Posted by Steve at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, Lamma Island hosted and rainy and wet Tin Hau Festival. The Lamma Dragons took on the local fishermen in dragon boat racing along the waterfront. Actually it might be said that the fishermen politely let us compete alongside them (as these are some of the best dragon boat teams in Hong Kong!). They ARE good!

Nevertheless, amidst the rain one of the fishermen boats swamped out and we managed to qualify for the finals - where we came in last! This final race also came after we paddled around aimlessly on rough seas for an hour. But that's okay...

Overall it was a fun time, a good work out, and a wonderful festival: followed always by dinner and then yet more drinking and dancing in The Island Bar.

Posted by Steve at 06:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Steve at 06:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday was my first Dragon Boat competition with the Lamma Dragons. We raced, both the men and women's team, against some formidable local teams at Shatin (沙田).

I found myself paddling hard, in five races, over about a half-day period. We managed to make our way to the finals in the 500 meters, but were not as lucky in the 200 m.

As I had never attended such an HK event, what surprised me most was the seriousness of the competition. The local teams of HKUST and Lingnan University perhaps bested our own both in age and body-mass, yet it was interesting to watch a fight erupt between two other boats - with a paddle being thrown from one boat to another - that resulted in security meeting such a paddler at the dock.

It was predicted to storm, yet the rains held off leaving everything cool and clear. We finished up watching the last of the HK Rugby Sevens in the Island Bar - although I later moved to the Waterfront because of poor digital TV reception - before home.

Posted by Steve at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, I spent three hours rowing on the open sea to the beat of a drum. I've started training with the Lamma Dragons in preparation for this year's HK dragon boat races. It's an experience social, fun and leaving my body aching in a training rigor that I can only describe as: narly.

Yesterday was my better day. The feel of the paddle, and the need for synchronization with the other twenty rowers in the boat, is very different than in a canoe on an open lake or river. Yet the advice I was given was patient, friendly and kind and I think I've found yet more friends in my short time here on Lamma.

Afterwards, we exited on the peer, steeping knee deep in the waves and drank Tsingdao in the sitting-out area across from The Island Bar as we watched the arriving Sunday tourists as they walked from the ferry pier. It was a good weekend of rowing, although I'm happy I have until next weekend to recover! :) I'll sleep good tonight.

Posted by Steve at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have lived a week on Lamma Island: a pleasant "fishing village" just a ferry from HK.

Times are slowing down, and my new place is far less expensive than my former home on Hollywood Road. I've gained a rooftop, and balcony, and nice access to the beach, and trails. There are no cars on Lamma, so the air is great! I wake in the morning feeling refreshed and less groggy. The pace of life is friendly.

The good people (i.e., locals and "Old Lamma Hands") at The Island Bar have helped me get the lay of the land. I've heard stories, and come away with more descriptions of this place than perhaps a half-year on Hong Kong Isle ever provided.

It's a good change. With six months left in HK, I now have a quiet place, with the woods at my back, to finish up my thesis. CHEERS! :)

Posted by Steve at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Steve at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Steve at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It has been a long time since I have written in praise of BOINC (Berkeley Open Interface for Network Computing), and also a long time since I have posted period! :)

Energy costs have plummeted, and computing power is never more cheap and abundant. Why not then contribute computing power to the universities of the world (and their selected research projects)?

It's an exciting time for the world of research. NVIDIA, the graphics card company, has written new code allowing their graphics processing (GPUs) to be used for scientific research. In some cards, this allows home PCs to now contribute at near supercomputing levels.

Intel is fighting back with their latest i7 Nehalem (CPU), but a war is taking place for the future of the home and business computer and it is not clear which company will emerge, or maintain, dominance.

Until that time, we all benefit... so let us research away. New data means new products, and new PhDs, for the other side of this financial crisis. So long as we keep crunching numbers: hope remains!

Posted by Steve at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm back in Hong Kong! Yet last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with former Rhymers Club members, Ellen and Ida. We had a LOT of food at the Grand Gateway in Xujiahui. It was nice sitting and talking again.

I hope that teaching and banking allow them time to visit me (again) in HK soon. :)

To think it has already been three years...

Posted by Steve at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)