The Truancy Report

Awareness & early detection

2007-05-31T10:59:00.000+08:00

Some stuff in the world seems to pass you by as if it will never apply to yourself, only to other people.Breast Cancer is a disease of epidemic proportions, but in the last decade or so a great deal of progress has been made in the treatment of it.
The key is to be aware of the risks, detection and tests out there. It really is something that is very beatable if picked up early.

Awareness. Not just women, but their men too. Everyone needs to educate themselves a little bit more than from what they think they know.

Take some time now to read this site BreastCancer.org. Be aware of what to look for. Get regular checks. Get anything odd checked early. Get second opinions and be suspicious of anything until it's cleared.

Awareness will save a life.

Sometimes people overlook simplicity

2007-05-09T14:00:00.000+08:00

Here is an interesting theory about the construction of Stonehenge. Makes a lot of sense to me.

AutoCAD Art

2007-05-09T11:39:00.000+08:00

After much hassle, I am finally teaching myself AutoCAD Architectural desktop. Wow. Sometimes I come across something that is like an extension of my mind.

Apart from all the cool building design I am doing right now, it seems some people are right into using Autocad 3D extensions to do art. How good can it possibly be?

Check out this picture (click on it to go to full size):

Here is the link to it, and others: http://www.creative-3d.net/GalleryDisplay.cfm?ID=19908

Update: I just noticed how weird that pic looks due to the wide angle perspective. The vertical edges look like they are tilting in. Interesting.

Bamboozled

2007-05-03T15:17:00.000+08:00

It amazing what you come across online when you are ~~mindlessly bored and randomly clicking shit~~ doing productive research. Today I was looking for a pic of a bamboo forest for the new incarnation of frashcards.com (yes it's a real domain - I bought it last night for $8.95, what a bargain).
Anyway, I should get to what I discovered....

This site: http://www.bmeres.com/bambooframe.htm which is about a bike a guy made out of bamboo. Looks pretty neat. He's got a review of how it performed over a whole year. Very nice job.

Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us

2007-05-02T11:28:00.000+08:00

Planet Gmail

2007-04-27T09:38:00.000+08:00

WARNING: Geek Alert

What is strange about this screen shot from my gmail inbox?The email dates are old. Really old. In fact so old they are from before Gmail was even invented.

As mentioned earlier, after a bit of searching, I have found out a way to put all my old Microsoft Outlook based emails on Gmail - but not only that, have them stored with the correct delivery date and original sender information.

Some people may not care about the significance of this, some will be put to sleep by it, others will find this information ecstaticly exciting and useful. For those 3 people out there, here are the steps to do it...

1. Use Outlook to open your old mail file (if you use Outlook Express, skip this step)

What you need to do here is have a clean out and a tidy up, if you haven't already. In Gmail, you will have to adopt the 'search not sort' mentality, so any folders in Outlook will need to be replaced with labels in Gmail. (But that's ok. I Gmail a message can have more than one label. With folders, it's either in the folder or not.)
Once all clean and tidy, you can close Outlook. For good.

2. Open Outlook Express

Use the menu to import your mail from MS Outlook. It's a reasonbly fast process, and may seem unnecessary, but later steps work faster if Outlook mail is converted to Outlook Express.

3. Install a local host mail server

Yeah yeah, I know, this kinda freaked me out too, having never done this stuff before. But, it was pretty easy using Macallan Mail Server (free). Make sure you go into the users tab and create yourself a mailbox, and assign a password. Takes a few minutes to do this whole step (seriously).

4. Install Mozilla Thunderbird

From the people who brought you Firefox, here is Thunderbird, a free email front end. Once you have Thunderbird installed, you need to download the redirect extension. Install the extension to Thunderbird by going Tools>Add-ons>Install, and browse to the redirect extension and install it.
You then need to add the mailbox you created on the mail server to Thunderbird in the accounts setup.

5. Import Outlook Express emails into Thunderbird

This is pretty straight forward. Tools>import>outlook express. Takes a short time to process.
Pretty soon we will be uploading emails from thruderbird to the web.

6. Create a temporary Gmail account

If you upload your emails directly to you main Gmail, you'll find the 'received date' will be wrong. It will be the actual date (i.e. now) your main Gmail received it.
But, if you upload your emails to a temporary Gmail account, and then use Gmail's Mailfetcher to POP them over to your main Gmail account then miraculously the dates are corrected back to the original.
So, create a temporary Gmail account, and in settings>Forwarding and POP: enable POP for all mail. Also, select the 'delete Gmail's copy' so it's really easy to see if there are any remaining emails in the temporary account that need to be retrieved by the main Gmail.

7. Upload old email

Go into Thunderbird and select a folder to upload. (It's highly recommended to upload your old emails in folder lots so you can easily create lables for them in Gmail once they have arrived. Then repeat the upload process for another folder.)
Anyway, open a folder, and select ALL emails in it. Choose Message>Redirect and enter the email address of your temporary Gmail account.
I'd suggest you practice with a small folder first.
The redirect(upload) step may take some time, depending on your upstream speed on your internet connection. It's the sort of thing you can let churn away while you sleep.

8. Retrieve old email from temporary Gmail account to main Gmail account.

If you log into your temporary gmail account, you should see your uploaded emails (give it time, of course). Go into your spam folder and select>ALL and hit the "Not Spam" button. For some reason about half of my uploaded mail ended up in the spam folder (maybe the old date confuses it or something).
Once you have all your uploaded emails (remember just one folder worth) in your temporary Gmail account inbox, we can do the last part.

Log into your main Gmail account (I find it easier to use different browsers for each, like IE for my temp gmail and Firefox for my main gmail) .
Go to settings>accounts>get email from other accounts.
Click Add account, and put in your temporary gmail account details here. You should just need to add the login ID and password, and leave the other settings as they are.
Click save settings.

Now, your main Gmail account will periodically check your temporary Gmail account and retrieve any messages from the inbox. Generally, it will do it in 200 email batches every so often, but you can go into the accounts page and force more checks.

9. Tidy up and label Old emails

Your main gmail account will be receiving the old emails in it's inbox. Once again, you have to also check your spam folder and move those emails to inbox also. (it pays to empty out your spam folders before doing all this)
Once done, you will see Inbox(125) or similar in bold, indicating unread emails, but this time your inbox has been correctly sorted with the original sent date. This means you have to click on 'oldest' to see them.
An easier way is to use 'search options' up the top, and choose 'Search: unread' and hit search without any other criteria. Select ALL messages, and then the 'Choose ALL'
Label these mails according to the folder name. Then select 'mark as read', and then select 'None'.

That's it. If you now go and have a look, your old emails are now in Gmail in the exact format they would be if they were sent there years ago. The dates are correct, as is the sender info etc etc.

Repeat steps 7-9 with each folder, allowing enough time for the emails to travel to their destination before continuing.
Yes it takes time, but once each folder is set going you can leave it.

Gmail Archive

Once you have got all your old emails in your main gmail account, you may like to archive them. You can select whichever mails you would like to archive using lables or searchs, and then hit the 'Archive' button.
This will remove them from the main inbox view, but they will still be searchable. If you need to browse thru archived mail, just select 'All Mail' on the left.

If you are super paranoid, you can periodically use a Gmail archive utility to download a copy of your mails to burn to a DVD....or you can use the POP facility to download to a HDD.....or you can use the mail fetcher to put a copy onto an second 'archive' gmail. (just select 'leave a copy in my inbox' on your mail gmail...ha)

Enjoy.

This post was only made possible with information I found here (the mail server thing),
and here(the temporary gmail account concept)

Safekeeping

2007-04-27T09:09:00.000+08:00

Warning: GEEK ALERT

My mission is to get ALL on the stuff I care about OFF my computer.

I am in the process of putting all my MP3s, Photos and Videos (mainly AVI copies of my DVDs) onto Network Storage device (AKA Portable hard drive hooked up to my home network). That way, PC's on my home network(up to 4: [1 decent one,1 semi decent, 2 shitters] in various places now) can access that stuff, which is pretty handy (think: choosing a DVD to watch in bed on the laptop wirelessly, accessing the whole MP3 library wirelessly, sharing some photos on the TV etc etc - all at the same time.)
So that is the media taken care of. What about emails? MS Outlook famously sucks at not easily allowing multiple machines to access a single Outlook account. I decided that online mail WOULD allow multi location (simultaneously if needed)access to a common email account, which is just one reason I have converted the whole Truant house to Gmail.
I have been raving about Gmail for a while and after 18 months or so of using it I am convinced that it's actually safer to keep stuff like emails and documents online as opposed to locally on your own computer. The main advantages for me is now I don't need to worry about backing up my data if/when my PC crashes. Sure, I could run RAID and be more diligent with backing up stuff, but after a while having DVDs of data sitting around isn't exactly ideal either - you could lose it, or it could fall into the wrong hands. Anyway, I digress.
But what about the OLD outlook emails? Wouldn't it be nice to put them on my Gmail so I can really get rid of all that old stored stuff?

After a bit of investigation I found out how to do it. I mean properly, not some half assed 'forwarding' type of solution.

Scroobius Pip vs Dan Le Sac

2007-03-30T08:50:00.000+08:00

Here are 2 videos of the same track.
First one is the official music video, which features some really clever, but subtle, video tricks.

The second one is the live version. Check out Dan Le Sac on his Apple Notebook with some other gadget attached to it. Sounds pretty cool.

Grey Matter

2007-03-30T08:43:00.000+08:00

Square A and Square B are the same shade of grey. They ARE.Check out the proof and other brilliant illusions here.

Studley by name, Studley by nature

2007-03-30T08:23:00.000+08:00

Back in the mid 90s, I remember picking up a magazine at the military dentist. Airforce magazine or flight international or something like that. Inside was a picture I stared and stared at. It was an advertisement for something, I can't remember what - but I never forgot the image.
It's been well over 10 years and I was chatting to my mate Irish Stu about this tool chest I once saw, and how impressive it was.
Well, after describing it to Stu, I figured I do my darndest to find it on the web.
Using image google, I was surprised to find it within minutes.....so here it is:
The Studley Tool Chest

Massachusetts piano maker Henry Studley built his magnificent tool chest over the course of a 30-year career at the Poole Piano Company. The chest lived on the wall near his workbench, and he worked on it regularly, making changes and adding new tools as he acquired them. Using ebony, mother-of-pearl, ivory, rosewood, and mahogany -- all materials used in the manufacture of pianos -- he refined the chest to the point that now, more than 80 years after his death, it remains in a class of its own.

Considering how many tools it holds, the famous chest is really quite small; when closed, it is just 9 in. deep, 39 in. high, and just more than 18 in. wide. Yet it houses so many tools -- some 300 -- so densely packed that three strong men strain to lift it.

For every tool, Studley fashioned a holder to keep it in place and to showcase it. Miniature wrenches, handmade saws, and some still unidentified piano-making tools each have intricate inlaid holders. Tiny clasps rotate out of the way so a tool can be removed. In places the clearances are so tight that the tools nearly touch. The chest, which hangs on ledgers secured to a wall, folds closed like a book. And as the chest is closed, tools protruding from the left side nestle into spaces between tools on the right side. Amazingly, despite being so densely packed, the tools are all easily accessible.

Studley was well into his 80s when he retired from the piano company. Before he died in 1925, Studley gave the tool chest to a friend. That man's grandson, Peter Hardwick, loaned the chest to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. in the late 1980s and later sold it to a private collector in the Midwest. That owner again sold the tool chest to another private collector, where it now resides.

Fine Woodworking Magazine Article (incl High Res downloads)

The Plywood Tree

2007-03-08T07:33:00.000+08:00

Here is an interesting site detailing what I guess you'd call, well I dunno what.

http://plywoodtree.grographics.com/

Basically, a guy creates a tree out of plywood, and then chops it down, recycles it into a sheet of plywood and then returns it to Home Depot for a refund. Some kind of statement I guess.

Personally, I really like the tree he made, and it is a shame to chop it down after all that work.

Flying at Apo Island

2007-03-02T09:56:00.000+08:00

Here is a short video I shot when we were in the Philippines for a dive trip a few weeks back.

How to: Picture Signature in Gmail

2007-01-22T15:59:00.000+08:00

Gmail seems to be the wonder email program, for me at least.

I like the fact that it's online, so it's automatically backed up/archived online without me ever having to stress out about my pc crashing or losing contacts etc etc.
It's also great for being able to log into from multiple machines anywhere on earth and do emailing (try doing that with Outlook)
It just gets better and better, but there is one thing that Gmail has been lacking since day one: HTML authoring or embedded picture signatures. Or HAS it been lacking????

So, here is the solution:

Firstly the set up.
1. Host a picture online. Make sure it isn't too big and host it at photobucket or imageshack or flickr etc, or put it on your own domain somewhere

2. Use a text editor such as notepad or wordpad (or a WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver, front page or Google Page Creator) to create an html file.
If you have never done that before, in XP go: start>programs>Accessories>Notepad

Put this code into the editor:

Then save the file to your desktop as "my_signature_file.html"

How to use it?
Once you have this file, whenever you want to embed this signature pic to a new email, just open the file, and use your mouse to select and drag the picture over to your new gmail window.
Another way is to open the file then ctrl-A (or edit>select all), then ctrl-C (or edit>copy) and then go to your gmail window and ctrl-V (or edit>paste)

That's it. Oh by the way, if you want to include some text in the html file along with the picture, that is not a problem and it will all come over together.

Wanna know a dirty little secret? You can also drag ANY image from ANY website. How about THAT!!

Living Homes

2007-01-19T12:21:00.000+08:00

Wow. It's not that often that a website blows me.....away, but here it is: Living Homes.net
It's another modular building company, but as you'll see these guys are hitting it hard. Serious eco responsibility theme going on here. This is architecture, design and technology blended together perfectly. Awesome.

Go and check out that website tho, seriously. It's really cool. The front page is made up of timelapsed sequences showing the house through out the day.
There is a video showing a cool time lapse sequence of the house being erected on the site in 8 hrs.

It worth having a poke around at other things, particularly take the tour.

LivingHomes.net

Trailer Trash

2007-01-18T16:21:00.000+08:00

I like retro caravans, and mark my words they will make a comeback. Vintage caravans are where it's at.

Anyway, I came across this interesting site that is all about making you own retro travel trailer. $60 USD gets you all the plans and info you need to make your own caravan.
http://www.desertteardrops.com/

Plug + Play Construction

2007-01-17T15:32:00.000+08:00

This interesting article in wired magazine reminds me of something I have thought about for years: Modular housing. The concept itself isn't new, but previously it's been done only to a certain level.

This "Loblolly" house by kierantimberlake.com is a prototype of a true plug and play house which incorporates wiring, communications, plumbing, heating etc into the wall, floor and roof modules.

"THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY to construct a house is to build it in a factory. This reduces a home's "embodied energy" – the amount of power expended in its fabrication and construction. And conventional homebuilding is dirty work. From the fuel used by commuting workers to onsite diesel generators, the construction and operation of homes and other structures generates 40 to 50 percent of all the greenhouse gases in the US, according to the US Energy Information Administration."

Wired Magazine Article
Loblolly House homepage

Juxtaposed: Religion

2007-01-17T15:17:00.000+08:00

As far as Art goes, I quite like this....

5,084,000,000 people 5,360 pages 3,700 years 243 countries 7 books 1 shelf

San Francisco designers Mike and Maaike have created JUXTAPOSED:Religion the first in a series of Juxtaposed curated bookshelves for blankblank.
“For the first time, the world’s most influential religious texts are brought together and presented on the same level, their coexistence acknowledged and celebrated.”
(I don't agree with that emotional fluff, but I like the resulting art)The shelf is made of reclaimed hardwood and is offered in a limited edition of 50.

mikeandmaaike.com
blankblank.net

Sketch Furniture

2007-01-17T14:52:00.000+08:00

This year I am going to be busy, so I will write less, but post more. Mainly interesting things I find online.

First up is Sketch Furniture.

The four FRONT members have developed a method to materialise free hand sketches. They make it possible by using a unique method where two advanced techniques are combined.

Pen strokes made in the air are recorded with Motion Capture and become 3D digital files; these are then materialised through Rapid Prototyping into real pieces of furniture.

I really like the concept. Just not sure I'd like to look at a scribble in my living room for any length of time. (unfortunately, the youtube video is no longer up - that would have been interesting I am sure)

http://www.frontdesign.se/sketchfurniture/

Welcome 2007

2007-01-17T14:48:00.000+08:00

Wow, it's been a hectic last 4-5 weeks or so, and now that I am back at work I will hopefully be able to ~~do some more blogging~~ get back to a normal sort of routine.

Here goes.

Another Perfect Day in Paradise

2006-12-26T14:16:00.000+08:00

One time camping around 2000 in Arrowtown (near Queenstown NZ), I heard a scottist tourist at the next site over come out of his tent and loudly proclaim "Ahhhh....another payfact dey in paradiyce".
At the time I had only left NZ's shores once, to go to Fiji for a holiday, but as I was about to head away from NZ for at least a few years, what the scotsman said got me thinking. It got me thinking that maybe I take this place for granted.
Now that it's almost 6 years since I lived in NZ, I now realise I sure did take it for granted.

So, here is a quick shot of me in a small slice of heaven. You can't see my face by I am grinning. It's not easy work cutting gorse but I got a decent gas powered cutter last visit which makes it a bit easier.
In NZ, Gorse, Thistle and a bunch of other weeds were brought here by the English and Scots when they came here a couple of hundred years ago. Thistle was brought to remind the Scots of home, and Gorse was being used for farm hedges in England. Unfortunately, Gorse is nothing but a real pain in the ass (sometimes literally) in Aotearoa.
Anyway, its good to get away from the desk and do a decent days work in the sun on the land. Another perfect day in paradise.

Buy some Uranium online

2006-12-04T10:36:00.000+08:00

Not to be outdone by my previous post about how impressive the web has become, how about this: http://unitednuclear.com

Buy some radioactive material for the hell of it. I bet Osama is pissed off he can't get a Credit Card....but wait, they take paypal.

To be fair, I just noticed that this website will not ship outside of the US, which is really lucky for the rest of us at least that the US has narrowed down a safe haven to sell uranium and other radioactive material. There are obviously no idiots living in the land of the free.

The site has a disclaimer:
Because our products can be potentially hazardous in the wrong hands, we will occasionally terminate & refund orders if we feel you are juvenile posing as an adult, inexperienced with the materials ordered, or using our products to make any sort of explosive device.

That makes me feel all warm inside. How about you?

Buy a DIY Aircraft online

2006-12-04T09:15:00.000+08:00

I had to share this. In my view, the internet has come of age when I can go and add a kitset Aircraft (yes a real aircraft) to a web shopping cart, and pay for it with my Visa.

DIY + Aircraft + Internet + VISA = one helluva busy garage.

Indeed, for those of you who know me, we have found a match.

http://hummelbird.com/#UC
is the site of a small DIY aircraft company in a place called Bryan, Ohio. I'd like to go to a place called Bryan. Bryan is also a brilliant name for a cat don't you think?
Personally, I think if I was going to build an DIY Aircraft, I would go for a Van's RV. I just like the look more and there are a lot of them around.
Both the Van's RV and the Hummel Ultra Cruiser look to be similar construction, predominantly using Aluminium Alloy which is something I personally prefer over GRP (resins & fibreglass n shit like that) as it's more retro. Besides that, I have the tools already.
http://www.vansaircraft.com/
The Vans RV-10 is a sleek 4 person aircraft, so it's in a different league in my opinion.
Anyway, there goes ANOTHER thing to add to the list of things to do. Just incase I ever get bored.

Labels

2006-11-17T19:08:00.000+08:00

OK. Being the OCD idiot that eye yam, it took me some time to sort out blogging software cos I wanted categories, and at the time, blogger didn't have anything other than some search type hack that I found on some geek's site.
Anyway, Blogger have finally got with the program and have introduced Blogger Beta, complete with categories. They also have made managing a blog a whole shitload easier.

If you are thinking about going for the upgrade (it's free of course) then just do it. It's also integrated with the best web based email system available today: "~~bigbrother~~G" mail.

And then if you really are OCD, you can go back and edit each post to add the labels. Then, it's easier for your stalkers to read all about you. See? ->

Oh, I do hate the layout of this brog also, if you were wondering. So I will do a revamp at some point soon. I know everyone is excited about that.

Is the bubble about to burst?

2006-11-15T10:47:00.000+08:00

Real estate is an interesting thing.

I was lucky enough to buy my first place when I was 23 - it was a shitty 100 year old villa that took me 7 years to finish. I learned a lot about DIY and property by getting involved pretty early on.
At one point, I was pretty close to the wire and sold my car, so I was biking to work each day, and sometimes buying milk or bread with money that could only come out of the coin jar. Oddly enough, I look back at those times with some pretty fond memories because those are the times when it seems that strength of character and ambition was more important than financial security. Those sorts of conditions can bring out the best (or worse) in a person.

Anyway, in NZ we have experienced a bit of a property boom since about mid 2001 - virtually to the month that we sold the house and left NZ for our 2-3 year Overseas Experience...that is now into it's 6th year. According to the stats, property rises have averaged 20% p/a for the last 4-5 years in some parts of NZ, and 80-100% increase in home values are not that uncommon. It's a similar sotry in other parts of the world, maybe the dates are different.
My view is that there is a correction coming. For the last 100 years, property has averaged more like 4-7% p/a in various parts of the world, so you have to ask yourself what impact the last 5 years of boom is going to have on the market in the next few years, if we are going to maintain that 4-7% p/a average.

Fortunately for me, I bought my first place when some people were reducing prices to sell. Indeed, Real Estate was going down. (I'm only talking the early-mid 90s here!)
These days, there is a new breed of people (or just those who have short memories) that believe 15-20% p/a increases are completely sustainable for the rest of their lives. Many people believe that this 15-20% p/a gain is something magical, "it's just the market showing it's true value" etc etc, but in the last few years, I believe that perhaps these unrealistic gains have been fueled by greed.
There are plenty of people who see 'flipping' as a realistic way to get ahead. Basically buying a place with the intention of selling it pretty quickly to the next person for a profit. Ya know, almost like MLM or Pyramid Selling.
The problem is, many of these people believe in "can't lose" mentality that they them selves are not content to cash up and enjoy the profits of their flips, rather, they extend their debt even further, making sure they are maximizing any equity they had by borrowing to the limit.
There is no belief that interest rates could possibly hike, or that the bubble will burst. Anyway, I think you get the idea.

Here is an interesting blog. It is by a 24 year old budding "investor", who didn't know any better and took what we wanted to believe from various get rich quick seminars. His name is Casey Serin, and he bought 8 houses in 8 months with no money down, and lost. http://iamfacingforeclosure.com/1/why-i-am-facing-foreclosure/

Check out out some of the comments. Wow.

Why is Real Estate so interesting? Cos is can make smart people do dumb things, and dumb people do smart things.

Some Kiwi Humor

2006-11-14T18:24:00.000+08:00

I remember seeing the first 42 Below Vodka ad circulating on email about 3-4 years ago. Sometimes living away from home, it's easy to forget some of the stuff that makes ya laugh and other people stare at you like you need help.

I figured there must be more, so in between my busy appointments today, I decided to see what I could find.

Well, treasure hunters, you are in luck.

There is a whole collection of this stuff made by 42 Below Vodka. Very much bordering on offending even the PC police, but who cares right?

http://www.42below.com/flashad/storyof42/

Best Inventions of 2006

2006-11-08T11:56:00.000+08:00

I have been incredibly busy lately, so apologies for not blogging. (well actually I haven't been that busy, but ya know how sometimes you look at the calendar and realise it's a month later than you thought?)

Here is a pretty interesting read:
http://www.time.com/time/2006/techguide/bestinventions/

Incredible learning tool

2006-10-16T12:33:00.000+08:00

Check out this amazing video. It's for real. This is really, really clever, and gives us a glimpse of how software is going to be used in future.

Photography Exhibition Numero Uno

2006-10-15T17:18:00.000+08:00

On Friday and Saturday nights, the Arty Farty One hosted her very first photography exhibition, which was held in conjunction with, and as part of, a fundraiser party for a foreign guy, Mark Selikoff, who is currently in a coma after a serious motorcycle accident Sept 27th.

The venue was the River Bar, Jhongli, which has a small gallery area upstairs. It went pretty well considering the short notice, and everyone that came really enjoyed the shots.

Here is an online version of the exhibition I put together for the Arty Farty One:
http://www.truant.net/Vietnam_Cambodia_2006/index.html

Here is what the venue looked like a few hours before everyone came (taken during the day):

Simplistic Theory #2: Units of Time

2006-10-13T14:16:00.000+08:00

Being the simplistic fella that I am, I link to come up with theories that measure certain sides of life, and in doing so, try to work out the best way to learn from the past to get the most out of the future.

One simplistic theory I came up with maybe 20 years ago was the theory of People Categories. It's highly un-PC, but it's the science of categorising a complete stranger based on how they look and act and comparing that data to what you already know. Basically, it helps determine how to deal with that person, what they are likely to enjoy or dislike, whether they are more likely to be a dick or an asshole.....that sort of thing. But that is Simplistic Theory #1, which I will go into detail another day.

Simplistic Theory #2 is the Theory of Units of time. Having been fortunate enough to live and work in different countries, I have picked up on a very little observed ~~phenomin, fenomin, phanomin~~ thing. The unit of time you need to work to is determined by your lifestyle. Lemme explain....
In NZ for example, you can drive anywhere in most citys in about 20mins, you can generally park right out the front FOR FREE, Stores are generally deserted. What this means is you can do ANYTHING in a unit of time that is 30mins long. Sometimes you might need 2 units, say meeting a friend for coffee. 3 units for a nice meal, 4 units to go have a BBQ at the beach. You get the idea. In Singapore, the unit was closer to 1 hr. London it was 2 hrs, Here in Taiwan, it's closer to about 3hrs.
I think I have worked out the pattern here, and here is the formula:

The quality of a lifestyle is inversely proportional to the unit of time used to maintain it.

WTF? Well, I think it should be an aim in life to get your unit of time down to as small as possible. Why? Well, think about when you try to hook up with friends, how it sometimes seems impossible to get a slot that matches. If I need 1 unit of time to go and buy a magazine here in Taiwan, then fitting in a coffee is going to be another 1 unit of time, so 6 hrs total. That's a big chunk of a day man....no can do. Let's do coffee July 23, 2009 at 2pm.
In NZ, a buddy want's to meet for Fish and Chips at the Marina?..no problem, be there in half an hour. With the food. And Beers.

What is the main cause of this? Well different places have different factors, such as population, congestion, weather, language barriers, scooters everywhere, notoriously bad punctuality...blah, blah. It all contributes to the required unit of time of a given place, which can be improved on with personal innovation.

So, why should we try to get our units of time down? Well, you get more out of life, that's why.

categories: [living_][strange_][thoughts_]

The Best Photographer You've Never Heard Of

2006-10-12T13:47:00.000+08:00

Stephen Kennedy

Check out this guy's portrait photography. These are not famous people, just ordinary folks in ordinary situations. What is so amazing about these shots? The lighting is fantastic, the focus is pin sharp, the composition is incredible, the depth of field is perfect. Even though technically the shots are brilliant, the magic is in the interaction the photographer has with the subject, it's outstanding.

Have a look at some of the portraits on his website, they're pretty cool.

StephenKennedy.com

Paper Cuts

2006-10-11T11:56:00.000+08:00

I got these pics by email today. No idea who did this, or if it is even one person...I figured this might have sort of cult following, so I did a wiki search on paper cuts. All I found of interest was Lingchi, a form of chinese torture known as 'a death by 1000 cuts'. Ouch.

I won't ramble on about this art, it speaks for itself. Click on a pic to enlarge (just slightly sorry)...

The Happy New House

2006-10-04T09:36:00.000+08:00

Architecture is interesting. People that are into Architecture are interesting....well I think so anyway.

Check out this. thehappynewhouse.com

My wife and I are remodeling the house we’ve lived in for the last sixteen years. We moved in before pets. Before kids. Before the internet.

We couldn’t afford the house when we bought it. Now, we can sort of afford it. We just can’t all fit inside of it. (We have three children -- two of whom are teenagers.)

So we’ve decided to build. Up. And out. More rooms. More showers. And most importantly, more places for us to accidentally bump into one another. Places to gather, to play, to sleep, to work on our laptops, to push back the furniture + dance, to hide from each other, to eat, to laugh, to live. In short, more opportunities -- under a single roof -- to connect with one another as a family.

It's an interesting website, and got a cool feel about it too.

thehappynewhouse.com
Check out the 'work in progress' section for all the shots of tools n concrete n steel n wood n stuff.

Lean on me

2006-10-04T09:16:00.000+08:00

I like design ideas, and hanging out in design type stores. I even like going to IKEA.Anyway, Room Safari is a German design company with some pretty groovy ideas. This shot shows their Leanon coatrack , which is made to lean anywhere against a wall. Also shown in this pic are their Musical Triangle coathangers.

roomsafari.com

Sir Frank would be impressed

2006-09-29T15:09:00.001+08:00

Sir Frank Whittle invented the Jet Engine in the 1930s.
As part of my engineering training in the RNZAF, I spent many hours studying how jet engines and the components that hang off them work, including rebuilding a jet engine to pass the course.
When I was working as a Aircraft Technician specializing in A4 Skyhawks, I was lucky enough to be a high power Jet Engine tester, which meant it was one of my jobs to sit in the cockpit of the recently serviced Fighter Jet and take the engine thru a test routine, which included going over 100% throttle while the jet was held back by a single (but big) chain. Slamming the throttle as fast as possible to test spool times was something I had to do - can you imagine that? It's really a difficult thing to describe, but sitting perhaps 2 meters in front of a Jet engine that is making a noise that can be best described as TERRIFYING HOWLING is extremely noisy, scary, exhilerating if not down right stupid...It sure gives some sense of importance in needing to put it together right.
Watching a jet go past in the sky is one thing, but try standing beside a jet at full noise and see what it is like. Now sit IN it......crazy.
I still think of my time working on A4s as a career highlight. That was a time I bolted out of bed to go play....er.... I mean work.

Check out this ( from the BBC)

Engine on a chip drives laptops

Each component is made on silicon wafers

It is one of the most hotly contested and closely watched areas of research - how to provide the most efficient energy source for the mobile devices we carry with us.
Batteries and fuel cells are established contenders to power laptops and mobile phones, but now researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a novel approach to the power conundrum - by building an engine on a chip.
Gas-turbine engines more normally power whole cities but MIT's Professor Alan Epstein was determined that miniscule versions could be used to "power a person".
Ten years on from having the brainwave, Professor Epstein believes the microengine could give batteries a run for their money, offering 10 times the power of a battery of the same weight at the same price point.
"A laptop that will run for three hours on battery charge will run for 15 to 20 years using the microengine and it should end up costing no more than current batteries," said Professor Epstein.
He believes it could be available commercially within three to five years.
Tiny scale
It has been a long road for Professor Epstein and his team of 50 other staff and students.
"When I first told people that I wanted to build a gas-turbine the size of a 50p piece they fell off their chairs laughing," he told the BBC News website.
But with the experts needed to make his vision a reality just a stone's throw from his office at MIT, it didn't take long to persuade them that he wasn't joking.
"A few days later they would call back with a way to do things and then they were hooked," he said.
So how exactly does one set about making a tiny fuel-burning engine? A compressor, a combustion chamber and a spinning turbine are all essential parts but obviously cannot be made in the conventional way on such a tiny scale.
So the team had to use etched silicon. The resulting microengine is made up of six silicon wafers piled on top of each other and bonded together.
To bring down costs, up to 100 components are made on one large wafer and cut into individual units.
The process begins with a tiny combustion chamber where fuel and air mix and burn at the melting point of steel. Turbine blades spin at 20,000 revolutions per second - 100 times faster than those in jet engines.
Fun process

The finished microengine fits in Prof Epstein's palm

A mini-generator produces 10 watts of power and a tiny compressor raises the pressure of air in preparation for combustion. The cooling process is managed by sending the compression air around the outside of the combustor.
Separately it has been proved that all the parts work so the challenge now is to test an integrated chip.
According to Professor Epstein, this should be done by the end of this year but it won't be easy.
Each microengine will be on a single piece of silicon so there is no margin for error. One tiny mistake in a single component would mean starting from scratch, and if anything needs to be changed, the whole design process would be back to the drawing board.
The journey so far has been "an astonishing amount of fun", said Professor Epstein, although, as with many projects, threw up surprising problems.
"What we thought was going to be hard, wasn't, and the things we hadn't thought about were the biggest problems," he told the BBC News website.
"We thought the combustor would be one of the hardest things but in fact it turned out to be the manufacturing of the bearings that was more difficult," he said.
Steam-powered laptops?
While Professor Epstein has lived and breathed his project for the last 10 years, he is aware that there is plenty of competition around.
Batteries are improving all the time, while announcements about advances in fuel-cell technology are regular and closer to commercial reality.
What technique wins out will ultimately be down to what consumers find most satisfactory.
"The users don't care about what powers their laptop. Whether it is chemistry or thermodynamics is a mere detail," he said.
The idea of engine-powered laptops may seem outlandish but research is ongoing to put other types of engine on chips, according to Professor Epstein.
As well as millimetre-scale combustion engines, there is also the possibility of laptops powered by steam engine - which would perhaps be the ultimate collision between old and new technologies.

Link to BBC Story
Wiki about that 'Whittle' guy
Wiki about the A4 Skyhawk
Royal New Zealand Air Force
ATSI, Arizona

The Coffee Table is your Runway

2006-09-22T22:44:00.000+08:00

This radio-controlled Carbon Butterfly airplane is the world’s lightest at merely 3.6 grams. Recently improved from a previous design, the new model is super flexible and brand-new to the market. At $300USD, it's a pricey toy, but—nearly indestructible, quiet, durable, and featuring a simple modern design—the cost's worth it.

Sporting a rugged yet elegant Carbon Fiber frame, the Carbon Butterfly is nearly indestructible. As flexible as fiberglass and strong as steel, the Carbon Butterfly can bounce back from almost anything you can throw it at.

Especially considering that most radio-controlled planes are similarly priced, but are difficult to build, noisy, and intended only for outdoor use. Plantraco is easy to use in a tiny apartment ("The coffee table is your runway!") or outside at a range up to 400 feet. You can pre-order from Plantraco or just go to their site to watch the fun living room flight demo.

Plantraco

Ferrari 599 Fiorano Available With iPod Dock

2006-09-22T10:06:00.000+08:00

I am really glad this fine car now comes with an iPod dock. Now I think I might get one.

The Ferrari 599 Fiorano is now availible for purchase at dealerships worldwide. The 599 Fiorano was unveiled at this years Geneva Motor Show and was designed by Pininfarina. The car which is named after Ferrari’s test track and the engine displacement has a V12 engine similar to the one used in the Enzo which can output 612 hp. The chassis is based on the 612 hence the striking similarity. The most interesting feature is that the car will come with an iPod dock connector as standard so you will be able to plug your iPod in and listen to it on the Fiorano’s Bose speakers straight away.

Nice. Oh, that is a farking sexy car, btw.

Ferrari website

Making a watch by hand

2006-09-22T09:45:00.000+08:00

Here is a "how to" on designing your own watch and making it. Handy. Very handy.http://web.ticino.com/dcorson/watch/index.html

Solaire 56 Inch Gas Grill On Refrigerated Cart

2006-09-21T18:00:00.000+08:00

This large 56″ Solaire grill will not just churn-up enough stuff for your barbeque party but will serve your chilled beer needs too with its integrated refrigerated base cabinet. The grill is made in stainless steel and it features two ceramic infrared burners and one double-lanced ported U-burner totaling 82,500 BTU. The unit includes 18,000 BTU infrared rear burner with heavy-duty rotisserie motor, spit rod, and forks. The refrigerator features door section with adjustable shelves and two drawers with removable stainless steel food pans. The unique chill and grill unit sells for $13,699 USD.

Oh yeah. There's a Binford moment for ya.

USB everything?

2006-09-21T17:43:00.001+08:00

USBcell

This is pretty cool...Rechargeable Batteries using USB. You can charge them anywhere you have a computer.

USBcell website

Interesting 9/11 opinion

2006-09-21T14:15:00.000+08:00

OK,OK I will try to not let conspiracy theories get too much more mention.....

A friend sent me this link to a youtube clip about a 9/11 theory. It's pretty interesting.

Here is the full 90min Documentary that clip was taken from:

Full length, High Quality 9/11 Mysteries Documentary
It's on Google video, which btw is better that you tube.

I just watched it, and I can't help thinking I wonder how long it will be before this is either blown wide apart, or explained....it's got to be one or the other, surely.

categories: [interests_][internet_][movies/TV_]

Everyone needs a spiral cellar

2006-09-18T00:39:00.000+08:00

OK. The weekend after I make the DIY wind generator, I am going to make one of these with my Dremel. (the fact that right below truantpad is fatnazidoghatingtaiwaneseman only encourages me to pursue this...)

From spiralcellars.com:
The Spiral Cellar system was first developed by a Frenchman, Georges Harnois, in 1978, who recognised that few modern houses had cellars, but people still wanted somewhere to store their wine.

It can keep up to 1,600 bottles in ideal storage conditions and since, like a traditional cellar, it relies on the surrounding earth for its insulation, plus an ingenious air-flow system, it requires no power to maintain its constant temperature.

Hmm, interesting. No really it is. I have always liked the idea of trap doors n shit like that. That's one problem with 20th & 21st Century buildings I find: lack of decent trapdoors.

Perhaps this is the next thing to be incorporated into the design of truantville. Would be quite handy for putting annoying visitor's children.

But...check out these quotes from the site. A bit of a worry:

"The cellar in the garage has been such a success, my husband has decided he'd like to install a second one in the kitchen" Jolly good, eh what?!

"Having a proper wine cellar is like a badge of honor that proves you enjoy food, drink, and the finer things in life" Too rah, old chap!

What about "Cos it's wicked man" and "It's the shit"? Oh well, guess that's what I am not in marketing.

spiralcellars.com

DIY Wind Generator

2006-09-16T00:09:00.000+08:00

I'd really like to make one of this next weekend. Seriously.

We have a 2m x 4m balcony, so I reckon I could do it. Better not, Jack likes to hang out there so if there are blades out there chopping in the wind - well, it might end in tears. Maybe up on the roof of the building....hmmm.

From the instructables website...

Chispito Wind Generator
The Chispito Wind Generator was designed to be simple and efficient with fast and easy construction. There are no limits to what you can do with wind power. There is nothing more rewarding and empowering than making a wind powered generator from scrap materials. Most of the tools and materials in this manual can be found in your local hardware shop or junk pile.

Chispito Wind Generator
A really good NZ article about converting washing machines into Wind Generators
Another excellent wind generator site

The Lincoln-Kennedy Connection

2006-09-13T08:47:00.000+08:00

Yeah, yeah, I know this is OLD, but I remembered Lincoln-Kennedy thing this last night when I was listening to online talkback Radio in NZ, and some dood was talking about the number "Eleven" in events surrounding 9/11. It is quite interesting.

Anyway, here is the Lincoln-Kennedy thing:

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

John F Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.

Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'

Kennedy was shot in a car called 'Lincoln.'

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse.

Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was in Marilyn Monroe.

In the interests of balance (cos that's the kind of guy EYE yam) here is an 'urban myth buster' about this.

Now check out the Eleven thing then:

http://www.september11news.com/Mysteries2.htm

I normally wouldn't link to this stuff (My Hairy Arse = 11 letters) but I sell my soul today, for all my fans out there in the name of cheap entertainment. Enjoy.

Everyone needs a leather notebook

2006-09-11T09:37:00.000+08:00

Isn't it awful when you go shopping for one thing and see something that makes what you thought you needed (read: wanted) seem like crap?

Well, yesterday we finally decided to go and have a look a buying a replacement notebook for our ailing Compaq 1500AP. It has served us well....er actually, not that well, but it has served. From the word go, it's always overheated, randomly crashed, weighs a ton, the battery is dead and isn't really that much to look at either. A few months ago it was sitting on the arm of the couch and I was chasing Jack the dog around and round the couch....or was it him chasing me? I can't remember, but, eventually in all the excitement, someone knocked the 4 year old P.O.S off it's perch. "Ah HAAAAAA!!!!" I yelled at it. "There you go you piece of shit!". I could sense the tears of joy welling up in my eyes as I contemplated setting fire to it.

But it kept going. The screen was ok even. There were a couple of cracks on the lid, and the wireless PC card was smashed, but it still worked fine. Even the wireless did, damn it.

Anyway, the Art Director at Truantville, suggested perhaps it is time we got a new notebook (actually it was me, relentlessly mentioning it, but the "Art Director" sounds better)

So yesterday we ran the gauntlet of Laptop stores at Guang Hua Computer Market in Taipei. In the Pissing Rain.
It seemed that the best machine for what we need was the Asus W6F. Nice. Dual Core CPU, 100 GB HDD, 1 GB RAM, Super DVD Burner, Widescreen...blah, blah, blah. Here is a link to the Asus W6F details.
I say "seemed" and "was" because as we were about to leave the store, the Art Director spotted the S6.
I have to admit, if all things were equal (Namely, er, the PRICE) then I'd like to get that too, but it is almost 50% more than the W6F. But what a work of art....it's a very high-end machine in specification but what people like Art Directors notice is not how high-end it is, but the LEATHER all over it.

I really like design master pieces, and this has to rank right up there as something pretty stunning. I just wanted to stick my nose to it and smell that leather in big deep lung fulls, but the shop was busy. Besides that, the demo had protective plastic on it. Probably just as well.

This link: Asus S6 Leather Collection, 2006 is actually pretty arty itself, nicely done in flash.
Oh shit, I just noticed they do the W6Fp-, which is a leather version of the W6....oh dear.

Asus website

Conspiracy Theories continued....

2006-09-11T09:14:00.000+08:00

I told you not to get me started....

Following on from the previous Blog, here is an interesting short video about 9/11.

Conspiracy Theories

2006-09-07T10:50:00.000+08:00

No one likes a good Conspiracy Theory more than I do. In fact, it's best you don't get me started cos it's one of those things I can talk about for hours.

Some of the more common conspiracy theories are the JFK Assasination, the Fake Moon Landing, 9-11 , The Da Vinci code, UFOs, The Iraq war etc, etc.

Ever watched "King of the Hill"? Well, the character Dale Gribble
is always obsessed by conspiracy theories. He's hilarious.

Here is a collection of Dale Gribble quotes from wikiquote:

"I blame the media-blamers."
"Hank, It's 3AM and someone invades your home. How are you going to shoot him?"
(watching as Bill is pecked by dale's pet falcon) "Oh, he came home."
"I killed eight gophers last year and a purebred Tennesse walking horse that was looking at me funny."
(throws a knife and hits a mannequin) "Get away from my wife or next time I'll aim for the mannequin and hit you."
"Boil up some Mountain Dew; it's gonna be a long night." ("Dog Dale Afternoon")
"I know what's wrong with it. It's a Ford. You know what they say Ford stands for don't ya? 'Fix it again, Tony'." ("Chasing Bobby")
(on the Hills' answering machine) "You don't know who I am, but I know where you live sex ed teacher and you better cut it out if you know what's good for you. Oh and Hank, we changed that tee off time to three o'clock." ("Square Peg")
"I'm the albino indian, deal with it."
"If you want to elect me, Dale Gribble, president of the Gun Club, running on the Save-Your-Sorry-Ass platform, say aye."
(to Joseph) "You're like E.T., except E.T. was a purebred alien with a heart of gold. You're only half-alien and at times can be a tad self-centered." ("Of Mice and Little Green Men")
"Hank, you were right! The Cubans have my mower!" ("Dog Dale Afternoon")
"I've taken two oaths in my life: One to the NRA, and the other to Nancy Hicks Gribble, nee Nancy Hicks. I stood in front of God and all my friends, vowing to be an honorable and truthful man. So I'm not gonna lie to you, I have felt a small, insect-like attraction for you. But my wife is the greatest woman there ever was!"
"... sounds like helicopters, UN helicopters". ("Pilot")
"That's code for U.N. commissars telling Americans what temperature it's gonna be in our outdoors. I say, let the world warm up! See what Boutros Boutros-By-Golly thinks about that! We'll grow oranges in Alaska!" ("Pilot")
"So it turns out I'm not the actual Dale Gribble, but a clone of him. The original Dale Gribble is a super-warrior from the year 2087. The second me, i.e. I, was created to help the first me fight the invading Mongol armies." ("The Incredible Hank")
"Hey, I know what's wrong with your truck. It's your quote-unquote 'pollution control'. I heard on talk radio you don't even need 'em. They're just an egghead government plot." ("Pilot")
"Open up your eyes, man! They're trying to control global warming! Get it? GLO-BAL!" ("Pilot")
"Whoa! Hold on, son! I want you to keep an open mind so you can make an informed decision! If you want, you can read a bloated government report on smoking, or go straight to the horse's mouth and get the facts from the tobacco industry." (he reads the aforementioned tobacco industry-funded report on smoking)
"Wingo!"
"Wait a minute. Every time I leave, you call John Redcorn. I know what's going on here. Your headaches are a desperate bid for my attention. But what do I do? I pawn you off on some Indian healer so I can have my Dale time at the gun club, or breeding show turtles, or on the Internet investigating unexplained phenomenona. God, I am so selfish!" ("Nancy's Boys")
"SHI-SHI-SHAAA!"
"They wanted to see me wet my pants from fear... but they're too late!" ("Dog Dale Afternoon")
"Guns don't kill people. The government does!"
"Gentlemen, the crap has literally been scared out of me."
(after drinking tainted beer) "Step on it, Bill! I don't know which way it's coming out, but it's coming out!" ("Beer and Loathing")
(after a trampoline falls on his foot) "Aah! This is a sign that we have been playing God with Buckley's trampoline and now God is playing God with us and He's a whole lot better at it. I refuse to touch this porthole to hell!"
(trying to open a locked door): "This door seems to be equipped with some sort of anti-opening device."
(after seeing Willie Nelson knocked out): "Check his pockets for cigarettes." ("Hank's Got The Willies")
(after having a muffin knocked out of his hands) MY MUFFIN!!!?!?!?!?!
(after exhaling a puff of smoke) My throat's on fire!
(after Dale tells his Falcon to retrieve him a vole, and it immediately attacks Bill)"...So Bill's a vole."
(Seeing Hank come in with a food dish) Whatd'ya got under the foil Mr. Party Pooper, some party poop? ("A Firefighting We Will Go")
"I'm too pretty to go to jail!!!"
"S'GO!"
(after Hank telling him to come down from a clock tower before someone gets hurt) "Too late, I killed Shackleford! No...wait, correction, Shackleford wants a pizza. (Dog Dale Afternoon)

I even found Fahrenheit 9/11 pretty interesting, although, what is just as interesting is the amount of people that HAVEN'T watched it because "oh that movie is just a load of shit". Interesting conclusions people make without actually seeing it themselves. I must admit, Michael Moore seems to rub most people the wrong way.

A few Christmases ago, Mrs T bought me a real high quality book of the NASA photographs from some of the apollo missions. Really interesting, I can stare at that stuff for hours, and now that so many people question if the moon landing was actually real, those pics are particularly interesting to look at.
One of the fascinating things about the internet is that people with particular interests in things find it so much easier to research and collaborate with others in pursuit of "The Truth". But, there is so much crap out there also, that we are bombarded with information to the point where basically anything can be proven via sources somewhere on the web.
For example, there are several sites detailing the Fake Moon Landing, such as Cosmicapollo. I was very surprised when I was googling this stuff to find NASA themselves have a fairly decent article on the alleged Hoax also: The Great Moon Hoax

Here is a particularly convincing fake moon landing site.

The most disturbing thing I find with NASA's version of events is the fact that they left 12 perfectly functioning Hassleblad 500EL bodies AND their lenses right up there on the moon. Those things are really expensive, so right there, you've gotta think that no one in their right mind would do that. So I reckon NASA must be full of shit.

Oddly enough, whenever I was researching Conspiracy Theories today using Google, my PC would slow right down......kinda like........I am being watched. Hmmm. Other searches were fine.
(you try Googling "Hasselblad" and then "Hassleblad Moon". Check out the time difference - Maybe it's just me). Hmmm.

Wait, there is a knock at the d

Conspiracy Theory wiki
King of the Hill Official site
King of the Hill fan multi-media site
Full Moon Book
Hassleblad site
Michael Moore's site

That reminds me...

2006-09-05T12:11:00.000+08:00

I was waiting to get some photos from the one-who-takes-231-shots-per-day-on-a-sony-T1 , but all she sent me was some old, random shot of herself, which I have to somehow work into the story I guess.

Anyway, I was fortunate enough to be in the same town as the one-who-analyzes-friggen-bathroom-fawcets when I was in vancouver last week. She seemed pretty low key to catch up, but I know, I reckon there was some covert reaction like this when I told her I was in town:Anyway, the one-who-can-hardly-see-over-the- steering-wheel came around in a rental and took me on a tour of a couple of spots. Notably, the Cactus Club on Broadway for Calamari and some sauce that the one-who-would-probably-like-to-be-a-food-critic seemed to rave about. It did taste good actually, kinda yoghurty and garlicy with a dash of something lemony perhaps. Sounded Japanese the name, I really can't recall it. Tartare or something.
Anyway, the one-who-likes-a-bargain apparently noticed that some cocktail smoothie drink was DOUBLE the size on tuesdays (that would explain the auto pilot driving after looking at a calendar). So we each had one of those. Just one, but could have had more I reckon.

After that, the one-who-said-she'd-never-leave-604 drove me to some intersection that divides Vancouver with Burnaby. This is apparently significant. It must be, as the one-who-once-lived-on-the-better-side-of-the-intersection mentioned it twice. Or 3 times.

Anyway, the point of mentioning Burnaby, was that was where we headed, to the dark side to a fine restaurant with a fine name, called Anton's.
It's a damn popular place, even for a tuesday, and there was about an hour long queue outside. It seemed that everyone in the queue was taking photos against the sign to ease the boredom. Check out this fool:* The longer everyone waited, the hungrier everyone got, but lucky for the queue-sters there was a big glass window so it was nice to salivate and comment on the dishes being eaten 15cm away on the other side of the glass. Unlucky to get that table, I commented with jest.

Anyway, once inside we had a bit of fun with the staff when they asked what name the table is under. Just for kicks we said "Anton" - what a hoot, but the frau didn't see the funny side of it. Maybe she thought the name was for real or something. She took us to a special table - the one right by the window. See above *

The food was good. Gi-normous in fact. These fatties next to us had one platter each AND a starter. Good gawd, we couldn't finish one platter between us. The one-who-mustn't-eat-land-creatures-but-sea-creatures-are-ok recommended the.....seafood pasta, which actually tasted pretty good.

I remember seeing a photo somewhere of the one-who-likes-to-pose-in-a-suggestive-manner-with-innate-things outside this famous restaurant, but when I did an image google for Anton's Pasta, I didn't find that, but got a bunch of other pics that I thought I would share randomly through out this blog.

Anyway, some more driving back to the northern most suburb of Taiwan, known as Richmond B.C. and I waved goodbye to what appeared (from behind) to be a driverless car departing. freaky. ha.

Thank you to the one-who-can-eat-more-than-me-but-still-remain-0.5-of-my-weight. It was a flying visit, but glad to know I managed to out-do all those useless, less dedicated people who call themselves fans back in Taiwan.

Anton's Pasta review
Cactus Club site

Dr. Dre - mel

2006-09-04T08:49:00.000+08:00

I was lucky enough to visit Vancouver last week for work. It's a really nice place, and it's growing on me.
We switched hotels from the last couple of visits, and the prompt calculations to the nearest pub resulted in "The Flying Beaver" coming up as the best contender.
What a find that was, turned out to be waaaay better than the Foggy Dew, but to be fair, the Dew was about 30 meters away which was nice.
The Flying Beaver is a conversion of a Flying Clubrooms or something like that. There is a dock out the front for the Beavers (yes the planes with floats) to tie up alongside.
I was a nice way to end a day of strenuous work by having a pint of Red Truck Beer (or whatever else the special was) and a nice meal of Halibat or Salmon or ....er....the Big Kahuna Burger, all while watching Flying Beavers land on the river at sunset. Quite habit forming really.

Contrary to popular opinion, I didn't have much time to do anything apart from work while I was there, but this time it was my mission to try to do a tiny bit of shopping. I find clothes (that fit) damn near impossible to find in Taipei, so it's handy to buy those whenever I am in a western country. DVDs are also favorites to hunt out. This time however, the hotel was right across the road from a Rona DIY store, and next to a Costco. On the way to/from the office was another cluster of shops that had a Home Depot and a few other things....so all in all my visits to stores consisted of:
Rona = 3 times.
Home Depot = 2 times.
Costco = 1 time.
The Future Store = 1 time.

5 visits to DIY stores in 5 days. Pretty impressive indeed.

I was thinking about checking out the electrical gadgets at the Future Store, but soon after entering I realised that living in Taiwan likened me to an eskimo going to Jamaica to buy a refrigerator.
DIY shopping was where is was at, so it really became an exercise of what CAN I fit into my check-in luggage.
I had to hold myself back in the end, but what I did leave Vancouver with was a Dremel kit. The new 10.8v 35,000 rpm cordless one. ("Corded performance, Cordless convenience" the box says). I had a "Binford" moment, and decided to get some Dremel accessories (yes they are probably available in Taiwan, but it was nice to be able to read/speak in english) I ended up with the Dremel Workstation, which is a mini drill press thing, fully adjustable for angles & depth....and a Dremel Plunge router. Oh yeah, some router bits too.
I was tempted to buy more, but thought I was getting carried away as it was so left it at that.

Now I have got to find some projects to make use of this stuff - I really could have done with a Dremel when I did the iPod charger project, as it took about an hour just to cut that hole for the rocker switch nicely. I just had a look at the Dremel website. You know you are in North America when they have a Dremel Cordless Pumpkin Carving tool.

So, a good week of therapy for me. It's nice to get away from the craziness of Taiwan now and then and feel like I am 'normal' for a while (but who am I kidding right?)

5 nights. 4 visits to the Flying Beaver, and 1 visit to a place called.....Anton's. :)

Flying Beaver
Red Truck Beer
Rona DIY
Home Depot
Dremel website
Story about a guy who made a boat in his apartment using a Dremel
Anton's Pasta Bar

Living Off the Grid

2006-08-20T17:52:00.000+08:00

A few of you know that I am a bit of a nut with an obsessive dream to build a house that generates it's own energy. Some call it self sufficient living, but I don't think that accurately described what I had in mind as most self sufficient people tend to have long hair, are vegans, smoke weed and live in the desert just outside of Tucson Arizona.
I'm too much of a tech addict to ever de-evolutionize (new word?) to that point.

Well, recently while reading some more about this (read: "feeding the obsession") I came across the term "Off the Grid" which I think more accurately describes the direction I'm interested in.
More importantly, I found a site outlining many of the ideas and concepts I have been thinking of.
It's put together by Glen Hunter, who with his partner started building an "Off the Grid" place in 2002. The house is made of straw, which in my opinion is a whole other issue to "off the grid" but after looking at the progress and final results I must admit I think straw houses are pretty interesting too.
The site Glen has put together outlines many many of the issues and details associated with off the grid living, for the point of view of an owner/builder who also has a 'normal' job (i.e. isn't living off the land and building full time)

Anyway, here is the link to the site. The house is in Canada, and you'll see from the pics they experience 'real' winters of -30deg with good dumpings of snow.
The major 'eco' design factor of the house is using the sun to heat a huge mass during the day, and radiating that heat back at night. On Glen's house this is achieved via a wall of windows, and a bare concrete floor. Even in the winter, the sun streams in and does it's thing. Along with this form of heating is underfloor radiant heating, and (just recently!) a very small log burner. Electrical power all comes from Solar and Wind....oh yeah.

They live over 800m from a possible grid power source, are not connected to it, and living a normal life - that's cool.

I found this site pretty inspirational. Often I feel most people don't quite get it when I mention "off the grid" - this is a great example of what I have been talking about.

The Straw House Blog
My page of interesting links for building a house

Make an iPod power pack for $7USD

2006-08-06T22:14:00.000+08:00

You may have noticed my earlier post with a link to making your own iPod power pack.I can't help thinking it was pretty complex and while it is small, how long would it charge for?

I thought I would put my money where my mouth is and have a go and making one based on something I thought up myself and as I so willingly suggested to a poster on forumosa.com who was looking for an iPod power pack.

The basic theory was to get a Car accessory -USB adaptor, and rip it to bits, combine it with some batteries and presto, have a power pack to charge an iPod away from any usual power source.

So I went to Guang Hua Computer Market today and picked up some bits. As you will see in the photo, I got carried away with various shaped battery holders and cases, and different switches, just to make sure I had all options covered. Here is a photo of everything that I bought, including a soldering iron (80nt - and that wasn't the cheapest!)

Here is a photo of the bare minimum bits you'd need based on a 12v DC input (8 x 1.5 AAs - but you will see I used a different configuration to this)

The final parts list (that I used) is as follows:

1 x Car Accessory-USB adaptor = 90nt
2 x 8AA battery holders = 40nt
1 x rocker switch = 12nt
16 x AA heavy duty batteries = 79nt
1 x Black plastic project case = 80nt

total price = 301nt (including batteries)
total price = 222nt (unit only) About $7 USD!!

First step was to take the Car Adaptor to bits. A blade screwdriver in the seam and it was in bits.
A small sticker on the adaptor stated:
Input: DC 12V-24V Output: DC 5.0V +- 5% Max: 500mA
Wha,wha....what? This handles 24V input? So, after thinking about this for 2 seconds, I figured 16 AAs would be better than 8. Will last longer. :)
After a bit of jiggling around I found that I had to use the 2 long battery holders instead of the 2 flat ones.
I had bought a new LED so I could have a power indicator, as I presumed the one on the adaptor would be in the wrong position. After some testing, I discovered the adaptor LED was a hi-tech 2 color unit that indicated green for 'ready' (input ok) and red for 'charging'. I desperately wanted to keep this feature, so I carefully bent the LED around so it would sit in a hole beside the USB slot in the case.
Next step was to cut the holes for the USB slot, LED and the rock switch.
I positioned these all at one end, using the space not occupied by the battery holders
I used a drill to make some holes which I finished off with a craft knife and needle file. That took the longest time, about an hour for a decent job.
Then it was just a matter of assembling the switch and USB unit, with attached LED into the case. Due to precision hole making, these were a nice push fit.
Then it was a matter of soldering the wires from the battery holders to each other (+tve to -tve) and one to the USB unit, one to the switch, and one between the switch and the USB unit.
I should mention at this point that some web research outlined that the center pin part of those adaptors is +tve.
I melted a bit of excess plastic with the soldering iron to anchor the other end of the USB unit to the case.

Some tape tidied the only wire-to-wire soldering and it was ready for business. I packed out the battery to case void with some polystyrene wedges to stop it all rattling around.
As you can see, it works a treat and it actually looks quite professional too...
The rest of the Photos show: Before the lid goes on.
With the lid on, charging iPod.Red LED indlicates charging.
The complete unit is a reasonable size, but with 24V on board, I am hoping it would be good for a few charges.

Conclusion:
220nt for a battery pack for any USB charged device is pretty cheap.
A couple of hours to make it, and I am not into electronics (no kidding, I had to even buy an iron).
Well worth the effort I reckon.

If you were a real geek:
You could put in a external DC input, and a charging circuit. Then you could use rechargable batteries which would save money in the long run, but I figure I wont actually use this unit more than a few times a year MAX so I'll just stick with 80nt worth of once-use batteries.

Some things I'd like to know though....
What sort of safety features would be good to put in there (i.e. a fuse)?
How long will 24VDC for 16 x 1.5v AAs provide charge at 5VDC 500mA max?
What about heat?

Disclaimer: I just built this to see if it could be done, I haven't tested it in any way, so if you want to make one, do so bearing this in mind...

Holmes Jnr

2006-07-24T08:25:00.000+08:00

My bro-in-law and best friend Marty and his wife Paula had a son last night.

Jordan Alexander Ritchie

Nice shot there Holmes and Holmes Jnr,

- from Holmes in Taiwan.

The Best Guitarist You've Never Heard Of

2006-07-21T13:33:00.000+08:00

There's talent in them there hills. I'm not talking about Slash or Brian May, Clapton, SRV, Angus Young or The Chief. They are all show ponies, I am talking about these seemingly Joe Bloggs people that are better than them all.

Meet Rafael Moreira, he's the best guitarist you've never heard of.

Last year I watched every episode of Rockstar: INXS, which is a reality show of sorts created by Mark Burnett, the "Survivor" creator. I think I have cracked his secret formula: Elimination, I mean no one else has noticed that is the secret before have they?

Anyway, Rockstar: INXS was a show where they started with 15 Rocker wannabes who got to perform rock classics and INXS standards, and got eliminated one by one each week until INXS had a new lead singer. (For the record, I guessed JD from the outset, but that's another story)
After watching a few painful seasons of American Idol, I was beginning to think that I was the best undiscovered singer in the world.
I was expecting more of the same for Rockstar, but I was wrong - these contestants were really good.
Rockstar: Supernova is season two of the original, and is a new band formed by Tommy Lee (Most famously known as the self-camera-porn-dood of himself and Pamela Anderson, less famously as the drummer of Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (GnR guitarist) and Jason Newsted (Bass, Metallica).
I've liked INXS since back in the days when "I send a message" was the first time I heard Michael Hutchence' voice. That was the 80's, and everyone was into 12" EP remixes. One of the most memorable EPs I heard was "Burn for you" which has a heap of distinctive but simple offbeat drumming by Farris.
I was pretty gutted when Michael went. Very talented guy who was always destined to die young I guess (that sounds really morbid, but can you imagine an 'Old' Michael Hutchence?)

So back to Rockstar. There is no doubt about it INXS is, or were, very good at their own genre and in hindsight were pretty innovative at the time. A lot of their songs only sound so normal because we have heard them so much, but in the 80s there was only one INXS sound.
I was a little disappointed when the format of the show relied heavily on the use of a House Band and INXS themselves just played a couple of times, but, I was quietly impressed more by the house band than anything else on that show. They are all really really good, and play all sorts of stuff seemingly with just a few rehearsals. Perfect covers or total rearrangements seem to be a cinch.

If you get the chance, watch this guy Raf on gat. Its been while since I've seen someone so relaxed play so brilliantly.

He's from Brazil of all places too.

Official Rockstar website (Lots of flash design)
Raf's Bio
Raf's own website
INXS.com
Wiki about Michael Hutchence
Official Gibson Les Paul site
...and as a very special treat to my loyal fans:
Google Earth placemarks for the Rockstar Mansion, and something else.

The All Blacks Haka

2006-07-11T09:01:00.000+08:00

On Saturday, the mighty All Blacks crushed Australia. But what everyone was talking about was the 'new' haka, Kapa O Pango. For the benefit of those who didn't make it to the game, or those that missed the first half, here are a couple of Haka videos.
First the original, which Adidas did a nice job of overlaying Maori warriors...and second, the new haka. There is something really special about this unique part of NZ culture, which is taken to the world just a few times a year. (It'd be a shame to miss it eh?)
I've gotta tell ya, seeing Tana Umaga screaming like that at the opposition made me proud to be a New Zealander - and an All Blacks supporter....well I mean, who'd want to be the standing there on the field facing that?

Original Haka

Kapa O Pango

Allblacks.com

The myth of 20/20

2006-07-10T09:07:00.000+08:00

I always thought 20/20 vision meant 'perfect vision', until I started this LASIK gig.

I got my eyes zapped just over a week ago and the doc said at my 1 week checkup that my vision is now 20/12. So what does that mean, am I now half blind or what?

I would appear not. According to this site the use of the term "20/20" refers to this complex calculation created by some Dutch dood called Snellen (1834-1908)

Someone with 20/20 (visual acuity) is just able to decipher a letter that subtends a visual angle of 5 minutes of arc (written 5') at the eye. (5' of arc is 5/60 of a degree, because there are 60' of arc in 1 degree.) What this means is that if you draw a line from the top of a 20/20 letter to the eye and another line from the bottom of the letter to the eye, the size of the angle at the intersection of these two lines at the eye is 5' of arc. (Also, the individual parts of the letter subtend a visual angle of 1' of arc at the eye.) It does not matter how far away something is from the eye; if it subtends an angle of 5' of arc at the eye, then a person with 20/20 visual acuity will just be able to determine what it is.

The bottom line is, 20/20 is considered to be what a person with "Normal" vision can see at 20ft. (I read a couple of sites that talked about being about to read a 20 size letter at 20 feet, but that sounds like bullshit to me). Everyone is probably familiar with Snellen's Artwork, which is known as "The Snellen Chart"

Trivia snippet:"Only the nine letters C, D, E, F, L, O, P, T, Z are used in the traditional Snellen chart"

Apparently 20/10 is extremely rare, it's almost freakish....so 20/12 is pretty damn good then. What this means is I can see an object that is 50ft away, while someone with 20/20 vision has to be 30ft away.
As you can imagine, 10 days ago I had reasonably thick glasses to correct Myopia (Nearsightedness), so I was expecting (hoping) to get 20/20 out of the LASIK zapping. To get 20/12 is beyond my wildest dreams. I am a lucky bastard, that is what.
Next time you can't quite see something, give me a call.

The most comprehensive thing about Vision Acuity I could find
A "Random Snellon" online eyetest
Buy your own Snellen chart from Amazon(you know you want to)

Traditional Wood Fired Pizza Oven

2006-07-05T15:24:00.000+08:00

I think I have mentioned before that not having a garage in Taiwan is driving me crazy....but it's bigger than that. I mean, what do I want a garage for? To build shit, that's what.

Recently my Mum (That's Mom to those from North America) sent me a copy of a fine article out of a NZ magazine called "The Shed". The article is a step-by-step thing on how to build your own Traditional outdoor oven.
I could scan in in for you, but it's just too hard. Instead I found a pretty good site on it.

Here is one that I reckon looks cool:

More pics here

I'd actually forgotten about these things until recently, but when we were travelling around Italy in 2002, these ovens are actually the 'normal' way of cooking pizza, although usually they are built indoors. I found it fascinating to watch the doods making the dough, then turning it into Pizzas for cooking right there in the restaurant.
At the time I was thinking this would be a good addition to Truantville. I like the idea of (wait for it....the Binford idea) making a combo style, that includes a BBQ, or one that is built into a wall of the house and can be used from either inside or outside. I haven't seen that done yet, but I am sure that would be the best way to do it to avoid freezing yer ass off in the winter, or being forced to cook inside while yer mates are outside boozing on the deck in the sun. I reckon it would be great to invite people over and have them cook their own pizza, just the way they like it.

Anyway, I reckon this will be one of the FIRST things to be built on Truantville. Even if it's all there is, it gives food, warmth and a social focus....and let's face it, that's what a good home is all about right?

http://www.traditionaloven.com

Make your own battery powered iPod charger

2006-07-04T09:50:00.000+08:00

I have seen 1 or 2 'powerbricks' around. They are basically a big battery pack that allow you to charge up or run another device, like an iPod, Pocket PC, digital camera or whatever in situations where you normally don't have easy access to 110/240v - such as a Camel Caravan in the Sahara or on a long-haul aircraft flight. The problem with these commercially available things is they are freakishly expensive.

Here is a nice DIY version to try:

http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1234000060073719/

18 Days of Reckless Computing

2006-07-04T09:21:00.000+08:00

Here's a short article from a guy that deliberately broke all the rules to see what would happen.

http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/start.html?pg=6

The Digital Detectives

2006-07-03T16:11:00.000+08:00

Check out this story about Cyber Sleuthing. Bloody interesting.

I believe the internet has become a double edged sword for pedophiles. Initially, it gave them the ability to freely share their information, but we are seeing more and more that the internet is a place that criminals do not want to be and one by one, justice is being served.

These guys are heros...

Frickin' Laser Beams

2006-06-29T21:27:00.000+08:00

Dr. Evil: You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that cannot be done. Ah, would you remind me what I pay you people for, honestly? Throw me a bone here! What do we have?
Number Two: Sea Bass.
Dr. Evil: [pause] Right.
Number Two: They're mutated sea bass.
Dr. Evil: Are they ill tempered?
Number Two: Absolutely.
Dr. Evil: Oh well, that's a start.

AustinPowers.com

Put another log on the fire

2006-06-20T09:06:00.000+08:00

Several years ago I found a program online that contained a database of foods and exercise, and it allowed the accurate tracking of personal nutrition. It was an interesting exercise to do that for a month or so, as it really makes you think about what you are eating.
Yesterday, I did a search and found a 2006 online version called Nutridiary.

I am constantly blown away these days by what is available over the web for free. This online program is no exception. It contains a very respectable database of common foods, each with all the nutritional info. It allows the user to add custom foods (and enter the nutritional info if desired) and to build up meals of common eaten foods. The point being that there is a log feature that allows the user to add food and meals consumed, and track the amount of calories burned thru exercise.
I'm not a nutritional expert (obviously) but it's about as accurate a way of tracking this stuff as I can imagine. The graphs and reports on nutrition, exercise, weight goals etc is easy to use and slick.

A quick free registration, and you're in business.

www.nutridiary.com
Weight loss secrets

Parannoying

2006-06-19T11:54:00.000+08:00

I'm paranoid about some things.

I hate it how when you pay for something with your credit card, they give you a receipt with the numbers ALL on it, including the expiry date. That is just dumb.
So I bought a small, cheap shredder a couple of years ago and I shred all that stuff.
I mean, think about. If you picked up some random credit card receipt with that info on it, you could go online and start buying stuff. 2 seconds of research on the web might give you a billing address and you're in 'business'. If it was in the trash with a bank statement, wow, hello PRADA.
So, I'm paranoid about that stuff.
What about digital data? Throwing out a back up CD or DVD that didn't burn correctly or it's out of date? Well, best you destroy that mutha first. I use a huge box cutter and cut the crap out of the surface, and break it up. Old hard drive? Drilling practice.
I see some shredders now have CD/DVD shredding to crunch it up into bits...that's cool.

Anyway, check out this story. It's quite funny, but it goes to show what can happen if an old hard drive gets into the wrong hands, and more importantly that a little privacy paranoia is not a bad thing.

http://www.amirtofangsazan.blogspot.com/

PC World article on wiping Hard Drives
The torn up credit card application on Cockeyed
Why you need a paper shredder

Sailing in the Z

2006-06-15T08:54:00.000+08:00

I grew up sailing. My Dad built a Nolex 22 trailer sailer around 1977, and we took family holdays in it for years. It was a 4 berth glass over ply yacht, painted bright yellow and called "Kowhai Manu" which, in Maori, means yellow bird.
We sailed it around some of the beautiful lakes and coast of NZ.
When I was 9, he built me a racing dingy called a P-Class, which is a 7 foot wooden boat with a large sail. P-Class's are a NZ design since the 20's and really are a NZ institution - every significant kiwi sailer usually started in a P. Some of the more well known kiwi sailers are:
Peter Blake
Russell Coutts
Dean Barker
Chris Dickson
Peter Lester
Grant Dalton
Leslie Egnot
Digby Taylor

NZ is famous these days as the only nation to ever successfully defend a challenge for the America's Cup outside US waters. NZ's fixation with the America's cup started when Australia won it in 1983, and NZ decided to challenge Australia for it in 1987 in a boat called "KZ7". It was a classic story, including a "BandAid" type celebrity song called "Sailing Away" that all kiwis bought a copy of to help find the challenge. We didn't win, but we learnt a shit load about 12m yacht racing, including the biggest wanker of them all, Dennis Conner. After that were a couple of challenges for the cup in San Diego, much of in in court rather than on the water as rules were bent, broken and ignored.
1995, NZ got really serious, and built a black boat, NZL32, or "Black Magic" which totally kicked ass and finally lifted the cup off the Americans. The same competition saw the Australian boat sink in the opening round, which absolutely delighted kiwis the world over.
1999 saw the first NZ based Challenge, and that injected billions into NZ as global fat cats came down to eat fresh NZ lobster with NZ wine while watching the races just outside of Auckland, and left with titles to coastal property all over NZ. Some would say this was the beginning of the property boom in NZ (subsequently fuelled by Lord of the Rings, and 9/11)
NZ defended the cup and soon prepared for another onslaught in 2003. Russell Coutts, the man who helmed both the win in San Diego and the defense in NZ, was bought by a Swiss team called "Alinghi" much to the horror of the nation. I have never seen such passionate anger over a sport as happened when Russell went to the Swiss. The 2003 campaign Team NZ logo was called "Loyal".
Russell took with him some key players of the previous NZ team, so the writing was on the wall for NZ in the 2003 series, which saw the cup lifted from NZ by Alingli, crewed mostly by Kiwis who were paid millions.

I was lucky enough to meet and talk sailing with Peter Blake around 1982 when I was 12, and it was a tradgedy when he was murdered in 2001 while on a Environmental Awareness expedition in the Amazon.

100% Pure NZ Sailing website
The America's Cup wiki
Sir Peter Blake
Red Socks

Taking on the world

2006-06-14T21:21:00.000+08:00

I read a good book about once a year. I mean a paperback type book. Maybe twice a year if I am lucky, but generally I don't have enough regular spare time to have a good book on the go.
So, usually when I have the chance to have a vacation(a relaxing type, not a visit-the-family type), it is time to buy a good book.
On our recent trip to Phuket, I didn't have anyidea what I was looking for, but I spotted "Taking on the world" by Ellen MacArthur.
I've watched a documentary on this remarkable woman a while ago, and the book is an autobiography of her journey up to and including her first solo yacht race around the world.
Ellen's book is a great read, and I couldn't put in down til it was done. Very inspiring, and really got me thinking about buying or building a yacht at some stage in the future. (I'll just add it to the list shall I?)

Ellen MacArthur's Site

Video killed the Jpeg star

2006-06-10T22:31:00.000+08:00

Everyone's got broadband now it seems, and gone are the days of waiting for pictures to load on webpages.
Videos are all the rage now, with several video hosting communities now very popular.
One I see coming up more and more is youtube.com
You can search for whatever you like, and there are home-made movies, funny clips, favourite moments, you name it.

Here's a great clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn6MvtomrsA

Check it out, it's a awesome clip of MotoGP highlights. Even if you're not into bike racing, this is really worth a watch. Check out these guy's wheeling and 2 wheel drifting like they do it aaaaall day. You'll see Valentino Rossi feature quite a bit (number 46)Rossi is to MotoGP what Ayrton Senna was to F1. He is the man.

Youtube.com

Sonicrave

2006-06-10T18:48:00.002+08:00

I have been reading a website for about 3 years now, by a guy Rob Cockerham. The site is www.cockeyed.com. It's an interesting site full of pranks, weird experiments and lost of interesting trivia type stuff.
One of my favorite stories is the one when he tried to win a Chevy Trailblazer. Especially the Epilogue on page 3.
Anyway, he has just done a blurb on 4 awesome products and the second one he chose, was the Sonicare Toothbrush. Recently, Joyce was raving about the orgasmic Sonicare also. Both these people are semi-insane, so I take them seriously.
I had to go get one of these Sonicare toothbrushes for myself.
Firstly, I have already got a Braun Electric toothbrush and 2 days ago, I thought to myself why would I possibly need another electric toothbrush?
Rob said "If you don't have a Sonicare right now, get one when you get paid, or ask for one on your birthday. They will change your life, and probably save you money at your dentist."
Joyce said "oh,oh,ohhhhhhhhhhh.......It's the best money I've ever spent"

So that was it, I went to the 3C and got one. They had three models, but the guy subtlely pointed out the NEW model, the e7300 elite. (like I was ever going to buy any other model)

Well, firstly....it is friggen amazing....and orgasmic. They were not lying to me. I used it 6 times the first night.
So why is it so good? Let me explain. My last braun toothbrush died about 6 months ago, and when I got a new one I took the old one to bits. There wasn't much to it, just a ni-cad AA battery core and a 50 cent electric motor in it, like slotcar motor, only cheaper. They was a plastic cam arrangement (and egg shaped thing) that coverted the rotary motion into a back-and-forth jiggle. That's it. Oh yeah, and a clickclack switch to make it all happen. This is 1910 technology, people.
I haven't take the Sonicare apart (yet) but my observations indicate a few things. It has a signal type activation button, no click clack. It has beeps, it had multicolored status LEDs and programmable timer. This in DIGITAL baby - A friggen computer.
(Philips is the company that invented the CD, so it's hardly surprising)
Apart from that, it uses a classy induction charger and they say it lasts for 2 weeks between chargers, so they include a nice travel case with it - for your up-to-2-week holiday.
I have no idea what the technology is that makes the sonic head do it's digital-sonic thing, but it's amazing. I have never had teeth so clean, so easily.

So there you go. Rush out and buy one of these. It's really expensive, but if it saves one trip to the dentist, it's paid for itself like that, and I am convinced it will.

Sonicare e7300 Elite website
Cockeyed.com

Go to Phuket and Phi-Phi!!

2006-06-06T21:23:00.000+08:00

We just got back from a short visit to Phuket and Phi-Phi Islands, in Thailand. These places both featured prominantly on the world news Dec 26, 2004 when the Tsunami hit.
Although human casulties were high, there was surprising little damage in Phuket. Most of the beach front properties are still there, but there is a huge amount of rebuilding going on - I suspect the tourist towns are taking the opportunity to use their aid money to build new and build better. The beachfront area at Phuket has been totally re-done and looks great.
The numbers of tourists have yet to return, apparently caused by a common myth that the place was completely wiped out. The people are hurting economically and are wonderful hosts, they just need more business, then Phuket will be stronger than ever.
Travelling there over May to Oct has one distinct advantage: It's low season, so the people are few and the prices are rock bottom.
We stayed in a couple of really nice resorts for a fraction of the normal price, and the staff were wonderful in looking after us. (Resorts booked thru www.latestays.com , and flights to Phuket using www.airasia.com)
Firstly, in Phuket at the North end of Patong Beach was the Novotel Coralia Resort. Great Thai themed room and even better sunset views right of the attached balcony.
Patong beach is a peaceful place now, where groups of Thai friends and familys gather to eat and talk, swim or place beach football. There are a bunch of friendly dogs there too, one dog who like to sit by me was the spitting image of Jack.
After 2 nights in Patong, it was onto a boat for a 2 hr trip to Phi-Phi Island, stopping briefly in Maya Bay on Phi-Phi Ley, where "The Beach" was filmed.
Then a transfer to a smaller boat for the journey to the Holiday Inn resort on Phi-Phi Don.
The resort's longtail boat took us over the reef through the crystal clear warm waters to the white sands of the resort.
Once again the resort was deserted, and the staff gave us a wonderful waterfront bungalow, just meters from the sand and hammocks hanging in shady trees.
One of the reasons we chose this resort was the snorkelling is excellent right of the beach, so we did a fair bit of that while we were there. One morning, we took a long tail boat a couple of miles out to a reef off Bamboo Island where the snorkelling was slightly better, while the boatman slept for an hour or so while we checked out the underworld.
The food and drinks were great and there was a small island style 3 piece band who sang their hearts out during happy hours.
5 min walk up some steps was a rugged clifftop bar for watching the Sunset (notice a common theme here) which we enjoyed a couple of times over some Singha beers and satay sticks.

That short stay in paradise was over too soon, and we were back on the boat to Patong. We decided to go back to the Novotel.
Patong town itself has a fair bit of the shopping, glitz and glam(!) that Thailand is famous for, and also some fantastic restaurants. Our last night's meal was in an very authentic Italian Pizzeria, complete with wood fired oven, and several cigar smoking mafia type italians enjoying a good bite.
A great holiday to a great place. Of course it was too short, but this one really was too short. Definitely high on the list of places to return to, who knows next time we might check out a bit of sailing in the islands....
The best thing you can do to contribute to the rebuilding of Thailand's southern beaches is to go for a visit!!

Sawadee.com - Thailand Travel info
Novotel Coralia Resort, Patong
Holiday Inn Resort, Phi-Phi
Latestays.com Thailand hotel bookings
Airasia.com Budget carrier
Tsunami wiki
Tsunami photo timeline

Screwing with the numbers

2006-05-29T15:04:00.000+08:00

Some people make a living out of bullshit. Meet Kenneth Lay, recently convicted in all counts of fraud charges against him in the Enron collapse.

Here's a rant. The Media and statistics.
I get pissed off when the media misquote statistics to portray a completely different intent than the numbers show.

It's easy to do - ask yourself which burger you'll eat:
1. Hamburger - contains an almost whopping 20% fat....or....
2. Hamburger - over 80% fat free to say "Hello" to your heart.

I know that is simplistic, but one does sound a whole lot better....hell, OK, I'll eat both.

Anyway, I was having a debate today with a friend about whether the NZ property market is going up, down or flat right now. The last 3 years it's been cracking 15%-18% capital gain on average each year. What that equates to is 3 years ago a 200k house x 1.18 x 1.18 x 1.18 = 328k now. It's amazing what compounding capital gain can do in a short time.
The problem is, 100s of years of history has shown us that the market is cyclical and at some point it will correct to align with the average long term 7% per annum capital gain. Those people that have entered the market within the last five years for the first time (i.e. first home buyers) cannot believe their luck and how easy it is, and why the heck they didn't do it earlier.
However those that have been in the market a bit longer can remember the days in the early 80s of 20% mortgages and years of flat or declining house values.
When I bought my first house I was 23, the mortgage rates were 12.5%, and the market was flat for about 5 years after I bought it. Hardly a crisis at the time, but even the thought of those conditions now send some people into writhing heart attacks on the floor - they just don't believe it's possible.
Consequently, I believe in the cycle, and I reckon 15-18% capital gains are not sustainable for much longer and will ultimately get many people in a great deal of financial trouble when they correct soon.

Anyway, during this debate today, we referred to an article in today's NZ paper

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3683844a13,00.html
PROPERTY INVESTORS STILL KEEN TO BUY - May 29, 2006

Many "hardcore" property investors believe now is a good time to buy investment property.

The finding comes from a survey by Kiwi Property Investor magazine and BankDirect - a member of the ASB Group - to try to find out what property investors are thinking and doing.
The 689 investors responding to the survey were divided into hardcore property investors - those with five or more properties now or with ambitions to have that many - and the rest.
Of the 203 hardcore investors, a net 30 per cent thought now was a good time to buy. But the rest leaned slightly the other way, with a net of (minus) -6 per cent thinking now was a good time.
ASB chief economist Anthony Byett said the bullish mood among the hardcore investors may be driven by perceived opportunities in a slowing market, or a confidence in their own strategies.

"Whatever their reason, these hardcore property investors are in the mood to invest - over two-thirds stated intentions to buy within the next 12 months."
BankDirect head Jim Anderson said there was an appeal to buying on price dips, and buying houses in the flatter stage of the cycle did work.
The key was to have a strategy, including a clear vision of cashflows under alternative scenarios.

Overall, 49 per cent of those taking part in the survey felt house prices would neither rise nor fall in the next 12 months. Of the remainder, a net 7 per cent thought prices would rise.

Now, if you take a closer look at that article, it is pretty misleading - especially the headline. What does "Many" mean? Does it mean most? Nope. The majority? Nadda. A good proportion? No. What "Many" means is "more than a few", so out of 600 people, "Many" can actually be, well, the minority.

This is what annoys me. Even reading the article it's easy to believe the complete opposite to the truth as stated by the numbers. I am sure this happens all the time, it's just this time it's so blatant I actually noticed.
What the article should say is this (based on their own facts):

"70% of a group of hardcore property investors believe that now is NOT a good time to buy property, according to a recent survey carried out by Kiwi Property Investment Magazine and Bank Direct.
The majority of investors surveyed believe that property value will neither rise or fall over the next 12 months, and of those that believe prices will actually move, and incredible 93% believe prices will decline"

I reckon there should be a law against this sort of thing. I mean, if you're not going to represent the facts then it's blatant bullshit to mislead in such a manner.

I like conspiracy theories. It must be the government.
Who again carried out the survey? Oh yeah an investor magazine and a bank, both organisations make the most cash when investors buy property. I guess they can't just hide the results now can they - they've gotta dress them up a little.

Mutton into Lamb or something like that.

Wiki article on Kenneth Lay and Enron

Make a Dog Catching Pole

2006-05-10T13:43:00.000+08:00

I have made few of these for AnimalsTaiwan.org mainly because they are not readily available in Taiwan, but also, the commercial poles in the US run towards $100+ USD. The pole shown here costs approx $200nt (about $6-7USD) and half an hour or so to make. This pole is not as good as a commercial pole, but is ideal for voluntary organizations or for people who just need to use one occasionally.

The most difficult part to find is plastic coated cable. Dogs will bite the loop, so plastic coax or similar is not strong enough. Some alternatives for sourcing the cable are cable based plastic covered clothes line, and long bicycle cable locks.

I was recently in Canada on business and found some 3/16” plastic coated aircraft cable at a Home Depot for 36 cents CND a foot.

What you need: (prices quoted in Taiwan Dollars. 30nt = 1 USD)

1 standard extendable mop/broom utility pole ($85nt)
10ft plastic coated steel cable (approx 100nt)
2 Hose Clips ($35nt for 4)
2 Metal Squash type Cable clips/clamps (5 nt or so) or a few plastic cable ties.
1 Roll of Electrical Tape (10nt)

Tools:

1 Electric or hand drill
1 3/16” or ¼” drill bit (slightly bigger than the cable)
1 Pair of pliers
1 Screwdriver
1 Dog (for testing purposes)

Disassemble the pole enough to enable drilling of the locking mechanism. If it’s a 3-piece pole (as shown) the disassembly is a PITA and you have 2 mechanisms to drill thru. On the 3-piece poles, if you fully extend the pole and keep twisting the joint counter-clockwise while pulling really hard, the joint comes apart. Don’t twist clockwise as this will activate the lock and make it impossible. If it’s a 2-piece pole, then you’ll just need to take of the cap handle to do the drilling. Note: I choose 3-piece poles for the extra strength, and tape up the small extension, which is weak.
Drill through the threaded end of the pole, the locking mechanisms and the end cap. Make sure the drill is perfectly aligned with the pole when drilling, especially for the locking mechanisms, which are quite thin where the drill penetrates.
Thread the cable through all the pieces before re-assembly. It can be tricky to get the cable through the last hole, which is usually the threaded end when I do it. Usually, some jiggling around gets it in the hole after a few attempts. Make sure there is enough cable out each end for the dog loop and the hand loop.
Reassemble the pole. For a 3-piece pole, it’s a matter of forcing the joints back together by twisting. For a 2-piece pole, it’s just a matter of putting on the cap handle again.
Use the 2 hose clips to clamp the loose end of the cable as near to the thread end as possible. This will clamp onto the plastic end inside the tube for extra strength.
Use the cable clips (or some plastic cable ties) to form a hand loop at the other end. This loop needs to be strong as once the pole is in use, this loop will support the full weight of the dogcatcher as he or she gets dragged along by a raging stray dog.
Tidy up. Wrap the sharp edges of the hose clips with electrical tape. If you used plastic cable ties for the hand loop, it is worth wrapping these in tape also. When taping the hose clips, I also lock the small extension joint and tape it also, to prevent use and increase rigidity of the pole.
Test. Extend the pole and lock the joints. There should be enough loop to fit over a dog’s head. To close the loop up it’s a matter of holding the pole with one hand an pulling the hand loop back. If the catching situation is hostile the pole itself can be let go and the dog can still be retained by holding onto the hand loop only. The Dog will naturally try to get away and the loop will tighten, giving the catcher time to regain control of the pole.

AnimalsTaiwan.org
Guidlines about humane animal handling
Tomahawk Control Poles
Ketch-All animal control equipment
Alana Ecology Control Poles

I rike it. I rike it a rot.

2006-05-05T09:43:00.000+08:00

If you take a look over at the links there on the right ->
you'll see the word "Frashcards." With an 'r' not an 'l'. It's not a typo, as bad as my typing often is, I actually meant to type it that way.
I have no idea what you'd call it, but in Asia is pretty normal to pronouce english words contain an 'L' or an 'R' around the wrong way.

Hurro. I rike you, no, I ruv you. A rot.

The reason I mention this is I was looking through the blog search statistics, and someone in Japan used yahoo to find this site by typing in "FRASHCARDS". HAHAHAHAHAHA.

See?

It's all to do with the make up of the sound bytes that we learn when we are younger and learning our mother tongue. In chinese, there are 37 sounds that make up the intials and finals of spoken characters. It's known as Bo-Po-Ma-Fa and it's about as close as you could get to the alphabet in Engrish...meaning each sound on it's own usually means nothing. Like B in engrish (on hangon that means something), or P (whoops that too), i (...mmm.), q (yep), x. Yeah like x.
Bearing in mind that I am an engineer, not a liguistics expert, I will continue in saying that at a very early age, learning the BPMF is the foundation of the Chinese language.
Now, it's normal to pronounce a word based on the collection of sounds you are programmed with, and if the BPMF does not have a certain sound we would say in Engrish, then the next closest sound is used.
Native engrish speakers do the same thing when we learn chinese. There are some sounds that are extremely uncomfortable to say for us, due to the way we have learnt to position our tongue....So, when a native engrish speaker speaks in chinese, it can be quite difficult for a native chinese to understand WTF is being said. If you are fortunate enough to be a New Zealander, then no one understands you when you speak engrish, let alone any other language, so you'll be conditioned to it.

Add in the mix that every sound in Chinese has a one of 5 tones (for mandarin) then things get kinda messy. Taiwanese has 9 tones apparently....sheesh.

Sometimes when I ask a chinese speaking friend to interpret for me, I am amazed at how long a dialogue can go on for to get a simple answer. If I could understand more chinese maybe I could translate the diarog myself and it would make sense.
e.g.

1: Yo blood, what's happenin brother?
2: Did you just call me lover brother?
1: I aint got no brother.
2: Then why did you say I'm your lover's brother?
1: Well, it's a blue truck that one.
2: No, wednesday man.
1: Ok, you got it.

And the answer to my question is "Yes". Phew.

So, this is a world wide ~~phenomen~~, ~~fenomun~~, ~~phinomin~~ thing, and any way you look at it, it's damn funny. A buddy of mine happens to be a canasian (candian asian) and is perfectly fluent in both Engrish and Chongwen. I think she's an expert in the "L" and the "R" thing. It's pure art when done plopery.

Whenever I have had a long break from chinese lessons and I go back to class, things are a bit rusty.

So I say this to my teacher : "I'm a bit lusty today don't you think?"
Of course, she always agrees: "Yes, you are quite lusty today."

That's an honest answer to an honest question, really.

Chinese tones, initials, finals n shit like that
Gene Simmon's Tongue Transplant
Pork Rind for sale on Ebay that looks like a tongue

Couver Groover

2006-04-28T15:26:00.000+08:00

I'm lucky enough to revisit this fine town for work.

The weather has been pretty much damn near perfect here, 20+ deg clear blue sky, no wind, fresh air. After Taiwan, gulping the air here is great.
This week has been crazy with work, basically discussions/meetings all week mainly in Vancouver but today was a day of the same but in Seattle (which is 2-3 hrs away by car). My first visit to the home of the space needle, and the birthplace of Starbucks, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Corbain...Pearl Jam and who knows what else - oh yeah the 747 Jetliner (which happens to be a big part of why I was there doh).
Before the week started, I managed to get the weekend to myself up here and rented a car. I didn't do as much driving as last time, but this time is was great to cruise around Vancouver checking out some of the regular local hangouts like Tim Hortons, Home Depot and Staples, among other places.
This time I drove to North Vancouver and had a look around the neighborhood that is part of the mountainous forest overlooking the city and the bay towards Victoria.
For some reason the jet lag hit me hard this visit and I lost most of Saturday in bed after waking naturally at 4 PM after 14 hrs sleep....whoops.
Seattle was pretty cool. I literally got to look around the city by car only on the way to and from a nice restaurant I went to with some colleagues called Anthony's Pier 66. It was a seafood restaurant overlooking the bay, and even at 9 pm it was a great view out the window towards the pacific.
The US is quite an eye opener. Lots of BIG people and mega convenience in the form of massive malls and outlet complexes on the outskirts of the city. Also lots of BIG cars and pickups and lots of Harleys, which is great. Always love the sound of a V-Twin over a 125 scooter anyday.
While driving around Vancouver I spotted an early VW Combi camper for sale, $2500 CND which I thought was pretty cheap considering the one we picked up/sold in London was about 3000 POUNDS. (like 2-3 times the price).

One hotel I was staying at, the Hilton, ended up being the most expensive place out of the three, and didn't have internet or breakfast included in the room rate. I wasn't going to pay $20 CND for a bowl of cereal for 5 mornings, so I went to a store and bought some cereal and some milk. I have been meaning to try out some Cheerios, so I got those. Not bad, tastes like "Nutrigrain" for those from Oz and NZ.

Who knows if we'll ever end up in this part of the world again, for work, a holiday or to live, but it sure is a nice part of the world and I'm lucky to be able to visit. Twice.

Tim Hortons
Home Depot
Tourism Vancouver
See Seattle

The dawn of a new day

2006-04-17T09:47:00.000+08:00

Sometimes its good to experience the dawn of a new day. I mean literally and figuratively speaking.
In the literal sense, there is no feeling like forcing yourself to get up early, feeling that cool, fresh dark air on your face, and seeing the world before you transform as color is slowly introduced.
Figuratively, there is not much difference - it's good to mentally force yourself to wake up, put some things behind and see the world transform before you as color is slowly introduced.

While looking for a decent sunrise shot I came across these pics, taken in 2002, in Mui Né, Vietnam. It is of some Vietnamese Fishermen in the South China Sea, at dawn. I can still remember that day, having decided the night before that as the beach bungalow we were staying is faced east, this would be one hell of a decent Sunrise. The bungalow itself wasn't anything too amazing, apart from the location. It was something like $10USD a night, including breakfast for a tiny room with bathroom...the 'resort' was a collection of these things on the front part of a family's ocean front land. Mui Né seemed to us to be one of the last(but i am sure there are more) coastal villages to be hit by western tourism. I guess anytime soon there will be expensive resorts dotted along that coast, and the innocence and quaintness of the place will be replaced by more and more craziness, noise and boozed backpackers. I hope the resort tourists don't complain about the noise of the fishing boats daily at 5am. I hope they wake up and go for a walk along the beach and watch the bay become orange.
It's a cleansing experience to be privileged enough to be able to be in a foreign country and just relax watching people go about their normal day making a living. It makes you realise just how lucky we are just being born where we were born, and it puts a bunch of shit into perspective.
I took my Dad to Vietnam around this time last year for 9 days. It was his first visting to a developing country, and he still tells me it was a life changing experience for him. We went to the north, around Hanoi and to the hill tribes around Sapa.
In most parts of Asia, the most fascinating time of the day is just before dawn. The markets are where it's at, craziness.
These other couple of desert type shots are also from Mui Né at this weird place just past the village. It seems like a chunk of the Sahara, right there in Vietnam. I can imagine movies could be filmed there. I spotted an old bullet, intact and unused. It looks like a .308 or something, and I wondered if some angry US Marine tossed it into the dune when his M-16 jammed back in 1973.

We all need life changing experiences every now and then. It's good for the soul to realise where it has come from and where it needs or wants to go. Complacency robs us of pushing ourselves, or appreciating circumstances and it makes us take things for granted that are truly amazing.

Official Mui Né website

Those who run seem to have all the fun

2006-04-14T08:13:00.000+08:00

The other day I was in a club listening to the groove when I stopped and thought about the woman I was listening to. Here are some surprising facts/trivia about her:

She's almost 48.
Has an IQ of 140.
Height 5' 4½" (1.64 m).
Measurements: 34C-23-33.
One of 7 siblings. Her mother died of breast cancer when she was 5.
Was a cheerleader and member of drumcorps and marching teams.
She studied Dance and Drama in NYC in the 70s.
She shares a French-Canadian Ancestor with Céline Dion.
She's a distant cousin of Gwen Stefani.
She's good friends of Stella McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Björk.
She shares her birthday with Vanessa Carlt on and Angela Bassett (born on the same day actually), which is also is the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.
She is a fan of Katharine Hepburn.
Turned down the role of Cristal Conners in Showgirls (1995).
Turned down the role of Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Batman Returns (1992).
Is strongly Pro-Life. She was even in anti-abortion ads in the UK.
Recently matched Elvis Presley's tally for top 10 hits - 36, the most for any artist in the rock era.

She is, of course....

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone.

Hung up

Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting for you

Time goes by so slowly for those who wait
No time to hesitate
Those who run seem to have all the fun
I'm caught up
I don't know what to do

Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
Time goes by so slowly
I don't know what to do

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Ring, ring, ring goes the telephone
The lights are on but there's no-one home
Tick tick tock it's a quarter to two
And I'm done
I'm hanging up on you

I can't keep on waiting for you
I know that you're still hesitating
Don't cry for me
'cause I'll find my way
you'll wake up one day
but it'll be too late

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Every little thing (Every little thing)
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you

Waiting for your call (Waiting for your call)
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Time goes by, so slowly.
Time goes by, so slowly.
Time goes by, so slowly.
Time goes by, so slowly.
So slowly, so slowly, so slowly.
So slowly, so slowly, so slowly.
So slowly, so slowly, so slowly.
So slowly, so slowly, so slowly.
So slowly, so slowly.
I don't know what to do.

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Every little thing that you say or do
I'm hung up
I'm hung up on you
Waiting for your call
Baby night and day
I'm fed up
I'm tired of waiting on you

Every little thing (Every little thing)
Im hung up
Im hung up on you.

Waiting for your call (Waiting for your call)
Im fed up.
(Fade until clock ticking)

Official Madonna Website
Madonna Discography, Filmography, Bio etc

The Longest [Crashed Scooter Journey] Way Round

2006-04-11T08:04:00.000+08:00

It's been a hectic couple of weeks. On Friday I got a call, some guy speaking to me in chinese, and as I usually do I assumed it was a wrong number (pronounced: Long Number). A few minutes later the phone rang again, and this time it was a lady speaking engrish.
She told me that her husband is a policeman, and that he had found the long lost Vino 125 scooter.
WTF? That was 7 months ago that it went missing, and they had found it in a place called Chang Hua, which is maybe a couple hundred km's away halfway down the Island.
After a few return calls to see what condition the scooter was in, and to find out where and when to go get it, I decided to take a train down to Chang Hua on Sunday morning. Trudi was keen to come too.
The train in Taiwan is brilliant. It's an example of what NZ could have had if they'd kept the railway for regular use. $350 nt (about $15 NZD) for a reserved seat for the couple of hours journey to Chang Hua. Chunga Hua is famous for the "Fan Shaped Garage" which, oddly enough is a Train Garage that is fan shaped. I reckon if you were into trains, then you'd want to go and check this out.
When we got there, we walked to the police station, about 15 mins away. They ushered us into the "Special Forces Department" of the police station, and then a guy came and got us and took us to a smaller room upstairs called the "Special Mission Section of the Special Forces Department" and inside was a bunch of guys sitting around in boxers and tanktops eating lunch.
They were saying "Whey Ter Ull" which is what these chinese characters: 威托爾 sound like. If you say "Whey Ter Ull" often enough is sounds like my last name.
So, they were expecting us. No one could speak english, and my chinese still sucks enough when it comes to talking about the good shit, so they found a student policeman who spoke a tiny bit of engrish to help.
He basically said that the bike had been crashed and I'd need to get it repaired before it can be taken away. At this point, I was just keen to take a look at the damn thing, so we asked to "take a look at the damn thing."

Well, firstly, Trudi was absolutely right: The FLAMES were still on it! Now that surprised me, as I thought NO ONE would be dumb enough to ride a fairly rare expensive scooter, and leave some stick-on flames on it that basically make it extremely noticeable, Island-wide. Well, obviously the guy was an idiot, cos he'd also ran into the back of a truck or something on it.
The Vino looked a bit of a mess with a smashed front, twisted steering and it also looked like it had been lying on it's side for a month or 3 getting all dirty.
I'd love to know where it was found and how, but there was no way of getting that sort of info out of the cops with our communication problems.
I reached into my pocket and grabbed the Vino key I still had and put it in. It went in perfectly (there was no damage to the ignition switch/lock due to the theif having a set of keys) but the battery was very sluggish, almost dead. I figured I was worth a try to start it, and after 30 seconds or whir, whir, whir it fired into life. All four of us couldn't believe how sweet the engine sounded. It seemed that apart from crashing the scoot, the dude actually took reasonable care of this beast - it is a sweet ride after all.

Anyway, we were a bit gutted it was smashed as it looked like our plan of riding it back to Taoyuan was foiled...........................or..................or was it?
Thinking to myself "What would Ewan do?" I took a look at the sky. Blue. Sunny. Not Rainy or windy.
I took a look at my watch, 12.30, and figured we had 5-6 hrs ahead of us without a head light, so if we wanted to leave, NOW would be a good time.
I took a closer look at the damage and the frame looked fine. The plastic front was a mess but structurally it was sweet. I asked the policeman if they had any tools and one guy came back with a pair of vice grips. mmm. Oh well, let's see if I can TWIST this.....there, the handlebars are now aligned with the wheel (a trick not so different from fixing yer bike after falling off when you're 8.)

So after a quick lap around the police station car park to test the brakes and steering, the policeman was shaking his head saying thru the translator dude "YOU CAN'T RIDE THIS BACK TO TAOYUAN"
I said "Ker Eee, Ker Eee, I am an engineer, Ker Eee" Which basically means "No wucken furries mate, this machine is running sweet, it will be OK"
The policeman said we can only take it to get repaired. So we all nodded and went a got all the paperwork signed up, which included me having to put my thumb print in about 5 places along with my signature. I was given one sheet of paper that was basicially a "Get out of jail free" card if I got stopped along the way, which was quite likely.
Once we were on the bike, the policeman reiterated that they felt the bike was unsafe and it was at our own risk that we were riding it to the repair shop. I said Ker Eee again and thanks etc.
Well, funny thing was, there are no repair shops open on a sunday. We knew it, they knew it, so they probably had some idea that the crazy foreigners were going to ride the damn thing back.
So we set off. The thief was kind enough to have left the bike gassed up, and that got us 1/2 way home. The ride was awesome, perfect weather on empty coastal roads for 4 1/2 hrs including a couple of breaks. The scooter didn't miss a beat and was SINGING all the way home.
We got all sorts of weird looks while stopped at traffic lights etc, but ya tend to get that being white here anyway, so the crashed scooter thing wasn't too much more interesting.

I took the scooter to the shop last night. It was raining. HARD. With lightning. The 20 min journey was more of a challenge than the whole day's riding from Chang Hua, and today I heard on the radio that the rain at that time was the Heaviest Spring Downpour on RECORD, so I picked an fantastic day to ride in the rain. Not.

When I rolled into the scooter shop, the same place where the scooter was sold new, it was like a homecoming (not so different from Ewan and Charlie's homecoming in "The Long Way Round") and the guys were practically trying to fix it before I'd even got off the damn thing.
Out came the service notepad and 5 mins later all the parts were listed and priced, so I gave them the nod to fix up ole Vino.

The mighty Vino will live another day.

Official 2005 Yamaha Vino 125 website
The Vino factory (literally 10 mins down the road)
Some guys road test review of a Vino 125
Taiwan Train Schedule Information Service

I think I'm going Def

2006-03-21T13:28:00.000+08:00

A while ago I was in a local watering hole here with a buddy when an acoustic version of a vaguely familiar song came on. I asked the bargirl if they had anymore from them and she told me she'd never heard of the band. The song was "Animal". She'd never heard of Def Leppard....man, I am getting old or what?
(I know I go on about music a fair bit, and while it is a big interest of mine, this won't turn into a music only blog ok?)
I remember cruising the streets of Rotorua, NZ, with my friend Tim, in his '76 Corolla SR coupe.
It was the ugly shape, a 1300 I think and a beigey-mustard color too - all n all, it was a fairly uncool car, but this was the mid 80s. Just having a Japanese car was cool then - no Mk 1 Ford Escort for us. We had metal hair yeah, and wore thin leather straps around our wrist cos everyone else did.
Tim had a Clarion Tape Deck in the Corolla, and it was auto-reverse...whoa. but underneath that was a graphic equalizer with a loudness button - and a red LED. wicked.
We used to cruise the streets of town thinking we were shit-hot listening to Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, a bit of ACDC, Simple Minds, and a whole bunch of other stuff I cant even remember unless i think about it for a while.
One day Tim put on a tape that I'd never heard of before. It sounded kinda like an evil machine talking or something - it was the beginning of "Love Bites".
Ok, I admit it, I was into hair bands. Shit, everyone was.
Then there was "Pour some sugar on me". Well, it's a classic now, but playing that loud thru open windows after youth group was some kind of sneer to all the chicks who'd normally listen to Alison Moyet or Cyndi Lauper.
"Animal", "Women", "Hysteria", "Armaggedon it" and "Rocket" were all on the same album, and looking back on it, Hysteria was absolutely Def Leppard's defining Album.
I thought they'd burst on the scene when I heard them back in 86 or whatever, but just reading their website now it turns out they started in the mid 70s as a band called "Atomic Mass" then becoming Def Leppard in '77(!).... and would you believe they are still touring right now?
I wouldn't recognise any of the band now(not like some of the other hair rockers like Jon Bon Jovi or Steve Tyler) but I do reckon if I saw a one armed drummer, I'd be certain he's from Def Leppard (Rick Allen).
Looking at their discography, I reckon they didn't really do much after the 80s apart from release some greatest hits albums a few times, but "Pour some sugar on me" was re-made and became the theme song for "Coyote Ugly"starring Piper Perabo (you know the face, not the name) in 2000. Looking at the credits there are some other names of note including John Goodman, LeAnn Rimes and Tyra Banks (What a bitch she's turned out to be on "America's next TOP model" pfff).
That movie spawned a trend in Bar Top Dancing, which IMHO is a bit of a yawn, but seems to be all the rage in Asia. When I lived in Singapore around 2003, the government passed a LAW finally allowing licensed bar top dancing after the scene was underground for a while...like, ooooh it's so naughty to dance 4ft off the floor. In Taipei there is one place that is fueling this hilarious activity for wannabe stars, which is a surprise considering the food there is usually not too bad.

Def Leppard released an "unplugged" album like everyone seemed to after Eric Clapton made shitloads doing it, and after hearing some of the unplugged tracks I am pleasantly surprised at how good hair rock can sound when it's stripped back and unplugged. Actually, 'unplugged' concert DVDs are fantastic, but lets not get started on that...

Def Leppard Official Website
Coyote Ugly

Am I living it right?

2006-03-19T20:31:00.000+08:00

Some people go with the flow. Some people go against the flow. Some people make the flow.

It makes for an interesting world to have a mix of people wanting different things, at different times and realising what is important in life at different times too. It brings so much happiness and sadness at the same time, dreams and hopes come and go. Everyone is looking to discover a synergy.
What is important to some people is a laughable thing to others, and it's the tolerance and acceptance of all our differences that brings peace and happiness.

I love to watch music DVDs. Most people think that is a little weird I think, but with the advent of DVD and affordable home theatre I found the quality of audio and crystal clear video in music to be pleasing to the soul. It's great after a shit day to come home, grab a glass of red and crank a great concert DVD.

Today was a shit day.

In January I bought a John Mayer concert DVD called "Any Given Thursday". John Mayer is an extremely talented musician and over the last 6 months or so I have been enjoying a couple of his albums.
The thing with live music is this, some musicians put on concerts for the money and the show is full of sequenced tracks and by-the-book renditions of their music - close your eyes and you might as well be playing the CD, except the singing is sometimes a bit bum due to the lack of studio help available to them.
John is different. At this concert anyway, his singing is PERFECT. Pin sharp vocals, but not only that, this guy plays the guitar like nothing else. I'm not talking about screaming solos or rapid hammering, but a true man-to-instrument-as-one situation.
It's in the fingers. I don't know how to explain it, but many people can play and instrument 100% OK and hit all the notes at the right times, but rarely, a musician can make the sound coming out of an instrument cross into another dimension - and that's what gives me a kick watching concert DVDs and going to concerts. It's magical.
Over the years I have gone to just about every concert of interest that has come close to where I've been living at the time. Unfortunately Taipei gets hardly anything.

A song performed from the heart brings the lyrics to life, and one track that stood out to me tonight is "Why Georgia". It's funny how you can listen to a song for months or years, and then one day life is a little different to it usually is and then the words just jump out.

Why Georgia (From the Album "Room for Squares")

I am driving up 85 in the
Kind of morning that lasts all afternoon
just stuck inside the gloom
4 more exits to my apartment but
I am tempted to keep the car in drive
And leave it all behind

Cause I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?

Why Georgia, why?

I rent a room and I fill the spaces with
Wood in places to make it feel like home
But all I feel's alone
It might be a quarter life crisis
Or just the stirring in my soul

Either way I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why Georgia, why?

So what, so I've got a smile on
But it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head
Don't believe me
When I say I've got it down

Everybody is just a stranger but
That's the danger in going my own way
I guess it's the price I have to pay
Still "everything happens for a reason"
Is no reason not to ask myself

If I am living it right
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why Georgia, why?

Room for Squares is a great album, and I am amazed this was recorded when John was just 22. How on earth can someone be such a good songwriter and musician at 22? It's just one of those things you can't ever aspire to - it just happens.
The other Mayer album I have is Heavier Things. It's also fantastic, particularly the first track, Clarity.

John Mayer Official Website
Any Given Thursday DVD
Room for Squares CD

T'be shure, T'be shure

2006-03-17T08:33:00.000+08:00

Today is St. Patricks day, and even here, yes Taiwan, there is hype about it. Some of my local friends here have tried to get me to explain what it is all about cos they are confused, and after saying "well, that's easy......" I decided I wasn't too sure myself. Green Beer, Irish Band and Irish Stew or something like that. Oh yeah, Guinness. (you know that stuff that is liquid and black on the way in, and solid or semi solid and black on the way out.)
So, with March 17 falling on a friday, I am sure all the oirish pubs around the world will make a killing. Enjoy it, the next Friday St. Pats is in 2017. (I just guessed that, but I was right when I checked.)

I got to thinking about Ireland, and it is one place I'd really like to go to. I'd heard that the countryside is nice or something. But wait a minute, while looking for some pics of Ireland right now I don't think I'd go there for the scenery....cos it looks just like NZ, cept with old shit everywhere.

So what is it about the place? Well, the music for one thing. There is not much I don't like about Irish music, whether it's old reels or modern rock...it's all great. Something about those melancholic riffs that stirs something, I am not sure why. Maybe I am Oirish? There could be a good chance as on both sides a couple of generations ago my ancestors came from Newport in Wales, and Mellor, outside Blackburn in England - both places very close to the west coast of the UK, which is a splash away from the land of Bailey's Oirish Cream. Yum.
Going back to the music, spare a thought for Irishman Dave Evans, whose 7 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with Lukemia. Dave's band has decided to cancel the remainder of a world tour for a while, which is pretty nice of them really. It's a pretty big deal when your stage name is "The Edge" and your band is U2. All the best for Dave and his family.
I see in NZ they are offering full ticket face value refunds for all the cancelled shows. Too bad for all the people that bought scalped tickets on Trademe for several times their face value, of course.
I have been a U2 fan for years. The Joshua Tree is one of my all time classic albums that I have happened to buy 4 or 5 times so far...huh? well, the first one was a tape....and i played it so much it wore out so I bought it again, on tape. About 1984 or 85 I reckon. Then with my first airforce pay in 1989 I bought CeeDee Playa. Sony rack mounted thing, about the size of a VCR (remember those?) Anyway, the first CD I bought was "The Joshua Tree". When you have got a really cool CD player and 1 CD, you tend to play that 1 CD a bit. Ha. Then a few years later it got stolen in a house burglary, and then the next one I bought got stolen in a Car break-in. The CD I have now is a burnt copy of a friends original CD, but hey I'm on #5 so I figured I've paid the licenses enough to own a burnt copy. Now it's on my iPod anyway.

There is one other irish connection I was getting to. Another Irish guitarist by the name of Stu. His stage name is Stu too, which is handy. Stu likes to tell stories about things, I think it is an oirish trait, and I have heard him mention his travels to far away lands like Spee-In. (That's how he say's it, I think he means Spain, pronouced "Sp-ayne") One of his other stories is about how he bought a bargain American Fender Stratocaster off a paraplegic In Taipei. It is the classic Strat I've always wanted too, bastard. Stu's a really nice guy, and he's probably quite dashing too if you are that way inclined. Some people say he looks like Kevin Bacon, but I reckon he's got the Ryan Seacrest thing going on(y'know American Idol- get with it). It's all about when he was born, which was just a few days after me when Apollo 13 was transmitting "Houston, we have a problem". It was a good month.

Stu is actually from Belfast in Northern Ireland (where they have nice murals everywhere I hear) and I haven't asked him yet if he says "Derry" or "Londonderry". Some people are picky about that.
Anyway, Stu did a podcast interview in Taipei in honor of St. Pats day, so now he's also practically a celebrity. And I know him. Honest.

I think that covers some irish stuff, happy Saint Patrick's day.

Ireland Pics and Music
U2
Stu's Interview
Stu's Website

Too Many Handbags

2006-03-14T11:34:00.000+08:00

I got back from Bangkok on Saturday night, late.

Had a great time catching up with Brent and Roche. Brent was working all day Friday, so Roche and I hit the shops all over BKK....well, actually one mall called "MBK".
MBK has got about a million shops in it(some of them even legit stores), give or take 3 but most importantly for this shopping extravaganzaaaaaaaaaaaa with Roche was a Starbucks. Roche being one of the more enthusiastic Formula 1 women fans I know, probably likened the Starbucks in MBK to the pits on a Grand Prix.
First Stop: Fuel and Team Meeting, working out the track route and scheduling the next 3 pit stops for the day.
Second Stop: Fuel again, On the phone taking orders after the first 2 laps.
Third Stop: Fuel again (just a top up), Team meeting to show off the first spree of the 'Tods' (Like, who'd even heard of Tod's handbags before...not me) Other Team members (that would be me) display DVDs, Diesel Jeans, and Motobike stickers.
Final stop: Fuel. Count up of remaining Baht, and counting of handbags. 5 or 6 so far, pathetic effort - let's see more alright? On the phone, more brokering going on. Tanya, Pearla even Sam....everyone needs a Tod's bag right? The final sprint for the finish line is coming up, and she's off.

Did I mention that was just practice day?

Tod Handbags Online (Cheap at $1000 USD up)

MBK Mall, Siam, Bangkok

Starbucks

Head on my mind

2006-03-09T15:19:00.000+08:00

In a few hours I’m jumping on a KLM flight to BKK for a couple of days. Catching up with a couple of mates who are there on business......stop it! Legit business of course.

Whenever I go to Bangkok, Murray Head’s song plays in my mind while I walk around. I instinctively grind my teeth to music in my head, it’s not good. (probably an ex drummer occupational hazard)

The song is a classic, but oddly enough I have no desire to ever listen to anything else by Mr. Head.

One Night In Bangkok Lyrics

THE AMERICAN:
Bangkok, Oriental setting
And the city don't know that the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the chess world in a
Show with everything but Yul Brynner

Time flies - doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it
All change - don't you know that when you
Play at this level there's no ordinary venue

It's Iceland... or the Philippines... or Hastings... or... or this place!

COMPANY:
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky then the god's a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me

THE AMERICAN:
One town's very like another
When your head's down over your pieces, brother

COMPANY:
It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity
To be looking at the board, not looking at the city

THE AMERICAN:
Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town...

COMPANY:
Tea, girls, warm, sweet, sweet
Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite

THE AMERICAN:
Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist
Whose every move's among the purest
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine

COMPANY:
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

THE AMERICAN:
Siam's gonna be the witness
To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness
This grips me more than would a
Muddy old river or reclining Buddha

And thank God I'm only watching the game, controlling it

I don't see you guys rating
The kind of mate I'm contemplating
I'd let you watch, I would invite you
But the queens we use would not excite you

So you better go back to your bars, your temples, your massage parlours

COMPANY:
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me

One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me

MurrayHead.com
Wiki about Murray Head

The Long Way Round

2006-03-08T08:35:00.000+08:00

I bought this 3 DVD set a couple of weeks ago in Vancouver. It is 10, 1 hour episodes of "The Long Way Round" as produced for TV.
It is the best $24 I have spent in a while.

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are best mates, and they decide in April 2004 to set off on 2 BMW R1150GS's on an motorbike journey of epic proportions from London to New York overland going east. 115 days.

I won't say too much about the journey to spoil it, but there really are some remarkable and interesting places in far eastern europe. The "Road of Bones" for example, is a 2000km stretch of Siberia from Yakutsk to Magadan that was built by prisoners during the Stalin area. It is said that every meter of road required the death of a prisoner, and the bones of 100s of thousands to possibly millions of people's remains lie embedded in it today.

One thing that bothered me a bit about the journey is the amount of support they had. It really was a large team going across the world, but it was just those two guys that were filmed mostly. I have no idea how much that would have cost, but it would be in the millions, and that fact alone makes a trip exactly like that out of reach for most of us. Just having the crew behind them a couple of days made all the difference I reckon. I felt it would have been more incredible if they had gone it totally alone. I guess, Ewan doing that trip would have been a nightmare for his agent.
Count the times Charley says "Fantastic!"

My Singapore based mate Brent and I have talked about doing an epic Journey on bikes, but I think ours would consist of flying to Hanoi and buying 2 new Russian Minsk 100s (About $600USD new), and riding with all our gear down Vietnam, into Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and down the Malaysian peninsula to Singapore, where I think we'd set fire to the bikes on the causeway (I don't think they'd let us ride them in - it is Singapore, you know). I don't think we'd have cameras strapped to our helmets. Much.

Minsk Owner in Hanoi
Minsk Factory

Ewan is such a dude, he really is one of those guys that we all see part of ourselves in on this journey. Some times I found myself a little confused as to why people recognised him, he seems so down to earth you forget how much of a star he really is.
Talented guy too. I still think his version of "Your Song" in Moulin Rouge is one of the most passionate spine tingling songs I have heard, and considering he's not primarily a singer that is quite an achievement.
I recently saw him in "The Island" and while I am not big on sci-fi, I though that movie was great.
Oh, he's Scottish too, and most Scot's I have met are alright. (there you go Sandy)

Ewan's Bio/Filmography etc
Long Way Round Official Site

E30s, Clive Owen and 8 minute DVDs

2006-03-07T10:21:00.000+08:00

I like BMWs.

In Taiwan, every 3rd car is a BMW, and it is usually black or a dark shade of something else. Apparently Black 5 series sedans are the car of choice of Taiwan Gangstas, so big ups for them.

I owned a BMW once. It was a 1986 E30, 325i with manual Getrag box. Anyone familiar with BMWs will appreciate that in the mid 80s, this car was a rocketship. 2.5liter injected 6 shoe-horned into tiny 3 series bodywork. To find one with a 5 speed Getrag box was a huge bonus.
I spotted the E30 at a car auction around '96, and no one was interested in it because a) It was a european car in a predominantly Jap import auction and b) BMW M20 6 cyl engines are very 'tappety' (girl's, that means a "tick,tick,tick,tick,tick....." sound) so if you are not used to it, it sounds wierd.
So I bought it for next to nothing. It had a fender dent and a lot of milage, but it was still tight to drive.

My other car was a series 1 RX-7 that was a sleeper (rough car, hot engine). Hot 12A ported Rotary (that I built myself from a box of bits that I picked up from an aborted recondition) and on the rice burner was a 48 IDA weber. The carb of choice for normally aspirated rotary's.
My point in mentioning the RX-7 is that at the time, I liked to drive cars with engines singing all day at 7000 rpm. Rotarys ruv that. Ruv it. Anyway, BMW E30s do not ruv 7000 RPM, so there was the transition problem right there.
On the drive home, my buddy Andy was driving the RX-7 and I was driving the BMW. It was a 3 hr coastal highway driven by 2 petrol heads so you can imagine what was going on. On the outskirts of the home town, once again I was extending the legs of the screaming 6 and admiring how it just seemed to be bullet proof when the car suffered a soft thud and dropped a cylinder. It was one of those experiences where I was grinning away at the mechanical music one second, and the next second I was wondering if I just hit a small dog or something.
When I lifted the hood, there was no conrod out the side of the block, no oil slickall over the engine bay, nothing. It idled ok, no vibrations, but just running on 5. Mmmm, well shit, it could be anything like a dropped plug or lead or whatever, so I limped it home the last 10 minutes.
I am not the kind of guy that takes a car to garage, even a BMW, and I figured I had nothing to lose by taking the Rocker cover off. Within a few minutes (gotta love working with German Engineering) the cause of the problem was plain to see: Broken Rocker...shit, how much is that going to cost I thought? A sheepish call to the BMW dealer surprised me. $23, for a genuine part. Man, is that right?
The nature of the failure meant that all the happened further down the head was the valve just remained closed, so no real possibility of any other damage like valve to piston contact or anything. What I should have done was buy the $23 part and put the weapon back into service, but being the paranoid, inquisitive soul I am, I figured the broken rocker was an indication to look further and harder. I decided to take the head right off, and see what else was up. and replace the Cam Belt. and put new manifold studs in. and plane the head. and replace a few rough looking valves. and get the cam nitrided and re ground a bit hotter. and bead blast the rocker cover so it was like new. and...you get the idea. As i didn't have a garage at the time, all the work was done in the lounge, on the coffee table covered in newspaper - rock on. My $23 fix turned into a $1000 piece-of-mind tinker with the big ass cylinder head.
That was the first and last time I had any trouble with that car. I put a Schnitzer Chip into it and a K&N Air filter, which nudged the HP towards 200, and that was fine by me.

The E30 to me is the classic BMW. Rear wheel drive, heavy steering and the model before ABS and electric you-name-its everywhere.
I am going to get another one at some point. The chip and filter are in storage, waiting. Tinkering in the garage is something I really miss living in Taiwan.

BMWe30.net
E30 Service Manual

I like DVDs.
A year or two back, a friend told me about the BMW movies online, www.bmwfilms.com: " Brace yourself for intricate plot twists, riveting car chases, and a dose of wit. All eight short films of The Hire, created by Hollywood’s finest talent, are available now for downloading and streaming.

These brilliantly produced films star Clive Owen as the driver. Hired for his superb driving skills and unshakable poise, the driver encounters unexpected obstacles that put his abilities to the test. Watch as each film reveals new depths of character, intrigue, and cinematography."

Yes, Clive Owen is Da Man in these 8 DVD quality short films. Obviously, they are funded by BMW so they showcase the various BMWs available at the time, but the driving and cinematography is fantastic. Each is unique in who directed and starred in it, and the style of filming and driving. Guy Ritchie, Gary Oldman, James Brown, Ang Lee and Madonna are some of the people that feature in the productions.

Below is a link to the movies for downloading. (the official BMW site above claims there are no more downloads, but they are still around)

The Hire

Sam, you ARE the man!

2006-03-06T09:02:00.000+08:00

Meet Sam Morgan.

Back in 1999, Sam decided to drop out of school and start an internet auction site, called trademe.co.nz.

Not long after it started, I signed up along with my best friend Marty. Back in those early days we were wheeling and dealing all sorts of stuff, and would bid on each other's stuff to get the price higher and all that. At that time, trademe was so small that I remember the team was just 1 or 2 people and I'd get emails from Sam himself from time to time. We were like pioneer traders in NZ, ha.
When I left NZ, Marty continued to buy and sell lots of stuff on trademe (and still does), but for me things went a bit quiet for me there for a while.
When we were living in Singapore, I found a music shop that sold all the good gear, like Gibson, Fender, and Epiphone Guitars.
As it was, the retail price of stuff at that shop was about 50% what it was in NZ, so I spied an opportunity with trademe.
I talked to the shop and got a trade account, which bumped the low price even lower, and I started to buy Guitars in 2s and 3s. What I would do is take them out of the box and photograph them at all angles and close up etc. Then I'd pack them into a proper guitar hardshell case, and cover it all with cardboard.
I went to the post office down the road and airfreighted them individually back to NZ, and listed them on Trademe. They were hot selling items.

Along with the auctions and a few word of mouth spinoffs and special orders, I sold about 11 or 12 guitars before a few things put the brakes on it: Tax & Import customs, Traders who bought but changed their mind and then tried to claim the guitars were fakes etc (what a hassle to sort out), and then the move away from Singapore to Taiwan.

I was approached by a couple of guys that wanted to start a parallel import business, but to be honest, I don't think making a business out of pure undercutting will ever work long term unless it is on a massive scale.

It was fun, and I learned a lot...and actually made a respectable amount of cash...But look at Sam. In 1999 at 23, he started with a borrowed laptop and an idea. It wasn't a new idea. The site wasn't really that complex or flashy. Just a no bullshit, simple site that was reliable.
Today he sold it for 700 million dollars. 700 MILLION dollars.
And he gets another 50 millon if some targets are met in the next 2 years. And he gets to keep his job - and I bet he's not just getting 5 bucks an hour.

Man, 700 million at the age of 30.....what am I doing?

Today's News Release
Small Bio
Bigger Bio
Good Wiki Article
A book about Trademe secrets

Vancouver

2006-03-04T11:47:00.000+08:00

The long approach in YVR commenced as I lifted the window screen after watching "Elizabethtown" for the second time. What I saw was simply a sight for literally sore eyes. Mountains, water, snow and trees. As the Captain crackled something over the radio about wanting to welcome me to Canada, I didn't understand anything much except the outside temperature being -5. At least these people use the right units I thought, then it hit me - my god this is going to be a unique experience.
It sure was. After getting off the flight, the customs lady wanted to know all about NZ (huh) and then there I was standing in that cold. After the shuttle dude took me and my colleague in the bus alone to the hotel, the check in Biotch was obviously pretty pissed of with the fact I was so happy to see the place after waiting, like, 13 hrs to go to bed....yes, even tho it was 8 30 am she told me to "take a seat until 3 pm". yep 3. I mean, I like a good practical joke, but she was grimacing when I said "WTF?"
So I saw some guy but the name of Ryan or Brian or Bill or something who was at a booth called Enterprise cars. I asked him how much to rent a car, and he said $17 per day. SEVENTEEN bucks. After a chat, it turned out the dood was in Khaioshiang last year teaching engrish. Another Canadian teaching english in Taiwan? I mean my god, my first coversation in BC had to be THAT? (except for devil lady still scorning at me thru the glass)
So I took the car, a red Chevy Cobalt reg 700-HDV. That plate meant arot to me, so I told the guy 'Rock on' and peeled out of the carpark and into Westminster Highway heading for van going in wrong direction. The clue was the roads were going #4 road, #3 road, #2 road and I figured there wouldn't be a number zero road, so I had to flick the red beast around. Using my honed TW driving skills I needed not to actually find a U turn place, I just let it rip. 2 litre 6, or at least it felt like it. The radio was a bit dodgy pumping out some french crap, so a scan or 4 got me to 103.5, which was OK. I did notice that everyone drives with their lights on here, so I turned mine on too (little did I know they were already on even though the switch was off) I had the trusty Canon G3 with me, and there I was shooting shots outta the car at the lights or sometime while passing huge pickups called Dodge and Blazer.

"Highway 99, North" a small white sign with a BC on it said, along with Vancouver, BC ferries and Whistler in green....My mission was sealed.

Farewell Giorgio

2006-03-03T21:15:00.000+08:00

I'm a hoarder. It bugs the hell out of me, but I just can't throw stuff away - I always see some value in something.
When I was in NZ last month I bought 12 shirts. Yep 12. I find it really difficult to find shirts that are comfortable here in Taiwan, and the only place that seems to have potential in the shirt department is Sogo, but there always seems to be 7 salesgirls desperate for a commission that it become pure hell to even look around. Besides that, the shirts they thrust in my face are $3400 NT (about $150NZD) versions, which to be fair is way too much to pay for a business shirt that no one is really going to appreciate but me.
So, in NZ there was a few sales going on and the cuts are much better so I bought up.
The dilemma came when I got home - where do all these shirts now live? So I scanned the wardrobe and gave a big sigh as I looked at some old favorites. Yep fellas, you have got to go.

So I did it. I threw some shirts out. They were past their best and I virtually never wore them anymore.

Take Giorgio for example, I remember him well. I bought that masterpiece in June 1999 in Hawaii. Took the bus from Honolulu to a huge shopping centre called "Waikele". I remember I also bought a Black Donna Karan tie with gold lining there. The tie stays, the shirt must go. It served me well as work dress in NZ, London, Singapore and now Taiwan....I am now embarrassed to say.
But, I am the type of guy that believes quality will always go the distance....and it did again. Buy classic and it will remain timeless? Something like that anyway.

So I ditched 3 shirts. Mmmm, I see there is still going to be a problem in the wardrobe - ah well, there is a bit of room in this drawer over here....

The Hartford

2006-03-02T22:52:00.000+08:00

I should mention the Hartford early on. As summer approaches here in Taiwan, I can see I will be out an about exploring a fair bit on the Hartford, so let me tell you the story.

Back in the old days, like 2004, we bought a new Yamaha Vino 125 which is a retro vespa style looking thing built out of modern technology.

As you can see I put hotrod flames on it, based on the "hotwheels" look I remembered as a kid in the late 70s. It was a weapon.
I say was, cos about 4-5 months ago it got stolen...grrr.

Anyway, after I got over the trauma of losing that sweet machine, it was time to look for a replacement. We have got a piece of shit second scooter anyway, which is a Kymco. Actually, that is the fastest scooter I have ever been on. It looks like crap, but beats anything at the lights, and has been known to pull wheelies with ease. As fast as that kymco is, it will die one day, and I don't really want it to be out somehere in the mountains on highway 7, on a rainy sunday afternoon.

I enjoy riding, and I don't do it just to get from A to B....so when the weather is nice in the weekends that is usually what is on the cards.

After looking around at a few scooters, and some second hand motorbikes, it became clear that to get something decent and tidy you need to pay a large majority of the new price here. Winding back odometers here is rife at dealers also. Living in Taiwan, it is not as easy as you would think to buy stuff. Firstly you have got to find where it is sold, and as the web and the yellow pages are all in chinese it makes it pretty tough just to get there. Add into that trying to communicate with some dood selling a secondhand one to find out hwere to go look at it etc etc(You can see where this is going)
So, after some fairly lengthy discussions with my learning chinese partner, Ratlung (who was also looking for a motorbike), we decided to check out buying a new Hartford HD 150S each.
It was a bit of a mission, but we managed to talk to the Hartford dealer in Taoyuan. As a stab in the dark, we also went back to the Yamaha store that sold the Vino 125 and asked them. Taiwan is a strange place, and it seems anything is possible so it wasn't too surprising when the Yamaha dealer said they could get us a couple of Hartfords (one of their competitors). Ariel from work did the calling around the shops in chinese to get a good price, which included a security system and a new helmet.
We were all set to go around mid December when I realised that if we waited 2-3 weeks more we would be registering the bikes as 2006 not 2005, so a little more negotiating and we picked up our bikes on Monday Jan 2nd, 2006. I like the idea of efficiency, so getting them on the first workday of 2006 was great.
Anyway, about the first available weekend we could, Ratlung and I took our brand spanking new bikes our for an epic journey, to break them in.
It was a sunday and we left around 10.30 I think. The weather was good and we headed to the Shimen Dam. So far so good.
Then we carried on the #7 Highway, which is the north Taiwan cross-island highway. That was fantastic until we hit rain and low viz about the top of the mountain. Did I mention it was also around 2 deg? Thinking that we were experiencing some alpine weather, we decided to push on towards Yilan, which is on the east coast of Taiwan, and then head back into Taipei. By the time we got to Yilan we were soaked, and damn freezing. A search for a comfort shrine like a BK or McDonalds was fruitless, so we opted for a hot chocolate (out of a can) and some food at a 7-11.
I mentioned earlier our bikes had security systems installed, and one of the features is electric start. So while we were getting suited up for the concluding wet leg of our journey, I decided to start my bike to let it warm up again. This seemed like a cool trick considering we were both still inside the 7-11. Problem was, mine was in gear, so when it started it edged forward and toppled onto the kerb. ARGGGH. Fortunately, and unbelievably, the pegs took 99% of the hit and the bike was virtually unscathed...whew. We both learnt a lesson right then.
We carried on the journey which included 3hrs of hell riding on the #9, which is known as "Ghost Highway" for the amount of accidents that occur on it. I was getting a tad pissed off at this point. It was freezing, it was wet, my visor was a mess when oncoming headlights appeared, so I lifted that...but I wear glasses, so the same effect on those too. Combine this with Taiwanese drivers that honk because they believe a 2 wheeler shouldn't be on road outside the city and then literally move over to try and push bikes into the ditch....add into the mix that every corner seems to have slippery wet manhole covers right on the bike track line....grr.
When we got to Taipei it was a great relief, but we still had another 40-50 mins to get back to Taoyuan.
Ouch, it was one hell of a short sunday ride. In the end it lasted about 10hrs in the worst possible riding conditions, so I was kinda relieved to be home. The bikes looked like they were 20 years old with all the grime on them, but we had 400km+ on the clock of each bike - almost ready for the first service. Mission accomplished. :)

I don't like the name blog

2006-03-01T21:14:00.000+08:00

...but that is the terminology. After years of thinking blogs were kinda cheesy, here I am writing in one right now.
So why do it then? Well, I enjoy writing things to share sometimes, and othertimes I just like to capture a moment or thought. Pictures help too, so the plan is to use plenty of pics.

I have thought about it for a while, and it took me a while to get going cos I was looking for some blog software that had categories....
....like these here ->
Mostly it is impossible to find categories and all that on free blogs, and I am too tight to pay $4.95 a month for the good stuff, so I found a hack on the blogger help about setting up categories. Ta Da. (Edit: This is now irrelevant as Blogger now has labels. Woo Hoo.)

I hope you like them, well I hope I do mostly.

I am also not sure about this look and feel. It's O.....K..... but it's good to fiddle with HTML now and then so don't be surprised if I change this.

Let's see how this goes. I am feeling positive. Today.