Old vs. New

This is a blog about almost absolutely nothing. I would just like to highlight a few differences that I have discovered between the old Windows XP Pro and the new Windows XP Media Center thus far. Needless to say, I could only figure out these differences because I just bought a new computer.

1. The new Office 2007 is uber (for those of you who use Equation Editor, Office 2007 comes with it, even the pirated version). You no longer need to original version to get the plug-in. However, you need SP2 to install it. Hence, I couldn't install Office 2007 in my old computer because the XP Pro is pirated and is stuck at SP1. For those of you who have no clue what I am talking about, damn, it's time you learn about computers!

2. Windows Movie Maker has "fixed" some bugs. In my old computer, I could convert *.rm (Real Media Player) files to *.wmv format. One wonders why I would want to do that, but just for your information, some people don't have and don't know how to download Real Media Player (You know who you are!). The new computer, however, no longer supports this conversion. Clearly, monopoly at its peak!

If you have any funky differences to share, please do comment!

Escape artist

I am an escape artist? I never knew that! But it is good to know that I am a rare species. Go take the quiz. I know you have time.

Dreams

We've got to have a dream if we are going to make a dream come true.
- Denis Waitley

What you choose to focus your mind on is critical because you will become what you think about most of the time.
- Noel Peebles

After reading Jerry's MSN nick, I kinda have this sense of revolt. I mean, who is he to say that, "Who am I to dream? Dreams are for fools, they let you down". Clearly he has never had a dream come true :) But then with a name like "Peebles", he doesn't seem to have too much credibility. But it's still better than Jerry.

Always stuck in second gear...

So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your jobs a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,
or even your year
but..

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

You're still in bed at ten
And work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast
So far... things are goin' great

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
Oh but she didn't tell you when the world has brought
You down to your knees that...

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

No one could ever know me
No one could ever see me
Seems you're the only one who knows
What it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with
Make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst I'm best with you, yeah

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
And it hasn't been your day, your week, your month,
or even your year...

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to pour
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

I'll be there for you
I'll be there for you
I'll be there for you
'Cuz you're there for me too...

- The Rembrandts

There is only one God

The Muslims and Christians were right. There is only one God.

This is an ode to you, Monsieur Thierry Henry!

Midterm Grade Report

"It appears from your grades that you are experiencing difficulties which, if continued, could compromise your academic standing. Let me encourage you, therefore, to make every effort to find ways of improving your academic work. Your advisor, this office, and the university counselling personnel are available to help if you wish. Please do not hesitate to seek such assistance".

Margaret E. Kastner, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

My closest thing to a D in college, ladies and gentlemen. What happened to the freaking genius who always aced math classes? Spare me the sarcasm. I got a D in my statistical modelling exam. As much as I can blame the teacher, it is as little as it is my fault that I got a D in the exam. It wasn't that the exam was extremely difficult. It was just the way the the marks were allocated. Some 2 line answers were worth 10 marks, while some 7 line answers were worth only 15 marks. It didn't make sense to me. But most of all, the material in the course is seriously taught poorly. I was told by the professor that the class average was lower than my grade. What the hell does that mean? The average is a fail? I am not even angry or frustrated. I feel ridiculed. Alright, I did get a B- in Real Analysis, but Jesus Christ! It's Real Analysis. How does that compare to stats modelling? I don't know. I need someone to freaking convince me not to drop this course. I don't even need this course at all. But I am not one who gives up... and it's not that I don't work hard enough. I've never worked so hard since JC days. Man....

You Know You're a Mathematician When...

Disclaimer: This is not a joke about mathematicians

Just last week, my Cultural Anthropology professor gave us a list of about 50 words to study for the exam. We were required to pick 5 words out of the 14 that he will choose from that initial 50 and define them. You know you're a mathematician when you spend your study time calculating the minimum number of words you need to study to be 90% confident so that know at least 5 words. It is obvious that to be 100% confident you know at least 5 words, you just have to study 41 words. What? It's not obvious? OK, for those of you who are slower, studying 41 words meant that you miss out 9 words. Assuming that ALL 9 words you did not study were in the professor's list, the 5 remaining words in his list would definitely coincide with yours. Of course being 100% confident is not the most efficient and practical thing to do from a statistical viewpoint. So 90% is good enough. For those of you lazy bums who choose not to work out the answer, and are dying to to know what is the minimum number of words that need to be studied...

Well, I never calculated it. I don't know if I am a mathematician.