warring neighbours

No, I do not mean those novels about neighbouring states. I mean those family staying next or near you. These are the people who you will see them everyday and can you imagine when two of them start to fight each other? I just witness two neighbours getting into a quarrel and one started to use a hammer. Next the police came and settle the differences. Sometimes it isn't about tolerance. If one party has gone over the line someone have to tell them. The other party will in turn think being told is the start of a war. These are the bad eggs that started all the nonsenses. You have to be considerate else it is no wonder you feel you have been ganged up by the neighbours. Now you go stand at the corner and think it over!

Keep out politics from science!

Obama appointed the first black chief to head NASA. To me, black or white doesn't matter. As long as that person will do the job to get mankind into the black void. All these while since Bush was the boss it seems that NASA wasn't doing much. While other countries get to developed their own space programs, there wasn't much from the US. We could all speculate why nothing new but now that Obama is doing something, hopefully none of those politics or religion people start to step in like those other science and research area. Men had lost a lot of time while men in politics seems to control the space programmes.  Sometimes I wonder at the rate it is going, would there even be a space station at Jupiter or Saturn. Not to mention to have a Star Trek kind of environment, I doubt men will get to that stage if all they want to do is to boss around on land. I shall see if all these are just to start some news or if it will result in some over due developments.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Tech%2Band%2BScience/Story/STIStory_380688.html

Delete that doesn't delete

The internet is a strange place. In a sense for data and informations, it is either there or it isn't there. Researchers found that photos uploaded to some social networking websites or photo sharing websites maybe there forever. While the option to delete them is there, somehow the data remains, for some cases. The reason is because several websites uses multiple servers to contain the data which would take some time for the purge. So that is good news in case something went down you won't lose your data. But now that you wanted the data gone that is a possible challenge. Some people might even duplicate your data to some other websites where you have no control. There are also caches from search engines so unlike your local data, If they are removed, there is a 10% you will see it again.
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/142366

Circle Line MRT tour

Managed to visit the Circle Line MRT tour around. Amazingly it wasn't crowded. Nothing interesting about the stations but the awsome part is that the train have front windows! It means that now you can see the tunnel in front when travelling. That was a draw as many people was crowding at the front part. These people blocked me from taking a picture of it. I made do by takinga picture for the back window. The view is the same. Lastly the goodie bag isn't that goodie. A big bag with a beer bottle looking mineral water and a booklet on the MRT.

RealDVD court case seems all about profits

The RealDVD court case in the states seems to be a family squabble over profits. Yes, profits. Copying of DVD isn't new. Until I read the article on Cnet news I have no idea of a RealDVD software that could copy DVD. I knew of software that could copy DVD and it is free and it was good too. The only problem would be scratchy disc that DVD player could play would sometimes be a pain for the software to copy. Software aside, if it comes to the law, same as music discs, if you own the original disc you should be able to lawfully have a backup copy of the original. So unless there is some changes to the law, you apply the music theory onto this video issue, then why can't owners makes their own copy using authorised software. As for people misusing the software, well, banning RealDVD doesn't solve the problem. It solves nothing. As I mentioned, there are already free software avaliable. There are also other ways for anyone to do it too if there ever wanted. It is all about profit for the studio. They should instead lower their prices of their discs. Lower it more than just a few dollars. Your discs are cheap when you sent them to the factory so you can afford to lower more. Making your shows easily affordable will get people to buy them because quality still beats those copied discs.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10246213-93.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1

MS coming out with new search engine

According to Reuters, Microsoft may be coming out a new search engine. Code named Kumo, it remains unclear how good it will be against well branded Yahoo and Google. Or perhaps it could be some rumors but then Microsoft all this while have been trying to move into the internet area and they might have something new. It have to be special since users are so comfortably using Google or Yahoo depending on preferences. But until more details are probably a test site is out, MSN is there but it seems not to be as attractive as G and Y. Even for me I always goes for Yahoo and Google sometimes. Probably they just need to have better search results. If users can't find it here but could find it there, that means here got nothing to offer.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE54J11S20090520 

Australian zoo evacuated after orangutan escape

I find it to be amusing. I would understand that if a Tiger or Lion or any of those flash eating pets were escaped but an orangutan? They can be aggressive provided if they feel threatened. Who wouldn't in their right mind? But this orangutan is one clever one that escaped an electrical fence so he (I assume it is a he) should be clever enough to know when to avoid a threatening situation which is what he did. He returned back to his enclosure. Look at the face of the escaped primate.... unless that is just a generic picture, no wonder the zoo keepers wanted to play safe!

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090510/tts-australia-animal-orangutan-79adaf4.html 

computer misusers should get their due if life was lost

Just read the news on the Myspace hoax that causes the death of a 13 year old girl. The hoaxer is the mom of the classmate of the 13 year old victim. So in this case it isn't some quarrel or net fight between persons of similar ages but that an adult pretending to be a teen. The lies spurned by this mom causes the girl to committed suicide. As investigators found proof of the mom's doing, it seems the law isn't that strong on against such "crimes". Personally, I would say the mom should have some guts to admit her doings and face the music then to defend against it. Even though the law haven't been strong for such rare case, the judge should show everyone that weak law doesn't mean people can use it as a loop hole. I would say even given maximum wouldn't bring back any justice for the victim's parents. A life lost is lost forever. 

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-myspace19-2009may19,0,6394911.story

will youtube last?

Youtube had been a money pit ever since it joined Google. As pointed out, without quality contents who would even be watching the videos? There would be no advertising and so no profits. While not all contents are craps, there are some classic clips that no one would dream of watching them again without youtube. So there is a pro and con here but in most cases money talks. Hopefully people start to click on whatever ads left to generate some revenues before the ship sinks.

http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2009/05/11/youtube-is-a-drain-on-google-resources/

Star Trek reimagined

Just watched Star Trek. I now understand how the hardcore trekkies object to the show. I also find the story, if put into the timeline be impossible. First off, the old Spock need to return to his proper timeline. Vulcan should be restored when all anomalies return to their rightful places. When you have all the time cops that exists within the future of Star Trek timeline they should be the one come back to the past and correct things. If you ever watched Voyager you would know. For now I would put this show in the same group with Battlestar Galactica Reimagined. This show is reimagined just for a box office.

table tennis storm

The storm is still roaring over the issue on coach  Liu and the words from Mdm Lee - the president for STTA. So Liu wants an explanation which he consider the words as a personal attack. According to report he said "Actually, I was forced to leave Singapore". It seems that he had probably open the can of worms from the past. People will now debate on the situation on why he was forced to leave. It seems the supporters have much similar conclusion but until both sides start to talk, everything are just speculations.

Citizen journalism straying

The purpose of citizen journalism is capture some interesting news on the spot by a camera from any ordinary citizens. You don't have to wait for the reporters and photographers to come down. By the time they do the freshness of the event would be lost. But now ever since some "portal" on the net sprung up, many people took on the action to take photos around them and post on the portal. Are these even considered citizen journalism? It depends. The current news of some boys pranks at others, boys pranks at some sushi eatery would be considered as citizen journalism because this is reporting some wrongs being done. Others like, not giving up seats in MRT, how people dress or how people sit, are being misused. How your dress or how you sit is not unlawful. To give or not to give up seats too is not required by law. Some comments posted think the poster is simply too kpo (busybody) as if they don't dress well mean the poster themselves is well dressed? There is a fine line in capturing something news worthy and something that is other people's privacy. To those who got captured in the pictures that is under kpo, they should report to police or sue the poster. Posters who wants to post as annonymous would not be any annoymous given how the internet works. Irresponsible posters need to know their action isn't any right to post pictures of others.

McCurry anyone?

There is a McCurry in Malaysia. No, McDonald isn't cooking that. McCurry is someone else's restaurant. McDonald had taken it to court for using the Mc on their name. Result is that McDonald lose. So who would really think McCurry be part of McDonald? It is really plain silly to try to link them together because of a Mc in the name. Now we know the big guys have no hold on the word, anyone game for McSatay or McMeeSiam?

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090503/tap-malaysia-court-us-food-0193655.html

Sporting controversy

So the sporting issue relating to the table tennis is back in the news again. This time the sports award. Many people feel that the former coach Liu who brought the team gold should be given the award. Regardless what the reason he was left out, people who follow the story since the Olympic days will know the reason is simple. I won't specify it here. Go read up past reports and get your own conclusion. At least no one got that award but it doesn't seem to patch the hole for getting gold and getting not appreciated.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20090505/tap-105-controversy-dogs-years-singapore-231650b.html

smoke uproar

If you think government are trying to reduce smoking, China recently tried to forced its civil servants to smoke more to "boost the economy". They removed such orders after an uproar. So the actual fact for them to do it is really not known but then for any reasons to give such an order is certainly no excuse. Enough pollution in the country already.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090505/lf_nm_life/us_china_smoking_1

tamiflu against h1n1?

H1N1 is the name and everyone is snapping onto Tamiflu. Tamiflu is meant for the existing common flu and don't seem logical that Tamiflu could fight against H1N1. Reports claimed that Tamiflu could help again H1N1 but how much can you trust it? Maybe it is a ray of hope but they better come out something exclusively meant for H1N1 in case Tami loses its touch.

Aware drama

While normally wouldn't care about these, Aware have been dramatic these few weeks ever since there was a change of leadership. Some unknown newbies manage to gain control of leadership and making waves of changes, irking majority of people around. So they got voted out yesterday, their downfall probably due to their attitude as reported by the press. They would be quite about their agendas throughout. They sacked staff and change locks, claimed that the group has not been following it policy or whatever they should be doing. And even someone from the church started something that gave people the impression of chruch backing the newbies. So all these somehow turn against them. Moral of the story, be open and friendly towards everyone.