book: "Eat, Pray, Love"

I personally have not yet read the book, but I have seen it being on the front desk at Borders for several months now. While searching for a Travel channel episode (which I will post as well), I stumbled upon this article, thought I might share the link to it here to share with you all. Not that it represents my personal opinion, but just food for thought...

article on "Eat, Pray, Love" here.

poem "Desiderata"

I recently came across this at a friend's home, thought I'd share it on my blog here.

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Not "Found in Old St. Paul's Church"! -- see below

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

"Desiderata"
is Latin for "Things to be Desired."

China Earthquake

"Britain's Top 10 Castles & Palaces"

Britain's Top 10 Castles by Travel Channel

Windsor Castle

By Rani Robinson

Explore the mysteries and secrets of Britain's stone walls. Learn about the rich history, battles, murders and possible ghosts that still haunt its castles and palaces to this day. Join the Travel Channel as we take you back to British History 101, to count down 'Britain's Top 10 Castles and Palaces.'

10. Windsor Castle

At 900 years old, Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle and oldest official royal residence in the world. Windsor Castle is much more than a castle; the grounds include several homes, a large church and the royal palace. Situated 20 miles west of London, it is also the weekend home of Queen Elizabeth. One of the monarchy's oldest traditions, the Knights of the Garter, continues to be honored at Windsor Castle. With roots in the Middle Ages, the Garter knighthood consists of the monarch, the Prince of Wales (whose title automatically qualifies him as a Knight of the Garter), and 24 knights.

Over a million people visit the castle each year. Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton have all been guests of the queen at the palace.

Visit Windsor Castle

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9. Hampton Court

Located a few miles from London, along the River Thames, this prestigious 1,000-room palace was once occupied by Henry the VIII, famous for his six wives and beheading two of them. Wife No. 5 was 15-year-old Katherine Howard. Accused of adultery, Howard was imprisoned but later escaped. She was caught and then tried for treason. When Howard was brought back to Hampton Court after trying to escape, she was dragged through a gallery that's now called the Haunted Gallery. Outside Hampton Court the grounds are brought to life by 60 acres filled with gardens, spectacular views of the River Thames, and a famous maze that has confused visitors for over 300 years.

Visit Hampton Court

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8. Edinburgh Castle

Located 400 miles north of London is one of the most visited cities in Europe, Edinburgh, Scotland. Through sieges, invasions, power struggles, murder and imprisonment, Edinburgh Castle has withstood the test of time.

The castle is now the protector and safe-keeper of the Scottish crown jewels. The 500-year-old crown, sword and scepter were used at the coronations of the kings and queens of Scotland. Along with the crown jewels, the castle was the keeper of the clock. Every day for 150 years at 1 p.m. a loud gun would fire, signaling the correct time to sailors at sea and to the locals, because so many people couldn't afford a watch.

Visitors to Edinburgh Castle can see the dungeons used to incarcerate thousands of prisoners over the years. To show the real conditions back then, wax models are positioned throughout the dungeon.

Visit Edinburgh Castle

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7. St. Michael's Mount

Located roughly 600 miles south of London, St. Michael's Mount is connected to the mainland by a causeway. At high tide the mount is cut off from the village of Marazion. For many years and continuing today, Marazion has served as a great escape for the inhabitants of the mount, who sometimes crave a warm meal and a drink or two.

Travelers have been visiting this rocky island since the fifth century, when legend has it the archangel Michael appeared to a group of people over the mount. A Benedictine monastery was later built there in the 12th century. Each year believers make the pilgrimage to the mount, where they walk up the ancient Pilgrims' Steps to the monastery at the top of the hill.

Visit St. Michael's Mount

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6. Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle, situated 450 miles from London, is a well-known symbol of Scotland. Just outside the walls of Stirling stands a monument to Scotland's great national hero, William Wallace, who led a small army against the English king, Edward I, at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Seven hundred plus years later, the memorial for Wallace continues to remind people of the victory at Stirling.

Among the eight centuries of battles and murders at Stirling, something very positive and enlightening did occur at this castle - one of the first attempts at flight. Roughly 500 years ago, during the reign of King James IV in Scotland, scientist John Damian announced he would fly from Stirling Castle to France. Assembling strips of wood, chicken feathers and glue, Damian performed his brief flight by jumping off a stone wall and then gracefully flew straight down, dropping like a stone.

Visit Stirling Castle

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5. Caernarfon Castle

Two hundred and fifty miles from London, on the Welsh coast, sits Caernarfon Castle. It was built 800 years ago, after King Edward I of England conquered North Wales. Edward I took the title of Prince of Wales from the Welsh. Since that time, the eldest son of the King or Queen of England has been known as the 'Prince of Wales.' In 1969, during a ceremony at Caernarfon, Prince Charles was dubbed the 21st Prince of Wales by his mother, Queen Elizabeth. And in 1981, Diana Spencer married Prince Charles and became Princess of Wales.

Visit Caernarfon Castle

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4. Leeds Castle

At 900 years old, Leeds Castle sits 30 miles from central London. It was the home of Henry the VIII. Despite its British location, Leeds Castle has many American connections. Two families who owned the castle also owned large tracts of land in Culpepper and Fairfax, Va. Today, the castle's connection to the United States continues.

William Randolph Hearst (Hearst Corporation) almost purchased Leeds Castle, until he discovered the missing bathrooms, lack of electricity and that the servant's quarters had served as dungeons. Another American, however, did acquire the castle. After purchasing it in 1926, Lady Olive Baillie set about refurbishing the castle and installing all the necessary items.

Visit Leeds Castle

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3. Tintagel Castle

Best known for King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, Tintagel Castle is situated in Cornwall, in the northwest corner of England. Tintagel Castle was built 800 years ago by the Earl of Cornwall, brother of the King of England. The earl was intrigued by the legends of King Arthur and his infamous Camelot. The castle was constructed to resemble the court where it's believed King Arthur held his reign for so many years.

And what would make a castle complete? Like America, with its Civil War re-enactments, England has its King Arthur mock battles. Each summer, hundreds of enthusiasts come to relive the days of King Arthur and his knights.

Visit Tintagel Castle

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2. Warwick Castle

Situated less than 100 miles from London, Warwick Castle is known for its beautiful interior and the medieval re-enactments that take place there. Until 25 years ago, generations of Earls of Warwick had resided in the castle. At the turn of the 20th century, Frances, Countess of Warwick, also known as Daisy, was known around England for her lavish, high-society parties. Some of her guests included Winston Churchill; Edward, Prince of Wales; and the future King Edward VII.

Six hundred years ago, Europe's most famous jousting champion was the Earl of Warwick. Each year, thousands of people arrive at Warwick Castle to watch re-enacted jousting competitions.

Visit Warwick Castle

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1. Tower of London

For over 1,000 years, the Tower of London has dominated the city's skyline. It has housed the royal family and the crown jewels, which have been on public display for 350 years. Over 2 million people visit the tower every year.

The Yeoman Warders, better known as Beefeaters, run the tower and tell stories of its past to eager listeners. The Tower of London has a dark past. Torture, murder and executions all took place at the tower at some time or another. Traitor's Gate, the entrance from the River Thames, is known for being the last stop for those on their way to their execution. Among the executed, three queens of England, including Ann Boleyn, wife of Henry the VIII.

Visit the Tower of London

Destination: London

I like Ozzy and Amanda

Survivor's Amanda Talks Coming up Just Short? Again

By RHODA CHARLES
TV GUIDE

Two-time runner up Amanda Kimmel was the last of Survivor: Micronesia's players to fall by the wayside last night. In back-to-back seasons, Amanda spent a total of 78 days in the jungle playing this game. After winning the last two immunity challenges she was poised to take it all against her buddy Parvati Shallow, but the jury ruled against her. TV Guide.com spoke with Amanda about that elusive Ultimate Survivor title and why she's still a winner.

TV Guide.com: Congratulations on making it to the finals fpr a second time in a row. Why do you think the jury voted the way they did?
Amanda Kimmel: Honestly, you just never know the way the jury's going to vote. I guess I'm just too nice of a person, and people think it's fake or at least that's how it came over. That's what people have been telling me. I'm too nice to play this game.

TV Guide.com: Final tribal council was a little brutal to you at times. How do you handle the game when it gets so personal?
Amanda: You ignore what people think. I know from pageants that you can't listen to people. And there were a lot of catty girls on Survivor this time that really did not like me.

TV Guide.com: Do you think it was fair for Survivor to return to a two-person final when all along you'd been strategizing based on a three-person end?
Amanda: Survivor's not fair in general, so the fact that they had a final two this time doesn't surprise me. It did at the time, but it's just a part of the game.

TV Guide.com: You made a pact to the end with Cirie and Parvati early in the game. Was there any point when you thought of breaking it up and taking someone else to the end?
Amanda: I needed the numbers, and I knew Parvati would be loyal to me. So I wasn't thinking about aligning with anybody else because if you make the game too messy, sometimes it can slap you in the face. I was just trying to get to the end.

TV Guide.com: Now that you've watched the show, do you still feel that Parvati made bolder moves than Cirie?
Amanda: Cirie played middle ground the whole time. I don't know why everyone thinks she made really bold moves. She treaded in the middle of whoever's alliance was more in power at the time. I think Parvati definitely made bolder moves than Cirie. I said that in tribal, and I still think that.

TV Guide.com: Was busting out the immunity idol the best moment ever?
Amanda: Oh yeah! It felt so good, especially because Natalie was such a two-faced girl to me. I didn't really click with those girls out there, so it was just nice to get one of them out.

TV Guide.com: Natalie was portrayed with a hard edge. Did you see that when you were playing?
Amanda: They can edit things until they're blue in the face, but how people act on the edit is how people are out there. [The producers] don't change things to make someone look a certain way. Natalie did say those things, and she was like that out there.

TV Guide.com: What did you think when they asked you to come back this season?
Amanda: I was hesitant, but I kind of have an ego and I really wanted to win this game. I came really close last time, and I was mad about how I played the last final tribal council. I wanted to do it over.

TV Guide.com: Would you ever play this game again?
Amanda: No, I'm over Survivor. I'm done.

TV Guide.com: One of the most romantic moments in Survivor history was when Ozzy declared his feelings for you. At that point, did the game go out of your head or were you still able to focus on what needed to be done?
Amanda: On the tape, you'll see me pausing for like 20 seconds. I didn't know what to say, and I was totally in shock.

TV Guide.com: Even though you didn't win the million do you feel that you've gained some other sort of reward from the experience?
Amanda: Definitely. Ozzy and I have a relationship now. Money is not everything. I think people are so focused on what they have, but it's not about that. It's about being happy and living and enjoying life.

Use our Online Video Guide to watch clips and full episodes of Survivor: Micronesia.

FWD: puzzles - Nice ones

Time Zone
Two people are talking long distance on the phone, one is in an East coast state of the US, the other is in a West coast state of the US. The first asks the other "What time is it?", he hears the answer and says, "That's funny. It's the same time here!"


Happening in 1961
What happened in 1961 that will not happen again for over 4000 years?


The club password
A man wanted to enter an exclusive club but did not know the password that was required. He waited by the door and listened. A club member knocked on the door and the doorman said, "twelve." The member replied, "six" and was let in. A second member came to the door and the doorman said, "six" The member replied, "three" and was let in. The man thought he had heard enough and walked up to the door. The doorman said "ten" and the man replied "five". But he was not let in. What should have he said?


Mind Teaser 1
There are no tricks, this is a straight forward problem.
Alledgedly, this is one the of the questions for potential Microsoft employees. I must warn you, you can really get caught up trying to solve this problem. Reportedly, one guy solved it by writing a C program, although that took him 37 minutes to develop (compiled and ran on the 1st try though). Another guy solved it in three minutes. A group of 50, at Motorola, couldn't figure it out at all. See how long it takes you.

Here we go ..
"U2" has a concert that starts in 17 minutes and they must all cross a bridge to get there. All four men begin on the same side of the bridge. You must help them across to the other side. It's night. There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight with them.

The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each band member walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower man's pace:

* bono: 1 min. to cross
* Edge: 2 min. to cross
* Adam: 5 min. to cross
* Larry: 10 min. to cross

For example: If Bono and Larry walk across first, 10 min. have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Larry then returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 min. have passed and you have failed the mission.

Notes: There is no trick behind this. It is the simple movement of resources in the appropriate order. There are two known answers to this problem. This is based on a question that Microsoft gives to all prospective employees. And Microsoft expects you to answer this question in under 5 min!


The Man in the Bar

A man walks into a bar and asks the barman for a glass of water. The barman pulls out a gun and points it at the man. The man says "thank you" and walks out. This puzzle has claims to be the best of the genre. It's simple in its statement, absolutely baffling and yet with a completely satisfying solution. Most people struggle very hard to solve this one yet they like the answer when they hear it or have the satisfaction of figuring it out.


The Funny Man

There is a man that lives on the top floor of a very tall building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the grounds floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he can only travel half way up in the lift and has to walk the rest of the way unless it's raining! WHY?

This is probably the best known and most celebrated of all lateral thinking puzzles. It's a true classic. Although there are many possible solutions which fit the initial conditions, only the canonical answer is truly satisfying.

'21'

Film loosely based on MIT blackjack team opens Friday

March 28, 2008

The movie "21," a fictional work loosely based on the story of the MIT blackjack team that won millions of dollars from casinos across the country, opens in theaters Friday.

Throughout the 1990s, several MIT students were part of a team that used advanced card-counting techniques to improve their chances of winning at blackjack. Their story became Ben Mezrich's book "Bringing Down the House," which served as the basis for the fictional "21."

Most notably, the character played by Kevin Spacey, portrayed as an MIT professor, is entirely fictional. While his irresponsible acts may enliven the Hollywood script, they are entirely unrepresentative of the Institute.

Those familiar with MIT should not be surprised that its students are capable of the calculations and observations necessary to outsmart casinos. In addition to its global leadership in science and engineering, MIT remains a mathematics powerhouse. As just one example, the MIT math team recently finished third at the prestigious William Lowell Putnam intercollegiate mathematics competition, garnering 21 out of the top 74 scores.

And while shots of Killian Court and other MIT exteriors dot "21," the movie was actually filmed at Boston University, at the Christian Science Center in Boston and in Las Vegas.

The careful MIT observer will notice several alumni also have small credited roles in the film, including iRobot co-founder Colin Angle '89, SM '91, who provided the movie robot; Jeffrey Ma '94; and Henry Houh '89, '90, SM '91, PhD '98.

URL: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/twenty-one-0328.html

moving

I finally moved from the Balboa apt to a new place after being there several years.

A friend of mine who came to help said this is an extreme case of moving that she's ever seen because of the amount of stuff I had. Let me explain, I didn't just rent a room at the Balboa place, I had pretty much the whole place to myself because of my two "ghost" roommates. Anyway, I finally unpacked everything at the new house, and because the place is bigger, it seemed that I actually had less stuff!

Here is an old list of items I had when I first came to CA after my Japan internship:

- 3 halogen lamps
- 1 carpet
- 1 bike
- 9 plastic crates
- sofa
- big shelf
- white book shelf
- metal shelf
- guitar
- white board
- 2 suitcases
- 8 white crates
- 1 mirror set + posters
- 6 boxes of books
- 15 misc. boxes


That list seemed like a LOT of stuff for a graduating student when I moved over, but it looks very very simple in comparison to what I have now...

I rented a 16' truck to move all my stuff, and all 793 cubic feet of space were filled up! First day after the move, I stood in my new garage and almost cried because I can hardly comprehend how to start unpacking. I eventually did it one box at a time, but this move taught me a huge lesson on how NOT to accumulate stuff!

As a Christian, I have always been taught that materialism is no replacement for spiritualism, and that Earthly things are disposable. Well, a week after sorting and cleaning out, I have identified almost 1/3 of my belongings as completely unnecessary and should be donated/given away. However, with that said, I just couldn't part with any of my books, the old Chinese ones, or the new coffee table books ...

Another category of items that I have a hard time disposing of is memorabilia, ironically they are probably is the least useful. As we grow older, things happen to us, we go to places, we experience things, our picture stack grows taller (now it's all digital, but still) I used to try to limit such collections to one box, but now it's taking over several boxes worth... some times I wonder if I should just toss the whole box, instead of opening it to see what's inside.. because of course then, knowing what memories it contained, I couldn't bring myself to toss the box's contents then... my friend ddchen sent me a link to take a picture of various memorabilia effects, Umm.. interesting thought... another related article on "handling sentimental clutter" here.

Bottom line, I am not going to buy anything that's non-essential for at least 3 months! Meanwhile, I will take stock of things that I can live without and contribute them towards other ppl/cause/charities.