Aussie slang

Have been in Australia for almost one year. To celebrate, let's catch some Aussie slang.

The first one I learned is "No worries". It is a pretty good one, positive, relaxing, and multi-functional. It can mean "Welcome", "That's fine", "Not at all", "Never mind", etc. Once when a student asked me about his exam result, I replied "No worries".

As for greeting, "G'day" is often used. Actually, it sounds quite funny when it comes with a strong Aussie accent.

Just like "Dude" in US, Aussie has "Mate". So, thank you mate; sorry mate; g'day mate; ... 

Just as I am writing this blog, I heard my neighbor said "At the end of the day, ..." It seems to be quite popular to use this phrase at the work place. But, I really don't like hearing it, 'cause it is really overused and sounds over-confident. We should use "eventually" more. 

At then end of the day, life is much easier with these slangs.

SQL source control

There’s a new product from Red Gate which is in the beta phase, which integrates SVN into Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 2005/2008 and enables you to easily manage your stored procedures, table definitions, etc. with SVN.

http://www.red-gate.com/products/solutions_for_sql/database_version_control.htm

笑话

一名记者到某大学采访某系所有男生。
记者问第一个男生：“你晚上都干些什么？”答：“上 BBS，吸佳佳！”
记者又问第二个男生，男生答道：“上 BBS，吸佳佳！”
……
记者几 乎问遍所有的男生，得到的答案都是“上 BBS，吸佳佳”。
当要问最后一个男生时，记者抢先答道：“不用你说，你肯定每天都上 BBS，而且你就叫佳佳！”
男生怒道：“去你的，我才不会Ｃ＋＋呢！”


富婆去夜总会找乐子，老板娘挑了几个帅小伙，富婆不满意；老板娘又挑了几个壮小伙，富婆还不满意。老板娘问那富婆到底想要什么样的，富婆说要体力好、精力旺、能加班、能熬夜，老板娘一听乐了，张口喊道：“那些搞网站的，都给我出来接客！！！”

Display scroll bars for IE6

I got a headache today, because IE 6 doesn't like to display a scroll bar when the page is too wide. (To see the effect of IE 6 in IE 8, go to the Tools->Compatibility View Setting).

Fix #1: in your CSS Stylesheet or the in-page style property, declare overflow:auto
Unfortunately, this doesn't work in my case. Guess it is just a makeup change, not powerful enough.

Fix #2: enclose your control (e.g., gridview) into an asp_panel, which has embedded scrollbar option:
< asp:panel height="360px" id="RolesPanel" runat="server" scrollbars="Vertical" width="300px" >
 -- Some controls
< asp:panel >


The above fixes are all about server side. If those don't work ...
Fix #3: Install IE 8
or Forget about IE, use other browsers

New laptop with Win 7

Finally, I got a new laptop with infamous Win7 installed. Two surprises.
1, Dell's laptop is quite stylish, not to compare with my Thinkpad, but with HP's or even Sony's. Although I don't like its keyboard layout and the function key setting, I do appreciate to have less buttons around; it's neat.
2. Win7 doesn't let me down. However, now the OS is 64-bit; heaps of the old software expire. But I found that most of the useful ones stay free. And Win7 do have a bunch of useful gadgets (see tricks and tips below) that save the day.

Win7 tricks and tips:

• http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/67-windows-7-tips-tricks-and-secrets-643861
• http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2009/01/12/the-bumper-list-of-windows-7-secrets.aspx
• http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9140414/Windows_7_tricks_20_top_tips_and_tweaks

Software (free):

• Security: AVG Anti-Virus personal
• PDF: Foxit Reader (I don't like Acrobat), CutePDF writer
• Entertainment: iTune (for iphone and ipod), KMPlayer, PPlive
• Browser: Chrome 4 (with extensions!)
• Utilities: WinRAR, GlaryUtilities, Smart Defrag, Notepad++, Google Pinyin

Software (licensed): MS Office 2007, Visual Studio Pro 2008.

GoGo Chinese Girls @Aus Open

中国金花李娜在落后一盘，并且第二盘第10局一度面临对手发球胜赛局的逆境下，奋力拼搏后以总比分2-6/7-6(4)/7-5 逆转6号种子大威廉姆斯，个人职业生涯首进澳网女单四强

郑洁以6∶1、6∶3横扫基里连科进澳网四强不惧输海宁

SQL server Date/Time Convertion Table

DATE FORMATS
Format #	Query (current date: 12/30/2006)	Sample
1	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 1)	12/30/06
2	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 2)	06.12.30
3	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 3)	30/12/06
4	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 4)	30.12.06
5	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 5)	30-12-06
6	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 6)	30 Dec 06
7	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 7)	Dec 30, 06
10	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 10)	12-30-06
11	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 11)	06/12/30
101	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 101)	12/30/2006
102	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 102)	2006.12.30
103	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 103)	30/12/2006
104	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 104)	30.12.2006
105	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 105)	30-12-2006
106	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 106)	30 Dec 2006
107	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 107)	Dec 30, 2006
110	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 110)	12-30-2006
111	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 111)	2006/12/30
TIME FORMATS
8 or 108	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 8)	00:38:54
9 or 109	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 9)	Dec 30 2006 12:38:54:840AM
14 or 114	select convert(varchar, getdate(), 14)	00:38:54:840

You can also format the date or time without dividing characters, as well as concatenate the date and time string:

Sample statement	Output
select replace(convert(varchar, getdate(),101),'/','')	12302006
select replace(convert(varchar, getdate(),101),'/','') + replace(convert(varchar, getdate(),108),':','')	12302006004426

《阿凡达》—— 耗时两个半小时的魔兽争霸 WarCraft(zz)

      由于转播信号的问题，转播开始时比赛已经进行了一段时间，
此时HUM的人口为70，而暗夜人口为30，双方英雄：人族山丘（将军）已达到8级，血法（公司老总）只有5级，二英雄加茫茫多的坦克和直升飞机，由于双方出生在远点，所以人族一开始并未TR，暗夜方面，首发的黑暗游侠（奈蒂莉）7级和6级恶魔猎手（苏泰）

双方的战术思想也大相径庭，HUM此时急需扩张来继续扩大优势，但无奈前期侦查太烂
，到这时才派出了小绵羊（杰克）侦查。而暗夜方面并未意识到危险降临，仍然靠打野怪
升级。

就在小绵羊进入暗夜领地的时候，突然被路过的黑暗游侠发现，黑暗游侠正欲射杀小
绵羊，突然暗夜圣母显灵，小绵羊得以保全性命。。。

根据小绵羊**的情报，HUM终于锁定了暗夜的位置，此时小绵羊非常纠结，一方面他
是被女巫变成小绵羊侦查的，马上就要变回真身，另一方面他不知道自己究竟是那边的，
正在这时，黑暗游侠放出6级大招将小绵羊杰克招至麾下，众人表示不解，恶魔猎手甚至几
欲挥刀相向，但是黑暗游侠却一再坚称是圣母旨意，众人只好作罢。

接下来的日子黑暗游侠带着一级的杰克打野，一路上幸运的吃到N本经验书，使其等级
迅速飙升，单挑甚至不弱于恶魔猎手，而此时黑暗游侠的等级也提升到了8级（暂且认为5
级以后打野怪也加经验- -).

就在此时，HUM部队冲向暗夜主矿靠坦克对建筑的高输出直取暗夜生命之树！无奈兵力
差距太大，在损失了20多人口的兵力后只得退守2点方向的分基地。。。此战HUM大获全胜
，山丘之王也飙升至10级！！！！局面对暗夜十分不利。。。

HUM在回家后进行了简单的补给，欲乘胜追击，攻下对手分矿，结束比赛。就在此时，
小绵羊挺身而出！在制服中央泉水处的红龙后，等级达到9级！！他果断回城到达暗夜分矿
，招兵买马爆人口，缩小了双方兵力差距，而恶魔猎手屈从于红龙淫威，不敢造次，只得
听从小绵羊指挥。。。

大战终于到来，双方在暗夜分矿处展开了世纪大战！由于血法被山丘软禁，使得HUM部
队实力略有下降，但是HUM却靠着兵力优势击杀了对方已到7级的DEMON HUNTER!!!但是由于
火力过于集中，使得自己的部队损失过于严重。

但是瘦死的骆驼比马大，HUM小分队在4点钟方向围住了暗夜的黑暗游侠！正当HUM以为
比赛将就此结束时，暗夜派出了她们一直隐藏的第3英雄——兽王！没有人知道兽王什么时
候到达了6级，只见他二话不说放出了6级大招——万兽奔腾！团灭了HUM小分队，也保住了
黑暗游侠的生命。

坐在飞艇上督战的MK，见双方兵力对拼已尽，在飞艇爆炸前立即降落并使用了天神下
凡！而小绵羊由于击杀对方许多兵力，也早已到达10级！双方在分矿处展开了1V2！MK很轻
松地将黑暗游侠杀成了贫血，黑暗游侠为了保命早早退出战场，此时MK与小绵羊的对决成
为了本场比赛的最后决战，MK由于MP不够，一直处于劣势，但他转念一想，把攻击目标转
向了暗夜的最后一个建筑！！这样建筑一旦被打爆，比赛也将结束！！！此时贫血的黑暗
游侠不得不回救！放出了2记黑暗之箭结束了山丘的性命，比赛以暗夜的胜利而告终。。。

Google Insights for Search

Google Insights for Search is a powerful tool for studying trends in anywhere, for anything,during any time frames.

http://www.google.com/insights/search/#

谷歌离开中国

第一看到这个标题，以为是愚人节提前来了。接着是漫天遍野的新闻，才知道是狼来了。
谷歌说，因为不满中国政府的监察，要撤离中国。好一个一言不合一拍两散。如果不满意，早点为啥不反抗？配合美国政府的声明，把商业的行为上升到政治的高度来。 很有作秀的嫌疑。
谷歌对中国还是很有幻想的。结果仅仅是捧红了李开复，外加注册了个文雅的中文名。业务上，一直被百度压了一头，完全不像网络界的老大。这点跟背后的美国政府的处境倒是有点相像。
如果说微软是一贯的商人，为了利益和市场，就算盗版横行，也愿意委屈求全；那谷歌颇有几分学生气，一贯的理想主义愤世嫉俗。
刚毕业时，觉得谷歌是个好去处。为此还结交了几个谷歌人。现在看来，yajun当年弃谷歌offer，而去msra真是明智之举。

Pivot is really useful in SQL 2005

Suppose I have a table [tblBud] like below and want to get a [budAmount] summary table where rows are [budAcode] and columns are [budMnth]. (Sorry for the bad identifiers, not under my control)

[budID]    [budMnth]    [budAcode]    [budAmount]
1893    2008-09-01 00:00:00.000    A532    2083.33
1894    2008-10-01 00:00:00.000    A532    2083.33
1895    2008-11-01 00:00:00.000    A532    2083.33
1896    2008-12-01 00:00:00.000    A532    2083.33
1897    2008-01-01 00:00:00.000    A533    12500.00
1898    2008-02-01 00:00:00.000    A533    12500.00
1899    2008-03-01 00:00:00.000    A533    12500.00
1900    2008-04-01 00:00:00.000    A533    12500.00
1901    2008-05-01 00:00:00.000    A533    12500.00
1937    2008-05-01 00:00:00.000    A536    15000.00
.......


The solution is to use pivot. (Today I tried it for the first time.)

Essentially there are four steps

-- 1, Set @Year as parameter

DECLARE @Year VARCHAR(5)

SET @Year = '2009'  -- This can be input from outside

DECLARE @range VARCHAR(MAX)

SET @range = ''

DECLARE @query VARCHAR(MAX)

SET @query = ''

-- 2, @range will be used in pivot clause

SELECT @range=@range+'['+ CONVERT(VARCHAR, YEAR(budmnth)*100 + MONTH(budmnth)) +'],' FROM tblbud

WHERE YEAR(budmnth) = @Year

GROUP BY YEAR(budmnth)*100 + MONTH(budmnth)

-- remove the last comma

SET @range =LEFT(@range, LEN(@range)-1)

PRINT @range

--3, Set up @query to be executed

SET @query = '

SELECT *

FROM (

    SELECT BudACode,

    YEAR(BudMnth)*100 + Month(BudMnth) as BudMnth,

    CONVERT(Float,COALESCE(BudAmount,0)) as BudAmount

    FROM tblbud

    ) as row

PIVOT (SUM(budAmount) FOR budMnth IN (' + @range + ')) as col'

PRINT @query

-- 4, Run

EXECUTE (@query)

Reference
 http://geekswithblogs.net/lorint/archive/2006/08/04/87166.aspx

Avatar

美国人看到了美国和中东的战争
西班牙人看到了当年殖民军队和墨西哥阿兹特克帝国的故事
环保人士看到了人类破坏环境的后果
中国人看到了钉子户和拆迁队的斗争
魔兽玩家看到了人族和精灵族的武器装备
时尚人士看到了未来潮流的趋势：人体彩绘、情趣内衣。

Copy Data from Excel to SQL Server

Step 1: Create the table (say "tmp") in SQL server
Step 2: Select and copy the field in Excel
Step 3: Open the data table tmp in SQL management studio
Step 4: Click on the top left corner of the tab, (left to the names of the columns), hit Ctrl-V to paste the records or just right click on that tab and select paste.
Done: you can just exit out and it will save the data into the table:

This works if the data amount is not that big. Otherwise try bulk insert which is more convienent.