Digitalized magazine

As you all now I'm quite a techie and I'm also an avid fan of magazine. Simply because they have images, pictures, drawings, whatever you name it so I don't get bored looking at pages full of text. I've just been introduced to (quite) a new concept of digital magazine. This has made me realize how far the digital and/or internet interactive communication has grown over the past decades-going back as far as 1970s where Project Gutenberg started to digitalize literature.

In the beginning, digital magazine had been focusing on a scanned version of its paper format converted into PDF. I believe the main issue lays on the size. The current standard 4:3 ratio of monitor has dramatically reduced the advantage of a standard double-A4 format reading, where readers can easily scan through different pages. The result is that tiring scrolling up and down, left or right until you eventually close your browser. When the Flash player becomes more and more dominant in the market, a lot of websites, internet browsers, software developers have since adopted its format. And so does the magazine follow to evolve. Here is one example:

http://5magazine.rioferdinand.com/1W4aa78fa8ef3fe012.cde

You can feel the concept is to get the magazine to appear alive and interactive in the most simple way. The integration of audio and video has definitively enriched the interface. The old idea of drop-down menu has been re-invented which makes it very attractive & efficient, giving the reader the opportunity to read what they want to read. The transition between pages, sections and sub-sections is impressively smooth. And the creator seems to take into account the current standard ratio of monitor which eases both the designer and the reader. The combination of static & dynamic text, design, animation and AV integration shows creativity at its best.

Our eyes are used to read content on papers, books, namely inks on the paper. That is the reason why our generation and the earlier will get tire quicker reading on the LCD screen compare to papers. Let alone the problem of finding the right angle to make your monitor readable on a sunny day. Here is when e-ink can play a role. With the latest advancement of e-ink on tablet and other accessories such as watches and clocks, the use of e-ink on our affordable laptop, current e-book reader, and perhaps e-magazine, is mouth-watering. Imagine that you can just connect to the internet or hot-spot to click and download your magazines to your library on your flippable reader. For you researchers, don't you want to put your piles of articles into a single reader that fit into your backpack. See? Technology is fun. :)

How to survive a class

Yes ladies and gentlemen, studying is not always easy. I worked about a year, and I knew going back to school would never be easy. Still, I could never imagine that, at times, following a course means surviving THE lectures. And this morning I had three-hours-straight lectures, and the only way to survive for me is to visualize. And that means drawing. Drawing makes me happy. Happiness can produces endorphin, and endorphin can make you feel up and pleasent. At least that's what people say. Anyway, it was animal science course today, so here comes mr sheep! :)

cheers

Your email is hackable

So yes, my hotmail got hacked last week. And yes, my ebay got hacked as well.

Symptoms: you can not sign in, your password is incorrect, it is possible that your email was hacked and the secret question/answer has been changed.

Treatment: try the following:

1. List the IP addresses you used for the past months to sign in to your account.
   Example: http://whatismyip.com/
2. Contact your email/account provider, send them an email, or chat with them. Explain the situation.
   Example: http://hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/dasp/ua_info.asp
   
3. As soon as the account provider contact you, it is likely that they will need to verify your identity and whereabouts (that's why you need the ip address). They also need to know what you have had in your inbox/ other account details.

Future measures: How can I avoid it?

1. Always sign out! If possible clear up the cookies.
2. Try to have different passwords for different accounts, such as email, ebay, or paypal.
3. Check the web address when you sign in. It could be a spoof with the exactly same layout but incorrect address.

Future measures: How can I be prepared?

1. Update your details information (address, birth date, and importantly secret question/answer)
2. Try to create folders and remember the name and the content.
3. Try to remember some old emails.
4. If you use a kind of chatting service with the same email, remember who and how you classify your contacts.

I've been lucky enough that nothing got stolen from my email/ebay (as far as I know). Internet is fun but is not so safe after all!

It's been a while since I wrote here, and I just feel like writing, especially since that stupid horoscope from a free Dutch newspaper told me that I have to enjoy the butterflies in my stomach. So first, I'm gonna pick up a few lines from Jason Mraz's Life is wonderful.

...
It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
And it takes some work to make it work
...
...
And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
...
Life is wonderful

Second, I'm gonna tell you why I'm interested in this song in the first place. A very good friend of mine sang this lines to me 2 years ago in a car on the way to Rotterdam. I was like,, 'yeah right i knew that already'.

Third, I'm gonna tell you my present and maybe I can share what I've been learning to you guys, since we like to share, and hey maybe we can try to help each other. So two years after she sang it to me, it's me who downloaded all of his albums and trying to understand the crap he's saying. As some of you who knows me better, I don't really listen to lyrics. Unless it's really good one or the lyrics are the part which stands out from the song, I just normally don't. Well what I learned from this song, and comparing it with my experience in the past weeks, is that:

• No matter how you always tend to over think about something, and you wish that things will just happen to come to you, well you may not be lucky all the time. You just have to give it a shot, not desperately though, but with some measured actions.
• Don't take things for granted, take it as what it is.
• Never underestimates anything, cherish for what you have, and be grateful. This will give you a bit more peace in your heart, because,
• When you're happy, when you're not complaining the way things are, things will get better. I don't know why, it's just what I experienced.
  

What I'm saying is that you have to work it out by yourself. At least you have to try. You maybe pessimistic at times, but believe me, hard work pays off. AND, be grateful for what you have. You maybe unsatisfied at times, but don't let it overtake your minds off. Life is beautiful, life is wonderful, hopefully you will all enjoy it.

Cheers,
GBU

YO-HO!

The pirates are coming RRRrrr!! They took away some of my blogs and posts rrrRRrr!! Even some social networking accounts rrrrrrRRR!!! So I can command a new ship and delve the oceans rrrrrrr!!

ps.
pirates send their appreciations for whoever read and left comments before! rrrrr!!

A ticket to hell or heaven

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind", a popular phrase from Albert Einstein. Religion is also science, or let's say, very similar to science. The source of science is nature, while, if you believe in God, the source of religion is God. In some ways they are very similar to each other. To do deeds, to share what you have, to protect nature, to avoid evilish stuffss (what is it anyway), etc etc.

Fundamentally, both have been shaped up by MEN. All the holy books exist in the world, AlQuran, New Testament, Old Testament, among others, were written by mankind, with God as the Almighty source-if you believe in God.

My main question is, 'what if everything that have been taught to us as a religion, were all nothing but human interpretations?'. I am not a Theologist but I can say, raised as a Muslim in an Islamic school, it made me realize that it has been very much human interpretations. I am not able to clearly distinguish-I may never will be-the pure part of religion. Which one is ritual, which one is culturally influenced, which one is symbolic, which one is a psychological, which one is essential. It does not matter which religion it is, but most of the rules may be blatantly the views of leaders from respective religions.

I did experience miracles from the Almighty, so personally I am not questioning His existence or powers. Religion promised you to get the most of your life in relation with yourself, people and of course God. However, if it is veracious that one religion is the only one which is true and rightful, why everyone regardless their beliefs can get the same extent of success, happiness, and peace?

God gives us this gray thing in our skull, to make us think. So forgiving He is and full of kindness that I do not think you should be afraid of questioning what have been taught to you. Who wants to live in fear anyway.

Weekend Wrap-Up

It's been a tiring 7.5 months here in US. I really am on my limit, physically and mentally, but concomitantly my project is reaching the end point. Well for the past 7.5 months I have always been looking forward to the weekends, finding time to rest my self, to recharge the battery, and to enjoy live sports.

Now this weekend of mine has been a helllloottt exciting sports' weekend. Started on Friday, me playing the Winning Eleven................OK never mind, don't count it.

On Saturday after a string matches on Winning Eleven-in which my current Vaz Te has been playing well-finally it was the La Liga special.

Chapter 1 La Liga
I am not a big fan of La Liga, but after seeing the glimpse of Real Madrid revival in recent weeks, leveling Barca on the same point at the top of the table, I can't wait for the last 2 games. The Galacticos was going away to Real Zaragoza on the fifth, while Barca entertaining Espanyol, the UEFA cup finalist at home.

Both giants were trailing 1-0, until Messi's HAND OF GOD goal (part 2) equalized for Barca. 'God is an Argentinian', a commentator shouted. He later scored a good goal on after a flash run in the penalty area to make it 2-1, and about the same time Ruud Van Nistelrooij equalized through a nice header.

Real Madrid was playing it the hard way, Milito again put Real Zaragoza calmly on lead after a magic from Pablo Aimar bursting Real Madrid's defense. Real Madrid seemed to facing another heartbreak after 4 years without a trophy, and Beckham limping of his injury as Real Madrid had used all the substitutes, until RVN again put Galacticos level through a nice positioning following a goal mouth scramble at the 89th minute. 2-2

Believe it or not, Espanyol equalized through their Captain 2nd goal's Tamudo, embracing the Real Madrid bench at the end of the match. The two leaders have the same points tally but Real, despite an inferior goal difference, are ahead because of their superior head-to-head record.

DRAMATIC!

Chapter 2 MotoGP
Actually I did not get a lot of it as I was sleeping more than 9 hours and woke up too late. But it was the Championship leader Casey Stoner who edged out Valentino Rossi at Catalunya GP in Barcelona.

Chapter 3 French Open
I am not a big fan of Tennis either, but maan it's again Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal on the final. I would not give too much details here as I am not a fan enough to do that. The 'King of Clay' managed to ease Roger Federer 6-3 at the first set, but Roger hit back at the 2nd it 6-4. At the third and the fourth set, we were reminded with the brutality of Rafael Nadal on the clay. His serves were really getting in to Federer. Rafa was winning most of the extraordinary rallies, and Federer, a bit mentally drained at the end must accept that this year is not the year to take the Frech Open grand slam into his book of medal for the first time.

Great win, full of quality, Rafa!

Chapter 4 Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton won his first race in only the sixth race of his career. In one of the most thrilling race, as the safety car was deployed FOUR TIMES, he was driving in perfection until the checkquered flag.

Fernando Alonso, who was starting at the 2nd just behind Alonso, atypically drove too wide at the first turn into the grass, slipping to the third behind Nick Heidfeld. He made another frustrating mistake as he was running too low of fuel forcing to him to the pit although he was not allowed aftermath an Adrian Sutil's Spyker accident. 10 points penalty.

On one of the most horrendous accident no one want to see, Robert Kubica was flying his car to a barrier, flipping and scattering almost the entire car crossing the circuit and hitting the opposite barrier. Thankfully he only broke his leg and to date in a stable condition.

Meanwhile Fisichella and Felipe Massa was black-flagged for leaving the pits when the exit was closed. End of the race for them.

The surprising moment was, when Alsonso was overtaken by Takuma Sato of Super Aguri at the penultimate lap, rewarding him with with the sixth place. And Lewis Hamilton, at 22, survived 4 safety cars winning the race and putting McLaren, apart from Fernando Alonso, into a jubilant mood.

A SURREAL RACE, but congrats Hamilton!

Bonus Track
Well, I really need to finish this blog as I got something to do for my work, while watching Chapter 5 Portugal-Belgium UEFA U-21 champs, and later tonight Chapter 6 NBA final Spurs-Cavaliers 2nd game.

Thank God people created P2P TV live streaming. mwaAkakakAkaAKA! xD well c ya! :) Thank God that life has so much to offer!