Paid by, Alex

Jog Log #26

5600m, 37'20".

Velbon 630 tripod

Get a second hand one, headless, today. It's almost 100% new, with all the original packing and the accessories still in sealed plastic bags. Nice deal.

Skating

Took Alex to skate yesterday. A little more than an hour. And am very tired.

After 30 mins or so, Alex tried to walk on his own. No success of course. But he could hold my hand and 'skate' on the ice. He really enjoy it.

火龍印像

好悶！都唔知自己點解會去！不過試一下用DSLR 加14/2.8影火龍，都叫做影過。

其他在此

Jog Log #25

5600m, 39'15".

Yesterday

Was a very fine day.

Jog Log #24

5600m, 35'10".

Cheap Advertising

It cost $80 a piece.

And it's everywhere.

When thing gets cheap, people abuse it.

Same principle applies to a lot of area, including your job.

One Day In Guangzhou

Hay,I miss you, my uncle!

Jog Log #23

5600m. 39'40".

白松露菌醬

去人地屋企食架咋. 唔好笑我蠢~~~

Jog Log #22

5600m, 38'40".

Jog Log #21

5600m, 38'20".

Paint the Thomas

"我冇相機啊... 可唔可以買部俾我呀?"

Alex 在沒有人留意時, 在書房偷偷拿了我的 F10, 並拍了照片.

媽媽見倒就同佢講: "部相機係爸爸架, 你唔可以拿來用架. 會整壞架!"

Alex (可憐地): "我冇相機啊... 可唔可以買部俾我呀?"

影成咁, 唔使旨意!

部 F10 係要按住個 POWER 掣唔放先開倒既. 奇怪係佢竟然識開機.

Jog Log #20

4300m, 30 mins

沒有痛的感覺是最痛

東方吹來的海風，吹不動手背的毫毛。
盛夏烈日的光芒，暖不透頸項的血脈。
音箱傳來的妙韻，震不動沈重的耳鼓。
屏幕上災難影像，觸不起絲微的感動。

欲道盡生活的不快，
指頭亂往鍵盤上敲，
呆看著眼前的閃光，
忽而模糊，執筆而無言。

該痛的怎麼不痛？該悲的怎麼不哭？
望望藍天，吹吹秋風，甚麼感覺也沒有了。

原來最痛的感覺是不再懂得痛．

Jog Log #19

5600m, 38'40".

Change my maid

My maid went back to Indoniasia today, and we replace with one from Philppine. Alex cried sadly when the old maid leave home. But when we go out to pick up the new maid from the agent, he felt lot more happy. When he saw the maid, he got excited and 'cling-to' her. Thou Alex used to communicate with maid in chinese and he only knows a few English words, he goes along with the maid happily. Tried to make some sound which sound like English but is not, enjoying himself.

That's kid!

Jog Log #18

5600m, 38'15".

Jog Log #17

5600m, 38'45".

Disneyland HK photos

MORE HERE

Disneyland HK Rehearsal

I was there last sunday (28/8). Now working hard on the photos, which I have over 700 of them.

Jog Log #16

5600m, 38'40".

Greek gods

I was interested in the Greek gods stories long time ago, but all I know are bits-n-pieces from different sources and articles. Never truely know the whole picture. Lately, I get a very short book introduced the gods briefly, and am able to sort out the relationship pic as shown.

Interesting enough, a lot of ancient religon / mythlogy said the universe begins with a very chaostic state: Greek said it's called Chaos; LoZi said it's called Tai Chi (太極); Genesis said there was nothing... and Stephen Hawkings said there was a big bang.

Greeks also said Chaos created 2 gods (for sky and land); LoZi said Tai Chi created 2 polar (兩儀); China ancient myth said there was gods for sky and land (盤 and 古); and Genesis said there was 2 light (for sun and moon)...

Stephen Hawkings doesn't know what's next to big bang yet.

Photoshoping

虹膜炎

舊年十月發病, 攪到隻右眼睇野好似加左 diffuser 咁. 當時睇左成個月有多眼科醫生, 都話病因基本上係未明, 大致同人體免疫系統有關, 屬自發性, 冇得避免, 基本要等佢自己好, 不一定可以完全根冶...

而家睇野仲係濛濛地. 今日再去睇多次醫生, 好彩 check 完佢話仲有只係好輕微既虹膜炎, 而結晶體就因此有少少混濁... 套用相機術語, 即係: 光圈生銹, 鏡頭霧化...

不過, 得一隻清楚睇野仲2D, 有助影相構圖...

Energy Crisis Again?

The crude oil price is closing to US70. Will there be a great shock to the world economy? I guess so. Brace man!

Jog Log #15

5600m, in 38'40"

夜未眠

夜了，未睡。
胡思又亂想，紊亂。

倦了，不休，
腦神經交戰，我在幹麼？

三五一十五，轉不通。
我發神經了嗎？

Jog Log #14

5600m, in 39'50".

還能吃麼?

這年頭, 香港像是中了咒似的. 不單是負面及不快的事接二連三, 更可怕的是政府的處理方法實在是低能得很!

河南發現豬肉有殺人的細菌, 香港政府說沒有理據及權力禁止入口. 深圳緊急上門回收豬肉, 忽然有不知那來的權力又可以禁止入口. 大陸說鰻魚有毒不能吃, 原來那毒物竟不在香檢測之範圍, 也不能主動禁入口. 緊急修改法例, 原來只是亡羊補牢的加入那一種物質. 早兩天政府還沒有談到其他淡水魚, 直至昨天忽然沒有淡水魚的供應, 香港才如夢初醒地拿一些活魚去化驗, 一驗又是有問題.

好像大閘蟹也是有問題的, 不過是動物激素. 海魚也可能有問題的, 因為很多海魚都是養殖的. 還有還有......

食環處是不是發夢的呢?

Get my iPOD

Nice form factor, sound quality, and software. Like it.

Puzzle Maniac

Alex's Way to Consolate

AGAC updated

Planted by Alex:


Alex's first ever digital paint work:

Jog Log #13

41 mins, 5600m.

Some snaps from OP

more here.

Ocean Park

Took Alex to Ocean Park today: it's frying out there! 10am - 7pm, 8 hours burning under the sun - and now I can barely type.

AGAC

= the Art Gallery of Alex Chiu

Should have done that long time ago for Alex. Can't find many of his scribble. Will update the album if I can find more.

Jog Log #12

41'20", on 5600m.

IR images

By somebody else:

Jog Log #11

31.5 mins, for 4300 metres

Web surfing

Alex was playing games and listening to the songs in this site.

Antique bowling game

Alex in Library

We go there regularly...

Jog Log #10

30.5 mins, for 4300 metres. Suddenly rain heavily at mid-way, and I was all soaked.

Magic hour with F10

My old OM 4040 never able to produce the red-tint in the cloud like that.

How to kill an XD card

Took some photo with your camera, stuck the XD card in a card reader, and delete some files with your computer. That's it.

Jog Log #9

3500m, slight less than 25 mins.

Alex's graduation....

On July 23, of his N1 class. Photo taken by Vanessa, with the F10.

Shadow 'n light

Dead XD card

#%$)#(%#.

Just play with the XD card in the new card reader, find it's strange that I can't delete file or format the XD card with the reader. Then I put the card in the F10, the camera just hang and can't 'bootup' and the lens stay extended. Try remove the battery for 5 mins, still not working. Then put the 16MB XD in the camera and it work fine.

So confirm the XD card is dead.

So quick! Have to replace it at the shop tomorrow.

Fried icecream

Took Alex to try fried icecream, but he didn't appreciate much the warm icecream. He like another dish more.

Snap with Fuji F10

A nice little camera for snap...

Lalitha's Nursery Rhymes Site

If you have a little child to care of, try this site and he/she will surely like it. There is a lot of flash of nursery songs, games and stories.

說不出的未來

是我最愛的廣東話歌之一. 十七年前的歌詞, 今天再看, 竟比當初更有味道, 亦更合當代情況!! 且看一看劉卓輝的詞:

-------
霧裏看都市 憂傷與灰暗
人們在抱怨天氣 互說風光
我對你傾訴 但充滿了隔膜
似是我故作寂寞在一角
愛上了電視 不需要思索
模糊面對工作 日夜去奔波
偶爾看齣戲 漆黑裏歡樂
我愛你那歌曲天天播

曾話過 賽馬不禁 跳舞自由
曾話過 這裏不變 我會逗留
你問我 我為何 說不出對未來的感覺

那個要包裝 青春與奔放
誰高呼空虛 觀眾便心醉
我聽到歌聲 醫不了飢餓
上帝愛你 跟祂去天國

誰做錯 世界到處有難民
誰做錯 你要降世救罪人
你問我 我為何 說不出對未來的感覺

今天我知 鄉村變了都市
今天我知 文明原來是這樣
告訴我 你會叫喊與淚流
告訴我 你會奮鬥到盡頭
告訴我 看到了自由
告訴我 我為何說不出對未來的感覺

Movie Initial D on CNN headline

Why they still say BT and pirate killed the movie industry?

New tech and pirate may rob a lot of revenue from movie makers, but real good *(in the marketing sense. not artistic sense) movie still make much noise, and money.

My Meaning of Life

I commented on James' blog. After my post, I have a second thought to blog it as well:

I always think about the meanings of life, when I was sixteen.

Back then, I reckon all animals are trying their best to survive. Not much animals suicide. The life of some inserts can be as short as a few hours. But they keep on living. Why they do that hard life? To reproduce!

Bingo, so the true meaning of live is to reproduce! But as a human being, we should take the meaning of 'reproduction' some futher steps, larger than life. I reckon it should be to extend the existance of mankind. The "meaning" of our life is to make contribution to human species so to maximize the possibility of existance, for the maximum possible time span.

So I wanted to be a scientist.

Later on, I find scientist sometimes doing negative contribution to my 'meaning of life'.

So I wanted to be a politician.

And later on, I find big corporation sometimes are more powerful and influential than politician.

So I wanted to be a great businessman. And that's why I choose Business Studies.

And now I am getting nowhere.

七七事變

明天是七七盧溝橋事變記念日。近七十年了，甚麼都淡化了。但國與國之間的爭端及磨擦仍不間斷，強國對弱國的欺壓仍不斷。何時了？

Real threat, or not?

The global warming is on the agenda of the G8 Summit. So it's been taking very seriously in the current global political circle. But, Michael Crichton spent a few years resarch on this issue, and wrote "state of Fear" which listed vast among of data against global warming.

Honestly, I don't know what to believe.

Jog Log #8

3500m, at 24 mins.

Peter Luk is going to work in Dongguan

Congratulations. Maybe Peter should consider setting a blog so that we can communicate with each other. But... but... Blogger was blocked in China. :( Too bad.

Jog Log #7

Because of the rain, the TV dramas (this and this), and late dinners after work (I need 2 hours to digest my dinner before I can jog smoothly), I'd stopped jogging for almost 3 weeks. So I have a short jog tonight, 3500m, at 24 mins.

I guess I should get an iPOD Shuffle to enjoy my jog.

I was there

I was there, at the rally, again.

A bit disappointed this year, as there are many group has other banners not really related to the general vote for CE. The key line is diluted, very much.

Nevertheless, I was there. Again.

More photos here.

"I think the American people are a lot smarter than that"

Quoted from this report.

LOL!!

Fusion on the way

A 10BN EUC project, attempting to replicate the sun, in France. If success, they will be no more energy problem. Every high school physics student know the implication. It'll be a major victory of the human kind.

Submit your site to Google

Just submitted my Netvigator site to Google, now it's #1 top when you search "Tobias Chiu". Cool. Search "Toby Chiu" in Google and you will get this blog at the top.

Studio for the office

Just set a studio to take products in the office. Using 2 x 50GN studio flash, 2 30"x60" softbox, the result is not bad for standard product photos. Good enough for catalogue and website. The whole set of flashs, stands, softboxes, remote trigger cost RMB two thousand something. Good deal if you know how to set it up and have hundreds of products to shot with.

Iran's new president

Iran has a new president. The hard-liner. Anti-America.

While the US government pressing the muslim countries almost opening, I believe if any Middle East countries runs a turly democratic election, an anti-America government will be elected.

The international oil price is rising again.

Jesus said: love you enemies. Can you really do that, Bush?

大圍雞粥

已有幾年沒有去了. 從前吃過的印象並不好, 總是味精太多. 今晚再去, 不單裝修改善了, 粥內也不太覺得有很重的味精, 焗魚腸跟炒麵也都有不錯的水準. ok.

Stall

When I drive to work yesterday morning, the engine stalled at the second traffic lamp. The rev just drop to zero graduately, without any strange sound or jerk. I started the engine again, and the engine stalled when I stopped at another traffic lamp again. Restarted the engine, I have to drive very carefully and when stopping, I have to beam-up the rev to over 1000 rpm to keep the engine from stalling. I drived back to home, park the car, and take bus to office. The driving take a little skill cause when I stop the car, I have to press the brake and on the gas (to keep the rev) at the same time.

After I back home, I started the engine again, and the engine just perform normally. Without any stalling, rpm as usual.

So my guess is correct. It's the car's security system. For some reason the security system engaged while I was driving (maybe I didn't lock / unlock the car properly for the last night, or maybe the security sensor doesn't recognize the key's chip correctly), and cut the fuel supply when I don't open the throttle. It's simple to fix it: just take the key outside the car, lock the car with the remote, wait for a few second, unlock it again. The security will be dis-engaged.

I believe this kind of security system is quite good. When it engaged, it won't fire any alarm. It just stop the fuel supply. So the thief will have difficult driving the car away. But this system often catch the owner ungarded. And it was the second time. Of course if you know what's happening, you won't panic. I could have fix the problem on the spot.

七一

快到七一了。今年我會去嗎？

零三年的七一，我去了遊行。跟很多人一樣，當時實在受不了政府推銷廿三條立法的手法；亦忍受不了無能的當政者種種施政的錯誤。我上街了。為的可能只是要發洩一下心中的情緒。

零四年的七一，我也上街了。董政府經過了一年的洗禮後，不單變得無能，更是形同虛設。一個如此不濟的主政者竟還能厚顏說經濟已好轉，過往並沒有錯，只是沒有好好溝通......　我呸！沒有認受性更大的行政長官選舉方法，就無法把豬頭主政者攆走。我上街了。我要求董要下台，我要求普選。

今年七一，我仍想要求普選。但我明白下一屆的選舉是不可能普選的，所以我只想要有一個計劃盡快走向普選的政改藍圖：沒有時間表也當有個計劃，沒有完整計劃也總得有個普選的條件吧。怎可能只是一句：〝普選是最終目標〞便算？

我的要求務實而合理，大概很多的香港人也如是想。香港攪民主的人真是窩囊！竟然沒有組織提這類較切合現實的要求，還在爭要07-08 普選。只爭朝夕，還不想想自己有多不濟！連抱相同民主理念的人也不能團結起來，也不能口徑一致，試問又如何有能力主政？香港現時的政制亦不是今天才訂立的，早十多年已知道會如此，正是麻雀耍樂家家有求，怎麼民主黨現時還完全不能進入權力中心？不是太差了嗎？

今年七一應要求甚麼呢？我還再上街嗎？

Greenspan's Opinion on RMB exchange rate

Fair say.

As a matter of fact, the US Administration won't really push hard for the free floating of RMB exchange rate. China government holds approx 180bn US bond as the national reserve, and is the second largest creditor to the US government. Read this.

If China selling the US bond in bulk volume, that can create great impact to the US administration. Remember the Bush administration is operating on a red budget. See this blog for another opinion.

Why people want to live in Sweden?

Advanced technology, and they do really care the environment. Here's their new Biogas Train. And Sweden already has hundreds of Biogas buses and thousands of Biogas cars running on the road.

In China, they are thinking every means to tap natural energy with environment protection being the last concern. God knows what China would be 20 years later.

Be the Incy Wincy Spider

Incy Wincy spider climbing up the spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
Now Incy Wincy spider went up the spout again!
----------------------

The story behind this nursery rhyme is very much similar to SHK Properties new TVC (thou the CG not nicely executed). Your achievement in the pass maybe ruined by natual / economic / human / what-so-ever disasters. Just bite the bullet. When the environments getting better, redo it all over again. There will be success, some day.

If there is a Cantonese nursery rhyme of similar story, there should be lot less suicides in Hong Kong.

My favorite CD

Had this Getz/Gilberto CD since 1996, still my favorite. Another CD I love very much is an early Shirley Horn work, purchased almost the same time as the Getz / Gilberto one.

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.
------------------------------------

Another UK lullaby about the curel side of the world. It's actually the story of King Louis XVI and his queen who was beheaded in the French revolution time. Story here.

Ray Charles - genius loves company

Listening to this album while I am typing. GREAT! Really can't miss it.

Too bad I don't have a decent amp now... :(

Rowing My Boat Merrily

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
----------------------

Yes, life is just a dream.
It isn't important where you are going.
The process is more important than the end.
Just enjoy it.

Jog Log #6

4300 metres, slightly less than 30 mins.

Feel Like Humpty

Humpty Dumpty
sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty
had a great fall.
All the king's horses,
And all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty
together again.
---------------------

When things broken, things broken.
Sometimes it's impossible to fix it.
That's the wisdom of English lullaby.

Jog Log #5

30 mins for the same 4300 metres. Jogging faster again.

Butterfly gallery updated

Rearranged and complete with description whenever I can identify it.

Jog Stop by Job

Because of my new busy job, I'd been stopped jog for some days. I must re-start it.

Keep blogging helps me make a journal of my everything. I hope it will helps me to keep fit, physically, emotionally, intellectually.

05年64晚會

其他相片

Butterfly photo

Went to take some butterfly photos today. I have a butterfly section in my online photo album.

Butterfly are beautiful creatures. However, the butterfly photographers here in Hong Kong like to photo rare species, as sharp as possible, as close as possible, doing rare things like laying eggs if possible... etc.

That's not my cup of tea.

有關中俄密約的報導

以 Goggle 搜尋的。還有很多很多。當然都是國外的報導。

甚麼是愛國？把自滿清末期被俄國強佔，共約有四個台灣或兩個多法國大小的土地，透過外交協商正式承認為俄國領土，那是愛國嗎？又換取了甚麼？

類似拱手讓出國土的事件，以前還有外蒙古的獨立。

那裡還有〝堅決維護領土完整〞？釣魚台？還是算了吧！

R2 or Artoo?

Went to watch Star War Episode III the day before. Mainly listening to the English voice over, I spared some attention to notice the Chinese subtitle.

Since when R2 became Artoo? Since when 3PO became Threepio? It stuned me that the subtitle writer seems never watched Star War eposode 4,5,6. Or (s)he was not born then?

There were some other mis-translations I failed to note down.

For the HK distributor, Chinese subtitle is the only post production they did (for English version). If they don't scruntinize the subtitle throughly for such a mega-movie, what can I expect from the HK movie industry?

I really would like to hear from those watched the Cantonese version.

再續中俄密約

早兩天已寫了我的意見。

今天，李怡先生在蘋果專欄中懷疑程翔被捕與披露了有關中俄邊境條約內容有關。果真如是那就真是恐怖。國界在那絕對是人民有權及需要去知道的，怎會是機密？

當然，李怡亦只是懷疑而已。

D2X Review on DPREVIEW

A very impressive camera. In the comparision with 1DSMKII, the D2X beat the Canon flagship in sharpness and color fringe.

I should really stop buying Pentax lens.

Jog Log 4

Jogging a bit faster and longer today, 32 mins covered 4300m. It was hot and humid, and I sweated a lot.

飄

我隨風而飄，時而起，時而落，歸根何如？
落了如斯之處，偶象穩定偶象危，拿它如何？
求天給我一陣清風，再一次讓我揚翔。
再求天給我幸運，能落到佳壤之地。
我承諾拼力發揮心中的種子，帶來美好的果實。

我沒要求太多吧？