Rippling effects

Imagine, the pond is calm.
What if you had a stone?
What if you have a target?
What if you have a point to make by throwing the stone at the target?
What if you had the right to do whatever you wish?

Think, what if you had hit the target.
Think, about the rippling effects the waves will have on the shores.
More so, think, about the difference if you could just put the stone down and walk away.....

Time stands still

Time is relative.
It slows when there one is going to meet the one he/she loves.
When together, it quickes and hastens the time to part.

When left in the dark, it does not seem to move at all.
It is so dark now....

Moving forward, but which way is forward?

How delightful! There is a kickoff for a "reengineering" project and there are questions as to why one "key" personnel was not invited. Well, maybe the "key" personnel fits into a different lock! Jokes aside, it does not really bother me. If I'm not wanted there, their loss and I wish them all the best. That is assuming they know what is good in the first place.

A comforting thought is that the question as to why I was not invited was asked by the users. My name and the product has been synonymous since the project began. Users knew who to call when they need help... and it is not the helpdesk!

So, they are moving forward... and for their sake, they better know what is their destination.

On Nutrition and Health

There has been so much research on nutrition and health. The facts and conclusion have been published and it's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
   
   
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
   
   
3. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
   
   
4. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
   
   
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

"Kai Tan"

Why is it that the best of sunsets occurs when you do not have the camera or the opportunity to shoot it? Can't blame the sunset but can't help feeling shortchanged by Murphy's Law.

This evening's sunset was spectacular. The Sun was a brilliant fireball just hanging low in the horizon. The surrounding skies were coloured in a deep orangy cast.

Where is my camera when I need it? At home, sitting pretty in its bag.

Wham, Bang and Kablooie

That what probably happens when the meteor (some said it was a meteorite) stuck Earth. I'm referring to one such incident that happened 50,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period. I was not around then but I was there during the science period, that's when my teacher told us about it. At least I think it was around then.

Why am I suddenly talking about this meteor? Well, it was during my flight from Orlando to LA when I saw this huge crater some distance away. Took a picture with the TLC to check out later if it was the same meteor crater I heard about from my school days.

This is a Google Earth image as viewed from 50 miles up. At the bottom right is a green line. That line represents my flight path as recorded (briefly) on my GPS. The coordinates on the top left is where the crater is. IT IS THE METEOR CRATER!!!

Yeah, I'm pretty much excited about it as it was one of those things that kept my interest in natural sciences when I was a kid.

Here's a bit of info on the crater:

The Meteor Crater, sometimes known as the Barringer Crater and formerly as the Canyon Diablo crater, is a famous impact crater, located about 35 miles (55 km) east of Flagstaff, near Winslow in the northern Arizona desert (USA). Its coordinates are 35°1′38″N, 111°1′22″W. Its elevation is 5,723 ft. The crater is somewhat misnamed, as it was actually excavated by a meteorite, not a meteor.

The crater is about 1,200 m (4,000 ft) in diameter, and some 170 m deep (570 ft). It is surrounded by a 45 m (150 ft) high rim of rock, raised above the surrounding plains by the force of the impact. The bottom of the crater is filled with rubble from the impact, to a depth of 213-244 m (700-800 ft) below the crater's center.

The object which excavated the crater was a nickel-iron meteorite about 50 meters (54.7 yards) across, which impacted the plain at a speed of several kilometers (miles) a second. The speed of the impact has been a subject of some debate. Modelling initially suggested that the meteorite struck at a speed of up to 20 kilometers per second (45,000 mph), but more recent research suggests the impact was substantially slower, at 12.8 kilometers per second (28,600 mph). It is believed that about half of the impactor's 300,000 tonne (330,693 ton) bulk was vaporized during its descent, before it hit the ground.

The impact produced a massive explosion equivalent to at least 2.5 megatons of TNT – equivalent to a large thermonuclear explosion and about 150 times the yield of the atomic bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The explosion dug out 175 million tons of rock. The shock of impact propagated as a hemispherical shock wave that blasted the rock down and outward from the point of impact, forming the crater. Much more impact energy, equivalent to an estimated 6.5 megatons, was released into the atmosphere and generated a devastating above-ground shockwave.

For a meteorite of its size, the impact melted surprisingly little rock, though it produced high enough temperatures and pressures to transform carbon minerals into diamonds and lonsdaleite, a form of diamond found near the crater in fragments of Arizona's Canyon Diablo meteorite. Limestone blocks as massive as 30 tons were tossed outside the crater's rim, and debris from the impact has been found over an area of 100 square miles (260 km²).

The shock of the impact would have produced a localized earthquake of magnitude 5.5 or higher. The blast and thermal energy released by the impact would certainly have been lethal to living creatures within a wide area. All life within a radius of three to four kilometers would have been killed immediately. The impact produced a fireball hot enough to cause severe flash burns at a range of up to 10 km (7 miles). A shock wave moving out at 2,000 km/h (1,200 mph) leveled everything within a radius of 14-22 km (8.5-13.5 miles), dissipating to hurricane-force winds that persisted to a radius of 40 km (25 miles).

Info sourced from Wikipedia

Geocaching Hunt Num 5 & 6

*Glum* Still no sight of the Lake Garden's cache after 3 attempts.
*Hurray* Found the one tucked away Bukit Nenas.

List of things for the Geocaching kit-bag:

1. Zip lock bags to protect delicate items where required
2. Some gift-tokens for exchange
3. Pencil/ Sharpener
4. Spare bottle/ Container
5. Spare "Buku 3-Lima"
   

Work Smart better than Work Hard

Those were the words of advise given by a prominent banker and one whom I would acknowledge as a leader. If only those whom I work with think more about that than trying to gauge achivements by the number of hours you show your face around the office. For me, if you need to endlessly work beyond the office hours shows two things;

1. The worker is inefficient or
2. There's something wrong with the organization

What about all the talk about work-life balance? From what I see, it is still office related activities. What life were they referring to? Some assume just because their lives revolve around the office, so should their subordinates.

Well, there might come a time when you would need skills and knowledge that will determine one's survival. How then will "office" help, since there might not be any left.

Need for compressed air!!

The East Cost island have reopened after the monsoon season and diving season has resumed. I have not logged any dives since August last year and I am eager to immerse myself underwater with scuba gear (but of course!). Finally confirmed to go but with a heavy heart as my dive buddy will not be there with me. The actual reason of how this trip came about was to spite someone. Lets just refer to that person as BS (as in BullShit).

When I organised a trip for this group last year, there was lots of fun and the weather had been kind. Visibility was an astounding 20 meters and possibly more. To give an idea of the conditions; I have never dived Tiger Reef in flat sea surface, zero current and near perfect visibility. Anyway, back to the story. Couple of weeks ago, I was informed that there was an arrangement to bring this group back to Tioman and the 'organiser' decided not include yours truly. Times like this we get a glimpse of who friends are when there were protests of why wasn't so-and-so included. Some of them encouraged me to go on my own and be there just to see the look on BS's face when I show up at the jetty.

I'm really not there to spite anyone though I would admit it was a bonus if it did. I would like to keep my skills polished and not deprive myself of compressed air for too long a time least I forget how to dive.

Choices

There's much I wish to say but to say it might bring hurt to someone.
Not saying would mean I will suffer in silence.
Better that I suffer in silence....

So Grown Up

She was born 14 years ago today. At seven and a half pounds, I could then cuddle her with one arm. Today she stands over 5 feet and 5 inches and still growing. One of the things she enjoyed was riding high on my shoulders. I am not able to carry her on my shoulders as I once did as with the 'flying high' and doing the 'giddy-rides'. The price of growing up I suppose. Of course she would be glad that she is grown up more than enough for the fun rides like the roller-coaster at amusement theme parks.

As long as I am able, she will still get a piggyback ride.

Happy Birthday 'girlie'.


P/S: Why do parents usually call their daughters 'girlie' and their sons 'boy-boy'?

Thoughts that Flash by

Once a while one of the many firing neurons gets a short-circuit and it comes up with things like this:

Bravery is just another word for Foolhardy.

The difference from using the former over the latter would be the motive.
So does this make steadfast mean stubborn?

Not the right answer does not constitute a wrong answer

Sometimes there are more than one answer to a question. Look beyond the obvious and it might amaze you. Here are some humourous takes:

Q. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A. Concrete floors are very hard to crack!

Q. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall,how long would it take four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built.

Q. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
A. Very large hands.

Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one hand.

Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs , He sleeps at night.

Q. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
A. It will get Wet or Sink as simple as that.

Q. What looks like half apple ?
A : The other half.

Q. What can you never eat for breakfast ?
A : Dinner.

Q. What happened when wheel was invented ?
A : It caused a revolution.

Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A : Liquid

Do we build or chip-away?

The twelve apostles stood for many centuries defying the wind and the waves that lash relentlessly at the foundations until at last they succeeded in bringing down one mighty structure. It was inevitable as there was nothing to replace that which the elements chip away.

Like the structures of stone, we took can only take so much before succumbing to emotional collapse. But unlike that of the earth, we can replace that which are lost to things that hurt us. Praises, appreciation and love contributes to building the human resilience but if not given often enough to offset the losses, we will end up like the pile of rocks.

Goodness is silent. But why?

Right now I have this overwhelming feeling that I cannot do things correctly. It does not matter what my reasons were except to stand for judgement. Strange that when in school we were told that the end-result did not matter as much as the workings to the answer.

Whatever good done would not weigh as much as a single glaring mistake. Does not matter that you have done a thousand good deeds. Focus will be on that fault and we will face the firing squad for that.

I am exaggerating but that is how I feel right now. Just so very, very down.

Of flying and time-zones

Departure Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 4.00pm Friday, 20/Jan06
Arrival Los Angeles, United States 4.30pm Friday, 20/Jan06
30 minutes of super-duper Sonic Trans-Pacific travel?

My bum however, did not agree with me as it recorded a 17 hour travel time (ok, that included an hour and a half stopover in Taipei).

A 6 hour 15 min transit for connecting flight of which half was spent at Starbucks... just to pass time then another 4 and a half hour flight to Orlando.

Total time taken?
28 hours and 20 minutes... give or take a few minutes of here to there.

Of Beasts and Monsters

===================================================

Excerpt from The Star : Monday January 16, 2006

Evening jog turned fatal for 25-year-old

By TUNKU SHAHARIAH

SUNGAI PETANI: An evening jog in the neighbourhood turned fatal for a 25-year-old marketing executive.

Choo Gaik Yap, who was jogging in Taman Ria Jaya around 6pm last Saturday, was found dead less than nine hours later. She had been raped and brutally stabbed.

Her half-naked body was found sprawled on the ground, about 200m from the housing area, at 2.35am yesterday.

Choo: Went jogging around 6pm last Saturday and was found dead less than nine hours later

It is believed the victim, a Universiti Utara Malaysia graduate, could have been tailed by her assailant, kidnapped and taken elsewhere to be raped and killed before her body was dumped near the housing estate.

Kuala Muda OCPD Assistant Commissioner Law Hong Soon said police were investigating the case under Section 376 and 302 of the Penal Code for rape and murder respectively.

Police recovered a pair of blood-stained jogging shoes beside Choo's body.

It is believed earth found on the soles of the shoes matched soil from another residential area, about 500m away.

Choo's body was sent to the Sungai Petani Hospital mortuary after the Alor Star's police forensic unit arrived at about 4am yesterday.

===================================================

I grew up watching TV shows of Ultraman battling monsters, Superman fighting super-criminals and a host of other super heroes who fights all sorts of baddies that come is all sorts of shapes and sizes. But none of those so-called monsters can ever match the evil of rapists cum murderers.

The pain is felt by all, even if we do not know her. Are we not all of flesh and blood pumped by a heart that stretches its emotions to bind the world in humanity? Apparently not, for there are true monsters that walks among us disguised in mortal form.

Au Revoir 2005

I tried to take it as how I would normally treat any other day but I guess there is too much energy charged into the atmosphere. Everyone seemed excited and happy to embrace 2006. Poor 2005, having experienced the same revelry a year ago was now ready to step aside. What I like are the flashbacks usually featured in the newspapers. The mix of good and bad laid in print to pass into the annals of history. From hindsight, may we gain wisdom for foresight.

As the clock ticks on to the midnight hour, a steady stream of SMSs' bearing New Year wishes from friends and acquaintance alike. We had crabs for dinner and since its celebration time, we treated ourselves to those huge crabs, something like the Sri Lankan crabs or Australian Mud crabs. Dunno what type except it was delicious.

Deliberating whether to go a place where I can get a nearer and better view of the fireworks display. At the eleventh hour (literally), off I went to the Elevated Highway that would bring me pretty close to the KLCC park, one of the few venues that would have a pyrotechnic display every new year. I oft wondered how many others would have the same idea of stopping by on the highway to see fireworks show. This year I can testify personally, way too many! My guess is by the time the fireworks are lighting the sky, the entire highway would have been lined with cars, one end to the other. Ok, the highway is only 8km long but that would translate into a 8km jam after that. I parked pretty far up to try avoiding most of the traffic but to no avail. I spent the first one and the half hour of 2006 in a traffic jam! I sure hope this is not a sign of things to expect for this year.

What's my resolution for the new year? Nothing. I don't need to wait for the year to end if change is called for. Now is the time to change, for better or for worse, only time will reveal.

The Journey West

No diciples, no dragon horse, no long journey (meaning by count of months or years) and no, not going looking for the Western Heaven Monestery (not sure if I got the translation right) and definately no, not getting the Buddhist Sutras.

Just a simple trip and hopefully get to broaden my horizons of the world beyond the boaders of my country. And take lots, and lots of pictures.

Missing friends

I miss some of my friends. One just SMS'd me and this simple gesture brings me joy. We have kept in touch one way or another for the past 11 years. Some I have not heard from for a long time and wonder if they do remember me at all.

Addendum - 01Dec2005
Oh Joy! Received an email from another friend that I have not heard from for some time. He has been through some tough times since the tsunami hit Thailand almost a year ago. I am glad he and his family were ok.