Last Will

PERSONAL

On second though, maybe "Nearly to die" isn't mean for my mortality. My gift is that of Telepathy, not Clairvoyance. So, maybe a lot of people are planning suicide instead. In case, I'm wrong, in case I die, I want all my possession to go to my father, else sister, else brothers. No time for formal will, so this will have to do.

Those Australian twin girls suicides reminds me that no everyone is planning to live a long and productive life. I hope you do live a long and prosperous live.

May you have a happy Thanksgiving. I know I won't be.

Nearly to die

RANT

I have another one of those dream. A warning light box, colored blue, say "Nearly to die". It lit up quite bright, and yes, it was directed at me, no question. I woke up soon after. What a way to wake up at Thanksgiving day.

Life's a pickle. It's easy to die because someone else screw up. You can be the safest driver on the road, but if other people want to hit your car, they'll be able to do so. Saw too many accidents yesterday, much more than usual. I wonder what will hold for today?

Ah, well. Nearly doesn't mean absolutely. It doesn't mean future or past. Who knows? Only God does. Life can be terminated at a moment's notice. Heart attack and all that. It's important to be prepared to go anytime. Got any sins that needs forgiving? Better do it right now!

It's too bad people are too focused on one thing. They don't consider side effects. They don't listen. John Pistole essay on USA Today for example, says that we need the procedure beause it is safe. He is deaf to the complaints that it is invasive. Yes, it's safer, but people aren't complaining that it isn't safe. People are complaining that it's rude, invasive, immoral, and in conflict with religious beliefs.

Muslims should've been provided with Imam approved inspector; Jews, Rabbi. Instead of aggressive pat down, how about just wear a swim suit and strip to that? Is there any exemption to pilots and foreign dignitaries? Is the hidden inspector viewing the image a certified medical professional? These would have alleviated most complaints.

Instead, John Pistole provided statistic that says 4 out of 5 like the full body scanner. That means 20 percent dislike it. Yet, 99 percent prefer to go through body scanner? Does that mean lots of people aren't flying anymore? That explains the fact that I see much more accidents than usual.

I'm also having trouble making the statement that "passengers are fully screened" with the statement "3 percent goes thru aggressive pat down." Seems to me that most people are going thru metal detector instead of the x-ray one. I thought the metal detector can't detect plastic explosive? People aren't screen properly, I think.

TSA need better management. It is rather shameful that the screeners can't tell what Nexus and TWIC cards are. It's obvious the mandate didn't go down properly, when it should have. This should've been a non-issue. I wonder if the managers are going to be replaced anytime soon?

If it was me, I'd have taken the privatisation issue as body blow. It'd be as if the airport fired me, which is the case. Even the hated FMCSA has it's rule challenged, not the organisation itself. When lots of people call for TSA to be abolished, including Congress, I think that's a clear indication that you screw up. If that isn't, then what is?

FAREWELL Y/N?

TRAVEL

I had a dream last night, and it disturbed me greatly. In it, I was filling a computer form like I usually do, and at the first line, top of screen, it says "FAREWELL Y/N".

Obviously, this is travel related. I was surfing the web quite a bit, but especially TSA website, and what I see there does not please me. It seems that a lot of people are upset about TSA procedure, and will be driving up to 800 miles this weekend.

Folks, that is dangerous! I'm okay because I regularly drive long distance, but most people are bored silly. That is when accident most likely to happen. Not to mention that just this Sunday, shopping and picking up the mail, I saw no less than 5 dangerous drivers swiping at my car.

So, please, if you can fly this Thanksgiving week, please do so. It won't be pleasant, but it won't be pleasant for me as well. I will be packing especially light this week. I suggest you do,too.

If you choose to drive, here's a few tip:
1. Always be alert. Take twice as many breaks as needed.
2. Always obey the speed limit. And stop signs.
3. Buckle up, and turn off your phone.
4. Eat well. Drink lots of water. Easy on cofee.
5. Carry winter emergency kit. Be prepared.
6. Take your time. Be patient. Better be late than never.
7. Drive extremely defensively. Leave lots of room to maneuver.

Please be safe out there, and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Big Christmas Toy Book

FUN

I am looking at ToysRus "The Great Big Christmas BOOK", where they have all kinds of wonderful toys listed inside. Wow. I can't even imagine the sophistication of toy industry when I was young. Kids today are so spoiled.

A few highlights:

TOMICA Hypercity Super Big Set

Hypercity! Super Big! Wow. And it only costs $59.99! Manufacturing costs certain have come down lately. Lot's of toys like that. $10 more for the Mega Station Set.

Zhu Zhu Pets/Kung Zhu Pets

I think this is going to be the next big thing in toys. No, I don't know why.

Elmo: Tickle Me, Rock&Roll, Potty

I can understand Tickle Me and Rock&Roll. I don't understand Potty. Since when Potty humor is appropriate for children?

IMAGINARIUM: Medieval Castle, Grand View Dollhouse

I find it strange that Medieval Castle costs $79.99, but Grand View Dollhouse costs $224.99. It's a 3 story, taller than the kid doll house. Kids today are so spoiled.

LEGO/MEGA BLOKS

Lots of LEGO Star Wars, and MEGA BLOKS Halo. Am I the only person who is concerned that extremely young children are exposed to what is essentially a terrible, violent war theme?

MATTEL Mindflex

If this really works, I think some wheelchair bound people will be very interested in technology!

CRAYOLA Masterwork Art Case

200 Art supplies for $24.99. I'm not even going to comment on this thing. It's really cheap for the price.

Lots of Kitchen play set

I can't help but think that a similar set is sold by camping stores, but really usable, and packable for tailgating purposes, instead of just pretend play.

DIPPIN' DOTS: Frozen dot maker

I love DIPPIN' DOTS. But I thought those are chilled using liquid Nitrogen. If this really works, though, I'm thinking of getting one.

BARBIE: Digital Nail Printer

Ugh. I wish they put on a warning before turning the page. The pink is overwhelming! Anyway, they have Digital Fingernail Printer for $149.99. I don't know what it is with girls and painted nails, but they seem to be enjoying it. Don't you think sticker pasted on your face would be more eye catching? Larger size after all. Bigger is better! Why stop with fingernails?

BARBIE: Video Girl Doll

I am a REAL working video camera. You know, of all the product I think Barbie makes, I don't think that they'd actually put a camera inside a doll. I'm okay with Barbie licensed video camera, but somehow, putting privacy invasion device in a little girl's toy seems wrong.

SPY NET Video Watch/Snake Spy Cam

This is the boys' equivalent of Video camera and I think it makes more sense. The flexible cabling that is Snake Spy Cam is useful in finding out what's going on inside clogged plumbing, for example. Ewww. Did I just say that?

Paper Jamz Guitar

Silly me, I thought it was an expensive cardboard. It's real guitar sounding toy. Another best seller, I think.

AIR HOGS: Hawk Eye

I actually have this. Pretty cool! There is no hover, and it's no good in windy situation. Otherwise, it works well.

NERF

Various guns. I'm very much tempted to get the sniper rifle version. The longest Nerf ever. Probably just for show, though, as the weak spring means that the distance will still be limited to about 30 feet or so.

AIR ZONE Punisher

I admit that I'm somewhat worried about that mini-Gattling gun shooting 30 darts in 20 second. I think that there should be a line defining toys and non-toys.

RAZOR: E300 Scooter, Ground Force Drifter, Dirt Quad

Okay, these are no longer toys. I wonder what's the range on these things, and whether or not they make electric skate board?

POWER WHEELS

Are you sure these are toys? FM radio, headlights, seatbelts. Kids today are SO spoiled!

APPLE: 32GB iPod touch

No, I'm not kidding. ToysRUs is selling Apple iPod touch for $299.99! FaceTime? I thought that requires phone connection? How does that work? Are these supposed to be for kids?

ASUS: Eee PC 1001 HA

Netbook for $269.99. I have to think about this. Laptop prices are so much lower these days, that I have to think about getting myself a netbook.

XBOX 360: Kinect

I know Microsoft has a tradition of having senior people use the product before releasing it to the public, but somehow I'm having trouble picturing Steve Ballmer jumping up and down in testing this thing.

Ted Price, California, Supreme Court, and a case of First Amendment

On USA TODAY, October 28, 2010, there is an article featuring Insomniac Games Ted Price holding a chimera mask on front page. Unfortunately, he wasn't announcing a new game. He was battling a Supreme Court case on First Amendment. "Can states keep kids from violent video games? Supreme Court case tests limits on art and speech."

This is going to be a somewhat long post, and I don't like it. Too much work for what amounts to just opinions. But I think that this is important, and it is my habits to support my statements with facts. Research is going to be light, though.

According to the article, Ted Price claims that "Many games today have deep stories and draw heavily from our literary heritage." That is, games are works of arts and should be protected under First Amendment. I agree. California Democratic Sen. Leland Yee, who sponsored a state ban on the sale of violent video games to minors that now is before the Supreme Court says that the interactive aspect of video games makes it more dangerous than a movie or book that provides passive experience. I agree with that, too.

So, the question is: Should we ban violent video games sales to minor or not? I think we should not only ban violent video games sales to minor, but also that of sexually explicit materials, be it video games, books, movies, or whatever. There are age restrictions for materials in place and it is for good reason.

My problem here is that Senator Yee, and to an extent, Zackery Morazzini of the California attorney general's office, are using what I perceive as half-truth lies in their argument. For example, "Video games are uniquely harmful," says Zackery Morazzini. Wow. I never thought Nintendogs can be so dangerous!

In looking at the California law, I am struck at its similarity with another law: Miller vs. California. I'm surprised that no news media mentioned this before. I think that this is an important element in Senator Yee's argument is pushing this case.

To be honest, I expect video game sales to mirror that of movies and books. That is, most will be sold normally, but Mature and Adult-Only materials will not be sold to minors. They'll probably be located on the restricted access back shelf, along with other adults-only merchandise, like they do on magazine. The books are normally sold open, but those with sexual content are wrapped in plastic. Video games should be like that, too.

The ESRB rating system works, and works well. Unfortunately, it is not cheap, costing several thousand dollars to acquire. Maybe the industry should allow self-proclaimed rating guidelines, in place of ESRB rating as to allow casual, independent, and hobbyist game developer a chance to publish their products without committing thousands of dollars in expenses. Something like a checklist of elements of items would work well, I think.

Senator Yee claims that it is impossible for parents to fully investigate a video game due to extensive branching of the program. That is true. However, it is also true that there are game reviewer websites out there. At YouTube, they even show game play! Although you cannot analyze the game exhaustively, you can read reviews of the game and see, easily, that Postal video game has been banned in several countries due to violent content. That should be your clue that the game is inappropriate for children.

If the game is incorrectly rated, well, that's what review board is all about. Games have been re-classified, either to higher rating or lower, depending on the situation. Waiting 30 days before purchasing a game for reviews to come in is a good policy.

To say that a certain video game is harmful, and therefore all video games are harmful, is obviously wrong. When I replace the words "video game" with avian-flu borne chicken, cows with mad cow disease, black, white, lawyer, and democrats, well, I'm not getting a pretty picture. For an attorney to use a statement that is so easily refuted bodes ill to California. It is like saying that YouTube users are full of hatred and posted explicit comments. Sure, a lot of them are juvenile, but not all. You can't blame everybody for the crime of a select few.

As much as I want to see Barney the purple dinosaur be banned on moral grounds, I understand that the same right that allows Hello Kitty to exist, also allows Barney to exist. I think Neil Gaiman said it best: “The Law is a blunt instrument. It’s not a scalpel. It’s a club. If there is something you consider indefensible, and there is something you consider defensible, and the same laws can take them both out, you are going to find yourself defending the indefensible.”

I find it distressing that people don't seem to care about this issue at all. "Banning video games? Didn't they try that on comic books, rock-and-roll, playing cards, and dice? That didn't go anywhere, did it?" Well, no. Not those elements, anyway. However, no one mentioned the Prohibition of Alcohol, which did get somewhere. Remember that? How can a nation enforce something that is so obviously (in hindsight) unenforceable? How stupid is that? If alcohol is outlawed, only outlaws have alcohols. Let's not pass a stupid law concerning video games, or First Amendment.

I wonder if Senator Yee would argue that video games are causing violence. Statistically speaking, it doesn't exist. Violent video games are sold in the millions of unit. If indeed violent video games cause death in children, we probably would be seeing a lot more of death of it. We don't. The top causing fatalities factor is, as I understand it, bicycles, at number 10. If that's true, then I'd argue that the dangerous states of bicycling in the country today (including California) is keeping the children off the streets, and into their homes, where they can do nothing but watch violent TV shows, play violent video games, and surf violent websites all day. Therefore, the real cause of violence is the lack of safe, alternative lifestyle such as bicycling. What has the state of California done to keep bicyclist safe from harm, I wonder?

As a taxpayer, I'm concerned whenever a public servant would pick issues that are down the list, and ignore the top ones. This "cherry picking" issues, and data, is rather rampant, unfortunately. But I certainly do not want to see it in Senatorial nor Judicial concern! Let's take the news item that a certain school kid is targeting the athletic department to be killed. Picked up a gun and kill other students. The news media all focused on the gun availability to minors. I focused on the fact that the athletic department is the target. What have they done so as far to be targeted? It turns out they are bullies and abuse the school, while the administrators look the other way. In that case, then I'd say the problem is that the administrators allows bullying to take place, and need to be replaced. That is the true cause of the shooting, not the gun.

It seems that the law has supports from several parenting groups. I wonder if the same parenting groups would support the notion that today's parent has done an extremely poor parenting job of raising children, as much as to allow TV and video games to be nanny/baby sitter replacement, while not monitoring the content of either. Even Sesame Street needs to be seen by both parent and children. Parents need to provide guidance to children from early age because irresponsible children will not magically turn into responsible adults when they turn 18.

Personally, I think Senator Yee, with all his training, got it wrong. It is not that violence in children is caused by something. It is caused by lack of something, namely proper parental supervision. Rather than spending time looking for something to ban, we should spend our time creating guidelines to raise children properly so that they grow to become productive, responsible adults.

For people to argue that video games "caused" violence, you have to include all factors that could conceivably cause violence, and rank them according to probabilities of affecting. How about violent news media? How about violent movies or comic books or RPG? How about the fact that McDonald used animal extract in their french fries and therefore unwittingly turned the docile vegetarians into violent carnivore? It's easy to blame. Nobody is perfect. If you want to find fault with somebody, you will always find it if you look hard enough, even if the fault needs to be imaginary. That is why we have courts.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the name Jack Thompson of Florida, yet, as he is infamous in regards of violent video games. I wonder if the state of California has hired him, or someone just like him, to present their arguments to the case. Do you think that by selectively choosing evidence and painting worst case scenario as normal, maybe California is engaging the service equivalent to Michael Byron Nifong? The term "exculpatory evidence" is crucial to any lawyer's vocabulary. Has this been ignored?

"It is capital mistake to form a conclusion before one has all the data, for certainly he will shape the data to fit the conclusion." or so says Sherlock Holmes. That is true. Cherry picking data is quite rampant. Cherry picking solution not so rampant, but not unheard of. Remember the Russian scientists who discovered "super water"? Other researchers found out that it has the same characteristic of human sweat. Well, it turns out that in the process of improving the characteristics of water, they've successfully rediscovered anti-freeze. Not that such endeavor isn't worthwhile, but at least be honest about its significance. That is why scientists have peer reviews.

They are trying to ban video games? What are they trying to ban next? Nerf? Dihydrogen monoxide?

References:

Miller v. California

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_v._California

Michael Byron Nifong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Nifong

John Bruce "Jack" Thompson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(activist)

Neil Gaiman’s Journal: Why defend freedom of icky speech?

journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/12/why-defend-freedom-of-icky-speech.html

Video games myth

http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html

Bike safety/The Dangerous Hamburger

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm

Dihydrogen Monoxide

http://www.dhmo.org/

University of Colorado bans Nerf Guns: Zombies Game

Search for it on the Internet.

Election Survey?

RANT

Looks like I'm having more rants than usual. What can I say? I'm being bombarded more and more with spam. This election survey is one example.

First, they call me during dinner time, or sometime close to it. Then, after answering standard survey questions, in which the responses is sometime not sufficiently diverse (i.e.: "It's between mostly good and very little good! What do you mean you don't have a choice there?"), they started to say that this candidate bring job, etc.

I don't know about you, but it's very easy for somebody to bring jobs in with the economic stimulus. What kind of jobs are they bringing? Professional? White collar? Blue collar? Minimum wage part timers? Also, was there an incentive for businesses to hire or will they be taxed heavily for providing these jobs?

When I asked how long will this survey take, the answer she gave was, and I'm not kidding: "I don't know." What do you mean you don't know? Usually a survey have a definite list of questions! So, my guess is, either this survey is done by extremely incompetent person, or that this is really advertising pretending to be a survey.

I didn't bother to find out. Even cutting the survey short still clocks over 13 minutes. I shudder to think what the full survey would look like. Is there no one there to say to respect people's time? How about limiting the survey to just 3 minutes?

If this has been an advertising posing to be a survey, then it has a reverse effect than intended. It reminds me of Newt Gingrich who said that a certain politician is a "tax and spender". At first blush that looks bad. But thinking more about it, I prefer a "tax and spender" much better than a "spend and taxer", or a "tax and taxer", or a "spend and spender". Although I like a "do nothing" congressman best (because it means the country is in good shape that nothing needs to be done), we have to admit that with gigantic deficit, something must be done. A tax and spender means that we will spend no money unless we have it. I like that better than the current Congress whose motto seems to be "spend, spend, and spender! For tomorrow we may be voted out due to reckless spending!"

Yes, I will vote this year. Thank you for asking.

Stupidity, stupidity, stupidity.

RANT

I just had the most horrible experience where there is a wave of stupidity going on all at once. There must be an alien in orbit bombarding the earth with stupidity ray or something.

There is a thread of messages where I had a discussion with a CEO of some kind (who shall remain nameless), where he insisted that communication skill is very important. I mentioned how people nowadays are failing basic skills such as Show and Tell, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Looking from the Opposite Point of View. He replied that 2 of those things, Show and Tell and Writing, are part of communication skill. Huh?

Wait a minute. Reading is not a communication skill? Communication is defined by speaker and listener. In written form, that means Writer and Reader. Therefore, Reading is part of communication skill. Furthermore, I did mention that Opposite Point of View is a basic skill. What is opposite Writing? Reading, of course!

So, he failed in Reading. He failed in Opposite Point of View. And so he failed in Writing accurately. And it's not really Arithmetic, but still math. I mentioned that a student can get a second degree faster by transferring his college credit. He countered that getting another 4 year degree will take 4 years. Ummm... I just told him that college credit can be transfered. If the degree is close enough, you don't need more than 2 years. In fact, in this case, it can be minored, so I'm guessing just 1 year. It's not Arithmetic, but failing Algebra isn't too good, either.

You know, these kind of mistakes do happen, but I certainly didn't expect it to come from a highly skilled, highly experienced CEO! Especially one who insisted that communication skill is paramount. I will make extra effort to avoid his products in the future.

There was a letter to a newspaper, saying that a child was asking whether Grandma is related to Mother. Such a thing is to be expected from a five year old. Unfortunately, the child in question happens to be a soldier about to be deployed to Iraq! Whatever happened to common sense?

So, I had a discussion about the importance of college degree. Somebody went off tangent saying that school is important. For proof? He mentioned how he got his job BEFORE getting his degree! What's his job? Musician. What's his degree? English. I don't know about you, but that doesn't look like a school endorsement to me. Worse, when I asked for clarification, there's a mention of how a lot of his classmates went jobless after graduation! That is certainly not an endorsement, but a condemnation! So, why does he go around telling people to go to school? Is he stupid or something?

And I should tell you that his writing level, and intelligence for that matter, is only at high school level. Run-on sentences! Very coarse vocabulary intermingled with a few uppity, high noggin words (a few of which are rather off tangent). Yet, he didn't really say anything of substance. Just a bunch of opinions, packaged in poor diction. Sigh. Is that guy really an English major graduate? Please tell me where he went to school so I can tell people to NOT go there. Run-on sentences and English major are NOT compatible!

I mean, come on, don't you have a sense of responsibility to uphold the reputation of the group you belong to? Do you think that just because you joined a highly reputable organization, you automaticcally, without any effort on your part, become highly respectable? That's not the way it works. If you do that, the organization will die a slow death.

Witness the decline of quality TV show. It used to be that I can watch a few shows. Murphy Brown and Home Improvement are the two I like to watch. I can tolerate Everybody Loves Raymond. But now? It's all junk in there. I don't bother watching TV anymore. I pretty much just gave my TV away. I couldn't stand to watch any of it. The only non-news show I can watch is infomercial, where they show shapely ladies shaping away their buns in some exercise program. Sigh.

I guess that means I won't be working in TV anytime soon. I also probably won't be working in computer game anytime soon, as their quality has universally steadily declined. There used to be some great games out there. Lucas Arts used to make fantastic Star Wars games. Their last Star Wars game was an absolute pain. I couldn't believe it! Ditto for World at War series. Id Software used to make Doom, which I played endlessly. Their last Quake game? Rather annoying. I actually prefer the old Doom, what with pixelated graphics and all. Sigh.

You are who you are with. It doesn't matter if you're good. If the group you are in are terrible, then you are terrible by association. The commodity entertaiment industry has be in steady decline, and I'm very disheartened about it, since I plan to enter that industry. The way it is now, the computer game companies are so abusive that newcomers are expected to work 100+ hours per week without extra pay. Huh? Is there no one in the industry who sees something terribly wrong with that? Of course there are. Many of them, in fact. Unfortunately, a few big bad apples paints the picture. Now tell me, if you are smart, would you work for such punishing industry where early burnouts are so common, they are expected? Or would you work on normal job with better pay, respect, and balanced family life? No contest. The computer gaming industry is slowly commiting suicide, and as I try to be successful, I will avoid such industry until they get better. After all, the way it is now, only soon-to-burn-out-and-lose-their-job losers work there.

I haven't watched TV in a long time. I have curtailed my PC computer game purchase due to incredible amount of buggy junk out there. I will probably curtail my DS games purchase soon because, frankly, their quality is going down the drain there as well. Would you believe that my last dsiware download game froze on me? That never happened before! Well, it shows you how bad DS games has become. And that's not counting bad music you cannot turn off, which is 90% of the time, so that I end up playing the game mute, losing all sound effects. Sigh.

So, if any of you happen to look up to the sky, and see a flying saucer with green skinned alien waving around their stupidity ray gun, then please do me a favor and SHOOT THEM DOWN!