noscripta href=http://www.sibresource.ru/#1058;#1102;#1084;#1077;#1085;#1100; #1083;#1072;#1085;#1076;#1096;#1072;#1092;#1090;/a/noscriptlly a really notable event has occurred that I had to blog about it…

A Starbucks has opened at Thomson Plaza!!

a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/71072304@N00/2111139890/ class=tt-flickr snap_nopreviewimg src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2411/2111139890_6e2feb66f2.jpg alt=DSC00894 width=500 height=375 border=0 //a!– Traffic Statistics — !– End Traffic Statistics —

Not only that it’s a really cool al fresco Starbucks.

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Finally Thomson Plaza has been revitalised! After falling into dilapidation, it is now a hip, happening place full of life. No more a ulu, desolate, arid desert land… like Ang Mo!– Traffic Statistics — !– End Traffic Statistics — Kio.

Ah I finally went and pre-purchased the box orange box, and settled my indecision.

For those not in the light, Valve has just released, or rather pre-released the long awaited Team Fortress 2. And those who know Valve will also know of their Steam online distribution system.

Basically it’s like a way to bypass the publishers and push the content directly to the consumers, thereby cutting costs and inconveniences.

But people like me like to have something physical to buy, and a box makes for nicer collection than something virtual. My guess is the reason why people still buy DVDs and CDs rather than download from i-tunes.

Anyway, the choice is between 1) pre-ordering online and get to participate in the beta. Which means play the game now. and 2) pre-ordering the retail version, pay $10 more, get a nice mouse pad and wait until the game is officially released.

So with friends poisoning me on the mailing list with updates on their games, I finally ended the deliberation and went to buy the retail version. And here it is.

Now to wait for Oct 11.

In all my life coding in PHP and reading error messages I have yet to come across this weird and frightening message

Parse error: syntax

error, unexpected ;, expecting T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM

At first glance I just noted the line number and took a look there. Seeing nothing unusual I went to read the error message.

(Yes we actually try to understand error messages because they really help in your debugging.)

It was then I got a shock. What in the world is a “T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM“??!! Heck I can’t even pronounce it.

My first thought is that my PHP complier screwed up but then I decided the Google will hold the answer.

So copying and pasting almost the whole of the error message into Google, it was discovered that T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM is actually Hebrew for “::”, the double colon token.

Further probing showed that

T - stands for Token
PAAMAYIM - means double
NEKUDOTAYIM - means dots, or colon

in Hebrew.

I first thought that the programmers a having some humour but it turns out PHP was written by Israelis. Probably started development in their native tongue, it’s more likely they just missed this in translation.

A quick look at http://www.php.net/manual/en/tokens.php shows that even though an alias T_DOUBLE_COLON has been assigned, this phrase is embedded in PHP history.

How amusing.

Got this in one of those mass emails and after reading through, it’s one of those rare mass emails that actually does make sense.

In fact I’ve watched enough “Seconds from disaster” type of documentaries on Discovery and Nat Geog to know that people have perished needlessly if only they knew what to do in a disaster.

So instead of mass mailing everybody, which I know will put me on some of your blacklist, I’ll post the link to the lengthy article here for friends and others to read. So don’t say I didn’t do my part informing you. =P

HOTELS COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH…
by Retired Captain RH Kauffman, Los Angeles County Fire Department
http://www.pprune.org/pub/tech/hotelfire.html.

Test test.

Finally got the Flickr posting plugin working so here’s the photos from B&J Free Cone Day!

Ben & Jerry Free Cone Day!

Went down to White Sands with the JBB during his lunch break.

Our free cones

I actually prefer this “budget” waffle cones to the normal ones.

Second Round!

And that’s all JBB had for lunch! And also his lunch hour was almost over so cannot go for round 3.

Just another slow download

Why is it taking so long to download my file? Where’s my 6.5 Mbps speed which I’m paying for?

Well in this age of broadband, it feels slow to have to wait 20 mins to download ONE file. Notwithstanding the fact that the file is 500 MB big and I’m already downloading at close to 3 Mbps. (=

Indignation
n. Anger aroused by something unjust, mean, or unworthy.

Indignant
adj. angered at something unjust or wrong; “an indignant denial”; “incensed at the judges’ unfairness”; “a look of outraged disbelief”; “umbrageous at the loss of their territory”

Resentful
adj. Full of, characterized by, or inclined to feel indignant ill will.

Thy words were found, and I did eat them;
and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:
for I am called by thy name,
O LORD God of hosts.

Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable,
which refuseth to be healed?
wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar,
and as waters that fail?

- Jeremiah 15:16-18