IT Worker Base Salary 2007

From this site. A survey shows that the annual base salary for IT workers rise 5.2% to $86,700. The article also shown that even if the rise had outpaced the inflation rate, professionals weren't happy about it. Not that it would directly affected me though, being twelve time-zones away from where the money is, but at least there's some idea if you are interviewed by an U.S company. By the way, click the image to enlarge, or simply read the article for yourself.

Websitegrader

I just checked out this blog's "Website SEO Score" through Websitegrader. It said that "A website grade of 67 for arya199.blogspot.com means that of the thousands of websites that have previously been submitted to the tool, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 67% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness." whatever that means, the Alexa rank displayed on the image (which shows a healthy 13th rank was of course the overall rank for www.blogger.com so, nothing special about that, since the actual rank of this blog would be much much lower (probably around millions just like my Technorati rank)). However, what intrigued me the most is a report about my blog's readability level. It said that my blog's readability level is "Advanced Degree (PhD)
This score measures the approximate level of education necessary to read and understand the web page content. In most cases, the content should be made to be simple so that a majority of the target audience can understand it." I was like, huh? Well, it's a rather fun (and dumb) way to spent a better hour of my morning. Back to work.

Maroon 5: It Won't Be Soon Before Long

Never thought i would have said it, but yes, i really dig Maroon 5's second-album. I heard it (one of the songs, Makes Me Wonder, which immediately transforms me back to 80's even 70's when disco was still in) for the first time during my frequent trips with office's car to Gandul, Depok branch. To my liking, i feel like, and i think that it's safe to say that, to my liking, the whole album got the '80s feeling in and out. Michael Jackson (before his stupid marriage with that-Elvis-descendant-woman), and Prince when he's still Prince (and hideously blinking purple) and not yet T.A.F.K.A.P who sprang into my mind. Oh, i love it. I really do.

The Amulet of Samarkand (2003)

I had read many books than ever lately. If a year ago, not a night went by without me goggling on the screen to watch films, new and old, nowadays, reading a book was the very last thing i did before i drifted to sleep, and reading a book was also the very first thing i did when i woke up from the slumber. My bed was always littered with books, and more often than not, i sleep with my MacBook opened closely beside me. I read many books at once, well, one at any given time, certainly, but never really comitted to finish any book at any given time. For instance, i'm currently in the middle of reading Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment, Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers - can't believe that he's already dead, really -, Stephen King's Lisey's Story, and George RR Martin's A Clash of Kings. All save Stephen King's horror flick was fantasy. But, even if i had only begun reading it yesterday, i had finished Jonathan Straud's The Amulet of Samarkand.

It was in 2003 i believe. I was obsessed with demonology and thinking of starting a fantasy series loosely based on their (demon) stories, and just like any other plans that i ever had, i never really comitted to see it through - not a good habit, i know, been thinking to change it for a while, but it always seemed that i still can't get around the problem as of yet. However, for a short period, i had adopted the name Vassago - one demon that i could very much relates to, and of course, since at the time, i read Dean Koontz' Hideaway which features a notorious serial killer that called himself Vassago -, used it for some time in various message-boards, and even went as far as memorized its intricate complex pattern of his sigil. I had stopped when tried as i might, i couldn't get around to weave a story that involved all 130 (or is it 108? Can't remember clearly) named-demons.

The Amulet of Samarkand rekindled these memories of yore.

The first of the Bartimeaus Trilogy told from the point of view of Nathaniel, a magician's apprentice and Bartimeaus, a fourteenth level demon (or, properly, Djinni). The main story of this book, as the title suggests, was the Amulet of Samarkand. Nathaniel, i liked the character, he was not a flawless-made-to-be-a-protagonist Harry Potter-ish character. In fact, he reeks of seven sins - well, sloth and gluttony may not be one of them, but he's full of pride, had exercised enough wrath and envy - that the only thing that could satisfy him as a protagonist was that sometimes the child in him, pure and altruistic came forth, in short, he's not entirely unlikeable but sometimes, you (well, at least i) would wanted to rip the pages, sneaking through the words to see where his ear at and screaming some conscience into him. Not that it matters, but at least it would give me a satisfaction (and a ripped book which would surely give me a sour regret afterwards).

Bartimaeus, well, now he's - for a simplicity purpose, i shall called it as if it was a 'he' - a character worthy enough to had his name imprinted as the main character in the trilogy. He's reminded me a lot to Spider-Man. No, not web slinging from wrist and swing lazily across the city of Manhattan kind of Spider-Man nor a red-blue tight costumed freak kind of Spider-Man nor a Peter Parker, pathetic, miserable, and grumpy kind of Spider-Man, but Spider-Man in his best (which sadly, entirely absent from three of his movies so far), a witted, sometimes sarcastic, but funny as hell Spider-Man. Bartimaeus wasn't one that you'd categorized as all-powerful Djinni. He was at fourteenth level Djinni, for a start, and during the book he fought with more powerful Djinni and trapped in a most dire of situation. What made me think of Spider-Man was that he fought with his mind, always insulting his opponent with wry and sarcastic comments while furiously trying to out-smart his opponent or his surroundings. Moreover, he accompanies his chapters with various hillarious footnotes that give us insight to the world of Djinni, his accomplishments (in one footnote he commented on how the Leaning Tower of Pisa was constructed) and again, more often than not, insulted us, human.

The story itself was rather short, only 222 pages long. But as i read through it i could imagine the motion picture version of this book. And with some notable special-effects laden fights, i was wondering when the Hollywood's decision maker would lay their hands (more importantly, money) to this book. It's only three (as opposed to Harry Potter's seven). All in all, it was a good read.

Edit: I just found out that the film adaptation was scheduled to release around 2009.

My Rating: **1/2 / **** - An enjoyable read, but too short for my taste, and rather unbalanced between two of the main-casts.

Stupid Questions

One thing that i get OFTENLY asked for a couple of months period i'm working here, "Can you help me with an Excel?". Duh. Well, i spent five years in the Faculty of Computer Science. Computer Science. Computer Science. Not some three-months practical software courses. How could i gave those people an understanding that "No! We don't do a 'practical software use' nor we had any of those 'How-to' courses". Geez. And to think that i was ever proclaimed myself as non-Microsoft users. Plus, i had NEVER used Microsoft Excel before. NEVER.

A Game of Thrones

In a word of my native language, "Bangsat". Or, in a less expressive and far less satisfactory word of English, "Kick ass!". That's what i thought of this book. One of the best fantasy, if not the best itself that i had read so far. It's different with every other fantasies i had read. It's not of the High Fantasy, for a start, at least as long as i could made out from the first of the seven books (four has been released, and fans has anxiously patiently waiting for the fifth to be released for the past three years. Yep. Three years and probably more, George RR Martin himself has made excuses in his blog as per June 2007 that his dog has ate his manuscript and he was tired of making excuses, one fan even went as far as making a camp outside of Mr.Martin's house so that each day when Mr.Martin looks out of the window, he could see his hand pointing to his watch and heard him making sound, 'tick-tock-tick-tock').

Anyways, the first of the serie, A Game of Thrones, as its name suggested it's a multi-factions struggle to reign the throne in a land called Westeros where Summer last for years, and Winter was the time when there would be terror ascended from the North, from the Land-beyond-the-Wall. But, unlike any other fantasies i had read, there's not yen an ultimate evil entity that looming ever in the darkness weaving its treacherous web to entangle the world's inhabitants while our protagonists went around land high and low, meeting creatures both exotic and mysterious to finally confront with the evil itself in the end of the book. At least, not yet.

A Game of Thrones, follows three main subplots that happened in different regions of the 'world' and told in a third person limited point of view, where each prominent characters act as a POV character in each chapter. I gave praise to A Game of Thrones as a fantasy because here, everyone had their own agenda and these agendas doesn't necessarily comforting each other's. Well, actually, they're never at odds. There's a mother who looked ultimately evil from the outside, yet, on the inside, she did it because she loved her son and her family, whether they're on the right side or wrong side. There's a man who was good seeds in and out, honorable, loyal, but yet, wasn't quite a decision maker. And of course, there are wars, betrayal, and a sense of magic (evil or good, can't tell, but it's lingers). In short, this multi-character fantasy is actually the first fantasy i read where i still can't decide which one to root for, so far, i had chosen to root for a lowly character, evil, but somehow felt noble. At least, this character's story is the most interesting and the one i'm really looking forward to. I had finished the book rather quickly, and already i'm halfway through the second book. Give this book a try if you really are a fan of fantasy genre, you could easily decide whether this book is your cup of tea or not from several first chapters, so you won't waste any precious time than necessary.

The Brave One (2007)

Erica (Jodie Foster) is a happy forty-year old working woman in NYC preparing for her happy marriage. However, at one night, her life was changed when she and her fiancee were attacked, leaving her fiancee dead and she herself unconscious for three weeks. How many times do we see a revenge flick, complete with the notion that "revenge is a dish best served cold?". Well, The Brave One is a revenge flick, but it differs whereas any other revenge flick concentrated on how the journey's going to end (and more often than not, delivering a violence and harsh finish) fashioned to show that the 'bad-guys' really deserved it and more because they had made us, audience, waiting for at least ninety minutes to see it actually happen (and approving it, wrong as it may be).

The Brave One focus on Erica as she tries to bounce back from her grief. She was suddenly paranoid afraid of tunnels and small confined place and finally, she bought herself a gun, not for revenge purpose, mind you, but more of a protection. I've heard folks complained that they had expected the film to be bloody and full of actions, oh, there were blood, of course, but the focus on this film is on Erica as she made her choices, Erica doesn't even intended to pursue the ones that killed her fiancee, but when the opportunities present itself, she wasn't reluctant to take the trip.

This is Jodie Foster's wagon. After seeing this flick, you know that Erica is Jodie Foster. You couldn't see another actress replaced her. This would be among her finest performance, not "The Silence of the Lambs" performance, mind you, but more of "Contact" performance. Understandable, since in "The Silence of the Lambs" she dueled acts with Sir Anthony Hopkins, whereas here, she 'only' trades acts with Terrence Howard. And oh, the ending, i don't like the ending, it actually ruins the experience. But, it's worth my bucks, if you asked me.

My Rating: *** / ****

Robert Jordan (1948-2007)

Another grim news related to books. Robert Jordan, author of The Wheel of Time series, died on September 16, 2007 (US time) from complications from primary amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (cardiac amyloidosis), or in short words, rare blood disease. He was doing the twelfth and final instalment of the Wheel of Time series (i just halfway through the eighth book). No word on wether the book was going to be released or not, but it is said that even in his deathbed he worked relentlessly on the book while fighting the disease, and had shared the important plots to his family member not long before his death. But really, is it going to feel the same? Anyway, rest in peace, sir, The Wheel of Time series would remains a prominent series in the fantasy literature world. I know many who will definitely mourn for the loss.

Final whisper of hope: Oh, i wish he really DOES shared the FINAL important plots.

Edit (several minutes after this post): Damn it! I can't believe it, i hope the news is all but a hoax made to fool the fans (though apparently that it's genuine). Damn it! Why am i feeling so sad? I don't even know the guy (save for his books, that was certain). But still....

TOTAL Film Magazine's Top 100 Directors (1/2)

Ooooh, Lists, I love lists. Even though i haven't had a list of my own - making lists is hard, there's always one or two things peeking in the corner, maliciously grinning, 'You haven't included me, bozo!' and forcing me to rewrite the list -, it should be noticed that i had a certain penchant to comment on other's lists. Now, here's another lists which i deemed worthy to at least take a peek. It should be noted that even though the original list consists of 100 names, i only mentioned the top-11, since of course, it is rather futile to lists them all here in one post.

11. Akira Kurosawa
The samurai master
Rashômon alerted the world to the riches of Japanese cinema – and to the tigerish energy of Toshiro Mifune. But it was Seven Samurai, with its bravura action sequences and melancholy, that sealed Akira Kurosawa’s reputation. Yojimbo added a gleeful dose of black comedy, while Ikiru, set in modern-day Tokyo, revealed Kurosawa’s gentler, elegiac side. His love of Shakespeare inspired Throne Of Blood as well as the majestic late Lear adaptation, Ran.
Picture perfect Seven Samurai. Poetry in motion.

When i first decide to dive nose-first to a world of cinemas as more than just a pleasurable killing time experiences, Akira Kurosawa was my first choice to do some exploration. Thus, I had seen many of his works, probably more than any other old classic directors. I've seen all the films listed in the above paragraph, for instance. My favorite Kurosawa however, not Seven Samurai, even though the film's rain scene was simply breathtaking even with rather old-fashioned sword-battling coreography (but, old-fashioned as it is, it still felt more real than most modern sword-battling coreography). My favorite samurai tale from Mr.Kurosawa was the no-name bodyguard tales, Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Both features Toshiro Mifune, and both was simple, quick, and explosive in the end. A fun flick to watch. Alas, my most favorite Kurosawa was not even a Samurai flick. Ikiru (pictured) ever stands as one of my favorite films of all-time, probably because i took root on drama as my genre preference in film, but i still remembered Takashi Shimura gaunt and longing faces as he realized that he's got no longer than three months to live. Classic.

10. David Fincher
The perfectionist
“Some people make movies so they can have a big house,” says Fincher. “Some people do it so they can date Swedish models... If I wasn’t making movies I would be drunk and homeless.” The MTV auteur who segued from Rolling Stones’ and George Michael vids to the fascinating failure of Alien3, Fincher’s do-or-die vision eventually delivered the seminal Se7en, mirrored this year by Zodiac’s more muted but no less intelligent take on fractured masculinity, obsession and loneliness (and, oh yeah, a serial killer). Hardly prolific, but Fincher’s smarts, wit and eye are unsurpassed in his generation; even his popcorn pictures (The Game, Panic Room) are a different league. Always pushing the technical envelope, he matches his meticulousness with mordant humour and a growing sense of humanity. Expect third Pitt hook-up, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, to stun you. Kubrick has an heir.
Picture perfect Fight Club. A beautiful and unique snowflake.

He's probably the reason i was a fan of Brad Pitt. Yep, Brad Pitt. When it comes to celebrity, i often distinguished myself from the crowd by NOT becoming a fan of a popular known actors (or artists). Well, it's just... habit. But Mr.Pitt was there. His taste in clothing in the Ocean's trilogy series has been one that i would like to copy from. The film Se7en that sealed the fact. I had seen Se7en for the first time in 1995 - 1996 when i was about to graduate from Junior High School. It quickly become my favorite film of many years to come. Ahh, the good old days. I remember, i had stunned with the film, from opening to finish, and from the way Kevin Spacey cocked his head sideways, and muttered a slow, true but frightening words, "Oh, he doesn't know". Scary. I was shaking to boots when i saw how the words shaken Brad Pitt's calmness. But, to be at #10-spot, surpassing Mr.Kurosawa? i don't think so. Come to think of it, his decent movies are Zodiac, Se7en, and Fight Club, in that order, where Fight Club being and still my favorite Brad Pitt's film. Further, there's an intriguing point in that article that he was going to be Kubrick's heir. Now, that was strectching a bit more. But, check this out. According to imdb, in 2009, he's going to made Rendezvous with Rama, which based on Arthur C. Clarke's sci-fi story that sets on space. And Kubrick, 41 years earlier had made 2001: A Space Odyssey, also a sci-fi story sets in space, also based on Arthur C. Clarke's story. Interesting.

9. Peter Jackson
The ring master
A bashful, only child growing up in Pukerua Bay, New Zealand, Peter Jackson latched onto the 8mm camera he was given at the age of eight, forging a small talent that became big.

Jackson’s early work – camp splatter movies Bad Taste and Braindead, influenced by George A Romero – segued into the rapturous, teen-lesbian murder tale Heavenly Creatures and the mature, visionary storytelling of The Lord Of The Rings. “It was a giant undertaking,” says Jackson of his three-film, five-year odyssey, “but I consider it a personal film – my film of a lifetime.”

Maybe so, but now that he’s finally laid to rest his obsession with King Kong, a liberated Jackson can funnel his extraordinary filmmaking talents into more intriguing artistic-multiplex synergies – including, he says, a return to his gorehound roots.

First up, Alice Sebold’s ghost-child drama Lovely Bones, the perfect vehicle for his rhapsodic blend of visceral emotion and transporting fantasy.
Picture perfect The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Eleven hours of pure cinematic majesty.

Ah, who doesn't know The Lord of the Rings? Stop reading if you don't, go back to your mother's womb, or whatever cave you're in for this past five-six years. No comment from me on the subject, but, as the article point out, i believe that Peter Jackson had some unique traits in making horror film, i truly enjoyed The Frighteners. Especially during the scene where the Grim Reaper swinging his deadly scythe between passing cars. I really wanted to see he's back on his horror root. And again, number 9 spot? He's good, but NOT that good. My comment by the way.

8. Stanley Kubrick
The recluse
Even in death – it’s still hard to believe he’s gone – Kubrick remains a semi-mythic figure, hidden behind a thicket beard, monolithic intellect and the front gates of his Xanadu-like mansion. Bizarrely, he’s greater than any one of his 13 truly unique films. After WWI trench-tragedy Paths Of Glory, Kubrick became less interested in humans than humanity itself, driving actors to hundreds of identical takes in his obsessive search for perfection. Even Dr Strangelove (an original, brilliant, terrifying nuclear comedy that equates military might with big, swinging dicks) and Lolita (sex and power again) reach us through a God-like POV that belongs to him and none of his characters. He fish-eyed Big Questions through some of the most unforgettable spectacles in cinema: 2001’s celestial enigma; The Shining and A Clockwork Orange’s mesmerising horrorshows; Full Metal Jacket’s clinical destruction; Eyes Wide Shut’s end-of-century sign-off. Daring, demanding and unique.
Picture perfect 2001: A Space Odyssey. To infinity and beyond.

Along with Mr.Kurosawa, he was one of the director i picked during my transformation days (from entertainment to edutainment) and so, i was pretty knowledgable regarding his works. And 2001: A Space Odyssey remains one of my most painful experience in watching films, i watched the film thrice, and thrice i fell asleep during the Ray of Lights scene. But, other than that, despite of what Stephen King had said, The Shining remains one of the most frightening films i've ever seen. The tricycle scene, the tennis-ball scene, they had no weird, made-to-surprise sound effects, but nonetheless, it's just plain scary. But, my favourite of Kubrick, was Barry Lyndon. A three hour more of a tale contemplating the life of a noble. Now that i tried to remember the film, it short of remind me to Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. But with huge distinction that i liked Barry Lyndon, and i despised Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

7. Ingmar Bergman
The confessor
“At times, the demons can be helpful. But you have to beware. Sometimes they will help you along to hell.”

Ingmar Bergman knew what he was talking about. Survivor of a cracked faith and four broken marriages (a fifth ended when his wife died of stomach cancer), the Swedish auteur made a career out of “the ability to attach my demons to my chariot” (The Seventh Seal, Shame, Scenes From A Marriage, Autumn Sonata, Fanny And Alexander).

And if his chariot’s wheels occasionally threatened to come off, that only helped Bergman work through his crises of creative confidence in movies like Persona and Hour Of The Wolf, positing the artist as charlatan.

Honing his uncluttered style over 60 years and 50-odd films, he shoots his tortured protagonists in looming, luminous close-up, his camera performing keyhole surgery to extract tumorous lies. It is, as critic David Thomson puts it, a “cinema of the inner life”, revelatory in every sense.
Picture perfect Persona. Bergman’s silent scream.

Sadly, i need more of him. His only flick that i've seen so far is The Seventh Seal. His depiction of Death is, for lack of better words, personal. And the final scene where Death led the characters jolly-walking on a hill, shots from a far, really really subtly frightening. There's no doubt about it that he, who just recently passed away, is one of the greatest director.

Fiuw, that's a post too many for today actually, so i'm going to conclude this posts with the rest of the list next Monday, enjoy your weekends, i think i'm going to see The Brave One, i've always had a soft-spot for Jodie Foster that even her worst i deemed enjoyable, and the revenge flick has been garnered positive reviews around, and Disturbia which finally, after a few agonizing months (it has been released far earlier in the US) of waiting, i could finally laid eyes on what they said among the better thriller released. Again, have a nice weekend.

Bourne Again

No, no, it's not about a possibility that there would be the fourth Bourne peeking around the corner. But, you've been heard me bragging about this flick for like an eternity. All for a good reasons, i say. I was forced. Really, FORCED. Some unknown powerful entity has pushed me beyond my own desire to put yet another post about Bourne after i was stumbled into this picture. Seeing this picture alone was enough to sent my spine shivering and my heart thumped all over again. It was that good. Did i already said that it was good? Yes?

Holy Month of Ramadhan: the Arrival

In a few hours, the sun will sets, and the Holy Month of Ramadhan would finally came knocking. Let us made this year's Holy Month better than the last, and we're all (myself especially) could begin this year's Holy Month with blank sheets, and only writing good and nice stuffs throughout, and finally able to come out with a book worthy of a Winner. Happy Fasting.

The Life and Death of a Programmer

... or a Writer, or Whatever job that required constant typing, and love from its typist. Oh, how i really missed my life when i still Code for living. Not that i regret my decisions, well, a little, but unless somebody willing to pay me more than US$ 100k per year, or, more correctly, that if i COULD made a reputation out of myself that i was INDEED worth US$ 100k per year, i was scantly luckier than most. Shortly, this place is NOT a place i want to be in permanently, efforts would be made in order to made me get out of this office, AND this city, AND this continent, believe in that, as i believe in it myself.

MTV Indonesia Movie Awards 2007

I'm not too fancy with MTV, my kind of MTV kind of died fifteen years ago. Further with voting concept by the viewers to determine its winner, any kind of Awards by MTV could be seen as what kind of taste the MTV viewers had. And since MTV viewers were mostly young people, it is justified that MTV claimed that their awards reflected what young viewer loved. I don't care, whatsoever. The 3rd MTV Indonesian Movie Awards 2007 was silently (i had no idea that such event exists before today and i considered myself pretty informative, well..) held last Friday September 7th, 2007. I can't comment about the show since i don't see it myself, but here's the winners:

Most Favorite Actor: Tora Sudiro (Nagabona Jadi 2)
Most Favorite Actress : Dina Olivia (Mengejar Mas-Mas)
Most Favorite Supporting Actress : Wulan Guritno (Nagabonar Jadi 2)
Most Favorite Supporting Actor : Wingky Wiryawan (Badai Pasti Berlalu)
Breaktrough Actor / Actress> : Albert Fakdawer (Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan)
Best Director : John de Rantau (Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan)
Best Theme Song : The Float (3 Hari Untuk Selamanya)
Best Scary Scene : Kuntilanak
Best Running Scene : Maaf, Saya Menghamili Istri Anda
Lifetime Achievement Award : Deddy Mizwar
Best Movie : Nagabonar Jadi 2

No surprises. I was told that Dina Olivia is very very magnificent in Mengejar Mas-Mas. I had set my mind to go see the film, but when i had a chance to slip it through my schedule, the film was nowhere to be found. It is sad that only Indonesian films who deal with mystical creatures (same old scary-formula, un-innovative scenes) and teenage love (lately it has been shifted to a yet another gear that the success formula of teenage love was determined by whether the main actor and actress are actual lover or not, Acha - Irwansyah, anyone?). Well, there you go. No surprises.

Indiana Jones IV gets Official Title

The fourth installment of Indiana Jones, will be bearing a title Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This film will hit the theaters at 2008.

Java gets Mentioned in Dilbert

What's Up Blog?

Okay, i've been out of town for the past week to undergone yet another training for new employees of the company in a so-called program called Value Deployment Program. As the name suggested, it was a program for us, new employees, to absorbs the company's positive values, you know, behavior stuffs, and all. It's pretty fun, by the way. And i was granted as the King of the night (short of like the prom King and Queen stuff, i'll post the pictures later), and the ultimate champ of the event, eliminating 21 of the other new employees, to win a hefty sum of US$ 100. Yup, real money, fresh as a mint, for a couple of days of brainstorming and discussions, not a very bad way to spend my weekend out in the open, i say. But alas, being out of town also costs me to miss the latest information on the net. Such as the release of a new iPod Touch. It looks good, with the new touch technology and all, but it only came in two storage models, 8 GB and 16 GB. I had 20 GB of songs on my iPod Video 5G, and i rarely, if ever, watch a video or interact with my iPod more than simple clicks and swirling the wheel click. Shortly, i would not miss the new iPod Touch anytime soon. But, iPod Classic? That's another matter. Rebuffed from 30 GB / 80 GB to 80 GB / 160 GB respectively, this is the iPod that i would like to buy. Not even a multi-touch iPod, or WiFi connectivity i deemed enough to change my perspective on the main function of iPods as music storage, which of course, the more, the merrier. Another Apple related news, the 8 GB iPhone seen a hefty US$ 200 cut of the price tags which means that the 8GB iPhone which originally sold for US$ 599 will be sold for US$ 399, immediately. Not that i want it so much tough, let's see if the iPhone would still as hip as it was intended when it hits the Asia market before i changed my mind.

Was: The Wachowski Brothers

Via Cinematical, best known as one of those brothers who brought forth the Matrix trilogy, Larry Wachowski had completed his sex change operation. Yikes. Yes, Larry now will be known as Lana.