July 11, 2011
7-11 On 7-11
The recent DEHP additive scandal must've significantly impacted business at the Uni-President Group and their flagship Seven Eleven convenience stores. How to encourage customers to overlook poisonous ingredients and porous oversight? Sell it cheaper, of course! And what better...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:00 PM
August 03, 2010
Red Envelope Sayings
Had a wedding to attend, which means the obligatory gift cash in the red envelope. But the wife with her Chinese literacy was away with the kid, and it's hardly polite to hand over a blank envelope without any...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:34 AM
June 29, 2010
And You Were Right Here All Along
For an Asian society with cuisine built on a thousand-year foundation of rice cultivation, Taiwan sure loves their white bread toast. Soft as a cloud and just as insipid, the ever-present squares are vital at breakfast shops where they're cut...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:06 AM
January 11, 2010
Internet Famous
I don't know who decided having everyone introducing all their products, in one place, all at once was a good idea, but the Consumer Electronics Show is now that occasion and the monster's out of control. There are the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:02 PM
November 24, 2009
Sunday Shopping List
Took care of a few chores while the wife and baby are out of the house. Fresh-roasted coffee beans from LaCrema Sliced ham Whole milk (1-liter) Organic unflavored yogurt Mayonnaise (made my own from scratch instead) Screwdrivers, Philips and...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:12 PM
October 15, 2009
Retail Mix
The annual 中秋 fall bonus money is a bit less this year, which is fair enough since sales are still down a bit this year due to a brutal Q1. But we're seeing business starting to pick up, and I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:15 PM
August 18, 2009
Japanese Gadget Goodies
One of the main reasons for choosing the Landmark Hotel Umeda for our one-night stay in Osaka, aside from being cheap, is its location across the street from Yodobashi Camera. The massive multi-floor temple to all things electronic is...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:46 AM
February 16, 2009
The Day The Donuts Died
Like any true American, I like the occasional donut-and-coffee in the morning. The Friday morning free donut feed remains one of my fonder memories of Caltech life (see Resolution XIX). Thankfully, Taiwan isn't totally devoid of the holey pastry....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:02 AM
December 30, 2008
Worst Product Name, 2008
The intrinsically awkward shape of a DSLR camera and associated lenses means that one is always on the lookout for the perfect bag to hold it all. ThinkTank Photo has carved out quite a niche for itself among the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:39 PM
December 22, 2008
強人
Now, I like to have my creature comforts when I travel. I never got into the whole hostel-and-backpack style of on-the-road living. Soft bed, clean pillows, and Internet access, please. Small room we can live with, for now. Used...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:02 AM
July 31, 2008
Rumor Monger
Apple's penchant for secrecy combined with its legions of fans have created a proudly geeky tradition of rumor and speculation on Apple's next move. In the olden days, Apple was more prone to internal leakage, and there were a...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:45 AM
June 07, 2008
The Stakeout
Way back when, investigators followed suspects to uncover crimes and infidelities. Nowadays, such efforts are reserved for the choicest of gadgets, namely the next version of the iPhone. All around the trucks, workers wheeled around pallets of the plain...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:02 PM
June 06, 2008
Episode IV: A Nou Camp
The Venetian Macau is a virtual clone of the Vegas version, which was itself a reimagining of the European city. After my most hideous run of losses ever at the gaming tables, I decided that if I'm going to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:56 AM
April 20, 2008
iPod Post
I've been holding off on Apple's latest mobile sensation, patiently waiting for the mythical 3G iPhone. The wife's cousins are a bit more leading-edge, though. He got the iPod Touch, then immediately wanted to upgrade to the iPhone. In...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:14 PM
March 22, 2008
Switch +1
We've always used Macs at home but Sam started using PCs in college and the medical school pushed Dells and he went with the flow. At that time I didn't have any reason to dispute his decision. But as...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:29 PM
February 04, 2008
Fashion Accessory
The geeks complain that nobody would buy the Macbook Air because it's missing too many features in exchange for the thin profile and lesser weight. Even as a long-time Mac-user I'll have to admit admit that the machine's probably...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:17 PM
January 24, 2008
Home-Style Cooking
Starbuck drew howls of derision when they opened branches in Vienna, understandable in the coffeehouse capital of the world. On the other hand, an American company selling Chinese food in China seems to make a lot of sense. Diner...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:33 PM
January 14, 2008
Epic Stylistic Failure
Last year, the Consumer Electronics Show was scheduled directly opposite Macworld. Michael Dell's CES keynote was dissed and overshadowed by Steve Job's show, and the overwhelming gaggle of gadgets in Vegas were blown away by the singular iPhone. This...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:05 PM
August 28, 2007
Global Positioning
Since I don't have a car in Taiwan I didn't really have any need for the fancy PDA+GPS combos with the fancy screen and full route-finding functionality. I was intrigued by the concept of geotagging photos with location data,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:40 AM
July 09, 2007
Familiar Stuff In Strange Places
The Bodum boutique next to the Zhongxiao Dunhua Starbucks was offering a closeout sales on kitchen-ware. Picked up a cast-iron skillet because cast-iron is just one of those things that should be bought close-to-home. Been meaning to get a...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:27 PM
May 28, 2007
Zapped
The SO went and got LASIK'ed because she wanted to get rid of her contacts before our wedding photos. She had thick glasses and a long history of wearing hard contacts, so it took her a while to recover,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:03 PM
May 11, 2007
A Message From Our Sponsor
Sure, NPR is nominally non-profit, but that doesn't mean there's no advertising, a.k.a. sponsorships. Even the podcasts are not immune as there's usually an intro and outro bit telling you the podcast is brought to you by so-and-so. Based...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:06 PM
February 12, 2007
Louis Louis
The first engagement present came from Tom & Jess: a Louis Vuitton Azur Damier Saleya PM tote bag. Named after the Cours Saleya in the heart of Nice and the Côte d'Azur, it does look like a totally fabulous...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:58 PM
November 27, 2006
Slunged
I had it all worked out. Bought the new Slingbox AV and set it up at home in the States, paired it with the old Series 1 Tivo which had lifetime subscription but was otherwise gathering dust. Stashed them...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:33 PM
November 21, 2006
Move Moving On
Moved the site to the new host and I bet you didn't even notice. The 1and1.com free web-hosting deal was a great way to get into running my own domain. But all good things must come to an end...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:56 PM
November 07, 2006
Serviced
I bought the Etymotic ER-4S headphones five years ago to block out airplane noise on long flights. Starting with a Sony Diskmen and moving on to various iPods, the in-ear headphones have served well as an impenetrable barrier to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:02 PM
August 24, 2006
Who The Fuck Is Olivier Theyskens
And why should we worry whether there's a place for him? When he took over at Rochas, which was established in 1925, the house was known, if it was known at all, for a perfume that arrived in a...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:46 PM
August 02, 2006
Top Of The Morn'
Finally finished the jar of theJune Taylor Cherry Preserves. Now, June Taylor does make wonderful jams, all hand-made with local, organic fruit with the most minimal amount of sugar and additives. It's great that they preserve the original nature...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:41 PM
March 31, 2006
Functional Requirements
GF needed a new pair of headphones for her MP3 player. The cheap POS phones she was using developed a bad connection, just like the cheap POS pair before that. And having a functional portable music system matters more...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:29 PM
March 13, 2006
Rescue Me
Was taking the stairs up to the apartment one day when I noticed a small potted plant left on the garbage cans in the stairwell. I guess the owner was too lazy to open the can to dump it...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:50 PM
February 12, 2006
Beemer? I Hardly Even Know Her!
Sam found out the hard way that a sporty, low-slung undercarriage and a sharp curb on a steep driveway entrance don't mix. So his E36 325i sits cold and covered outside at home. Even that is a better environment...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:40 AM
January 11, 2006
It's A Mad Mac World
Must... wait... for... Rev... B... before... upgrading... Sure, the new dual-core Intel MacBook should blow away my current workhorse in performance. But there's always the version-one bugs to be worked out, new Intel-native software to be compiled, and most...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:17 AM
December 17, 2005
Year End
With Christmas and New Year coming up, it's time for the annual lists. Lists of cool stuff are old-hat now, with sites like Engadget and Uncrate to keep you updated on all the latest gadgets year-round. But the New...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:42 AM
November 30, 2005
Oh, Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes bus?
Or, the best car review ever. Fuck those pseudo-retro wannabe-muscle cars. As Car&Driver found out, the Dodge Sprinter (a.k.a. Mercedes Sprinter for the not-US-world) is where it's at. Legit Mercedes heritage with a bulletproof diesel engine, five-speed manu-matic transmission,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:02 PM
October 22, 2005
Canoodling
In the good old days of single-living, the cup-o-noodles were an indispensable part of the pantry for those lazy days. Although I preferred the packaged ramen since I could toss the salty flavor packet and dress up the noodle...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:39 PM
August 05, 2005
Bizzaro (Mac)World
I'm actually quite look forward to buying a brand-new Intel-based Mac, complete with the Apple multi-button mouse. Hey, I was there when they switched from Motorola 68K to PPC processors. No big deal. Hopefully they'll have a wireless version...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:24 PM
July 23, 2005
The Friendly Skies
If you have a lot of friends, that is. The WSJ had a look at the A380 at the Paris Air Show. While the geeks are all excited about the massive super-jumbo finally taking flight, the WSJ reporter looked...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:37 PM
April 28, 2005
Playing At The Station
5th or 6th-grade kid next to me on the subway was playing with a PSP. The things aren't even officially being introduced here until mid-May. So he was probably playing with about $500 worth of imported toy there. I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:53 PM
March 11, 2005
Sanitation Engineering
Cool Tools usually features obscure but sensible and useful stuff, but sometimes they let loose something strange, just to keep the readers on their toes, I guess. This was not something I needed to see as I browsed the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:21 PM
February 05, 2005
Foodies
Only in Berkeley would the Berkeley Bowl expansion project be considered bad for the neighborhood. Berkeley Bowl is so treasured by some customers that shopping there is for them "like a religious experience,'' Massih said, and people have been...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:12 PM
January 28, 2005
Flight Chow
Flew on Cathay this time with Mr. Tsai, our Japanese dept. head. He has Lounge privileges with Cathay, which kicks ass when you're flying through HK. Another bonus for flying with the home team is that Cathay also runs...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:02 PM
November 14, 2004
Untethered
Wow, this thing is shit-hot. Take a Sony tablet, and throw in a Bluetooth dongle for the wireless mouse and foldable keyboard. Sure, the computer's got built-in wi-fi, but what if you're not within range of a 802.11 hotspot?...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:42 PM
October 07, 2004
Extensions
Hauling the Powerbook to and from work every day is getting heavy, so I'm always looking out for ways to carry less crap with me. I've already forgotten to bring the power brick with me a couple of times,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:21 PM
September 26, 2004
GoDaddyGoDaddyGo
It's that time of the year. Time to renew my domain name registration. Been getting regular reminder emails for months from my domain registrar, so I headed over to the site during lunch hour to do the renewal. Except...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:13 PM
September 20, 2004
Pod2Tunes
People have been writing hacks for pulling music off the iPod since Day 1. However, they've all been ugly, bloated, or required money. Somebody finally implemented the obvious, allowing you to drag directly from within iTunes to the hard...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:55 PM
September 04, 2004
MTV News
In the first bit of insight I've seen from the Asian entertainment press, some random show on MTV said that F.I.R. was just a ripoff of Do As Infinity. Both are rock bands doing their own songs with a...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:10 PM
August 14, 2004
Buying Random Shit
Picked up Rita Calypso's latest not because I loved it at the listening station, although I did check to make sure that it's not totally unlistenable. Main reason I bought it was for the title. When we had the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:03 PM
June 12, 2004
Blast From The Past (Software Division)
Thanks to the Apple Knowledge Base Changes RSS Feed I can keep up with all the latest-and-greatest additions to the official source of Apple technical wisdom. Then this article pops up amongst the latest changes: Mac OS 8.6: What's...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:53 PM
June 10, 2004
Expressive
The rumor sites' speculations hit a feverish pitch in anticipation of Apple's release of upgraded G5 PowerMacs. The old fruit company threw everyone a curveball, though, with the introduction of the Airport Express. It was a brilliant idea, to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:08 AM
June 07, 2004
Computex Notes
Wanted to check out Computex, since it featured all those computer and electronics companies that buy our blinkenlights. Unfortunately, the show was going on during working hours, plus the first four days of the show were for industry only....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:45 PM
May 28, 2004
Java Jive
I guess Bay Area housing isn't the only thing that refuses to obey the laws of economics. Apparently coffeehouses can increase without bound, too. What doesn't make sense is that crowding is actually good for business, the same idea...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:26 PM
May 20, 2004
Chug
Instead of the usual bottle of 養樂多 that comes with the bento lunch, they threw in a bottle of apple-flavored milk instead. I haven't had that artificially-flavored pseudo-dairy since I was eight. Yummy (in small quantities). I'll have to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:50 PM
April 11, 2004
Blame Canada
Doesn't a name like "The Chic Geek" just scream "WANNABE"? There's more to being a geek than just accumulating an endless array of gadgets. Apparently most of said gadgets now feature a blue LED as an indicator lamp. Normally...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:08 PM
April 03, 2004
Wired on Wireless
Wired is running yet another parable about the vagaries of doing business in China. In this case, it's Motorola in the crosshairs. Once again, the home-grown company started at the low-end, then climbed the price scale as the cell...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:33 AM
March 14, 2004
Materia
Mom's gone back to .tw for a month, which is good in that it gives me a chance to stow more of my stuff away before the clutter drove her insane. Good thing that my wastefully excessive number of...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:18 PM
January 31, 2004
Euphemism
eu·phe·mism: The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive. Just in case you thought it's now perfectly mainstream and normal to be an anime fan, there's ADV's...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:06 PM
January 28, 2004
Good and Bad
A great set of articles in this week's New York Times Magazine. The story about the sexual slavery of young (as in 10-13 years young!) women is the kind of thing that makes me want to crawl into bed...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:35 PM
January 23, 2004
A Human Connection
"Double-double-grilled-onions, and fries-no-salt?" "Yep." "Want some ketchup?" "Sure." "How you like the Tivo?" "Oh, it's awesome." "Yeah, it's the best thing I bought this year" "Cool." "Alright, you have a good day." "Thanks." This convesation is brought to you...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:45 AM
January 18, 2004
Sunday Morning
Whole Paycheck had a table of Asian veggies and foods set up in the produce section. Not sure if it's just a Chinese New Year thing or a permanent display. They even had more obscure things like gai choi...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 06:08 PM
January 17, 2004
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble
Bought a box of Japanese curry paste long ago at 99 Ranch and it's been languishing in the pantry ever since. Well, I wasn't inspired to cook much of anything right now, after being fed by vastly more competent...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:05 AM
January 09, 2004
Yuck
If I didn't mind adding funky-tasting protein to coffee I would've just masturbated into the cup.Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:35 AM
January 06, 2004
Das Blinkenlichten
Ah, a Slashdot Poll that warms my heart.Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 06:39 PM
December 23, 2003
The Jungle
"Welcome to the jungle We got fun 'n' games" — Guns 'N Roses "The line of the buildings stood clear-cut and black against the sky; here and there out of the mass rose the great chimneys, with the river...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:14 PM
December 19, 2003
Chop Chop
Now that the funeral is over, we're now into meet-and-greet mode. I can shave and cut my hair, now, too. Aunt Dai's restaurant folded. Taiwan isn't really ready for real French food and Taiwan-ified French food isn't very good,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:58 AM
December 17, 2003
Meta Meta
There are so damn many Christmas shopping guides around that we now have a guide to the guides. Maybe I'm just slightly bitter because I'm pretty much gadgeted out for a while. I could double the speed of my...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:45 PM
December 10, 2003
Second-Grade Analysis
Joan Ryan rocks, and Abercrombie&Fitch sucks, and I'm not just talking about their November same-store-sales either. The Gap stores might be a little too ubiquitous and the designs a little too sterile, but at least there was an SEAsian-looking...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:27 AM
December 04, 2003
Everything You Need To Know
From the moronicity of another idiotic Ask Slashdot question comes a nugget of useful information. A fine overview of light-emitting diode technology and applications, courtesy of Maxim Integrated Products. The chart at the bottom is great for the people...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:17 AM
December 03, 2003
Those Crazy Kids
Only at Stereophile would the iPod be considered the "Budget" Product of the Year. That's a pretty big concession as it is. The original review contained plenty of snide asides about fashionistas and beautiful people toting iPods in the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:29 PM
November 26, 2003
An Apt Comparison
Got up at home this morning and decided to do a Berkeley yuppie breakfast run. Went down Arlington to Peets for a half pound of the Holiday Blend, then went down Cedar St. to Acme Bread for baked carbohydrates,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:47 PM
November 25, 2003
Faith In Humanity
JBidwatcher is a nice free program for tracking and sniping EBay auctions. Sure, it's ugly under MacOS X and slow, due to its Java-ness, but it works and it's free. Unfortunately, it doesn't display the detailed descriptions. Yeah, I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:02 PM
November 24, 2003
I'm Your Worst Nightmare
If you're a BestBuy customer service guy, that is. Dropped in to pick up a copy of the LotR Extended Edition DVD, and a GameBoy Player as well. Here's the hoops I jumped through to complete the transaction. Scan...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:01 AM
November 19, 2003
Marketing Backfire
Now, I'm all for the gratuitous use of LEDs, but of all things to model your computer heatsink/fan after, a jet engine is possibly the worst choice imaginable. Unless you're trying to launch your computer off the deck, of course.Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:17 PM
November 16, 2003
Sunday Coupons
The inevitable march of shaving progress and capitalistic competition has led from the Gillette Mach3 to the Schick Quattro. I don't know how they can make a four-bladed razor head swing around the chin smoothly, but they're willing to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:57 PM
November 11, 2003
If You Didn't Know
Just in case you weren't aware how whitebread Apple users are, here are the artists featured on the Top-10 Albums of the day on the iTunes Music Store:Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:42 AM
November 08, 2003
Effective Promotion
Ended up at McDonalds for the Monopoly game-piece/Best Buy coupon. Of course, as I pull up to the drive-thru speaker I find out that they're sold out of the fry containers with the game pieces. Looks like I wasn't...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:19 PM
November 05, 2003
October 24, 2003
At the Apple Store UTC, 6:45PM
Found out that Friday Night Magic started at 5:30 when I called at 5:26, so here I am instead.Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:53 PM
October 23, 2003
Geek Dilemma
What to do on a Friday night? Hit Friday Night Magic for the first Mirrodin-legal Type 2 tournament? Or go to the Grand Opening of an Apple Store down the street, for a free T-shirt and the Panther intro?
Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:04 PM
October 22, 2003
Colorized
Pulled some new $20 bills out of the ATM. Folks were impressed by the new bills. Or perhaps they were impressed by the fact that I was handing them money....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:19 PM
October 10, 2003
Move On
Saw the offer from 1and1.com on the Penny Arcade forums. Three years of professional webhosting for free? Way too good to be true, right? I usually never go for these freebie offers since the catch is almost way more...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:22 PM
September 30, 2003
September 28, 2003
Farmers' Market Highlights
Hit the La Jolla Farmers Market on a cloudy Sunday morning. Been there enough times so that I could hit the usual suspects before the early football game starts. Get some frozen tamales from the tamales lady. A tamale...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:27 PM
August 19, 2003
Technical Achievement of the Day
Installed an auxiliary input converter into the Accord so I can patch the iPod (or anything else) directly into the stereo system. The magic box tricks the stereo into thinking that the auxiliary input is a factory CD-player. Thankfully,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:58 AM
April 13, 2003
The Enlightened Man
Thanks to modern technology, even four-eyed Asian geeks can navigate the aisles of the 99 Ranch Market, tethered to the hand-free headset receiving instructions from home base. Works great if one has a wife or girlfriend delivering the instructions...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:18 PM
April 04, 2003
The main reason I
The main reason I subscribe to the newspaper is for the Friday Fry's ad insert (well, that and the Sunday coupons, thanks to Double Coupon at Ralphs). You just can't beat the mix of cheap junk, B-movies, and random...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:49 PM
March 17, 2003
In these troubled times,
In these troubled times, it's important to remind ourselves what makes America great: mass-produced cream-filled yellow mini sponge cakes. I hope I haven't turned into a big food snob who can't handle a Twinkie or three when the time...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:16 PM
March 02, 2003
Haven't walked into Tower
Haven't walked into Tower Records for a long time because, frankly, their prices suck. On the other hand, buying CDs from big-box retailers and online stores have put me in a rut because I have to know what I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:35 PM
February 28, 2003
Stupid (but cool) Hack of the Day
"I made a RAID of Zip drives" Sure it's only a RAID 0 striping configuration in software, but hey, you're boosting the performance of your Zip drives! Although with their reliability record, RAID 0 is probably not the optimal...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:32 AM
February 25, 2003
Bare Bones Software is
Bare Bones Software is killing their freebie BBEdit Lite package and replacing it with the $50 Text Wrangler. Sure, Text Wrangler has a ton more features than plain old BBEdit Lite, but all I wanted was a quick and...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:28 PM
February 23, 2003
Got a 10%-off coupon
Got a 10%-off coupon from 99 Ranch Market, and I was out of rice, so it was a good time for a big shopping trip. The place is an absolute madhouse on Saturdays, but I found a parking spot...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:16 AM
February 21, 2003
Aarrrrr
Kazaa (Lite) has a diverse range of material, but it's not very deep. Direct Connect has plenty of stuff, but the big trading hubs have high trading requirements, and the whole op/kick/chat thing is way too IRC. If I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:51 PM
February 17, 2003
Marketing at Work
Randomly cool new product at Trader Joes: smoked salmon in "cocktail-sized pieces." In reality, it's just the trimmings from the smoked salmon fillets, packed up in plastic. Well, the bag of salmon chunks is a lot cheaper than the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:25 PM
February 15, 2003
So what if you're not a Preferred Customer?
Best Buy printable coupons here, good for this weekend. Because everyone deserves to save 10% off of regularly priced Music, Movies, Computer Software, Video Games, and Video Game Accessories, any combination. Limit 5....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:33 PM
February 13, 2003
Konfabulous?
Or is Konfabulator suppose to be Cumfabulous? Sorry. It's just that every new application platform must be evaluated with respect to its applicability to porn first and foremost. Komfabulator is a platform for simple applications (a.k.a. widgets) that adds...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:14 AM
February 06, 2003
The New Definition of "Loser"
For God's sake, how pathetic do you have to be to wear a "Looking for a Japanese Girlfriend" T-shirt, much less one in XXL. On the other hand, the hot Japanese chicks seem to dig sumo dudes, so maybe...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:51 PM
February 02, 2003
On Duplication
Used (a pirated copy of) Norton Ghost for the first time to clone my installation over to a new hard disk. I started with Windows NT, which meant that the main C: partition had to less than 4 Gigabytes,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:46 PM
January 30, 2003
B00bies (animated section)
Hentai DVD's on sale at Digital Eyes. If you buy more than three you get free Media Mail shipping. "Shipping Status - Street Date 02/11/03" Is that a sign? I do believe so. Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:13 PM
January 21, 2003
Are you feeling inadequate?
How's a man suppose to compete with a 10-foot concrete vibrator (with a 1-3/8" head)?...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:10 PM
January 17, 2003
Geez, the price for
Geez, the price for wireless networking hardware has fallen through the floor. $39 for a wireless router and $29 for a PCMCIA card, even if the prices are after rebate, is testament to the power of globalized mass production....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:22 PM
January 10, 2003
Contribute to the Economy
Spend more money at Best Buy with their Preferred Customer Weekend coupons. 10% off of any single electronics item 10% off of one TV $299 and up 10% off of Games, Movies, and Music, up to five items Unfortunately,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:47 PM
Canned air is great
Canned air is great for flushing out the new coffee grinder, although the first blast does tend to spray grounds all over the counter. Should've picked up another couple of cans when Frys had them on sale last weekend....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:33 PM
November 23, 2002
Snacky Goodness at Trader Joe's
It's always fun to wander into TJ's without a shopping list. There's always the staples like milk and pasta. Does frozen calzone count as a staple? Grab a prepared salad or sandwich for lunch the next day. Then it's whatever...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:48 PM
November 21, 2002
Knowledge
There are some simple things that can be surprisingly hard to do well. Everyone assumes that you can do it because you're an intelligent person and it's a simple thing, after all. Thanks to the World Wide Web (and Google),...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:59 PM
November 11, 2002
Woo hoo, my new
Woo hoo, my new pot of oregano just germinated, and the basil is taking hold nicely in the larger flower pot. I'll have to figure out some way of watering them when I go away, though....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:09 PM
November 10, 2002
On the 44th day of Christmas...
...my Visa gave to me Band of Brothers DVD Set U2, The Best of 1990-2000 Alison Krauss and Union Station, Live Bjork, Greatest Hits Wallflowers, Red Letter Days ...and half a pound of Peets coffee (Holiday Blend) Hey, the CDs...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:20 PM
October 13, 2002
My PC began randomly freezing
My PC began randomly freezing up recently. Tried to isolate the cause, but with the pirated OS, the old video card from a defunct company, the pile of parts from Fry's, and the software hacks to keep the Athlon running...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:47 PM
October 06, 2002
Evil Conspiracy Afoot
So last week's Will and Grace episode featured Kevin Bacon and contained a great bit with Will and Kevin dancing to the soundtrack of Footloose (activated via Clapper). So what do I find when I open the Best Buy ad...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:50 PM
August 30, 2002
Alright, the TiBook's Airport range
Alright, the TiBook's Airport range officially sucks. I couldn't even take it to the curb before the signal cut out, much less across the street to the park. The PB 1400 with the Orinoco Silver card had no problems. Maybe...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:05 PM
August 29, 2002
Installed the Jaguar Developer Tools
Installed the Jaguar Developer Tools so I can get Plucker working on Powerbook. the Plucker package is sparsely documented, but it's not so bad if you're used to Linux installs, and it's a little easier on MacOS X now that...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:59 PM
August 24, 2002
Meow
So I have no life, and on a Friday night at 10:20 PM, I drove out to Berkeley to Computerware. Hey, it's release night for Macos 10.2 ( 10.2, 10:20, get it?), S0 various Apple dealers were holding release...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:17 PM
August 10, 2002
Local Hotspot
Got my hands on the elusive Linksys WET11, which is a box that bridges 802.11b to 10-baseT Ethernet. The XBox folks have been all over this thing since it allows them to hook up the XBox to the network for...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:16 AM
August 07, 2002
X
My life is so boring that I'm installing computer operating systems for fun. With 10.2 coming out soon, plus various 10-only iApps, I decided to take the plunge and upgrade the Powerbook to MacOS X. Dumped the important stuff (Eudora...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:57 PM
August 02, 2002
Costco has a digital picture
Costco has a digital picture service, where they can "develop" the digital pictures directly from the camera's memory card. And it's just about the same price as one-hour film development, which isn't too surprising since it looks like they both...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:18 PM
July 02, 2002
Behold the Power of MacOS X
This program is almost cool enough to make me install MacOS X on my main computer. The demand was obviously there, but it took the combination of an easy to use programming framework and an unemployed programmer to make this...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:02 AM
June 30, 2002
Do not taunt Happy Fun Cube
From the brochure that comes with every GameCube game: WARNING - Seizures WARNING - Repetitive Motion Injuries WARNING - Electric Shock CAUTION - Laser Device CAUTION - Motion Sickness CAUTION - Projection TV Use [ed: Dangers of burn-in] Not to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:34 PM
June 20, 2002
Mall Crawl
Went to the mall to pick up a Wavebird from Electronics Boutique. Of course, it was selling for five bucks less everywhere else three days later, but there was something to be said for instant gratification. Plus it was cool...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:21 AM
June 19, 2002
I just realized that Krispy
I just realized that Krispy Kreme chocolate-iced donuts also has the sugar glaze on it. Better stick with the original glazed donuts. They're healthier....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:24 AM
June 14, 2002
What's this world coming to?
What's this world coming to? Peet's is now offering flavored syrups in their coffee. I didn't really care when they started offering the sugary ice-blended drinks, but 50 cents for a glob of artificially flavored sugar syrup is upselling at...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:13 AM
June 12, 2002
Geekery
Fry's Friday ad (the primary reason I subscribe to the paper) advertised 120 GB Western Digital 5400 RPM hard disks for $109. So it's not the fastest hard drive out there, but that's actually an advantage when it comes to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:21 PM
June 08, 2002
One can almost entirely subsist
One can almost entirely subsist on food from Trader Joe's. It's got pasta, dairy, canned goods, sauces, some produce, frozen meats, lots of junk food, and plenty of alcohol. But it just seems like such a freakishly yuppie thing to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:39 PM
May 30, 2002
Adventures in Breakfast Pastry
Decided to go with the carrot-zuccini-raisin muffin today. Should be filling enough to make lunch unnecessary. The same muffin that goes for $1.50 at the student co-op coffee shop sells for $2.75 at Peets. Bastards. The students can use some...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:12 AM
May 28, 2002
Picked up a Game Cube
Picked up a Game Cube over the weekend. The E3 price drop plus a $30-off-3-games deal at Best Buy made it too hard to resist. So it's one more reason not to leave the house as I turn my brain...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:00 PM
May 20, 2002
Picked up a pint of
Picked up a pint of Ben & Jerry's Pistachio Pistachio ice cream on a lark and it's actually growing on me. The pistachio ice cream doesn't really taste like the pistachio nuts, though, mostly because one is sweet and the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:54 PM
May 12, 2002
Why I Need a Whisk
Do you have any idea how hard it is to whip up milk foam with a chopstick? The Peet's Anniversary Blend is great for the morning macchiato. Glad that I managed to get in on the last batch....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:09 AM
May 09, 2002
Moral Crisis
Stopped by the grocery store on the way home to pick u some garlic and ginger. Didn't feel like cooking that night, though, so I figured that I'd pick up a sandwich at the deli counter. Then I realized I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:06 PM
May 05, 2002
Love is like chili-cheese fries
I think I wanted the idea of chili-cheese fries than the chili-cheese fries themselves. Combined with a side order of a hot dog with the works, it left a serious case of heartburn. At least chili-cheese fries get flushed out...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:39 AM
April 14, 2002
Rules of Acquisition
I've been on a bit of an anime kick lately. Coincidentally, DVD Planet has a sale on their Pioneer titles, which was a chance to pick up some nice box sets. It's probably a bad habit left over from the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:37 PM
April 12, 2002
The student co-op put in
The student co-op put in a self-serve bagel slicer and one of those conveyer-toasters. Before, they just had a conventional toaster-oven and some dull butter knives. Now this is the sort of entrepreneurial spirit and customer service that I admire....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:16 AM
April 11, 2002
Home Networking
Yuck. Looks like that the Access Client Mode of a Linksys WAP11 will only talk to another WAP11 or some other 802.11b access point with an Atmel chipset. Of course, the AP/Router/Switch BEFW11S4 doesn't use the Atmel chipset, even though...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:52 PM
Preliminary opinion on the Mach3:
Preliminary opinion on the Mach3: Smooth I don't mind the expensive (feed-a-Third-World-family-for-a-week expensive) blades since I only use a razor once every few days anyway. I use the electric for touch-ups in between. The only reason I even got the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:29 AM
March 29, 2002
Mom replaced the garbage cans
Mom replaced the garbage cans in the house with Step Cans, which have the lid that pop open when you step on the pedal. Actually, I don't know for sure that mom's the one responsible for this change, but I...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 08:51 AM
March 18, 2002
A Breakfast Story
Okay, the Krispy Kreme glazed donuts seemed to have survived their time in the freezer. A few seconds in the microwave and the dough in the donuts taste good as new. Unfortunately, the glaze seem to have dessicated in the...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:27 AM
March 10, 2002
Jamba Juice is good for
Jamba Juice is good for those occasions when I've been eating badly for a few days and need a quick shot of fruits and vitamins. Although, if you look at the ingredient list closely, most of the smoothies are still...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 07:52 PM
March 02, 2002
Don't know why I ever
Don't know why I ever bother to eat at McDonalds. Maybe to remind myself that it's not something I want to do any more often thatn I have to. Actually, it takes a special confluence of circumstances for me to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:56 PM
February 27, 2002
Yet more evidence that it's
Yet more evidence that it's all about the swag. The new iMac comes with a soft grey cloth for polishing the 15" LCD monitor. After spending $1800, before taxes, for a computer, it's the little things that allows one to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 02:11 PM
February 26, 2002
A new tanning salon just
A new tanning salon just opened nearby. Their slick new banners promises a grand opening special: unlimited tanning for the low, low price of $25 per month. Now, there are lots of services which are great with a set-price, unlimited-use...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:38 PM
February 25, 2002
Looks like SD Transit got
Looks like SD Transit got themselves some new busses. They run on natural gas, which is better for the environment (although not in the greenhouse gasses department), but the real spiff new feature is the back door. They actually open...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:16 PM
February 17, 2002
Grocery Store-y
The life of the painfully bourgeois: Buying overpriced, mediocre grocery store sushi. At least the sushi lady was there, so the rolls haven't been sitting in the icebox all day. Is there anything more fungible than chlorine toilet tablets? Actually,...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:49 PM
February 16, 2002
Sometimes it's the little things
Sometimes it's the little things that make me lose faith in humanity. Went to get some donuts from Krispy Kreme. Decided to go for the assorted dozen this time, since it's not that much more expensive than getting half a...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:54 PM
February 09, 2002
Food and Drink
Picked up a steak burrito combo, ranchero style, from La Salsa. Their food is pretty good and reasonably authentic for a chain. Although the La Salsa in UTC does violate the Golden Rule of Ethnic Restaurants, i.e. it can't be...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:44 PM
February 08, 2002
Fry's went with a Happy
Fry's went with a Happy Valentine's Day theme for their big Friday ad spread this week. Does that count as real irony or would it be like Alanis-irony? Valentine's Day is probably about as important as Arbor Day for most...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:11 PM
February 07, 2002
BofA upgraded the local ATM
BofA upgraded the local ATM to the latest and greatest model, complete with color screen, sound effects, and dancing bears. Well, no bears, but then the only ATM trick that could impress me would be free money coming out of...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 12:18 AM
February 02, 2002
After letting Morpheus run for
After letting Morpheus run for most of the week, I finally got a cracked copy of WinXP running under a cracked copy of VMWare so I can watch pirated anime DivX;-) files. VMWare keeps all that warez d00d stuff in...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 11:03 PM
January 31, 2002
Was at Fins last night
Was at Fins last night for their shrimp taco combo. It was obvious that the girl managing behind the counter was sick as a dog. She was sniffling and had that droopy-eyed look of sickly exhaustion. Felt kinda bad for...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 03:22 PM
January 27, 2002
Hmm... the VGA switchbox was
Hmm... the VGA switchbox was not a panacea. There's definitely loss of picture quality and some nasty image ghosting. Hey, what did you expect for three bucks. Need to look into better cables and internal shielding....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 10:08 PM
January 22, 2002
Wow, The Grove Cafe (the
Wow, The Grove Cafe (the student co-op) makes a much tastier cup of coffee than Espresso Roma (the chain in the Price Center). Too bad The Grove a little out of the way. And just when I'm getting close to...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 09:08 AM
January 21, 2002
Shopping Trip
Grocery shopping is one of those chores that you undertake to keep yourself alive. It's depressing how much time can get sucked up by this type of chore. Especially when you're living by yourself, so there's no economy of scale....Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 05:55 PM
January 18, 2002
The Price Center is an
The Price Center is an apropo name for the student center, especially when you're trying to buy lunch. I did like the Mexican food place, which was run by a Chinese family who spoke Spanish. Sometimes the lady would take...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 01:24 PM
January 07, 2002
MacWorld Expo
There was no way it was going to live up to all the rumored hype, but the new iMac is pretty darn nifty, even if it does look like Luxo Jr. It's a little annoying that my used-to-be-awesome PowerBook now...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:58 PM
So I have a cell
So I have a cell phone now. Mom couldn't get decent reception from SprintPCS at the new house so she moved to AT&T. Since we're committed to a Sprint contract from now to eternity, and I'm the only one in...Read the full entry...
Posted by mikewang at 04:09 PM