sent out.

Huh? You mean the computers think for themselves and act independently?
I don't think so, somehow.

Having worked with computers for over 25 years, I know that the responsibility ultimately lays either with the programmer, admin or data input staff.

Someone somewhere along the line screwed up, albeit in a minor way, by allowing incorrect data to be emailed to me.

It's not a big deal; it didn't cause any loss of money or time or business or whatever.

All I ask is that people should acknowledge human error.

Don't blame the computers. That excuse went out the window decades ago, for Heaven's sake, along with such treasures as, "The cheque is in the post", "The traffic was bad" and "I've been up all night with an upset stomach".

*Not sure what SSL is? If you want to know more about SSL certificates, just have a quick look at these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Sockets_Layer
http://www.thawte.com/
http://www.verisign.com/

Joaquin Phoenix and David Letterman - Is he or isn't he?

2009-02-13T01:21:00.006+08:00

It seems like the whole world is talking about the Joaquin Phoenix interview on The David Letterman Show aired on 11 February 2009.

There are some real arguments going on in some of the online forums - complete with swearing. Some say we are witnessing a nervous breakdown and Joaquin Phoenix needs help; others are screaming that his drug abuse is out of control and he needs help; yet others are saying it is all a publicity stunt for a fake documentary that he is doing, or maybe a new way to simply drum up interest in his latest movie.

My view (as if it makes a difference) is that if you watch closely, he is far too "sensibly" responsive and aware to be either having a breakdown or overdosing.

It seemed he was finding it hard to keep a straight face during some of Letterman's one-liners. He smiled appreciatively when the audience applauded their acknowledgement of his achievements and momentarily raised an eyebrow when Letterman gave him an unexpected compliment.

I think it's all a clever ploy to achieve the results that we are seeing now - to get the world talking about him.

I hope and pray to God that I am right. I would hate to see anything untoward happen to this very fine and talented actor.

Interestingly, there may also be an unintentional secondary result from all this chatter.

Many people are comparing the act to an appearance by Crispin Glover in 1987, also on the Letterman show. This means that many people are also now checking up on the "where is he now" details of Glover and, coincidentally, it turns out that he has a movie coming out next year (2010) - Alice in Wonderland. Directed by Tim Burton and including a host of amazing actors and actresses, I can't wait to see that one.

So, at least some good has come from Phoenix's unusual appearance on Letterman.

For anyone who has not yet seen the Phoenix/Letterman interview, here it is:

Dot Tel? - Do Tell Too!

2009-02-12T13:21:00.011+08:00

It all seems to have gone quiet in the news and online about the dot tel offering since I wrote about it a few days ago.

Does that mean nobody is interested in registering their phone numbers online, or is everyone doing it secretly so that other registrants will not know about a particular domain name until it is too late?

They call this period the LandRush, but it seems to be either the SilentRush or the LazyAmble.

As far as I can see, most of the visible .tel sites currently viewable from Google (reportedly, about 543 at time of writing) are the ones linked from http://www.telnic.tel/

Telnic have a whole slew of .tel sites registered for their Management Team and staff, e.g
Khashayar Mahdavi
Henri Asseily
Justin Hayward
Carsten Schiefner
Lars Jensen
Benjamin Blumenthal
Fiona McKeown
Lawrence Conroy
Jim Reid
Gareth Jehu

It is a good thing they don't have too many people in their Management Team, otherwise they could have already registered all the first names from Aaron.tel to Zoe.tel before anyone else has a chance to do an "Ego-register" on their own name.

Just a thought: if a member of Telnic (for instance, Henri Asseily) decides to pursue other interests and leaves the company, would henri.tel go with him, or would Telnic need to hire another person named henri to match the site?

There is one other .tel site that I noticed, which belongs to Emma Davis. Her site is, of course, emma.tel and it gives all her personal details such as mobile number, address, occupation (Graphic Designer) and hobbies (Salsa Dancing).

But before you go rushing over to see Emma Davis, or phone her to invite her to Come Dancing, I think she might be a non-existent person that Telnic use in their promo video at http://www.telnic.org/individual-movie.html

I think it is pretty obvious who will be registering such names as in.tel and mat.tel but I also wonder who will snap up such catchy names as:

be.tel - Nope, must be at least 3 characters
car.tel
chat.tel
dot.tel
hos.tel
ho.tel - Nope, must be at least 3 characters
lin.tel
man.tel
mo.tel - Nope, must be at least 3 characters
musca.tel
pas.tel

I mean, who.can.tel?

Goodbye Evesham Micros

2009-02-11T16:20:00.003+08:00

I was very sorry to read about the demise of Evesham Micros (aka Evesham Technology Ltd) in The Register.

I purchased my very first PC from Evesham Micros back in the mid nineties (I was a ZX spectrum and Amiga user prior to that).

I remember I used to call it "The Beast". It was state-of-the-art at the time with a Pentium 133 - that's 133 Megahertz (no gigahertz in those days), a 1.6Gb hard drive and 32Mb RAM. Windows 95 was preloaded.

I loved it. I loaded all sorts of applications, games and whatnots on there. I learned a lot of programming skills on it using Delphi version one and C+.

It lasted me many years with no problems whatsoever, even surviving a trip halfway around the world when I moved from UK to HK.

Evesham actually had a very good reputation in those days for high quality PCs and great service.

Looking at recent reviews, it seems the company went downhill badly and lost their good reputation and ability to produce quality goods.

Nevertheless, it's a pity that they have gone. Their disappearance might not have any effect on the global PC market, but for me it marks the loss of a once-upon-a-time quality company.

Not many of those around these days, unfortunately.

Kindle 2 - sure to set your heart on fire

2009-02-10T18:17:00.003+08:00

Now this is a lovely piece of kit.

The new Amazon Kindle 2, has been announced, people.

Thinner than a magazine, lighter than a paperback, it is capable of holding over 1500 books.

So, let's see... if we assume you are an avid reader getting through one book every three days, and reading every single day of the year, that's 1500 books x 3 days each = 4500 days worth of reading.

That's over 12 years of constant reading. Haha, I reckon Kindle 3 should be out well before that time!

While it may not seem to be a paperback replacement, it does everything a normal book does - except tear, curl at the edges, break the spine etc.

You can easily read it in an armchair, in bed, on a flight - wherever you like, really.

It does so much more than a paperback, as well. Some of the new features and enhancements include:

Improved Display: Reads like real paper even in bright sunlight

Longer Battery Life: Read for days without recharging

Take your library with you; Kindle 2 can hold over 1,500 books

Read-to-Me: Text-to-Speech feature means Kindle can read out loud to you in bed, or if you have sight impairment.

I would really like one of these. Kindle 2. Hmmm. Time to discuss with my wife, methinks.

Tsim Sha Tsui - good deals for you or for the salesmen?

2009-02-10T17:38:00.003+08:00

A friend asked me to see if I could get a mobile phone at a reduced price for her.
She had seen one belonging to her friend and was impressed by the price-to-features value. It is a Nokia 2630 and her friend had paid about HK$500 a year or so ago. So it should be cheaper by now, right?

I visited several shops around Sham Shui Po (the computer parts capital of Hong Kong) and the price for me ranged from HK$650 to HK$780. More than I was expecting, to be honest.

So I went over to and Tsim Sha Tsui, which is well known as a tourist hot-spot for cheap electronic goods (and dodgy imports, if you are not careful), to see if I could fare any better there.

I found a shop that was willing to sell me a Nokia 2630 for HK$425 (after a lot of haggling).

The man behind the counter then casually asked me which country I came from. I told him where I originated from, but added that I have lived in Hong Kong for the past 10 years. “Ah, you live here. Do you speak any Cantonese?”. I answered in the affirmative in Cantonese and he laughed.

But his attitude changed, almost imperceptibly.

He seemed a little more guarded and then looked for lots of excuses why I should not buy the mobile phone. The one he was showing me was only a demo; the one “upstairs” in the stock room had a Chinese number pad; it also had a Chinese interface which I would not be able to change to English.

It seemed he wanted to tell me anything just to get rid of me. I left the shop without purchasing, and wondered what was wrong with the phone.

I can only guess that he wanted to sell it to some poor unsuspecting tourist who would take it back to their own country, only to find that it was not what it seemed to be. Maybe a fake copy? Maybe a refurbished or faulty returned unit? Who knows? Or maybe I’m just cynical.

All I know is that it has re-confirmed my feeling that I really need to stay away from the Nathan Road area and Tsim Sha Tsui in general if I am looking to buy something and not want to be mistaken for a gullible tourist with money to burn.

Lunar eclipse 9 February 2009

2009-02-09T23:50:00.003+08:00

Well, that was something and nothing.

We found out about the Lunar eclipse this evening and thought we would like to see it. Not an easy thing to do if you live in the middle of a built up area in Hong Kong. Lots of tower blocks everywhere.

Fortunately, one of our nice neighbours invited us over to have a look from the roof above their penthouse apartment. We were so pleased about that and we took our binoculars and a couple of cameras.

We timed it so that we would be there for the greatest eclipse (i.e. at its greatest immersion in the penumbra) between 10:00pm and 11:00pm Hong Kong time (14:00-15:00 UTC/GMT).

When we reached the roof, there was our neighbour gazing up at the moon and they gave us a sort of shrug as we appeared.

I could see the reason for the shrug.

There was a beautiful clear view of the moon from the rooftop. And that’s it. As far as we could see, it looked just like the moon over Hong Kong on countless other nights.

Looking at the photos afterwards, there could have been a slight difference in the moon’s appearance, but not so as one would notice and say “Cor!”, or something equally intelligent. I think the shadow across one corner has something to do with it.

Oh well, at least we had a nice chat in the cool of the evening and it gave us a break from the normal routine for a few minutes.

For your delectation, here is a photo of the moon from that moment.

You might see something in it that we don’t. It was taken on a common-or-garden Casio digital camera, handheld pointing at the sky. We make no apologies for the quality – it simply serves as a memory snap for us to remind us of a pleasant evening.

1891 and all that

2009-02-09T12:21:00.003+08:00

Is there anything you can't find on the internet these days? I mean sensible things, not the current address of bin laden or where did I lose my wallet. There is just so much info out there now.
To explain:
A rather amazing thing I noticed while I was surfing the internet. I somehow managed to find a reference to my Grandmother in a Census record dating back to 1891. My Grannie was five at the time.
It confirmed that she was living in Holbeton in Devon, England with her parents and three siblings.
Maybe I will dig a little deeper and see if I can find more of my family tree.

Blogger thinks I am Chinese

2009-02-08T13:13:00.003+08:00

Blogger (or Blogspot, if you prefer) does this really weird and annoying thing.
It looks OK if I log into my Google account first and then go to Blogger. It shows everything in English, the way I would expect because all my computer settings are either set as British English or US English.
However, as soon as I log out from Google or my blog, I am suddenly confronted by a Chinese menu (and I don't mean like a Chinese Take-away offering chow mein and prawn crackers).

Have a look:

I wish Blogger had a little intelligence built into it so that if it sees that I blog in English and my computer settings are in English, it will return me to an English page instead of a Chinese page.

Reading Glasses - Cleaning and Maintenance

2009-02-07T11:33:00.003+08:00

Reading glasses, spectacles, eyeglasses. Whatever you call them, there are many of us who need to use them as a part of our daily lives; those who are short-sighted, those who are long-sighted (me), people with astigmatism (me again) or eye defects.

Some people prefer to use contact lenses, but for the countless millions of others who choose to wear glasses, there is the ongoing quest to make sure that our glasses will last a long time and will not look as if the lenses have been dipped in a pan of cooking oil.

Cracked lenses, broken frames and the like should, of course, be taken to a professional optician who can perform proper and safe repairs. If it is something as simple as spotty or greasy lenses, you can, and should, tackle it yourself.

Be aware that, if the lenses are coated with anti-glare, tints or anti-scratch treatments, using non-approved glass cleaning lotions and potions can damage the coating. If your lenses are plain glass, however, it may be sufficient to use a general glass cleaner.

Always use a very soft clean cloth and check for embedded grit before using. The last thing you want is to put a huge scratch across your nice clean lenses.

I have seen people recommending using such things as newspaper, toothpaste and furniture polish to clean lenses, all of which seem a little extreme to me. I would not like to try to use those on my precious spectacles.

Sometimes, the best way is the simplest way, which is gently cleaning the glasses under running cold water. Do not use hot water because the adhesive which holds the lens in the frame may soften, resulting in the lens becoming loose or even falling out.

Gently rub the lens with a pre-cleaned finger and thumb under the cool water and then wipe dry with a soft clean glass-cleaning cloth. Cloths known as "MicroFiber" cleaning cloths are very good for this, but make sure that the cloth itself is clean and free from grit.

In this way, you can always be sure that you will have a clear view of the world around you.

Another advantage of clean glasses is that the part of you that people always notice first - your eyes - will be visible through bright, sparkling glass instead of through greasy, grimy streaks.

If you haven't done so yet today, go and clean your eyeglasses now!

Dot tel? Do Tell!

2009-02-06T12:24:00.002+08:00

My web hosting provider Network Solutions sent me a sales letter today, informing me of the availability of the new .tel domains.

Urging me to register my preferred name, Network Solutions extolled the virtues of owning such a domain extension.

In their letter, they ask the pertinent question:

Why register a .tel? –

And they also give the pertinent answers to me:

Create your permanent online business card
Expand your ability to communicate and reach your customers
Become accessible from any device connected to the Internet in just one click
Compliment your current Web site with complete contact page
Gain entry into a new global online directory
Easy site updates that take effect in minutes
Ensure your most important information is easily accessible and always up-to-date

But from what I understand, all those bullet points also pertain to my regular dotcom sites.
So, I still don't really see the point, except as yet another revenue stream for the domain registrars.

Why register a .tel? – Why indeed.

Toys R Us Hong Kong – Sending Mixed messages?

2009-02-05T22:25:00.003+08:00

I visited Toys R Us Hong Kong today, looking for something for my little boy.

A couple of things I noticed while I was there:

Firstly, many items on display have big banners proclaiming "This is HOT!", to show they are popular.
But my reaction is, well, if it is hot, don't touch it.
That is the message we give to our children, isn't it? "Don't touch my coffee, sweetheart, it is HOT". "Stay away from the bonfire, son, it is HOT!".
So, like a good boy, I stayed away from the items marked as "HOT".

Secondly, I found something to buy for my son. Or so I thought.
The price on the item showed HKD149.90, but that price had been clearly and purposely crossed through.
Aha, I thought, this looks like it is on promotion or sale price.
There was no sticker to show the new price, so I asked a young assistant how much I need to pay.
He was very courteous and ran to the check-out to get the details.
He retuned a minute later and, with a polite smile said, "The price is HKD199.90".
Did I hear right?
So I repeated what he said: The price is ONE nine-nine??
Yup, I heard right.
Not sure why something is labelled as 149.90 then crossed through like a promotion, only to be sold for 33 percent more.
So I put the item back and left the shop.

Actually, while I think about it, here’s a third thing about Toys R Us Hong Kong (I mean the one in Taikoo Shing):
It really is a pain that a toy shop can only be accessed by escalator.
There is no access ramp and no elevator/lift into the shop.
There have been many times my wife and I have not visited the shop simply because we are pushing our sleeping son in a stroller.
The only apparent way for us to enter the shop is to carry our son, fold up the stroller and go up the escalator. I ain’t going to do that when the little guy is sleeping.

Sorry, Toys R Us, I really like your store and your products, but I really wonder if you are sending me and your other Customers the right message with your slightly strange ways.

Global Economy - Be Economical with your Complaints

2008-11-18T16:03:00.002+08:00

With the ever-worsening global economic crisis, it seems that many thousands more people will sadly be joining the ranks of the unemployed.

For those of you who are fortunate to keep your jobs (well done you!), spare a thought for the feelings of the have-nots.

I have accumulated a few sayings from unthinking people over my past 10 months of unemployment.

So, for all you lucky people who are still in employment, here is my current top ten list of what you should NOT to say to an unemployed person:

10) I work so hard, I never seem to have time for leisure.
9) I hate driving home from work in the dark.
8) I'm really looking forward to my holiday abroad. I can't remember the last time I took a real break.
7) Club fees have gone up yet again.
6) This year's raise was pathetic - I have no idea how I'm going to pay the mortgage AND my daughter's school fees.
5) Can you believe this year's bonus was only equivalent to one month's salary??
4) Thank Goodness it's Friday - I've had a really bad week in the office.
3) I just don't know where all the money goes.
2) I hate my job.

And my all-time favourite saying from an employed person to an unemployed person:

1) I'm a bit short this month - can you lend me some money until payday?

Cannot right-click to extract zip and rar files

2008-06-19T12:10:00.005+08:00

It had been bothering me for months and months.

For some reason, my PC had lost the ability to extract or unzip .rar and .zip files when I used the right-click submenu items.

Here’s the submenu I am talking about.

Those WinRar and WinZip right-click extractions just weren’t working. I had to actually open WinZip or WinRar before I could extract the files.

I tried everything to fix the problem (short of re-installing the programs). I looked at every setting I could find in every nook and cranny within WinRar, WinZip and Windows but I could not find any setting that would bring back my convenient right-click unzipping feature.

I scoured the search engines to see how other people had fixed the problem. I found nothing that would help me.

So I stopped looking for a solution.

Then yesterday, I decided to do a clean-up of my hard-drive because I wanted to uninstall any programs which I no longer use.

That’s when I found it.

I saw it in my Control Panel Add/Remove Programs list. A piece of software that I had downloaded and tested once, ages ago, and then had forgotten all about it.

The program is called UnzipThemAll and can be found on this website.

This software is freeware/donationware and, as far as I can remember, it did its job as stated. However, it did not quite fit my requirements so after testing, I forgot all about it.

Anyway, I uninstalled UnzipThemAll yesterday and, amazingly, my right-click file extracting returned to life!

No fireworks. No fanfare. Just that nifty little feature working again.

Big smile on my face...

I'm forever blowing bubbles

2008-03-18T23:15:00.002+08:00

I was having a bit of fun with my son the other day, blowing bubbles and watching him trying to catch the bubbles before they dropped to the floor and burst.

My wife then related how she and her family used to blow bubbles.

When she was young, they never bothered to go to the shops to buy the pre-packaged bubble liquid.
Instead, they used to collect Hibiscus flowers (also known as Gumamela, China Rose and Shoeflower) and grind them into a paste in a mortar and pestle.
They would then pour a little water into the paste, thus creating a very acceptable bubble liquid.

For the bubble hoop itself, they would take a twig from a coconut broom (with mother's permission, of course!), then bend and tie the supple stem into a loop.

Dip the loop into the Hibiscus water and there you have it: a free bubble making set!

Hong Kong closes its schools due to Influenza outbreak

2008-03-13T12:15:00.002+08:00

Lots of news today about the 'flu outbreak in Hong Kong.
Tragically, in the past two weeks, three children have died (age 2 years, 3 years and 7 years).

On the TV this morning, there was a scrolling message at the bottom of the screen:

In order to prevent the spread of influenza in school campus, all kindergartens, childcare centres, primary schools and special schools will begin the Easter holiday from today.

Holiday? With all the coughing, sneezing and fever, that's gonna be some holiday.

I hope for all the children's sake that this outbreak passes soon and without further incident.

Attention all Baby Feeders!

2008-03-11T16:13:00.004+08:00

Just a short entry:

If you are in the market for a baby bottle steriliser, have a look at this review I have written.
It gives you the low-down on what I consider to be the best steam steriliser currently available.

We have found that this product has helped us in a huge way and we do not need to worry about the cleanliness of the feeding bottles for our baby.

Hope this article helps you as well.

Youtube and Blogger - working in (Dis)harmony

2008-03-09T16:01:00.005+08:00

According to Youtube, I should be able to add a video to my Blog with just a click or two.
Well, I tried setting it up and all I got was "Fetching your information. Please Wait." Then nothing.
A quick "Page Refresh" simply took me back to the previous page and I had to try again. And again. And again.

It seems Youtube does not want to talk with Blogger today.
I'll try uploading the video manually and see if I can embed it here.

It's a video of my son when he was nine months old. He has a serious message to give.

Check it out now.

Lip Writing

2008-03-08T00:19:00.002+08:00

I noticed my wife rubbing at a mark on our bathroom counter with a cloth and liquid cleaner today.

Every now and again she would dive into the cupboard, bring out a different bottle of cleaner and start rubbing again.

I asked her what she was doing.

Apparently, she had been applying a lip liner pencil (Rimmel, actually) and had accidently made a pencil mark on the bathroom counter top.

It seemed nothing that she used would remove the mark.

So me, being a man and knowing nothing about ladies make-up, decided to have a bit of fun and pretended to be stupid (pretended?).

I found my old eraser on my desk and, holding it up, declared that I would erase the pencil mark.

Well, would you believe it...

None of the cleaners would work, but the eraser simply erased the line as if it had been made by a regular pencil.

My wife couldn't believe it and she called me a genius. I, of course, downplayed it and said it was simply luck that my idea worked.

Well OK then, I'm a genius.

Violet Whistling what?

2008-03-01T18:24:00.004+08:00

That's a Violet Whistling Thrush.
I had a wonderful walk through the hills near my place the other day.
The sun was shining, it was a weekday, so there were very few people around to spoil the wildlife.
As I was walking through a wooded area, I came across this bird.

The photo does not do its colour justice.
This bird, a beautiful iridescent purple colour, stood still just long enough for me to take this photo and then it skipped away into the undergrowth.

I checked in my bird book. Yup, definitely a Violet Whistling Thrush.
Well worth the effort of walking up that steep hill.

Looking forward to the next time!

What, No PageRank?

2008-02-27T21:42:00.003+08:00

Many months ago (1st May 2007 to be exact), I blogged about my inability to understand all the kerfuffle about Google PageRank numbers (all trademarks acknowledged).

At that time, I said that I couldn't see why people were raving about getting a score out of ten to show what quality level they were at. I argued that the level of quality in a site is subjective and that I can often find better things on a PR1 or PR0 page than on a PR7 page. My exact words can be found at http://talkhk.blogspot.com/2007/05/pagerank-this.html.

Fast forward to today: I have noticed in the past couple of months that many site-owners are having an initial panic as they see their PageRank numbers plummet for some reason or another, (due to a Google rethink, I guess). However, after the initial panic has subsided and they open their eyes, they gaze in wonder at their number of site visitors. Guess what? The PageRank has gone but the visitors are still there.

It's what I have said all along. Don't put too much faith in the Google PageRank as a sign of your site's worthiness. It is much better to focus on your perception of the quality of your own site and let the numbers (and types) of visitors in your stats speak for themselves.

Like most other people, I'll visit your site if you can offer me something that I want, need or I happen to find interesting.
I won't come to you site just because you are a PageRank 10. It does nothing for me.

Home is where the Heart is - can I stay, please?

2008-02-27T13:14:00.001+08:00

Since being made redundant earlier this month, I have spent most of my time at home, searching the Internet for jobs and sending out CVs left, right and centre.

No luck so far on the job front, but I have to say that the time I am spending with my family is putting things into perspective.

I can't remember when I have smiled so much simply because my 17-month boy has walked into the computer room with a cheeky grin on his face, or appreciated the mugs of coffee, accompanied by pecks on the cheek, from my wife throughout the day.

Yes, we are looking forward to a tough time if I cannot find some form of sustainable income soon.

I have to say though, given the choice, I would prefer working at home on my computer for less money than working in an office where I only get to see my family for a few minutes in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening.

I seem to be working longer hours at home, but the family rewards are so much greater. I have found that I can read emails with my toddler on my knee; I can tell my wife I love her while I search for jobs or update a webpage. What more do I need?

Now, if I can only figure out how these other online entrepreneurs do it, I'll be making this my lifestyle.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Blogsvertise - You Know It Makes Sense

2008-02-25T19:29:00.002+08:00

Actually, if the title doesn’t make sense, then it’s time you were told about Blogsvertise.

It is a money-for-blogging site, which, I must say, is possibly the easiest one of its type to access, setup and use.

How does it work?
All you need to do is log in to your Blogsvertise account at http://www.blogsvertise.com and look at the tasks that have been assigned to you. "Your mission, if you choose to accept it…" and all that.

Once you have accepted the assigned task, you simply write a blog entry about the subject matter.
And that’s it, basically (as long as you follow their guidelines).
The blog entry is then reviewed to make sure it is of reasonable quality and if it is... you get paid.

Now, here is a(nother) good thing about Blogsvertise: as they mention in their Rules and Guidelines, your review can be good, bad, indifferent; you can praise, complain or just relate your experience on the subject.

The important thing is that it comes from you and it displays your own feelings, ideas or comments.

In other words, just use your own words.

Does it make sense now?

Migraines For Dummies - Spread The Word!

2008-02-22T16:42:00.003+08:00

Being a long-time migraine sufferer who can sympathise with anyone with the same condition, I have been given a book about migraines, which I can heartily recommend to anyone who needs (or knows someone who needs) relief, support and comfort during migraine attacks.

Migraines for Dummies, by Diane Stafford and Jennifer Shoquist, MD, includes vital information about how to identify common migraine triggers, migraine-fighting steps, "Red Flags", myths about migraines and so much more.

Although it is over 300 pages long, this is the type of book which you can dip into anywhere, anytime. You don't need to start at the beginning or read to the end.

There are so many valuable snippets of information, you can be sure this book will help you and your family better understand and cope with migraines.

Definitely five out of five and fully recommended!

Credit where Credit's Due

2008-02-21T01:05:00.002+08:00

I just received an email which contained a series of excellent couplets about how we should behave in life.

The sender wrote, "I believe the origin of this text was from the late Mother Teresa".

Actually, it wasn't.

It comes from a book by Kent Keith and is entitled "Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World"

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may just never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it's all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

So how did Mother Teresa get involved with this? Well, as far as I can tell, she was so inspired by these words, she hung them on her wall to remind herself, and anyone else who came to see her, of some important lessons for life.

Want to know more? Click this link:

Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World

Enjoy the book!

Jobless

2008-02-09T16:43:00.000+08:00

After eight years of working for them as the I.T. Service Manager, my employers - a major retailing company - decided that my services, expertise and knowledge were no longer required.

Effective February 2008, I am without a job. 48 years old, with a wife, baby and mortgage to support.

Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting time for us. My wife, God Bless her, has said she will support whatever decision I make and will follow wherever I lead. My little boy, well, he just looks up and smiles at me with those big brown, trusting eyes.

You can be sure that I am sending out copies of my CV, applying to online job sites, handing my CV to relatives for forwarding.

Basically trying to contact anyone who is looking for a first-rate I.T. Service Manager with expertise in ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) Best Practices, and able to translate techno-speak from the IT guys into understandable language for CEOs, Directors etc.

In the meantime, in the words of that great lyricist Yip Harburg, "Brother, can you spare a dime?"

Wish me luck, pray for my wife and son or, if you know of a company looking for someone like me, please download my CV.

The Animals Went in Two by Two

2007-10-01T12:26:00.000+08:00

Thank you Barney and Friends, for spoiling a childhood memory for me.

I switched on the TV and the big pink lump was prancing around on screen singing "The Animals Went in Two by Two".

I remember my sisters singing that song to me when I was little. Except in those days, we used the correct words, acknowledging the amazing feat of Noah building the Ark for the Great Flood, as commanded by God.

Now we get a stupid lyric, courtesy of Barney, which tells us that the animals "all went under the ground, to get out of the rain".

What sort of tosh is that??? If all the animals go underground to get out of the rain they will all drown.

Read the Holy Bible and get a clue, will you?

Visiting the Mall is now a Global Pastime

2007-09-09T17:20:00.000+08:00

I just spent the afternoon creating an online mall using some neat software.
My Mall specialises in online books for just about any subject you care to think of: Marketing, Finance, Parenting, Computers, Fun and Games, Entertainment. You name it, it's got it. Over 25,000 titles and still growing.
The beauty of this method is that you can download the book and read it immediately instead of having to wait days or weeks for delivery. It's a great way to buy books.

You can visit to see what you think.

My framed landing page can be found here
If you prefer it without my header, have a look at this one
If you think you can do better (it is free after all), you can download it yourself

Enjoy!

Succeed With Online Marketing

2007-09-04T23:28:00.000+08:00

I've written a review of three extremely good online marketing methods which anyone can use immediately. These are aimed at those who want to work at home.
The three items reviewed are:

Google Money Pro 2 (US$97.98)
Ultimate Wealth Package (US$49.95 with discount coupon found on same page)
Get Google Ads Free (US$67.00)

At first glance they might seem expensive but remember that you will actually make your money back within three sales.
Do it right, and you could make millions within a very little time, like so many others are doing.
The review consists of a comparison between the three methods complete with star ratings and the all-important conclusion.
Take a look and see if you want to have a go at earning money online. You never know - you might be so good at it that your dream to work from home will be more than just a dream.
Good Luck!

How rude is that?

2007-08-22T17:46:00.000+08:00

I received an online invitation a few days ago requesting me to attend a meeting today at 2:00pm. I accepted, noting the venue and preparation requirements, and duly booked the appointment in my calendar.

At 1:50pm I gathered my notes, descended four storeys and made my way to the specified meeting room. There was no-one in the meeting room so I assumed everyone else would arrive exactly at 2:00pm (or some might amble in five minutes late, which seems increasingly to be the norm).
No-one arrived and there was no indication that the meeting had been cancelled, so I phoned the meeting organiser at 2:10pm.

What I got was a very cheery 'hello' from an obviously crowded restaurant, and a comment that a few Staff members were taking an extended lunch, therefore we need to reschedule the meeting to 2:30pm.

Well, Thanks for telling me.

What has happened to professional courtesy these days?

Well, that was horrible

2007-08-15T13:09:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I woke up with a migraine.
Typical migraine weather - miserable rainy weather. The kind of weather that makes you feel even more depressed than you already are, and then kicks you in the teeth by giving you a migraine.
So, I took a couple of painkillers and tumbled back into bed for a couple of hours.
My wife is an absolute saint. How she managed to keep our 10-month old son so quiet for those two hours is beyond me. But I am so grateful for that.
I started to feel a little easier after the extra sleep.
Many important things to deal with at work and a meeting in the afternoon, so I shuffled slowly to the office by 10:30am.
I wish I hadn't bothered.
Problem after problem that other people can't sort out themselves.
Worked through lunch to try to catch up. By 2:30pm I'd had enough and my migraine had come back with a vengeance. I had to leave. I cancelled my meeting and left.
Arrived home. Went to bed. My wife (God Bless her!) quietly checked on me occasionally to see if I needed any fluids or something to eat.
Just kept sleeping and waking and sipping through to the evening.
Then slept right through to this morning.
I now feel completely exhausted and 'on the edge' of a headache, but as long as I don't try to sort out too many problems for other people, I should be OK.

I hate migraines.

So much to offer

2007-08-10T23:32:00.000+08:00

What is hotmail talking about?
I received an email from someone using hotmail and the footer stated:

Get 10Mb extra storage for MSN Hotmail. Subscribe Now! (followed by a link to their page).

Excuse me, but Hotmail (or Windows Live Hotmail, as it is now called) already provides me with two Gigabytes of free storage. Why should I want to sign up for an extra 10 Megabytes?

That's like giving me a full three-course dinner for free and then asking me if I want to pay for an after-dinner mint on a little saucer.
Either include it, or don't mention it at all.

By the way, if anyone wants to treat me, or my wife or even our baby to a full three-course dinner, feel free to go to our site and click on the "Make a Donation" button.

Say again?

2007-08-09T00:05:00.000+08:00

English is an odd language.
I asked someone a question and received an appropriate answer.
I then typed an email to someone else to let them know what that answer was.
Proof-reading before sending the email, I was acutely aware that by changing the order of just two words, the overall meaning would be completely different, with different outcomes:

She doesn't really know
She really doesn't know

Same words; different order; two completely different meanings.
The first is a vague shrug-the-shoulders type of answer of no great import. The second is a definite reply, leaving no room for doubt about the current situation.

Is this information important enough for you to read and digest?
I don't really care.

Rants 2 : Raves 0

2007-08-08T09:27:00.000+08:00

A new day. Jeez.
Aren't I supposed to feel fresh and be looking forward to engaging today's challenges with Vigour, Verve, Vitality and lots of other words beginning with the letter "V"?
Well, maybe that is how I am supposed to feel, but...
I'm tired. I'm cranky. My eyes are sore. My body aches.
I just want to go back to bed.
And seeing as I am cranky, why don't I have a little rant (a rantlet?) about something, just for the heck of it.

Rantlet ON.
Each morning, I have a huge commute to the office.
It consists of walking for about four or five minutes from my apartment building to my office building. Yes, so far away.
First rantlet:
Sometimes I think I was stupid to buy an apartment so close to the office. I feel as though I never truly get away from the office so I can never truly relax.
Second rantlet:
Even though I live only four or five minutes walk from the office, I get accosted many times by people selling stickers for charity.
This morning I counted them.
Eleven.
I am not kidding. There were eleven people stationed at various intervals along the street.
I am sure if had carried on walking, I would have found many more.
Charity is a good thing. It gives you a chance to help those who are less fortunate than yourself.
But I think that if I tried to help everyone who asked this morning, I would have ended up wearing a suit of little round sticky bits of paper. Then the environmentalists would have jumped on me to accuse me of wearing too much paper.
Rantlet OFF.

A new day. Jeez.

Oops, I did it again

2007-08-07T12:59:00.000+08:00

It would be quite annoying, if it wasn't so amusing in a pathetic sort of way.

Some PC Users are adamant that they never do anything wrong. It is always the computer's fault.
And yet, when they call up to say, "Why is my computer doing this?" and you go to have a look, it is obvious that they have, probably unwittingly, changed a setting in some software.
But you cannot tell them that. Absolutely not.
Try to explain to them that a virus-free computer will not change its own settings, and you are met with an indignant attitude along the lines of, "How dare you suggest I am incompetent!"
Of course, incompetence is the furthest thing from your mind (unless the person habitually calls for these types of issues), but Human Error during high-stress busy days is to be expected, and these Users should realise that.

A User saying "Oops, I think I messed up again" will get far more professional respect than, "This useless machine is doing stupid things again!".

Take Out

2007-08-02T23:48:00.000+08:00

Obama has got it wrong.
He said today that his goal is to take out terrorists (or did he say take out terrorism?).
I checked online to see if he's really found the pulse and mind of The People.
He's not even close.

Searching Google, I notice that people want to "take out terrorists" 21,600,000 times and, similarly, they want to "take out terrorism" 20,800,000 times. That is a fair few, it has to be said.

It is a sad reflection on our world that compared to the above, only 19,400,000 are looking to "take out pizza", 10,800,000 will "take out girlfriend", while a measly 6 million choose to "take out boyfriend". That's hard on the young menfolk, methinks.

But wait... all is not lost!
Chivalry wins the day! Over 72 million want to "take out wife" (but only 28 million take out husband? why?).
And domesticity beats terrorism any day - 43,600,000 take out trash according to Google, and a magnificent 131,000,000 take out insurance! Yayy, way to go, as some people might say.

In a more gruesome search, a paltry 2,180,000 people are looking to take out stitches. Yuck. But stitches are better than terrorism any day.

Say "Cheese!"

2007-07-31T18:25:00.000+08:00

I’ve come across a natty (and FREE!) little piece of software called Web Album Generator. It’s for erm… generating web albums.
It is really easy to use (as long as you keep track of which photos you want to add to your gallery), and the download size is ridiculously small.
After grappling with “Gallery2” – a huge 79Mb upload to the server and even then I couldn’t get it to work – Web Album Generator is like a breath of fresh air at less than ONE Megabyte. I was uploading web pages within minutes of downloading the software.
Maybe I’ll try Gallery2 again one day if I decide that I want other people to upload their own pics to my site. I hear it is great if you can get it to work.
In the meantime, I am happy just uploading my own photos for other people to view. You can see the first few galleries that I have created so far at http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/photo_gallery/photo_gallery.htm
Yes, the photo subject matter is a little one-tracked, but I make no apologies for wanting to show people photos of my baby boy.

TV Spoilsports

2007-07-30T12:50:00.000+08:00

Television trailers can be so annoying.
We were watching an episode of an exciting TV series. The episode ended with a real cliff-hanger: one of the main characters (a good guy) had a rifle laser-sight trained on his back and a voice was heard to say, "I have a clear shot".
Wow. Excellent way to end the episode. Leave 'em hanging.
My wife and I were thrilled, and agreed that next week's episode would be a 'must-see', so we can see what happens next.
However, even before the closing credits had finished, a TV trailer suddenly appeared with a voice-over, "In next week's episode..."
We were then 'treated' to a preview of various characters who had/had not been shot, and snippets of who was being hunted down.
My wife and I looked at each other in disbelief. There doesn't seem to be much point in watching the opening scenes next week - we already know what happened/didn't happen.
I realise that in real-life, good communication means offering all available information for consideration.
Surely in story-telling, information should be given only on a 'need to know' basis to ensure the reader/viewer can follow the plot, but not know in which direction it is headed until the relevant moment. Or is that considered old-fashioned?
Perhaps next time I read a story to my son, I should say: "This is the story of the Three Billy-Goats Gruff. You will enjoy this story because at the end, the bad Troll gets butted into the river by the biggest Billy-Goat Gruff. Now, Once upon a time..."

Keep Your Mouth Closed

2007-07-28T00:09:00.000+08:00

Hands up all those who enjoy settling down in front of the TV to watch a good episode of CSI.
Doesn't matter if it's New York, Miami or whatever.
Now hands up all those who wonder at the beginning of each episode which Investigator will utter those immortal words, "Wait... there's something in the mouth..."
I have lost count of the number of times that one of Jerry Bruckheimer's characters reaches for the lab tweezers to extract a foreign object from the victim's mouth or throat.
Dead snake... rolled up piece of paper... tonight it was an undigested drug which coincidentally still had enough writing on it to be identified.
Perhaps a new type of lottery game could be invented for added entertainment: "Guess the intraoral object in tonight's CSI, and win a trip to the actual crime scene". Or something.

Mind Your Language

2007-07-27T13:56:00.000+08:00

Joe was delighted to be given a parrot as a present.
Unfortunately, this parrot had a bad attitude and was constantly swearing, spitting and tearing up everything it could lay its vicious beak on.
Any recognizable words that came from the parrot were either downright rude, or extremely offensive.

Poor Joe tried everything to change the bird's attitude. He twittered to the bird, smiled, tickled it under the chin; he even sang lullabies.
Nothing worked.
He tried giving the parrot as good as he got, shouting and yelling at the bird, but that just made things worse.

Joe was at his wit’s end. He didn’t know what to do.
In a fit of anger and desperation, he took hold of the parrot and flung it into the freezer.
For a long minute, the bird squawked and scratched and swore and smashed about inside the freezer.
Then silence.
Not a sound.

Mystified, Joe warily opened the freezer door.
As he did so, the parrot fluttered out. Without a fuss, it landed gently on Joe’s shoulder, and said, "I realize now that I have offended you with my impolite attitude and undesirable language. I shall, of course mend my ways with immediate effect. I shall henceforth be a good and loving companion to you. Please accept my sincere apologies and let us start our relationship anew."
Of course, Joe was puzzled by this sudden change in the bird’s attitude and language, but before he could open his mouth to make any comment, the parrot added: "May I ask what the chicken did?"

Do-do-do-do, Do-do-do-do

2007-07-26T22:00:00.000+08:00

Could HASBRO have a hidden agenda?
There aren't many people who would not concede that Hasbro produces toys which could be described as Out Of This World in terms of originality, quality and playability.
But where do they get all their ideas from?

Almost by accident, I came across a 'whois' entry for www.ouija.com.
The owner of the ouija site? You've guessed it... Hasbro, Inc.

Perhaps those loveable manufacturers of world-beating kiddie games such as Play-Doh, My Little Pony and G.I. Joe get a little help from friends who are Out Of This World.

Don't believe me? Try to access www.ouija.com and you will be spirited across to http://www.hasbro.com/

Cue music for "The Twilight Zone..." Do-do-do-do, Do-do-do-do

Oh, and if for any reason the ouija site is disconnected before you read this, here is a pdf screenshot of the whois record.
http://www.sidoo.com/images/ouija-hasbro.pdf

Don't Tempt Me

2007-07-26T18:52:00.000+08:00

Today, I received a "personalised" invitation to a technology seminar at a major exhibition centre.
Reading through the email, I get the impression that these people are desperate to have their Customers attend their seminar next month.
This is what you can get if you attend (I am not making this up!):

A webcast of their seminar on DVD
A beta version of some flowchart software, also on DVD
Some software updates on another DVD (they assume you already have the original version - and a DVD player, of course)
More beta software on yet another DVD (excuse me while I yawn)
Seminar "Collectible Pins"
A chance to win: a games console, Smartphone, PDA and more
A Universal Memory Card reader for the first 300 Opening Keynote attendees
A 1Gb USB Thumb Drive for closing Keynote attendees (limited supply while stock last)
A "seminar special" backpack (I assume this is used to carry all the above items home).

I dunno, perhaps people are simply too busy working these days, and consequently don't have the time to attend these functions.
Whatever the reason, I notice that the incentives are becoming more and more attractive each year. I think I'll hold out for a Classic Ferrari Dino or Bentley Convertible - I'd definitely attend for either of those.

Son of Big Mac

2007-07-24T13:18:00.000+08:00

I just went to McDonald's and noticed a menu item (number 6, actually) called a "Big N' Tasty".
Never heard of this before and, as it was just about the same price as a Big Mac, I decided to try one.
Now that I have tried it, I am trying to figure out what is the difference between a "Big N' Tasty" and a "Big Mac".They look about the same size, feel the same weight, cost about the same and, quite honestly, they taste about the same.
Is it just marketing hype to get people to try another McD? I don't know, but it tasted OK to me. I'll be buying another one when I have worked off the huge number of calories from this one (all 460 of them, according to the calorie-count table at http://www.mcdonalds.com/app_controller.nutrition.index1.html).
Anyway, to acknowledge the similarities between the two products, maybe they should name them "Big N' Tasty" and "Big N' Tasty, too".
Burp. 'Scuse me...

Error 301 is no accident

2007-06-30T17:47:00.000+08:00

I did something today which I should have done a couple of weeks ago, and that is add to some 'redirects' on my old web pages to my new webpages.
You see, I redesigned my thefamilyhappy.com website and consequently some pages were moved from one folder to another.
The only problem with that, is that search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN etc tend to maintain the old URLs in their indexes and so people will continue to visit the old pages or, worse, be taken to a 'page not available' error.
This is where 'error 301' can be used. It is really simple. But don't do it unless you know why you are doing it, and understand the steps...

First, you ftp to your webhost and login to your own site.
Find the '.htaccess' file and append one line for each redirected page then resave the '.htaccess' file again. I suggest renaming the original file first, in case anything goes horribly wrong and then you can just flip back to the original version.
The line you append basically consists of

'redirect 301 /oldurl/oldpage.htm http://www.yourblablasite.com/newurl/newpage.htm ' all on one line, and that's it!

A real life example from my site is:

redirect 301 /buggies.htm http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/buggies/buggies.htm

Now, when people click on your old page in a search engine, they will be rerouted automatically to your new page without any fuss.
Couldn't be simpler!

Coming along nicely, thanks

2007-06-28T22:41:00.000+08:00

I've added a couple of new pages to The Family Happy website. They are both in the 'Health and Beauty' section and can be found at http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/healthbeauty/healthbeauty.htm and http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/healthbeauty/hackersdiet/hackersdiet.htm

I also added a forum, but I haven't opened it up to the public yet.

We're getting there, I guess.

I passed! That can mean only one thing...

2007-06-25T20:42:00.000+08:00

I received the good news today that I have passed my Service Level Management exam. SLM is one of the processes within ITIL (Information Technology Information Library) Best Practices.That means that of the 10 processes and one function, I have now passed (in addition to the Foundation/Essentials exam) the following processes:

Incident Management
Service Desk
Configuration Management
Change Management
Release Management
Service Level Management

So, what does this mean?
It means that the company I work for should now expect me to conform to Best Practices for Service Level Management and produce Sevice Level Agreements, Service Catalogues, Underpinning Contracts, Operational Level Agreements and goodness knows what else.
All in addition to my normal job, of course.
It's OK... there are about 8 hours during each night where I do nothing else but sleep, so perhaps I can make better use of that time.

Why do it? Because if I don't keep up with trends, I become more dispensible to the company. I need to support my wife, our baby and an overpriced mortgage for a tiny apartment.
Well, congratulations to me. You never know, maybe I'll win the lottery next time.

All Change!

2007-06-16T20:02:00.000+08:00

I purchased an upgrade copy of the new Microsoft Expression Web software and I have to say I am quite impressed with it.
I am able to do so many more things with it than the old FrontPage software and I have started to revamp a few pages. Take a look at the new version of http://www.thefamilyhappy.com and I think you will see a more professional, cleaner and easier to read version.
Now I just need to be able to find the time to start using it in earnest (between real job, looking after baby, etc).

How much??

2007-06-14T00:06:00.000+08:00

I notice that the ION USB Turntable which has been available on Amazon.com for U.S. residents for the past year or so is now available in Hong Kong. Yayy!
I saw it sitting on its box on the floor of an electronics shop as I was walking through a shopping mall, so I went in and had a look.
I asked the sales girl how much they were selling it for (knowing that U.S. Residents can get it from Amazon.com for the princely sum of USD126.27 or about HKD985.00).
The sales girl smiled sweetly and said "Three thousand, three hundred and eighty dollars" and she repeated the numbers just to make sure I understood, "That's three-three-eight-oh".
"Oh!", I replied and quickly walked out of the shop.
From less than a thousand hongs (USD126.27) to HKD3,380 (USD433.00)?
I've waited a year for it to appear in Hong Kong. I guess I can wait another year for the price to drop to a sensible level.

Pagerank This!

2007-05-01T15:00:00.000+08:00

I am wondering what is the real point of Google Pagerank.
Reading about it, and the algorithms used to calculate the ranking, it seems it is not necessarily the websites with the most visitors, or the most web pages, or the largest amount of unique information etc, which score the maximum mark of PR10.
We are told it is all down to links.
Get a truckload of links from the likes of Microsoft, Adobe et al and you too could be the proud owner of a PR10 website.
But what does that actually get you? What do you achieve by having a high-ranking site? Does someone give you an award - a cash prize or a carriage clock, maybe?
I understand the hierarchy of Sports Leagues and Divisions - if your Team is in the Major League or First Division, it means your Team is better than Teams in the Minor League or Second Division and you have a better chance of winning a major trophy (and be more highly paid).
I understand the awarding of the Nobel Prizes: it means someone has done something noteworthy in one of the sciences, literature or for peace.
I understand company salary banding - the higher the band, the higher worth an employee is perceived to have within a company.
And I understand that a website which receives a million visitors per month is considered more successful than a website which receives only a hundred visitors per month (specialist sites excepted).
But page ranking just means that a website has a lot of "quality" links to it. And so what? Does anyone actually visit a particular website simply because it has a high page rank? I, for one, never even give PR a second thought if I am using a search engine to look for information about music, mobile phones or free online flash games. I just want the site that I visit to contain the relevant information that I am looking for. I don't care whether it is PR0 or PR7. If they have the info I am looking for, then I am satisfied; if they don't have the info, I simply go back to the search engine and look at another site in the list.
Just to check again, I have revisited the some of the sites explaining Google Pagerank and also checked out a PR10 site for good measure. The ranking explanations are great if you want to see how the calculations work and how cleverly the linking is done.
Nary a whisper about why...
And the PR10 site I visited was a Japanese University website which holds absolutely no interest for me whatsoever. Pointless.
There does, however, seem to be a healthy competition and some kudos among fellow "Pagerankers" for getting a better ranking. What is it about achieving PR7 that gets them so excited? Apparently, PR7 is a "magic number", but again no-one seems to be able to exactly explain why.
Even though Page Rank doesn't seem to actually do anything (except allow you to put a little bar on your site stating "this website is Page-Ranked x"), I notice that some people are actually selling links from high-ranking pages. I think the way that this works is that you pay a PR8 company some money so that they will add a link from their site to your site, then this helps your site to achieve a higher Page Rank.
Thanks, but No Thanks. Or maybe I should say Ranks, but No Ranks.

PDF Creation - How we used to do it without spending money

2007-04-25T13:13:00.000+08:00

Whilst browsing through some of my old files on my PC, I came across an old tutorial which I had written back in 2003 about how to create PDF files from virtually any document which is capable of being printed. Reading through it, I noticed that even though it is several years old, the information in the tutorial is essentially still valid because most people are still using Windows XP. OK, some of the open-source software used for the exercise has been updated by the authors by now, but I am sure that, with a little ingenuity, anyone interested in adding a PDF creator to their arsenal of applets could still follow the tutorial.
Agreed, you can get much better free PDF creators on many different websites now, but when this was written, there wasn't much around except expensive commercial offerings.
Anyway, have a look and see what you think. I decided to upload it to the internet for anyone who is interested in having a go, or seeing "how we used to do it". The tutorial can be found at http://www.wurvy.com/pdfcreator.htm and even a PDF version is available (created using the tutorial!). Just to give you an idea of what to expect, the following is the intro to the webpage:

Here is an interesting exercise which I compiled a few years ago. There was a time when it was difficult to create PDF files without spending a tidy sum of money for a commercial program. I managed to create this tutorial which allows the more adventurous Users to install a couple of free programs and use them to redirect just about any document to a PDF creator using the "print" option. The tutorial assumes some knowledge of how to perform simple installations and how to input information into relevant boxes.
I am releasing this tutorial again simply as a piece of nostalgia and for anyone who wants to spend a few minutes working with some interesting apps.
The result is reasonably User-friendly, as long as you remember to create a unique name for your PDF file otherwise you are in danger of overwriting other files. This method does not warn you that you will be overwriting files - so you have now been warned to remember that :-) If you overwrite an important file, don't blame me. I'm only showing this info for interest.
Also, remember that some of the older open-source software might have been superseded by now, so it is up to you to get the most relevant version and make the necessary adjustments in your editing.
The PDF version of this tutorial (as converted using this very method) can be found at http://www.wurvy.com/freepdfxp.pdf and is about 465kb in size.

Just a quick update

2007-04-17T19:20:00.000+08:00

Haven't blogged for a while. Been doing too many things, I guess.
My new Plustek book scanner continues to work wonders. I'm really happy with it.
Baby is driving us nuts because he now has two new teeth! His gums are sore, poor little guy, so we're giving him plenty of chilled teething rings and carrot sticks to chew on. When all else fails, we have to get out the good old bonjela! He loves the taste and it seems to do the trick but we only use it as a last resort, and not every day.
Still working hard on various projects and have set up a new website at http://www.wurvy.com
Not much on there yet, but I hope to have a few interesting items uploaded over time.
We'll see anyway.

The Bottom Line

2007-03-13T00:17:00.000+08:00

Well, I bit the bullet and returned the Docupen to the computer shop. In Colour and Greyscale modes, it constantly scanned out of focus and had dark patches resulting in completely useless Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The Black & White mode never did work - unless you everything to look like an image of a black cat at the bottom of a coal mine at midnight.
So, after days and days of sweating over trying to get even one sensible line of text from the Docupen, I went back to the shop and exchanged it for a Plustek OpticBook 3600 Plus.
Well, I am very pleased to say that I was able to set up the OpticBook within about 15 minutes of unpacking it, and literally five minutes after that I had a completely word-perfect OCR version of a page out from a thick encyclopedia. This is what I should have bought in the first place, I reckon.
I haven't tried scanning photos yet, but that isn't why I bought the OpticBook. It simply does exactly what it says on the button panel: "A Special Machine For Scanning Books".
And that is exactly what I intend to use it for.
Problem solved.

The saga continues

2007-03-07T00:44:00.000+08:00

Well, it has been quite frustrating up to now.
I printed the calibration sheets (for color calibration and roller calibration) and set about calibrating the Docupen RC800.
The first thing I did was perform the color calibration. Now, the instructions explicitly stated that the color calibration sheet must be printed on photo paper. So I used one of my precious glossy HP photo sheets and set about calibrating. I followed closely until step 8 of the instructions, which stated: "You will get a calibration dialog window with all the values to the left with a Green OK."

Actually, no. What I got was an Error message:

I don't normally mind getting error messages, but this one disturbed me a little by its lack of spell checking: "Too many consecuive bad pixel". My thought was "Not enough Quality Checking". Anyway, cut a long story short, after many failed attempts I printed the calibration sheet again, this time on normal printer paper and the color calibration worked fine first time. I then went on to do the roller calibration.
Things are starting to look better, but I still think there is something wrong. All the scans have a shadow over the left half of each page and the left side is prominently more out-of-focus than the right side. Maybe I'm just unlucky and have been given a reject by mistake.
Let me think about what to do next. Keep trying, or maybe invest in one of those OpticBook 3600 Plus on which Reg commented and recommended?

Almost there

2007-03-04T00:22:00.000+08:00

Well, I am glad to say that I didn't have to hold my breath for too long. I received a very nice email from someone in Planon giving me concise instructions on what to do to see if my docupen can be made to work properly.
I have tried half of the suggestions so far, i.e. push the lens to make sure it was seated properly (it wasn't, and I pushed it into place with a satisfying click) and then downloaded a new TWAIN driver for it. I remember when I was a little boy, I wanted to be a twain driver and shovel coal into the furnace and toot the whistle and... oh sorry... TWAIN driver, not train driver. But I digress.
After performing the obligatory lens pushing and software downloading, it seems the scanner is actually working much better now. I think there is still room for improvement so I will try the other suggestions tomorrow. This includes calibrating the unit which involves more downloads, printing a calibration sheet and outputting it onto photographic paper, testing, adjusting etc. It's a bit late in the evening for all that at the moment, so I will try it tomorrow.
Let's hope we are on the final lap with this.

Still no scans

2007-03-03T00:06:00.000+08:00

I'm really disappointed.
I charged the Docupen RC800 for over 24-hours to make sure the battery was OK, then tried scanning again. I tried everything again and again: Hi-Res, Lo-Res, Colour, B/W, even sideways. But nope, it just refuses to give me anything that even closely resembles a scan.
So now I have sent an email to the manufacturers (Planon) in the hope that they can tell me that either I have forgotten to configure something, or that the unit is actually faulty and needs returning to the shop where I purchased it.
As with so many other situations in my life, I wait with bated breath...

Scanning the horizon(tal)

2007-03-02T01:18:00.000+08:00

I bought myself a Planon Docupen Portable RC800 Scanner yesterday. I installed it on my PC today, in the hope that I could scan some books into my PC.
You see, I had already tried other methods of scanning: using my flatbed scanner, but it bent the pages and ended up crooked. Then I tried photographing the books with my Digital Camera, but I ended up with backache after shooting only a couple of pages. So, I spent a horrendous amount of money and bought this thing that looks like an oversized blue pen.
You use it laying on its side and "swipe" it downwards to scan. A little bit like using your hand as the scan engine to move the ccd.
Anyway, it is really easy to use. You install the software on the PC and then scan. No need for cables to scan because it has its own memory and is battery-powered. You only need to connect it to the PC when you want to download the scans from the docupen memory to store it in the PC.
It works great, except I haven't yet been able to get a usable scan image from it. All the buttons flash reassuringly and it seems to download OK, but when I view the result, it's like trying to read a half-lit page through a dark-blue wine bottle. I've tried many settings - colour, black/white, high-res, standard-res, all with pretty much the same result. Not sure where I am going wrong. All I can think is that there is nothing wrong with the way I am using it, but because it is new, maybe the battery needs charging properly.
So, I have put it to one side for the day and will let it charge for 24-hours then try again tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe I will be able to read my books on my PC soon. It's such hard work having to turn a real paper page when you're reading - clicking a mouse button is so much easier, don't you think? Hmmm, on second thoughts...

Oops, too late! I swallowed

2007-03-01T00:51:00.000+08:00

Typical isn't it? While surfing the internet, I decided to take my regular vitamin tablet. Nothing special about the tablet: it's the type which can be purchased over the counter anywhere in the world and contains all sorts of good things such as Vitamins A, E, C, Calcium, Chromium (isn't that used to make the shiny bits for cars?) etc.
As soon as I had gulped down the tablet, I happened to visit a News website and read a story that Vitamins 'could shorten lifespan'.
Well, Thank You so much for telling me that the Beta-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin A in my little orange pills could increase my chances of an early death. I am now trying to figure out how to extract those particular vitamins from my tablets before taking them because I would hate to experience an early death. I am totally useless in the mornings and my death before breakfast would really ruin my day. A midday death or even better a late afternoon death just as the sun sets on the horizon would be ideal. But not an early death, please.

Shifting Priorities

2007-02-27T20:17:00.000+08:00

There is evidence that peoples' priorities are changing these days.
We see that James Cameron (Director of Titanic, The Terminator etc) has now produced (or directed?) a documentary, which explores the evidence surrounding an ancient tomb found near Jerusalem in 1980. Apparently, it belonged to Jesus and His "Family". Or so the producers claim. Apparently Jesus’ “Family” ended up in six coffins and comprise Mary, Jesus (son of Joseph); Mary again, Joseph, (Jesus' brother), Judah (son of Jesus) and Matthew. From where did that lot suddenly appear?
I am assuming these coffins do not contain their bones, otherwise both Jesus and his Mother Mary would be having a hard time navigating their way around heaven with no bones in their bodies. Don’t forget that both of them were still alive when they ascended into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Notwithstanding all the theistic/atheistic shenanigans that will undoubtedly surround these claims, my eye was drawn to the attitude of the locals. We are told that they are very happy about all the global attention this old tomb of theirs has attracted, because it means that Christians will want to live nearby, and consequently the house prices will increase. Way to go, guys! Get those priorities right!

Angkor - Cambodia

2007-02-25T17:51:00.000+08:00

If you like to travel to not-so-common places, you might be interested in a page I have uploaded.
http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/angkor.htm tells the story of when I took my brother and his wife to see the ancient ruined temples at Angkor in Cambodia. It was a truly memorable experience and one that I hope to be able to experience again with my own wife and son when our boy is old enough to appreciate it.
Go and have a look at the page and see if you want to suggest it as a holiday destination to your family.

Some Moments are Just Perfect

2007-02-24T11:11:00.000+08:00

How could anyone want any more than this?
It's Saturday morning and I don't have to work today. Instead, I have my baby boy snuggled in my lap, gazing into my eyes while I sing along to "Only You" by The Platters.

Things just DON'T get any better than this...

(Buck Ram and Andre Rand)

Only you can make this world seem right
Only you can make the darkness bright
Only you and you alone
Can thrill me like you do
And fill my heart with love for only you

Only you can make this change in me
For it's true, you are my destiny
When you hold my hand
I understand the magic that you do
You're my dream come true
My one and only you

I couldn't have said it any better myself.

It's a Winner!

2007-02-24T00:51:00.000+08:00

Ha! I just made my first sale!

One out of Two ain't bad

2007-02-23T23:41:00.000+08:00

I have managed to complete an ebook that I was creating, called "The Science of Aeronautics or Aeronautics in the Victorian Era". It's about what the Victorians got up to in the late 19th Century regarding manned flight, before the Wright Brothers even got off the ground. There's some interesting info in there, I think. I've put it online for sale and I hope a few people will be interested enough to download it. The relevant page can be found at http://www.sidoo.com/aeronautics.htm in case you want to have a look.

Actually, let's try a test. I've just noticed that I can add images to this blog. Let's see how that works...
Hey! That's great! It took some time to figure out the right size and where to store the image, but it seems as though it works a treat. Yayy!

* * *

Search Engines are strange beasts. I have been waiting for my sites (sidoo and thefamilyhappy) to be spidered by Google. I have no idea how long it normally takes, but it seems like I have been waiting for ages for either of them to appear. Today, as a sort of consolation prize, I noticed that sidoo has actually started appearing on the MSN search site, which is nice. Hopefully a few more people will find my site and start having a look at a few things on there.
Let's wait and see...

Known Issues for the New Blogger - does that include Adwords?

2007-02-20T19:05:00.000+08:00

I've come across a really annoying issue with Blogger which has at least been acknowledged on the site:

Users who have their Internet Explorer security settings set to “High” may have
trouble logging in. After sigining in, they see a “Click here to continue” link that does nothing. One workaround is to right-click on this link and choose “Open in a new window.”

Yup, that's eactly what happens to me every time I log in. It's really annoying because the "Click to continue" is almost invisible and I didn't see it for a long time. But what is really strange is a) my IE settings are not "High", they are "Custom" and b) I seem to have exactly the same problem with my Google Adwords since using the "New" Blogger. I wonder if the issues are related? I notice there is no fix yet, only a "workaround".

Regarding my new sites, I am waiting with bated breath to see if I have been accepted for a couple of exciting link propositions. I won't divulge anything yet in case I am refused, but watch this space. I'll let you know.

I'm trying all sorts of things at the moment to try to make a little extra money. It's amazing how a newborn baby can completely change your perspective on what's important. Right now, for me, it is important to make sure that we will have enough money to feed, clothe and house the family, then enough money to educate our son, then enough money to retire. It looks like its going to turn into a race to get enough money before time runs out. I don't intend to lose this race. I want the best for my family.

But I guess that is the mantra for all parents.

Still no time to tell you what's going on!

2007-02-18T20:32:00.000+08:00

I thought I would have time to tell you what I have been doing, but nope, time has slipped by me once again.
Instead, I opened a one-page website (oh, whoopee!) at www.sidoo.com
It ain't the prettiest, but I just want to prove to myself how fast a website can be up and running with links for cool music and movie stuff. It took less than half a day. OK, so it has a grand total of four links (count 'em!) but at least the site is live.
If enough people buy from www.sidoo.com or www.thefamilyhappy.com, maybe it will help me and my family stay alive as well. One can but hope and pray...

Doesn't Time Fly...

2007-02-14T00:49:00.001+08:00

... when so much is going on!
It is TWO YEARS since my last confession... sorry, since my last blog... and so much has happened since then. Mostly great things, I am happy to say!
Maybe I'll tell you in more detail at a later date but I'm about to go to bed.
In summary:

Purchased my own apartment (and still paying for years to come!)
I met a girl and fell in love
Got Married
Ten months later, had a baby boy (well, my wife had a baby, not me!)
Got promoted at work
Started a website at http://www.thefamilyhappy.com/
Noticed Blogger went all Googly so decided to have a look at my blog since I already have a google account

I'll get around to telling you more when I have time. Maybe the weekend?

In the meantime, please feel free to visit my website http://www.thefamilyhappy.com - but not too soon because it is still in development and is very much only concentrating on links at the moment.

By the way, if you think you have an article that I could use on the website, please do send it to me at msidoh@hotmail.com It must be completely originally your own work and you must be agreeable to having it published on the site if it is suitable. I guess articles would be along the lines of something like "What makes a Family Happy", "How to keep a Family Happy", "How to Patch Things Up when Families Fall Apart" or whatever. What's in it for you? You get to see your name at the end of your article on my website :-)

Happy writing!

Erm... Pardon? #2

2005-02-20T11:07:00.000+08:00

Didn't realise it's been so long since my last post. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun!?

Yesterday, I bought myself some very cheap (like 5-dollars) in-ear headphones for a little 5-minute job I needed to do on a PC.
I have no idea where they were made, but the instructions on the box were very concise and very clear...
Headphones:
Weave the line.
Mourn box.
Mourn the line.

So there you go. Mind you, they provide a surprisingly good quality sound, so I don't mind mourning the line.

Flashback

2005-01-10T13:26:00.000+08:00

Isn't it strange how, for no apparent reason, something flashes through your mind which you have not thought of in years.
For instance, just now, I was thinking of my late father (God Bless Him) and a humorous phrase he frequently used.
If a close friend or relative said to him "Do you mind if I smoke?", his joking reply was invariably a friendly "You can burst into flames, if you like".
But that was so typical of his ability to mix his unique humour with his Christian belief of, if someone asks for your tunic, offer them your cloak as well (I think that quote comes from the Sermon on the Mount, doesn't it?).
I wonder why I suddenly thought of that?

Collective Thoughts

2005-01-07T13:09:00.000+08:00

Bro and I were contemplating various groups of animals and their "collective" names such as a flock of sheep, herd of buffalo etc.etc.
We decided that the best description of our motley crew of layabout loony hounds - four of them - should be… "a Muddle of Dogs". This is the perfect description of them as they are either sleeping, playfully biting each others' ears, or blindly following their masters around with absolutely no idea what they are doing or why they are doing it. They really are a muddle of dogs.
I have since discovered a great site from the Oxford University Press which maps out "collectives" for many different animals.
Click this link and choose a letter to see some great lists:
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/collective/?view=uk
Some interesting collectives I have briefly noticed:
Unkindness of Ravens
Rabble of Butterflies
Bellowing of Bullfinches
Have a browse through and amaze your friends with your new-found trivia!

Fit For Life

2005-01-06T13:23:00.000+08:00

I went to the gym last night and, just for a change, I decided to give the treadmill a miss and use the rowing machine instead.
I reckoned it was time to give my abs and 'ceps a work-out instead of my calves and thighs for a change. So my normal 8-kilometre run became an 8-kilometer row.
I felt great afterwards because I could feel that I had been using different muscles for the work-out.
Today is a different matter, however…
I have a big blister on my right heel when my foot had been pushing into the back of my trainer, I have a painful right hip, probably from using muscles that I don't normally use and I have callouses at the base of each finger on both hands where I was gripping the rowing bar.
As I said, it was a great work-out but I thought the idea of exercise was to make you healthy, not cripple you.

A Different Christmas

2004-12-26T13:01:00.000+08:00

Christmas sort of fell apart this year.
We (Bro, S-I-L and I) were going to have friends around for a Christmas dinner with a difference - no turkey or western-style dishes for a change. This time we would enjoy Asian dishes on Christmas day - biryani, tikka, etc etc.
S-I-L, of course, would do the cooking (wow! what a cook she is...) while bro & I would look after the table preparations, clearing up, dish-washing, garden-watering, dog-feeding etc.
But then came the bad news.
S-I-L had to drop everything a couple of days ago and rush away (to another country) where a relation had been taken seriously ill.
Of course there was no question or argument about it. We just said "Go - forget about Christmas celebrations for now".
So we cancelled the Christmas Dinner and invited our friends to come another time.
And Christmas Day arrived.
It was the quietest Christmas Day I have ever spent, but in retrospect I found it quite enriching.
In addition to being able to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, Bro and I had a rare chance to relate and have decent conversations because, for a change, we actually had time.
We went to an Italian Restaurant for Christmas Lunch so there was none of the usual mess that appears in the aftermath of such a meal.
We had a chance to just chill out and watch some DVDs together.
We were both in hysterics at that wonderful car-chase scene in the original Pink Panther movie.
We switched on the TV late at night, so there we were, two grown men watching a midnight broadcasting of Disney's Beauty and The Beast while drinking beers. Surreal.
Did I say Christmas fell apart this year?
No. Thinking about it, it didn't fall apart. It was just different. It gave me a different perspective on Christmas and an opportunity to appreciate those things which we normally take for granted the rest of the year.

Manners Maketh Man

2004-12-24T11:03:00.000+08:00

Some people are so wrapped up in their own worlds and so intent on doing their own thing, (whatever that might be), they lose focus on the real values in life.
Take a very simple example from the other day.
I was exiting a building and noticed a lady trying to come in. The door was one of those big, heavy glass doors which need a fair amount of effort to push to open.
The lady was obviously coming back from some trip because she was holding a suitcase with one hand and pulling a trolleybag with the other.
I figured she would have some difficulty getting herself and all her luggage through the heavy door, so I pulled the door towards me and stood back to allow her to come in, checking to see if she needed a hand with the luggage.
I was immediately aware of some idiot behind me tutting and heaving big, impatient sighs as the lady negotiated the entrance.
As soon as she and her bags were through, this other person arrogantly pushed his way past me, narrowly avoided knocking the lady over and strode out through the door which I was still holding open.
The lady thanked me, to which I replied "You're welcome", then I raised my voice through the door, "…And you're welcome too". Either he didn't hear me, or he didn't understand English or the sarcasm went straight over his head.
I'm sure his mother would have been very proud of him, if she had been watching.

Global Cooling

2004-12-22T18:03:00.000+08:00

I have been receiving lots of email Christmas cards recently in my office email - I love it!
They are from businesses who sell us things such as hardware, software, maintenance etc.
Obviously they want us to remember them and continue to do business with them.
It's great to receive so many e-cards and to continue having relations with their business, but there is one common theme with all the e-cards I have received so far:
I am in Hong Kong.
The vendors and businesses are all in Hong Kong.
All the e-cards I have received so far depict beautiful snow scenes - some with white landscapes, others with snowmen in front of snow-covered cottages etc.
The chances of getting that sort of weather in Hong Kong is pretty remote.
Still, I'm thankful they have remembered me.

A Sharp Intake Of Breath

2004-12-21T13:39:00.000+08:00

8:00am... I stumble bleary-eyed down the road towards the office, trying to push to the back of my mind the fact that I left the office only a few short hours ago because of an urgent issue which needed immediate resolving.
Grateful that we are at that time of the year when it is not raining and not humid, I let my mind wander as I negotiate the already-crowded streets. Not even enough energy to hold my head up, I settle into a steady pace behind some guy who happens to be walking in the same direction. No need for me to dodge other people now; I just keep my head lowered and follow his legs; if he swerves left, I swerve left. If he veers right, I do the same.
No need to think.
I settle into a steady breathing to match my steps.
Then, with my mind floating somewhere in the universe, and at the exact moment that I start an inward-breath, a thick cloud of cigarette smoke emanates from the guy I have been following.
Before I realise what's happening, I have what feels like a week's worth of smoke, tar and nicotine inside me.
I violently exhale in a reflex action and find that I don't have enough breath to get rid of all the smoke. No choice, I have to breathe in again.
Yuck. I hate it when that happens.
In a fraction of a second, I grind my brain into gear, lift my head and coerce my legs into turbo mode. I pass the mobile human chimney and try to ease back into the solitude that was in my mind before my head was engulfed in someone else's exhalation. But already my consciousness has been jerked prematurely into the here and now; I cannot fall back into my daydream.
I have no problem with smokers. I used to be one myself, years ago. I am happy to sit in a bar, chatting and drinking with smokers, because there is no unexpected gulp of smoke to catch me unawares.
I understand the craving, the addiction, the "can't-wait-to-light-up-the-next-one" impatience.
What I don't understand is the inconsideration.
Go and smoke in your own home. Or smoke with other smokers, so that I have the choice to sit with you or not. Or find a quiet corner of a path where you can stand while you smoke without bothering those around you.
Just don't leave a trail of smoke down a street to catch people unaware. Especially first thing in the morning.
It's not fair and it's not nice. And it tastes horrible.

'Tis the season to be jolly

2004-12-20T13:54:00.000+08:00

We dressed the Christmas Trees over the weekend - one for the Ground Floor Dining Room and one for the First Floor Living Room.
Or to be more precise, my S-I-L dressed the Christmas Trees while my bro and I skirted around the edges, pretending to do useful things.
Bro took up the responsibility of digging around in bags and boxes, extracting decorations and smoothing them out ready to be used.
I was in charge of putting Christmas CDs on the HiFi and keeping our glasses charged with a very nice, heavy red wine.
I don't actually drink alcohol very often, so by the end of the evening I was ready to just collapse in an armchair and snooze.
Housekeeper was frantically trying to keep up with S-I-L, fussing around with a vaccuum cleaner to keep the carpets clear of pointy pine needles. Fighting a losing battle, she persevered and got the job done.
The dogs took it all in their stride, sprawled on the floor asleep, happy in the knowledge that their mummy and two daddies were close at hand.
It was actually quite a stress-relieving weekend for a change, with a real family atmosphere.
The trees look beautiful, of course.

Hotdog for dinner

2004-12-18T11:23:00.000+08:00

I arrived home late yesterday evening after a few days away.
The dogs were all overjoyed to see me and were running around and jumping up at me.
I managed to wade my way through them and asked my housekeeper to prepare a meal while I showered and changed.
I asked her to reheat some food that was in the fridge because it was late and I didn't need anything special prepared; I would have my supper on a tray on my lap in front of the television.
So, a little while later, my housekeeper brought the food up to me. As usual, she presented it to me in a fine bone china plate with a nice side dish of vegetables and a glass of crystal clear, cold water. Very tasty and very well presented. I think that even if I asked her to go to McDonalds for a bag of fries, she would serve them to me as a beautiful platter. Spoilt? Yes, of course I am…
Anyway, I had just finished my supper when suddenly one of the dogs came bounding up the stairs. Obviously looking for me because he had that seeking "Where's my daddy?" kind of look on his face.
He spotted me sitting in the armchair across the room and his face lit up. He accelerated from zero to light speed in one second as he bounded across the room and took a flying leap at me from six feet away.
Now, remember I am sitting in an armchair.
Remember I have a tray in my lap.
Remember that the tray contains a beautiful fine bone china dinner service.
Now picture the next few seconds.
Supersonic dog in mid-air, on collision-course with my face.
A yell of surprise from me because there is no escape for me.
Almighty crash and various other noises as dog lands on tray and scatters the dinner service to the four corners of the room.
Sound of pounding feet as the housekeeper races up the stairs to see what on earth is going on.
Picture her face as she surveys a scene of devastation - plates, dishes and cutlery strewn across the floor while a stunned dog lies sprawled on my laptray.
So what could I do?
I calmly stroked the dog, smiled sweetly at the housekeeper and said, "Thank You very much, that was a very nice meal".

Going Up In The World

2004-12-16T19:28:00.000+08:00

My I.T. Director has told me about his great idea for me.
He wants me to run up a building with him.
Maybe I should explain.
He is an extremely fit guy, regularly running half-marathons and participating in corporate sports days etc.
He knows that I regularly workout in the gym - usually three times a week - and that I am capable of comfortably running 8 kilometers (5 miles, for those of you who want it in Old-Fashioned English).
So he has this bright idea that I should join him on the annual sponsored run up our mother-company's headquarters.
He does this every year and, every year, he swears he will never do it again. Well, that indicates to me that it ain't that easy to do.
But on the other hand, how hard can it be?
I mean, it's only 48 floors from bottom to top. Or to put it another way, only 960 steps in an upwardly spiralling direction in a stairwell that has no air-conditioning.
Easy Job!
Yeah, right.

The Scenic Route

2004-12-15T13:01:00.000+08:00

Took a bit a of a detour last night.
I arrived at my apartment in the city (I stay there during the week because it is more convenient for my job than driving in from "the countryside" every day).
It's a fairly new building - just a couple of years old and well maintained.
I entered the lift and pressed floor 12.
The lift doors closed and I was propelled upwards.
Towards floor 12:
3..5..8..11.. Past floor 12..(hey!)15..16..17. And stop.
Doors opened nobody got in or out.
Pressed 12 again.
Going up (huh??)… 18..19.
Doors opened nobody got in or out.
Pressed 12 again.
Aw, come on… 20…21.
Very good. Maybe the lift is dyslexic and mistook my request of floor 12 as being floor 21.
Pressed 12 again and waited, hardly able to contain my apathy.
Sudden Bang from somewhere above and the lift shot downwards.
Yayy! Floor 12! Exit lift.
Well, ain't my life just full of excitement?

Instant noodles? How about instant family?

2004-12-14T13:55:00.000+08:00

So there I was in a little corner store in my local Chinese village buying a couple of items.
I put my purchase on the counter and mentally tallied up the cost - HKD35. As I took out my wallet, the shopkeeper announced (in Cantonese, of course) "38 dollars, please".
I did another quick mental calculation to see if I had made a mistake. I hadn't.
"No", I replied in my best Cantonese, "It should be 35 dollars". He would not accept that, so we counted together. We came to the last item - total 35 Hong Kong Dollars... then he waved towards the floor beside me.
There, looking up at me, was this little boy with a lollipop sticking out of his mouth.
"And three dollars for the lollipop", said the shopkeeper.
Hmmm... I thought... something not quite right here... I don't remember having a son.
And certainly not a Chinese son...
I struggled to find the right phrase and relevant gesticulations to show that this boy did not belong to me. Very eloquently, I pointed to the boy, I pointed to me, I waved my hand and shook my head saying "No", (in Cantonese, of course).
It was then that I noticed a man standing in the corner of the store. I think he was waiting to see if this boy was going to get a free lollipop, or if this strange foreigner would be branded as a weirdo who buys sweets for little children.
Fortunately, when confronted, the man owned up to the fact that the boy belonged to him.
I swiftly left the store with my goods - and without a newly-adopted son.

Friendly Customer Service

2004-12-08T18:01:00.000+08:00

On a business trip a couple of weeks ago... leaving the hotel on my last day, I think the receptionist was trying to chat me up.

Here is the conversation between me (M) and the Receptionist (R):

(Receptionist gives me my hotel bill. The amount is shown in local currency, of course)...

(M): Thanks, can I borrow a calculator to convert this into Hong Kong dollars, please?
(R): Oh, you come from Hong Kong?
(M): Yes
(R): What nationality are you?
(M): British. English. I come from England.
(R): But you live and work in Hong Kong?
(M): Yes
(R): And now you are going back to your family.
(M): Erm... No.
(R - showing sudden interest): Are you married? Do you have children?
(M): Um... No and No
(R - leaning forward): Why not??
(M): Huh? Well... I don't know. Maybe I'm too busy.
(R): Too much work is no good. You should make time to play as well.
(M): I guess so.
(R - Big, innocent eyes): Is this your first trip here?
(M): No I've been here many times. I normally stay at this hotel.
(R - beaming smile): Really?? Maybe I'll see you the next time you come back? Can I give you...?
(M): Look, I really need to go and catch my flight. Thanks and Goodbye (runs out the hotel clutching his bags)...

I'm getting too old for this.

Ain't words wonderful? #2

2004-08-13T17:22:00.000+08:00

Notice on a canteen wall:
"Due to limited supplies of milk, please use as a condiment".
I thought this was an unusual use of the word "condiment", but I figured what it meant was "don't drink glassfuls of milk while it is in short supply, use it only to flavour your coffee and tea".
Then I thought, well, maybe "condiment" can refer to anything that can be used as a 'sprinkling' or flavour-enhancer, no matter solid or liquid. After all, vinegar is a condiment.
So I checked a couple of sources (no, not sauces, sources), and it seems a condiment is indeed a flavour enhancer, but normally in the spicy or pickling sense e.g. vinegar, salt, mustard and all the usual stuff you find in a condiments set.
Here are some results I found:

condiment
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin condimentum, from condire to season: something used to enhance the flavor of food; especially : a pungent seasoning

condiment
[L. condimentum, fr. condire. See Condite.] Something used to give relish to food, and to gratify the taste; a pungment and appetizing substance, as pepper or mustard; seasoning.

These definitions didn't convince me about its relevance in the aforementioned notice about milk, so then I checked the root of the word - condite.

condite
L. conditus, p. p. of condire to preserve, pickle, season. See Recondite.] Preserved; pickled.

Well, although milk has some preservative power, it isn't normally associated with preserving, pickling or seasoning.
So I took the dictionary's suggestion and decided to "See Recondite"

recondite
adj.
1) Not easily understood; abstruse.
2) Concerned with or treating something abstruse or obscure: recondite scholarship.
3) Concealed; hidden.

So, I guess the original notice on the canteen wall might be termed as recondite in the the first sense, while this blog entry is recondite in the second sense.
Maybe I should make my physical self recondite in the third sense, because the whole thing has now become recondite to me in the first sense.
Does that make sense?
Or is it recondite?

Like I have all the time in the world

2004-08-11T18:00:00.000+08:00

We are now so used to "instant access" to this and "on-demand" for that in this fast-paced-high-tech day and age, that it comes as a surprise when we are required to actually wait for things when using PCs.
I ran a query for some information in a database and started waiting.
I waited so long that I had to visit the washroom.
I came back and continued waiting.
Then I got thirsty so I went to the canteen and made myself a cup of coffee.
I came back and continued waiting.
Still waiting.
Yawn.
The PC is fast. The network is fast. The software is up-to-date. What gives?
Come on, I need the info now, not next week.
I dunno...
"Information Technology."
Technology, maybe, but where is my Information??