Now THIS is funny.



This opens up the whole thing about subjectivity and how if you tell someone enough times, you can actually convince them that someone looks like someone else, sorta like how you can start seeing shapes in clouds. Given that it's a computer that came up with this, it uses mathematical algorithms to determine similarity due to placement of facial features, shadow depth, closeness of skin tone (although with lighting, it's also subject to change), and the like.

That still doesn't make it accurate, though, as computers aren't always that good at recognizing colours (especially with lighting). That, and the database doesn't have a whole bunch of Asian actors in it. I'm not thinking that the software is especially sophisticated, at least when it comes to the malleable nature of faces, as it also is based on whatever photos that they have on file. Just on a whim, I submitted a few different ones with different smile types and found that I could be a potential match to Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cho (AKA "MILF guy"), or Magic Johnson.


With more sophisticated technology, such a 3D laser scanning, then this could be much more accurate. But, it's something kinda neat that you can brag about and show to your friends.

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Goals and New Year's Resolutions

Every year, it's the same - a lofty resolutions that are typically forgotten in a matter of weeks, or even days, all of which serve to remind us of how stuck we are in our current patterns. Maybe it's best that we don't actually have "New Year's Resolutions" and instead focus on long-term and short-term goals that aren't tied to a new year, so that there won't be necessarily any disappointment or frustration if they can't be attained.

Anyway, this is just so I have some level of semi-permanent record and statement, so my nearest and dearest have something to bug me about if I happen to be slacking off in any way (subtle hint). One thing I also noticed is that in order to attain goals, specific plans to meet those goals must be used and then followed.

Things that are conceivably attainable within a few months:

1. Master specific Capoeira and other acrobatic movements (Wallflip, Folha Seca, Armada Dupla). Plan: practice, study on technique, and soliciting advice.
2. Find a new job in my field. Plan: network more often, do volunteer work with organizations, get name out there, keep my portfolio current, keep my writing, design, and editing skills sharp any way I can.
3. Clean apartment. I'll do that as soon as I finish writing this. Plan: do dishes first, finish laundry (including fold and store), tidy work/computer area.
   

Ongoing habits:

1. Become more comprehensive in Brazilian Portuguese. Plan: complete WikiBooks course, complete Teach Yourself Portuguese book, ask more questions of native Portuguese speakers, watch/read more Portuguese media.
   
2. Learn at least one Capoeira song in Portuguese a month. Plan: practice at home, learn more vocabulary and grammar in Portuguese so that I can memorize easier with better understanding
3. Take much less crap from people. Plan: pay more attention, be more cognizant of what people are saying and putting myself in more social situations to prepare myself for when similar situations arise.
4. Get in the habit of maintaining a certain level of cleanliness and organization. Plan: Put away everything once I'm done with it, develop an organizing system for everything from documents to trash.
5. Feel better about self. Plan: see #3.
6. Develop better time management skills. Plan: do things according to priority, dedicate specific blocks of time to specific tasks, do not interrupt task to do something else, reward self with "fun" tasks.
7. Get better at networking. Plan: Go to more events, keep up to date with older contacts, treat everyone with respect, and do exactly what I say I will do.
   

Lofty goals

1. Save up sufficient cash to go travelling, specifically to visit cousin in Australia. This may take a bit more time. Plan: Get better job, develop better spending and budgeting habits, remove unnecessary expenditures.
2. Earn Azul Escuro (dark blue) belt in Capoeira. Considering that I already bypassed Amarelo Claro (dark yellow) in the 2006 Batizado, I should count my blessings. Plan: learn more songs in Portuguese, ask about teaching introduction classes at the academy, develop better skills with Portuguese.

Generally useless on the grand-scheme-of-life but cool to do anyway for self-improvement purposes

1. Guitar music - learn more songs and techniques. Master two handed tapping to properly play classically inspired compositions on electric, such as attempting Pachabel's Canon in D. Although I don't expect to be going along the same level of FunTwo... Plan: spend about 30 minutes per day (time usually spent surfing the 'net or just goofing off) practicing and learning, preferably right before going to bed.
   
2. Puzzle solving - I really don't know how much smarter this makes me...much like IQ tests, they are only indicitive of how one is good at doing IQ tests. But, getting my Rubik's Cube solving time to an average of 40 seconds is easily conceivable. I'm already at about a minute. Plan: memorize two or three last layer algorithms per week while on transit (80 minute round trip).
   

Now, off to start my year off right...hey, there's something good on TV! Maybe a little later.

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Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2007!

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Wall flip, attempt #1.

This is funny. Because it didn't happen to you.

Lessons of note:

• Only attempt this when I am warmed up, but not fatigued (ie: near the beginning of my session).
  
• Remember to put more mat on the floor, so I actually have more cushioning if I happen to over-rotate.
• Remember to uncurl after the initial tuck faster so I don't rotate so much.
  

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Christmas evening was spent discussing the perils of consumerism with my cousin from halfway across the globe. The discussion got a little bit heated at times, but to avoid things getting ugly, I conceded that there isn't much we can do about it either way.

As much as we like to believe that true happiness comes from non-tangibles -- love of friends and family, achievement, health and security -- these things usually are coincidental with consumption and modern civilization, which is consumerist by nature. Shut off everything, and people start dying as food stops coming in, the heat stops working in the dead of winter, and the hospital life support machines stop working.

Maybe it's balance that we need to start advocating...

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Good Karma and Bad Karma / Myopic Foresight and Hindsight in 20-20

Good: To kill time between contracts and do something nice for Christmas, I made a point of volunteering for the Salvation Army by playing Christmas Carols on guitar while collecting donations.

Bad: Made my signature dish for a Christmas potluck dinner last night, being chilli. I left it alone for too long and it burned on the bottom of the pot, so I transferred it to a casserole dish. Being "pretty sure" that it was approved for stovetop use, I warmed it up on the guest host's stove. So, several hours slaving over a hot stove and simmering destroyed in a flash (it's probably not a good idea to eat stuff that may or may not have porcelain chips in it). I was very sad after that happened.

This is the second item that I have inadvertently destroyed this way...even if it worked once, it won't necessarily work all the time. Speaking of which, did you know that it is a really bad idea to use a glass coffee table as an ironing board?

Good: Finally cleaned my apartment and am making a concerted effort to make it more so.

Bad: Mind you, the majority of that consisted of shoving everything into one room, which is now a nightmare to navigate through.

Good: Again put my guitar skills to use at my Capoeira studio's Christmas party, also aided by my culinary skills, having cooked Sate Chicken stir fry (with pineapple and green pepper) on the spot (with a portable skillet and everything).

Bad: No photos. I stupidly left my camera at the academy and I'm really hoping it's still there when the academy opens up again on the 30th.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

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Riddle me this...

This is a bizarre world where there is no God, but there is goodness. People have no heart, but they have feelings. There are no relationships, only marriage. Marriage has no sex, but lots of kissing and hugging. We can see and smell, but we cannot hear, touch, or taste.

People do not go to work, unless they happen to be accountants, engineers, and tennis players. There are no doctors or hospitals, which is a good thing because you won't get sick (but you might fall ill).

For fun, no one watches hockey or cricket, although people still play basketball, soccer, football, and foosball.

You don't have a house but you do have a roof. You can have walls, but without paint. You can have floors without the carpet. You can even have grass, but no yard or a picket fence.

In the natural world, we have trees of green, but no red roses. We have bees but not birds, eels but not seals, llmas but not lambs. The sun never shines, although the moon comes out. It never rains, it never snows, although they get periods of sleet.

Beef is consumed regularly, although chicken and fish are not. Fruits and vegetables are not either...unless it happens to be green peppers, lettuce, or apples. People eat pizza with mushrooms, pepperoni, cheese (both mozzarella and cheddar, but no parmesan), and pineapples (but no anchovies, olives, or onions).

In the entertainment world, the Foo Fighters are popular, but no one has heard of Nirvana. Green Day, Hoobastank, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are cool, but nobody listens to Justin Timberlake or Nickleback.

For fun and games, we have lots of books, but they're not made of paper. We have queens and fools, but no kings and jokers. We have rooks, but no castles, chess but no checkers. We have riddles, but no jokes.

In the world of technology, we still have Google, Yahoo, askJeeves, and InfoSeek. But, no one ever uses AltaVista or HotBot. But then, it doesn't matter because we have no Internet or computers. But we do have LCD screens. Just no monitors.

We have no cars (unless they're Hummers, Ferarris, Jeeps, or Corollas), but they all have wheels, transmissions, and mufflers (but no brakes or tires). We have geeks, but no freaks. We have carrots, but no onions...apples, but no oranges...seeds, but no pits.

What else can this world have?

(hint: it's not so much what the words represent and mean...)

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Life in general has been knocking me down and kicking me while I'm trying to get up, but that's all there is to it - it's not how you fall, it's how you get up.

Recently finished my job last Friday and elected not to renew my contract due to another work obligation that would have started up on Sunday. It would've involved graveyard hours, but due to weather, they decided to postpone it "indefinitely." I found that out today. And I completely cleared out my schedule for this, and even made a point of climatizing my body for the graveyard hours (ie: not sleeping until 4AM, waking up at 10PM). So, does anyone have any use for someone who's pre-climatized for graveyard work?

So, in my downtime, I've tried to make an effort to clean my apartment, practice my Portuguese ("O qui nao mata engorda!"), and find more work. I've taken a few more steps, having finally emptied out the trash and cleaned up that massive pile of dishes that occupied the sink, then purchased a Portuguese-English dictionary (which, alas, has no swear words in it), and revised my website resume.

On the plus side, I've been getting work hosting Karaoke night at Scruffy McGuire's pub, which doesn't pay huge, but is a good side gig.

Will make more calls, will network, will get out of the apartment.

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I hate Monday.

I had what I thought was a cold since Friday night, but not feeling sick enough to stay home, I go in anyway. Realizing that there are other people who are sick in the office, I make a point of designing up a "biohazard" sign to tape to my chest as I do my job, and I also distribute them to the front desk. I get about 5 hours of work done before I am sent home. I'm also forced to cancel on a face-to-face with someone who I met on-line.

I really shoulda gotten that flu shot.

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For reasons unknown, I somehow managed to land a weekly gig hosting Karaoke night at the local watering hole. Doing training and getting familiarity with the equipment last night (Friday), I quickly got to know the ins and outs of karaoke, how difficult it is to get people to sing, and why it's a bad thing to be playing too much gangsta rap.

The first objective is to avoid the mistakes of previous hosts. Obviously, that means no monopolizing the mic time (outside of one song to warm up the crowd), no making creepy-creepy-gross-guy advances towards the female regulars of the pub (that's how my friends and I got rid of the first guy), and keeping songs with excessive swear words to a minimum (meaning that even though "Ode to My Car" by Adam Sandler happens to be in the song book, we're not supposed to use it).

So, with my one and only song to encourage the crowd to get up and sing, I did "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin, in the style of William Hung (Chinese-American accent and everything). I was actually admonished by one of the wait staff, who felt the need to indicate that we have many patrons of various ethnicities coming into the pub. I had to point out the fact that I'm Chinese. I have done the song about a dozen times in various karaoke bars and this is about the first time anyone's ever called me on it. But, point taken.

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Memories of My Father
Or, Why Rush Limbaugh is an Ignorant, Fat Douchebag
By Vince Yim

(submitted for publication in The Other Press)

My childhood was marked by the news that my father was involved in an incident of workplace violence. When your world is Saturday morning cartoons, hockey cards, and homework, learning that a mental patient put a knife in your dad’s back can really put a wrench into things. Suddenly, the man that picked you up from school and took you fishing during the summer was stuck in a hospital bed. When he got over it, yet another wrench was thrown in the gears.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neural disorder that affects movement, speech, and posture. Tremors and shaking are the initial symptoms, which only get worse over time. Difficulty walking, clumsy movement, dementia, and impaired swallowing are common. After about ten years, watching my dad almost choke on family dinners became a daily occurrence. There is no cure, only treatment to attempt to control the symptoms or slow the progression. There is no specific cause either, although it is suggested that it may be genetic or caused by head injury. It’s been speculated that my father’s spinal injury may have had something to do with it.

For most people, Parkinson’s isn’t actually fatal, although patients typically expire due to complications of the disease. For my father, he developed osteoporosis (due to lack of physical activity brought on by impaired mobility, in turn due to Parksinson’s), fell, broke his spine and was hospitalized, where he was infected by MSRA (antibiotic resistant bacteria) and died in hospital. This was in 2004. He lived with the condition for almost 17 years.

Michael J. Fox is one of the more well known sufferers of Parkinson’s disease and is a well known advocate for stem cell research. Having being diagnosed while barely in his thirties, he’s one of the younger people to be diagnosed (many sufferers develop Parkinson’s in their 50s and 60s), and as a result, has been active politically, appearing in front of US congress and most recently appearing in a television ad, endorsing Democratic Missouri senate candidate Claire McCaskill, a known proponent of embryonic stem cell research.

The ad (currently available on YouTube.com) depicts Fox speaking his views, while his stereotyped and involuntary body movements depict someone unable to sit still, typical of Parkinson’s sufferers. The ad is fairly disturbing to watch for most people who are unfamiliar with the disease, which is a very strong endorsement. For most people, save for right wing political pundit Rush Limbaugh.

In his radio show, Limbaugh lambasted the whole ad, even going all the way to accuse Fox of either intentionally going off his medication or acting. Admittedly, Limbaugh’s accusations has some merit, as Fox’s memoirs do indicate that he intentionally went off medication when appearing before senate in 1998. And certainly, in comparisons to many of his other appearances on television, such as a recent appearance on Boston Public, his symptoms are much more pronounced. That is where it ends, however.

Anyone with familiarity of Parkinson’s will recognize the movements immediately. High levels of medication are required to keep movements in check, although the medication will lose effectiveness over the years, and in some cases, may actually promote involuntary movement. Additionally, given the edited nature of episodic television, it’s not hard to get footage of Fox during his more calm moments. As it stands, accusing statements as such not only smack of general ignorance, but highly insensitive as well, regardless of Limbaugh’s pre-emptive apology, if he is indeed wrong.

Would Limbaugh be making statements like that if he were living with Parkinson’s or knew someone close to him with Parksinson’s? After making those statements, what are the odds that he’s ever had to watch a loved one crawl on his or her hands and knees to get to the bathroom? Or even try to stop the rude stares from strangers in public, reacting to the bizarre, involuntary movements? Or had to hope and pray that he wouldn’t choke on breakfast or fall down a flight of stairs?

Limbaugh goes onto suggest Fox is a political pawn for doing this. As a first-hand witness to Parkinson’s, my impression is that Fox is merely acting in his own interests, namely a cure. Suggesting otherwise is general douche-baggery.

Indeed, everyone is entitled to their opinion, whether we want to hear it or not. However, half-cocked statements really should be better thought out before being made public. True, attempts to know every single fact before expressing opinions would make it so opinions would never be made. However, Limbaugh’s comments were made while ignoring key details, such as the actual movements of Parkinson’s, the long-term effects of medication, or even the details of television production. His attempts at qualifying his statements by admitting Parkinson’s devastating effects come across as empty and hollow.

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3 minutes, 19.68 seconds. I really, really need a girlfriend.

Music: "Namistai" by BT, from Movement in Still Life (UK edition)

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They can put a man on the moon, they can regrow tooth enamel, and the 500 channel universe dictates that there is ALWAYS something on. Yet they still can't cure the common cold, nor can they make it go by any faster.

Thursday started with me waking up with a sore throat, which has since been followed by chugging back cup after cup after cup of hot tea. Certainly, I've never been more alert at work. Given that I haven't gotten around to getting a tea kettle for my apartment, that means I'm the most "healthy" at work.

Generally speaking, I tend to feel better when I'm showering, eating, exercising, or eating. Sadly, I can't do all of these things while I'm at work. Out of desperation, Saturday had me heading to the local nutrition store for echinachea drops and oil of oregano, which according to the bottle, is supposed to help with upper respiratory infections. Echinachea drops are 40% pure alcohol per volume while oil of oregano tastes mildly Italian, followed by a severe burning sensation that makes your eyes water. The treatment is almost worse than the disease.

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A random female stranger grabbed my buttocks on the Skytrain last night. I wouldn't have minded so much if she happened to be hot (or at least cute), so as a result, I was slightly annoyed. She apologized profusely, saying that she mistook me for someone else, but it did shock the hell out of me. Is this normal, to go around grabbing the buttocks of members of the opposite sex if you happen to know them? Because last I checked, any attempts on my part to do so will result in a swift kick to the groin.

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So, having spent the past few weeks going nuts between helping my buddy with his wedding, getting ready for my Capoiera belt ceremony, trying (unsuccesfully) to clean my apartment, and trying to find work, I managed to land a two-and-a-half month contract with a printing company as a checker/proofreader. Emphasis on checker, at least now, just because I'm new and they don't want me causing too much damage at once.

Admittedly, a bit of a paycut from A&B Sound, but at least I know when my term is finished and it's paying the bills. That means as a result, I'm not exactly rolling in the hookers and blow. Come to think of it, it's not even strippers and booze. If I'm lucky, it's internet-downloaded porn and sniffing glue.

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Opening roda at Capoeira Aché Brasil. Seated l-r: Mestre Derli (Brazil), Mestre Elias (San Diego), and Mestranda Edna Lima (New York). Standing: Mestre Eclilson De Jesus (Vancouver)


Barboleta, Camara, and Pantera doing Maculele


Cordao Amarelo Escuro ("Dark Yellow") L-R: Dandara, Jazz, Toquinha (yours truly), and Casado


Professore Superhomem ("Superman")


The masters of Capoeira

After weeks of hemming and hawing about oh, I'm not going to get my belt, that test was way too easy, Mestre already knew what my belt level was going in, blah blah blah, I am the proud owner of a shiny new amarelo escuro ("Dark Yellow") belt, having managed to skip amarelo claro ("Light Yellow"). Now, to train extra-EXTRA hard to qualify at least for azul claro ("light blue").

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Once again proving my theory that is physically impossible to look bad while wearing one of these.


Post ceremony photographs at Coal Harbour


"We have arrived at your destination sir and ma'am."


Reception toast




Gabe and Jialin play Lady and the Tramp.

After running around for 18 hours straight, I'm pretty frickin' tired. Congratulations to the bride and groom, and may you have a lifetime of wedded bliss. May your love always grow, propser, and flourish.

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Hangin' with my big sistah. Why am I more tanned than her? (Self portrait, with flash)


BT (AKA Brian Transeau) works the crowd at Richards on Richards


Experiments in no-flash photography mean a lot of really blurry pictures that will have to be discarded. Occasionally, I'll get lucky and people are shooting flash at the exact same moment, which means a lot less red eye and preserved colours that you won't get if you just shot with flash.


More experiments in no-flash photography, which makes for some very abstract and cool looking shots. But be prepared to toss a lot of them along the way.


Hangin' wit' my man BT.

After downloading a few random BT tracks such as "Never Gonna Come Back Down" and "Dreaming", I made a point of actually buying Movement in Still Life, after which I promptly became a fan.

Since I missed BT's last stop in Vancouver, I had to take the effort to catch him this time around. My excuse last year was that I couldn't get anyone to go with, but this time I managed to drag my sister along. This time BT's promoting the upcoming release of This Binary Universe, which hits stands this week. Great show, although it'll be great when my hearing finally returns back to normal.

And thus, adding to my collection of autographed CDs, having since met Joe Satriani, The Crystal Method, DJ Rap, and Kinnie Starr. Although there was that time someone asked me to get an autograph from Linda McRae, formerly of Spirit of the West. She made it out to me, thinking that it was mine. Oops.

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Wow, that certainly didn't take too long.

After a whopping six weeks on the job, my department was downsized by 50%, which leaves me typing this blog at 9:40 in the morning when I'm supposed to be updating the company's web fliers and assisting layout for the print flyer program. I can take some comfort in the fact that it's nothing personal and very little to do with work performance (given the fact that a person with considerably more experience and expertise was laid off at exact the same time), but that leaves me with the obvious dillemma as to how I'm going to eat and pay rent.

Today, I'm hitting the beach and taking my guitar with me, then I'm gonna go watch Snakes on a Plane. Tomorrow, I'm planning my next chess move.

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