I just began playing around with Photoshop CS4 Extended. The only problem I find is the software developers like to play around with our minds and like windows vista they changed the layout around so it is completely different and there is just no sense to it. I say they should keep it all uniform the �file� should always be in the far left hand side and help should always be in the far right hand side.

Photoshop CS4 includes: Revoluntionary 3D painting and compositing, adjustments panel, masks panel, extended depth of field, auto-alignment of layers, aut-blending of images, more powerful printing options, 3D object and editing, fluid canvas rotation, smoother panning and zooming, content aware scaling, enhanced motion graphics editting, etter raw image processing, industry leading color correction, plus more to suit your palette!

Comment! (6) | Recommend! | Categories: Photoshop [t], design [t]

バリアーフリー is �barrier free� it is used to mean �accessable for wheelchairs�. They are applying this to the sidewalk, fine make it more accessable but wait a moment. What do they mean by �barrier free�? They cut down all the trees and pull up all the bushes, which by the way were not in the way because there was plenty of room to get a wheelchair or even for two to pass. Making the sidewalk a little more smoother to help wheelchairs to get by easier maybe ok but still there was no reason to cut down all the trees and pull up all the bushes. So why did they cut down the trees? To get their work trucks to pass on the sidewalks more easily. This is like why did they widen the paths in the garden for? To get the tractor through so they can plant/harvest faster and produce more volume. I can think of a number of solutions, 1. use the road for their trucks, or 2. use smaller machines, or 3. manual labor. So I am sure they say well we cannot cause problems for traffic, small machines or manual labor are just too much work = lazy workers. I have seen entire roads built by hand in some countries and I don�t see why they can�t do it in anywhere else, I believe being developed doesn�t make the excuse. Many countries, like China divert roads to go around trees just because they want to preserve them and not cut them down. The tree has been there longer than us and could be there long after we are gone. Don�t they realize how hot it gets on a a black asphalt sidewalk in the summer? I wonder what they(we) are going breathe when all the trees are gone?

Comment! (2) | Recommend! | Categories: Japanese [t], language [t]

The Zhuang are China痴 largest minority group and they mainly reside in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, west of Guangdong province, east of Yunnan and borders Vietnam. A great number of the Zhuang live in villages in the mountainous areas, specifically in the western two thirds of Guangxi. The Zhuang may also be found in most of Guangxi痴 major cities, in each case making up to a third of the population while the remaining live in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Hunan Provinces.

The Zhuang are an offshoot of a Thai-related people group that over 2,000 years ago who existed over a large area of Southern China. The Zhuang probably emigrated from the south in Vietnam. Archaeological remains in Bai-lian Dong near Liu-zhou and Zhen-pi Yan near Guilin have turned up burial sites with burial styles common not to China but to Vietnam. These burial styles also suggest a relationship between the Zhuang and the Haobinhian (9000-5600 BC) and Bacsonian (8300-5900 BC) cultures of Vietnam.

For more information on the Zhuang and for an introduction to the learning of the Zhuang language please see the Iroha Project blog at http://www.projecth2o.org/irohaproject

Hear and compare languages here:
http://www.projecth2o.org/irohaproject/2008/08/26/mandarin-bai-hua-cantonese-southern-zhuang

Comment! (0) | Recommend! | Categories: Zhuang [t], linguistics [t]

I have a thought of what to do about in order to better prepare oneself for the worst in these days of employment lay-offs. Imagine working for a company for 5, 15 or 25 years and all of a sudden you get laid-off. Some people make a big mistake when they start a job, they think that they can stay with it forever. This is a big mistake because there is not such thing as a job for life. Returning to my original scenario suppose you are working for a company for 15 years and then suddenly you get laid-off, how do you feel? There will be obvious feelings of angry, guilt etc etc imagine how hard it would be to find a new job, re-train, feed oneself, a family, fuel a car, pay rent/morgage etc etc all without any income comming in. A job can stop but the rest of the things just continue to feel like you are being inondated by a flood of bills, which in some cases will become more expensive throughout the year. Therefore, I think that in order to prepare oneself for the worst it is a good idea to say once a year at the minimum or as many times as you like (of course the more the better) to get out your resume and re-write a few drafts, subscribe to a few employment websites find a job you like and apply for it, write a cover letter and send it in. Once you are home and on your own time no one can say you cannot apply for a job while working. What better time to find a new job is NOW before you get laid-off and NOT after. The point is the world is changing, the job search world is not the same as it was 25 years ago you need to keep up keep your resume refreshed. I don�t think it is necessary to go out and retrain but it doesn�t do any harm if you have the time. It does not have to take time to get online, go through the newspapers, which you probably do already at work and when you find a job description you like then attack it and re-write your resume and covering letter. If you get the interview I am not saying you have to accept it either - it�s up to you. If you can get a day off work to do the interview? If you do and you do get the job it is again up to you to accept the job or decline. One thing is important is doing your research about the current job market and other companies, exploring your interests and practising your current resume writing skills. I like to be prepared for the worst so the worst does not catch me off guard too much. I am always researching new companies, job search strategies, my interests including discovering new ones, learning new skills and practising my resume writing skills. I have applied to a few but at this time I can happily say is ok when I am turned down something that is a little bit more difficult to do when you have no job and are desprite. Fortunately, I do not know anyone who has lost their job but it can be very difficult when it all happens and you have no where to turn too.

Comment! (0) | Recommend! | Categories: unemployment [t], employment [t], lay-offs [t]