I haven’t had a chance to catch up on Audible “reading” for a few months now, so here’s a little “audible update”. Possible good new reads:

- The Ascent of Money: A financial History of the World (11.5 hrs, $18)
- The World is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy (10.5 hrs, $21)
- The Partnership: The Making of Goldman Sachs (33hrs, $32)
- The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company (9.25 hrs, $18)
- Wealth, War and Wisdom (12 hrs, $25)

I’ll probably go with “Wealth, War and Wisdom” first as it has a quite interesting premise… We’ll see.

Especially when using the tiny 13.3″ 1280×800 MacBook Air display, there is just not enough room in the dock. I typically like to have Mail, Safari, Yojimbo ($39) iKana (€12), iCal, iTunes, WriteRoom and TaskPaper.

By Using LaunchBar and Dock Doger, I’ve been able to remove Adium, Skype and Address Book from my Dock without slowing me down, in fact, it speeds me up! My MenuBar now has: Skype, Adium, Little Snitch 2, Shimo (VPN Tunnel), Plaxo, iStat CPU monitor, iStat Network Monitor, Default Airport Monitor, Default Battery Monitor, iStat World Time, and Input Method Selection window (Romanji, Hiragana, IMK-QIM)

Make Adium function well as a background only application by assigning a “Global Shortcut” via the input box at the bottom of the Preferences/General tab. I recommend: ⌘⎋ (cmd+esc), the shortcut used by Proteus. This feature was added in Adium 1.2.

Also on the Preferences/General tab, select “Show Adium status in menu bar” so that you’ll know if Adium is running and if it has a background notification.

Note that once you put Adium into background mode, you’ll no longer be able to access many items of the “View” menu, so you’ll want to memorize the shortcut keys for:

⇧⌘H: Show All Contacts (SHIFT+CMD+H)
⌃⌘I: Hide User Icons (CTRL+CMD+I)
⌃⌘S: Hide Status Messages (CTRL+CMD+S)

Unfortunately, there is no shortcut for “Hide Groups” so you’ll need to use “Dock Dodger” to enable the Dock (and Menu Bar) each time you want to Enable and Disable the Groups in your contacts view…

Other shortcuts include:
⌘/: Show/Hide the Contacts List
⇧⌘L: Transcript Log Window
⌥⌘L: File Transfers Window
⇧⌘H: Hide Offline Contacts

⌘I: Get Info on Contact
⌘L: Open Log Viewer on Contact   

⌘Y: Set your Away Message
⇧⌘Y: Set your Available Message

The entire “View” menu includes:

Last, here is the Preferences/General Tab where you should both: a) Set the Global Shortcut Key and b) Show Adium Status in the Menu Bar.

Using Skype on Mac OS X for the last 4 years has been painful, though today Skype is slightly better than where it started. Some of the annoyances of using Skype include:

• Skype’s Excessive CPU Usage: often you need to quit out of Skype after a period of time
• Lack of “true skype support” in Adium: you can use Eion Robb’s plugin, but group information and contact “merging” is not supported across Adium restarts
• Address Book.app – Why no support for a “Skype” Instant Messenger field?
• Skype’s Ugly Dock Icon and Splash Screen… I’m not the only one.

If you type the following into Terminal.app you can remove the Splash Screen:

defaults write com.skype.skype SKShowSplash NO

For removing from the Dock Icon you can update the Skype.app/Contents/Info.plist XML file to set LSUIElement to 1 (instead of 0) and save the file and open Skype…But this hardly seems like a mainstream way to make this sort of change

On the bright side of Skype, it is the only way I can get a semi-reliable phone or video conference connection going across the Great Firewall, so even though it’s ugly and painful to use, Skype does *work*.

For my dreamlist (like a wishlist but i’m not even going to bother wishing):

• True Skype Protocol support in Adium that includes Video and Phone Call Support without the need to keep Skype running in the background
• Global Hotkeys to conveniently access Adium contacts from any application but without loosing Dock and Screen real-estate, somewhat similar to LaunchBar
• Adium support for IMAP messages and SMS…

Then I would be free of many meaningless “clicks” each day, and free 3 icons on my Dock (Adium, Skype, Mail/Thunderbird)… Yes – that would be quite a dream!

It’s been a crazy couple of months, in Taiwan, Los Angeles, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and a pair of ear drums filled with fluid, no longer able to equalize…

Last weekend my friend Will came for a visit, and recommended some great little Mac stuff while geeking out for a bit. Now the following tools are in use:

• Sequel Pro：The “Sequel” to Cocoa MySQL
• Launch Bar: Beta 5 Released
• iStat Menus: System Monitoring and World Clock in Menu Bar
• Adium FaceBook Connector: Connect with FaceBook friends in Adium

These have replace my use of:

• Mac OS X Menu Bar System Clock
• World Clock Deluxe
• Spotlight

And on the LaunchBar front, much has changed since the “old days”. Here are a few very useful tips to get you started.

Also, take a look at LaunchBar’s “Text Clips” feature.

I’ve been missing in action from my blog lately… but lots of pictures, stories and such to start getting caught up on.

November, December and January have been too busy and too cold…

Bags/Case Name 袋/箱包名称
Beauty Case 化妆袋
Briefcase 公文袋
Cabin Case 航空袋
Camera Bag 相机袋
Duffle /Travel bag 旅行袋
Flight Bag /Tote 航空袋
Garment Bag 西装袋
Simple Notebook Bag 简单电脑袋
Toilet Kit 洗手间袋
Travel Bag with Trolley 拖轮袋
Trolley /Uprights 拉杆箱
Trolley Backpack 拉杆背包
Waist Bag 腰包
Handbag 手提包

Material 原料：
Binding Material 包边用料
Cord for Cord-Handles 手把索
Brushed Nylon for Computer Cases 拉过绒的尼龙用在电脑箱
Cardboard Bottom Boards 纸底板
Dobbie Weave 交织
Cord for Cord-Locks 锁索
Dividers & Separators’ material 分隔面料
Elastics 松紧带
Foams 海绵
Insulating Materials 绝缘物料
Leather Trim 真皮配料
Linings 内里
Main Coated materials 主要外层面料
Mesh /Other type of Tissue 网布/纱布
Piping Bumpers 管条脚座
Piping Materials 管条
Plywood Bottom Boards 底部胶合板（木板/三合板）、
Polyethylene for Corners /Backing 角位/底部面料
Polyvinyl(PVC)Sponge Trim PVC海绵配料
Thread 车线
Velcro 幺术贴
Webbing 织带
Zipper Pulls 拉片
Zipper Sliders 拉链头
Zipper Tapers 拉链

Structural Hardware 金属结构
Accessory Hook 前拖带
Rivets & Washers 铆钉和垫圈
Alligator Studs 短钉
Runners 背面长条
Bottom Stand 前脚
Screws 螺丝
Bottom Studs 底钉
Shoulder Strap 肩带
Complete Extendable Handle System 拉杆架
Side Handle 侧手把
Conveyor Belt 运轮带
Snaps 纽扣/四合扣
Extendible Handles’ Parts /Mechanisms 伸缩拉杆配件/结构
Grommets 垫圈
Studs (Side Studs )大头钉（侧泡钉）
Handle with brackets 手把连扣
Top Carrying Handle 主手把
Honeycomb Sample 蜂巢板
Wheel Casings 轮子的盖
Handle Wrap 手握片
Wheels and base 拉杆箱轮子连底座
Metal Frame Sample 铁框
Polyethylene Board Samples —PE板
Rings /Other Metal Parts 金属环/其它金属配件
Accessories 配件
Badge /Emblem 徽章，象征，标志
Buckles 插扣
Chains 缝条/链
Cord-Locks (Toggle-Locks ,Barrel-Locks ) s锁（套索锁，桶锁）
Hanger Hooks & Mechanisms for Swing-Hooks 挂钩和摇摆钩
Hooks 勾 Lid 盖
Luggage Identification Tags 行李箱地址牌
Nameplate 商标/Logo /铝牌
Strap 背带
Outside Hanger Hooks for Garment Bags 供西装袋用的勾（衣架）
Padlocks & Keys 锁和钥匙
Plastic Water Bottles 塑胶水桶钉
Swivel Hanger bracket 旋转衣架座
Universal Hanger Hooks 整体挂勾

Labels 标签
Guarantee Carton Tags 保证吊牌
Inside Country of Origin Label 内布标
Other Required Tag 其它要求的吊牌
Product Knowledge Carton Tags 产品吊牌
Tear-Me Test Tags 本布吊牌
UPC Tag –UPC吊牌

Buckle/Lock扣或锁
Belt Buckle 皮带扣
Press Locks 插锁
Metal Pin Buckle 铁线针扣
Snap Fastener 四合扣
Metal Ring /Buckle 铁线扣
Turn Locks 拧制
Plastic Buckle 塑胶插扣

Button 纽扣
Handbag Side Clips 手袋侧夹
Magnet Button 磁纽
Press Button 珠纽
Press Stud 纽扣
Snap Button 急纽

Rivet 钉
Compression Rivet 束口钉
Semi-Tublar Rivet 中空钉
Full Tublar Rivet 空心钉
Single Layer Rivet 单面撞钉

Color 颜色
Aubergine 紫红色
Beige 米黄色
Bone 米色
Chrome/ Nickel 镍色
Navy 海军蓝
Pewter 沙电色
Khaki 卡其色
Cloth 布料
Canvas 帆布
Jacquard /Tapestry 提花布
Ramie 麻
Ripstop /Tartan 格子布
Sponge 海绵
Spun 山东绸
Twill 斜布
Zipper Cord 拉头上的棉绳
Defects 瑕疵
Baggy Cloth 波断纹
Filling Bar 稀密路
Mixed Filling 错纬
Barre 横档
Finishing Bar 横痕
Neps 棉结
Broken End 断线
Float End 走经
Oil Spots 油渍
Broken Picks 断线
Float 浮织 Pleat 褶
Coarse Picks 粗纬
Fold Marks 褶痕
Rope Marks 条痕
Cockles 起皱
Fuzzy Ball 毛球
Slack Picks 松纬
Color Spots 色渍
Holes Sto破洞
stop Mark 停机痕
Crease 皱
Loopy Selvedge 毛圈边
Tight End 紧经
Curled Selvedge 卷边
Mispick 缺纬
Tight Picks 紧纬
Double Picks 双纬
Missing End 缺经/线
Water Stain 水印
Dyeing Streak 染褶
Mix End 错经
Wavy Selvedge 浪边

Other Vocabulary 其他生字
Abrasion 摩擦
Bent 弯曲
Crooked 歪
Engraved 雕刻
Eyelets 鸡眼
Jaggedly 锯齿
Protrudes 突出
Rip Off 裂开
Seam 接缝
Stiff 硬
Stumbles 错误
Trimming 装饰
Wobble 摇晃

Removable cosmetic pouch 可移除化妆袋
raw edge 毛边
Gusset piece 风琴片
kickplate 踢脚板
slash pockets 开口袋
Herringbone 人字纹带
suiter folded 西装袋折叠
steel wire 铁线
Top stitch 上车线
embossed pattern 平纹风格
tilt-out dividers 凸出的分隔板
Wet pack 防水
mesh divider 网隔分隔板
expansion off case 扩充空间
Removable drop-in suiter 可移除的西装套袋
plastic washers 塑胶垫圈
Wheel housings 轮子座
Pull handle grip and bezel 拉杆杯
bumpers / runners 脚座
Garment grips 衣架座
Logo gasket logo 衬垫
barrel clips 桶型扣
Top carry handle 主手把
side carry handle 侧手把
vinyl bottom 芙蓉皮底
Smart sleeve 套拉杆功能
lining/curtain 内里
cross straps 束衣带
Shoulder straps 肩带
bloused wetpockets 凸湿衣袋
solid wire 实心线
Extender panel w/roll-bar 延展片/有滚条
swivel hook 狗钩
These zippers open into main gussets 主风琴拉
Heat transfer pattern 热传递风格
leather tab 皮革饰片
Text-turned vinyl 有织纹芙蓉皮（纹理芙蓉皮）
graphic carton 彩盒
Master carton 大箱
zip-away 拉链袋
handle ring 手把环
Clear PVC 透明PVC
kohis sticker 贴纸
stuffing material 塞物料