dermk4 BLoG

From the beauty & grooming section of the Jan 06 issue of Wallpaper* magazine:

"This year, close to 400 new perfumes will be launched. A substantial number will smell the same - that is, something similar to the bestsellers (currently the Chanel no.5 for women and Jean Paul Gaultier's Le Male for men). Many of them, though representing quite desparate brands, will be created by the same perfumers, selected from the relatively small pool of internationally acclaimed noses..."

The small-headed lady who sometimes read this blog might be the best person to tell you guys more about how legendary the no.5 and Le Male are, as both a fashion and a scent; she would also be able to shed some light on what on earth perfumers exactly do and who are the internationally acclaimed noses.

I was lucky enough to have experienced the JPG Le Male, thanks to an old friend TBK. The sailor shaped bottle was simply stunning, so was the tin canned packaging of the whole Gaultier perfume line. However, I found the JPG Le Male smelling a bit too sweet and noticeable, I also find it a bit hard to dress appropriately matching the behaviour of its base note.

For those who can't really distinguish perfumes from one another, plus not gifted with the patience to shop with the nose, like myself, I believe it's always a good idea to buy by the brand. Perfumers do not only see styles, they smell them. Shopping for perfumes based on your favourite brands and designers won't go too wrong, let's say you're assured that Hugo Boss and Armani will not make you smell like the masculin sailor!

This one below caught my eyes at first sight, just because it's Dior Homme.

從今以後 Konica Minolta 的傳統單反、DSLR、DC 、傻瓜機甚至菲林、相紙都會成為絕唱，bye bye Konica，bye bye Minolta!

我那顆用了兩年多，於 Abit NF7 2.0 的 1.8v 電壓下穩超 2.3GHz (3400+) 的 AMD Barton 1.83GHz (2500+) 終於後繼有人，快可以功成身退了。Barton 將會轉戰塞外化身 remote workstation 和 web / FTP server，而延續 cheap 精 overclocking 傳奇的將會是以下這一位灸手可熱，傳聞可以直上 3GHz，把 Intel 單核心 P4 殺個片甲不留的新一代 AMD 超頻王:

AMD Opteron 146
DFI Lanparty NF4-D (SLI 改)
A-Data DDR500
Gigabyte GeForce 6600GT

講左咁耐，其實可以三個字講完 - 開心死!

While a Core Duo notebook from Apple will certainly make its way onto my desk, I couldn't help finding ways to meet her - Rosetta as early as possible! So at the time I am saving up money for the ground-breaking new Mac, I have decided to find temporary resort to test drive OS X on x86 hardware.

Rosetta is "Apple's marketing name for a PowerPC emulator that ships with the Intel version of Mac OS X. Rosetta translates PowerPC binaries into Intel binaries to provide an emulation layer for applications as the Mac platform migrates to Intel. This will allow PowerPC applications to run under the new Intel-based Macs. Therefore this technology is only of importance to users who are buying or have bought an Intel Macintosh."

I was lucky enough to have a set of Intel Celeron junkie lying around at the time being, with native SSE3 support, this is by no means a desirable computer for anyone, but it will do the job. Let's take a brief look at the specs:

CPU: Intel Celeron 330J @ 2.85GHz (2.66GHz, LGA775)
MB: ECS Intel 915G chipset
RAM: 512MB SyncMax DDR2-533
HDD: Seagate IDE 7200.7 160GB

Most importantly, I managed to obtain a TESTER copy of OS X 10.4 for x86 on "the bay" (the famous torrent search engine), a direct-install DVD with all the necessary hacks such as TPM (Trusted Platform) Crack, Maxxuss v0.4.1 mach_kernel SSE3 emulation, modified boot files (so installation can happen on most Generic x86 PCs) to make things happen.

Here we go... the Celeron has been recognized as Apple Development Platform 2.1. And despite that legacy BIOS is gone in favour of EFI (Extended Firmware Interface) in the REAL Intel Macs, this version of OS X was BIOS friendly.

OS X knows GMA900, the integrated display of 915G too!

-- to be continued.

在雜誌上讀到一篇文章，談及由於廣告及其他視覺宣傳媒體在中國內地的急速發展 (AC Nielsen 更預測中國會在 2010 年趕過日本成為全球第二大的廣告市場)，stock photography (影像版權的販賣) 這類影像創意工業在內地有很大的發展潛力。構圖、選圖固然重要，但圖片用得合宜，不熅不火地透過主題和意境把宣傳的中心訊息帶出來，卻是一門高深的學問。

心血來潮到 Morguefile (基本上是一個供業餘攝影師分享作品的網站，若果想用其中的圖做平面廣告的話，通知原作者並標明出處便可以了) 抓了一張圖和大家玩玩; 就下面的一張圖，大家聯想到什麼主題和意境呢?

主題: 火車站、空凳、假日、人去樓空、遠行... (還有呢?)
意境: 冷清、被荒廢、被取締、思念... (還有呢?)

其實可以很主觀，很天馬行空...

網站推介: 無線新聞片段展覽館

別期望在這裡找到極詳盡和罕有的無線新聞片段，但這個由有心人編寫的網頁，必定能夠勾起你我對時與事的一些回憶。

集 online video store 與 video search engine 於一身的 Google Video 又是另一個尋寶的好地方:

1. 英國 Top Gear 電視節目片段之歐系兩公升增壓 Hot Hatch 三強對壘，Volkswagen Golf GTI 雖然只得 200bhp，但憑著平均的造工、坐乘質素、車架、懸掛等優勢，再一次成為節目中淹尖腥悶主持人的選擇!

Vauxhall Astra VXR 240bhp
Renault Sport Magane RS 225bhp
Volkswagen Golf GTI 200bhp

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=36338842953281826&pr=goog-sl

2. 價值50萬英磅、630bhp 的 Maserati MC12，這個瘋子竟然駕著它跑雪地!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8454665654910570394&q=MC12

Jan 10, 2006 marks a big day for all Apple enthusiast, Intel Core Duo finds home in new Apple highend notebook, let's just hope this doesn't signal a downturn of the innovative computer giant.

Oven-fresh Apple MacBook Pro running Frontrow multimedia interface.

* 註: 下文中教會一詞泛指包括了 Roman Catholic 和 Lutheran 宗派的 Christian Church...

作為宗教領袖、神職人員，這傢伙略嫌口不擇言了一點吧? 他發表的言論已多次超越為民爭取福利、或是抱不平的範圍，簡單來說我看他跟李鵬飛及黃毓民越來越相像了...

2005年12月 25日【明報專訊】天主教香港教區主教陳日君昨接受港台《清談一點鐘》訪問時，表明不會收回警方在世貿拘捕示威者是「香港之恥」的說法，又強調，他批評的對象是警方負責策劃部署的高層，而不是前線警務人員。警務處長李明逵表示，相信警務人員會原諒陳日君的言論，警方亦會檢討世貿期間的行動。

2006年1月 6日【太陽報專訊】早在一九四七年便在天主教慈幼會認識陳日君的李海龍神父表示，他接觸到的神父和教徒，絕大多數都不認同陳日君的行徑，認為主教不應做宗教範疇以外的事情。對於陳日君鼓吹市民上街遊行反對政改方案，李海龍認為主教應該分開宗教和政治：「神職參與呢 D 我覺得撈過界啦！因為你主要係關心天上的事。」

今天下午和 cowboy 兄到咖啡廳看書，看著看著好像找到一點頭緒，算是替自己解釋了對陳日君為何這樣不滿，回到家裡便求助 Google 讀多一點，現和大家分享一下。(老實說，我並不排除小弟的愚見有斷章取義成份...)

根據有關馬丁路得 16 世紀宗教改革的記載，他認為獲拯救、得永生是本乎恩，也因著信; 世人並不可以用任何贖價來使罪得赦免，得永生的唯一途徑乃是因信稱義。相信身為基督徒的朋友們對以上的一段都很熟悉，相反當時掌權的羅馬教廷卻宣稱善行甚至捐獻可令罪得赦免，永生救恩是可以靠後天的努力去買贖云云...

如果我們相信路得所言，那麼教會這個實體除了招聚會眾 (Congregation) 一起敬拜感恩以外並無他意，教王(教宗、陳主教)固然沒有赦罪的能力，教廷(教會)也不可能對任何人有統治的權柄 (Authority)。對於神職人員的職份，馬丁路得有著以下的見解:

From the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, on
Martin Luther: The Doctrine of Grace -

"he held that the bishops should regard preaching as their prime duty, and that sermons should be free from false legends and the opinions of men, nor should the subjects longer be restricted to character and works, but should be devoted especially to faith and justice..."

Reference reading: Luther's doctrine of Church and Minitry [August Pieper, 1917]

待續... more on Martin Luther: The Question of Civil Resistance
(本書我未睇完, 又要找其他資料求證...)

(From left to right: Jessica, Michele, myself and Hin the 粉皮)

Had dinner with Jessica the bride-to-be with the other ex-fellowshipmates tonight. And Hin was right, she looked a whole lot prettier than I recalled. Oh yes, don't worry, so does Michele.

Copied this photo from 粉皮's blog, so... no, I don't have a better one to show you guys how 容光煥發 she was. But let's not forget to thank god for all the grace and blessings he gave to our dear friends from the RHCCC church, in HK and/or in Canada.

November Rain
- made by the infamous Guns N' Roses - possibly the best metal band ever.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Guns N' Roses (GNR) is an American hard rock band whose dangerous reputation, controversial front man, and technical prowess have made them one of the most popular and acclaimed rock n' roll bands of all time. The band's defiant 1987 major label debut, Appetite for Destruction, gained them worldwide popularity while their 1991 second major effort, the simultaneous releases of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, and subsequent tour cemented the band's place as a heavily influential member of rock and roll history.

Appetite for Destruction, GNR's debut album, was released on August 21, 1987. The album sold twenty million copies and hit #1 on the charts. As of 2005, Appetite For Destruction remains the best-selling debut album of all time.

Use Your Illusion Tour (1991-1993)

The Use Your Illusion Tour is notable for the many videos the band released to support it, including "Don't Cry", "November Rain" and "Estranged" - some of the most expensive videos ever made. The hit ballad "November Rain" became the most requested video on MTV, eventually winning the 1992 MTV Video Music Award for best cinematography. During the awards show, GNR performed the song with Elton John accompanying the band on piano.

... more about Guns N' Roses

在家中清理積存雜誌時，在台灣雜誌 PCDIY 上讀到一篇文章的引子，大意如下:

古代西晉惠帝執政時，有大臣上奏: 「天下飢荒，流年不利，民間許多百姓沒飯吃，活活餓死」惠帝大為不解，問道：「何不食肉糜？」如此不體察民間疾苦的問話，成了流傳千古的名言...

在這個人人拼命追求多核心運算能力、數以百 GB 計的儲存空間、大如家庭影院的闊瑩幕顯示屏、甚至超越現今大眾電影發行媒體科技的高清 (High Definition) 娛樂的時代，不懂也沒機會享受電腦和互聯網這些革命性發明的人，卻佔世界人口的大多數。你是否像我一樣不停在抱怨工作間的電腦太殘又太慢，在家中享受以上高科技產品帶來的娛樂和便捷的同時，我們有沒有想過，computer literacy 不單是大都會兒童通識教育的一部分，更可能是第三世界國家兒童藉此改善生活質素甚至賴以生存的新希望呢?

該篇雜誌文章的主角其實是 Intel Community PC Project。Intel 於 2005 年 IDF (Intel Developer Forum) 裡提出的電腦普及化方案，計畫中此 Community PC 將會支援新世代無線網絡標準 WiMAX，能夠以 80V 直流電源發動以便於沒有交流電供應之偏遠地區使用，並以約 US$ 208 的價錢率先在印度發售。大家先別誤會 Intel 變了慈善團體，這個社區電腦計畫純粹是出於商業考慮。首先以現今半導體製品的價格趨勢看來，US $208 一台固然沒可能立刻為 Intel 帶來可觀利潤，但 Intel 也不是笨蛋，Community PC 的配備不會是什麼新制程、多核心的高科技新產品，總之絕對不用虧本。雖然不用虧本卻沒多大當前利潤，那 Intel 打的又是什麼如意算盤呢? 個人認為有以下可能性... 首先，藉著事先張揚支援 WiMAX 令這標準在印度普及起來，其後印度政府機關及其他印度國民為了確保自己的電腦和這批 Community PC 完全兼容，你可以想像得到 Intel 將會在印度售出多少套整合 WiMAX 的 Centrino 流動電腦 chipset 甚至其他網絡設備! 其最終目的，當然是在印度這個繼中國之後最有潛質的新市場搶灘登陸。

先別說 Intel 這個 Community PC 計畫多有遠見 (其實與此同時，AMD 也發表了類似的 PIC - Personal Internet Communicator 計畫)，但最少我們都知道 US$208 的價錢就不是每個貧童也負擔得到。所以便有一批 MIT 學者和電腦專才提出了 US$100 Laptop PC 計畫，並已於 2005 年 11月 16 日由聯合國秘書長安南和尼葛洛龐帝一同展示了 prototype，而台灣廣達電腦 (Quanta Computer) 則被指定為麻省理工學院 US$100 Laptop PC 的 ODM 製造商。有關 MIT 這個100美元筆記簿型電腦計畫的資料，現節錄如下:

「100美元筆記型電腦並不是直接銷售給終端用戶，而是賣給各國政府，由他們分配給國內的學生使用。他們的目標市場是第三世界國家，目標用戶是學生。100 美元電腦的幾種工作狀態，包括了電池，搖桿發電，立式電子書，折疊攜帶，手寫板等狀態，幾乎全部考慮到了學生的學習所需。筆記型電腦採用了 Linux 作業系統，對 CPU 的要求不高，MIT 並已通過借助比較落後的第三代 LCD生產線來製造 LCD 面板，並簡化製造工藝，這對於節省整個筆記型電腦成本和耗電有莫大的好處。」