By sea?
The MCS is "en route" today!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Monday, February 21, 2005
At the End of President's Day
Did not go on vacation.
Yet we drove to 84-CA1 AGAIN. This route is perhaps the only one we would drive around doing nothing. It must have rained heavily yesterday in the mountian for the road was quite wet. I have not changed tires for over 20000 miles and the thread is almost gone. Result: figure skating on winding mountain roads of Highway 84. However I managed to go through without a skid.
The last 10% of thread on the Bridgestone went by at lightening speed. Last time I checked (about a month ago) it looked just fine. Now they are all bald. Hate to allocate 400 bucks for rubber again :(
Yet we drove to 84-CA1 AGAIN. This route is perhaps the only one we would drive around doing nothing. It must have rained heavily yesterday in the mountian for the road was quite wet. I have not changed tires for over 20000 miles and the thread is almost gone. Result: figure skating on winding mountain roads of Highway 84. However I managed to go through without a skid.
The last 10% of thread on the Bridgestone went by at lightening speed. Last time I checked (about a month ago) it looked just fine. Now they are all bald. Hate to allocate 400 bucks for rubber again :(
Thursday, February 10, 2005
It Does NOT Matter If You Come Later
Years have passed before Google touched online maps and driving directions, yet they can still make it refreshing and stunning in Google's way. We have been so used to the way we use Yahoo Maps, Mapquest and Maponus that people kind of forgot there are other ways to design an online map.
These guys are good at what they're doing. These guys are good at new ideas.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Scheduled for Production
Feb 5th 2005. Oxford, England
After 47 days of waiting, The Mini is scheduled for production. And it already has its VIN! Now I am starting to get worried about how to squeez a good deal from the bank. Anyway, this is a cornerstone.
Boom.
Friday, February 04, 2005
200k Miles, on the Go
Arriving at 200k miles, I-5, San Diego
The civic reaches 200 thousand miles on its original engine and 5-speed tranny, 2nd clutch plate. Still doing 37-plus mpg on mixed road daily commute. The numbers are even better on freeway. Oil changes are done more frequently now at intervals ranging from 1500 to 2500 miles. Runs strong.
Saturday, January 01, 2005
LA Sucks
Wife is taking a shower and I am blogging. The hotel has free wireless internet connection.
Things went up and down quite a few times in the past day and half.
First of all ever since the end of Chirstmas holidays, it began to rain like hell all over the Sunny State, from Tahoe all the way down to San Diego. Our plan A for new year's holiday is at the mercy of the weather as well as plan B - that's the worst part. Plan A is to visit LA (mostly Disneyland and Hollywood) and San Diego (a friend relocated there because of work stuff). If the rain does not stop, it will be quite the opposite of fun for sure. Plan B is going sightseeing and skiing in Tahoe. However due to heavy storm and the altitude of the Tahoe region, it is getting even worse... Our near 200k-mile Civic, although understated, will probably start loosing grip of the planet as we go further north in the snowing reagion, but renting a 4x4 is like... burning a hole in the budget.
We finally took a gamble and took I-5 south, betting that the weather could not possibly get any worse if bay ares is drenched. We were delighted that it was sunny and almost charming after the clearing storm although sometimes we drove into under a raining cloud the size of a mile or two. But that's it. The clearing storm is much better than dull clear blue sky, with a few rainbows as a little surprise. Best part: LA has a snow-capped mountain. For a split of a second we were wondering whether we were driving to, Tahoe?
Disney was fun, especially when my wife made a mistake thinking that the Twilight Zone is some kind of haunted house. It is, as a matter of fact, a drop zone featuring multiple, irregular 1G-lauching and falling "elevators" in the so-called "hotel". I was never successful in tempting her to a test ride in the drop zone but this time, she dragged me with her into that only to realize the true story too late to call it quit. Result: freaking-out, testified by on-site monitoring camera.
Due to the last-minute decison of LA over Tahoe, we did not book and hotels. And there is no way we could have imagined how much Americans like to stay out of home on New Year's Eve. Yes, we planned our holiday so carelessly that we ended up going to Disneyland on the New Year's Eve and I only realized this AFTER we got there. Hotels are booked. 40-buck Motels are asking for 99 plus tax for one bed. Srew you! We are going somewhere else.
But where? Since the plan for the next day was Universay Studio, we figured if we were to spend so much for one night's sleep we better off staying close to Hollywood. And yes I took the Hollywood Blvd exit from North I-5. And it is Holly-shit. There is only about a 100-meter strip that does not look like a crime scene and the street is filled with drunk or black people screaming or flipping their car stereo with a volume good enough for half a mile. A black SUV filled with some rap-people were honking me and almost squeezed my small civic up to the sidewalk. I got angry and when another black dude ran a stop sign with his b*tch in a new Cadillac right in from of me, I stopped in his way nice and slow for 5 second and gave him a noise for another 5. I am a really nice guy, yo! I ain't no racist.
So I guess we are not coming back for Hollywood Blvd again, I am not a fan who come all the way to see some finger prints or ass prints on the side walk in front of a theater on a block which has no order. Any for the first time in my life I heard my wife saying that Hollywood actually sucks. She finally agrees on this!
3 am New Year's Day, still on the street! We decided to try one more time, at the Sheraton and Hilton at Universal Studio. Despite our painstaking resolution to pay a stupid amount of money for a sleep, there were all sold out, in a 8 mile radius. The closest vacancy is in LAX. Bye-bye.
So I suggested going to San Diego at 4 in the morning. And we did. It is a city, not like a swamp of maybe famous crap. And better part, since we checked in so early, we got two sleeps for the charge of one which means we do not check out until midday of tomorrow. And this is a real Hotel by the sea which happens to have everything and is "cheaper" than a shit motel in Los Angeles.
Things went up and down quite a few times in the past day and half.
First of all ever since the end of Chirstmas holidays, it began to rain like hell all over the Sunny State, from Tahoe all the way down to San Diego. Our plan A for new year's holiday is at the mercy of the weather as well as plan B - that's the worst part. Plan A is to visit LA (mostly Disneyland and Hollywood) and San Diego (a friend relocated there because of work stuff). If the rain does not stop, it will be quite the opposite of fun for sure. Plan B is going sightseeing and skiing in Tahoe. However due to heavy storm and the altitude of the Tahoe region, it is getting even worse... Our near 200k-mile Civic, although understated, will probably start loosing grip of the planet as we go further north in the snowing reagion, but renting a 4x4 is like... burning a hole in the budget.
We finally took a gamble and took I-5 south, betting that the weather could not possibly get any worse if bay ares is drenched. We were delighted that it was sunny and almost charming after the clearing storm although sometimes we drove into under a raining cloud the size of a mile or two. But that's it. The clearing storm is much better than dull clear blue sky, with a few rainbows as a little surprise. Best part: LA has a snow-capped mountain. For a split of a second we were wondering whether we were driving to, Tahoe?
Disney was fun, especially when my wife made a mistake thinking that the Twilight Zone is some kind of haunted house. It is, as a matter of fact, a drop zone featuring multiple, irregular 1G-lauching and falling "elevators" in the so-called "hotel". I was never successful in tempting her to a test ride in the drop zone but this time, she dragged me with her into that only to realize the true story too late to call it quit. Result: freaking-out, testified by on-site monitoring camera.
Due to the last-minute decison of LA over Tahoe, we did not book and hotels. And there is no way we could have imagined how much Americans like to stay out of home on New Year's Eve. Yes, we planned our holiday so carelessly that we ended up going to Disneyland on the New Year's Eve and I only realized this AFTER we got there. Hotels are booked. 40-buck Motels are asking for 99 plus tax for one bed. Srew you! We are going somewhere else.
But where? Since the plan for the next day was Universay Studio, we figured if we were to spend so much for one night's sleep we better off staying close to Hollywood. And yes I took the Hollywood Blvd exit from North I-5. And it is Holly-shit. There is only about a 100-meter strip that does not look like a crime scene and the street is filled with drunk or black people screaming or flipping their car stereo with a volume good enough for half a mile. A black SUV filled with some rap-people were honking me and almost squeezed my small civic up to the sidewalk. I got angry and when another black dude ran a stop sign with his b*tch in a new Cadillac right in from of me, I stopped in his way nice and slow for 5 second and gave him a noise for another 5. I am a really nice guy, yo! I ain't no racist.
So I guess we are not coming back for Hollywood Blvd again, I am not a fan who come all the way to see some finger prints or ass prints on the side walk in front of a theater on a block which has no order. Any for the first time in my life I heard my wife saying that Hollywood actually sucks. She finally agrees on this!
3 am New Year's Day, still on the street! We decided to try one more time, at the Sheraton and Hilton at Universal Studio. Despite our painstaking resolution to pay a stupid amount of money for a sleep, there were all sold out, in a 8 mile radius. The closest vacancy is in LAX. Bye-bye.
So I suggested going to San Diego at 4 in the morning. And we did. It is a city, not like a swamp of maybe famous crap. And better part, since we checked in so early, we got two sleeps for the charge of one which means we do not check out until midday of tomorrow. And this is a real Hotel by the sea which happens to have everything and is "cheaper" than a shit motel in Los Angeles.
Friday, December 24, 2004
What Is Going On
In holiday time when people do not have a schedule, this is what happens:
Movies, TV, beef jerkey, wine, Cola, Vodka, orang juce, old schoolmates, potato chips, bacon, onions, sausage, Firefox, emails, etc.
My wife asked that we go to Fry's. And my wife asked if we should buy a Play Station 2.
I realized that I have NEVER seen a Play Station 2 or X-Box in my ENTIRE life. I could not identify them (or another brand starting with the letter "N") from the stuff on the shelfs at Fry's. I know nothing about computer games more than an idiot although I get paid wrting industral-strenght programs all day long.
I had one glass of Zinfandel after coming back from Fry's and The Phantom of Opera because I was thirsty. The glass turned out to be sort of a measure cup, it says "8 oz". And I am still thirsty.
My wife did not eat anything until 3pm (neither did I). Things like this usually happen when I am at home.
This is holiday.
Movies, TV, beef jerkey, wine, Cola, Vodka, orang juce, old schoolmates, potato chips, bacon, onions, sausage, Firefox, emails, etc.
My wife asked that we go to Fry's. And my wife asked if we should buy a Play Station 2.
I realized that I have NEVER seen a Play Station 2 or X-Box in my ENTIRE life. I could not identify them (or another brand starting with the letter "N") from the stuff on the shelfs at Fry's. I know nothing about computer games more than an idiot although I get paid wrting industral-strenght programs all day long.
I had one glass of Zinfandel after coming back from Fry's and The Phantom of Opera because I was thirsty. The glass turned out to be sort of a measure cup, it says "8 oz". And I am still thirsty.
My wife did not eat anything until 3pm (neither did I). Things like this usually happen when I am at home.
This is holiday.
It's holiday, time for some blogging
I've been so busy or lazy whatever I've posted only one sentense in more than one month.
However, something happened during that period of time. Such as:
However, something happened during that period of time. Such as:
- I visited my dentist because one of my previous filling has cracked. It set me back a few hundred bucks despite of my nice insurance coverage. However I came to realized that if there is someone operating an automatic weapon (be an electric drill for instance) in my mouth, that person better be paid well and better be NOT pissed off.
- The dentist numbed me up (the area around teeth on the left side), and I could not suck coffee for the entire morning.
- I planted some flowers in the backyard and water them in the morning before I leave for work. They seem to be happy. However the wild grass seem to be even happier and it is all over the place. I need to KILL it!
- I have a ring after being married for over two years. Anyway it is not a Chinese tradition. But considering the fact that I am in another country, I accept the local rules.
- I bought a new car but it won't be built until next February. Aftet that, it will be shipped to the US from another continent.
- I ran out of film and end up ordering a dozen from BH in THIS time of the year. I hope my parcel arrives before Feburary...... What happened to the way I buy stuff?!
- Two friends left America for HK because they got a job there. And me and my wife are here. what kind of spinning is taking place.
- The family finally emerged out of debt at the end of this year after some massive displacement and surprises.
- I got my first bonus and pay raise in my professional life. The federal goverment took a bit bite out of it so that I ended up seeing little difference if at all.
- My car has over 199,099 miles on it when it passed a thorough check-up two weeks ago. This is the car that still runs over 35 mpg in the city (you don't guess the number on freeway) and still shines like a spoon under the California sun.
- For the first time I am reading a book borrowed from the library. I like the way public libraries work here in California (cannot speak for other places for lack of experience), the service is absolutely free. It's hard to beat that.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
When Did Early Birds Wake Up?
10:40 am.
All we wished to get for this thanksgiving is a 10-dollar toaster. So, that should be no trouble.
All we wished to get for this thanksgiving is a 10-dollar toaster. So, that should be no trouble.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
看上去是剃须刀，其实是个电吹风…
看上去是电吹风，其实是剃须刀！
不服不行啊。
不服不行啊。
Sometimes, you look around at all these gadgets and in a rare moment of inspiration or madness, you look at them all a little different— connected in a way they are currently not, but perhaps should be, or at least “could” be. There might not be anything “new” but there are countless combinations of disparate technologies, and we think this is a great example of combining a couple of those.
This week’s How-To is a fun one, we take an iPod and turn it in to a universal infrared remote control which can be used to control all your home electronic equipment, or just about anything that uses a remote control, for example in our place we have our iPod controlling our TV, DVD Player, Direct TV, Ultimate TV PVR, Media Center PC, Xbox, XM Satellite Radio, Roomba and a few other random things like a Robot.
Save Energy
At my latest gas stop, a new record-high gas MPG is set at 37.178 for my daily local commute. My personal best remains at 47.0 which I achieved in my Yosemite trip a few months ago consist mostly of highway. I never try to save gas by turning off stereo or air-conditioning. As a matter of fact, my car has an amp and subwoofer.
Hope the days of running at such high MPG with #87 goes longer as my vehicle approaches 200,000 miles on the odometer. As seen from the milage, this is apparently NOT a hybrid vehicle.
Hope the days of running at such high MPG with #87 goes longer as my vehicle approaches 200,000 miles on the odometer. As seen from the milage, this is apparently NOT a hybrid vehicle.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Eventually
We have our OWN internet connection today.
The faint signal from far far away has been feeding this entire family for over a month and has dropped below threshold for maybe a couple of hundred times. Now we have our OWN! Over 90% strength all over the house, and my laptop says bye-bye to the second-floor desk where it has served as antenna for my Airport base station.
The Comcast installation has NEVER been a smooth one. We had an experience once a year ago when some info is missing in Comcast central server about our account which caused us half a day to get connection. This time, it is EVEN worse, man. The installation guy simply mis-connected something outside our room and we spent like 8 hours trying without no valid IP. How retarted would it be to require a new user to register ONLINE before he gets internet connection? I guess maybe someone at Comcast already realized this as a problem but the entire system is so BEEPed up beyond repair.
The faint signal from far far away has been feeding this entire family for over a month and has dropped below threshold for maybe a couple of hundred times. Now we have our OWN! Over 90% strength all over the house, and my laptop says bye-bye to the second-floor desk where it has served as antenna for my Airport base station.
The Comcast installation has NEVER been a smooth one. We had an experience once a year ago when some info is missing in Comcast central server about our account which caused us half a day to get connection. This time, it is EVEN worse, man. The installation guy simply mis-connected something outside our room and we spent like 8 hours trying without no valid IP. How retarted would it be to require a new user to register ONLINE before he gets internet connection? I guess maybe someone at Comcast already realized this as a problem but the entire system is so BEEPed up beyond repair.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
A Little Surprise by the Bund
Shanghai 2004
Although later a friend from Shanghai told me that the store in these pictures has already been there for a few years, I was a bit surprised while standing at the entrance of Peace Hotel on a brisk summer night of Shanghai. Here we are talking about half a block from the Bund, where the city sheds her most glamorous lights and atmosphere, the equivalent would be the corner of Union Square, San Francisco - imagine a Chinese Hot Pot restaurant there... Confused? You got it.
NO BIG DEAL. But since I just downloaded a trail Photoshop CS, gotta do something before the expiration date. (The picture is REAL, nontheless, I am not that bad.)
Less for More?
Ever since I started working I am posting more pictures instead of words of any kind, which revealed that how {...} I was before October. Anyway, this is NOT a photoblog and I am not considering photo-blogging. Instead, I've been thinking about creating a private online archive for SOME of the pictures, however since it is called an archive it better have some volumne. The minimum starting point is maybe 200 or more of acceptable quality, which may take like eight years to accumilate... ... Bye ... ...
Old Air Show Shot
Moffet, CA 2004 (NO, it's NOT my address!)
Since I got that real bad sunburn just before I left for China at the end of May and since the peeling skin from my face scared HK airport security, I must post something in memory of my Sunburn Day of 2004.
Strange Feel
Today I was away from GDB for a little more than 6 hours since I was occupied by some other work. I started to feel wired about not being in GDB for such a LONG time... So freaking wired.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
余得力说：知道为什么抗日战争打了八年么？
Graph captured from CNN.com
——汉奸太多！
民主党胳膊肘往外拐的占11％，共和党只有6％，结果就出来了。
命背不能怪社会啊，要学会自我批评。
Monday, October 25, 2004
Bus Ad: Kid's Face
Bus ad, Shanghai 2004
I felt like taking a shot while taking a cab. It was raining and dull but the kid's face kind of lit up things a bit.
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