Doomsday device

Finally it is going to be a quiet weekend. Woke up at 7am, and one of the first things I did was to keep myself updated on the latest Canadian Tire flyer.

I was idly flipping the pages then suddenly I found myself puzzled by an odd item on the flyer. According to the description, it was a fancy upright vacuum cleaner. But judging by the picture, it looked like Megatron from the Transformers movie had angry sex with a regular upright vacuum cleaner, and the poor vacuum cleaner was officially f**ked "transformed."

It must have taken an inventor with a disturbed mind to make this piece of work. I could almost imagine what that inventor would look like: A hunch-back old guy wearing a mono-cal working in a damp and dimly lit basement underneath a lighthouse somewhere in Newfoundland, and accompanied by his assistant who was a square-headed giant with two bolts protruding from his temples.

This mad Canadian inventor would then market his invention to a Canadian Tire merchandiser, calling this a "household vacuum cleaner." He was hoping the "futuristic" look and the ultra low sticker price (for only $130) it would quickly infiltrate many Canadian households. When the time was right, he would flip a switch and turned all those "vacuum cleaners" into doomsday devices. Every one of them was capable of creating a minuscule singularity, or otherwise commonly known as a blackhole...

And that, my friend, is how Canada can partake in an universe-ending plot. Mwah, ha ha...

(SWINE) Flu attack!

[Trumpet]

[Drum roll]

I am now part of the official and historical statistic. I am one of the people who is affected in this H1N1 pandemic.

But to be precise, not even my doctor knew for sure if I got H1N1 because labs have stopped testing and confirming H1N1 cases. Doctors are now treating all flu cases as if they are H1N1, hence my name goes into the record.

In order to qualify to take part in this event, I had to endure 3 feverish days and nights plus non-stop headache that has lasted for over 48 hours. And now that I have made it to the record, I have to continue to suffer through days of coughing and runny nose, all of which happen weeks before a product launch; and days before my business trip.

This morning, a killer headache woke me up and kept my eyes open. At the end, I had no choice but to come down to the kitchen and took some Advil. Under my doctor's instruction, I have been taking both Advil and Tylenol to the maximum daily dosage in order to control the headache, which made me feel like I was a pain-killer junkie or something.

Who cares, I am now quietly waiting for those two blue gel caps to do it job and take the edge off the headache.

Nope, no deep thoughts today. I think between headache and fever, most of my brain cells are dead already. All I want to do is to go back to sleep, if my body lets me...

Too dumb, or too smart for our own good?

I have been following some IT news related to technology patents lawsuits. For your information, reading about the way patents are being awarded and some of patents that were granted are actually great sources of entertainment, it actually borderline on being comical.

But it is not the point of this blog.

The point is, all too often I would come across a comment expressed by people in the online community, “the existing patent law is faulty because most technologies are highly complicated, how can you trust the outcome of a multi-million law suit to a bunch of guys who are too stupid to weasel out of the jury duty?”

I am really not a big fan of that idea that people are dumb if they get selected for the juror duty. What happen to fulfilling ones civil duties? I remember the movie “Runaway Jury”, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman were experts in juror selection and manipulation, and the same ill  idea was spoken by Gene’s character earlier on in the movie.

I would approach it from another angle. God forbid if one day you are the defendant or the plaintiff, do you rather have someone knowledgeable and logical to be in the juror box? In another word, do you want someone like yourself to be sitting in that box? If you do, then I will suggest that you stop dodging this responsibility.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Fall. Falling. Fallen

It is the time of the year. Nope, I am not talking about the flu season, we have enough people in the world talking about it already. Nope is it not about winter season, simply because we are not there yet. It is not time for Christmas shopping either, not for me at least. For the longest time, Costco, Walmart and Sears has been trying to attract me with Christmas-themed merchandises and discounts, they are still unable to pry open my deadly grip over my wallet.

I am referring to the Fall season. I would like to believe that I am one of the top leave rakers in the neighborhood, producing more bags of leaves than average, year after year.

Not that I love raking leaves, don't get me wrong. All I am trying to do is to be a responsible neighbor in my area. Surely, leaves got blown around, and the later you rake it the less leaves you will have remaining on your lawn. But unfortunate for my back, that is not the way I operate. Exactly because leaves got blown around, if I don't do my part of reducing the amount of leaves on the ground, someone else will have to pick up my slack, and that is something that I cannot live with.


I started raking my front lawn this afternoon and in less than an hour I used up all 5 bags that I have, and only managed to take care of half of the lawn. I guess the battle continues tomorrow. But at least, I know I have made a difference, and I am happy that I have performed my civil duty.

[UPDATE] The final tally was 15 bags. 15 bags of leaves that I raked up from my front and backyard and I have a picture to prove. Take a look at the background. Do notice that my neighbor has also done their fall duty and they came up with 3 bags of leaves... hardly seemed fair :(

Happy Birthday! You just turned 40!

Internet has just turned 40 yesterday. It was given birth under the California sunshine on 1969 when two research institutes were connected and formed ARPANET, the precursor of the Internet. On the New Year Day of 1983, the first TCP/IP-based WAN was created and the Internet as we know it today was steadily come to shape.

Like most people of my generation, my first introduction to Internet was back in my university years. Text based web browsers, modem (SLIP or, my favorite, PPP connections), telnet access to the computer labs, they are all part of my 2nd year university life.

Text-based web browsers are now replaced by dozens of powerful web browsers on all sorts of devices ranging from game consoles to cell phones. And ad-hoc phone-line connections gave way to always-on cable modem connectivity.  Being in the IT industry to witness the adoption of Internet by the public domain is nothing short of remarkable.

The creation, adoption and the growth of Internet has as much, if not greater, impact on human kind than the invention of telegram and telephone. It helped advance our civilization either directly or indirectly by improving the access and distribution of information. However, people may question the value and the quality of information. Worst yet Internet also brought questionable impacts on the quality of life, be that our physical or mental health, be that our moral fibre, be that our social dexterity.

Personally, I don’t know what my life will be without the Internet. I won’t have the job that I have now and I won’t be able to do the things that I do every day. My information flow may be severely throttled.

For better or for worse, I do know Internet has a lot to do with who I am today, what I do now and it helped shaping my life. For that, I sincerely congratulate Internet on its 40th birthday.

Humble

I am not sure how many of us remember what people wrote on our year book. At the time of my graduation from a Hong Kong primary school, the school didn't have a formal year book per se, but the need to create a memorabilia was just the same.

I had a booklet that I passed around for my buddies to sign, and many of them regurgitated ancient proverbs as their departing gifts for me. Nothing memorable, really. But then again what could you expect from a bunch of 12-year old kids. I am pretty sure my comments were just as lame.

I also passed this book to teachers whom I respected dearly and they too cited some well known short poems or age-old rhymes of encouragement as my final lectures.

But actually it was my mom and dad who got the first dib on that booklet. I couldn't remember who wrote the following because I (must shamefully admit that I) do not know where that booklet is nowadays. But the proverb had left an unmistakable impression on me, for after over 2 decades I could still remember it clearly.

Naturally, it was written in Chinese. The English translation is roughly like this:

don't be troubled that others haven't noticed,
but do be worried that others go unnoticed.

In other words, be humble. Having a sense of humility does not mean that one should cower in a cubical and rarely socialize or interact, or to avoid bringing any attention to one self.

Humble is not a weakness, it does not mean lacking self-importance or self-confidence.

Humble means modesty in behavior and attitude.

Humble, as in the opposite of arrogant or prideful.

This lesson applies to individuals, companies, and countries. Be mindful of our surroundings, be ready to graciously accept inputs and suggestions, and be at peace with yourself through the understanding your strengths.

Sharing is caring

I got this clip from Amy a few days ago. It took the tension of that day and literally threw it out of the window. It is funny to see a kitten kicked the puppy's ass over food. Such tenacity.

That got me thinking. It is a natural event in the animal kingdom where every creature has to fight for everything to survive. The den, the food, even the mate. Some domesticated animals are losing touch with this part of their basic instincts, but there are many still do.

On the other hand, as a highly evolved creature sitting at the top on the totem pole, shouldn't we have developed the compassion to share with others? Be that our wealth, our warmth, or our thoughts sharing with families, friends, and other less fortunate people. Whatever we choose to share, I am sure there are plenty more where they come from :)

As the holiday season is upon us, share a little, share a lot. I can do it. We can do it.

Oh, the commentary is in German.

Pedestrians and Automobiles

My guess is that except for downtown districts in major North American cities, pedestrians are losing the battle of fair use of the road. I know because I have two dogs.

I can proudly say that we are good dog owners. Rain or shine, 30 plus or minus degrees, we walk our dogs 2 to 3 times a day. As a result, we have had our share of near misses during we ritual pounding of the pavement in the past three years. These experiences give me the authority to say that many drivers have already forgotten the fact that they are SHARING the road with people. Living, breathing people with nothing more than a few layers of clothing to protect them from a 3000lb moving metal.

Drivers have got to remember that stop signs and traffic lights are put on side streets not only to direct their turns, but also give pedestrians a chance to cross the road safely. Too many times have I been in a situation where a driver on the left turn lane would just step on the gas and negotiate the turn without first checking for pedestrians. Some would screech to a halt once they realized their carelessness, others would just drive around me and gave me the dirty look, as if to say "how dare you cross the road when I am turning!" Excuse me?

Let me give you an another example. When I was walking my dogs this evening, I heard someone got into a car and started the engine. The sound came from the next driveway. I instinctively slowed down and grabbed a tighter hold on my leashes. Low and behold, the driver of a car parked on that driveway shifted to the reverse gear, and without hesitating for a second he started to back out. In his mind, his only concern was whether there were cars coming from either side of the street. The thought of a pedestrian might be walking on the sidewalk and that he may be causing harm to that person never flashed across that preoccupied mind. I stood on the pavement, fixating my stare at him the whole time he was backing out. The only time he noticed my furious gaze was after his four wheels hit the street and he turned his head to look forward as he was shifting the gears. Was there a hint of guilt? No. Was there an apologetic wave of hand? No. He just drove off as if he has done nothing wrong. That's what pedestrians have been dealing with daily.

Besides, I don't think the government cares much about pedestrian safety either. Here is a question for you, why does the city install those pedestrian press button system in the busy intersections? Why do I have to press the button to make that walking green man shows up in the light box if I want to cross the road? Why can't the city make that little green man shows up every time the traffic light turns green? Cars can still make the turn if there is no one crossing the street. I just don't get it. Is pedestrians crossing the road any less important than drivers making a turn? We both have destinations to reach.

This exposes a fundamental problem with the system. Instead of protecting the vulnerable ones, it is designed to favor drivers with greater right to access the road. That hardly seems fair.

I have made a pack with myself a long time ago. I will pay attention to all pedestrians at all time, and, within reason, I will let them cross the road first before I make my move. After all, I am sitting in a steel wrapped contraption and enclosed in a air-conditioned environment. I can wait.

Bigger is not better, says me!

One thing about me that you need to know is that I am always in the mood for car shopping. 24/7. 365 days a year.

My last car purchase was 2 years and 5 months ago. Before I drove the car off the lot I was already thinking what would our next car be. I just can't help myself. I love "window shopping" for cars. Honestly I don't even care if I am shopping for myself or others. Give me a reason, need not be a good one, and I will be in front of a computer all over car websites like flies on dung.

One of the quests I am on right now is to find a replacement for my 2003 Toyota RAV4. Our requirements are simple:

• It should have similar capacity as our RAV4, which has yet to disappoint us in its ability to swallow anything we threw at it - bookshelves, leather couches, 600 lbs of gym equipments, home appliances, etc.
• But not too long or too big, Amy afraid she won't be able to handle it
• Doors must be lower to the ground than the RAV, because as our dogs gets older, we won't want them to jump too high to get in and out of the car. We will prefer to have them walk up to car, and walk off from it.

We liked the new Toyota Venza, because it nearly fitted all of our requirements. The car was roomy, lower entrance than an SUV, powerful but efficient 3.5 litre v6 engine, etc. But my interest in the car was unexpectedly turned off by the most unlikely reason - the tire size. Why on the god's green earth would Toyota put a set of freaking 20" tires on a family crossover? I didn't think Sportiness was being one of its main selling features. Was it designed to be a trendy car for youngsters to drive around town and get noticed? I seriously doubt that because if I was 10 years younger I wouldn't want to get caught in that. Or was it because some panel studies suggested that 20" was the way to go? Why wasn't I in that panel to suggest otherwise?

Make no mistake, Toyota has always been a dull brand. Reliable, but dull as a butter knife. The lackluster appeal to younger generations is partially attributed to the boring design, but more to the point is the uncharacteristic driving dynamic that can put granny to sleep. But I don't care. Venza is supposed to be functional and practical, not sporty or flamboyant. Putting 20" tires in all corners does not transform the car into an exciting beast. I really don't see how the extra inches in the tire size can accomplish anything other than stiffing consumers with extra expenses. I am a chicken and I need my snow tires in winter even when I am driving an all-wheel-drive vehicle. You just can't be too safe, you know. Do you know how much it would cost to get a set of 20" SNOW TIRES? It is $500 more expensive than the 18" variant of the same brand! And if you want to save that $500, you will have to first invest money on a set of 18" steel rims. Do they even have 18" steel rims? And let's not even start to think about summer tires.

I must be fair in my complain, Toyota is not the only company that is supersizing its tire selections, the new Mercedez Benz GLK also wears 20" slippers.

May be it is the way to go. A decade or two ago, 14" was the norm. So may be in one day 20" will become a new standard. But in order for that to happen, the tire industry will have to first make those supersized tires affordable. Until then, Venza is benched.

Windy Chicago, Part 1

One day in October about a year ago, I walked out of a hotel at 5:30am. Immediately, I was met by a strong gusty wind blowing from just about every direction. No kidding, it WAS windy in Chicago.

There were several theories that tried to explain the origin of Chicago's nickname - the weather, the World's Fair in the late 19th century, and even the rivalry with Cincinnati had something to do with the reason why Chicago was called the "windy city". But as I was making my way along East Balbo Street on that chilly morning, I was most certain that weather must be the main reason.

Obviously I had a goal when I made that journey at that ungodly hour under such ungodly weather - I was planning to snap a few pictures of the sun rising over Lake Michigan. The hotel that I stayed in was within walking distance to the Chicago harbor due east. A decent view of the sunrise was probably. I hopefully packed for the trip with a set of simple camera gears and a light tripod to do the job.

As I left the hotel, I immediately crossed the street and entered Grant Park. The eerie corridor of autumn trees in the park was lit up by the incandescent street lamps. Crispy fall leaves on the ground were also glowing in that artificial orange hue. The distance sky in the background was turning from the obsidian black to a grayish shade of blue, signaling the inevitable beginning of a new day for many city dwellers. The contrast of warm street lamps and the gray blue sky helped set up the picture quite nicely.

Braving the cold and fighting to keep my fingers warm, I set up the camera and took the shot.

Top Movies of the Decade (already?)

Hello world. Again.

After years of staying dormant, The Wong Thinking is now active.

Last Friday, the Toronto Star posted an article about the Top 10 movies of the decade, rated not by their box office report card, but by their importance and influence. In the order of the year of release, here is the list.

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
• In the Mood for Love (2000)
• Memento (2000)
• Donnie Darko (2001)
• Y tu mamá también (2001)
• The Passion of the Christ (2004)
• Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
• A History of Violence (2005)
• Borat (2006)
• The Dark Knight (2008)

I agreed with may be a few of them, disagreed with most, and puzzled by a few.

Crouching Tiger was a master piece which left me with powerful and stunning imagery. Memento was a challenge to viewers' perception of time. Dark Knight offered a rare perspective of Joker's psyche.

But Borat? Really? If I couldn't stand the movie for more than 15 minutes, how on earth would I be able to "appreciate" its deeper meanings? While A History of Violence was a decent movie, the story seemed so linear and anti-climatic that it discouraged repeated viewing.

On the other hand, Donnie Darko was an interesting choice. It was one of the most eerie and unsettling movies I have ever seen. It didn't use the usual cinematic gimmicks, exaggerating camera movements, or overwhelming special effects to attract/distract the audience. Instead, it weaved a story with strong human emotions using a quietly disturbing premises as the background. That, and Frank, a giant 6 feet fall bunny, captured my attention.

The movie did leave me with a good impression, but I must admitted that I did not fully grasp the message that the director was trying to convey. It puzzled me to learn that it was named one of the top 10 movies of this decade. The puzzlement (or was it pride) urged me to revisit Donnie Darko.

So I spent the weekend looking for the Blu-ray version of the movie (any reason for me to get a BD version of a movie that I have already owned was good for me), which I found at BestBuy for $14.99 (what a steal) and enjoyed the thrilling vision of the young Richard Kelly (the same person who directed the soon-to-be-released movie, The Box) during the not-so-quiet Sunday evening. At the end, I was reminded why this movie totally bombed at the box office (according to Wikipedia, it grossed US $4.1 million worldwide, US $400k short of its budget) but thrived as a cult movie - the story line was so utterly bizzard *and* complex that it escaped most movie-goers and critics. With every viewing I understand the movie a bit better - the concept of time travel, each character's role in the unraveling of the event that follows, the deep emotional bonds that bounded those characters, and their intertwined fate before and after the event. In turn, I appreciate the movie a bit more.

Can't wait to watch it for the 4th time. Hmm, may be during the Christmas holidays? Or is that too soon?