Randy Pausch: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Wow, I just watched the entire video (1 hour and 15 minutes long.) It was very inspirational. I am not sure what I would talk about if I am giving the last lecture of my life.

Pacific Ocean Death Zone

I saw this video on msnbc.com today:

Dec. 29: NBC's Kerry Sanders reports on a huge mass of garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean that is killing marine life and growing larger each day.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/#22431379

After watching this video, I feel really disgusted the way people are messing up this beautiful planet. As I get older, I think I am turning into a bleeding-heart liberal.

Okay, it is time to start a new blog on going Green.

Introducing Community Book: Bookmaking just got a lot more social

I just found out about the Community Book feature on blurb.com.  This is very interesting and may come in handy with the book project being discussed on reginaspektor brümstix.  Well, I need another project like I need a hole in my head, haha.

 Blurberati Blog » Introducing Community Book: Bookmaking just got a lot more social

Factsheets : MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

I arranged a presentation by a Predator Sensor Operator to my daughter's high school Robotics Club today after school. It is some amazing stuff!

Factsheets : MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

I lost my cookies.

This is very strange. I can't seem to find my cookies folder on my Windows XP computer. I have done a folder search and nothing came up. Under the folder options, I have selected "Show hidden files and folders."

I know the folder is under C:\Documents and Settings\username\Cookies, but it is just not showing up.

There appears to be a new option which I must have overlooked in the folder options/view window. I need to unchecked "Hide protected operating system files." Once it is unchecked the folder showed up as a light gray hidden folder.

The other thing I could have done is just type "cookies" as a run command and the folder will show up.

Review of Smartparts 8" Digital Picture Frame SP8EM

Digital Picture Frames are very popular these days. It is a wonderful way to display all the digital photos that seem to clog up my hard drives. The Smartparts 8" Digital Picture Frame was on sale at Costco this weekend and here is my first impression. The model number I have is the 8" SP8EM. There are many other models available at the Smartparts web site.

The entire wood frame size is about 9-5/8" x 8-1/4" with the LCD screen size of 6-1/4" x 4-3/4". The resolution of the LCD is 800x600. Therefore, the size of the LCD is just a little larger than a regular 4x6 photo. The LCD size is just about right for me.

What's inside the box:

• LCD Picture frame


• Remote control


• AC Power adapter


• USB cord to connect to a PC


• Removable stand (Plastic piece)

Getting Started:

Getting started is easy. Plug the power cord into the LCD frame and turn the unit on. The slide show starts automatically using the 5 sample slides saved on the internal 128 MB flash memory. I inserted a 256 MB compact flash (CF) card with about 20 jpg photos at 1800x1200 size and they were automatically displayed in the slide show. The jpg files on the CF card do not need to be transferred to the internal memory to be displayed. The photos displayed just fine from the CF card directly. Therefore, if you have a large memory card, the number of photos that can be displayed can be into the thousands.

There are 2 slots for memory cards- CF card and SD card. There is also another USB port probably for an USB memory stick. If the LCD frame is connected to the USB port of a PC, Windows automatically detects the 2 removable card slots and the internal flash memory. Files can then be copied to the removable memory card or internal memory by using copy and paste within Windows. There is a program called Optipix Pro stored in the internal flash memory. Clicking on the setup program automatically install the Windows program.

The OptiPix program basically resize any jpg photo to a 800x600 resolution. This can be done by selecting each file individually or by selecting a directory. If your LCD frame is connected to the PC, the files are automatically transferred to the internal flash memory in a subfolder. A folder is also created on the desktop with the downsized jpg photos. The original photos are untouched. If the LCD frame is not connected to your PC when the OptiPix program is running, you will get an error message; however, the files are still transformed and the subdirectory is still created on the desktop. I converted my original 1800x1200 jpg files to 800x600 resolution to save space. The converted files are about 50 to 80 KB in size.

This is actually the way I preferred to organize my photos on my CF card- putting photos in subdirectories. I ran the OptiPix program multiple times without connecting the LCD frame to the PC and each time I renamed the folder to the title of the vacation photos. Then I copied and pasted the file folders directly to the CF card. Even with the subdirectories, the LCD frame displayed all the photos within them without any problems. The order of the photos being displayed appears to be based on the time the files were created or converted.

Music:

The LCD frame also plays background music if you have music files saved in memory. Unfortunately almost all my musics are in the MP3 format and the LCD frame only works with WMA files. I had to search ways to convert my MP3s to the WMA format. I was able to use a program I already have called TotalRecorder for the job. It does a nice batch convert and saved the output file to my CF card. I encountered another problem with the WMA file. The LCD frame will not recognize WMA9 files and I had to convert the files to WMA7 format. Once I figured out the problem, I was able to encode the files at 128 kBit/s, 44.100 Hz, Stereo. The sound output is adequate. There is a volume control and mute buttons on the small remote. The small speakers are in the back of the LCD frame.

Movie:

The LCD frame will also display movie files with sound. The only movie files I tried are the ones that came out of my small Canon camera. The files I have are MVI files at 640x480. They worked fine on the LCD screen. The resolution of my file is lower than the display resolution, 800x600, therefore the movies were somewhat pixelated.

Remote Control:

The small remote control is very useful. You can select one static photo to be displayed or run the slide show. As mentioned above, it has volume control and a mute button. Adjustment of brightness/contrast and color are also available. Files can be deleted using the remote control, however, I prefer just taking the CF card out and using my PC to move files around. The remote also has an on and off button. There is really no place to store the remote, so I attached a little Velcro to the back of the LCD frame and store the remote there.

Summary:

The prices of digital picture frames are coming down quickly and the Smartparts SP8EM 8" model seems to be a good buy. I like the sizes of the wood frame and the LCD display. I saw a 10.4" LCD model today and the frame seemed a little too big for an office desk. The ability to display jpg files directly from the removable memory card is a plus. The images displayed are sharp and colors are nicely reproduced for the typical family photos. The small remote is also a nice feature.

A few thousand photos can be stored in the internal flash memory if converted using the included OptiPix program. There is no need for additional memory cards other than for convenience.

On the negative side, the LCD frame can only play WMA7 files and people may have problem converting their music to the WMA7 format. However, the LCD frame will probably be used in a silent mode most of time anyway.

Actually my wife has already decided that she is going to take the LCD frame to her office. I just have to finish processing our vacation photos from July. I am still on day 1 of our Italy trip.

Addendum: When shopping for a digital photo/picture frame it is important to note the resolution of the screen and the proportion of the screen. Most of the frames are listed by the diagonal length of the LCD screen in inches. The screen resolution for the SmartParts SP8EM is 800x600 and the proportion is close to a 4x6 print (aspect ratio 4:3). I see some 10.4" screens with similar or even lower number of pixel counts such as 640x480. There are also screens with 800x480 resolution, which displays the photo close to a 16:9 wide screen format. Most of my photos and most digital camera jpg files display better in the 4:3 aspect ratio format. After playing with the frame for a day and seeing the excellent color and resolution, I went back to Costco and purchased 2 more frames to give to the grandparents. I am going to load up the frames with family photos before I give it to them. Overall I am very happy with my purchase.

Pizza Version 1.2

Made two more pizzas last night and they actually looked like "real" pizzas and not "mutants", lol. I used lots of cornmeal so it didn't stick to the pizza peel. The amount of time needed to make the pizza is also getting shorter and this can become another quick and cheap meal option.

The photo above was my second pizza and it is already kind of dried up. The flour and cornmeal are still making it a little messy to clean up. Overall, I am still happy at the way things turned out again. It is definitely an improvement from my version 1.0 pizza and the kids are really having fun making fun of my cooking. Having some fun with the kids, that is what really matters.

What is the phone number I am calling from?

With the recent fire in Southern California, the electricity to our office went off. When it came back on, there must have been some sort of power surge that zapped our Panasonic phone system. AT&T was nice enough to allow us to set up a temporary call forwarding feature for a few days until we got a new phone system installed. Anyway, here are some interesting numbers I found while trying to debug and fix the phone lines.

• If you want to know the phone number you are calling from and you are with AT&T, dial 959-9822
• MCI can tell you the number you are dialing from at 800-444-4444
• If you don't know who your long distance carrier is, call 1-700-555-4141

Thanks to AbleComm.com for the above information.

craigslist.com

I finally sold something online via craigslist. I had 5 Kodak slide trays that have been sitting around in my office for many years collecting dust. All of the presentations these days are done on PowerPoint and the slide trays are totally useless now. The slide trays were listed on craigslist for 2 months and someone came and picked it up. Um.. I made $5.00, lol. It is good that the trays now have a new home. This is better than throwing them in the trash.

Pizza Version 1.1

I did my Pizza Version 1.1 for dinner tonight- two 12" pizzas. "Not bad," my wife said. I learned my lesson last week and used a lot more flour and cornmeal. With the cornmeal, the pizza didn't stick to the peel this time and it worked out much better.

The pizza dough was from Trader Joe's and I even baked some bread sticks with a garlic/spice dough. Overall, I am very happy the way things turned out today.

Oh, I still couldn't figure out how to use the fancy digital timer on the Dacor oven. Okay, plans for version 1.2 for next week:

• adding some herbs and garlic to the pizza sauce.
• I read somewhere you are suppose to poke the dough with a fork to get rid of bubbles. My second pizza tonight had a very large bubble. It was the size of a baseball!

Attack of the Mutant Pizza

My latest quest in life is to learn how to make a pizza from scratch. As with any tasks in life you must have the right tools and Amazon.com definitely has got my vote for the place to purchase all the required gadgets to make a pizza from scratch. Here is my list:

• pizza stone or pizza pan is a must. I purchased a cast iron pizza pan.
• a pizza peel to transfer the pizza
• a pizza wheel cutter
• a silicon mat to roll out the dough.

Well, I kind of cheated for my Pizza 1.0 version. I purchased a ready made pizza dough from WinCo Foods. After reading about 20 variations on dough recipes on the Internet, I think I may have to stick with ready made dough.

Once I have the pizza dough, pizza sauce, and some cheese, I thought to myself how hard can it be? Just put the pizza in the oven and a few minutes later, it is ready to eat. Actually, it was a lot harder than I thought. My version 1.0 pizza bombed. While trying to place the pizza on my new cast iron pizza pan, the dough stuck to the peel and didn't want to slide off. I tried desperately to keep the circular shape as I tucked and pushed on the pizza. The pizza kind of flopped upside down on the pan preheated to 425 degrees.

The end result was still edible, well, kind of, just a small portion of it. My kids ate 2 small pieces and the rest I had to trash. I was just too embarrassed for anyone else to see it. It was one ugly looking pizza. It was all twisted and looked liked a mutated tumor.

Version 1.1 of the pizza is coming this week, and I am planning some adjustment:

• I got to get some cornmeal. I read that is the thing to use to prevent the pizza from sticking to the peel.
• I am going to cook 2 small pizzas instead of one large one. In case I mess up the first small one, I still can try to make another.
• I needed a little more cheese.

I Have a New Watch

My old Casio watch finally broke last week. The month stays permanently in January and changing the time is almost impossible. I had the watch for over 20 years and it has served me well. I had to change the resin watch band and battery once a while, but the watch just keeps on going.

Looking around on Amazon.com, I found another Casio that is almost exactly the same as mine- the classic Casio model F91W. You really can't beat the price. I got it from Amazon.com for $10.99. The lithium battery suppose to last 7 years, similar to my old watch. The F91W even has its own wikipedia entry. Although the watch is now famous due to its connection to terrorism. Just after I got my watch last week the price on Amazon went up 8 dollars, but it is still a bargain.

Burden

it is my
burden
to
bear

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Marinara Sauce

Ever since we came back from Italy in July, my daughter and I have been craving for spaghetti with marinara sauce. I just can't seem to copy the same flavor or texture of the sauce in Italy. It must be the type of tomatoes they use over there. I looked all over town and couldn't find any imported cans of tomatoes for sale; Trader Joe's does not have it either.

At the end of the meal in Italy, after finishing all the spaghetti, there is always lots of olive oil and sauce left over at the bottom of the plate. I have tried really hard to reproduce the same. Well, here is my version 1.1 today (version 1.0 was 2 weeks ago and it didn't turn out too good):

2 cans of Hunts peeled tomato each 14.5 oz.
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/4 to 1/3 cup of olive oil
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt, pepper
1 tsp sugar

1. Chop up the garlic into little pieces. My kids like the taste of garlic but do not want to bite into a big piece.
2. Slightly brown the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. In my version 1.0 of the sauce, I over cooked the garlic and it was slightly burnt and it had a funny smell, so don't over cook here.
3. Add the canned tomatoes
4. Add the basil. My fresh basil leaves left over from version 1.0 were kind of welted and I had to use the dried up ones today. (I used a "rounded" 1/2 tsp) The dried up ones turned out ok and it is easier to keep around.
5. Add the oregano. (I used a "rounded" 1/2 tsp)
6. Add some salt (I did two pinches today and it turned out ok) and some pepper.
7. Add the sugar (the tomatoes in Italy tasted sweet, my wife suggested it)
8. I added a little water (1/3 cup) today so the final sauce would not be too sticky.
9. Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 40-60 minutes over low heat. Stir and mash up the tomatoes as it simmers.
10. 1 lb. of spaghetti should be ok for my family of 4. I cooked too much today.
11. One trick I did today was to scoop up the olive oil on top of the sauce pan and add it to each plate first and coat the freshly cooked spaghetti, and then add the sauce later. This way each person would get similar amount of olive oil.

Feedback:

1. The taste was good, almost there.
2. Too little sauce (use 3 cans next time?)
3. Not enough olive oil left over at the bottom of the plate (use 1/2 cup of olive oil next time?)
4. They like the angel hair better than the thin or regular spaghetti
5. not much protein with this meal though
6. need to remember to get some bread

Overall I am happy with the version 1.1. It is getting close to the real thing. Oh, I need to buy the olive oil/ vinegar dispenser thingy. The one that has both oil and vinegar in one glass holder one inside the other.

Sandwich

parents are getting old
sad to see them change so quickly
not much i can do

sad
don't like being in the sandwich

cried by myself today

Edmund H. Sonnenblick, a Pioneer in Treatments for Heart Failure, Dies at 74 - New York Times

Edmund H. Sonnenblick, a Pioneer in Treatments for Heart Failure, Dies at 74 - New York Times

:(

Heimlich

Did my first real life Heimlich yesterday.

Man, I thought she was going to die and it happened so quick. At first I thought she was just waving at me, then I saw her face turning a dark shade of purple.

I am still kind of in shock.

Stir-Fry Nian Gao

Hey don't laugh, I'm not good at writing down recipes.

version 1.0 - 9/4/2007, my first try was not bad. It was a little salty and the Nian Gao could have been cooked a little longer and softer.

version 1.1- 9/5/07, modified by adding some more water to the final step, and took out extra added salt or soy sauce at the end

version 1.2- 9/10/07, pre-soaking the Nian Gao made them softer, increased the chicken to 3 pieces, and re-added the soy sauce at the end, just a little.

version 1.21- 9/18/07, added Chinese cabbage after taking the chickens out. Tried using 1 1/2 bag of the Nian Gao

Procedure:

• buy the Nian Gao that comes frozen or refrigerated and in a vacuum bag
• 1 bag can serve about 3 people. Use 1 1/2 bag to serve 4 with some left overs
• thaw the Nian Gao in cold water, make sure you kind of wash them a little because I found some hard brown stuff stuck to some. The thawing takes around 15 min
• pre-soak them in cold water for 1 to 2 hours
• defrost 3-4 pieces of frozen chicken thigh, microwave on auto defrost setting 3, turn, then auto defrost setting 3 again
• the chicken is still half frozen and easier to cut
• cut up 1 or 2 "stick(s)" of scallion or green onion into small pieces... *ok, there must be an official word for a "stick" of green onion*
• cut the chicken into small strips and marinate in soy sauce
• put some oil in the pan and stir-fry the green onion for a while, then add the chicken, cook until done
• take the chicken out and set aside but leave the juices
• add some Chinese cabbage now- cut them into thin slices
• add the Nian Gao into the pan and stir-fry a while
• add one can of chicken broth
• add another cup of water
• add a little more soy sauce if needed
• cook until the Nian Gao is soft and most of the liquid is gone
• add the chicken back into the pan and cook together for a short time

This is not an official Shanghai Stir-Fry Nian Gao recipe. It is just my version that can be cooked and ready to eat in 90 min. I like my Nian Gao soft since I don't like to chew.

I'm trying this again next week. Wish me luck.

My Ubuntu Box is Working!!

Well, thanks to HP, I now have Ubuntu working nicely with Skype. I was recently tortured mentally by the incompetent HP Tech Support in India for hours on the phone. My bad experience with HP gave me enough motivation to get the Linux box working with Skype.

My blog about my HP encounters are here, and here. I am so glad that the nightmare with HP is over. I promised myself that I will never buy another HP computer system again.

The problem with using the mic for Sound Recorder on Ubuntu is still not solved, however, the mic is working with Skype and that is what I needed anyway. The trick is to select the actual sound card device under options in Skype and not allow Skype to use the "default device." I'll try to upload some screen capture in Linux in another blog.