Flyers

Nothing beats sitting on the bed and going through flyers. My favourites are those from Best Buy and other electronics retailers, followed by Canadian Tire or any tool related flyers. I find that I actually learn quite a bit about the latest technology through flyers, not to mention being an expert on prices. Speaking of prices, I wonder how many flyers contestants from "The Price is Right" go through, before going on the show.

What a great way to waste time!

Prophecies and Psychics

We now live in the 21^st century; a century that will be recognized for breakthroughs in medicine, technology, and understanding. By understanding I mean an understanding in our surrounding, physical phenomena, and more generally, Nature. With all this new knowledge, it appals to hear of people believing in nonsense such as faith healing, psychics, and prophecies. I will touch on faith healing in another post, but the main focus of this post will be prophecies and psychics.

I think it’s human nature to be drawn into the mysterious world of prophecies. What’s better than someone being able to tell the future?

Some of the more talked about prophecies come from holy books, such as the Bible, Torah and the Quran. Religious scholars pour over such books trying to see the future from the hidden meanings of the passages. The scholars try to match recent events with events mentioned in those holy books, claiming that he books contain hints on what will happen in the future.

A simple Google search reveals a large number of websites dedicated to deciphering the bible, and relating to “hidden codes” within the holy book. Why can’t people just take these holy books for what they’re intended to be used for? I see holy books as guides to those who want to pursue a certain religion, not as psychic material. What especially bothers me, is when people speak of a recent scientific findings, later adding that it was prophesised in verse x of chapter y. To those who believe that their holy book contains science facts, I ask:

If there is so much undiscovered knowledge in your holy book then why don’t you find it before scientists do?

It’s very clear that only after science proves a certain fact, that religious scholars come along and claim that the discovery was lurking in a 2000 year old book. Perhaps those scholars should work a little bit harder, and accelerate their findings to the point where they can work side by side with scientists.

Other than religious men, there are others who believe they have special psychic powers. I saw a program on those “gifted” people a while ago, and one thing that caught my attention was the atmosphere they all created for themselves, in order for them to start seeing the future. Dark, candle lit rooms, with smoke randomly floating around, and some sort of freakish type of music playing in the background seem to be the ingredients for future telling. The psychic murmurs, makes odd hand movements, in an attempt to get in touch with some “hyper space plane” where “universal energy” in “channelled” through giving him his/her insight on future events.

If anything, the similarity between the settings created by these psychics should give a warning bell about the authenticity of their findings. I find it similar to how Aliens are always depicted as humans with big heads and enormous eyes. What’s I’m trying to say here, is that these psychics are trying to follow a stereotype in order to make themselves credible. After all going to see a psychic, in a well lit room, with a desk and a computer and nice big paintings on the walls, wouldn’t seem all that mysterious.

It is interesting to note that researchers contacted a few of those so-called psychics and tested their abilities. The researcher would look at a picture card, and ask the psychic to identify what the picture depicts. The correct guesses showed no statistical significance. That is, by pure chance any average Joe can get the same number of correct guesses.

How long will we keep buying this nonsense? How many of the readers believe that prophecy is an ability that some humans posses? What are your thoughts?

Technorati Tags: Prophecy, Prophecies, Psychic, Holy Book, Pseudoscience

Busy...

Well, it's the third week of school, which means we will have completed 1/4 of the term by this Friday. Between assignments, soccer, and everyday life, I'm finding less time to blog. I'll try to post as freuquently as I can.

I still read everyone's blog though, usually during lunch at school :)

The Art of Surfing at Work

Figure 1 - An example of positioning the browser window, with relevant work in the background.

We’re all guilty of it. The computer is right there in front of us, and the internet connection is really fast and tempting. We get seduced into surfing, reading news, fooling around, or even commenting on peoples’ blogs. So how do we avoid getting caught? How do we look busy? What are the reactions to getting caught? All of these questions will be discussed in this post.

Avoiding getting caught:
For this I have discovered a few tricks, although I’m sure many have discovered them independently as well. The first is a classic so here it goes:

Open up the browser, and then resize the window. The size of the window is directly related to how much you can cover with your body from someone looking from behind. It also depends on how close you sit to the computer and whether you lean to one side or the other. Personally I place the window in the bottom centre, with a little offset towards the right. The size of the window is about 1/4 of the full screen size. I’m currently working on a formula which will take in all the variables discussed to give you the maximum window size with minimum risk of getting caught. I will take time at home and use high powered math, along with super computers to formulate this very important equation… or I can just do it during work.

This tip also qualifies as a classic. For this you have to open several programs which are relevant to your work. Usually a pdf. Document or a word or excel file do the job. Now pop open the internet browser as discussed in the previous tip. As you are surfing place the mouse pointer over the minimization dash in the top corner of the window. That way when you minimize, you will look like you are doing work. Dina suggested that I use Alt-tab, for quick switching between applications. I thank Dina for her cooperation.

In an emergency, you can always count on the “show desktop” icon which comes standard with Windows XP, and 2000. This buttons minimize all windows and shows the desktop. I thank the programmer behind this button. Oh yeah you can use the key-board shortcut (Windows buttons + D) to jump to the desktop as well.

There’s one more trick that you can use to protect you against the quick glance. Turn off image loading from your browser’s options. Images are a quick way of knowing what the employee is reading on the net. So turn them off and surf away.

Got anymore? I would seriously like to know them.

In a later post, I will show you a 100% guaranteed way of writing personal e-mails at work without getting caught :D Stay tuned

Technorati Tags: Surfing, Internet, Wasting time, Work, Office

I pissed off Simple Plan fans.. LOL!

I was checking my blog stats, and I saw that I got quite a few referrals from this website that I don't even know. So I clicked on the link, and it turns out it's some media related site that takes posts and reblogs them..

I found it very interesting that some hardcore Simple Plan fans left some comments, read on..
Jetan says: Are you jelous cuz ur like the same age and their more famous than you??and your like infamous.. and like no one cares anout you??or is it like you were just never noticed!

LOL... Jetan, like how did you know like that I was like so jealous of them. Wow girl! you got like super mental powers. I like admit.. I am jealous.

athirah says: you know what.. if you dont like simple plan , then just leave them alone~ there are alot of people out there who love them.. for example me so just stop rambling and could you people find something better to do.. i feel sorry for you guys ...you guys are just a bunch of fucking stupid people ~ buh-bye

Athriah, those were ~ some convincing arguments on why I should like them, such as "there are alot of people out there who love them.. for example me." I should have known you liked them
~ cya

What I love about these comments, is that they totally support my post. I think I’m going to keep checking that page, hoping for more comments.

Voila, the report is finally finished!

As part of my work term, I am required to write a work report that relates to some aspect of my job. The guidlines are pretty strict, making the report quite a pain to write and edit.
I just got the report bound, so it's officially done.

It's due on Monday, and it counts as much as a course does, so wish me luck :)

Make Money.. it's Easy!

So I thought of rewarding the readers of my blog by giving you chance to earn some money.. yes this is not a joke, so open up your eyes and ears and give me your full attention. What I’m going to tell you is totally legal, so no worries there either ;)

All you have to do is offer a neighbour, or some one you know and you don’t really like some service. For example, ask them to do their dishes for let’s say 30 times, once a day. Tell them you’re doing this to fill in some work hours required by some new government bill, or whatever lie you can come up with. All they have to pay you is a penny (Syrian pound, a fraction of a Dinar, or whatever your currency is as long as it’s a small amount)

Now here’s where the trick comes in, you have to ask them to pay double what they payed you last time, everytime you do the dishes. This deal will seem really attractive, just look at it

First wash pays a cent

Second pays you two cents

…

Fifth pays you 32 cents

How good of a deal is this? Now get them to sign an agreement with the conditions outlined above.

So how much money would they pay you in total?

Well if the initial payment is one cent, then you would end up with

$10,737,418

Yes that’s about 11 million dollars, and if they start complaining that they can’t make the payments then I suggest you sue!

I actually got my dad to sign this agreement back in grade 11, but I was nice enough not to sue.

Artist or Engineer?

These are my brother's latest creations. The lego on top is what he described as a tank. That's one crazy tank eh, I think it looks more like an oil rig. I don't think even I can make this with lego, but then again back in my day we played with stones and mud, and went to school barefoot, up hill both ways... :P

Now this is a self protrait of him eating ice cream. He especially drew a tongue, and notice the grid on the cone. The little swirls on top is what he told me is wind.

So what do you think, will he be an artist or an engineer?

Simple Plan.. for the love of god STOP WHINING

Holy crap! Can I turn on the damn radio without hearing Simple Plan whining?

I can’t believe people listen to this crap, let alone scream at concerts, buy CD’s and even put up posters of those cry babies… Mua…Muaa Muaa.. that’s all I hear when Simple Plan is on.

Bunch of bastards! And what kind of lyrics are these? I can think of 5 year olds with a deeper look on life. Punks!!

I don’t think I need to write much about them to prove the point, I’ll let they’re lyrics do them justice…

"God Must Hate Me"
Last night I just wanted to have fun
To go out with my friends
I took my dad's car
I never thought he would find out
But I crashed in a wall
Man I'm dead
I guess it's no use
I'm screwing up ever little thing I ever try to do
I was born to lose

Wow.. god must hate you if you stole your daddies car.. moo hoo, you want a shoulder to cry on??

“Untitled”
How could this happen to me
I made my mistakes
I’ve got no where to run
The night goes on
As I’m fading away
I’m sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me

Everybody’s screaming
I try to make a sound but no one hears me
I’m slipping off the edge
I’m hanging by a thread
I wanna start this over again

Hey!! Maybe you’re so annoying people want you to slip off the edge.. and what a title to the song, real creative : and for the love of god don’t “start this over again” I think I heard enough!

"Me Against The World"

We're not gonna be
Just apart of their game
We're not gonna be
Just the victims
They're taking our dreams
And they tear them apart
Til everyone's the same
I've got no place to go
I've got no where to run
They love to watch me fall
They think they know it all

I'm a nightmare, a disaster
That's what they always say
I'm a lost cause, not a hero
But I'll make it on my own
I've gotta prove them wrong
Me against the world
It's me against the world

Holy shit.. there we go again complaining, wining, and being rebellious. If it’s you against the world does that make you at fault or the world?? Hmm.. why don’t you stop singing and put on some make up, your mascara is smudging.

Below is a list of some of their songs.. notice the deep titles, most of which consiting of one word, probably picked randomly from a dictionary.

Worst Day Ever LOL this is my favourite
You Don't Mean Anything
I'm Just A Kid well said!
God Must Hate Me
Perfect
Shut Up
Perfect World
Thank You
Crazy
Jump
Everytime
Promise
One two..three… there you go, you got it, what a fast learner

Oh and if you’re a fan, I got no sympathy for you! At one point in your life you will realize how dumb you were for liking them.

Technorati Tags: Simple Plan, Punk, Music, Crap, Pop

For those staying in New Orleans

I heard there were 5000-10000 people who are refusing to leave New Orleans, although they have no water and no electricity, and not to mention the filthy water surrounding them.

I say, use these people as part of the recovery effort. Give them the option of staying if and only if they agree on helping the rescue crew, or any other recovery crew for that matter. The Red Cross has just announced the need for 40 000 volunteers, so help is needed.

Furthermore, I suggest gathering all the able who were stranded by the hurricane without a home and a job, and offering them pay in return for help in rebuilding the city. In other words, give people the opportunity to earn a living rebuilding their city.

Technorati Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, Hurricane Katrina

WARNING!! Hurricane Osama is coming

It’s storm season now... hurricanes, tropical storms, you name it!

Speaking of naming it, have you ever wondered how they come up with the names of those hurricanes?

For instance, take Hurricane Katrina, how did they get that name? My guess would be that the name is a meteorologist’s wife name. The guy must have had a big argument with his wife Katrina the night before the hurricane started to develop. He got his revenge by naming the hurricane after her.

I can also see the hurricane naming strategy being changed pretty soon. Bush’s government will start naming hurricanes after popular terrorists. So we will start hearing of the devastation cause by “Hurricane Osama” and the countless homes destroyed by “Tropical Storm Saddam.”

I wonder if they would step up the US alert level, if Hurricane Osama was brewing somewhere in the Mexican Gulf. But then again, they could always attack the Gulf of Mexico pre-emptively, and stop the breeding of more terrorist hurricanes.

Technorati Tags: Katrina, Hurricane, Hurricane Katrina, Osama, Bush, Humour

Update..

School’s started, and fall is a few days from being official. At this time of year nostalgia creeps up on me, especially when I see kids taking their school buses every morning. Anyhow, the Montreal trip is now a chapter in the summer 2005 memories, and a new chapter is about to begin in a few days.

I will be retuning to the beloved Waterloo, for another 4 challenging months, full of deadlines, projects, and a full brain workout. I will also be applying for new jobs, to fill my winter work term. With the applications comes the extra headache of interviews, reading up job descriptions, researching companies, and practicing those valuable interview “skills” that we have been drilled with.

My work term ended last Friday, on a very good note. The 4 months that passed taught me a lot of life skills such as patience, and how to deal with angry, low-class people. On the other hand I also met a few good guys, who made the 4 month experience more bearable. At the job I was exposed to a new side of mechanical engineering, and I applied some of the knowledge I gained from school to solve some problems. It’s always satisfying to use school knowledge in real life. I got a lot to say about the job, but I will leave that rant for later…

During this week, most of my friends will be moving in. It’s always good to see everyone come back!

The other day I got all the books that I needed, with the help of a dear friend. I paid my tuition this afternoon, and all I need now is some pens, lead, and a billion sheets of paper. The size of the calculus book especially surprised me. I really hope we get to use that over a few terms. Any readers happen to be math experts here? Perhaps experienced in ordinary differential equations? If so drop me an e-mail :)

Just thought I would give you an update on what’s new…

From Montreal..

We got here in the afternoon, and it turns out there's an internet connection in the room. So far it's been great. I saw some new places which I missed last time, and there are some good plans for tomorrow :)
More pics on flickr when I get back.

Thoughts and Stories on New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina

I really don’t know where to start writing about this. But I thought I would collect some of the stories, news, and my thoughts and share them with you.

If you are not aware of what the situation is like in New Orleans, I suggest you turn to a news station and watch. New Orleans a city that is below sea level, has been hit by one of the biggest hurricanes ever. The city has now turned into a pond. Thousands are trapped there, with no food, water, or medical care. The water will most likely stay in the city for weeks; there is no short term solution in sight.

Roughly 20,000 people are trapped in the Superdome, the city’s biggest stadium. Before getting the order to get those people evacuated, the situation in the Superdome resembled a jungle more than anything else. People were breaking down. The lack of sanitation, food and water , combined with the extreme heat frustration pushed some people to start fighting, killing and even raping one another. In one incident a man killed his sister over a bag of ice. The stores in the city are being looted, by some in need, and others in greed. Random shooting around the city against police, and medical services have also occurred. Even rescue helicopters were fired at while trying to take the sick away from the effected area. The civil unrest has called the mayor to issue a “Desperate SOS.”

Troops are preparing to enter the city, in hopes of calming the situation down, and in an attempt to help the already outstretched police force. In the midst of all this, some positive stories come to light. A elderly couple saved from their water surrounded car, circled by alligators. A one day old baby found and reunited with his parents. Buses arriving to the Superdome carrying the survivors out of the city.

So how can this type of mess happen? How was the preparation for it? Everyone knew New Orleans was below sea level, and located in a hurricane prone area, why weren’t they prepared? Why is it taking so long for the army to enter the city? Are only some of the questions on my mind and many others’.

It turns out in 2001, a scientist published a report/study about the vulnerability of New Orleans, and an initial effort was undergone in order to solve some of the issues. The cost to protect New Orleans was 14 billion, more than the state could afford. At the same time, the Bush government, decided to cut spending on such issues. To know that they had a 4 year warning, and did nothing about it, should be a question that all Americans must ponder. I find it quite ironic how quickly troops were mobilized for the Iraq war, to fight the threat of Saddam, and meanwhile, there were larger threats in on US soil not even thought about.

I was watching Anderson Cooper a few hours ago, and he was talking to a Lousiana politician, who kept praising the fact that congress cut their vacations short, and that Bush Senior and Clinton are getting involved, as if they’re doing something heroic. I’m so sick of those bastards pretend they are doing all they can to ‘help’. The true heroes are not the politicians, who cut their vacations short, but rather the doctors and nurses in the hospitals doing all they can to treat patients and the police men and women who are trying their best to keep everything in order. In one hospital, the nurses are pumping air into and out patients lungs using hand-operated devices. It really frustrates me when a certain him or her in the government take up media time to praise themselves.

Got anything to say about this?

Technorati Tags: New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina, Flood

Pictures and their descritptions are from here