Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by ezralimm

SSD. Reliability and low power priority.

ezralimm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:52:03 +0800

I am looking for a 2.5" SSD to fit into a Win 7 netbook. My priorities are:
1) Price. Shouldnt be too expensive compared to the price of the netbook (likely HP mini 5101)
2) Reliability. Not some caplak brand. This is pretty cruical even though I back up my files every few weeks.
3) Power consumption. Not looking for a fast drive. It's not for gaming, but for mundane productivity applications. The netbook is for work: No games. No media. No video.

Any suggestions? I tried looking at the lowyat pricelists but most SSDs are performance oriented and unacceptably expensive. There must be some cheap ones lke those in the asus eepc (16GB) that could be bought

Netbook Workhorse Idea

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 07:30:00 +0800

Netbook Workhorse Idea

ezralimm — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:57:06 +0800

hey guys, im thinking of getting a netbook for a very specific work related purpose. Technology has finally progressed to a point where it makes it possible for a reasonably low cost learning terminal.

It has got to have four features:
1) Able to run three programs on the go (A simple database application / XMind / Office)
2) Comfortable keyboard / trackpad
3) Day long battery life.
4) Rugged with SSD. It's going to be in my arms walking around the place. Opening and closing all the time. build quality is quintessential.

1) HP 5101 vs Toshiba NB205 (Any other suggestions?)
- 8hr battery life
- im going to ignore the ones that are too plasticky.
- GOOD BUILD QUALITY (ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL)
- Is 1gb ram sufficient? (im only running at most two apps at once. NO MEDIA. NO GAMES)

2) Solid State Drive (any reccomendations? High performance not necessary.)
- 32GB is sufficient.
- cheep and cheerful
- power saving
- can use laptop while moving without fear of fvcking up the drive.

3) Windows 7 Professional (Or should I stick with starter?)
- Student Upgrade version (RM150!!!)
- Office Student (RM300)

The Truth About Online Dating

ezralimm — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:09:30 +0800

* The information im typing out here is from The Scientific American 20:3:2009. Cant get my scanner to work and the info is spread out quite thin anyway, so im typing out the relevant bits.

First of all: PEOPLE LIE. They LIE. They LIE. They LIE. (MIT study)

1) about 20% of people who go for online dating admit to lying about themselves.

2) asked about how many other people are lying about their profiles, the number jumps to 90%, a figure probably closer to the truth.

3) men lie about their income, with men claiming to earn >200k/pa getting 151% more hits than men claiming to earn <60k/pa.

4) women lie about their age...alot. The number of women claiming to be 29 is EIGHT TIMES higher than what you would expect by chance.

5) On average, a person (boy/girl) you meet from an online dating site will, in real life, be ONE INCH SHORTER and FIVE POUNDS HEAVIER than on their online profiles.

eHarmony: The largest online dating site in the united states.

1) They claim, on average, 236 of it's customers marry every day.
2) Using eHarmony's own published statistics, there is a 1:500 chance you'll marry a person you date from the site. eHarmony delievers about 1.5 matches a month. So if you date every single match you get, it will take 19 years to reach a 50% chance of getting married.

Match.com: Paying customers?

1) They claim to have 15 million suscribers
2) Less than one million are actually paying suscribers - they cannot respond to emails!
3) Independent phone surveys (by Jupiter Research) confirmed that less than a quarter of users considered themselves "satisfied" with the service, while 66% of net users in general think online dating is "dangerous activity"

Ezra's Hypothesis
So what explains the LIES, low satisfaction, and low likelihood of finding someone through an online dating site?

#1: Reasonably attractive people have no need to turn to online dating.

#2: What's left behind tend to less attractive / more undesirable anyway.

#3: ...and they lie about the age / height / weight / income....and probably photoshop their profile pictures.

#4: False expectations. No, it is unlikely you will find your dream partner through online dating, for people with those
characteristics would have been taken in real life, and would have never resorted to online dating in the first place.

Nokia 6700

ezralimm — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:34:38 +0800

I just got a 6700.

The phone is all fine.

Just that everytime I browse for files, it shows up as tiled icons...and i have to manually switch to list view EVERY FREAKING TIME. The icon view is completely useless but seems to be the default one...and i cannot change it.

ANy ideas?

THE LOUDNESS WAR

ezralimm — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:35:58 +0800

What Is The Loudness War?

The Loudness War: A Good Summary
[YOUTUBE]3Gmex_4hreQ[/YOUTUBE]

Detailed Commentary
[YOUTUBE]qvheOquAmyw[/YOUTUBE]

Example: The Power Of Love
[YOUTUBE]2D4NRy0cDCg[/YOUTUBE]

Example: Death Magnetic. Guitar Hero version versus Album.
[YOUTUBE]DRyIACDCc1I[/YOUTUBE]

I recently got hooked to Bohemian Rhapsody, and part of the reason why i like it is that the drum beats pop where they have to and the music isnt fatiguing...even when i have to turn the volume up significantly compared to other songs.

A 192kbps mp3 of bohemian rhapsody sounds better than listening to a We The Kings CD.

I was wondering if there are any modern artists that did not fall victim to the loudness war (over compression), and have good dynamic sound that is non-fatiguing.

Im quite ashamed to admit this, but all the bands I like seem to have fallen victim to the loudness war... From the powerpop of We The Kings to the alternative rock of My Chemical Romance.

Any suggestions?
I'll add em to the list below.

Slow Songs:
Missy Higgins - Where I Stood
One Republic - Apologize (non-remixed, original semi-capella version)
Sarah McLachlan - Most albums: Surfacing, Mirrorball, Afterglow.

Pop
Taylor Swift - Fearless Album.

Modern Indie Rap/Fusion/Etc
True Live - Album...lots of punch despite being relatively loud. Well mastered.

Rock:
Gun's And Roses - Chinese Democracy Album
Meatloaf - I'd Lie For You
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
OAG - Permysuri Album (the guys at SonyBMG Malaysia who did the recording deserve a special commendation IMO)
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody...classic.
Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger

Modern Instrumentals:
Bill Brown and Inon Zur - The Call of Destiny
Kyle Gabler - The Red Carpet (OST World of Goo)...deserves special mention IMO. Excellent ambiance.

Guy: Why only uglies like me?

ezralimm — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:27:32 +0800

I wrote this in response to another thread, but it had been closed so I am starting a new thread.
http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1137074

I think TS is bringing up a very very common dilemma.
It is THE reason why in the modern world, people are getting together later and later (rather than in their teens like our forefathers). Everyone wants an attractive (whatever your definition of "attractive" may be*) partner. Not all girls are hot. Some are just ugly and complete turnoffs. Not all guys are winners in the game of life. Some are simply losers.

*physical/emotional/mental/etc/etc/whatever.

To Everyone
The game of love is cruel. In the same way everyone wants the best, most rewarding and lucrative jobs, everyone also wants the best that is available to them in the game of love - for the apple does not fall far from the tree, whether you like it or not. Marry a tall black person and your children are unlikely to be short and white.

To The Girls Reading This
Dont bullsh1t and say that looks dont matter etc. You are just as fvcking guilty as men and are no less judgemental/shallow as men. Just because you claim you want a "nice" guy does not change the FACT that you only notice the "nice"ness of guys who have proven to you that they are good genetic material with successful traits to make it in the game of life. Girls hate losers. That's why some guys fall into the trap of being nice, hoping to be liked by you...believing that looks dont matter...and in the end it screws them up - you simply dont see them as a potential partner - the friend, never the lover.

To The Guys Reading This...TS especially:
You have a choice - settle for the girls who show interest in you, or work to better yourself to improve the standard of ladies available to you. You will be surprised... After getting your life together, eating well, sleeping well, and having lots of friends...you will find more attractive girls starting to show romantic interest in you. Your body will show your state of nutrition. Your wide social network will give you lots of personality and things to talk about. Hold your head held high. Dont give a sh1t about what the girls think. Chart your own course through life. Girls will hate, and LOVE you for it. Make no excuses. Tell yourself no soothing lies. Be awesome. Be all you can be. Awesome FTW. Girls will gravitate around you and you can cherry pick who you date...one day you will fall for someone you cherry pick - instead of just settling for someone in your social circle as you grow older and more desperate.

THREAD CLOSED PENDING REWRITE

ezralimm — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:00:10 +0800

I write this thread based on experience. I hope that this would inspire some guys who wonder why girls simply dont seem to like them as potential romantic partners (ie. the friend but never lover). Only YOU know if you are a LOSER/WINNER in life. Hopefully, this thread will help you become one of the winners!

NOTICE: Just because I highlight in this article what success can do to your love life - it doesnt mean that romance should be the only motivator for change! ...this is cupids corner you know...

Go For The Win
Inspired by a post by debbieyss

Girls really like guys who have:
1) A positive and aggressive drive of life.
2) Personality, attitude, career and financial status (security/providence).

The ultimate goal is to be the best that you can be given the limitations and flaws that you have. You may have one leg, or three eyebrows, a drinking problem, smoke 3 packs a day, or may be you are just plain stupid. Nobody is perfect. Everyone has flaws. For example: Just because you have one leg doesnt mean that you should stay at home and eat junk food all day. Exercise and eat well to be the best you can be!

I believe this thread applies to guys who are still single and working to up their game. Having a healthy body, mind and spirit will make any guy more attractive to the opposite sex (or same sex for gay people). Understand that there is a reason why attractive girls always get so much attention. Hot guys get attention too. Just like everyone strives to have the best career, everyone also strives to have the best partners. THe game of love is competitive... By definition, if there are winners there will be losers. So STRIVE TO BE THE ABSOLUTE BEST YOU CAN BE.

Executive Summary (tl;dr)

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Introduction: Be In Control Of Your Life

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#1. Ask yourself.

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#2. Make appropriate changes. (IMPORTANT)

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#3. Be Yourself!

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#4. Be Realistic

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Finally, The Approach.

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AWESOME FTW!

There, i've said it. I dont think there's much more to it. I've just got to add that even if you make a flawless approach, it will not guarantee anything..but it will give you the opportunity to take the relationship further. This is where cultural/emotional compatibility and chemistry come into play. You will know if you've found someone compatible...and hope that she feels the same way. The women who you will meet will largely depend on fate. Where you are at what time. The people who you meet in daily life. The people around you. And of course: friends of friends. Make sure you have lots of friends!

CLOSED

ezralimm — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:20:44 +0800

Amber Lupton, guest speaker for David Deangelo

ezralimm — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:01:17 +0800

I've never read any books on dating and romance. But recently I stumbled upon David Deangelo's talks on what it means to be a man. I couldnt agree more, and I got to say I experienced it first hand... to find your own way in life and to prosper.

Oops im getting sidetracked. Alright, david had an interesting guest speaker.

Vids below. Tell me what you think!

[YOUTUBE]FmkBkjncw6c[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]8vQqoIRqsHE[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]24xQh2FL4N4[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]ZSKccfcZ4BQ[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]gfcBfNRxe3Y[/YOUTUBE]

PUZZLING windscreen wiper problem

ezralimm — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:07:41 +0800

2007 Honda Jazz

My windscreen wipers seem to have a mind of their own.

When Does It Happen?
1) MORE OFTEN when i first turn on the car engine
2) VERY OFTEN when i use the LEFT INDICATOR turn signal.
3) OCCASIONALLY randomly out of the blue while driving along.

Problem Description
1) The windscreen wipers turn on for a random period of time, usually 4-5 swipes, then stops.
2) The left indicator light on the dashboard only (not the actual lights on the outside) comes on.
3) Power to the windscreen sprayers is decreased dramatically (they dont even spray properly).
4) My left indicator fails to function.

I really dont know what's going on. Please help.

The workshop doesnt seem to know what's wrong either. They reinserted the left indicator bulb and that seemed to solve things temporarily for a day - but the problem continued.

The Self Improvement Thread For Men

ezralimm — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:06:08 +0800

This thread is NOT about love. It is about how to take control of your life. How to be all that you can be. The principles are broad and general - they should apply to all men. I believe that these principles form the foundation of a healthy personality, healthy body and healthy mind. Women ultimately find this attractive. Taking control of your life wouldnt guarantee you would get the girl you want...Cultural/emotional compatibility and fate are also important. But it sure as hell increases the number of women who would show romantic (non-platonic) interest in you. Would you rather cherry pick an attractive woman in the game of love? Or sit by and wait until you're 30+ and some random girl (you dont find very attractive) shows interest in you but you fall in love with her anyway as no other girl has shown such interest in you and you were desperate?

Attractiveness is irrelevant when it comes to love. That said, girls really dont like falling in love with unattractive guys. The bottom line is that you can only court a girl who is also interested in you. Effectively: Girls who are interested in you will be available to you. What girls are available to you is determined by how attractive you are yourself.

We all know that ladies are drawn to success. I guess from an evolutionary standpoint, a guy with good genes will thrive in life. He is independent. He is a good provider. He cares for himself and can care for others. He eats well and gets plenty of exercise. His body shows it. He is not alone and has lots of friends. His career is progressing smoothly and he is not worried about the financial crisis. He has a healthy mind and a healthy outlook on life. The minute he opens his mouth it shows. This thread is about discussing features of the guy pictured above.

Let's contrast that to the hy, lonely nerd who lives in a small room, wanks to tentacle porn every night, works a dead-end low paying job, has no friends in real life, rarely goes out, gets little exercise, and survives on take-away/microwave meals and junk food. His body reflects his lack of exercise and junk food. Lack of social interaction and too much WoW means that the minute he opens hsis mouth you know he is a loser. This thread aims to help guys who are like that realize how unattractive they are to women - so they will rant less about why they cant seem to get a girl, and spend more effort on concrete efforts to better themselves.

So, what does it mean to be a successful, thriving man? Everyone has a different idea of success, but there should be some core elements that are common to every successful guy. What I present below is a framework that I will elaborate as time progresses. Please post responsibly. Avoid flames and ad hominems. Civil discourse is welcome. Comments, suggestions and feedback are welcome.

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O V E R V I E W
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S E C U R I T Y
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To know that you have someone to talk to at the end of the day. To know that if you break a leg you would have someone to call to come to your aid. To know that your source of income (career) is stable and progressing. To know that in the event of disaster, your family will be there for you.

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Connectedness to those around you is the basis of emotional security. An active social life is not the same as being emotionally secure, as seen in people with histrionic personality traits. To be connected goes past the stage of just saying "hi and bye" to the people in your life. You have to know things about others, and others will have to know things about you. People generally feel secure when they have a solid circle of friends that they can confide to. The basis of all relationships, both platonic and romantic, is empathy. Over time, try to build a solid circle of friends that know you well. You should know them well too. It goes beyond remembering birthdays - the little things count - and this is why real empathy cannot be faked in the long term.

I give you a simple example: You meet Jane at the bus stop. She had just lost her job. She is clearly distressed. What would you say? A person with empathy will realize that there is nothing that needs to be said - Jane needs to be heard. The worst thing you can say to her is "I know how you feel, dont worry im sure you'll get your job back". Simply by listening to her, feeling her grief (your face will show it, it is difficult to fake), and consoling her, you would have likely made a friend. "Oh my god, that's terrible...how are you coping?". Use open questions. Empathize. And let Jane say what needs to be said. Im sure she will feel much better after that. Do offer to help her out if possible. Do what is right. It should come to you naturally. Ok, im not going to turn this article into Personal Relationships 101, but you get the idea...

To be a man means that you will have to provide for yourself (and likely for others in the future). In the modern world, this means having a stable career. Nothing turns girls off more than a guy who couldnt keep a job. Thus, job security should be one of the big priorities in your life. Sure, that government job may have a lower starting salary, but in the long run it is more recession proof, and you get all the goodies like low interest housing loans. Asides from that, also make sure that you career is not going stagnant. It doesnt matter if you are working as a burger flipper at McDonalds. What's important is that you have goals. Even at McDonalds, you could quickly rise to become store manager. Diligence, the willingness to better yourself, and your outlook on your job is important. Know what paths are available to you even before you start a new job! Make sure you have the opportunity to progress. If you are a student, then please dont neglect your studies...unless you are about to inherit a business or something lol!

When it comes to serious life events involving life/death, debilitating disease, car accidents and such, you will notice the importance of family. This is especially true for those of you living away from family. Do call your mother every few days. It's just nice to have a chat. Remember, empathize all the way.

I must add that it is very difficult to empathize with others if you are arrogant (ie. "full of yourself"). If you only think about yourself and what you want in life, then the lives of others will mean little to you. You will see other people in a very technical/logical way. Jane would have been the girl who lost a job caused by the recession and the global slowdown, not the human being who is struggling to pay her rent next month. The way you see people will change drastically when you take yourself off the pedestal and learn to walk in others' shoes. To do so requires humility. You are just a human being like everyone else!

tl;dr summary: Humility, and the empathy that comes with it, is the basis for both platonic and romantic human relationships. Connectedness with others will give you emotional security. Dont forget family! Financial security comes from having a stable career with a viable progression path (ie. not a dead end job). Ladies do not like guys who are emotionally insecure and couldnt seem to hold a job for long. Emotional and Financial security will make you a more confident individual, both in life and the game of love.

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P H Y S I C A L
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Healthy body. Healthy mind.

Part 1: P R O V I D E N C E

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

A man's mettle is really determined by how good a provider he is. If a man cannot provide for himself, how can he possibly provide for others? When you provide for yourself, your body thrives, and this is reflected not only in your physical build, but also in your personality. You will feel alive. You feel good. You want to interact with others. You feel like it. Words come to you naturally. Shyness evaporates. You will feel good.

You are what you eat. For most people it will be impossible to have a healthy diet by eating out. You would have to eat at a moderately pricey restaurant that will cook each meal to your specifications in order to ensure a healthy diet. Unless money grew on trees, this simply wouldnt be an option. At the end of the day, you will have to learn how to cook yourself. It is not that hard and you will get used to it after awhile. If you have not done so before, do not be put off by the time taken to prepare meals.

Cooking can be a real b1tch if you dont know what you are doing. My advice to you after living away from home for almost three years is that you really need to invest in the right cooking utensils. Forget about those fancy cookware sets on SmartShop. Forget Teflon/Non-stick. Forget recipe books.

Awesome tasting savoury food benefits from what is known as the maillard reaction. This is the reaction that turns the juices from your steak turn brown on the pan. It is what makes gravy brown and tasty. Forget buying expensive, tasteless brown gravy (eg. Gravox). Learn to make a proper pan-sauce by deglazing the lovely brown bits at the bottom of your pan. You dont get those brown bits with a Teflon pan. You get black bits with a thin bottomed pan.

You will need a heavy bottomed steel pan, the type with at least 5mm of aluminium/copper at the bottom, preferably wrapped in 18/10 high grade stainless steel. You only really need one heavy bottomed saute/fry pan and one ~3L curry/soup pot. Also invest in stuff like peelers, a BIG chopping board (saves alot of time), and a nice good quality chef's knife (for safety reasons). The goal is to learn how to cook your food using standard techniques - saute, asian stir fry, poaching, and braising. Ultimately, you should be able to cook a steak with plenty of brown bits (from meat juices) at the bottom of the pan...and no black/burnt bits. Oil must never be smoked (!). This can only be done with any consistency by using a heavy bottomed pan. Those cheap, thin, steel, thai-made pans WILL smoke your oil and are a nightmare to clean when your food burns black and sticks to the bottom. Teflon pans release toxic fumes when overheated (easily happens if you are using cheap <RM200 ones that have a thin bottom). I repeat: Smoking oil is very very unhealthy and is unnecessary for making good tasting food.

When you can cook well, you automatically start eating well. Since you save so much money by cooking yourself, you can then ensure that you are getting enough of each food group. Have red meats (eg. steak, ginger beef, spaghetti bolognaise) at least three times a week. Have seafood at least once a week (eg. salmon, scallops, prawns). You should be able to hit 80-100g protein in your diet each day. For reference, an egg has about 7g of protein. Next ensure that you are getting a healthy serving of leafy greens each day (eg. kangkung, broccoli, spinach). Iceberg lettuce doesnt count - it must be very greens. Also have a good amount of fruits a day (eg. two oranges. half a medium papaya.). This ensures that food moves through your body regularly, and you are pumped with all the nutrients your body needs to thrive, with plenty of antioxidents and micronutrients to ensure optimal health. Now do you see why it is exceedingly expensive to have a proper diet without cooking yourself?

Once you have learnt the basic cooking techniques, experiment! Vary your diet. Start with the end in mind, and apply it to the ingredients that you have. Hmm, I have some fresh chicken and some salsa left over from last night...I wonder what I could do with it...and go from there. Get the idea? Cooking is an art. Experiment. Cook well. Cook healthy.

Eat well. Eat healthy. Feel well. Feel outgoing. Feel good.

tl;dr summary: A man must be a good provider. First, learn to provide for yourself. You are what you eat. When you can cook well, you will naturally start eating well. Forget recipes. Learn cooking methods. Dont skimp on cookware. Forget Teflon. Forget fancy cookware sets. You only really need a proper heavy bottomed pan. Make your own recipes based on what is available to you. Maillard reactions make your food tasty. Avoid burning. Avoid smoking oil. Cook well. Cook healthy. 80-100g protein, leafy greens, and fruits every day. At least one day seafood. At least three days lean red meats. You will feel much more alive and outgoing when you are eating well.

Part 2: E X E R C I S E
Your body reflects your state of health. As women mature, they develop more curvy physiques that men find attractive. Similar things happen to men - Your voice deepens and you become more well defined. Things can go wrong though: Eating too little will make you scrawny. Eating too much will make you fat. It's really as simple as that. All that talk about some people having a "fast" metabolism is bullshit just like the common misconception that it is possible to burn fat off one part of your body. Everyone can raise/lower their basal metabolic rate relative to their food intake to a certain extent.

(to be continued)

Best Friends Forever

ezralimm — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:23:54 +0800

But If We Started Dating It Would Ruin Our Friendship Where I Ask You To Do Things And You Do Them
By Kimberly Pruitt
June 9, 2009 | Issue 45•24
The Onion, via facebook link by J. Nolan.
==================================================================

I really like you. I do. You're so nice, and sweet, and you listen to all my problems and respond with the appropriate compliments. But, well, I don't really see a relationship in our future. It would be terrible if we let sex destroy this great friendship we have where I get everything I want and you get nothing you want. Don't you think?

I knew you would understand. You always do.

We're so perfect as friends, you know? I can tell you anything, and you know you can always come to me anytime you need to hear me b**** about work or how ugly I feel. You wouldn't want to ruin a friendship like that just so you could be my boyfriend, and have me look at you with desire and longing in my eyes, if only once—would you? Of course not. Well, if we started dating, it would only complicate this wonderful setup I've got going here.

It's just…you're like my best friend, and I would hate for something you desperately want to change that. I mean, sure, we could go on some dates, maybe mess around a little and finally validate the six years you've spent languishing in this platonic nightmare, but then what? How could we ever go back to the way we were, where I take advantage of your clear attraction to me so I can have someone at my beck and call? That part of our friendship means so much to me.

No. We are just destined to be really, really good friends who only hang out when I don't have a boyfriend, but still need male attention to boost my fragile and all-consuming ego.

Anything can happen once you bring romance in. Think about how awful my last relationship was at the end, remember? The guy I'd call you crying about at 3 a.m. because he wouldn't answer my texts? The guy I met at the birthday party you threw me? I had insanely passionate sex with him for four months and now we don't even talk anymore. God, I would die if something like that happened to us.

Plus, ick, can you even imagine getting naked in front of each other? I've known you so long, you're more like a brother that I've drunkenly made out with twice and never mentioned again. It'd be way too weird. And if we did, then whenever you'd come shopping with me, or go to one of my performances or charity events, or take me for ice cream when I've had a bad day at work, you'd be looking at me like, "I've seen her breasts." God, I can't think of anything more awkward that that.

Oh, before I forget, my mom says hi.

Anyway, you would totally hate me as your girlfriend. I'd be all needy and dramatic and slowly growing to love you. If I was your girlfriend, I would never be able to tell you all about the other ******* guys I date and pretend I don't see how much it crushes you. Let's never lose that. That's what makes us us.

Don't worry. You're so funny and smart and amazing, any girl but me would be lucky to date you. You'll find someone, I know it. And when you do, I'll be right by your side to suddenly become all flirty and affectionate with you in front of her, until she grows jealous and won't believe it when you say we're just friends. But when she dumps you, that's just what we'll be.

Best friends. Friends forever.

=============================================================

This article is win.

Girls dont seem to like you? Read on...

ezralimm — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:18:25 +0800

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Introduction
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There are many threads on CC with one common theme: A guy finds himself attracted to a girl, but the girl does not seem interested in him, no matter how "nice" he behaves in her presence.

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Background
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Be A Man: Overview
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S E C U R I T Y
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To know that you have someone to talk to at the end of the day. To know that if you break a leg you would have someone to call to come to your aid. To know that your source of income (career) is stable and progressing. To know that in the event of disaster, your family will be there for you.

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Force enable copy/paste in Firefox3

ezralimm — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:44:26 +0800

To my dismay, blogger has seemed to disabled posting comments by using copy+paste. Copy and paste are greyed out when i right click...and even the keyboard arrows, home, end and page up/down buttons dont work in the blogger comment window.

Is there a way to force myself around this?

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

ezralimm — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:54:53 +0800

[YOUTUBE]E_v468ptuXw[/YOUTUBE]

This article was previously known as "Face The Truth™: L O V E". As some people found it offensive, the name has been changed to Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows. The content of the article is still the same. If you are easily offended, please do hit "back" on your browser. This article is not intended to hurt anyone, but due to the nature of the topic, that is probably inevitable. You have been warned.

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows™

Author's Comment and Update History
Every guy wants a pretty girl. Every girl wants a socially dominant guy. Not all girls are pretty. Not all guys are dominant. So how do things really work out in real life? Special thanks to everyone who commented on the threads (compiled here) and who helped make it more concise and less gender biased.

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tl;dr: The Executive Summary
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Everybody wants to fall in love with an attractive partner. Some people are attractive, some are not, some are in between. Everyone will eventually settle for what is available to them. YOU could settle for what is available to YOU - or YOU could try to make more attractive people available to you. Lower standards if cannot find date on a friday night - or work to improve your standards. Thrive in the game of life - your body will reflect that. Good nutrition, good sleep, lots of friends. Be awesome FTW!

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Important Notice: Money, Attractiveness, Love and Happiness
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Money does not buy love. Money does not buy happiness. Being attractive does not mean that you will get the partner of your choice. But...

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Introduction: The First Step.
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love involves alot more than raw attraction - clicking on a mental and emotional level is also a big part of love and dating. That said, if you dont get past the first step, you will not have the opportunity to click on the mental/emotional level.

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The Importance Of Looks
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A person's looks are like a bargaining chip in the game of love. If you are good looking, you will not have much trouble finding someone who is up to your standard willing to go out with you. If you are not good looking, you will have a lot of trouble finding someone who is up to your standard willing to go out with you. It will seem that all the attractive people are not willing to even give you a chance. Therefore, unattractive people will likely have to lower their standards and settle for less.

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The Real Game of Love
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The General Truth. Be sure to read the caveats section. Personally, the person whom i very much would have liked to spend my life with was NOT the prettiest person i've ever dated. We were compatible, and in her I saw "home". Unfortunately, we were to go our separate ways

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Appendix A: The Secular Problem
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Have you ever wondered why in most first world secular countries, birthrates are low and there are more singles than in developing countries? They dress more freely, fvck around more, and sex is not taboo. Yet birthrates are falling and many people stay single till their late 20s.

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Blame The Media

Everyone has a standard that they would find acceptable before they would be considered as a potential partner. The constant bombardment of perfect female bodies by the media has made that standard in men go up and up and up. As a result, the majority of men would find it very difficult to get with a woman that they find reasonably attractive. This hurts the ladies as well - because few ladies would ever have figures that would be able to compete with those portrayed by the media. Hence, it is the beautiful/attractive people who generally get together in their late teens / early 20s. The majority of people get together later in life out of desperation - or when they realize that they cannot do any better and settle for less than their ideal (ie. the ideal that has been portrayed by the media). These people usually tell themselves (make excuses to feel better about themselves) that that they were focusing on their studies or they had not found "the one" or that they are leaving things to fate etc etc.

Education

Go to any highschool reunion... speak to the women who remained single all their lives. You will find that many of the women who never married are actually well educated!

I am all for gender equality when it comes to education, but face it... girls are better academically than guys. The jury is still out on whether girls do better in the real world, but the bottom line is that many girls are getting to high paying jobs and into intellectually demanding workplaces.

In the same way women do not like dating men who are shorter than they are, it is also culturally frowned upon for a female executive to say... date a blue collar worker earning a tenth of her salary.

Many educated women tell themselves that they are focusing on their career/studies etc etc..and completely ignore the dating game until well past their reproductive prime (~18-25). Looks wise they are average jane's (the good looking ones already have been snapped up) who keep on waiting for the Prince Charming that never seem to want to ask them out. Their male peers who are worthy (read: high enough income) are dating the 20-25yr olds as it is acceptable in society to do so...so where does that leave these women?

If you are female, 30+, never married, and reading this,... please... drop your ego and get in the dating game. You may have to lower your standards a tad... or get in shape... but Face The Truth™ and im sure your prince charming will reveal himself to you.

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Appendix B: "Creeped", What It Really Means.
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Have you ever wondered why some really pretty girls appear to be arrogant? They avoid eye contact and may even shrug you off if you try to chat them up. Ok, not all pretty girls are like that but you know what Im talking about. At the end of the day, many of them are "creeped" out by random guys approaching them. SO what does it mean to be "creeped"?

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Humans are hypocrites by nature. They all want to believe that they are doing the right thing, and twist the truth as much as they can to feel good about themselves. In no other aspect of life is this more apparent than in the game of love.

"Creeped" is the natural human response to being approached by potential partners who are perceived (even subconsciously) to be of an unacceptable standard (too unattractive). The pretty girls who have a wide selection of guys who want to date them thus have a higher standard by default, and are hence more likely to be creeped when approached by a random average Joe. It's very politically incorrect to say this, but being "creeped" is simply natures way of telling you not to potentially reproduce/make_babies with inferior genetic material. For guys chasing girls, good genetic material means shapely tall, fertile hourglass bodies. For girls chasing guys, good genetic material means a reasonably buff physique (from good nutrition/exercise), success, and social dominance in life. Social dominance is invariably tied to money in the modern world.

For example: All girls like to tell themselves that they are going to settle for a "nice" guy. But have you ever considered that girls only notice the "niceness" of the so called "nice" guys who are reasonably financially stable and physically attractive? If a "nice" guy who's reasonably good looking and financially stable shows interest in a girl (short 2s eye contact and a small smile), she is likely to reciprocate... but if a poor, short, ugly-as-fvck, shy, pushover kinda guy shows the exact same interest in a girl (short 2 s eye contact and a small smile).. she would be "creeped out" - even IF the second guy has a much nicer, more humble personality. This prevents a person from empathizing with people whom are perceived to be genetically inferior. Empathy is the foundation of any relationship.

Everybody wants a "nice" partner. But will only empathize and realize the "niceness" of others who are attractive. Many set their standards too high and will eventually have to settle for less...and start noticing the "niceness" of people they have not previously considered. This group of people tend to "fall in love" as they approach 30... They tell themselves that they settled for someone "nice"... but face it... many of them could not have done any better and had settled for less. Spend enough time with someone (even if you dont find them attractive initially) and chances are you will start to notice the "niceness" in them...

Let's not be sexist. Being creeped applies to guys as well. Last summer a half drunk woman started coming on to me, pushing her shoulders together to emphasize her cleavage and pouting her lips trying to look cute as she approached and tried to rub against me... I'm not a very attractive guy and that was the first time anyone has come on to me like that. Good for me? NO! She looked like she had been beaten with an ugly stick. I swear that I nearly threw up. I got goosebumps and felt like leaving the room.

"Creeped" - What It Really Means

ezralimm — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:36 +0800

http://ezralimm.blogspot.com/2009/03/creeped.html

Guys! i've just made another post on my blog and realized that it is really quite relevant to Cupids Corner.
one day i've got to integrate all the Face The Truth™ pieces together... but till then I think im going to let this topic stand on it's on thread.

Feedback is welcome.

QUOTE

Humans are hypocrites by nature. They all want to believe that they are doing the right thing, and twist the truth as much as they can to feel good about themselves. In no other aspect of life is this more apparent than in the game of love.

Have you ever wondered why some really pretty girls appear to be arrogant? They avoid eye contact and may even shrug you off if you try to chat them up. Ok, not all pretty girls are like that but you know what Im talking about. At the end of the day, many of them are "creeped" out by random guys approaching them. SO what does it mean to be "creeped"?

"Creeped" is the natural human response to being approached by potential partners who are perceived (even subconsciously) to be of an unacceptable standard (too unattractive). The pretty girls who have a wide selection of guys who want to date them thus have a higher standard by default, and are hence more likely to be creeped when approached by a random average Joe. It's very politically incorrect to say this, but being "creeped" is simply natures way of telling you not to potentially reproduce/make_babies with inferior genetic material. For guys chasing girls, good genetic material means shapely tall, fertile hourglass bodies. For girls chasing guys, good genetic material means a reasonably buff physique (from good nutrition/exercise), success, and social dominance in life. Social dominance is invariably tied to money in the modern world.

For example: All girls like to tell themselves that they are going to settle for a "nice" guy. But have you ever considered that girls only notice the "niceness" of the so called "nice" guys who are reasonably financially stable and physically attractive? If a "nice" guy who's reasonably good looking and financially stable shows interest in a girl (short 2s eye contact and a small smile), she is likely to reciprocate... but if a poor, short, ugly-as-fvck, shy, pushover kinda guy shows the exact same interest in a girl (short 2 s eye contact and a small smile).. she would be "creeped out" - even IF the second guy has a much nicer, more humble personality. This prevents a person from empathizing with people whom are perceived to be genetically inferior. Empathy is the foundation of any relationship.

Everybody wants a "nice" partner. But will only empathize and realize the "niceness" of others who are attractive. Many set their standards too high and will eventually have to settle for less...and start noticing the "niceness" of people they have not previously considered. This group of people tend to "fall in love" as they approach 30... They tell themselves that they settled for someone "nice"... but face it... many of them could not have done any better and had settled for less. Spend enough time with someone (even if you dont find them attractive initially) and chances are you will start to notice the "niceness" in them...

Let's not be sexist. Being creeped applies to guys as well. Last summer a half drunk woman started coming on to me, pushing her shoulders together to emphasize her cleavage and pouting her lips trying to look cute as she approached and tried to rub against me... I'm not a very attractive guy and that was the first time anyone has come on to me like that. Good for me? NO! She looked like she had been beaten with an ugly stick. I swear that I nearly threw up. I got goosebumps and felt like leaving the room.

(minor personal reflection and artwork in blog link)

THE Real Reason Why There Are So Many Singles

ezralimm — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:53:56 +0800

Disclaimer: This article applies to the FIRST STEP IN THE DATING PROCESS only.

Yes, love involves alot more than raw attraction - clicking on a mental and emotional level is also a big part of love and dating. That said, if you dont get past the first step, you will not have the opportunity to click on the mental/emotional level.

Have you ever wondered why in most first world secular countries, birthrates are low and there are more singles than in developing countries? They dress more freely, fvck around more, and sex is not taboo. Yet birthrates are falling and many people stay single till their late 20s. I came across this article on alt-net. It suggests that everyone has a standard that they would find acceptable before they would be considered as a potential partner. The constant bombardment of perfect female bodies by the media has made that standard in men go up and up and up. As a result, the majority of men would find it very difficult to get with a woman that they find reasonably attractive. This hurts the ladies as well - because few ladies would ever have figures that would be able to compete with those portrayed by the media. Hence, it is the beautiful/attractive people who generally get together in their late teens / early 20s. The majority of people get together later in life out of desperation - or when they realize that they cannot do any better and settle for less than their ideal (ie. the ideal that has been portrayed by the media). These people usually tell themselves (make excuses to feel better about themselves) that that they were focusing on their studies or they had not found "the one" or that they are leaving things to fate etc etc.

Yeah yeah, we all want someone who has a "nice" personality and character. But...

Human beings are by design, strongly biased to notice the "nice" characteristics of other attractive human beings. This is particularly true in the realm of dating. It applies both ways to men and women alike. Men will notice how 'nice' the pretty/proportionate/hourglass/hot women much more readily then they would towards the ugly/disproportionate women. The women will notice all the nice things about the socially_dominant(ie. rich)/thriving/buff/tall men much more readily than they would towards the weak/poor/scrawny/short men.

Let's not be sexist. It works both ways too.

Summary for Men:
1) Men are exposed to images of incredibly attractive women all the time.
2) They are unlikely to ever stand a chance with said attractive women.
3) They take time to lower their standards and settle for women who are willing to have them.

Summary for Women:
1) Women are exposed to the idea that an attractive man will one day ask them out.
2) That is unlikely to ever happen as the attractive men are likely to have a partner already.
3) They take time to lower their standards and settle for men who dont think they can do any better.

Why This Is Important For People Who Cant Seem To Get A Date On A Friday Night

Once a single MAN realizes the importance of raw attractiveness* in the game of love, there are two realistic options.
1) You can work to increase your attractiveness - to thrive in the game of LIFE. You will need to build up their career, confidence and charisma. If you are too physically unattractive (ie. obese or scrawny), you will need to hit the gym.
-- OR --
2) You will have to lower your expectations/standard and ask a less attractive person out.

Once a single LADY realizes the importance of raw attractiveness* in the game of love, there are two realistic options.
1) You can increase your attractiveness - Get fit and look fertile (ie. have proportionate hourglass figures). A glowing complexion comes from good nutrition and plenty of beauty sleep.
-- OR --
2) You will have to lower your expectations/standard and go out with the less attractive guy who has been trying to court you but you have shrugged away time and time again.

*social dominance for men. proportionate bodies for women.

http://www.alternet.org/story/93861/why_i_...ty/?page=entire
Full article from Alt-net below:

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Logitech Dinovo Keyboard For Notebooks

ezralimm — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 06:42:53 +0800

\

I am about to get this keyboard.

I REALLY need to know if there is key blocking when the wasd keys are pressed simultaneously with spacebar.

1) hold down W and A.
2) press Space.

Does the space register?

Repeat for W D, A S and S D.

Cheers!

What do you talk about...?

ezralimm — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:58:50 +0800

Imagine you are hanging out with a rreally really pretty girl with a nice personality (not arrogant like some hot biatches).

Problem is, she is from a different race, culture, religion and upbringing. Heck, she is even from a foreign country.

Ok, you both speak English as your mother tongue,... but other than that you really have nothing in common (!)

Any ideas on what to talk about? She is very friendly but there just doesnt seem to be much to say...