Hello? Is anyone out there?
Well this should have occured to me much earlier. When I look back at all those wasted CPU processor cycles, I'm determined to never shutting down my PC at work again.
First, I've read and known about the
Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence at Home (SETI @ Home) project ever since it was initated. This is a global project utilizing internet-enabled personal computers to analyze radio telescope data gleaned from the heavens.
Second, I've had an
account with SETI since October 2000. However this e-mail address has since been terminated. For what little work has been done, I am hoping that I can consolidate this account with my new
one. I have written to SETI to see if there may be some way. I am hopeful.
Third, my
PC at the office has been cranking out data units for the past two days. I admit that it's not much when compared to this
guy. But after souping it up with 512MB of RAM, my Dell has the memory resources to crank data sets all day and night for the greater interest of humankind.
Working for an organization that deals with Biology and the Life Sciences, it may be ironic that I'm contributing to an initiative that is outwardly terrestrial. And some of my academics would argue that the search for life 'out there' should first begin with the study and understanding of life 'around here'.
However I am taking an interest in something which may or may not be accomplished in my lifetime, given my belief that we are not the only sentient lifeforms in the universe. And should we meet
them one day, far from making me question my faith in my
Creator, I would be interested to know how
they came to be.
With similiar global-linked projects like
Folding @ Home, SETI's outward exploration still grabs my imagination. With national budgets swinging away from less tangible ventures towards economically viable ones, this is my contribution to help search for something greater than myself.
More All of MP3!
Ever since fellow Mac Addict Clarence, introduced me to
All of MP3 (AoMP3) music store, buying music online hasn’t been easier. This has finally brought to everyone else what US customers have been enjoying for so long with Apple’s
iTunes Music Store (iTMS).
Would you like fries with that, sir?
As mentioned previously, registering an account is free of charge. Credit can then be purchased directly via credit card or paid through a third-party paymaster such as
Paypal. An account holder can purchase credit in multiples of 5 US dollars. While ordinary members may only buy songs in MP3 format, VIP Club members enjoy the benefits of higher download bandwidth, song previews and unlimited downloads of the same songs purchased earlier. This would require the account holder to maintain available credit.
VIP members can choose from a variety of
Lossly and
Lossless encoding formats. However, it should be noted that members are charged via download volume at 0.01 US Cent per megabyte, or 0.02 US Cents in some cases. Therefore re-downloading the same songs will cost you money.
With familiar encoding formats like
MP3 and
WMA, VIP Club members are offered a plethora of exotic alternatives such as
AAC VBR,
Ogg Vorbis,
MusePack,
WMA 9 Lossless,
Monkey's Audio,
OptimFROG and
FLAC, with the four latter encoders belonging to the Lossless family.
Or AAC VBR perhaps?
My songs are encoded at 192kpbs AAC VBR. I had made this decision based on a number of factors. One would be that AAC offers superior quality compared to MP3 of the same bit rate and file size. Second is that it works with Apple’s
iTunes music management application and I can stream music to other Mac Users on the same sub-network. Third, I can retain compatibility with Apple's
iPod, should I choose to buy one in the future.
I know that this is a compromise as opposed to my audiophile tendencies, where the best form of compression is no compression at all. However I have to take into account the playback quality of my PC speakers, Altec Lansing at work and AR Powered Partners at home, when selecting the compression bit rate. It is also unlikely that I will listen to music purchased online through my personal audio system, as I reserve that for solitary listening via CDs. Apart from Apple’s own proprietary Lossless codec, I have not tried any of the other Lossless formats offered, though I doubt that they will work with iTunes.
Something for Everyone
So albums from
Alice in Chains,
Fates Warning,
Linkin Park,
Black Eyed Peas,
Nelly,
50 Cent,
Lenny Kravitz and
Jeff Buckley, have been added wholesale to my bloating music library. Even my father has been gleefully helping himself to re-mastered albums by the
Beetles,
Frank Sinatra and
Tony Bennett, not to mention
Johnny Cash's American Quadrology albums. Some of these vinyl records have been sitting on the shelf in my father's room. Now he's enjoying all of them in restored digital glory.
I had imagined a flood of music downloads when iTMS was first announced in the US. The wait for such a service to be offered in Singapore and Australia, have left Mac Users in this region feeling like loyal outsiders wanting in to the family.
However I am in no way trivializing the labyrinth copyright issues plaguing such online initiatives. A look at how long it is taking Apple to bring iTMS to Europe as a whole, is a good indicator of the amount of bureaucracy governing intellectual property rights and revenue.
An Arm and a Leg
But even if iTMS were available in the Asia Pacific region, how much would purchased music cost between them? Using US Dollars as the ballpark currency, lets take the 48-track, 3-disc
Music Bank compilation from
Alice in Chains as a comparison.
iTMS would cost you 47.52 US Dollars. That is 48 tracks multiplied by 0.99 US Cents per track. Don't forget that it comes in only one flavor for now, 128kpbs AAC. Apple is rumored to offer Lossless encoding in the future.
AoMP3 would set you back by 3.548 US Dollars with all tracks encoded at 192kpbs AAC VBR. That works out to be 0.01 US Cent per megabyte for the entire 352MB download!
So even though you will not be the proud owner of the extras that come with these CD box sets, you can still enjoy every riff, torn out of screeching guitars by your favorite metal band.
In Shackles and Chains?
The most obvious question is whether this operation is legal. Apart from the usual statements on privacy and terms of use, there is no indication that the material offered at AoMP3 is properly licensed.
The one reference made would be
License # LS-3M-03-79 of the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society but that doesn't clue us in as to whether the Internet transmittion of such material requires the authorization of the copyright owner.
With its rising profile in the music downloads community, there may be pressure from record companies and legal organizations to urge a revamp of Russia's copyright laws. However with other issues of priority, this one may not figure high on the list of pressing concerns at the moment.
So it is anyone's guess as to how long AoMP3 would remain in business. Naturally such issues would not factor in with users, who are happy to have found a source of quality music going for a song.
Go ahead, click on it one more time!
A week has passed since revelation of the doomsday Help URL security breach on Mac OS X. A number of websites have come up with do-it-yourself tips on how to disable the mechanisms by which the loop hole is exploited.
True to form, Apple released
Security update 2004-05-21 last Friday, 21 May 2004. Though Apple wasn't specific about what flaws were fixed, it plugs the original Help URL exploit found in 'Panther'. A patch was also released for
'Jaguar'.
However this alone may not be enough, as these very same sites have recently detailed information on other potential exploits on the same concept.
One of them is
Test Your Security. The writer has updated it to include tests for scripts on a number of likely scenarios. In addition to diabling the
help,
disk,
disks and
file protocols, it even recommends disabling
afp,
ftp and
ssh for added security. Given that the
concept has been tried and tested, an imaginative hacker could congure up a nightmare for any unsuspecting, and unprotected, Mac User.
To disable all of the above mentioned protocols, download
Default App. Once installed, a Mac User has complete control over what application gets launched by any protocol. Disabling, or later re-enabling, the above protocols are a breeze.
The other would be
Otterman speaks.... His advisory website posts pictures and detailed instructions on how to use
Default App. He goes further by giving instructions on disabling the 'Open safe files" option in Safari, another potential loop hole.
Finally, there is Unsanity's
Paranoid Android. This application enhancer alerts the user to any unauthorized scripts that they may have inadvertently 'clicked' across. It prompts a warning dialogue box, offering the user a re-course in allowing or denying the execution of the script. However there have been reports of this fix crashing iBooks while desktops are not affected. Currently in version 1.1, this may not be suitable for portable users until Unsanity releases another update.
There is no doubt that in securing an operating system, more revelations about exploits will appear. And sometimes, in the absence of timely patches from the vendor, self-styled pre-emption may be the way to go for now.
Go ahead, click on it again!
After news of some guy losing his Home directory to the
Concept Trojan Horse last week, Mac Users are now confronted with another exploitable flaw. This
serious Mac OS X security problem exploits the Help URL function on web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Safari or any Mozilla-based browser, causing it to execute script instructions from a re-directed or bogus website.
To see a full description of how this is done, click
here.
You get the idea now, don't you? No warning and no re-course to stop it once it runs. Though that was just a harmless example of what could be, imagine the kind of damage you could do to some poor schmuck with the UNIX equivalent of a 'remove', 'erase' or 'delete' command.
Apple would need time to cook up a patch for this. But waiting around idly isn't the answer either. So thankfully there are options available.
For one, a patch was
released today to address the Help URL flaw by alerting the user of an malicious attempt while preventing the script from running. This patch also brings an added measure of stopping Safari from automatically launching any downloaded files or applications. This step can be toggled manually via the browser's Preferences.
The more comprehensive method is to download an application mapping utility called
Default Apps. Once installed in System Preferences, this utility will allow you to disable Help, Disk Image mounting and Telnet from running. Read the full explanation on
Unsafe URL Handlers.
Apple had recently announced its track record of fixing bugs and plugging holes in a timely manner. Well this is one hole that needs to be plugged, and quickly. With the amount of
attention thrown at this exploit, it may not be long before someone unleashes reality again.
So patch your Macintoshes. Do it now. It will only take a few minutes of your time and it may save you many hours of grief.
Or, you could second guess each web link before you click on it...
It's coming in and over...
Today concludes one of the slowest weeks I've had in a while. After returning from a trip mid last week, my boss promptly skipped town again for another, leaving my deputies to run the show. But for what little there is, there hasn’t been much going on and we've been left to fend for ourselves like horses.
In itself, that should have been a good thing. There was time for me to read and think about what to write next. With so little hours in a day, nothing beats artificially changing your job scope every once in a while. However I've been uninspired and distracted. More likely due to too many late nights and the general lathagia that has decended.
The weather has been hot and muggy. And this is one of those weeks where you thank the god of air-conditioning for saving you from a slow and sweaty death. Some of my colleagues, who have playfully chided on me in the past for lowering the temperature, have taken the initiative by lowering it themselves.
So things have been slow. Even people walk and talk slow these days. A colleague, also in the doldrums, offered a jovial observation that it was as if someone had switching the coffee with de-caf. The weekdays have taken on that weekend feeling. And with that, I should have left on a holiday myself. Unfortunately with the university's Special Term running, I would have to start making preparations for exams and marking pretty soon. This job is all about timing. Given that I am required to be on hand for most of the semester, my only time-outs are in between them.
As a result, I've had to turn down requests from my friends to visit them abroad, whose holiday schedules never seem to sync with mine. One such friend, who had concluded another brief visit to Singapore a couple of months ago, has insisted that I visit her in New York come July. While I had originally schduled on relocating back to Melbourne in the middle of the year, planning a holiday after that would not only have been more convenient, it would have been the relaxing thing to do. I would have had all the time in the world to see my friends in a Los Angeles-Denver-New York hop. However my exit plan has changed somewhat and two of them would have to wait.
Too much too Soon?
To run the next version of Microsoft's operating system, codenamed "Longhorn", you will need a PC with a dual-core CPU running at 4 to 6GHz, a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM, up to a terabyte of storage, a 1 Gbit built-in Ethernet port, an 802.11g wireless link and a graphics processor with at least 256MB of video RAM.
You might be excused for reeling in shock or salivating with glee. Whatever your reaction, these requirements have shocked and astonished even the most strident PC supporter. Mac Users predictably laughed given the belief that Microsoft has squandered yet another opportunity at reducing the amount of bloat in its software.
Most people fail to realise is that Longhorn will not be released until 2006. Predictions of an early release by 2005 has gone from factual to fictional. And with more delays expected, users would propably see a watered-down version sooner, rather than the full-featured version later.
With the level of computing technology advancing so quickly, the specifications required by Longhorn would be considered the norm by 2005/6. So there is no reason to laugh, reel or be dumbfounded. Microsoft is doing everyone a favor by preparing you for what it would take to run their next generation of software by the time it is released.
This leaves Mac Users in a separate category. Apple has seen its profile rise with each release of eye-catchingly designed equipment. However careful deliberation of its technological offerings would reveal that Apple isn't quite up there with the boys. Little known to Mac Users, who think of PCs in terms of HP, Compaq and Dell, are high-end PC makers like
L and
Alienware. These companies have been on the forefront of computer technology as they push the envelope for gamers, corporate and power users.
But no matter the hardware, a leaky operating system in a hostile online environment would still mean a hellish computing experience for everyone. Viruses, spyware and pop-ups can quickly make shortwork of state-of-the-art. This is why there are some steps which must be taken to keep your machine in top working order.
One is to enable a firewall, this would stop hackers from taking over your machine.
The other would be to install all patches that are released by your software vendor, for instance
Windows and
Office Updates.
The third would be to run an anti-virus, anti-spyware and file checking program. Utilities like Norton
Systemworks and LavaSoft's
Ad-Aware will ensure that your files are safe while keeping your machine from being reduced to the pool of mess that threatens to engulf it.
Ignore these steps at your own peril.
All of MP3!
You may have heard of this new, well fairly new, website that is offering legally paid music downloads to just about anyone with a credit card.
A fellow Mac User highlighted that
All of MP3 offers free registration and you can buy credit in terms of USD5.00, USD10.00, USD15.00 and so on.
After which, you choose the songs or albums you want to download. Starting from USD0.01 per megabyte, VIP members can specify their desired format and bitrate from MP3, MP3 VBR, AAC, AAC VBR, WMA and Lossless encoding.
So it's all up to you and there is an optional e-mail notifying you that your music is ready for download.
Give it a try. The wait for Apple's iTunes Music Store to arrive in Singapore is over!
Go ahead, click on it!
This week, PC users were treated to another virus called
Wallon. It deletes Windows Media Player when the program is launched before spreading itself via e-mail from the infected PC. As opposed to a file attachment, this virus is propagated via a link in an e-mail.
In addition, it was reported that a Mac User had his
Home directory wiped out when he double clicked on a bogus MS Word 2004 demo. He had downloaded the disguised 108KB AppleScript, based upon the
Concept Trojan Horse highlighted earlier this month, from a Peer-to-Peer network.
For Windows Users, Wallon is another virus among thousands waiting to chance upon a hapless user. The manner in which it is propagated is interesting. As opposed to the traditional attachment containing executable code, Wallon arrives innocuously via e-mail with a bogus weblink. The perpetrator is counting on people, disinclined to opening attachments after a rude ‘education’ by the
Netsky and
Sasser worms, to be less suspicious of web links. Clinking on the link would lead to downloading and executing the Wallon code from a remote site.
Naturally Mac Users scoff again, dismissing virus infestation as a Windows phenomenon. However given the rising profile of OS X, and UNIX in general, security experts caution that
this may make it a more attractive target to hackers.
This warning could not have been timely as someone took the initiative and unleashed reality onto the Internet. One can reason that this bogus MS Word demo would make users of pirated software think again. And even though this Trojan Horse does not self-replicate, it is cold comfort to the poor bastard who had lost his Home directory.
Lesson learned or not, Mac Users can no longer assume that this sort of thing only happens to the other guy. Even Apple has acknowledged that no operating system is completely secure. Human tendencies and social engineering mean the difference between a functional or disruptive computing experience.
With the advent of the Internet, this is the proverbial loss-of-innocence where the days of thoughtless double-clicking on links and applications are over. There are some Mac Users who dismiss anti-viral protection measures as frivolous. However, it is the opinion of this writer that this may soon change as well.
To Emulate or not to Emulate? That is the question.
Last night, a friend alerted me about a project that is causing some stir in the Macintosh, Microsoft and Open Source communities.
Reports from MacRumors and elsewhere state that
PearPC v0.1 is an early version of "an architecture-independent PowerPC platform emulator capable of running most PowerPC operating systems". The emulator offers emulation for various PowerPC operating systems including
Mac OS X v10.3.
If Apple doesn't shut them down and the project is allowed to mature, this could be the answer for
closet Mac OS admirers. PC Users who are either inhibited by cost of hardware or who just want to marry different hardware combinations with the rock-solid stability of Mac OS X. Apple could see an increased adoption of the Mac OS.
At this point, the developers caution that the PearPC emulator is in its infancy and that optimal performance is a ways off. But there is a potential market should they succeed. However that could be a prelude leading to a wider pirating of the OS. And from Apple’s perspective, that may not be good for business in the long run.
Battlefield Detectives
At lunch today,
Hugh Tan introduced
Siva and myself to an in-depth discussion on
Crowd dynamics at the Battle of Agincourt.
Even being outnumbered three to one, the English managed to wipe out the advancing French army with minimal casualties. As they would have it that day, luck, topography, doctrine, tactics and strategy were on the side of the English.
Recounting similiar one-sided battles like the Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 BC, the Ottoman slaughter at Lepanto in 1571, the Zulu massacre at Rorke's Drift in 1879 to the Vietcong's rude awakening at Tet in 1968, factors inherent at the start decide how a battle is fought and won. Often in these cases, the victors were usually outnumbered. But due to mistakes made by the opposing side and some very deft tactical improvisation on the side of the smaller force, they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Now in seasonal documentaries, Battlefield Detectives shows us the topographical side of the die that cast the final outcome. Fielding academics from soil scientists to specialists in crowd dynamics and the weather, they add the missing dimension to what it was like all those bloody eons ago. It is an education, no military historian should do without.
Read the
book.
Wanna go back to basics? Just do it!
Out shopping yesterday, a last minute detour to a Nike store left me sixteen thousand cents poorer. Making this my eighth pair of running shoes in four years, I walked out with a pair of Air Max Obstacles.
Lacing them on and taking them out for a spin earlier this evening, I found my feet asking me where the bounce had gone. This wasn't unexpected of course, it was just that they needed the 'reminder' of a cushioned ride as opposed to a springy one.
My last two pairs had been purchased from the Nike Shox family. I had switched over to them from my usual Air Max staple as a curiosity killer. Being a runner for more than a decade, I owed it to myself to try these revolutionary looking things, if not to seperate factual performance from gimmick.
For those familier with the Shox concept, energy absorbed from each stride is returned to give a boost to your next. Trying them on the first time, the difference was not intangible. I felt like I was running on spring boards, with each step a little easier and more spritely.
However the first pair had room for improvement. They didn't quite give me the hold and stability I needed when turning fast corners. My feet had the tendency to shift out slightly even after a snug lace-up. It didn't help that the upper shell of the shoe was somewhat stiff and unwieldly. It was as if my shoes had a mind of their own and occasionally went their own 'way'.
My second pair seven months later addressed these issues neatly. This one came with an overlay slip that gripped my feet like a sock. It was flexible enough that no matter how my feet angled or how tight a corner I turned, my shoes kept pace with them neatly. The improved traction provided excellent handling on both dry and wet roads. For as long as they lasted, it was their spritely feel that made my runs so enjoyable.
So now that I've come back to the Air Max family, the Obstacles took a little of getting used to. I found that the cushioning had been hardened. Though it felt like stepping on a sack of flour, they gave no feedback at all and it took just a little more effort getting into my next stride. Thankfully, the Obstacles came with the overlay slip and my corner turns were just as tight as ever. Though they didn't grip the road as well as the Shox, the Obstacles handled just about anything I threw them through.
If I had to decide, I would choose the Shox any day. Running up and down hills at my estate, I love the added lift in my stride. However the Shox were not as durable and their superb handling diminished quicker than the Air Max. There's no doubt I will run my current Obstacles into the ground before shopping for a replacement. October isn't that far away. And it'll be good to have that spritely and familiar bounce once again.
Postscript wise, I've decided to delegate my Obstacles for gym use. Simply because they are cross-trainers and their purpose was most obviously lost on this idiot! How could I have made such a mistake, I wonder? The reason is that I was not paying attention when I bought them. Well enough of that and on with the strides . . .
Of plastic notes and crashing ATMs
When the Monetary Authority of Singapore released new $10 polymer notes for circulation on Tue 4 May 2004, people hardly noticed. I suppose that was a good thing.
The Straits Times reported the following day, that this was exactly the response MAS was hoping for after an unsuccessful attempt to introduce $50 polymer notes 14 years earlier. The absence of frenzied masses clamoring for these smooth-as-silk red notes would 'allow banks and business to fine tune their machines' and phase in the new notes.
Retaining the current Yusof Ishak design, the new note features two see-through windows and a new signature - that of current MAS Chairman, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, a post previously held by Dr. Richard Hu. A check with the MAS specifications revealed new security features that would make them harder to forge using color copiers, scanners and printers.
Looking back, the $50 dollar polymer was a big thing when it was launched in 1990. While being harder to forge, these little beauties also made for richer-looking currency and lasted longer than their paper cousins.
However MAS quickly pulled them from circulation on the account that the polymers were sticky and harder to fold. Thus, the official line went, ATMs couldn't dispense them and currency feeders couldn't read them.
Incidently, the Reserve Bank of Australia began circulating polymers of $5s, $10s and $20s two years earlier. And if any of you remembered the clanking iron-lip ATM machines used by POSBank, these were the same exact ATMs used by banks Down Under. And they were dispensing my slick polymer Aussies with nary a hitch!
Well upgrade the ATMs! Use MacOS X, UNIX, Linux or even Windows XP if you have to! Fix it so that it won't crash on me whenever I want my polymer! Because a world-class city dispensing world-class currency from a world-class ATM is all part of the world-class experience.
A concurrent ST poll revealed that 75% of respondents "liked the look and feel of the new notes" and that "polymer was the way to go." So MAS, are you listening?
This time however, efforts by SMRT and other business organizations in re-calibrating their currency feeders may be the signal that polymer notes are here to stay. So far from being a material of choice by some banana republic, MAS is making the right decision in adopting polymer-based currency. As Singapore's economy powers into the 21st century, this will add one more notch to its credentials as a world-class city.
MP3, AAC and Apple Lossless, Part 1
Don't you just love the stuff that Apple comes out with? About one and a half weeks ago, Apple released iTunes v4.5 and QuickTime v6.5.1.
This combo update featured an improved AAC encoder, the option to re-convert WMA files to AAC and premiered Apple Lossless, Apple's proprietary Lossless codec to audiophiles and discerning music lovers. Since then, I've begun re-encoding my entire CD collection via iTunes v4.5 on my Dell PC.
Why?
Prior to Hell freezing over and Apple releasing iTunes for Windows, all my music was WMA encoded via Windows Media Player. To my consternation, iTunes will not play back WMA files. I wanted to consolidate all my music into iTunes, Stream and Share the Library with my Mac-lovng colleagues. Switching back and forth between WMP and iTunes just wasn't the thing to do. With the improved AAC encoder and Apple Lossless came the incentive to re-encode everthing.
It is true that I could have simply re-converted my WMA library to AAC. However I wasn't confident about not suffering any further loss in musical fidelity. And knowing that I'm listening to a rehash of a hash simply makes my skin crawl. In hindsight, it would be interesting to hear the difference between WMA and AAC encoded files.
Ripping through a number of CDs everyday, my entire music library should be encoded by the end of the month.
Initially, I was content on using AAC 128kbps before settling on 160kbps. With built-in VBR, AAC is superior compared to MP3 at the same bit rate. In an informal comparison, I found 128AAC to be the approximate equivalent of 160MP3, if not slightly better. And given the amount of harddisk space available, I was prepared to be generous with the encoded file sizes.
I will update my review comparing the quality of MP3, MP3 (VBR) with that of the improved AAC and new Apple Lossless. Portable music lovers would be curious to read about what gets lost when you rip that CD. Audiophiles would also be interested to know just how close you can get to true-CD sound with Apple Lossless.
Lost in the Moment
Dragging my tired body out of the office that same day, I headed out to town on an errand. Walking along Orchard Road towards Wisma Atria, I was greeted by the sight of a couple standing toe to toe in a kissing embrace.
Three pedestrians behind me made no attempt in concealing the fact that they had seen it too.
With sneers and sniggers, their conversation predictably decended in to a mat-saleh-this and mat-saleh-that commentary long after the couple had disappeared from view. Citing everything from a lack of self control to blatent acts of indiscretion, it was a tirade right out of a puritan sermon.
It was obvious that the moment we had chanced across was lost to them. Though the couple was not engaged in brazen fondling or kissing of the deep-tonguing variety, their need for each other was evident by the way she rose to meet him as he leaned forward to kiss her. Exchanging playful pecks, theirs was a magical moment in a sea of faceless pedestrians.
Had they known each other for long? Did they miss each other after an absence? Or were they intoxicated with the joy of a budding relationship? For all that familiarity, nothing else mattered to them. They were lost in the moment.
And what of my fellow pedestrians, who were quick to point out that society had gone to the dogs? I wondered what their lives were like. To not see the beauty before them but rather to savage a moment of tenderness, I doubted very much that they were fulfilled individuals.
Perhaps it is upbringing and social conditioning. Asian culture has never been known for nurturing affection. Too much paternalistic oversight and you breed an emotionally stunted society. However things are changing and our fellow streetwalkers could be a minority. There may be hope for us yet.
So the next time you see your sweetheart, give him or her a hug and a kiss! Savor the moment. For that may be all that we have.
The Hour of the Wolf, Part 1
They say the Hour of the Wolf is that three to four o'clock in the morning time when you are all alone. Where your fears, regrets and worries seize your mind so you can’t sleep. It is that proverbial hour when you have no one to face but you, yourself and you. No distractions or diversions to fall back on or to hide behind.
Well this morning was one such hour for me. However it was more a mixture of anxiety and excitement rather than fear or regret. Earlier this evening, my friend had introduced me to the joys of blogging. Signing up for the account was easy. A couple of clicks here, there and soon, I was up and posting. This was exciting stuff! No matter how belated. The hard part was filling it with content good enough to think about. Just as blues legend, Robert Cray had once lamented "so many women, so little time", there is just not enough time to write about everything.
So there I was sitting in front of my Mac, scratching the inside of my skull and wondering what to do next. I was already half asleep when the thought of my unattended blog, without form or identity, forced me away from the inviting sheets I was so content to spend the next eight hours with.
Looking at the other blogs featured, I was pressed to call it something meaningful. Being half asleep didn't help at all either. So finally I settled for the title that greets you when you arrive. Unfortunately though, I don't have a clue as to what it really means. It just sounded 'correct' at the time.
Siva, seeing my blog the following morning, promptly posted an announcement at his
own. After wishing me luck in attempting to live up to my claim, he promptly
skipped town just when I had a million questions to ask. Maybe it was the fallout he was trying to avoid. I don't know. Anway, my questions will greet him when he returns.
So forcing a turn-around, I went back to bed with my alarm primed to ring in less than three hours. Naturally they went quickly. Too quickly in fact. And as I dragged my reluctant body out of bed, the night before could not have been a worse time for bloggis experimentalis. True enough, my day at the office turned out to be a hectic one...
Later that afternoon, Airani called. She had read Siva's announcement and called to ask if that was truely me. Upon affirmation, she promptly drew attention to my four meagre postings. "Weak ah!", she cried! But I knew that she was giving me indirect motivation and the encouragement to open the floodgates of my brain. I guess my tag line about all that banality pouring out on the net, was timely and convenient.
Well I hope they check back often. And come to a better understanding of their friend beyond what he doesn't usually vocalize in words.
Excuse me lady, is that an iPod?
Posted Sunday 2 May 2004
Three weeks ago, on an MRT train to somewhere, I spied four guys with iPods. Total strangers to each other, they were much absorbed in their music. One was standing with his eyes closed as we sped through the underground tunnel. For a moment, it seemed that our carriage was twisting and rocking in tune to whatever he was listening to. While the others concealed their iPods in their bags, this guy clipped his to his jeans. The signature design of his iPod and the white of his in-ear headphones made him stand out from the other MP3 trotting dudes out there.
But what about the dudettes? Where are the chic female Mac Users trotting chic gear?
Have you ever looked around and wondered where they are? From most of the Macintosh Meet Up photos, there is nary a gal in sight. Just boys with their toys. Sure, you may spy envious looks from the ladies sitting at wireless joints with their boyfriends when you walk in with an iBook or PowerBook. However that doesn’t seem to translate into market share.
It can be argued that this is predominantly a guy and geek thing. Even worse, given Apple’s product pricing and market share in Singapore, the proportion of gals trotting Macintoshes and iPods would be significantly less.
On a bus a couple of days ago, I spied a gal with an iPod. A business-looking type dressed in executive garb. With white headphones plugged into her ears as she stared out the window, her music had obviously taken her far away from the crowded bus we were on. Her glazed-over eyes blinked when I asked if she was using an iPod. Half expecting her to frown at me for interrupting her sojourn, she pulled the left side of her ear free and we spoke for a while.
Working as an event manager, she was well aware that her choice of platform would stand out from her PC trotting colleagues. But it has never been an inconvenience as her company is predominantly a Microsoft shop. All her appointments and such were stored and synced between MS Entourage on her 15 inch Aluminum PowerBook, iPod and Sony Ericsson T630. She did not elaborate much but she seemed like a power user. So why did she switch?
Was it Apple’s branding? Partly. She said that Apple’s brand recognition has increased over the years. Whenever she whips out her PowerBook, the light bulbs go on in her PC clients’ heads. “Ah! You use Apple!” she’d be complimented. “Wah! I know about Mac. Can use meh?” they’d ask sometimes. So branding is not the issue. But if Apple’s products are instantly recognized, what was stopping people from switching? Cost is not an issue either, as her colleagues and clients are definitely above means. It was simple, she told me. Convenience, as everyone else, their company, clients were all on MS Windows. Peer pressure from family and friends. Yes, believe it! General fear of the unknown with issues like networking, cross-platform compatibility to a lack of informed choices, are major stumbling blocks to the increased Macintosh uptake. Games were not an issue for her.
Was it Apple’s looks? She admitted that Apple wasn’t her first choice. She had wanted a Sony Vaio. But however chic looking a Sony Vaio was, it was still running on MS Windows. That was something that she, being a Windows User for most of her life, wanted to move away from. Virus infestation, bug and security patches galore were the well-worn push factors. Apple’s pull factor, to her at least, was the sexiness of OS X, iTunes integration with her cool iPod and design of its products. Things that you and I already know about.
Was it that hard? She got herself educated with repeated visits to her Apple dealer and by asking a lot of the right questions. It must have been her charm and looks that prompted an immediate response. And as she learned, she had fun. As a result, she knows about formatting, partitioning, installing, disk and file maintenance and so on. Well actually, the idea to partition is a carry-over from her PC days. Not that she is a closet geek but when her life is run from her PowerBook, she runs a tight ship.
Other than that, she goes out, has fun with her family and friends. She did entertain the idea of attending Meet Ups but decided that she was doing just fine for now. More than being the main thing in her life, her Mac is a part of it. And she likes the way it helps her organize. So if she ever wanted to attend any of our Meet Ups, she’ll be the one finding us instead.
As we parted company, I knew that I should have asked for her number.
SMRT Bomb Hoax
Posted Tue 27 April 2004
"Beware! Singapore is not safe from today, anytime, anywhere. Revenge is sweet. Help save lives."
- Mohamed Ansari Amanulla, SMRT Bomb Hoaxer.
A poll taken (ST, Tue 20 April 2004) after the announcement that an SMRT employee was charged with hoaxing a terrorist bomb threat on a train (ST, Mon 19 April 2004) revealed that 63 percent of respondents would report any suspicious looking packages found with threatening notes.
The pre-amble of the survey was to gauge public reaction to the call made by the Transport Minister to be on the lookout for such items. SMRT has since implemented security measures after the Madrid train bombings that left 191 people dead. It is reassuring to learn that the message is getting through as the majority responded with civil and public mindedness.
In addition, 6 percent of respondents would leave it alone, citing unnecessary paranoia. A good 13 percent would not care to tell anyone about what they had found but would themselves, stay clear just in case. However an astonishing 18 percent would open the package, see what it is and keep anything of value. After all, it is a finder’s keeper’s society right?
As with all polls, the agenda is set and respondents are limited to the choices they are optioned with, never mind that some choose to respond in a cynical or light-hearted manner. It is an approximate gauge, not an absolute indicator of public reaction and should be taken with a degree of latitude.
In the instance where threats to national security are concerned, a galvanizing of public opinion and vigilance is needed if terrorist activities are to be pre-empted and prevented. Given that a terrorist group has placed Singapore on its hit list among others (ST, Thu 22 April 2004), it would be naïve to assume that these threats won’t be followed through should an opportunity present itself.
There are some who think that Singapore represents too insignificant a target to be worth the effort. However should Singapore sustain a hit resulting in loss of property and life, the damage to its credibility would be devastating, given the amount of effort put into security and the lengths to which the Government has gone to proclaim Singapore a secular haven in a region where Islamic neighbors continue to wrestle with pockets of their own extremist populations.
Those resentful of Singapore’s success, close ties with the West, stand against terrorism and its arrogant attitude toward its neighbors, would have a field day gloating on the fact that, rightfully, Singapore had it coming. The impact on foreign investment, tourism and the economy would be considerable. Given that Singapore’s economic growth depend on these elements, such a hit is definitely bad for business.
It does not help social cohesion when the individual involved comes from the very same community that prides itself with tolerance and moderation. Mohamed Ansari may have had his reasons for pulling such a stunt. And we are sure the authorities would be most interested to hear why. However it does not help his own community, already shocked and dismayed by revelations of a previous but real terrorist plot, maintain and build on the cohesion that has been the cornerstone of Singapore’s social development.
Sometimes it takes a common threat to band a society closer. Where the selfish, the oblivious and the civil-minded come together to meet the threat head-on. Well here is a threat before us. A threat that does not discriminate between the young or old, rich or poor, religious or worldly. 63 percent have their hearts and minds in the right place. The issue of Singapore’s security is more important and bigger than ourselves. The remaining 37 percent would have to re-examine their motives and decide if being naïve, selfish or greedy is worth their while being blown up.
What's it like being Dead?
Posted Tue 27 April 2004
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts,
And I looked and behold: a pale horse.
And his name, that sat on him, was Death.
And Hell followed with him.
- Revelation 6:8
Flesh eating, virus spewing undead have taken over your town! Your once-loving family, relatives and friends are now zombies who are out make you join their ravenous party.
A film about the mindless effects of consumerism, Dawn of the Dead is a taunt and wickedly funny remake of the more thought-provoking 1978 original.
Remakes have a history of either performing well or badly at the box office. In this instance, the infusion of new blood more than resurrects the genre of the walking dead. It is hard for audiences coming out of the theatre not to feel infused by the experience.
The scenario, plot complications and cast of characters thrown together propel the film. From the dedicated nurse, steady policeman, edgy security chief and our unlikely hero with directed common sense, Dawn of the Dead bands them together through common crises without having to beat the obvious to death.
The use of the shopping mall is comical irony. Having evolved into a symbol of mass consumption, it surrogates as a place of refuge and escapism from the bloody reality outside. However denial isn’t usually far behind as a reformed gangster insists on his pregnant but infected partner, carry their child to term. His final words before dying in a hail of bullets complete the delusion.
Privilege and class-distinction are defined by the mass of infected zombies outside, against the fortunate few who are not but are celebrating life on the inside. In a dinner setting where everyone recounts what they are best and worst at, they share in the joy and pain of what it means to be alive. On the other hand, zombies clamoring mindlessly for the ‘good stuff’ are reminiscent of queues lining up for Hello Kitty Dolls.
No horror movie would be complete without gore, guns and explosions. Dawn of the Dead makes good on these. Tight editing, amplified sound effects and the thankful absence of slow motion shots will keep you on the edge of your seat. While the premise is bleak and the outcome hopeless, the incidental background music in the mall chirpily reminds you: “Don’t worry, be happy.”
Finally! My own blog.
On the insistance of a friend, I've started my own. And about bloody time too!
Now that I have taken ownership of my own ramblings, I can almost hear
him sign with relief! He sleeps easy knowing that he won't have to do a damn thing from now on.
So here I am. Let's get on with it.
