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2006-07-31
Back From L.A.
Coming back from LA, I have just finished an exhausting trip. But, just because of you, it is time for me to write a long entry about the trip.
On the flight
I didn't book the tickets much in advance, meaning that I had to book full fare and got upgraded to first class on the flight to LA. This time it is a new 757 aircraft, and it is really first class, which is totally unlike the previous times I got upgraded to probably what is called BusinessFirst. The space for each seat is even larger, and you can almost lay down flat on the seat. It was really painful to go back to coach on the return flight.
On the rental
Since I would be driving extensively to go around (and the fact that I stay on a relatively cheap hotel a bit far away), I decided to have some fun and rent a hybrid. The only place I could find with hybrid rental is Fox rent-a-car. They have a much lower rate than the other bigger rental companies, and there is a reason for that. I had to wait in the airport for some 20 minutes for its shuttle, with the same period I saw at least six Hertz shuttle went by. So it is not surprising to see a very long line in their office.
When it is finally my turn, that dude asked me if I have driven a hybrid before. I said no, and to my surprise, he offered me a simple or a detailed explanation on driving a hybrid. No knowing there is any difference, I asked for a simple explanation. All he said was, "The car is very quiet. Otherwise it is similar to a normal car." Riiiight, that's something I really have to have him explain to me...
My car is a very new Honda Civic Hybrid. So new it doesn't have license plate and has only been driven for 60 miles. (And I put 350+ miles in 4 days on it just to "get around the city...") Certainly it has better mileage and is more roomy than my Corolla. And of course it looks very nice inside and has a sporty feel. But overall I was a bit disappointed. The handling is no better than my 4-year-old Corolla (or even a Hyundai Sonata). It is a bit misaligned and refused to move in a straight line without holding the wheel. And worse, probably because of the continuously variable transmission that is popular among hybrids, it has a tendency of moving backward when you release the break pedal, making it a bit scary driving on hills.
On a side note, this brand new car also gives people a false impression. I overheard at my hotel valet parking place people seemed to expect a huge tip and was not happy with my Washington.
Anyway, driving a hybrid probably affects my driving forever. Even after I come back to Houston and drive my Corolla, whenever I apply the break, I still have a tendency to look at the dashboard to see if I am breaking slow enough to not waste energy charging the battery...
On the traffic
It is really that bad in LA. Most of the time I can only drive at around 10 miles per hour on freeways. (Making me wonder how I could put 350+ miles in 4 days.) Most people drive very aggressively, but I can understand that now, as this is the only way for you to change lanes, get on the freeway, etc. But the biggest difference would be truck drivers. They don't seem to care if they would hit you. Again, this is probably the only way they can drive in LA...
On the GPS
I am so very glad that I bought the Nuvi 350. At the end, all I needed was the addresses of the places I wanted to go, and it just brought me there. Granted, it is not as easy to follow as in Houston, but this is because LA roads are much more complicated. You just need some time to get used to the voice command.
On parking
Parking, of course, sucks. But I get the chance to practice my parallel parking, which I haven't done since I got my driving license.
On the housing
Tiny and expensive! I don't know how else I can describe that. Probably this is because I've been living in Texas for too long, where housing is so much cheaper. Since I don't know the area well enough, at the end I decided to stay at the Barrington Plaza for 6 months. It is really expensive, but it has a gym, tennis court, and a heated swimming pool, and on top of that I get all new carpets and appliances. On a good day, I could even walk to work for about half an hour...
On the flight
I didn't book the tickets much in advance, meaning that I had to book full fare and got upgraded to first class on the flight to LA. This time it is a new 757 aircraft, and it is really first class, which is totally unlike the previous times I got upgraded to probably what is called BusinessFirst. The space for each seat is even larger, and you can almost lay down flat on the seat. It was really painful to go back to coach on the return flight.
On the rental
Since I would be driving extensively to go around (and the fact that I stay on a relatively cheap hotel a bit far away), I decided to have some fun and rent a hybrid. The only place I could find with hybrid rental is Fox rent-a-car. They have a much lower rate than the other bigger rental companies, and there is a reason for that. I had to wait in the airport for some 20 minutes for its shuttle, with the same period I saw at least six Hertz shuttle went by. So it is not surprising to see a very long line in their office.
When it is finally my turn, that dude asked me if I have driven a hybrid before. I said no, and to my surprise, he offered me a simple or a detailed explanation on driving a hybrid. No knowing there is any difference, I asked for a simple explanation. All he said was, "The car is very quiet. Otherwise it is similar to a normal car." Riiiight, that's something I really have to have him explain to me...
My car is a very new Honda Civic Hybrid. So new it doesn't have license plate and has only been driven for 60 miles. (And I put 350+ miles in 4 days on it just to "get around the city...") Certainly it has better mileage and is more roomy than my Corolla. And of course it looks very nice inside and has a sporty feel. But overall I was a bit disappointed. The handling is no better than my 4-year-old Corolla (or even a Hyundai Sonata). It is a bit misaligned and refused to move in a straight line without holding the wheel. And worse, probably because of the continuously variable transmission that is popular among hybrids, it has a tendency of moving backward when you release the break pedal, making it a bit scary driving on hills.
On a side note, this brand new car also gives people a false impression. I overheard at my hotel valet parking place people seemed to expect a huge tip and was not happy with my Washington.
Anyway, driving a hybrid probably affects my driving forever. Even after I come back to Houston and drive my Corolla, whenever I apply the break, I still have a tendency to look at the dashboard to see if I am breaking slow enough to not waste energy charging the battery...
On the traffic
It is really that bad in LA. Most of the time I can only drive at around 10 miles per hour on freeways. (Making me wonder how I could put 350+ miles in 4 days.) Most people drive very aggressively, but I can understand that now, as this is the only way for you to change lanes, get on the freeway, etc. But the biggest difference would be truck drivers. They don't seem to care if they would hit you. Again, this is probably the only way they can drive in LA...
On the GPS
I am so very glad that I bought the Nuvi 350. At the end, all I needed was the addresses of the places I wanted to go, and it just brought me there. Granted, it is not as easy to follow as in Houston, but this is because LA roads are much more complicated. You just need some time to get used to the voice command.
On parking
Parking, of course, sucks. But I get the chance to practice my parallel parking, which I haven't done since I got my driving license.
On the housing
Tiny and expensive! I don't know how else I can describe that. Probably this is because I've been living in Texas for too long, where housing is so much cheaper. Since I don't know the area well enough, at the end I decided to stay at the Barrington Plaza for 6 months. It is really expensive, but it has a gym, tennis court, and a heated swimming pool, and on top of that I get all new carpets and appliances. On a good day, I could even walk to work for about half an hour...
Labels: LA
2006-07-23
Kitty Legs
For the few doubters there, I really don't like the kitties. Here's another reason.
In the little bushes right down in front of my home, I found legs. Kitty legs. The body of the kitty is mostly gone, with just the legs left. Oh, also, many flies around too.
Not sure who did this. (Definitely not me; at least when I was conscious.) As I said, the cat and her kitties have captured the hearts of most people around. I heard before that sometimes the mom cat would kill her kitties, maybe after it sees someone notices her kitties. But I really don't see who else would do this, particularly when the body is separated from the legs and disappeared.
In the little bushes right down in front of my home, I found legs. Kitty legs. The body of the kitty is mostly gone, with just the legs left. Oh, also, many flies around too.
Not sure who did this. (Definitely not me; at least when I was conscious.) As I said, the cat and her kitties have captured the hearts of most people around. I heard before that sometimes the mom cat would kill her kitties, maybe after it sees someone notices her kitties. But I really don't see who else would do this, particularly when the body is separated from the legs and disappeared.
2006-07-21
Nuvi 350 Arrived
I got my new toy. It arrived at around 6pm, well within their accurate claim of 8am-7pm.
What can I say about 350? It has exceeded all of my expectation. I have tried other competitor products (from Magellan and TomTom), and Garmin is a no-brainer. Its product has much better interface, reaction time, route computation time, size, etc. It is the overall convenience that make them the best brand. My life will never be the same.
To top that, the price in Amazon has already dropped for almost $17. In case you don't know, there is a "price drop" policy in Amazon, and they'll gladly refund you the difference within 30 days of your order. I am already $17 richer 15 mins after I submitted my refund request.
This baby is definitely going with me to L.A. next week...
What can I say about 350? It has exceeded all of my expectation. I have tried other competitor products (from Magellan and TomTom), and Garmin is a no-brainer. Its product has much better interface, reaction time, route computation time, size, etc. It is the overall convenience that make them the best brand. My life will never be the same.
To top that, the price in Amazon has already dropped for almost $17. In case you don't know, there is a "price drop" policy in Amazon, and they'll gladly refund you the difference within 30 days of your order. I am already $17 richer 15 mins after I submitted my refund request.
This baby is definitely going with me to L.A. next week...
2006-07-20
Damn Kitties
You have to see for yourself. The damn cat and four of her five kitties. (Don't ask me what happened to the fifth; you know what I wished to happen on them.) How can you not hate them?Nuvi 350 Coming
So I have ordered my beloved Garmin Nuvi 350 from Amazon. Since I can't wait for the forever SuperSaver shipping, I have also started my three-month Amazon Prime trial, getting free two-day shippings.
This is the first time I use anything better than ground shipping, as I am usually too cheap to pay for shipping. This is an interesting experience, as the route it takes is a little bit more interesting.
Someone left a message on my machine saying that the package will be arriving between 8am to 7pm. That's very helpful!!! Are they supposed that I'm going to replan my whole life just for the package?
This is the first time I use anything better than ground shipping, as I am usually too cheap to pay for shipping. This is an interesting experience, as the route it takes is a little bit more interesting.
Someone left a message on my machine saying that the package will be arriving between 8am to 7pm. That's very helpful!!! Are they supposed that I'm going to replan my whole life just for the package?
2006-07-18
0% APR
Just got a 0% APR cash advance/balance transfer offer from my MBNA credit card, after its merger with Bank of America. It finally pays off for keeping this unused card for a long time. And the offer comes at the perfect time, as I could use some extra money on toys now.
I'll probably go to LA next week for a "reconnaissance" trip, so it is the perfect time to get myself a GPS. Particularly one with voice announcement of street names, like Garmin Nuvi 350. Granted, Garmin Nuvi 360 is slightly better, with Bluetooth support, but it does not justify for the price difference of $265.
I'll keep you guys posted how great it is when I get it.
I'll probably go to LA next week for a "reconnaissance" trip, so it is the perfect time to get myself a GPS. Particularly one with voice announcement of street names, like Garmin Nuvi 350. Granted, Garmin Nuvi 360 is slightly better, with Bluetooth support, but it does not justify for the price difference of $265.
I'll keep you guys posted how great it is when I get it.
2006-07-17
When One Becomes Six
Don't you sometimes get the feeling of finally pulling something off, just to realize that it suddenly becomes much worse?
I have not seen the damn cat around lately. Just when I thought its luck has come to an end and is gone for good, it has instead just moved to right below the ladder in front of my unit. And not just itself, but with its five new born babies.
Now, if someone suddenly throws a lighted match down...
I have not seen the damn cat around lately. Just when I thought its luck has come to an end and is gone for good, it has instead just moved to right below the ladder in front of my unit. And not just itself, but with its five new born babies.
Now, if someone suddenly throws a lighted match down...
2006-07-15
A Day of Two Trips
My whole day yesterday was basically spent on two trips.
The first one is to Tai Hung Farm Poultry. Who said you can't buy live chicken in US? They have more variety of chicken than I know of. Even rabbits. You can also go and select the chicken yourself if you are so inclined. They have a very helpful Hispanic guy to skillfully catch any chicken you point to – that alone is already worth the visit. He even knows the Cantonese names of all kinds of chicken. Of course, if you're the kind of (hypocritical?) person who feel bad seeing a lively animal turning into delicious meat, or you can't tolerate the smell of chicken, this may not be the best place for you.
The other place I went to is a Hyundai dealer, giving someone a ride for buying a new Sonata. This is the car that I have been keeping my eyes on in case I want a larger new car. The best part for going is that I got to test drive one. Even without V6, the ride and acceleration were really smooth under maximum air-conditioning. The experience was definitely better than competitors from, say, Ford. What a deal at around $16k out-the-door.
The first one is to Tai Hung Farm Poultry. Who said you can't buy live chicken in US? They have more variety of chicken than I know of. Even rabbits. You can also go and select the chicken yourself if you are so inclined. They have a very helpful Hispanic guy to skillfully catch any chicken you point to – that alone is already worth the visit. He even knows the Cantonese names of all kinds of chicken. Of course, if you're the kind of (hypocritical?) person who feel bad seeing a lively animal turning into delicious meat, or you can't tolerate the smell of chicken, this may not be the best place for you.
The other place I went to is a Hyundai dealer, giving someone a ride for buying a new Sonata. This is the car that I have been keeping my eyes on in case I want a larger new car. The best part for going is that I got to test drive one. Even without V6, the ride and acceleration were really smooth under maximum air-conditioning. The experience was definitely better than competitors from, say, Ford. What a deal at around $16k out-the-door.
2006-07-13
Less Than Two Months
Without really realizing, it is less than two months for me from starting working (this is assuming, of course, that I would have the proper work authorization by then, which I doubt now, but that's another story), yet I keep wasting my time on Winning Eleven.
The thing I like most about WE, apart from being so realistic, is the scoring system after the game, and for players with outstanding performance, there is a one-line description of how he did well. My favorite description is this one:
The thing I like most about WE, apart from being so realistic, is the scoring system after the game, and for players with outstanding performance, there is a one-line description of how he did well. My favorite description is this one:
Confused the opposition defense with unpredictable passing.This always remain me of Au Wai Lun, probably the top Hong Kong striker for the last decade. However, he is most famous for his "unpredictable" pass, where he passed up an opportunity to go one-on-one to the opposition goalie in favor for passing to a marked teammate in the far end.
2006-07-10
Firefox 2
Firefox 2.0 Beta 1 Release Candidate is not supposed to release until tomorrow, but I have been running it for two days. While it does not seem to have resolved much of the memory hogging problem, it becomes much faster than 1.5. Of course, as expected, most of the extensions are not working right now (an awesome exception would be RSRemover), but it also makes a lot of the extensions redundant; that includes Search Engine Ordering, Tab Mix Plus, and SessionSaver. You should definitely check out at least the portable version to see for yourself.
I just hope that Adblock Plus would update quickly. Right now, I am temporarily using the original Adblock. If I become ok with it, I might not convert back to the Plus version...
I just hope that Adblock Plus would update quickly. Right now, I am temporarily using the original Adblock. If I become ok with it, I might not convert back to the Plus version...
2006-07-07
Free Birthday Buffet
Yesterday was my birthday (yes, you, you still owe me a gift), so it was a perfect time to go to Todai, a pretty good Japanese buffet. It has locations in many places, even including Hong Kong, but I haven't tried them back then. The dinners are quite expensive, at around $24, but it is okay if you go with a friend at your birthday, because (depending on location) you get to eat for free. And they are, hands down, the best Japanese buffet I have ever tried.
I don't want to complain the service, although our waiter seemed to be more interested in talking to other customers than serving us. I do want to say that I have had an on-and-off stomachache the whole day today. Maybe it was the uncooked oyster...
I don't want to complain the service, although our waiter seemed to be more interested in talking to other customers than serving us. I do want to say that I have had an on-and-off stomachache the whole day today. Maybe it was the uncooked oyster...
2006-07-06
Update, Finally
Didn't update this blog for a long time. Nothing much happened lately. I am still recovering from England's lost in the World Cup. I've also been revenging for England in Winning Eleven, arguably the most realistic soccer game ever, at the expense of, of course, my research and dissertation.
I have also done some more useful things, though. I have been reviewing papers lately, as I got requests from people I don't know. Funny that I don't usually get them but getting a couple of them in a short time. And one of them is even for a pretty good journal...
I have also done some more useful things, though. I have been reviewing papers lately, as I got requests from people I don't know. Funny that I don't usually get them but getting a couple of them in a short time. And one of them is even for a pretty good journal...
