Last week, I realized 30th birthday is less than 2 months away, and my body is definitely not quite beach-ready. Since I expect to be in a bikini sometime this summer, I figured I’d better get started on my work out regimen stat. Unfortunately the gyms in Changping aren’t really up to snuff- they have limited and old equipment, they don’t turn on the AC, they’re dirty, and they charge about $50 USD a month. That’s the same monthly cost for the nice gym I attended back in Seattle- for top of the line equipment, clean locker rooms, and free classes.
Thanks to bodyrock.tv, I don’t need to shell out my hard earned cash on a subpar gym. Bodyrock.tv is part of the home gym movement- all you really need to participate is access to YouTube, a mat, and runners. That’s it! You can spruce up your routines with weights and equipment, but if you don’t have that stuff, that’s okay. Plus, it’s free!
The videos can be intimidating at first because the instructor is amazingly hot and fit, but they’re very good about helping folks in all stages of fitness participate (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Each video has variations that fit your needs, so there is really no excuse for you to say “I can’t.” And the best part- it only takes 12 minutes a day!
MARSHALL, Texas—The patent is referred to simply as the ’078 Patent, also called “Methods and systems for gathering information from units of a commodity across a network.” Lodsys, the marauding patent protector—aka troll—has filed a bevy of lawsuits alleging the infringement of ’078 Patent by an updated list of companies, including for the first time, five adult ones.
One of six identical lawsuits filed May 10 by East Texas troller The Davis Group names five adult entertainment companies as defendants—GMCI Internet Operations Inc., Playboy Enterprises Inc., RK Netmedia Inc., Score Internet Group and Vouyer Media Inc.—and in the five page complaint names five specific websites operated by each—penthouse.com, playboy.com, realitykings.com, 18eighteen.com and voyeurmedia.com—as infringing “at least claim 1 of the ‘078 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 271.”
The abstract of the patent reads, “In an exemplary system, information is received at a central location from different units of a commodity. The information is generated from two-way local interactions between users of the different units of the commodity and a user interface in the different units of the commodity. The interactions elicit from respective users their perceptions of the commodity.”
If that is confusing for you, the voluminous description of the background of the “invention” reads, in part, “One of the core purposes of the invention is… the ability to learn interactively and iteratively from the users of products and information systems anywhere in the world while they are in use—without having to travel to their sites (or without having to bring them to a testing laboratory). Since this is a two-way link, it also offers the ability to respond meaningfully to customers and users based on worldwide, local, organizational or individual needs regardless of where they are located.”
The patent includes a number of uses and dozens of subsidiary claims that allow it to cover a range of functions related to consumer interaction utilized by websites across a vast range of industries, as evidenced by the complete list of companies sued in this latest Lodsys blitzkrieg: Bank of America Corp., Epicor Software Corp., Hoovers Inc., Market America Inc., Network Solutions, Overstock.com Inc., Sleepy’s, The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., Becker Professional Development Corp., Cabela’s Inc., Charming Shoppes Inc., HSN Inc., Nike Inc., The Men’s Warehouse Inc., Tivo Inc., Foster and Smith Inc., Recreational Equipment Inc., Walgreen Co., Rosetta Stone Inc., Dell Inc., AVG Technologies USA Inc., GFI Software Inc., Kaspersky Lab Inc., Raxco Software Inc., Symantec Corp., Webroot Software Inc., GMCI Internet Operations Inc., Playboy Enterprises Inc., RK Netmedia Inc., Score Internet Group and Vouyer Media Inc.
I was Facebook stalking a friend, because I’m a creeper like that, when I noted to J, “You know, E[xxxx] has visited so many places and seems to have a lot of awesome experiences!” Then I reflected on my life and realized, damn, I’m kinda boring.
have full fledged obsessions with things like cats, and… cats;
am generally just awesome (kidding!)
But my life is boring. It’s tough stuff balancing a social life with two careers. Something usually has to give, and often it’s the social life.
I’d like to say that I don’t go out because I live in China and there’s nothing to do in Changping and woe-is-me I don’t speak Mandarin so how can I communicate with people? But I can’t. I’ve been living this way for years.
I was reminded of a workshop I attended back in 2009 where participants built our Bucket List. Mine was long, lofty, and reminiscent of 20-something year old’s aspiration for adventure. I took a look at it again today, and am sad to say that I haven’t accomplished as much as I wish.
My Bucket List, revisited
My notes in green.
Travel and Culture
Travel through Europe
Live in Shanghai for at least a yearI’m gonna scratch this out, because while it may not be Shanghai, I’m in China. It counts.
Visit Japan (again)
Drink Guinness in Ireland
Visit the McEwen castle in Scotland
Sunbathe in Greece
Drink wine in Italy
Eat in Spain
Visit Giza Pyramids
Go to the Great Wall
Swim in Hawaii
Perfect Mandarin
Take up Korean and French
PARIS!!
Fitness, Beauty and Style
Take up a sport
Get fit and STAY fit
Develop a style that is uniquely “Jen”
Have a signature scent
HERMES H BELT!
GOOD POSTURE!
Run at least 40 minutes at a time
Take up yoga
Have beautiful long hairScratching half off because my hair is long now, but brittle as hell.
Stop biting my nails
Family and Friends
Host a dinner party
Develop more friendships with INSPIRING womenI’m happy to say that I have more inspirational women in my life.
Surround myself with GOLDEN HALOSI’m also happy to report that I’ve distanced myself from poisonous people.
Have more Girls’ Nights
Meet someone new and make a true connection every month week
Join a book club
Celebrate my friends’ birthdays creatively
Host perfect holiday parties
Learn to enjoy cookingNot only do I like cooking now, I’m confident enough in it to invite people over to eat it! ALSO, I like cleaning now. I KNOW!
Be a positive force in my loved ones’ lives
Think the BEST of people as much as possible!
Business (InnerVibe)
Keep my eyes open to new opportunitiesI co-found another company with my friends, and moved to China for business (although I often need a reminder as to why the heck I did it)
CREATE new opportunities!MiKandi!
Get connected- networkI’m getting much more comfortable to networking and have new opportunities arise from those connections.
Learn to golf
Get at least 2 positive and inspiring articles writtenabout InnerVibe in major publicationsSadly this one is not possible as InnerVibe is no longer around… But more on that later, because I have BIG news to announce soon.
Become a trusted expert in our field, a leader in our industryWhile not for sex toys, I’m asked to participate in industry studies and interviews about adult in mobile tech, and my company is routinely asked to participate as industry experts in mobile panels at events we attend.
Make consumers think “fashionable” and “chic” when they hear “InnerVibe”Again, sadly have to scratch this one out due to circumstances. But stay tuned for big news!
Challenege the public perception about our industry. Let them know why and how we stand out!Didn’t get to do this for InnerVibe, but totally accomplished this with MiKandi with the help of my team.
Hmm… actually, I crossed off more than I thought I would. Not surprisingly, it’s mostly in the business category. That’s what happens when you work all the time.
Now to get started on the social parts of this list.
Before I begin, I’m a bit of backyard astronomer (when I can actually see the night sky), I don’t have an academic career in physics or astronomy. But not all information need be learned in a professor’s presence. That said, if I’ve made any grand mistakes or misunderstanding of the observations below, you are encouraged to clarify for me. Except if you want covert me into a believer of organized religion. However, I’m certainly open to a discussion of spirituality. At any rate, this isn’t even a post about religion, spirituality, or philosophy. It’s science, which has room for the former.
Horsehead Nebula
As my header informs and some of my posts suggest, I’m a bit of a space-nut. There’s something about feeling insignificantly small that comforts me. Astronomers estimate that there are 200-400 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is one of 100-200 billion galaxies in the Universe. Our Sun is just one star in one galaxy. So, it begs the question, one of the greatest unanswered question of mankind-
Are we alone?
I believe that is highly improbable that we are. When I say “we”, I mean that as in any form of life, not just intelligent life. I would hazard a guess that life is common in the Universe. Intelligent life- maybe not too common. Hell, sometimes I question the intelligence of members of our own species. (Woman wins $3M lawsuit against Ferrero- claims she thought Nutella was healthy).
It used to be widely believed that solar energy was a required condition for life. Then deep-sea exploration revealed thriving ecosystems completely devoid of sunlight. Based on what scientists now understand, to harbor life you need:
the elements needed for metabolism and reproduction;
an energy source;
suitable environmental conditions; and
the presence of liquid water.
Chemical elements found on Earth are found elsewhere in the Universe. The Universe is flooded with stars, some of which are supplying planets with energy. Some of these planets could even be Earth-like- the Kepler mission is on the search for Earth-sized planets in or near habitable zones right now. But what about water? For that, we may need look no further than our own Solar System.
Mars
Newton Crater
Images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggests that there is flowing water on the red planet. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 2006, going through Mars’ seasons. In the warmer Martian seasons, it captured images of brown streaks on the landscape. In the colder months, the streaks were gone.
“The best explanation for these observations so far is the flow of briny water,” said Alfred McEwen (Nice name!!) of the University of Arizona, the principal investigator using the ship’s high-resolution camera system.
“We expect water on Mars to be briny, to be salty, because we know that the surface is salty from all of the past landers and rovers,” said McEwen. “Furthermore, the salt serves to depress the freezing point of the water, so in places where it’s below freezing, we see this activity, it is still plausible for that to be salty water.”
Europa
Jovian moon, Europa
It’s believed that underneath the icy crust the Jovian moon Europa contains a layer of liquid water. That belief has spurred calls to send a probe there – the JUpiter ICy moon Explorer (JUICE), proposed to launch in 2022, and to reach Jupiter in 2030.
The Drake Equation
And that’s just in our Solar System. The Milky Way is so vast that I have a hard time believing any kind of life can only exist on Earth. If you believe a step further, that there is life with which we can communicate, there’s an equation to help you estimate the number of civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy. It’s called the Drake equation. I’m not nearly smart enough to use it, but here it is anyway.
Drake equation
Where
N = the number of civilizations in the Milky Way with which we can communicate,
R* = the average rate of star formation per year in our galaxy;
fp = the fraction of those stars that have planets;
ne = the average number of planets that can potentially support life per star that has planets;
fℓ = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop life at some point;
fi = the fraction of the above that actually go on to develop intelligent life;
fc = the fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space;
L = the length of time for which such civilizations release detectable signals into space.
My head hurts.
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
What if there is intelligent life out there? That’s a question probably most of us ask, and a question some seek to answer at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, among others. Messages have been signaled out to space, hoping to pique the interest of some S-M-R-T aliens out there. No one has answered the call.
IMO, that’s a good thing! If an alien civilization were advanced enough to travel lightyears away from their planet to Earth, then they for sure are advanced enough to, pardon my French, fuck shit up here, right? So be afraid. Be very afraid.
I have a rather whimsical fantasy that Earth is an untouched planet, like those uncontacted tribes in South America. What if advanced alien civilizations did know about us and our Solar System but purposely kept their distance because making contact would be devastating to us Earthlings? I daydream that they use signals we don’t use, which is why we can’t find them, kind of like the loneliest whale in the world.
It’s a thought! Could make for a good sci-fi movie.
I hope everyone had a great Cinco de Mayo. As I write this, those of you on the West Coast and Mexico are probably still celebrating. I’m with you in spirit!
For most of my adult life, I thought May 5th marked Mexico’s independence. In truth, May 5th marks Mexico’s military victory over an invading French army in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
In the States, we have a knack for turning momentous occasions into excuses for drinking. Not that there’s anything wrong with that- but sometime between the shots of tequila, take a moment to celebrate the men and women who shed their blood and sacrificed their lives for their land. It’s a good time to get to know a piece of our neighbor country’s history.
I think it’s really awesome how the States is so culturally diverse that we celebrate another country’s holidays nationwide. I don’t imagine there are many US-American Independence Day celebrations outside the the US, but if there were, I would hope those celebrating would take some time to learn why we celebrate the Fourth of July. And, of course, I would hope that they enjoy themselves.
That said, you’ll probably be too hungover to look up Battle of Puebla in Wikipedia in the morning, or to even look at a plate of nachos without getting ill. You, sir, need a hangover cure.
Nature’s Gatorade
Rachelle at itsrayshelle.com (It’s Ray-Shell, not Rah-Shell, get it?) shares her tip for nursing a hangover- coconut milk. Since I have immediate access to fresh coconuts in Southern China, I was able to try this trick one miserable Saturday morning. I can confirm that this works. It’s tasty, plus it’s hard to not imagine yourself on a beach in Acapulco while you sip ice-cold coconut milk from a shell.
If you can’t get your paws on a fresh coconut (sorry, Seattlites), then I recommend another tasty treat.
The breakfast of champions
Any brunch menu will likely offer the best hangover meal. You know what I’m talking about – Eggs Benedict and a Bloody Mary. If by the grace of Gawd you find yourself up and out earlier enough for brunch, and the venue doesn’t have the above on their menu, get your ass to the next spot STAT. There’s nothing for you there.
The party people of Soho Hong Kong are serious about their late night activities- virtually every restaurant in Soho seems to serve an eggs benedict + pitcher of Bloody Mary for brunch. My kind of people, clearly.
If you just can’t with the brunch, here are a couple of recipes for you to try when you finally rise from your drunken slumber. Warning- you’ll probably fuck it up. Thankfully, you’ll practically be a living dead so it won’t matter.
Videos because, let’s face it, you’re gonna be way to hungover to read.
A couple of months ago, the city commissioned that the trees lining one of the busy streets in Changping be removed. I had hoped that they were removed to make way for 1.) a different landscape, 2.) better roads, 3.) any reason at all, but it looks like my hopes were in vain. It’s been almost two months now, and our street still looks like that ^^^.
I’m still holding onto hope that they have plans for this road. In all seriousness it was already depressing, and now even more so since the trees were removed.
My 30th (!!!) birthday is coming up in July, and I have one requirement- I cannot spend it in China. Small requirement, right? Ha! It’s not that China doesn’t have amazing places to visit- I’ve been living here for over a year now, and would just like something different. My birthday is still a few months away, but I’ve been thinking about where to go/what to do for a while now. Here is what I have in mind:
Philippines
It seems fitting that on my 30th birthday, I go back to the country of my birth. It helps that I have family there, that the people speak English, and that it’s so close to Southern China. Major con- rainy season.
Macau
Las Vegas is my favorite city in the US- it really is an adults playground. I don’t gamble, but I don’t need to to enjoy what Vegas has to offer. Plus they really know how to make you feel special-rich, poor, and in between. My Hong Kong friends promise me that, like Vegas, Macau does not disappoint. I’m intrigued by the idea of visiting Macau, but I don’t know about spending my 30th there. The plus is that it’s so close to Changping. The minus is that it’s so close to Changping.
Thailand
I. freakin’. LOVE. Thailand! I would go there in a heartbeat again. Unfortunately, my birthday is in July which puts me smack dab middle of their rainy season. Sigh.
Sweden
You already know I’m kind of obsessed with Sweden. I have a three year goal to visit the country, so why not go on my birthday? I’ve read that the weather is similar to the Pacific Northwest, which means summers there are probably pretty much perfect. I’m sure I’ll love the food, I know I love the look of their men, the landscape is breathtaking, and I’ve always wanted to visit Europe. Alas, it appears Sweden will pretty expensive. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. I can live off a Top Ramen diet for a couple of months. But even Sweden has a con- it’s not home.
Seattle
Although there are flashier cities, warmer weather, nicer beaches, and sexy Swedes elsewhere in the world, elsewhere doesn’t have my family and close friends. The two sudden deaths of people in my extended family this past year have reminded me that of all things in life, your family is the most important. I don’t need, or even want, a big, flashy party. The beaches of the PI and Thailand will still be there the day after my birthday. Sweden will continue to produce good food and attractive people . The more I think about it, the more I realize where I want to be when I ring in a milestone birthday is home.
Yesterday I ate at an amazing Chinese restaurant for lunch. I enjoyed it so much, I came back for dinner. This place is probably the coolest restaurant in all of Changping. Although it’s on the third floor, it’s designed to look like an old Chinese village. In the foyer there’s a wooden gate/entrance, a couple of fountains, and old style table and stools to play 象棋 (Xiàngqí). When you get inside, you walk through hallways that look like alleys, complete with street lamps. There are many rooms, each decorated slightly differently. If you’re with a smaller party, there are booths covered with bright colored linens that kind of remind me of a 官轿 (Guān jiào).
This place gets brownie points for having a menu in Chinese and English with pictures. The food is delicious, service amazing, and clientele classy. You won’t find patrons yelling in their cell phones or spitting on the floor (yes, it happens… frequently).
If you visit Changping, this restaurant is a must-see-eat-love. Unfortunately I don’t know the name, but it’s in the Japanese Village in the heart of Changping. This town is small enough that you’ll know the place.
I finally got around to fixing the issue on my blog with displaying YouTube videos. Hence, the slew of video posts today.
Here’s an old one that’s been sitting in my drafts list.
*****
Last week, NixiePixel asked YouTubers what we think about Apple’s notoriously strict policy against skin in their app store.
I made a quick video response which you can watch and thumbs up (Jedi wave). Right?
But if you can’t watch my video, here’s what I have to say:
Do iPhone users get the shaft? YES!
… and not in the good way.
Apple’s app approval process is abritrary, biased, unfair, and just downright lame. But the thing is it’s their market. They have the right to be as abritarty, biased, unfair, and lame as they want to be. And under usual circumstances, customers and developers can choose to not participate in that market. But they can’t, because Apple keeps the OS closed.
I understand why Apple doesn’t want adult apps in their market. You don’t want a store that caters to adults and kids. But IMO, they should open the OS so adults and developers who do want apps that Apple has a problem with, can get those apps.
So if you’re shopping for a phone and don’t want anyone to tell you what apps you can or cannot have, I have a suggestion:
Go Android
Skip AT&T
Download MiKandi, the app market that treats you like an adult.
