No really, how IS Trono?

Toronto island, seen from the CN tower. If you look carefully, you can see a small regional aircraft taking off.

Honestly, this has been one of the most challenging, fun, yet bittersweet weeks ever. We've got plenty to show for it. But also a week where I've had to grow up ten years. There's been a very unexpected and unpleasant twist. But, there's something muy special that I'm looking forward to next week...

So, how's Trono?

After playing cat and mouse with Rogers wireless for over a week, I've given in to the fact that if you haven't paid for something (5c/kb for iPhones and Blackberries), trying to fool your ISP into thinking you're not a smart phone and getting the $7/month unlimited data special will give you this screen 50% of the time, and the other 50% of the time the relief of being able to surf and tether to your heart's content. Just don't let your iPhone go to sleep. Or reboot your iphone (/private/var/root will disappear, erasing the proxy.pac file). Or let the wind blow the wrong way. Or even pass wind. IT WILL STOP WORKING!

Don't make discretionary donations

On many occasions, whether at supermarkets, restaurants or department stores, I've been asked (while paying my bill) to make a discretionary $1 donation to a named charity. Not wanting to look like a stingy b**tard, I've always complied, as the cashier's always been within earshot of other customers.

Jacquie, my friend in Toronto, explained why this is a bad idea: the company in question always takes a tax deduction on their customer's contributions: it's more often than not free money for them at no expense.

Better, ask for details of the charity (eg the website), and donate at home if you're really interested. Then claim the tax deduction for yourself.

And if you dine at Pizza Express in the UK, resist the urge to donate a discretionary 25p to the "Veneziana fund". Unless you were born in Venice.

Sunrise, Oakville

Sunrise over Lake Ontario, Canada
Waves. Geese. Seagulls. Joggers on the track. View of downtown Toronto and the CN tower. No internet access. Maybe it's better that way.

Buy electricity stocks

There's certainly been plenty of fuss in the press lately about investment in Green energy. From Solar panels with 60% efficiency (something that my Uncle, a PhD in photon physics has been investigating) to algae-covered roofing, to the hybrid wars (Toyota still carries the flag), to Bolivia proclaiming itself the new "Saudi Arabia of Lithium" (thanks Peter Day!).

It seems that propulsion of passenger vehicles will, in the United States at least, continue by fossil fuel. There might be a higher transition rate to hybrid vehicles, and, if GM gets its way, a renaissance (can't believe why people think Electric Vehicles are a new thing - they are not!) of EVs. Pure Electric Vehicles will be charged overnight, or, through some amazing induction system, in under 10 minutes at a gas station. However, the electricity will originate from fossil fuels. In France, this electricity might originate from Nuclear power.

Thus we'll see an increase in demand for electricity, and an increase in the demand for oil.

Notice that the stocks of many electricity companies have been creeping up over the past 6 months. Huge demand (both peak and off-peak (off-peak will cease to exist by 2012, as everyone plugs in his car at night creating a surge around 3am)) will mean that electricity companies will increase their prices (not wanting a 2001-style California fiasco). The government will be forced to deregulate the industry, and re-assess the "utilities" as commodities.

My thoughts: CALL OPTIONS ON ELECTRICITY COMPANIES ARE UNDER-PRICED.


WARNING: Not related to Electricity! :)
---------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Internet access will shift towards being a utility. Sorry, AT&T and all of you dark-fibered dinosaurs. You should have seen this coming. Also, AT&T, you ought to grow up. "Hang up when you have finished leaving your voicemail" is so 1930s. This is the age of Twitter for heaven's sake.

Which begs the question, why on earth is ak on Blogger?

I'm back

It's been a long (and I mean LONG) summer. I don't have much time to write, as I'm on the road next week, but here are some highlights of the fun parts of the summer, in pictures:




Moved to the new house on May 01, 2009.
In the San Carlos hills.





Judy visited in June from Manchester. Adnan visited on business for most of June and all of July.



My sister visited for all of July, and made many new friends in the Bay Area. Here she is with her 2 bothers, I mean brothers




The party, previous to Tasneem's return to France. She invited all her new friends to the party. From TOP to BOTTOM: (tip - use the top edge of a window to track the person against the list below, if you're confused!)

Sean
Alam
Adnan
Borden
Andrew
Alberto
JJ
Victoria
Cathy
Julia Marie (Cutie)
Audrey
Tasneem
Norissa
Min Xuan
Michaelangelo (Cutie)
Vahe
Konstantin
Johnny (Ace photographer)






The purpose of my trip to Europe was a visit to Hamburg, to attend Jan and Khong Bee's spectacular wedding. I met both of them in 2006, and they subsequently met in Singapore in 2007. Magic always happens in Singapore! This was my third trip to Hamburg. I visited with Rohini, KB's friend from Melbourne, who now lives in London. I was very honoured to give a speech at the wedding - in German. Thanks to my friend Christine, who lives in Bandah Aceh. She helped me practice over Skype in my hotel (the "Zleep Hotel") room. Fifty years ago, such associations would not have been possible.




While in the UK, I visited my dear friend Colette, and my dear friend Karen managed to come. I had not seen Karen since 2005. Annie, Colette's daughter, will be attending the University of Chicago to read Philosophy this year.





While in the UK, I managed to see Claire, Gavin and Arwen. Here's a picture of Arwen, now 2 years old, at the lake.



I spent considerable time on the London Underground.
Note, the Underground is a subway system, and not a political movement.
This photo was taken at about 0540, on my way back to Heathrow airport.



While in the UK, I also managed to meet my dear friend from High school, Shantu. Shantu now lives in Cardiff, and is a cardiologist. Here is Shantu with his year old son, Saurav (aka Señor Mario Gonzales).

Not every day that your friend gets NYTed!

Chapeau! to the amazing Niko.

Niko and Uyen's wedding