Produkt Memoire

Produkt Memoire has been open for some time now. BUT for you USA customers there is FREE SHIPPING .

Looking for cool collectible toys - Hope we can supply your fix.

What Shanghainese Women Are Like - video link

So, just this past weekend I was talking about women in Beijing and Shanghai with a Chinese friend of mine. It just so happens this video (staged or real) hits the USA news.

I see on MSN the article is titled: "Online hysterics drive Chinese round the bend" - Popular video shows woman screaming at companion in car showroom - However, they only point people to the http://www.youku.com/ site. Well, for those of us with out Chinese language packs installed - how are we to find the video.

Here is the direct link: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjQ0NTc0Njg=.html

And it is for a BUICK...... Think I'd be putting up the fight for the Audi, Benz or maybe even a KIA (well, maybe not the KIA).

My deal - and why gone so long

Hanging out at VAULT400 with the System i (AS400) crowd. Always great to be learning about new computer "stuff." Otherwise, I have been taking care of the kids and seeing they are making it to swimming and karate classes. My littlest just turned one and he is doing just fine. My eldest turns 5 soon and he can't wait to get some Bendaroos for his birthday. Just hope the Bendaroo fairy comes and delivers them - 'cause I don't have none.

Just signed up on Twitter. I will not let it dominate me, but I'll check on it.

Personally, if I'm not with the kids or working I am on eBay trying to make a living. So, my time has been tweek'd. Feel free to update me on anything as I do check in - just a bit slow on adding to the blog at this time.

I may also take this blog and move it to my domain as well. Now that is awhole story in itself as I need to get an old website up and going again (www.sinklub.com).

Still Active I see

Well, all is fine. Maybe time for some updates? What do you think?

Call "The Good Devil" at 40-666-888 for Taiwan McDonalds

McDonalds in Taiwan has a new delivery service. Just call 40-666-888 and off they scooter your food to you.

So what's up with the new number? 40-666-888

666 = devil (the beast)
888 = good (lucky) Chinese number
40 = Let's just say it means "The": however, there could be another significant meaning to this -- 40 days and 40 nights, The Corrupter....

As I see this number in advertisements, back of t-shirts and on billboards - I know the end is near.

It is now clear --- McDonalds in Taiwan is "The Good Devil."

Cavs Loss from Taipei

Cavs in 4. DANG.....

I followed the Cavs series here in Taiwan. I wish I could have been in Cleveland for the festivities, but no such luck. Another year goes by with us locals saying, "next year, next year next year."

Must saying watching the games on MSNBC scorebox is not as exciting as seeing it live, but my heart just sank a bit with seeing the final score 83-82.

Must admit with James being as popular as he is - it is nice seeing Cleveland shirts in Taiwan and Asia in general. A bit of home for the homesick. Thanks Cavs for bringing Cleveland to me.

Bigfoot Frame by Frame

A year ago I saw the Frame by Frame of the legendary Bigfoot film. For some reason today I wanted to see it again. Check out the webframes of BIGFOOT and suddenly he is not so scary. I remember when I was a kid I was terrified of bigfoot. When it was dark or when I was in the woods alone he would always haunt the back of my mind. I remember a few time running for my life because I heard a twig break. Not sure if Bigfoot ever made it to Twinsburg, Ohio, but if he did I heard him at least once in my pre-teen years.

These Are Days - 10,000 Maniacs - Myra

Strange thing just happened. I listen to music all the time, but never had a smell come from it.

The song "These Are Days" by 10,000 Maniacs just popped up on my MusicMatch player and suddenly a smell of a great friend came to me - Sweet Mira. I don't even think we ever listened to that song together. I must admit I would put Jeff Buckley's "Morning Theft" to Myra first. I remember a nice long late night drive listening to that song.

To Myra - I hope all is good and life is treating you well.

Running Suspension

First off- Kuddos to SQT Taipei>>Running for Fat Guys. Hit the site for many Taiwan and Taipei links. It is not just about running.

On a sad note I am on a running suspension. I hurt my achilles tendon. How I manged this I have no idea. I started developing pain in my left leg about two weeks prior to my Supau 9K race. Anyway, as mentioned earlier it pained me the whole run.

Doctor says I need to stay off it for 3 months. Stretch, go to therapy, add heat and such was the recommended treatment. So, I guess I should start swimming, but heck no. I have no motivation at all to make swimming a sport for me. I should, but I have some crazy thinking on swimming. Swimming costs too much money to go every other day and for an hour. When I swim I want to go and relax and go for multiple hours. Looks like I will walk and ride a "poor-man's" bike with the kid seat on the back.

The sad part is I have a swimming coach as a friend that would help me. Guess, I just need my arm twisted a bit more or once I see the fat coming back around my gut.

"You Ran Slow" - Supau 9K & 3 Year-Old runs 3K

Yesterday, May 6, 2006, my wife's first words to me after running my 9K was, "You were slow."

I was slow, she was right. I ran it in 42:55 (unofficial time). About 5 minutes slower than I wanted to finish it. And if the score board was right I was 17th in my division (40~44 year olds). Well, I'll fix this up once I get official word. Heck, everything is in Chinese and I just go with the flow not really understanding everything exactly.

So, they say 20,000 people ran this Supau Sports Drink Cup Race. I ran with a very bad left achilles tendon. It was a very painful 9K. The pain is there even with no pressure now. I think I hurt it more. Guess, I need to rest it and go see doctor.

My soon to be 3 year old son ran the 3k fun run. He completed it in 20:22. KUDOS. He almost beat the Taipei Mayor!!!!

Taiwan Can Be Ugly - but read on

A few times in my life I actually mentioned that Taiwan hits you hard when you look at it. When I take a taxi ride from the airport to Taipei, I would think, "oh, this place is so ugly looking, why don't people fix it up." I always watched who I would say this too. But when saying it I was sure to clean up my language (so, not to offend). But, the place grows on you, and, after a week you forget about the ugliness. Finally, today I read that I'm not alone.

This is a great article from Taiwan Review called "Formosa Sometimes" by William Meldrum. Take a read and you will see that architects to professors see the same Taiwan I do.

Will it change? Probably not. Old ways die hard here. Just open your eyes to discovery. Behind every beaten door is a palace called "home."

Stephen Hawking in Zero-G is Just Wonderful

Stephen Hawking experiencing zero-G is just wonderful. I would love to have the experience, but science makes me happy that he got to experience it. Hats off to all involved. This story put a real smile on my face.

Zero Gravity Corp

South Korea & the Virgina Tech Shootings

I read that South Korea's Foreign Ministry says, we hope this does not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."

I read this and just think about all the injustisce the Americans have tossed on the South Korean people. US citizens have not right to cause racial prejudice or confrontations with people of Asian or who are South Korean. I wonder if many in the general public know of all the rapes, murder and other unlawful acts Americans cause in South Korea. America needs to look outside and see everything is not green.

It is horrible what has happened at Virgina Tech, but CNN has got to focus on news on not just setting up a TV camera. I want a reporter to report and not commentate. I've noticed they are not so good at commentating. I also feel they are trying to make this tradegy more than what it is. They broadcast this some 24 hours all over the world.

Do you think the whole world needs a 24 hour report on this?

There is a war going on and we know more about the inocent people killed at Virgina Tech then we know about the soldiers and innocent people being killed in Iraq. Does everything have to be local for US news to push thier thinking.

My heart is just sad that people still need to kill each other.

Few Pictures from 2007 Carrefour Marathon

We are normally horrible at taking pictures at events. However, this time we did capture a few pictures from the Taipei 2007 Carrefour Marathon.

My little one helping me warm up. I needed a lot since we had to wake up at 4:30am to make the bus over to the race.

May have a new runner in the family.

Clouds = Rain. ...and rain it did.
Looking east from Highway 1 overpass in Taipei.
Fished the race and the little one was very tired after running some 3K himself.
You can see the Grand Hotel in the backround. Time to clear the freeway and let the cars back on.Met Trevor after the race (he passed me at some point finishing 114 secondsahead of me - darn whipper-snappers). T.King showing his spoils after the race.

My race details and thoughts are here.

Finishing Time 2007 Carrefour 10K

I just saw the results of the 2007 Carrefour Taipei International Expressway Marathon. It took place on the National Expressway No. 1 (Wuku-Hsichih elevated Section). CTRRA website English/Chinese [times listed on Chinese part of site only]

They had three races: Marathon, Half-Marathon and a 10K. I am in no way ready for a Marathon and will worry about a Half-Marathon in September when I run around Green Island.

I will say that this run really pushed me mentally during the race and after. My main strategy was to push the first 1 1/2k and by 2K find a comfortable pace, push at final 2K. I figured this strategy would help me hit a 45 minute target.

I will say by 5K I was starting to think, "what the heck I'm doing out here. This race is killing me." It was not the distance or the time. It was a mental shock to me to run on a 4 lane highway with no cars, no scenery and with large side barriers blocking your view. The highway twists and turns a bit with rolling hills, but you could not really see what was ahead. It was very much like running scared in a dream - running in a desolate area with no end in site.

This mental shock in running this race stayed with me for two weeks. Every time I would head out to run I wanted to head right back home. Needless to say, I'm now past that and looking ahead to a 9K in May .

So, how did I do? I missed my 45 minute mark, but did okay. I finished in 46:59. I was 185th out of 2,170 runners. I was number 28th in my age/gender group (40-44 male) out of 214 people. My pace was a bit faster then a 9K I did three month earlier.

I did meet a nice fellow Trevor King after the race. Must congratulate him on a fine 45:05 run.

Back to Dodgem in Taipei.

Ken Rockwell's Megapixel Myth Class

I just read an article in Popular Science about Adobe's 19 lens demonstration camera. So, I went on line to learn more. During my search I came across: KenRockwell's Megapixel Myth.

If you are looking for a new digital camera this is a great article to read. Get to know what you are buying before jumping to the coolest x.xMP camera.