I was searching the Net (googling) for tips on how to migrate from MySQL to SQL Server 2005 Express Edition. I found this free trial software named MySQL MS SQL Server Import, Export & Convert Software 7.0. First of all, the name is so long. That should’ve given me a hint that this software sucks. Read more »

I guess if you really are a successful (online) applications development company, you have to use your own products internally. If you sell it, you have to believe in it, right?

Here’s a link that gives you screenshots of the tools they use for project management.

Apparently, blogging makes people happy. I agree a little.

I guess it’s understandable that some shy people get out of their shell when chatting, blogging or updating their social networking sites. In fact, I know somebody (my elementary school classmate, I don’t know if she knows me) who was very reserved. By accident, I came across her web site 10 years ago and blogging was not a hit then. Her words in her Web site “betrayed” how I knew her then. I didnt’ know that she was very articulate. Looking back, it seems to me now that she is a natural writer who really has a passion for writing. Her words were bubbly, highly contrasting her silent demeanor. I e-mailed her but she never replied.

The Internet also makes everything highly accessible. You can say anything without having to open your mouth or standing in front of a crowd. Naturally, there’s a great chance somebody is “listening” (reading), which leads to a great chance somebody will be interacting. This makes networking, collaboration or discussion faster than actual personal contact.

That is why I agree a little that blogging makes people happy… that is until the blogger starts to monetize. When the blogger tries to monetize via advertisements, his/her focus would be divided between writing/interacting and making money. When this happens, there will be long stretches where the blogger won’t be that happy. When he/she eats, all that he/she can think of is “monetize”. When he/she takes a leak, he/she thinks “monetize”. When he/she…. You get the drift.

For some time the blogger will not be that happy… that is until he/she starts earning. And my guess is that he/she will be happy again.

I am using Wordpress version 2.3.2 and haven’t been receiving comment notifications ever since. I was a bit busy with my day job so I didn’t have time to work on this.

Finally, I decided to take care of this on a weekend. The fix (or workaround?) is to create a valid “wordpress@<yourdomain>” mail account. The defect, together with the fix/workaround, is documented here.

I just installed IE8 beta hoping to see visual improvements, especially on the toolbars. I would prefer the refresh and stop buttons on the left side where it should be. I know I could have just googled the browser screenshot but I wanted to try it out anyway. I guess I’ll also mention that I was hoping I could skin IE8 and add add-ons ala Firefox.

Anyways, I also have been planning a browser shift from Firefox to IE7 or IE8 for the longest time. My Firefox keeps crashing on me (I’m using Vista Ultimate). I have long suspected Firefox to crash when a lot of Flash movies are being loaded in the browser. The IE8 beta release seems to have finally made me do the shift. I’ll have to admit there’s no real improvement in my browsing except that my browser won’t crash that often.

For now, I don’t care about 2 new significant features introduced by IE8 - Activities and WebSlices. I’m sure their product page can explain those features much better.

A new poll from employment advertising company Monster says 77% of U.S. workers say they work much harder than their firms’ presidents. I don’t know why this article ever got printed. It’s clearly nonsense. Though the company admits the activity is not scientific, the fact that workers generally are biased against their bosses makes this poll uninformative. It’s like asking a woman if women are more intelligent than men.

Workers work “more” because they think less and have lighter responsibilities. It’s the quality of work (over quantity) that should count *most often*. The workers obviously want their salaries comparable to that of their bosses. The best way of identifying which job position requires a higher salary is when you hypothetically set the salaries of the bosses and the workers equal. Then, let the workers pick which job they would rather have, knowing they have equal salaries.

I have always been a Laker fan ever since I learned about the NBA (National Basketball Association). I grew up watching Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when there was no cable. I don’t remember how I first saw them play. I know I first saw them play on TV but I quite vividly remember renting betamax tapes to watch their games. I never changed allegiance when they went from perennial contenders to perennial doormats, back to perennial contenders etc. My loyalty is to the team and not to its players. (You hear that Shaq?!)

Anyways, you could say that I watched Kobe grow in front of my very own eyes. This article very articulately documents his evolution. I have never seen Kobe this way (how the author put it all together elegantly) and yet it seems like I have always known all along what this author is trying to say.

At age 24, Kobe was remarkably like Jordan — and somehow, not him, akin to a musical prodigy, capable of playing any sonata the seasoned concert pianist could, yet somehow, lacking the intangible quality that distinguished the genius from the flawless imitator… Read more »

Astronomers predict that the earth will be swallowed up by the sun in 7.6 billion years.  However, life on earth will probably end sooner than 1 billion years - it will become very hot to live on.

Some scientists believe there’s a way to escape the sun’s wrath by using a passing asteroid’s gravity to budge the earth out of harm’s way.  Now, there’s another plot for a new sci-fi movie.

I always wonder why the days and months come by so fast.  When I was still in school the days seemed slower.  I guess maybe it’s because we are slowly getting closer to the sun (it takes less time to revolve around the sun).  I’m saying this as a half-meant joke.

Last January, I wrote about how Network Solutions stole my domain name. It turns out that I am not the only one who has observed this. You can say I’m quite naive, thinking I’m the only one who has noticed this scam.

Another article even discusses the trick pricing I complained about:

This allows Network Solutions to continue charging substantially higher prices for domain name registration. Network Solutions charged $34.99 to register the name sought by this suit’s lead plaintiff. A competitor would have charged $9.99.

Apparently, it’s not only Network Solutions who practice this evil scheme. I really hope the authorities penalize these companies to kingdom come. Thinking of a new and cool domain is no joke. I didn’t work for a whole day thinking of cool domain names for my blog and my other Web sites. If you ask me, they should pay at least $1,000 for every name they stole in favor of the person who made the name search.

Ever since 2002 (I think), I started to ditch my curly (I’d like to think of it as wavy) hair for a semi-bald cut. I like the semi-bald cut. I don’t have to comb and it’s not that hot in the head. My hair is not greasy anymore, too. Having said that, my previous hairstyle, the short-cut-then-apply-hair-gel-then-comb-with-fingers look, was more cooler in my opinion. I believe I was more handsome with that look - OK, this is my blog so I can say whatever I want to say. But you know what, if you’re handsome, any haircut works, hehe.

The only problem I had with having the semi-bald cut is that when I go to a barber shop (or a beauty salon) and they effortlessly clip my hair, they still charge me the same price. I understand the logic of the same pricing, of course.

This problem, together with my general reluctance to go to a barber shop or beauty salon on any day, pushed me to buy my very own hair clipper. I just bought it today and I immediately used it. Come to think of it, it took me about eight years to figure this out.

You’ve seen Demi Moore in “G.I. Jane”, right? She clipped her own hair very easily…. NOT! Hollywood is so full of crap. I can clip the top, front and sides of my head just fine but was having problems clipping the back. My poor wife was “forced” to do the clipping at the back side of my head. She’s afraid of doing anything with my hair lest I scold her if she does something bad. She doesn’t know that it’s OK whatever happens (sort of, hehe).

So there, I am my own barber. I’m sure in time, I will learn how to clip the hair at the back side of my head. Actually, I’m looking forward to my second “self-haircut”. Do I sound pathetic?