As the dates close towards the final examinations of the year, I must say I become rather busy. Fortunately, there is something to look forward to. As you may have noticed, ViperFusion uses Graymatter fo the weblog/scoop. We are intending to make way for Moveable Type, a more functional program that allows multiple scoop/log entries, more user flexibility and so on. The whole site will be incorporated into this program. Oof, heavy duty renovations in way in summer when our webdesigners return to HK HQ from SARS free countries.

20 years after an unbelievable career, Michael Jordan, who was named ¡§the 20th greatest American sportsman¡¨ and arguably the best basketball player ever, retired the third time on 17th April, 2003 after his final game in Philadelphia. He insisted that he will make another comeback as ¡§his body feels it¡¨. Most of reporters and his fans around the world, including me, believe that he means it this time.

Here is the ¡§Final Jordan Video Tribute¡¨ from the official website of the Chicago Bulls. Click ‘more’ to read on!
……

SARS is truly taking its toll upon the local populace. Today, I encountered 3 situations where individuals or groups of people were arguing over triflings. They were spread over the course of the day too.

In the morning, I was in Deep Water Bay. The place was crowded because everyone was bored out of their wits and wanted to go to a nice, quiet place place. Obviously, everyone was thinking the same way… The parking lots were full and the cars were lined up along the side of the road. “Get out of there, I got here first!”. A woman was screaming at the top of her voice – attracting a lot of attention. The target man got out of his car and replied, rather sullenly, “Hey, I didn’t complain for the first couple of minutes, why do you persist?”. The woman continued and blasted away. I scuttled down to the barbeque site where I would be out of the cross fire. The last thing I glimpsed was another man approaching the now 2 split crowds with a long, thick stick.

At the same moment, as I walked briskly down the footpath, a father and son couple were faced with 2 park rangers. The child carried a small bicycle. “Are you threatening me?” asked the father, rather loudly. The world must be going nuts I thought. The rangers were just doing their job telling them that bikes aren’t allowed in the country park. The world is going nuts. After my walk around the tranquil seaside path, I went back to the carpark for the aftermath. 2 police cars and an ambulance were parked on the road. The man who held the stick was nowhere to be seen.

I went swimming in the afternoon. Kids were splashing about their pathetic freestyle strokes. A man climbed ashore and shouted, “Quit your idiotic splashing about and stay away from me! You know about the SARS?”. Well, it would be OK if he just said it, but why scream?

Heck, what a bad day to be outside.

The will of God… as some people would say has struck the world. In light of recent news, there has been an absence of political leadership (George Bush); an increase in violence, crime; severe weather changes (The monster typhoon Kujira just on the Pacific Ocean); war (Iraq) and pestilence (SARS). Call this post paranoid and that is a just name. Call it God’s will and you may well be a paranoid yourself.

One thing is clear. We dug this hole ourselves as a shelter and as a safe haven. Now the rains come and we must climb out lest we be flooded. We dug to stay dry. We wage wars in the name of peace. We have done this countless times. When will we learn to forgive? When will we learn to love?

Terence here…haven’t posted up anything for quite sometime. Members of ViperFusion, what have you people been doing during the holidays due to the SARS?
I believe that many of you stayed at home mostly studying. But what else do you do besides studying? What do you do during your free time? Would you call that holiday meaningful?
Lol, I remember the last time I posted up a survey only 2 or 3 people replied. Hmm…I wonder how many this time? I’m looking forward for more replies….

Since leaving my international school home, I have been craving to find a source where people speak real english. Recenly, I found it. Classic FM of the United Kingdom. It broadcasts classical music throughout the day as well as hourly newsfeeds. Of course, you can also visit BBC radio. These broadcasts are available in the ‘radio’ section of your Windows Media Player. Of course, you may also check these links out.

[Classic FM] [BBC News]

Microsoft, the most dominating computer software giant in the world, wishes to try a new method to obliterate the ‘pirated software’ problem. It claims that original copies of Windows XP have a major security problem and the only solution is to download a Service Package which is almost 30MB-143MB from its homepage. It is interesting that starting from Win95, almost every version of Windows required so many so called “major updates” so as to “protect you computer better”. Have you ever heard UNIX require many security updates? How about the people who still use a 56Kps dial-up service? Does it mean that programmers working in Microsoft are less talented leading to poor software quality? It cannot help people but start to suspend the reason behind this regular update habit, especially as there are many people jealous of Bill Gates at this moment.

If one of the reasons of this persuasive update is to eliminate pirate software, it will not work at all. If one wishes, one can always find dozens of programs to solve almost all software protection problems. A special ‘SP’ can be installed in the pirated Windows XP and the Windows Protection Key can be generated and changed.

Hence, it is still not convincing enough for those “professional” pirate software users to begin to use legal copies.

As panic sets into Hong Kong, people are losing their senses. Just today or yesterday, someone was diagnosed to have the deadly virus that is keeping everyone off the streets. The problem was that he did not tell the doctor who diagnosed him he was from the worst stricken part of Hong Kong – Amoy Gardens. Now the virus has been passed to the doctor and possibly many others who s/he shared a ward with during examinations. Is the fear of being quarantined so great that it leads people to such disasterous decisions?

“Live to eat, eat to live”

These are the words to live by. Our lives simpily try to ensure our survival. We live to eat and we eat to live. This recursive relationship lasts our lifetime and there is no retreat from it. Food is our salvation, without which we will surely die. We go to schools to learn skills that will bring us money, we work for money. Money seems to be king until you realise it’s all for a simple thing – food. Monks need food, priests need food and saints ate. There is no escape from this reality. Those who do not live by food can hence be deemed immortal. It is a sorry thing indeed to have thought of this during such catastrophic times.

Last night, a pop star, actor and director Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing committed suicide in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Central. It is really very sad. It makes me think of what happened when I was form 7. A form 4 girl who studied in the same secondary school with me also chose to end her life by committing suicide. Everyone was upset. Her friends blame themselves because they couldn’t share the sadness of her when she was alive. Her teachers blame themselves because they couldn’t notice the emotional problems of the girl. Her mother is heartbroken because she has lost her beloved daughter forever.

I know it is tough to survive in this ever-changing society. However, does death really mean the ending of all the sadness and problems? Nobody knows how the world for the dead looks likes. All we can do is to treasure what you have now. Please treasure your breathing. Treasure the people you love and those who love you.