What I learnt from the San Diego Zoo

Would you like some "Bean-curd made by a pock-marked woman"?

How about "chicken without sexual life"? (What is THAT?)

New home!

It was fun while it lasted!

The iPhone. Carey bought one and sent it up for me. It was amazing. As good as advertised. Would have loved a better camera and a GPS sensor, as in the new one.

Sold, today, for a slight profit. Why? I thought I'd do that before it's worth nothing when the new one comes out!

New home?

I wonder... who bought from him?

Colin Powell a huge disappointment

A few weeks ago I was at a thoracic surgery meeting. One of the drug companies invited Colin Powell to speak on a retired US Navy ship. I managed to get a hold of a ticket and thought it would be the highlight of the meeting. I was expecting an inspirational talk about "Leadership in time of change". It turned out to be the greatest disappointment. It was nothing but a very expensive talk-show. No, I didn't have to pay, but I am sure it would have been quite dear for the drug company to get him. Nothing about the upcoming election, nothing inspiring. It was just jokes from beginning to end. And like all other politicians, what was said was so ambiguous, non-committal, that he might as well keep quiet. I would expect a 70-year-old retired general with nothing to lose to deliver a much more exciting speech.

Orange juice on your keyboard and mouse? No problem!

I pour orange juice (with lots of pulp) on my keyboard and mouse. The mouse acted up, and gave me automatic double click with every single click.

Thinking tha I can't kill a dead mouse, I took apart the cover and rinse the mouse with tap water. After air-drying for hours that problem was gone, but now there is an automatic scroll to the right! I repeated the process another 2 times. Air-dried it. And it's back to normal function now.

2001 Jetta Wolfsburg RIP Feb 6, 2007

Welcome home, 1998 e320 4matic wagon.

Just renewing our HK SAR passports. How painful can it be?

VERY.

We could have sent the applications directly to HK, but that would require pickup in-person when done.

The Consulate General is located in Calgary, so we went there overnight, to hand in our applications today. What is the problem? The problem is that those personel did not know half of the procedures and requirements.

After going back and forth between the Consulate, the ATM, and the post-office, we "successfully" handed in our applications. Not sure if it will work out, but if it does, it's still better than the alternative: $4000 trip to HK plus taking 2 weeks off work.