If capitalism works everywhere

If one was trying to get away from a pack of wolves by climbing up a tree, it doesn't matter how high the hands and head gets, if the feet are still dragging behind near the ground...you're going to become dog food.

That, at it's core, is why -- all things considered equal -- I would rather help the needy and the have-nots, over progressing the status and luxury of the elite.  Because while capitalism is great at getting people ahead, we're only as strong as our weakest link (cliche, I know).  Case in point, wouldn't it be reasonable to say that it was capitalism at its extreme, that has caused this "worst financial crisis since the Great Depression"?  Food for thought.

More to come when I can find the time...

AIX scripting, loop iterations on integers

I usually work with ksh, but this might work for other shells as well?

 for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7  
 do  
 #stuff  
 done  

while loop over number range:

 counter=0  
 max=50  
 while [ $counter -lt $max ]  
 do  
 # stuff  
 let counter=$counter+1  
 done  

where some of the ideas orginated from:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1591109/how-can-i-iterate-through-a-range-of-ints-in-ksh

Getting contacts transferred: phone to phone

I've been trying to transfer my contacts from my old phone (Sony Ericsson w880i) to my new phone (Sony Ericsson X10). You'd think that being from the same company, and having a all-in-one suite from SE for phone operations (e.g. saving txt msgs, contacts, calendar entries, etc., etc.), that contact migration should be a breeze! Unfortunately, and most-disappointingly, the PC Companion migration feature requires you to transfer them through a google account. Not sure what would be needed if both phones weren't Android based, or if access to the internet wasn't available.

There's been various sites and forums that mention alternatives, but the only one I've found revolves around an MS Outlook contact list, which I also don't have. "What gives?!", I think to myself. Transferring contacts phone to phone shouldn't be this hard, especially if they're from the same company. Luckily, after playing around with the phones for a bit, I found the solution: vcf files over bluetooth. The w880 allowed for all my contacts to be saved into a vcf file, and both phones talk over bluetooth, and the X10 supports the reading, and interpreting of vcf files. Thus, the solution was discovered!

For the detail-oriented. The X10 was running Android 2.3.3. Not sure about the w880i (but it wasn't the latest version). So in conclusion, if you need to transfer contacts between phones, and you want to do it simply, quickly, and generally independent of phone manufacturer, look into vcf transfers over bluetooth.

My Rules #3

I heard this on some news report on TV a while back. From a US political candidate running against the former CEO of eBay for the Governor, think it might've been Jerry Brown, who admitted it being from a Japanese source (i.e. proverb):

Life and death are serious matters. Time waits for no one. Do your best.

In how I see it, your early 20s is when the academic learning of the world is (mostly) done.  The late 20s is, generally, when the practical learning of the world is (also mostly) "complete" (travel, career, etc.); at least such that there's enough that's understood to start on that Magnus Opus of yours, in one's 30s.  Once that mindset is committed to (i.e. to leave your mark in this world), is when it finally sets in: time is finite, bullshit is not to be tolerated, go get your worth and build your empire (in whichever life pillar it manifests in).

The thing w/ AAAs...

Talking about batteries; the rechargable NiMH kind, AAA-sized. Have yet to find one that operates at 1.5V like it's alkaline non-rechargable cousins. Results in some devices (like wireless mice) that don't work due to lower voltage. Other things like LED lights, might work, but definitely not as bright (or in my case, not as many led bulbs light up).

The neat trick, though, is if you mix a 1.5V alkaline w/ a 1.2V rechargable, it'll have enough juice in the set to power the wireless rodent (mice).

But I want to play in THAT sandbox...

The world is what you make of it. Some people volunteer their time to organizations, some choose to fight for a valiant cause, others strive to succeed in their career, others want to get out and see the world, while others just want to veg at home on their super-comfy leather sofa.

If you can believe it, I want all of that, and none.

The problem is choice

"Choice, the problem is choice."

Inspired by the recent announcement about a federal election (in Canada), and a healthy conversation with a friend, here's a simplistic (but accurate) analogy of how I see most political systems (I.e. Democracies) in our world:

A political democracy is like a cafeteria. In a cafeteria, you have multiple vendors trying to get you to buy their entres. In a 'democracy', you also have multiple parties vying to get you vote.

Terrific Trio

One random Sunday in January, there was a bit of time on my hands (which is rare), and a bit of food in the fridge, so I ended up deciding to cook up a storm.  I freely admit it doesn't really look the most appetizing (rushed plating is partly to blame), but these recipes/dishes are more to be tasted than to be seen.

"Lobster" Sauce

Usually comes with shrimp

If you've ever ordered from a Chinese-Canadian restaurant, you've probably seen the "shrimp in lobster sauce" item.  Never understood how ground pork ever turned into "lobster" sauce, but whatever: a rose by any other name...

Ma Po Tofu sans Tofu

Couldn't find a better name for it

so it doesn't have tofu, and it's not spicy at all, let alone a thick sauce complexion.  But it does have the pickled vegetables, as well as the ground meat.  Again, my dishes are ALWAYS "Danny Style", ;)

Stir-fried Veggies

with Carrots and Broccoli and Cauliflower, on my!

One thing I've started doing lately is NOT boiling/steaming the veggies before throwing them into the stirfy.  Not only is it supposed to be more nutritious, I've started liking the taste of raw broccoli and cauliflower more.  Recently heard, though, that there can still be some bacteria of some sort that can stick around the raw veggies (even after washing), so next time might just blanch them first.

Curry Chicken, Danny Style

Hmmmm, Curry Chicken has always been my bane.  I could never get it just right.  Tonight, I would confidently say that I've taken a step in the right direction.

That's rice on the left, and the curry chicken on the right

Starring: Chicken breast, yellow potatoes, water-based veggies (celery, cauliflower, carrots, green peppers, onions.

Guest Appearances: Ginger, Sesame Oil, Curry Powder, Salt, Basil Leaves (2 per breast), Water

Missing in Action:  Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Garnish (like Cilantro or Green Onions)

Lessons Learned/Keys:

• key is the quality of the curry you use
• when boiling potatoes, the water level in the pot should not exceed the level of the potatoes
• when boiling potatoes, keep the heat on high until the water's boiling with the potatoes.  Afterwards, bring it down to medium heat
• Onions should be pan-fried, or caramelized before adding to the mix
• Basil leaves should go in at the same time as the chicken
• It's possible to overcook the veggies (especially the green peppers), so watch over them

New Years 1 - Xmas 0

For once, there was a clear winner on dinner between Xmas & New Years.  The winning dinner:

5 entres + rice

Includes asian beef salad, red wine steak w/ sauteed mushrooms, veggie salad, thick-cut oven-baked potato "chips", and cooked broccoli & cauliflower.

Now, that's just in terms of food.  I think for experience, Xmas was still more fun (as it was spent w/ more peeps).  But food-wise, chalk one up for New Years for once!

For once, there was a clear winner on dinner between Xmas & New Years.  The winning dinner: