Author: Tony Tam
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Fun Math Game To Play Anywhere
Neat game to teach addition and subtraction We agree on difference of 2. Kate: (hides a certain number of fingers) Me: It’s less than how many fingers? Kate: 6 Me: you’ve got 4 fingers! Kate: yup Me: ( I hide my fingers ) Kate: It’s more than how many fingers? Me: 7 Kate: You’ve got…
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Neat game to teach addition and subtraction to 4 year olds
First, we agree on difference of 2. Kate: (hides a certain number of fingers) Me: It’s less than how many fingers? Kate: 6 Me: you’ve got 4 fingers! Kate: yup Me: ( I hide my fingers ) Kate: It’s more than how many fingers? Me: 7 Kate: You’ve got 9 fingers! Me: Yeah! As they…
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Saturday at the SF Ferry with Kate
I love Saturdays at the SF Ferry Building, afterwards, we hit the farmer’s market in Castro Valley for some live electric guitar. Food, coffee, flowers, live music, suntan, people 🙂 Life is good on Saturdays. Kate enjoying a piece of bread from The Acme Bread Company while running circles around me Kate and I take …
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Run: Castro Valley, am I in Japan?
Finally after hurting my foot running along the canals of Paris, I’m healed and back on my training for the SF 1/2 marathon end of July. I decided to run over to the Japanese Garden in Hayward. It’s an amazing garden in the middle of nowhere in Hayward. Once you are inside, you feel like…
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Profile Of a Typical Yahoo! Engineer
The Typical Yahoo! Engineer from this point known as Y!E. (this is all my personal ramblings, if it doesn’t fit you, sorry.. it fits me) Y!E is someone who drools when his needs to design his software to work for 30 millions users. Potentially growing at 40% every year. Y!E designs software with no upper…
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I should be able to live until 92 years old
The Life Expectancy calculator tells me I’m suppose to leave this earth when I’m 92, year 2052. Do I really want to live that long? It even tells me how to live even longer by drinking tea instead of coffee. Secret to longevity is more push-ups 🙂 The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator…
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Spending The Night At Yahoo!
Tonight I don’t feel like driving home. I’m here with my 2 pillows and the Yahoo! blanket we got for 2003 Christmas. I’ll be spending the night trying to catch up on some work. It feels strangely very comforting to be here. Yahoo! has been like my 2nd home for the last 5 years. I…
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I’m becoming a driving softy
I’ve recently been using the public transportation a lot. I take the BART from the east bay to SF then take the CalTrains into work in Sunnyvale. On weekends, I would take the BART with Kate all over the Bay Area. We have time to actually talk, draw, read or just fool around. It’s been…
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DVD Review: Final Cut – your entire life recorded on a microchip
Would you live your life differently if you knew that your entire life was being recorded by a microchip in your brain? When you die, people might get access to watch your entire life thru your eyes? This movie made me really think about whether I would do things differently if I would ultimately be…
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Never ending bug list
I currently have 280 bugs assigned to me with priority 1,2,3 I don’t think I’ll ever finish the list. A lot of them are just little annoying bugs.. But if they’ve been in the queue for 1-2 years, probably no one cares any more. One day I’ll clean up this list, get rid of the…
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Kate and Tai Chi
Why the squid face? Pissed off at Dad Kate used to do Tai Chi with me, just the first 9 movements, when she was 2 years old. Recently I think I haven’t kept it up so she’s given up on me. Time for me to brush up on my 24 movements and get her interested…
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Father’s day at Santa Cruz
Father’s day turned out be to more than just Kate and Me at the Broadwalk. My entire family came along and I’m glad they did. My bro-in law rented a van and the 6 of us hopped in and off we went. We got there at 9:45 and Kate and headed immediately to the beach,…
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No pain no gain: it’s time for handstand pushups
My foot has been hurting for the last 2 weeks and I have not been able to run. I’m getting really depressed lately but I couldn’t run to counteract it. I’m trying a new exercise: handstand pushups. Pretty funny that most of the people doing it are kung fu fanatics (which I’m not) I just…
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best hot dog anywhere: Top Dog
If you are within 30 miles of Berkeley anytime of the night (b4 2am) and you have the cravings for hot dogs, drop by Top Dog in Berkeley (7 reviews Y! Local). My favorite, Hot Link (beef with 4 kinds of peppers) grilled, in grilled crunchy sesame buns. Fresh onions. (People rave about the fact…
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Love the rain, don’t like the heat
I don’t like the heat. On a very hot day, I joked with Kate (my 4 year old) one day that I’m going melt under the heat. She got concerned that I’ll just disappeared one day. That is when Angie jumped in and taught Kate about metaphores. I am working at home today, decided to…
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push ups: 2,000 in 24 hours reached
I’ve hurt my foot recently and have not been able to run for a while. So I’ve started shooting for the 2,000 mark in push ups. 1,500 was reached on May 10th, 1,000 was reached April 22nd, 500 was reached March 02 Push up Log for June 6th 100 7:37 am 200 8:00 am 300…
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push ups: 2,000 in 24 hours reached (archive from 2005)
Archived from the Wayback machine of my Yahoo! 360 blog I’ve hurt my foot recently and have not been able to run for a while. So I’ve started shooting for the 2,000 mark in push ups. 1,500 was reached on May 10th, 1,000 was reached April 22nd, 500 was reached March 02 Push up Log…
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Kate: the 2nd year: Languages
First I would like to thank craigslist for helping us find all of our French and Japanese babysitters. Kate is blessed with the gift of language early in her life. Angie and I both speak Mandarin at home, and so Kate’s mother tongue is Mandarin. When she was 1 years old, we hired a babysitter…
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Kate: the first year: diet
Angie took the red pill: She started reading the Super Baby Food book and she decided that we will be making all of Kate’s food ourselves. I was lazy and didn’t read the book but the basic principle was that you want lots of colors in the food you give your baby. There are about…
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My heroes
Sam – for his positive attitude towards life. Always looking at the funny side of things. For his love of bicycling and exercise. For his dedication to his family Dennis Yu – For his obvious love and passion of running. His love of the science behind running Dean Karnazes – his book inspired me to…
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Juliette Binoche: you can’t go wrong with her movies
I saw the 1992 movie Damage by Juliette Binoche and Jeremy Irons, about a man who becomes romantically and obsessively involved with his son’s fiancee. The ending was not good for both of them of course. I guess movies have to teach moral lessons. In real life does infidelty really end up so tragically and…
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Kate: the first year: Night time potty training and reading
I’ve gotten a few questions about how we handled the night time potty training. It’s going to get crazier. Kate has always been a good sleeper, she goes to bed at around 6:00pm and doesn’t wake up until the next morning at 6 or 7am. Every evening at around 10:00pm, I would go into her…
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Kate: the first year: Elimination/potty training
Kate is 4 years old now, I’m ready to finally share with the world about how Angie and I decided to raise her. Our choices and methods are extreme and it caused us a lot of isolation with other parents, but it was all worth it. When Kate was 3 month old, Angie and I…
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Kate: having fun traveling
It was not an easy trip for her. Jet lag, grumpy parents, long walks during metro transfer, parents who want to walk thru Amsterdam without a stroller.. but I think she had a blast eating her way thru both Paris and Amsterdam.
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Last night in Paris
Hobbled on a bad foot over to the Eifel Tower, had a crepe, stood in the rain and soaked up Paris. Then walked along the Seine to Place de Concord, and watched Star Wars. hee, wonderful end to the vacation Hobble Log: 3 miles
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Travel: Why I belong in Amsterdam
My new favorite city to live is now Amsterdam Everyone rides their bicycles here, the ratio is close to 1-to-1 I can almost run as fast as bikes so I can be in the bike lanes most of the time running. I scared this dad riding his daughter today when I chased him The city…
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Travel: Amsterdam city for the young at heart
Guys and gals, for a sinful week of fun and food, you must come to Amsterdam. This city is lively, everyone speaks English, it’s a very relaxed and opened environment (open prostitution, open gay marriages, legalized drugs). When we got to Amsterdam from Paris, it was only an hour’s flight. We got some fresh juice,…
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Travel: “Only in Amsterdam”
I’m getting ready to leave for Amsterdam and the Let’s go Amsterdam guide book has a section named Only in Amsterdam Commercial Sex “Window prostituion, which grew out of the practice of prostitutes showing off their goods from the front windows of private houses, was officially legalized in 1911 and in 2000, the law outlawing…
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Paris Running: St. Martin Canals
I’m so tired today. It’s glorious weather in Paris at 82 degrees. This is my last full day Paris, I’ll be heading to Amsterdam tomorrow. So I decided to squeeze in a run to see the lower part of the canals (St. Martin, see Y! Image) I ran 3.6 km then the heat really got…
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How to discipline a 4 year old
We are traveling in Paris with kate, my 4 year old daughter, I need some advice. 1) She likes to ask ‘why’ endlessly I can’t get a moment of peace. And she would either ask the same ‘why’ question to something I’ve already answer or she would follow an answer with another ‘why’ 2) She…
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Paris Running: Pain au Chocolat, Canals, Sacre Couer
Running and eating my way through Paris. This morning I started running at 5:30am cause I knew I wanted a long run. Picked up the best pain au chocolat in Paris, saw the best view of Paris at Sacre Coeur, then the best running route along the canals. The St. Martin canal is a must…
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Why do I run and do the crazy things I do?
Recently some people have been asking me why the hell did I start running and dress in running shorts all the time? Why did I do the crazy push-ups? I don’t know why I felt ashamed to admit it before. This is no shame, nothing wrong with what I have. I’ve been diagnosed with depression…
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Run: From Yahoo To (evil) Fry’s
Fry’s is evil, they tempt you with candy when you check out. But sometimes you need to go inside, there’s no way around it. I needed to buy a SD PCMCIA card reader today before I leave for vacation on Saturday. So I decided to run over to Fry’s. I wasn’t sure I could make…
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The name of the widest pasta: pappardelle
I’ve always liked wide, flat pasta. I haven’t cooked in 3 years, and pasta with fresh herbs is my favorite. Today I had a craving for it but I didn’t know where to go for fresh pasta. So, when I passed by 4th and Harrison, I dropped by Whole Foods (1/2 block from my loft)…
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Finished first ever Bay To Breakers (0:58:54, place #752!!)
Update: Official finish time is 0:58:54, place #752!! (I’m in the Fun Runners division). Some photo proofs they took while I was running Out of 31,246 people, 751 came in faster than I did in the entire race. I’m very proud that after only 3 months of semi-intense running and having never done any running…
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Food fit for a king
Just came back from the SF Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. Now this is what you call a meal for a king. Strawberries, mint leaves, cherries, apricot, asparagus, honey yogurt, pistachio nut, honey glazed walnuts, apple turnover, costata, cherry krisp (from Fog Hollow Farms) For breakfast I had some very yummie honey yorgurt from Saint Benoît…
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Kate: a happy child
When someone asks me how Kate (my 4 year old) is doing, the first word that always come out of my mouth is ‘she is very happy’. It’s pretty amazing that this kid is always happy. Very little gets her down. When she and I get into our disagreements, it takes me half a day…
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Menlo Park: a different world
Tonight I took the train to Menlo Park to pick up a used jogger stroller for Kate. First time in the city, didn’t know what to expect. I was surprised at how huge the houses were!! They were like mansions, all with gates and walls. This is unreal. I was running thru the city and…
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It’s official, I’m crazy: 1,500 push ups in 12 hours
Ok, you knew it would happen one day. I’ve lost my mind. Ever since I started this fitness craze and started doing 500 push ups, 1,000 push ups, you knew the day would come when I would try 1,500. Well today was it. I just finished 1,500 push ups tonight! When I’ve tried for it…
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Geeks talking about money
Our lunchtime conversation often revolves around money because money is important part of life and one of the reasons why we work so hard. It’s one of the factors that society uses to judge men and how successful they are. In today’s stocks market and realestate market in the bay area, where would you invest…
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I hope Firefox != IE in 3 years
Given the large number of extensions available for firefox I’m surprised it has not been hacked more often. If you read the following story and replace Firefix with IE and replace Foundation with Microsoft, it’s kinda funny. Y! News Story: Crtical Flaw Found in Firefox There isn’t anymore loyalty towards browsers any more. I’ll use…
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run: Hayes Ashbury
I had no plans for this Saturday’s run so I just let it flow. Here was the route and it turned out to be really enjoyable. Folsom & 4th to Market & Larkin Log: 1.5 mile Run thru the Civic Center Plaza under the row of trees. Log .4 mile along Fell to Ashbury Log:…
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Nightmare on Caltrain Street
It’s one of those nights that I want to forget. I took the 7pm Caltrains to SF last night. The machine validator for the 10-ride ticket at Mountain View station was broken so I thought I’ll just get it validated on the train. At the San Carlos station, the people checking the tickets were in…
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Freedom Of Running
Google Map: My parents’ house to Dublin Bart I’ve been busy with the Y! News launch last week, have not updated my run log. Running really gives me a lot of freedom to go anywhere I want without having to drive or carry around a bike and helmet. I have very traditional chinese parents who…
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A Good Engineer == A Lazy Engineer
Software engineers are usually called upon to solve problems that involve large numbers. large number of machines large number of text to search large number of page views large number of users In order to be an efficient software engineer, you must always keep in mind to be lazy. Ask yourself, what is the easiest…
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Race: Cable Car Chase 2005
Finished the ANA Cable Car Chase this Sunday morning. Highlights: We didn’t get to really chase the cable cars, just chase a looked alike on rubber wheels. The biggest 10-12 block hill I’ve ever experienced on California from Drumm to Larkin, almost everyone near my pace level were walking the hills, it was a sad…
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A Retrospective On 6 Years Of Yahoo! News
I joined Yahoo! in May of 1999. I had my pick of either Y! News or Y! Sweepstakes. Lucky for me, I picked Y! News Very soon, we are about to launch biggest redesign of Yahoo! News ever and I wanted to look back at what I remember of the history. As I understood it…
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Plans Don’t Always Work Out As Planned….
(I was running with the silver Axio backpack) I’m commuting from SF by cal trains nowadays whenever I don’t need to drive Kate. Yahoo has a shuttle that picks up from Mountain View and gets to the campus 24 minutes after the train arrives. That’s not a bad deal until one day they never showed…
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Sneaking In A Run Anywhere I Can
On Mondays I drive Kate to her French school at French for Fun in Lafayette and then I work in Starbucks until she is done. This morning I’m in my running shorts and running top and I sneaked in a run to the Lafayette Reservoir. I ran up the reservoir, lots of housewifes in walking…
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New Favorite Running Route In SF
I’m sorry to say, Google Maps satellite view is really cool Today’s long run is my favorite route yet. California Street has 2 huge hills that made me really fall in love with SF as a running city. Just as my legs were burning from running uphill, the switch comes and I get a nice…
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Who Wakes Up The Earliest In Downtown SF?
I started running today at 5:20am down Ellis and Polk and to my surprise the prostitutes were already awake and working. I saw a total of eight along my run. When I ran back from Union and Polk one of the girls already got into a Taxi yelling her destination to the other girls. I…
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Running: Trails Of Castro
One guy at Best Buy asked me what I did for fun on the weekend, I said I ran for fun. I run because I can run and the longer I run the happier I am. Saturday I did my 6 mile training route to russian hills, along battery street and back to yerba brena…
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Chest muscles have healed, pushups, pushups come to me
It’s back, the pushup craze. My muscles have healed like I thought it would after the last fiasco when I torned my muscles. Here is a more sane version of 1,000 pushup in 24 hours, d0ing 50 reps and spread it over time. This time I didn’t tear the muscles. Next milestone : 1,500
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Running routes over the weekend
Over the weekend I was feeling down. Ran to Coit Tower twice following the north beach route. On Saturday morning I ran there once, the hill was a challenge. Then on Sunday morning I ran around downtown. on Sunday night I was insomniac and I started running around 4:00am, very creepy along the trail going…
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What I Want For Yahoo! News
Yahoo! News is among the top 3 news web sites in the world competing with CNN and MSNBC for the #1 spot. It’s a pretty simple and barebones web site operating with a small team of engineers and editors. The goal is to partner with the major news wire service as well as some big…
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Paris Running: St Germain
Paris is the perfect city to run. Lots of walkways, interesting buildings, lots of street lights for night running. First day in Paris, trying to beat the jet lag and Angie was running out of coffee beans and need some to go with pain au chocolat and her fruit pies. At 9:30pm on a Sunday…
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Can You Think Like A Computer?
I’ve been working in the computer industry for 12 years now. I get a lot of requests throughout the day with people asking me to troubleshoot technical issues they they are stumbling with. Most of these are troubleshooting issues such as why can’t I login from one place to another.. Why doesn’t this work? 99% of…
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Chez Karine: Software Engineer Turned Chef : lend your support
First there was Cynthia At Furenzu and now George has a friend at Chez Karine. A tiny trend: Women software engineers turn chefs! I dropped by with Kate to say hi and spend some holiday cash. Wow! I was knocked off my feet! My first taste was the Sablés Chocolat which was bittersweet chocolates…