Things to do in Montevideo, Uruguay

Typically, when I travel, I don't get the chance to really soak in the culture. For 21 days, I'll be in Montevideo, Uruguay thanks to the IBD project.  I've been staying in Pocitos, which is a nice part of town within walking distance to the beach. A couple things I definitely recommend if you come to Montevideo:

• Go watch a proper football game. We saw an exhibition game of Uruguay v. Israel.
• Go out at night. The night starts at 2AM. Most people take a nap after work on Friday before they head out.
• Eat a Chorizo. Just not at the stadium. They say that there is a reason there are no stray dogs around the stadium. I made this mistake and spent 4 days in the hotel. 
• Try a Milanesa. So much is fried here, just give it a shot. It's a cross between a Tonkatsu and a Chicken friend steak.
• Try Mate, the original wing-maker. It's a complicated process to get some caffeine. But when in Montevideo, you'll see people walking around with a thermos of hot water and a mate at all times of the day.

Driving Range Connections [Golf]

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What do you do when you're picking up someone at the airport and at the last minute, their flight gets delayed?

Well make sure to pack an club or two and drop by the Burlingame Golf Center. It's a lot better than cruising the airport or baking in the cellphone lot. Burlingame golf center is only 5 minutes away from the airport and worth checking out.

Be careful when looking for the place. The turn into the parking lot is right next to the 101 on ramp. I almost made an unnecessary loop the first time I went. On the flip side, it's great, because its insanely easy to get back onto the freeway for your airport pickup!

I dropped by the other day on a lark; I think I'll be going "early" from now on when I have to pick up somebody at the airport!

Burlingame Golf Center
250 Anza Blvd
Burlingame, CA 94010
(650) 548-2447

Econoland [Economist Theme Park]

In tough economic times, it's always refreshing to hear of companies who are able to capitalize on the environment. According to their website, "The Economist Group is delighted to announce the development of a public-entertainment facility that combines the magic of a theme park with the excitement of macroeconomics."

Among the different attractions, rides include:

• The currency high-roller: Float like a butterfly with the euro and drop like a stone with the pound!
  
• Chamber of horrors:Fiscal fantasyland: Watch the economy shrivel before your very eyes as you struggle to stop growth falling!
  
• The Severe Contest: Try your strength against a bear market!

Let's just hope its an April fools joke.

LEGO my beijing olympics

With the olympics behind us, I'm not sure what to do with myself. What is there to do between the hours of midnight and 2am?

The Hong Kong Lego User Group built structures to help us remember the amazing structures built for the lego. Check it out here.

I was part of a cause...

Alright everybody, together now, "Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start." I grew up with a Famicom (the original version of the NES) and will forever have that code burned into my memory.

I shudder to think of how many hours I spent hunting ducks, eating mushrooms to grow, or protecting some eagle symbol with my tank.

However, to help me cope, I think about how gaming technologies are going to revolutionize the world. Turns out Hospitals are looking to the gaming industry to increase the precision of surgeries.

Cardiac surgeons have borrowed a 3-D stereoscopic imaging technology from the video-game industry to help them guide their tools during intricate beating-heart surgeries. In tests of the new imaging device, a surgeon was able to more accurately navigate into pigs' hearts and then to more quickly repair the hearts' torn walls....

Recent advances in image-processing technology have allowed game designers to simulate 3-D environments--complete with depth perception--using stereoscopic vision displays. "To address structural heart disease, you need a three-dimensional map with depth perception," says Marc Gillinov, chief experience officer at Cleveland Clinic's Heart and Vascular Institute. "And that's what the stereoscopic glasses give you."

You can read the entire article here.

More Cooking Games

First it was sushi go round, now its HK Cafe. I don't know what it is about cooking games, but they always seem to suck a good 15 minutes of my life away...

Typing to the finish line

Some of the earliest "video" games I ever played were educational games. Before Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? I had this game on my PC where letters would fall out of the sky and you would have to zap them out.

Loved it. I think that's why I can type as fast as 82 wpm. I thought that was fast until I saw the leaderboard on Typeracer.

It's a simply game, really. You compete with other users and try to type a line from a movie or book. Half carnival game, half educational, and half pop culture, its 150% fun.

I just want to note that I just spent about 30 minutes typing to try to up my average.