Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Will be away for a while...

Guess that means no blog updates, here, or in my other blogs (taiji and fishing). I will be back in the middle of September.

DAZ 3D

Found a new 3D software called DAZ 3D today, available for free. The starter pack is free till 31 Aug 2007, if you are interested. I had some problems trying to download it, though... those who succeed, do let me know.

GIMP in Japan

I don't think GIMP is that popular in Japan. After all, the visit to the bookstores came up with only 2 books on GIMP. Most of the books on graphics design and digital image editing focused on Photoshop and other commercial software.

Then again, a visit to a Singapore bookstore turned up with ZERO books on GIMP.

To get a book on GIMP in Singapore, the most efficient way is to order it online. And besides the high cost of the book itself, you will need to pay for shipping.

Compared to this option, Japanese books on GIMP seemed much cheaper. They are affordable, cheaper compared to those in English. I am not sure about shipping charges to Singapore, though. But if you visit Japan often and understand Japanese, this may be a cheaper option.

Second Life in Japan

Apparently, Second Life is big in Japan.

A visit to the local bookstore came up with about 5 books (in Japanese) related to Second Life. These were either books introducing the online game, or those discussing the economy/business side in more detail.

At the local computer store, in the computer books section, there were about 5 more books on Second Life as well, different from those found at the local bookstore. That makes a total of about 10 books on Second Life, all in Japanese. I don't think there are that many English books on Second Life, even though Japanese may not make up the majority in the Second Life population.

No more guys

One of the sites that I like to visit is Japan Today. And here is an interesting article on how mice were reproduced without the use of sperms. Guess that means the end of having us guys around... I guess it is only a matter of time, since females give birth, not males. We probably have more chance getting two females to reproduce, than trying to make two males reproduce.

Bye bye anti-piracy dogs

Malaysia has been using dogs to help catch copyright pirates selling illegal VCDs, DVDs, CD-ROMs, etc. Guess it is goodbye to them now. See this article here.

But then, if there are sighs of piracy going back up after these dogs are gone, I am sure they will be brought in again. I haven't been to the Causeway for some years now, and so I haven't seen these dogs in action before, but I heard that they have busted a few cases before.

Email - Stress at work

Someone shares my view. In fact, not just one person. But many.

In a recent study, email has been identified as a cause of stress at work. Read this article if you want to find out more.

Home

Today is Singapore's National Day, the day which we commemorate our independence, gain on this day in 1965. This year's parade was done on a floating platform, with elaborate displays both on the platform and surrounding waters. While I still think that the gesture is too elaborate, the National Day Parade never fails to show the commitment we have as a nation, one which is young and still trying to find its footing in a fast changing world.

Singapore is home. The songs we have written each year brings out the patriotic feelings that I have for my country. Every time I arrive at Changi International Airport from another country, the "And to all Singaporeans, welcome home" greeting reminds me that this is a place that I can truly call home. We may be a small nation, we may be a young nation, but that is our beauty. Yes, we are not perfect, we have lots to learn (and sometimes our pride gets in the way) but give us time and we will show that we can become a country with class, not just empty pride.

Yes, I may have lots to say about my country, and most of it can be very critical, but deep down, I love my country. And the reason why I am critical is because I deeply wish for my country to grow and become a better place for everyone. And when we have mature into a country able to take criticism, then we know that we reached the next level in our country's development.

Too elaborate a gesture

National Day is coming. And like all National Days in the past, we will have a big celebration in Singapore with the traditional National Day Parade. Only that this year, it will be in a different location (over water). There will be so much more displays compared to the past, where we had military contingents marching, and people performing mass displays. This year, there will be other, more spectacular performances taking place over the water.

Now, are we putting too much effort and money into this? Yes, being able to hold such a parade each year speaks well of the coordinating and organising abilities of our military and the nation as a whole. It is a deterrent in itself. But must each year be better than the last? When do we stop pushing ourselves? When will it become a waste of resources rather than a show of ability? How much bigger must our National Day Parade be before it becomes a costly show for the sake of being a show better than the last one?

Is there a need to outdo ourselves each year? Or should a parade just be a parade, and once it has shown that we can do it, stop at that?

Wargame Construction Set

This is classic. Really. If you value hardcore computer wargaming, this is one game that you want to get your hands on.

Wargame Construction Set, by SSI, was the first computer game that I got. And it was because I love wargames. So, rather than buy different ones, my first thought was to buy something to make my own. I guess SSI must have the same idea too.

The only problem with this game is that it is very tedious to set up your own scenarios. Yes, the game comes with some scenarios, but you can always make your own. That is what this game is for, to make your own scenarios. You can adjust the firepower and survivability of units, change their graphics, modify the terrain, etc.

So the game is totally replayable. Even with the same scenario, you can always change tactics. Or modify the terrain to make the scenario more challenging. It is all up to you. That's the beauty of this game.

I don't think it is easy to find this game anymore, if you can find it, do let me know!

Neverwinter Nights 2

Yes, I know. Neverwinter Nights 2 (aka NWN2) has been out for some time already. So yes, I am a bit slow. But I got it today, even though I don't think I have the time to be playing. Why? Because I am a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, I have been interested in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting since the days of the Gold Box series of games. Not to mention that the time spent playing Forgotten Kingdoms (a MUD set in the Forgotten Realms campaign world) only made me more interested.

So after years of playing (and not playing) Neverwinter Nights, when NWN2 was out, I thought I would be there to grab it. Instead, I was busy with life and didn't have a chance to get it until now, and even then, I don't have the time to spend looking at it. So it will probably sit around collecting dust for a while before I get to completing it... probably by then, the expansion would be out...

Kings and generals

What is the difference between a king and a general?

A general is a leader of men.

A king is a leader of leaders.

Which do you want to be?

Trust

It is always hard to place your trust in someone.

But sometimes, we just have to. We need to put our trust in people, to believe that they will do what needs to be done, without us having to constantly remind them to, without us having to constantly watch over them. We must learn to have faith in the people around us.

To want to be in control means we don't trust. We must learn to let go. There is only 24 hours in a day. Time can always be spent in a better way than making sure someone else is doing what needs to be done. Time should be spent doing what you need to do.

Trust. It requires faith. Faith in people. Life is too short to be spent second-guessing other people, life is too short to be spent making sure others are doing what they need to do.

Trust in others. Then will others trust you.

Management - An issue of responsibility to the managed

I see the role of management as being responsible to those whom they manage.

People join an organization and work for it, with the tacit understanding that the organization will take care of them and reward them for their efforts. The organization's management must then look at itself and ask if it is doing what it can to take care of those working in the organization, to see that their needs are being addressed, that they are suitably rewarded for their efforts, and that they are being treated fairly.

One of those is working overtime.

While there are always periods of time in which workload may surge, due to unforeseen circumstances, when you start to see people working late consistently, the management must then reflect. Why are people working late? Is it because they are inefficient in managing their time? Or are they being given too heavy a workload? Or are they being asked to do too much, way beyond what should be expected of them? Is there so much red tape that they cannot work efficiently? Are they being asked to do things unrelated to their job scope, detracting them from doing their jobs in the first place? All these are failures on the part of the management.

The job of the management is to set clear directions for work, to create an environment in which those doing the work can have free rein to carry out their work to the best of their abilities. It is to manage the expectations of the bosses so that unreasonable demands are not made on those on the ground. It is to pace the work in the office so that all workers are treated fairly, so that they feel adequately rewarded for the amount of work they put in. And when subordinates cannot manage their time, those managing them must step in to give them the training and guidance to groom them.

Talking about it is always easy. Doing it is always the hard part.

Presence

Sometimes, we make our presence felt by the way we do things... such that even when we are not around, the things left behind by us still make our presence felt. My home is such a place. My wife put so much into the design and placement of everything inside, that even when she is not around, her presence is felt in the way things are placed, the general feel of the design of the place. The way the clothes are folded, the way things are stored in the fridge, the way the teddy bears are placed on the sofa, all these make her presence felt even when she is not in the house.

Or am I just simply missing her? It has not even been 24 hours since she returned to Japan to help her sister with wedding preparations. But to come back to a house so filled with her presence, yet knowing that she is not around... the sense of loneliness this creates can be suffocating.