Usability

Apple has always been on the forefront with their designs. Whether it's the new PowerBook, iPod, or iMacs, even their software is touted to be solid and usable.

There's just one thing (okay, 2) that bugs me: the iPod remote, and the iPod case that came included with second generation iPods.

First the remote. I believe that it's a total failure in design, insofar that I refuse to use it. First of all, they must have assumed that most of the iPod's users are female (which is funny because out of my sample size of seven people, six are male, and one is JLo), because the clip is unambiguously on the right side of the remote (looking from behind), which makes it very difficult to clip on to male shirts. Secondly, the clip is too short, making it fumblesome to clip, and the remote is too heavy, which can drag down a pocket. Lastly, the buttons on the remote are horribly placed and hard to press, in that very often I found myself inadvertently unclipping the remote while pressing the button, which brings us back to point two. And the new remotes that come with third generation iPods don't look any better.

The only gripe with the included iPod case is that it does not have a cutout for the controls, which means you have to pull the iPod out of the case every time you want to change the song, or adjust the volume (if you're like me and hate the remote), which kind of defeats the purpose.

I wonder who did the usability testing for those products, or is Apple just too focused on having something look "cool" rather than being usable.

Slang

With regard to Benny's post on April 29 (his archive links are not working).

Phonetic translations of Ben and Benny to Chinese:

Ben = Dumb, stupid
Benny = Dumb mud

That's a shame. And yes, I have been aware of the English slang terms.

Doh

Looks like I bought my iPod three months too early.

I like the fact that they have a docking station and will be adding USB 2.0 support, and the fact that it will be lighter, but the new design is inferior to the old one.

On the plus side, the new firmware (windows version to come out in May) should have queueable playlist support.

Update: "Double Doh" - Apparently the 1.3 firmware does not have queueable playlist support, but an upcoming 2.0 should. FUCK. That should have been priority number 1 for them. It's what EVERYBODY wants.

Masks

I hear that N95 surgical masks are quickly selling out in areas near Toronto. Anyone want me to pick up some from the US?

This could be a good business opportunity.

The weather forecast for the next week. Notice all the clouds and rain droplets. It's already been like this for two weeks.

Madonna

Madonna, the queen of controversy, after pulling the plug on her questionable American Life video, releases a new version with her singing in front of a montage of flags from across the world, ending in, of course, the American flag. Personally, I think the original one was better (you can probably still find it on p2p networks). But she should stay away from rapping:

I'm drinkin' a soy latte
I get a double shotte
It goes right through my body
And you know I'm satisfied
I drive my mini cooper
And I'm feeling super-duper
Yo they tell me I'm a trooper
And you know I'm satisfied
I do yoga and pilates
And the room is full of hotties
So I'm checking out their bodies
And you know I'm satisfied
I'm diggin' on the isotopes
This metaphysics shit is dope
And if all this can give me hope
You know I'm satisfied
I got a lawyer and a manager
An agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant
And a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler
And a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist
Do you think I'm satisfied

Another weird thing occurred to me last night. I went to bed, left the TV on, and I distinctly remember putting my glasses and the remote on the night stand. I also remember that I left the TV on channel 7, hoping to catch some Letterman before falling asleep. I woke up at 5 am to the TV blaring the above Madonna song (on channel 63), the remote was on the floor, and my glasses were under the covers (I almost rolled on top of them). Sometime between the hours of 11:30 and 5, I managed to change the channel, put on and take off my glasses, and throw the remote onto the floor, all without any memory of me doing so.

Movies

Recap of the movies I saw over the weekend. This was a particularly lazy weekend. I had grand plans of going to work and ended up lying on the couch.

Bulletproof Monk - typical Hong Kong kungfu movie meets Hollywood. Good for some mindless action. Just don't pay the full price, go to a matinee.

Mothman Prophesies - this movies was supposedly based on true events. If I saw one of those mothmen, it would probably give me a heart attack.

Sex and Lucia - as the title suggests, there's a lot of sex ... with Lucia. The storyline was very twisted, and the timelines kept on jumping back and forth, which made it difficult to follow and piece together the events. They pronounce the "c" with a "th" sound, so it seemed like all the actors had a permanent lisp. The cinematography was different. A lot of scenes were whitewashed and overexposed, must be some artistic metaphore for exposing the truth (or something like that).

Better Luck Tomorrow - saw this at the local equivalent of the Princess. All Asian cast, and an MTV production. It was actually very good. It brings you back to the feelings of boredom, anxiety, and loneliness that one had in high school. The things kids did to break that cycle, and the consequences thereof is an interesting backdrop to the (sometimes) frivolous searches of love and happiness one sometimes mistakes popularity for. It's time for a wake up call.

Bad Dreams

I just saw Mothman Prophesies.

Not a good movie to watch alone and late at night.

Now I'm off to bed.

Thoughts

Yet another four months have flown by. Only two weeks left before packing up and heading home for four months coding and drinking and soaking up the sun in the a/c chilled real-time lab. One of my housemates, Annie, has already taken the leap, and decided to have a short vacation in the land down under.

So what has the past four months brought me? Another two bullets on my resume, a realization that I will dance at a club if aptly intoxicated, a new found respect for raisin bread purchased at Uwajimaya, and a sense of loss for leaving behind our favourite lunch outing -- 2 Ho's.

Being on coop almost forces us into a new environment and making new friends every four months. In that brief amount of time, everyone parties, travels, and works together, a clique. It gives you an introspective look into other people's worlds, and you discover very quickly what people like and dislike. But just as quickly as everyone bonds, the term dissolves, and the end rapidly approaches. In the same way that we are led into a new environment every four months, we are also forced to leave everything behind three times a year. And when you're out partying with the new found crowd, sometimes, in a glimpse of soberiety, you secretly miss the friends that you left behind. Although you know you will see them soon again, you wonder, what would happen if they were here?

But if nothing else, the coop term is really the perfect opportunity to hone one's foosball skills. Mine has never been better.

Note to Self

Just filled up prepaid Cingular account today. Will last until July 16th.

Anyone who is planning on visiting the US between the dates of May and July, who has an unlocked phone, and wishes to use a prepaid service (10 cents a minute nights/weekend, 35 cents a minute peak), let me know.

Food

I should really stop my habit of eating out so much. The number of times I've brought lunch to work can be counted on one hand. This incessant spending on food can add up quite a bit over a long period. $5 avg * 20 days/month * 4 months = $400.

Well, maybe it's not so bad.

I just need to stop going to Vegas, and buying stuff. That's all.

Lusty Lady

The Lusty Lady never ceases to amaze: Continuous Uncoverage.

Take that Saddam.

Tax day today.

Green

Having all denominations of a currency in one colour is simply evil. I felt its full wrath on Friday when I bought lunch with a $20 and only got $4 back in change. And no, the lunch did not cost $16.

I could have sworn that I checked the change too.

From now on, no more paying for lunch at shady places with $20 bills.

Sun

I really miss the sun. I haven't seen it in days, and the forecast is predicting rain for as long as it can predict.

All the joy you can have in the sunshine, have a drink on the patio, walk down the waterfront, drive along the coast, is all lost when the sky is draped by a constant blanket of gray. After a while, the depression sets in, and you wonder if you'll ever see the sun again.

The inability to see the sun rise, or set, when the whole environment is simply covered by an omniscient glow of varying shades of black and white, is a constant reminder of the bland office atmosphere, even when outside and walking on the sidewalk. It's like living in a giant underground cave with flourescent lights everywhere, and rain.

The rain is not neverending. It comes and goes. The sky is always covered, but you never think it's going to pour. Even when it does rain, it drips, so you don't know if you should put in the effort to take out the umbrella, or just tough it out for the 5 minute walk to the bus stop.

The buses are usually on time, but I have given up on trying to remember a schedule. I know when to go down to the bus in the mornings, but come night time, it's all down to luck, especially if I go to the gym.

The gym has been working out pretty good this term. We (well, most of us anyways) got a 50% discount (from 65 to 30 something a month) because we claimed that we made under $19 999 a year, which is true, to a certain extent. We don't know if we'll have a job for the fall.

Fall is so far away, and I can't see the sun.

Barely in a bar for two hours, and my clothes smell like ass. This reminds me of why I like Waterloo. At least you don't have to do laundry after every outing.

Now that the Leafs won the first game, I guess I'm really not getting any help anymore.

My coworker who's from Philadelphia says he will now refuse to help me until the playoffs are over.

I just got a scanner, and spent the better part of yesterday scanning the pictures from my film camera.

Here are the results.

Went to Vancouver Friday night, apparently I had a good time.

While driving back, we thought it was leave-your-blinkers-on day, since we saw no less than five cars, vans and transports with their various turning lights on, but with no intention of turning or exiting. And I got pulled over for doing 80 in a 70 zone. Luckily, no ticket.

When an advisor to the PM called Bush a "moron", she was fired. When other MP's said Bush was being "unstatesman like", they were denounced by Alliance MP's in the house. But when a senior advisor in the US calls our Prime Minister a "lame duck", nothing happens. No calls for apology, no cries of outrage, no dissent from the American government.

Threatening worsened economic relationships to coerce other nations doesn't bring any friends, only servants.

Work is about to get real busy real soon.