Looking for a good running store in Taipei area. Most people point you to the department stores, but I'd like to go to a store run by runners. Like to buy shoes and equipment for my wife and I.
If you know of a good store let me know.
I will travel to Dubai for Gitex IT Show in November 2006. Hope to get a Sundowner (Arabian Adventure) in while I'm there to see more than a show floor. Will stay in the Deira area and taxi it over to the Hall. Any tips or restaurant to visit would be welcomed. I am going to be a budget traveler on this one so no fancy restaurants (sob sob sob) and heavy shopping.
I looked on the web for Dubai info, but fond it hard to navigate and find interesting things. I will head over to PageOne (book store) and look for a Lonely Planet or like book to help me out a bit. From what I have heard it appears I'm walking into the Las Vegas of the Middle East.
A few months ago I finally had it with my weight. When suddenly I could not fit into clothes I had purchased only 1 month ago. Age and non-exercise caught up with me. My
I began running due to my health and partly due to my watching too many movies. I must admit the Couch to 5K program is absolutely wonderful. I would suggest anyone to follow it. I followed it to a tee, but migrated a few times from it due to a painful knee. I have gone every other day for the past 5-6 months. Knee is still painful, but I get though it. It will normally numb after 10 minutes of running. – Yes it is not the best way for it to heal – I'll go get some better motion control shoes.
October in
November offers me a 6K (Terry Fox Charity Run-cancer)
December offers me a 9K (ING Marathon- not marathon crazy stick with 9K)
I ran cross country in high school so I have a competitive spirit for the run. I just need to realize that I’m older with a hurt knee and I’m not out to beat anyone or set records. However, I’m nervous about a simple 3K run. I am nervous because I want to do my best and I don’t want to find excuses if I’m “sucking air” at the end of the run. It is so silly to feel this way – makes me feel like a kid again.
I just saw a news article on MSNBC or was it Google News? Anyway, they mentioned a new (bathroom) hand dryer by Dyson. I was very surprised at this news. I thought all bathrooms around the world used these hand dryers.
So I dug around a little and found out that these AWESOME hand dryers are not installed thoughout the world. I don't know anything about the Dyson version, but I love the Mitsubishi ones found here in Asia. If it was possible (financially) to have one installed in my house - I would have had one in my home bathroom a few years ago.
My young son was scared of them at first, because the air power is quite strong. But when drying your hands turned into a game you could not get him away from the unit. I actually like to keep my hands in it a bit longer myself. It is hard to resist something that feels like magic.
Product description from Technovelgy website: A "powerful gust measuring 90 meters per second" pushes the water down into a place where the excess moisture is captured. According to the manufacturer, it takes about 5 seconds to dry your hands, as opposed to the 30 seconds or more for conventional models.
Believe it or not, the first mention of using a blast of air to dry your hands is found in Coventry, a 1940 story by Robert Heinlein.
The new Dyson unit info (from Dyson on Google News edited): At almost $1,000 a pop when traditional hand blowers are available for around one fifth that cost? According to Dyson, it will save a business owner 80 percent on energy bills compared to the standard dryers, and 96 percent compared to buying paper towels.
The Airblade saves energy by using a new motor design that's capable of spinning at 120,000 rotations per minute, compared with normal electric motors in current dryers that crank at about half that. Also, because the unit doesn’t use evaporation, there’s no heat needed, which also cuts down on electricity.
Dyson launched into an anti-evaporation tirade. He accused the dryers we all know, which use heat and forced air to evaporate water from you hands, of creating a "cocktail of bacteria" on your flesh, which you then spread by touching the door handle on your way out. The Airblade, he said, avoids mixing such nasty cocktails in bar bathrooms by purifying air at the intake point with a HEPA filter, just like the one in fancy vacuums, and eliminating the need to rub your hands together, which apparently disturbs sleeping bacteria under your first layer of skin.
What about the water air-squeegeed from your hands? It is blown down into a small drain on the unit, and then goes through an iodine resin micro filter, which allegedly kills almost 100 percent of the bacteria draining down with it. Then, to eliminate the need for plumbing, the water drips onto a small gyrating plate that uses high frequency vibration to "atomize" it, and then expel it as a "harmless invisible mist."
Proof being in the pudding, I was eager to dip my hands in the fishbowl. The Airblade felt a lot like someone dragging two rubber window squeegees down the sides of my hands — but it worked. Some water did drip down the outside of the unit, but as Dyson’s chief microbiologist for the $18 million Airblade project told me, "you will lose a little, but it’s a lot better than the puddle of nasty water you get under a regular dryer."
All public restrooms — particularly those in bars — are occasionally made the workshop of graffiti artists and vandals, so I wondered how well such a technologically advanced piece of machinery would hold up to, say, someone grabbing hold of its tempting form and trying to pry it off the wall. As luck would have it, a couple of punk-rockers from the Soho streets had wandered into the Dyson press event and were bent on, as they tend to be, destruction and malevolence toward all things. They immediately targeted the unfamiliar units mounted on studio walls for journalist tryouts. I saw one of them pull, with all his strength, on an Airblade. He actually had to be pulled off the device and removed, along with his friend, from the event by Dyson staff. The Airblade, the exterior of which I then learned is constructed of 100 percent cast aluminum, did not bend or budge. According to Dyson’s General Manger of Communications, Mark Scanlon, the company hopes to make Airblades available to the U.S. market for testing by Yankee hand-washers and vandals alike, by the middle of 2007.
The longer I live in Asia the more I find out how behind the USA is in many advances and cool devices.
Promotion for a Car (or scooter) Fee Day in Taipei was advertised well. Use public transportation or a peddle bike. The idea is 100% great, but now that I rode my bike -WHERE IN THE HELL CAN I PARK IT!!!!. Taipei government has taken away just about all bike (and scooter) parking areas. I was turned away at multiple parking lots (only cars and limited scooter access). So nice advertising and promotion for the Mayor, but for the rider that would like to make this a habit ---- lets rethink PARKING!!!!
You have to like a headline like this.
So this guy, Zhang Xinyan, drinks too much at a local watering hole and then meanders to the Beijing Zoo. Figures he should visit and see GuGu the Panda. He suddenly gets a sudden urge that he must pet GuGu. So he jumps into the enclosure to pet GuGu sleeping. And to the astonishment of Zhang Xinyan the panda bites his leg. He bites GuGu on the back and GuGu bites his other leg.
The report said a zookeeper got GuGu under control by spraying him with water. I think the zookeeper should have sprayed Zhang Xinyan to get him under control. How can the human race be so ignorant to captive/wild animals?
Well, I guess people can be ignorant about animals since Zhang Xinyan says: “No one ever said they would bite people. I just wanted to touch it." Maybe we should inform Zhang Xinyan that dogs, cats, mice, horses and other animals bite as well. Heck, even Zhang Xinyan bites.
WAKE UP PEOPLE and remember Friends Don't Let Friends Jump Into Panda Cages
Pirated good articles have been sprinkling the news for years. The movie and recording industry have brought it to light even more so. But pirated goods can be anything from industrial pipes to handbags. I guess just about anything that can turn a good profit will be pirated (counterfited).
But why do people buy them?
1) Try to look wealthy
2) Feel good having the lastest "in-thing"
3) Not having the money to buy the real item
4) Cheaper and looks the same
5) Give as a present
6) I believe most people would never buy the original item anyway- Be it music, movie or fashion item. If I can not get a bootleg copy of a movie that I would like to see, I just would not see it and view another instead.
Well, I'm sure there are better reasons then those, but how about music directly (since I like music and have a record label www.sinklub.com)
1) find out of print material
2) find live recordings
3) find (discover) artists you never heard of
4) like to hear that new CD you know you would never buy
5) throw away music
Pirated items normally have a bit of a "suck" quality to them. I have had watches, belts, CDs, DVDs and other pirated items. I can tell you none of them lasted long or played well. Original items are the best best, but there are times when the street price just wins due to the dockets in the pocket.
Debate and open discussion seems to be something of the past. Now it is headlines and 10 seconds sound bites. The Pope's speech on "The Stages in the Program of De-Hellenization" is not an easy read. It is horrible that people are taking a small quote and turning it into hate speech.
The problem is the normal person could not make sence of his speech unless you ground yourself in for debate with the understanding of history, religion and philosophy.
Most people likely think Hellenization mean Hezzbollah. Don't take things at face value and think you understand.
Let the the learned in all religions have open discussions. Learn from the past. Learn how to have dialog that does not have to have secondary meanings.
A response {1} {2 speech like this makes Islam appear extreme)
All I've read on this John Mayer Continuum CD is good reviews. I see great interviews and I see people crazy over John Mayer. Let's get the CD. WOW, was I blown away. It was one of the fastest CDs I wanted out of my player. I could not stand the droning and soul sound I was hearing. It was like a nightmare of never ending songs. I gave it a good one shot, but could not get past song #9 “Bold As Love” before turning it off. It was only one listen, may be I need to go back with an open mind and just let it play in the background (a little muzak while I work). Is it the kind of album that needs to grow on you? I may or may not ever find out. But with all the fan-fair I will try again and see what I’ve missed on my first listen. Who knows maybe it will one day be one of my favorites.
Over the past month I have been listening mainly to: Front 242, Nitzer Eeb, VNV Nation, Infam, The Kooks, Panic! At the Disco, Betty Serveert, Tega & Sara, Autechre (would like to hear Autechre Curated 3.0) , Godsmack and Tiamat. As I look at this list I can sorta understand why John Mayer did not tickle my fancy at this time. Oh, well.
Simply put: What severe punishment will North Korea face if they conduct an underground nuclear test?
Close allies, Russia and China, have made note that North Korea wants to prove their nuclear capability (Sept 10, 2006). North Korea is just about out of friends and has been on a collision course of some sort for some time now.
So, what will happen if they detonate their test? What is the severe punishment the world nations are discussing? What would Russia and China do? Can you help give me a clue?
Dell chairman messed up and got caught. The issue here is they got caught and now the ones held responsible should pay the consequence and step aside. I find it hard to believe that top executive at a computer company would be dumbfounded by how to get around technology and how pretexting works. When you hire someone to “sneak” around what do you think will happen – hence the word “sneak.” If the news of the investigation was made known to the board it would have been a “probe” or “investigation” and the board would have agreed to it. At which time no “sneaking” needed to take place.
I don’t believe Dell guys can play dumb on this. The good thing is that they brought pretexting to public light and maybe now something can be devised to combat it. Well, maybe not until it happens more to Senators and those in Congress.
I always felt Steve Irwin was flirting with death too much. The dangerous profession he rose to stardom with was also his downfall. Never meet the guy, but he did seem in control and professional from the TV clips we are shown.
If a dog, bear, armadillo killed a person we would put it to sleep. I wonder why the Austrailan govenrment is not going after the Stingray. It would seem this Stingray is dangerous. I read that Queensland Police Superintendent Michael Keating said there was no evidence Irwin threatened or intimidated the stingray. Thus the Stingray is a man killer and should be hunted and killed.
A sad example that humans are very vunerable in the wild. However, as our species over runs every piece of land the ocean may be the last place to find wild animals.
Steve Irwin would have made native hunters proud.
UPDATE: (Sept. 13, 2006)
I am totally dumbfounded that I just read an article entitled: Stingrays Mutilated after Steve Irwin's Death. Seems that some people feel the stingrays need a good revenge killing (or beating) after what one did to Steve Irwin. Very sad.
The $8.5 million house was just too much for us at this time. We will now look at a $5 million house. Housing prices on this small island of Taiwan are just sky-rocketing. However, income is not moving in the same direction.
Two years ago we bought a house in NeiHu we loved (and still love). But with the school and the current job I have is not allowing us any additional savings and just tossing us in to more debt. We also want to expand our school (Curious Monkey), but with no extra money coming in - it is not possible.
So, the house is now up on the market and we are looking at housing in DongHu. A move of about 4-5 miles. A move that will give us a lower cost house and believe it or not a bit more space (about 177 square feet more).
This decision was not made lightly. This decision had many more "plus" side arguments than "negative" side ones. We are excited as a family on the decision.
Sometimes to move forward you have to go backwards.
The 2006 Taipei Beef Noodle Festival is supposed to kick off on September 3, 2006. It is now September 1st and I can not find any news on it. The last news posted about it is from July. The Taiwanese people can not even find any news on the event. I hope the government gets their act together to sponsor this event.
The 2005 Taipei Beef Noodle Festival website is still up....... and it is 2006! Let update and EAT EAT EAT...............
CORRECTION: the site is up - start voting. . . Just a bit difficult to find. the 2006 Taipei Beef Noodle site up.!!!!
I WANT MY BEEF NOODLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Japanese TV is so very entertaining. Thanks to YouTube you can now see Hard Gay, TV ads, Game Shows and so much more. No need for me to point to exact videos. Just go and discover them yourself. . . .
I grew up on Star Wars. I saw the original in the theater with my uncle Allen. Why he took me and my sisters is beyond my thinking at this time (I should ask one day). But the movie made the impact on me as it did with the rest of the world. With that said, you would think I would have the DVDs at home and could recount every change and event surrounding the films. But that is not the case.
I have not spent my money on a Star Wars DVD, because every time I consider buying it the Lucas machine keeps promising better and better versions. And I am not one to begin buying every tweaked version they put out. The Trilogy of IV, V and VI have been in the box set now for a few years, but I wanted to wait for all 6 to be released in what I call “Lucas’s Final Release.” Heck, what ever is in the final 6 DVD set will not be the end of the changes I’m sure, but it will be a comprehensive package I could enjoy owning.
I hear this new 6 DVD set will come out in May 2007. I do hope they include all the releases in this set including the original movies and re-mastered sets. If so, The Star Wars Team will finally get my DVD money. They already have my action figure and theater money (multiple theater money). Plus the 3D versions will need to be experienced as well – Keep the technology coming, but please release a box set fans can be happy about
See: http://www.starwars.com for updates (check out the forums)
I’ve gotten off my lazy butt finally. I have not had the will to exercise with any consistency in the last three years. I knew I needed to start moving again, but I just never had the get-up and go to actually do it. Sure I heard from blood tests my cholesterol is reaching points it should not. However, I was not over any bad limits – just close. My wife and I were joking about my weight gain for over 6 months. I just went with it and thought that is what happens when you near 40. Then suddenly in 2 months ago I no longer fit into pants I have had for the past three years. I was in total shock. How could I not fit in to pants that just fit me two weeks ago? This included me sucking in my gut as well – and still I was not able to button. PROBLEM?....
I was a wrestler for 12 years or more of my life and I ran cross country and long distance in high school. But I’ve been inactive for far too long to just throw on a pair of running shoes and hit the road for an hour. So, I found a great running program to follow (I’ll talk about that in another post).
I went shopping: got a pair of Mizuno running shoes which I adore, some Nike and Under Armour clothes for the tropical
SanDisk to the rescue. I did research on MP3 players and decided the SanDisk e200 series was the best route for me to go. The price for the features and functions on the e200 was right down my alley. The transferring of songs is as easy as dragging and dropping from Windows Explorer. No conversions, no third party program, no hassle. The FM radio was an added bonus, not sure I will use it, but who knows (you can record from the radio – that’s cool). The color screen is great o view photos and video on. The screen may be small but it is mighty. The screen has good illumination and color. Now for the music… I just toss file folders on to the device so I just use the general operations for the player. I look up by artist or album and choose what I want to hear. At this time I do not make playlists, I doubt I will. If I do I would just toss some music files into a general “my favorite” file. I just never got into the playlist mode of thinking. I assume it is because I just have too much music and I very rarely have my songs in a programs library form. So, anyway the music functions work okay. The issue I do have is with the settings. I hope their new updates address: EQ of some sort, their rating system will display items besides 5 star songs, and that their playlist function (“Go To”) actually stores the song on the unit when you delete the file folder – why else would you put a song into this folder or area?
Since I was running I wanted light weight MP3 and earphones that would stay in my ears. The e200 is light and fun and easy to control on a run. If you have puggy fingers the unit may not be so easy on you. The buttons around the jog dial can be hard to press, but works for me. Oh, yes the earphones. I went with the Shure e2c Sound Isolating Earphones. I wanted good sound with a unit that I did not have to keep adjusting as I ran. Since the ear piece fit snuggly in my ear (smallest sleeves) I had no issue with it dislodging. I’d like to have the money to try the e4 or e5 series, but the e2’s are great for my use.
I expect the e200 and e2’s will keep me on the road and track for the next couple of years. At a price of just under $200 for the player and earphones this is a great deal. It will also be another aspect of motivation for me. I know I would hate to see the products collecting dust on a shelf. If I was not running or excising I’m not really sure when I would use the MP3 player (guess I could use on plane flights). My city life style has never really called for a private listening center. I like the sound of the city and people around me. I like the rush of air in my ears as I drive my motorcycle. I like to hear my wife and child talk to me on long walks. I like the sound of the subway as the world passes by. Guess, life as never bored me enough to have portable sound.
I first traveled to South Korea (Seoul for the most part) in 2001. I traveled on business. I was then living in Taiwan managing an office. Maybe my homesickness lingered in my body, because I really looked forward to visiting South Korea. It was the weather, people and business I liked. Being from Ohio I enjoyed four distinct seasons and their changes. South Korea offered me a safe haven from the heat of Taiwan. It is not easy to make friends in South Korea, but the ones I did make are some of the best people I know. They have a strong working culture as well – a style of work I thrived on, yet knew how to sit and drink though work issues. South Korea in general was like a family I could embrace. Sadly, my expat job ended and I have not traveled to South Korea in two years. I miss everything I experienced – especially the friends I made.
Lately, there have been a few shows from CNN and BBC about North Korea. Although it is not the South and a much different cousin from its Southern family; I still became very interested to learn/hear more about North Korea. From the films it is hard to distinguish if life is cruel or just acceptable by those they filmed. Parts of what they show is sad, but mostly because of the comforts I am used to. So maybe I need to look at it from a different perspective. Just wish I could see more than what the propaganda team allows you to see.
Anyway, while watching the films I noticed a sm
all indication of the young-peoples idea of America. Will give one example: We are told that electricity in the capital normally go out for an hour or two a night on a regular basis. One young-person says during the outing, ‘it’s the American fault.’ So I thought about how a power outage in Pyongyang was due to the USA. I can only assume it is from school teachings. I don’t believe the USA helped build the power plant or is holding back fuel. Plus it is my understanding that there are no American workers selecting which part of the city will receive electric power.
So I just read how the North Korean school system teaches (interprets) the ‘Diary of Anne Frank.” This gave me the answer I sought: read here.
B
esides that I must say the BBC programs were just great. I never knew about the Mass Games before, but enjoyed the hard work and the beauty of them. Too bad the world does not see this spectacle - Although I have a feeling that North Koreans think the world is watching. I did find it rude that Kim Jong-Il did not attend the 2002 games, but the people accepted his absence too easily. Can't wait to see more. Film Info.
Just read an article about why this new design had come about for Vespa (article). It is a direct approach to make the American consumer feel safe. From the article it says that fatalities on two-wheel vehicles has increased in the last year (up some 18%) to just over 4,000 death last year (2005). However, scooter and moto accidents only account for 10% of vehicle-crash deaths.
This new design is to try and win safety feelings. the two-wheel up front one behind job is supposed to improve balance and make cornering sharper and more nimble. Appears US scooter drivers are concerned about balancing, braking and stability in turns.
That all sounds goood. But now they need to work on the car driving America. Americans are not
suited nor used to driving with scooters or bikes around. They have big, long road that allow people to drive fast and not pay the road 100% of their time. Got to change the CD, 'oops' swerved and missed the mailbox; got to answer my phone, 'wooh' almost forgot to brake. Well, you get the idea.
To be honest with the three concerns - I still don't see how they are being meet. Balancing: okay, guess three wheels makes the bike stand up straight, but you are still in open air with no protection around you (is it a false feeling of safty?). Plus if you can not balance a bike you should not be driving any bike (2 or 3 wheel - unless you are an invalide and need 3 wheels.). Braking: that is customer maintanence dependent. Stability in turns: I'm sure this baby will tip hitting a corner hard (again false safety?). Vespa is trying to meet the US demands, but the US consumer and legal firms will not play nice if they see an opening.
I like my scooter (not a Vespa) and drive it everyday. Just be alert and cautious of all the drivers around you and ones soon to be around you. Watch every corner and intersection and keep 100% of your concentration on the road. You'll do well.
I hope this larger presence of a design gives the public something to think about. I'd hate for it to bite Vespa in the butt.
