Book Review: The Da Vinci Code

It's crap.

Everything minty is good

Yesterday I washed my hair with this newfangled Head & Shoulders shampoo called "Refresh". It's basically shampoo with mint, and it supposedly creates a refreshing, "wake-me-up" feeling. To me, it felt like washing my hair with Vicks VapoRub while eating a Halls and brushing my teeth at the same time. I was coughing and sputtering and my eyes were stinging... a generally unpleasant experience.



I can just picture the marketing people who came up with this..



Marketing Executive #1: "I've got an idea... minty shampoo."



Marketing Executive #2: "Excellent idea!"



Marketing Executive #1: "Yes... because everything minty is good!"



Marketing Executive #2: "Wait... didn't you also invent Sprite Ice?"



What's next, Bacon Double McMinty with Cheese?

Two cool new Google features

The first is Google Suggest, which is basically a server-side AutoComplete feature. As you type a search query, it pops up a list of commonly searched keywords which match what you've already typed. Amazingly, when you type "por", the first thing in the list is "porsche", instead of... well, you know.



Another recently added Google feature is the ability to use POP to access GMail. I'm not sure exactly when they started doing this, but I noticed it a few days ago. Basically, this allows you to read GMail with an e-mail client (like Thunderbird or—God forbid—Outlook Express), instead of logging on to the webpage.



I'm surprised that Google actually decided to do this, because I assumed that most of the revenue generated from GMail is from the ads that they display on the webpage. By using POP to access your account, you effectively circumvent the need to use the web interface, thus avoiding the ads altogether. You have to wonder what Google has to gain from this, but I'm glad that they're willing to make sacrifices to provide innovative services.

A better way to get Ron Artest to attack you

NBA fans have something to learn from these Brazilian soccer fans. From the story, "Police in Sao Paulo said they had apprehended around 200 flip-flops which Palmeiras fans had intended to throw at their own team ... Supporters said they had symbolised the 'sandals of humility' which they suggested the players needed to wear." So the next time someone feels like starting a riot at a basketball game, forget about that plastic cup filled with liquid.... throw your Nikes and Reeboks of humility!

Inaugural post

I can think of no better way to fritter away a Friday afternoon than to start a blog...