Running Technique

I was amazed at this video and this article that somebody shared.

• Girls in high heels race in Berlin's Stiletto Run
• Running Shoes Changed How Humans Run

This really seems to verify what I believe about running. In order to protect myself, when running, I would try to "float". In other words, I would try to make sure that I don't pound the ground, and that my feet don't feel much pressure.

The only way to do it, is to use the knees, hips, and connecting muscles to absorb the shock. You almost have to imagine that your skin on your feet has been worn off. Try walking like that. You will probably instinctively try to absorb the shock.

Practice walking like that, and your feet will thank you. Practice running like that, and you'll be much better off.

VIA Rail Will Experience No Work Stoppages

Here's some great news. It turns out that VIA Rail shouldn't experience any work stoppages, because it has reached a tentative agreement with the employees.

• VIA Rail and CAW Reach Tentative Agreement
• VIA Rail et les TCA concluent une entente préliminaire 

I'm very glad to read that, because the summer is such an important time for travel the travel industry. Since VIA Rail depend heavily on its tourism, it can't afford to wait for a second chance. I'm sure some foreign tourists would be willing to try again on another date, but most tourists would probably just not come again.

Harnessing Opera's Links Panel

I created a mini web site with links moved to Links Panel. The links are still available in the HTML, but the CSS set the display to none. The pages seem very uncluttered now.

I just want to warn you, that there are Adsense ads on the site.

Panel Assisted Browsing

Uses Of Opera's Info Panel And Link Panel

I've often wondered how to make use of the info and link panels that Opera provides, because I think that Opera's panels are so underused. In the remainder of this blog entry, I share 2 wonderful discoveries that might help you out. Power users probably know about them, already, though.

Customized Version Of OpenOffice.org

I found this web site by mistake: Go-oo. It seems that this project is making a better OpenOffice.org version. It also seems that Ubuntu offers it by default. Interesting. As a Kubuntu user, I didn't even know that I was using it.

How To Install OpenOffice.org ODF Templates

I was going to write about how to install ODF templates in OpenOffice.org, because I accidentally discovered that we can actually get them listed in the dialogs. It turns out that there already is a decent explanation: Adding Template Files to an OpenOffice.org Installation.

In the remainder of this blog entry, I share my experiences, and offer installation tips.

Afterwards, be sure to check out that blog label, "templates", where you will find more of my discoveries on how to make use of templates.

Thoughts On Latest Web Traffic And ODF Templates

I can see that my earlier blog entry, "ODF Templates For OpenOffice.org [Lulu.com, Turabian, misc]", seems to resonate well with my visitors. I'm not entirely sure why that is. I suspect that each visitor is just a curious person who wants to see what's happening. I suspect that each person is skimming through.

I also suspect that it's a case of visitors being curious about ODF templates. I've felt, for some time, that there are not enough templates out there to allow us to harness the power of ODF. These templates don't need to be very complex. They just need to save us a few key strokes. I wish that there were a way to figure out which templates users are demanding. It would be so much easier to meet their needs, that way.

Currently, there seem to be a lot of spreadsheet templates, and presentation background templates. These don't really excite me. I wish we could make more use of Writer and Draw.

ODF Template Update Notifications

[For those of you who don't know, I have uploaded many ODF templates to OpenOffice.org Templates.]

I try to create quality products, but I'm just a volunteer, so obviously, I don't always manage to release the templates at their best. Sometimes I discover new ways of doing things to improve the quality. Any time there are changes, I upload. For quite some time, it took me a while to figure out how to notify my followers that there are significant changes. Read the remainder of this blog entry to see how I now do it, and why I choose this, over other methods.

After that, be sure to check out that blog label, "templates", where you will find more discoveries on how to make use of templates.

Bad Publicity For Oprah

I'm not an Oprah Winfrey fan, so I was quite excited when I read this search term: oprah hates the handicapped.

Email Scam Alert

My mom just got an email, claiming to be from a friend, who visited Scotland, and had stuff stolen. The "friend" asked for $4500.

It's obviously a scam. She just needs to phone her friend to confirm that it is, if the email isn't obvious enough.

I wanted to throw that out to you, because the email was signed by the name of the friend, and sent from the friend's email address, making it just a bit more convincing.

Fixing gnustep-devel In Kubuntu 10.04, And Building My First Objective-C Program

Update: I moved the text that was here to GNUstep to XCode. I will keep all of my information there, so that everything will be in 1 place. Watch this journal for updates.

Keep reading this blog entry for the highlights of the walk through that used to be here.

Programming iPhone & iPod Applications With Kubuntu

Lately, I've been trying to get involved in programming iPhone applications, but it has been quite difficult. My dad paid for tutorial videos, but it's been difficult to follow along because of the accent and slang of the speaker. To make it even more challenging, I'm trying to get started, using Kubuntu 10.04, instead of Apple products.

This is the information that I found so far.

• Wikipedia Entry On Objective-C
• Objective-C Beginner's Guide [teaches us how to set up the environment for Linux & BSD] 
• Apple's Introduction to The Objective-C Programming Language

Fair Taxation Organization: FairTax.org

A slashdot.org user shared this link: FairTax.org.

It's a proposed system where people would pay a relatively flat percentage sales tax. The poor would get money from the government. Every other tax would be eliminated.

I think that there is a huge potential for this movement. It isn't just a grassroots organization of disgruntled tax payers. The system was created by economists, accountants, and MIT people. John Stossel supports it. Many Republicans, Democrats, and Libertarians also support it. I think that it is really going to be implemented.

You could check out the YouTube videos on the topic.

I am actually quite jealous of America. Hopefully, we can get something like this going.

VIA Rail Web Site Redesign

A while ago, VIA Rail redesigned its web site. I took a more detailed look, just a moment ago.

I'm a bit surprised by it, because I can't seem to find the train names. Before, I could find almost anything on there. Now, there is still a lot of information, but it seems so empty by comparison. I wonder if they did any usability tests.

Via Rail Summer Service During Potential Strike

I'm sad to read about a potential VIA Rail work stoppage, on June 28, 2010. Fortunately, it won't affect the entire network: "VIA services between Sudbury - White River (Ontario) and Victoria - Courtenay (British Columbia) are operated by a third party and will continue to operate as normal.".

This is important news for those who plan to travel with VIA Rail during the summer. I know that they already have offered Canadian Forces members and veterans the opportunity to travel.

Take note that VIA Préférence will be affected by this.

• VIA to Provide Basic Service In the Event of CAW Strike
• VIA Preference Information
• VIA fournira un service de base en cas de grève des TCA 
• Information VIA Préférence

Keep reading for my opinion on the matter.

Summer Is Wonderful

I'm very grateful for this warm weather. It's nice to be able to not feel gloomy and cold.

I had my doubts about the summer being warm, because we had such a cool spring.

This year, I'd like to hike the Grouse Grind, and go to the beach. Maybe I could volunteer in the outdoors. I'm planning on buying a new bike, so I'll probably go for a bike ride.

Today Is Juneteenth

Today, many people in the US celebrate Juneteenth. From the article, "People celebrate on Juneteenth the end of slavery.".

Juneteenth Day has its history

Commentary: Subway Accuses Sandwich Artist Of Thievery & Fires Her

This is sad. A woman got fired when she gave away a couple of 6" subs. According to the first article, she gave away her daily entitlement, but forgot to record it.

• Former Sandwich Artist: Subway Fired Me For Feeding Fire Victims
• Subway employee fired for feeding fire victims 

I think that the honour system is best. The boss should have been more understanding. He could look at the records to confirm whether she took her entitlement. If she didn't, then he could have accounted for it that way. This works well, if she literally lost a sandwich or forgot to get somebody to pay. He could just account for it as her daily entitlement.

I like my idea, because behaviourly responsible people get more choices and freedom, and people who are authoritatively responsible for the products are the people who gain and lose. The idea is that this honour system would pass the responsibility down as far as possible.

The opposite of this honour system is that the manager comes in and watches them every moment, and/or performs an inventory check every day, and goes ballistic when something goes wrong, even if it is all legitimate.

Thoughts On The Mac Mini

PCWorld has an article about the Mac Mini, and its title says it all.

New Mac Mini Guns For Your Living Room

I think that if they are really going to make a solid effort, then they are welcome to my living room. Read the remainder of the blog entry for what I think.

GoldenEye Remake For Wii

I wasn't too enthused about it, when I first read about it, because I expected it to fail like typical movie remakes. After watching a preview video, it seems that it might be better.

1 significant change is that they'll use Craig for James Bond. I wish that they would have stuck with the original, though, just as a tribute, and for consistency.

The video preview is in the second link.

• Nintendo unveils new Zelda Wii
• GoldenEye 64 Wii-make revealed, see Craig's Bond in action

It seems that Chatroulette is making a serious effort ban vulgar images of male body parts in chat rooms.

I respect that, because people don't want to see them, and they shouldn't have to. I think it is unfortunate, that people can't be bothered to show a little bit of respect. That being said, it's a good sign, that we can put an end to all of this.

• Chatroulette Plans Penis-Recognition Algorithm to Block Pervy Users
• Chatroulette Enlists Shawn Fanning In The Fight Against The Masturbators

Web Site For Damaged Wildlife In BP Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill, In Gulf Of Mexico

Here's a web site that gives us an updated count of the dead wildlife in BP Oil Spill, in the Gulf Of Mexico. I'll add this to the other 2 links that I gave in the previous blog entry. I said, "damaged", in the title, because the site also gives counts of animals that are oiled yet are alive. They get their numbers from each Fish & Wildlife Collection Report.


Read below to see the complete 3 item list of useful links regarding the BP Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf Of Mexico.

There Seems To Be No End To The BP Oil Spill In The Guif Of Mexico

I think that there is no end in sight, because they are starting to share information, and make a call for high-tech help.

ODF Templates For OpenOffice.org [Lulu.com, Turabian, misc]

For quite some time now, I have been creating ODF templates.

Eugene T.S. Wong's Templates

The only template that I did not create is the Turabian template. I just downloaded it, and modified the properties, so that it would work with the templates web site.

Keep reading for more information.

Afterwards, be sure to check out that blog label, "templates", where you will find more discoveries on how to make use of templates.

Gary Coleman Photos On Globe Magazine Cover

Photos of Gary Coleman just before and after death are supposed to appear on the cover of Globe Magazine, on Friday. It seems so sad that people are doing this for money. I could imagine wanting to get a last memory of him, even though it might be kind of weird, but it would have never occurred to me to try to make money off of this.

Todd Bridges seems to be the only outspoken person who cares. Other caring people seem to have to remain silent.

Second Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill?

Wow. A second spill?

Talk of Second Oil Spill in Gulf Grows Louder

A-Team First Impressions

I saw the commercial for the movie, "A-Team". I haven't heard the reviews yet, and it reminds me of G.I. Joe. It seems to have unrealistic action. I guess that all movies have unrealistic stuff, but there is a certain point when unrealistic action doesn't get more exciting.

I think that I'll pass on it. I recommend that you avoid it, too.

BP Buys Search Terms On Google & Yahoo

BP bought some search terms, it seems. When we type in phrases, such as "oil spill", we are supposed to be redirected to a BP site that gives information on the clean up.

BP attempts damage control, buys search phrases on Google and Yahoo

I tried searching "oil spill" and couldn't see the results or any advertising. Maybe my system isn't set up in a standard way.

I think that it is unethical for BP to do this, only if they make the search results hide the other information that the users are looking for. If they are just making legitimate information available, then more power to them. After all, they should be telling us what they are doing about the problem.

More Bad News About BP's Oil Spill

Newsweek has a good article about problems beneath the surface of the Gulf Of Mexico, regarding the Deep Horizon oil spill: What the Spill Will Kill. It seems that the news just gets worse and worse. In this situation, it seems that we face serious problems if we do something or if we don't.

BP should be the people to clean this up, and they should pay for it, completely. They won't do much of either.

At times like this, people moan about capitalism, and the free market. These problems aren't results of capitalism or the free market. It's a result of "the tragedy of the commons".  The "tragedy of the commons" is what happens when a certain resource is consumed and/or destroyed, but nobody has the responsibility to replenish.

Nobody should support oil drilling in the US, because there is no will to prevent serious problems, nor is there any will to really clean it up.

Who Is Kendra? Why The Fuss Over Her Movie?

Wikipedia seems to explain it the best.

I  think Kendra, her friends and relatives, shouldn't be too mindful of the consequences of her movie. As it is, she chose the life of pornography, and/or being connected to pornography. People want to see her naked, so they buy her movie. What was everybody expecting? Privacy?

Don't get me wrong, it is good to be concerned about a person's privacy. That is why I think that the movie shouldn't have been made in the first place. Also, she should have chosen a more private life style.

It's not good, but that's the way that her life is.

End Times, Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill & The Guatemala Sink Hole

I like to think about the end times, so I'd like to share my beliefs and the 2 events.

The reason that the 2 events reminded me of the end times, is because the oil spill seems to be big enough to kill off a third of the oceans, and the sink hole looks like some fantasy type of entrance to an abyss. I believe that the oil spill may not be as bad as I just said, and that the hole is just a hole, but they both do stir up imagery.

The end times will be characterized by adversity and big disasters. The disasters will also be characterized by unusualness. I don't think either of the 2 events are tied to a specific end time prophesy, but it does kind of fit the overall pattern. In other words, prophetic events aren't going to happen just out of the blue. There will be non-prophetic events that warm up to the phophetic events. For example, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will affect the local economies and government policy, which will affect prices, which will affect the way that the oil companies do business. Every time there is a big problem, there is policy change. Every time there is policy change, there are opportunities for governments to move closer to the end times by grasping more power.

The anti-Christ and his high priest are supposed to show up on the scene and provide a great solution to our problems. I'm expecting the anti-Christ to show up on the scene in about 15 years. I predict that he will be American [I have nothing against Americans; it's just that they seem to be the people who control the world], and will replace the presidency with a new role. I expect that he will be some kind of corporate overlord, with a business background. I admit that it is very crazy, but the overall trend in the USA is for corporate lobbyists to try to gain power by being appointed high level governement positions.

The book of the Revelation says that many kings, without kingdoms, will go out to rule. At the time, I thought that they would be catholic priests, or something similar, but with the current world events catholic priests tend to have so little influence, no matter what you believe about the issue. Appointed lobbyists do have influence, though. They don't really rule over any country or physical territory in the way that presidents, senators, and representatives do.

I'd like to comment a bit more on the BP oil spill. I truly believe that they had the technology and knowledge to fix the spill. I also believe that even if the spill were too complex to fix immediately, then they do at least have the technology and knowledge to have prevented it. It's absurd to think that other nations have policies in place to prevent this, but the US is destined to live through months of spills. Would an intelligent company allow its precious oil to be spilled just because it couldn't afford to prevent it? It's absolutely impossible. Obviously, preventing months of oil spilling wasn't worth while to them, just as pulling staples from paper before recycling probably isn't worth while to you. If I am right, then why would they want to allow or do it on purpose? My best guess is to scare people into overreacting. I suspect that somebody wants the public to lose faith in the current president, and prepare the way for somebody to come on the scene and offer a better solution. How else would the anti-Christ come on the scene, take complete power, and have such a high approval rating? Somebody having complete power in government goes against liberal, libertarian, conservative, Democrat, Libertarian, and Republican values. The only way for the anti-Christ to win over the United States is to make them lose confidence over the current type of administration.

I admit that it is very crazy.