Play D&D, not MMORPGs

A fan of RPGs? Well, it seems like the folks who started this whole phenonemon is striking back at the virtual versions, the MMORPGs. Yes, it seems that there is a Dungeons & Dragons ad out there that is encouraging folks to play the real table RPG over the virtual one. The copy on the ad is great fun...

If you're going to sit in your basement pretending to be an elf, you should at least have some friends over to help. Dungeons and Dragons: Get together. Roll some Dice. Have Fun.

SHE roped in to promote World of Warcraft

Seems like Blizzard is going all out to attract gamers in China to
play World of Warcraft! There's even this Coke commercial featuring
the gals from the pop group SHE where computer-generated versions of
the pop trio dressed in fantasy warriors outfits fought an evil record
company exec who turns into an orc. The ad is to promote Coke and the
co-branded Coke-WoW website. Maybe Coke is the drink that will fuel
you when you're playing WoW. What happened to the standard gamers'
preferred drink of choice to keep you awake playing hours on end...
Red Bull?

TIME interviews Neil Gaiman & Joss Whedon on geeks

Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon are two of my most admired folks creating sci-fi/fantasy stories right now. Neil Gaiman is the author of the Sandman series and also many other books. Joss Whedon is the creator of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Their works have such an influence on today's pop culture and I believe they will go down in history as key figures in pop culture. Here, they're interviewed and they also gave their perspective on their fan geeks. Yeah, I'm proud to be one such geek.

If your neighbour is the Simpsons, this would be their house

There's actually a house that looks exactly like the Simpsons House in the cartoon series. The walls are painted in vibrant cartoony-like colors and everything looks like they just pop out from the cartoon. Like Bart would say... cool dude!

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Windows Vista to boot in 2-3 seconds.

Booting up a PC is such a chore. You can go fix a cuppa, come back to your PC, and your Windows may still be booting up... just kidding, but not too far from the truth. The new Windows Vista may change all that. From the new Microsoft Windows Vista Website, the Redmond giant is claiming that "A Windows Vista computer starts and shuts down as quickly and reliably as a television, typically within 2 to 3 seconds." How true will that be? We'll have to wait to find out...

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Mac user thinking of switching back to Windows...

This piece is written by a fellow who has used a Mac and is thinking of going back to the Wintel platform. Now that I've used both Mac and Windows, there are some points in his long long list that I agree with, but some of them seems to be just unjustified. Well, all I would say is to read it, then personally try out both platforms and come to your own conclusion.

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Legal music downloads in Singapore, but not for iPod users

The Straits Times has a report that to battle illegal music downloading, the RIAS and the music industry is getting young people to download legal music by offering discounts on legit music for university students on online music store Soundbuzz. Soundbuzz is one of two legal music download sites in Singapore. The other is ;Play. However, there's one thing that is oft overlooked. The files offered on these music sites are DRM protected in the form of WMA files. This means that those cool teens with an iPod cannot play music from these stores. Does anyone else see the problem/irony here? Apple's iPod is one of the most popular digital music player ever, but if you're using it in Singapore and listening to music, you're probably listening to illegal downloaded tunes. Unless you're only listening to tunes with a Creative Common license or you're talking about those bands that are explicitly allowing their music to be shared and downloaded, which probably does not include your regular pop artistes ruling the airwaves and the pop charts. You may be listening to Podcasts, which is another story entirely.

Remember, previously, someone pointed out that ripping music off your own CDs is also illegal in Singapore. Now, that is really strange right? In short, for Apple iPod users in Singapore to be using their device legally, they can only listen to Podcasts and other "free" downloaded music. You're actually not suppose to listen to Green Day, U2, MayDay, and any other music with labels who are members of the RIAS.

Ah... the whole farce and perils of legal-vs-illegal music and the usage of digital music players in Singapore. We live in a ridiculous world!

Cleo's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors (The Kana Sai Edition)

There is this really funny piece on the Cheeky by nature blog. The author has written a spoof of the "Most Eligible Bachelors" articles you find in magazines. It's really funny, so read to find out.
Link

Huge huge huge toy collection

If you love toys, you've got to check out this guy's toy collection. This must be one of the biggest toy collection I've seen, ranging from Spawn to Star Wars, from Simpsons to Clerks. You gotta wonder how much this fellow spent on all these toys.

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The Complete Codec Pack for XP

The XP Codec Pack is suppose to be one of the most complete codec pack around. What's a codec pack you ask? Well, in simple layman terms, it's to help you play most major audio and video files in oyur media player. If you want to view media files that you grab from the Net, this easy-to-install package will help.

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BitTorrent clients compared on a Wiki

If you're still searching for the right BitTorrent client, check out this table on Wikipedia. There's an interesting table that compares the features of 25 different Bittorrent clients. Take a look and take your pick.

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Put a KDE on your Mac

AppleTalk, the Ozzie Mac community, has put up a guide on how you can get the KDE desktop running on your Mac. If you're up for some experimenting and ready to tweak your Apple machine for some Linux-based fun, check it out.

GBA SP Gets Brighter

This is so unfair. The GBA SP gets a brighter screen and I'm stuck with the older one which has a dim screen. At least it's better than those folks who got the original GBA, which comes without a backlight. This is the progress of technology for ya.

Since stores are still stocking the original Game Boy Advance SP systems with the older front light technology, the way to know when a system has the new backlit LCD is pretty obvious -- Nintendo isn't hiding the fact that they've made the swap, since they brand the boxes with a huge "Now with a BRIGHTER backlit screen!"

Link

Free sci-fi audio books

Sci-fi writer James Patrick Kelly is offering up a couple of his short stories as downable MP3 audio files. These audio short stories are offered under a Creative Commons license and many of them have been published in Sci-fi mags such as Asimov's Science Fiction. If you're a sci-fi reader, you should head over to his site to grab these goodies now.
Link

Opera Web Browser is now free

Yes, you used to have to pay to get rid of the banner ads in the excellent Opera browser. Now, the company has decided to give it out free, without the banner ads. Windows users can start grabbing this great and feature rich browser. Seems like the browser wars is really starting to heat up.
Link

Plague in virtual World of Warcraft.

Think you can only catch the plague in the real world of flesh and blood? Think again. It seems that there's actually a plague spreading throughout the MMORPG called World of Warcraft. An epidemic in the virtual world... that is so cool, unless it's your avatar that's being infected.

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Is an iNote tablet on the horizon?

From its almost "gone" state, Apple is now once again on the cutting edge. Hence, an analyst looks at Apple's recent hardware release, including the iPod Nano, and speculates that that perhaps a tablet computer from Apple is on the horizon. The article must not be entirely predictive, but it sure does gives an insight on Apple's product strategy. So perhaps the Apple Newton will have a successor?

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Straits Times offering free Dashboard Widget

Hmm... someone working in Straits Times must be a Mac-head. They are offering a Dashboard Widget for the Straits Times Interactive where you can read the headlines and possibly the lead of the story. You would probably still have to be a paid subscriber to read the full article.

Since Konfabulator is available now for free on both Mac and PC, why not offer a Konfab widget so that Mac and PC users can use it? That'll actually reach a wider audience than just one that's for the Tiger OS. Let's wait and see if they do that.

Placeopedia.com - linking Wikipedia articles with their locations

This is an interesting project that utilises the community-based Wikipeida and Google's open API Maps. What it does is that it will link places, or rather, Wikipedia articles with their locations on a Google Map. Now, you can know where exotic places like Tintagel Castle and Saint Michael's Mount are. Cool.

The SeaMonkey Project

This SeaMonkey is not the shrimp-like thing that those marketeers try to sell you. This is actually a community effort that's built on the Mozilla code and is suppose to form what is known as the "Mozilla Application Suite". It's in Alpha release now, but it will eventually have a browser, mail/newsgroup, and also HTML editor features. As of now, they are still looking for a logo for the beta release and is asking the community to submit logos.

Is your iPod playlist really random

Ever wondered if the shuffle function on your iPod really throws up tunes that are random? Well, maybe not. Wired News has an interesting article that looks at the randomisation feature on Apple's MP3 player and examines the whole idea of expecting tunes to be random.

The problem, it turns out, isn't that the programs aren't randomizing my playlists. They are. According to Jeff Lait, a mathematician and author of randomm3u, it's what's happening between my ears, specifically, in my expectations of what it means for something to be random.

Interesting read.
Link

Install SLAX on an iPod nano

If you're a Linux lover with an iPod Nano, you can carry the SLAX Linux distro on your Nano and run it off the slimmer than Kate Moss MP3 player. The following link has all the instructions that you'll need. Only power users need try it out.
Link

Getting a SuSE linux server up and running

This is for those taking a leap into running their own server. Since it contains step-by-step info on how to set up a web, mail and FTP server using the SuSE linux distro, it's perfect for beginners. It also has plenty of screenshots to guide you through the process.

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How the RIAA really treats it's artists

The RIAA is really the bad guy in the music recording business, together with its music label partners, according to this piece. This story looks at the breakdown of where the money goes to when a band signs a recording contract and from it, it's clear who the winners are... certainly not the band members. In fact, the band may actually ends up owing money. It's really sad. Once again I say, support the indies...

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Hacking in Legoland

This is such a refreshing thing to hear. In an age where narrow-minded, DRM-happy corporations what to control what you do with their products, or maybe specifically finding the chance to sue you if you tinker with the products which you have bought, LEGO is doing something unusual.

When Lego executives recently discovered that adult fans of the iconic plastic bricks had hacked one of the company's new development tools for digital designers, they did a surprising thing: They cheered.

Read on for more details, but suffice to say, that's why I like LEGO.

Suprnova.org is back!

Wow, the ex-BitTorrent site called Suprnova.org seems to be back in business. However, it is now revamped, not as a file-sharing site, but one that offers P2P news source. So for those interested in keeping up with the latest in P2P technology, find out from the guys who were at the forefront of the "revolution".

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Sept. 13th, 2005 Mario turns 20 years old! Happy Birthday!

Hey hey, the original Jumpman, Mr Mario, turns 20. He actually has the same birthday as yours truly! Mario brought fun and joy to plenty of gamers worldwide. Below is a link that leads you to wikipedia and other Mario-related stuff. Happy Birthday Mario, me too. :) There's also an Edge piece on Mario's debut day.

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Holland... or Nederlands

I've just got back from a business trip to Brussels and Hilversum, Netherlands. It's my first time in Holland, so I've got to visit Amsterdam. The link contains photos of Amsterdam and some shots from Hilversum (grouped together with the picts from Belgium), the broadcast media town of Holland, where I stayed and also where all of my business meeting took place. Hilversum is a nice peaceful town, although it's considered one of the bigger towns. Amsterdam, on the other hand, is a tad more chaotic. Nevertheless, it's a fascinating city and it's really eye-opening to see drugs and prostitution legally available on the streets.
Link

How much do artists actually make on CDs?

Ever wonder how much the artists you support earn per CD that you buy? This article explains, in plain English, how contracts with most record companies work. Apparently, the artists get routinely screwed. So is buying a CD supporting your fave artist? Guess not... so attend their gigs, or buy direct from indie artists.

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Brussels, Belgium-European charm

I am currently on a business trip to Brussels, Belgium and Hilversum, Netherlands. First to Brussels, then Hilversum. But it's only at Hilversum that I manage to get wi-fi access in the hotel. So, follow the link to see a set of specially handpicked pics of Brussels that I've posted on Flickr. So far, the trip has been good with no major incidents. More pics of Hilversum and Amsterdam will follow soon.
Link

Bruce Sterling on Singapore

One of the pioneers of Cyberpunk, Bruce Sterling, was recently in Singapore participating in the Singapore Writer's Festival. It's a pity I can't attend his talks since I'm busy preparing for a Europe business trip. Anyway, Sterling blogged about his experience in Singapore on the Wired Blogs site. It's interesting to read what he says about Singapore. It's just like Gibson's piece which called Singapore the Disneyland with Death Penalty. Frankly, his comments are not entirely negative, but does accurately reflect's the pragmatic nature of the Singapore government.

Now that I'm out of Singapore, I reckon it's safe to allege that Singapore has tidy, authoritarian, city-state machine politics. Presumably, I won't get sued for libel for saying this. I mean, it's the truth.
...
You know what? If Singapore had just been hit by a giant typhoon, the regime wouldn't be snivelling 
and making excuses about the hunger and looting. Eco-catastrophe and martial law would surely put the Singapore power-elite really on top of their game. They wouldn't spin their "clean-up effort". They would assign resources, put trained people on the job and actually clean up. Because they are not just a spin machine. They possess competence.


Competence doesn't seem like a big deal until you are forced to realize that your own government 
has none.

These links contain Sterling's entries on Singapore.

• Sterling's entry into Singapore


• Sinking ship and bus stops


• Zheng He's exhibition and MICA building


• Overall thoughts...

The Katrina Disaster Map 'Wiki'

It's amazing what the Internet can do. In the recent Katrina Hurricane disaster, some smart folks are using Internet as a resource. The best has to be this Wiki featured in Wired News.

Of all of the websites tracking the Katrina disaster, surely one of the most remarkable is Scipionus.com.

Visitors swoop down over a map of the Gulf Coast that's awash in hundreds of red teardrops, each denoting information about specific geographical points in the area. That's pretty amazing in itself, but there's more: All of the information on the map has been provided by ordinary citizens, most of whom presumably have come to the site in search of information on the flood themselves.

Once again, we can celebrate the power of the Net, and the ingenious folks who come up with these amazing tools.
Link

Tunes from Rockstar INXS

I've to admit that I'm hooked on the reality programme called Rockstar INXS. It's an Idol-like show where the remaining members of the Ozzie band INXS looks for someone to fill the shoes of the deceased frontman Michael Hutchence. The performances on the show by the contestants are actually not bad and some of them even gave splendid performances of some classic rock tunes. So for those who wants to listen to these versions, you can grab the MP3 files off the link below. Don't know where to start? Well grab the encore performances as they are normally good. Some of the memorable ones for me include Marty's version of Nirvana's Lithium, and MiG's version of Baby I Love Your Way. Cool.
Link

Free game: Doukutsu Monogatari

Games are fun. Free games are even better. What's rare is a game that's free, and contains as much playability value as those games you have to buy. This game, called Doukutsu Monogatari: Tale of the Cave, is a side-scroller that is said to have enough gaming action that rivals classics like Castlevania and Metroid. It's available on Windows and Mac, and there's even an English patch so that us English speakers can follow the plot. Try it!
Link

Public officer blog now blank?

I previously mentioned a candid yet funny blog called Scholar I am Not that looks at the funny side of working in the public service.
It seems like that the entries on the blog is gone. The site is blank save for the heading. Is it a case of the author deleting the entries? A case of some hacker attack? A case of computer worm/virus/trojan with a nasty blog deleting payload? Or some secret soldiers deleting the articles and throwing the author in some detention cell? Only the author will know.

Scaring the maids?

It is reported in the Life! section of Straits Times that Raintree pictures will treat maids in Singapore to see the horror flick "The Maid".

MediaCorp Raintree Pictures and Golden Village Pictures will treat 500 maids to an 11am screening at Prince 2 in Beach Road on Sunday.

All they need to do is to present their employment pass from 10am onwards.

The $1.5-million film, directed by Kelvin Tong, broke the opening weekend record for horror movies here. It has been Singapore's No. 1 movie for two consecutive weeks.

Are they trying to scare these maids out of their wits so that they will not want to work here any more? :)

Another victim of the RIAA forced to settle for $6000

Here's a sad tale of what the RIAA did. An innocent fellow settles with RIAA despite his claims of innocence. He gave in because he is emotionally and financially worn. That's not the best way to go right, RIAA?

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Device to snare rapists

A South African inventer has come up with a device that is a "rape trap".

A medieval device built on hatred of men? Or a cheap, easy-to-use invention that could free millions of South African women from fear of rape, in a country with the world's worst sexual assault record?

Dubbed the "rape trap", trademarked "Rapex", the condom-like device bristling with internal hooks designed to snare rapists has re-ignited controversy over South Africa's alarming rape rate, even before plans for its production were announced in Western Cape this week.

Scary? You bet. But anything that can protect women and even deter assault on women can only be a good thing.