February 2008 Archives

The Alexandria Link is Steve Berry's fifth novel, published in 2007.

On the heels of Berry's New York Times best seller The Templar Legacy, this the second fact-based novel to feature Cotton Malone, a former employee of the covert branch of the U.S. Justice Department. The plot is based on the mystery of the ancient Library of Alexandria, once the largest library in the world, which mysteriously vanished 1,500 years ago.

According to Wikipedia, the book received mixed responses from viewers; mostly positive responses about the plot and the style of writing, but critical responses about the way the 1948 Arab-Israeli War is portrayed.

The book is full of twists and turns, very fast-paced and well written.

The Alexandria Link: A Novel [Amazon]

I stumbled upon this excellent article today discussing the current state of financial industry — the most overcompensated industry in U.S. I always thought that index funds are the best option for seasonal investors looking for consistent returns. This quote is just another proof that I was right:

Brokers and financial planners don't like indexed mutual funds for two basic reasons. For one thing, the funds are an affront to their ego because they discount their ability to assemble a winning portfolio, the very talent they're trained and paid to offer. Also, index funds don't make brokers and planners much money. If you have your money in an account that's following the natural movements of the market — also called passive investing — you don't need fancy managers to watch it for you and charge big bucks to do so.

It is a must-read for everybody who's considering investing some of the hard-earned cash.

The best investment advice you'll never get [SanFran.com]

Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music.

—Kristin Wilson, Nintendo Inc., 1989.

Via The Sun:

A SEX-starved woman could be jailed after making 700 calls to the emergency services, local army headquarters and the town council demanding a man for sex.

Hanna Wozniak, 42, from Koszalin in central Poland could be jailed for up to a year. After police traced the calls back to her home, she told them: "I was desperate for sex. It's been so long since I had someone in my bed."

Police who said she had been charged with wasting emergency services' time and making threatening phone calls said she had told phone operators that she would happily start a fire if it meant a hunky fireman would come round for sex afterwards.

LOL. But I think this story is fake.

Former Microsoft evangelist and tech geek blogger Robert Scoble has posted a bunch of awesome pictures of the new research facility at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington. I have to say that the building looks amazing! One could wish that Microsoft's engineers would come up with some exciting software and online services in the near future. Gasp..

Microsoft's cool new research building, a photostory [Scobleizer]

Recently I had a couple of folks from Slovakia staying at my house for a few days. Good times, however, during their short stay I realized something very important: The sad truth is that in last few years I've been almost completely ignoring my old pals from back home. I feel like an asshole now. They were always there for me when I needed them. I better start calling them and keeping in touch again.

[Via someecards.com]

Via Reuters:

In the latest example that the U.S. dollar just ain't what it used to be, some shops in New York City have begun accepting euros and other foreign currency as payment for merchandise. The increasingly weak U.S. dollar, once considered the king among currencies, has brought waves of European tourists to New York with money to burn and looking to take advantage of hugely favorable exchange rates.

A bunch of NYC stores and retailers are making it clear that money is money, whatever the currency: "Euro Accepted" signs are popping up all over the city and European tourists couldn't be happier. I knew it was coming.

Via CNN:

The FBI is gearing up to create a massive computer database of people's physical characteristics, all part of an effort the bureau says to better identify criminals and terrorists. [...] The bureau is expected to announce in coming days the awarding of a $1 billion, 10-year contract to help create the database that will compile an array of biometric information — from palm prints to eye scans.

Forget about freedom and personal privacy — both are long gone.

I decided to move out of my current apartment in Astoria, Queens at the end of this month. I haven't decided where I'm gonna move yet, but I'm thinking about staying in Astoria. The neighborhood here is nice, convenient and safe with lots of good restaurants, bars and pretty much everything else I need. It's also pretty close to the city and the subway has been running on time with no crazy delays at all.

I was thinking about getting an apartment somewhere in Brooklyn, however, that just doesn't seem like a good idea. Why? Well.. mostly for one reason: Have you ever ride the L train? Yup, that's exactly why.