All-In One Desktop

My Compaq Presario F700 is already two years old and getting inefficient dealing with heavy photo editing tasks, and HP's stupidity in designing this laptop so it works perfectly on Windows Vista and disabling the mic function on XP... until today I couldn't find a software update from HP to fix the problem!

I planned to get an all-in-one desktop when I went back to Malaysia last week. I find myself not really needing a laptop coz the current one always sitting at home which I use mainly to get online, edit photos and watch movies. An all-in-one desktop is more powerful without having to move around with a bulky CPU, for nomads like me who move around once in a while. Went to PC fair with my mind stick to either Dell or HP.

Dell Inspiron One 19 - the cheapest all-in-one desktop available in the market selling at RM 2,399

• Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz
• Windows 7 Home Premium
  
• 18.5" screen (no touch screen function)
• 4GB DDR2 SDRAM
• 500GB hard drive
• Single drive 8x DVD RW
• Intel GMA x4500 graphics

HP Touchsmart 300 - my original choice, better spec overall selling at RM 3,588

• AMD Athlon II Dual Core 2.70 GHz
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 20" TFT screen with touch capabilities
  
• 4GB DDR3
• 500GB hard drive
• SuperMulti drive
  
• NVDIA GeForce G210 512MB

I went straight to HP booth at PC fair with cash ready in my pocket. Too bad the sales person was busy selling to a richer looking guy and turned his back on me. Therefore I decided to walk around and give myself more options.

Acer was never in my mind until I saw this in brochure - Z5610 at RM 3,388

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33 GHz
  
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 23" Full HD screen with touch capabilities
  
• 4GB DDR3 SDRam
  
• 1,000GB hard drive
• SuperMulti drive
  
• ATI Radeon HD 4670 1GB DDR3 memory graphic
  

At that competitive price with the specs that outdone the HP, this is the obvious choice. Unfortunately Acer got the brochure ready at PC fair but failed to deliver the model to Malaysia on time... arrrgghh...

Now I'm back in Doha and I doubt I will be able to find the latest Acer model here until after couple of months... I will definitely get this when back in CNY!

My Happiest Day of The Decade

Today, 12 Nov 2009 is a special day, I passed my Master of Science in Construction Cost Management with merit from University of Reading. I am so happy that I've done it finally...

Study abroad was something I dare not even think about when I was younger... and I still remember a decade ago I was so jealous when the stupid University Teknologi Malaysia sent a much less qualified person to University of Reading to further for the master degree, because of my skin colour...

Life has been on a roller coaster for the past decade, few years of hard work in JB and KL with low wages and I had a rare opportunity to move to the UK... thanks to the stupid UTM again, because the degree was not accredited by RICS I had to take a master degree in order to sit for the APC... with the support from my ex company regardless of my skin colour... and I've made it after two years...


For my mum who worked so hard when I was small... who sent me to tuition with her Yamaha 80... who moved to the old hut to save money for my first degree fees in local U... who sacrificed more than half of her life for me...

Thanks mum.

PVD Music Discovery Project 2009

Six month ago before I left London I enjoyed the best gig ever - Paul Van Dyk at O2 Matter.



I stayed at the music console right in front of PVD for more than 2 hours continuously, even passed him my phone requesting to play my favourite 'Adrenaline', priceless experience indeed.



PVD Music Discovery Project 2009 - a phenomenal show with his band and the symphony orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk. How could I missed that... it's brilliant!

New Life

Life has changed since I moved to Doha 3 months ago. Although I'm still unwilling to accept the fact that I've left London, a place I like much.

I've got a comfortable pad, with cable TV and internet connection which allow me to connect to the 'outside' world. It's actually better than what I imagined before.

New life is quite routine though...

Sunday - it's 'Sunday blue' now instead of Monday coz weekday begins here. I still don't feel like working coz most friends in the outside world don't have to.

Monday - stock trading day begins which give me a bit of excitement apart from work. The best thing after work is to download the latest HK drama from here and watch it while having dinner.

Tuesday - yeah... it's Heroes day!

Wednesday - yeah... another day before end of the week! Cleaners will clean my mess in my apartment today.

Thursday - yeah... last day at work! Sometimes I'll follow the old folks to do grocery shopping at Family Food Center after work.

Friday - the day when I don't have to work while the my friends in the rest of the world have to. Sometimes will follow the younger people to have roti canai and nasi lemak at Taste of Asia. The stuff here can speak Malay, feels like home. Anyway it's not as bad as the review says. Grocery shopping again at the Carrefours... at Villagio, Landmark or City Center... I only hope there's Tesco or Sainsbury here... Carrefour sux!

Saturday - mostly relax at home... catch some English Premier League actions, watch some movies...

In short, I'm glad and thankful to the people who make their efforts uploading the dramas, movies, live stream sports. Without u, I wouldn't survive here...

Liverpool - The 'Luckiest' Team in EPL

Manchester United beat Portsmouth 2-0 tonight and lead the Premier League table with 4 points ahead of Liverpool with one game in hand, 6 games remaining.

Liverpool drew 4-4 with Arsenal at Anfield the night before and again, another goal at extra time to earn them another precious point. Liverpool is indeed truly blessed with so many extra time goals scored to win or draw last minute in my memory to bring them to where they are.

I'm interested to find out if take away the goals scored at extra time, where will Liverpool be on the table this season today (71 points). Finding as below (EPL only) and does not take into account extra time goals which does not affect the standing:

23.08.08 Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough - Mido (70), Pogatetz (og 85), Gerrard (94) -2
05.10.08 Man City 2-3 Liverpool - Kuyt (92) -2
07.02.08 Portsmouth 2-3 Liverpool - Torres (90) -2
04.04.09 Fulham 0-1 Liverpool - Benayoun (91) -2
21.04.09 Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal - Benayoun (93) -1

Minus 9 points that'll be 62 points and today they'll be on 4th place, same points with Arsenal, which is not as bad as I thought it might be.

How about Liverpool's late goals in UEFA Champions League 2008/2009?

27.08.08 Liverpool 1-0 Standard Liege (Qualifying 2nd Leg) - Kuyt (118)
04.11.08 Liverpool 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Group Stage) - Gerard (pen 94)

The fans should be glad that they made it to quarter final before the journey was ended by Chelsea.

Anyway I salute the team for its fighting spirit and perhaps that's the reason why the fans love it so much.

Road To Wembley

Went to watch England played Ukraine for the World Cup 2010 Qualifier on 31 March 2009. England is on a good run under manager Fabio Capello and hopefully will do well next year in South Africa.

It's amazing to be at Wembley, where all the major football matches I watched on TV since like two decades ago were played.

Inside the stadium the atmosphere was great.

England was dominating the game and Peter Crouch scored England's first goal.

Beckham wearing number 17 jersey came on the second half to replace the new number 7 Aaron Lennon. He was the man best remembered wearing the number 7 for both England and Manchester United. It's arguable that who's the best replacement right winger for England, either Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott, both are lightning fast but maybe not yet have the 'touches' Beckham has.

I must say Beckham still delivers the ball brilliantly, especially at the set piece. And he's the different one, when he gets the ball you hope things will happen. The £40 ticket was well worth it watching him alone.

Andriv Shevchenko, the number 7 for Ukraine came on the second half as well. He's the only two players who I recognised in Ukraine squad, others than Andriv Voronin, the Liverpool striker who is now on loan with Hertha Berlin. The European footballer of the year 2004 was a different class and he had brought changes to the game and scored the equaliser.

Just when everyone thought the game will be ended up a 1-1 draw... Beckham on the set piece...

and John Terry sealed the winner with a header! Beckham is still relevant and should continue to play. My wishful thinking is Beckham to divorce with Victoria and return to Manchester United and end his career there.

It was a good game and I was one of the 87,548 fans there to witness England on the path to win the World Cup 2010 (another wishful thinking?).

Few things that I want to do this year...

2009 started off a little troubled. Things are slowing down now and finger crossed will get back to normal soon. One will always become stronger when gets over the obstacles and then will probably appreciates more of the surroundings.

It'll soon be 3 years since I first arrived in England, ya 3 years and I still have not done enough yet. There are a few things on top of my list that I must do this year or I'll regret it if I were have to move if circumstances change.

1. Watch England plays at Wembley - and YES I'm going next week for the World Cup qualifier to watch England v Ukraine!
2. Visit Old Trafford and watch a match, even Kenny Sia managed that and why I have not? Hopefully will be able to get tickets for one of the Champions League match.
3. Get a bike and organise a road trip to Scotland - the ultimate location for landscape photographers! Well.... bike is unrealistic, especially I'm not looking at others now except the Ducatis... and unless I make some fortune unexpectably i.e Lloyds' share price shoots up more than 100% like Barclay did last few weeks... but I'll definitely visit Scotland this spring / summer.
   

I bought the wc qualifier tickets online yesterday from the FA and it reached the doorstep today, that's very efficient. I was worried that I might not get it on time before the match day :)

Will have more plans (well I don't usually plan, things just pop up in my mind, once in a while) when things get settled and dusted, gotta keep reminding myself to live life to the fullest during the stay.