My Computer's Gone Crazy

It keeps freezing again. Every time it does, I can't go online. After a few shut downs and restarting my computer, and leaving it alone for a day or two and when it feels like it, I can get online again. This time I'm pretty sure it's got nothing to do with ActiveX. I read somewhere that this freezing problem could due to a number of reasons. Found an article that might explain this but it doesn't solve my problem because I don't know which actually is the direct cause of my computer going crazy.

> Troubleshooting Freeze (Lockup) Problems

Blue Potatoes

Yesterday was the first time I saw blue potatoes. It was on Martha Stewart's show and the potatoes were more purple than blue actually. I believe it was called the Peruvian Blue Potato or Purple Potato. It got me curious, so I searched for blue potato and found out that there are other blue potatoes that are actually more blue than purple! I've seen red potatoes before but now, blue and purple too. I guess we live and learn.

> Some blue, purple, red and yellow potatoes at DeliciousOrganics.com

My Computer Freeze-d!

I was having some freezing problems with my computer for these last few days. Didn't know what caused it at first. It was so bad that I was having trouble connecting online. It was pretty scary. It was by chance that the computer was able to go online again but still froze for a couple of times. When I wanted to do disk cleanup, it was then I discovered that I unknowingly downloaded ActiveX. I guess it was when I browsed a site with ActiveX or something like that that my computer automatically downloaded the program. I don't know why it caused so much problems. But, I have uninstalled it and now the computer seems OK. Phew!

I don't like receiving e-mail forwards.

I don't know why I keep receiving unsolicited e-mail forwards from my friends. These mail forwards are supposedly to serve as an advice or friendly reminder or precautions. I do recognize the kind intentions of my friends but I'd rather they write something about themselves or just have some conversations.

What I don't like about these mail forwards is that most or all of the claims are either false, inconclusive findings that sometimes taken out of context or just plain hoaxes. The original writers of the mails are clearly trying to spread fear mostly regarding health concerns or maybe to sway someone into choosing a particular brand over another. Sometimes the mails end with, I better do something because something bad might happen if I don't or if I love my friends and family I better forward to them as well.

I don't know how to tell my friends that I don't need these mails so I just delete them. So mail forwards end with me.

Rediscovered Strangers Among Us

This website's been in my bookmark for quite some time. Interesting pictures of people that are strangers to the photographers hence the title. Aargh! I can't wait till I can get my hands on Canon A590 IS. Probably won't be as good as these guys but I just want to happily taking pictures away.

> Strangers Among Us

A Different Kind of Spot the Difference

Getting addicted with Spot the Difference game. Found another one quite different from what I've found so far.

Some screenshots:

Easy.

Manageable.

(Ever so slightly) harder.


It's difficult when the icons are moving.

> Unique - BigFishGames.com

Canon PowerShot A590 IS - IS on My List

> I Seriously Need a Digital Camera
> Samsung S850 Doesn't Have Image Stabilization
> A Point Made by PCMag About Buying a Digital Camera

I Want This Camera!!

While doing more digging and searching for digital cameras on CNet and PCMag, one camera kept popping up and got great reviews from both sites. The camera is Canon PowerShot A590 IS. Both sites rave about how great the pictures taken by this camera for its price range. Although both sites mention how relatively bulky the camera is and slow shot-to-shot speed, I can live with that.

• AA Batteries - Check
• Zoom > 4x - Check
  
• Image Stabilization - Check
• Takes good pictures in low lights - Check
• MP > 5 - Check (8.0 MP)
• SD memory card - Check

Note:

• Canon's Website
• Canon PowerShot A590 IS Review - CNet.com
• Canon PowerShot A590 IS Review - PCMag
• Canon PowerShot A590 IS Review - DigitalCameraReview
  
• Canon PowerShot A590 IS Review - PC World
  

Attitude is Everything

Funny Things Tennis Players Do

Haven't been blogging about tennis for quite some time. But I'm still watching it when I have the time. Just thinking about something lately - about how tennis players do, what I consider, silly things when they are playing.

They are particular about how or where or which ball to play as if the ball has anything to do with how good they play. It doesn't stop there, which ballboy or girl they receive the ball from is also crucial and not to mention some other small adjustments. Sometimes they go to great length to make sure everything is 'perfect'.

It's as if they don't have the confidence in their own ability that they have to depend upon a tennis ball to win a match. Here we have a group of people who are supposedly have enormous belief in themselves and sometimes seemingly, from the way they talk, have all the confidence in the world, and yet they put considerable importance on forces that are so minute that might or might not influence the whole match.

Well, I guess they are humans after all.

CrazyMonkeyGames Spot the Difference Game

Need some distractions but keep the brain running.

• Spot 5 Differences
• Spot 6 Differences

Why is it so difficult?

I find that, once I've decided to do something, things get increasingly difficult by the minute. I thought I had lots of ideas, I end up using none of them. I thought my ideas were brilliant, I end up thinking how silly they are. And then there are those who unintentionally put you down with their own negativity. And then there is this brain of mine that can't stop thinking every little thing. So I end up thinking a lot but doing nothing.

Barack Obama Made History

I never fully thought it could be made possible but finally it is. Not living in America, so don't really know the real politics except the obvious wars and the slavery history in America which made it seemingly impossible to have a black or African American President. I just wish for world peace. But everything that happens in the US and the effect of its Government's decisions extend out to the world. It seems Obama is facing bumpy road ahead. I just hope this time, no more bloodshed.

Interesting Einstein's Observation on the Attitude of Human Toward God

"We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many different languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God."

It still is. Much more have been discovered since Einstein allegedly said this but much more questions left unanswered.

Live Beautifully

A Point Made by PCMag About Buying a Digital Camera

> I Seriously Need a Digital Camera
> Samsung S850 Doesn't Have Image Stabilization

"If you don't know an f-stop from a white balance, a digital camera that has lots of modes and manual settings will generally be overkill for your needs, as well as being higher in price and more difficult to use."

It just hit me. They are right. I barely know about f-stop, white balance, shutter speed etc. I read all of them on camera reviews and photography sites yet I don't fully understand them. And here I am thinking of getting Canon PowerShot S3 IS or something like that. Maybe I should just be getting a point-and-shoot camera and move on from there.

Note:

• Digital Cameras: The Essential Buying Guide - PCMag.com
  

Samsung S850 Doesn't Have Image Stabilization

> I Seriously Need a Digital Camera

Apparently the Samsung S850 doesn't have Image Stabilization. According to its website it has Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) which from my search is not the same as Image Stabilization. But the camera does have some other features I'm looking for.

• AA Batteries - Check
• Zoom > 4x - Check (5x optical zoom)
• Image Stabilization - No
• Takes good pictures in low lights - Check
• MP > 5 - Check (8.1 MP)
• SD memory card - Check

The camera looks good though.

Note:

• Samsung's website
• Samsung S850 Review - CNet.com
  
• Samsung S850 Review - DigitalCameraReview.com
• Samsung S850 Review - DPReview.com

Colliding Galaxies

Two Galaxies Unable to Avoid Each Other

It takes hundreds of millions of years for the whole galaxy collision to complete. So, it's not like a car accident or anything of the sort. Phew, guess I wouldn't be moving galaxy anytime soon. Because I saw on the History Channel that our Milky Way is actually on a collision course with a smaller galaxy. Since our galaxy is so big and the process is so slow, our solar system is safe, right? Right?!

Apparently galaxy collision or merging galaxies is not uncommon. It was even more common when the universe was smaller and galaxies were closer together.

More pictures > HubbleSite.org

Saw Something New: Tomato Paste in a Tube

Well, at least it's new to me. Saw it on Rachael Ray show where she's cooking Power Burger for Donald Trump. The tube looks just like tooth paste tube. Don't use much tomato paste in this part of the world. In fact not even tomato sauce. Love hot and spicy food instead.

Dirty Jobs is My Latest Favourite Show

When I first saw this show, I was flipping channels and thought it was too gross to watch so I paid no attention to it. I missed most of the first season. Towards the end of the first season, I saw it again and I stayed on because the host was funny.

So Mike Rowe is basically the reason why I'm hooked on Dirty Jobs. He makes those (obviously) dirty, mundane jobs seem interesting and lively. I'm sure those people who have had the pleasure of having him come over and 'help' them with their jobs will miss him even if at some point they must have been glad he is gone because he's just in the way most of the time :D.

OK, did a little search and found out he used to sing professionally with the Baltimore Opera - always thought he had a distinctive voice.

Also, found a website where fans and curious viewers can ask him questions at Dirty jobs: Mike Rowe Answers.

Korea: Taxi Tracking Device Saves Driver

I saw on TV a few days ago that in Korea, taxis have a device installed that records how fast they are going, whether they are moving and where they stop and for how long they stop. I know it sounds intrusive but the device actually saves a taxi driver that's been wrongly-accused of robbery.

The story goes that two women, from separate occasions, accuse a taxi driver of robbery and positively identified the man from pictures. But the driver maintains that he's innocent and that he was off duty when the incidents happened. Since there should be no one else that drives his taxi, the detective goes on to check the tracking device installed in his taxi and sure enough he was off duty.

The detective goes back to the robbery victims and they maintain that they are not mistaken and they have got the right man. By now, there is another suspect in custody (the real perpetrator) and the police ask the women to take a second look at the police lineup. They are definitely surprised to see the real robber and how similar he looks like the driver they have wrongly accused.

So, the innocent driver is free and gets an apology from the women who put him in jail for a couple of months.

I Seriously Need a Digital Camera

I've never had a digital camera, my brother does but it's no fun to use his because he's using it for business purposes while I want to use it all the time and experiment on things. I've always loved taking pictures and I can't believe that I haven't bought one digital camera since it's even more easier to delete pictures that I don't want.

Found a buying guide at CNET that answers the question: what kind of digital camera is best for me? According to this guide and from my own intuition since I know what I want, I'm a cross between a 'Serious amateur' and a 'Budget buyer'. I don't need a guide to tell me that I don't have enough money. But the guide is rather useful to find out which features you'll need in a camera when you're looking for one.

Right now, I'm not what is called a serious amateur but I want a camera that does something a little bit more than point-and-shoot, just a tiny bit more.

My checklist is:

• AA Batteries
• Zoom > 4x
• Image Stabilization
• Takes good pictures in low lights
• MP > 5
• SD memory card
  

Canon PowerShot S3 IS has always been in my mind but with the budget I'm in right now maybe I should consider Canon PowerShot A590 IS which I heard takes good pictures, or something like Samsung S850 which has the features I can work on and the price seems right.

Need to do a bit more digging.

A Tribute to Someone Who Commented on My Blog

It's unbelievable but someone commented on my blog. I didn't respond though, maybe I should have. She didn't ask a question or anything. Anyway it was over a year ago.

Thanks For Dropping By!

It's Been a Long Time...

It's been a long time since I last posted, been more than a year. Sort of lost interest in blogging. Well, it's coming back now. Maybe I can discover new things while writing or unwittingly write something useful. Who knows, weird things have happened.

To mark my 'return', I've changed the header of this blog. Just wanted to add a little bit more colour, the old blog looked rather bland. Just would like to mention here that I did it myself :). Well OK I cheated, I use free graphics and add some text to it. So, it was rather simple, no overhauling the code, just added some graphics.

My Old Blog - Something needs to be done.

My New Blog - Gets a mini facelift

I did make another header (below), couldn't decide at first which one to use but decided on the one on my blog right now.

Another Image Header I Did - Well, maybe next time.