Category Archives: Life

Stuff that happens off the Net

$400 fine and 3 demerit points for the life of 79 year old Siu Mui Lam

By Ian | February 10, 2010

Siu Mui Lam (also known as Mrs. Wong, born 1930) was killed by a dump truck driver on June 23, 2009 (the second day of City strike) when she crossed an intersection at St. Helen’s street/ Bloor before a STOP sign.
The impact was so huge, that head and body was severely disfigured, and she pronounced [...]

Also posted in Canada, Toronto | Leave a comment

June 4th, 20 Years after Tiananmen

By Ian | June 3, 2009

(also on YouTube)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-nXT8lSnPQ
In the words of Nicholas Kristoff, an eyewitness, as he recalls in the NYT on the June 4 massacre at Tiananmen Square:
The night was filled with gunfire — and with Chinese standing their ground to block the troops. I parked my bike at Tiananmen, and the People’s Liberation Army soon arrived from the [...]

Also posted in Asian, Hong Kong & China | 3 Comments

Celebrating Lunar New Year and Long Life with Tam Kwai Lan

By Ian | January 27, 2009

This weekend was the start of Chinese year 4707, which is Year of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac.

As always we celebrated the Lunar New Year with 2 dinners, one on the evening and one on the new years day (plus a Saturday dim sum!), with as many family members in attendance as possible.
The [...]

Also posted in Hong Kong & China, Toronto | Leave a comment

Sub Sole, Sub Umbra, Virens

By Ian | December 30, 2008

which translates as :
“Flourishing both in sunshine and shade”
which is the Irving clan family motto, as my sister has reminded me thanks to a trip she took in the summer to visit our Uncle Ken and Aunt Margaret. (see this for a Irving Clan History)
Hopefully the new year brings a bit more sun (please [...]

Posted in Life | Tagged irving | Leave a comment

reason number 36 why its a good time to do a startup

By Ian | November 25, 2008

because “existing companies are more likely to miss new opportunities”
or to quote from The Economist leader on November 22 (2008) All you need is cash :
One reason why downturns tend to be good times to launch new businesses is because established companies abandon promising growth opportunities too fast. Oracle and Microsoft were both born in [...]

Also posted in Culture, Startup | Leave a comment

A brief Trip to NYC

By Ian | September 1, 2008

This was our first trip back in exactly 7 years, having been there in at this date in the days before that awful day. We have only just resumed traveling to the “States” again, a combination of things, including the exchange rate but mostly friends, having drawn us back.
We left early Sunday morning via [...]

Also posted in Culture, Food, travel | 1 Comment

Arthur C. Clarke has gone to the great geostationary obrit in the sky.

By Ian | March 18, 2008

Via CBC we have the sad news that visionary Arthur C. Clarke has passed away at age 90. Best known as a Science fiction writer for the novel of the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”, he wrote many, many, other fact and fiction novels. I am most thankful for his short stories, (in particular [...]

Also posted in Culture, Sci Fi, Space | Leave a comment

Gung Hei Fat Choy for Chinese year 4706, Hello Rat!

By Ian | February 6, 2008

as we hit another Lunar New Year, in this case Year of the Rat/Mouse. (where’s my cheese? Probably somewhere under this 30 cm of snow!)

Also posted in Asian, Culture, Hong Kong & China, Toronto | Leave a comment

After the Storm

By Ian | February 3, 2008

After the Storm
Originally uploaded by False Positives while enjoying a nice groundhog (day) stew.

Also posted in Junction City, Toronto | Leave a comment

The Cookies of Xmas 07

By Ian | December 27, 2007

ET has been busy again. (Me? I was just trying to get more frosting on the cookies then myself – and was not completely successfully. )
.
We also had Carrot Cup Cakes

and Sugar Cookies

and Gingerbread Tree’s

and Gingerbread folk

Also posted in Food | Leave a comment