after 3 full months, we have the "luxury" to experience some shake again in Malaysia. Some are so excited that they have been posting all these forwards around. In MMU we are suppose to be in the middle of our study week, yet people still have time to forward these around. No wonder students don't buy newspapers anymore. Reading all the forward mails is already sufficient for them. Why they foward and seek these up? Study stressed i suppose.

dark_xangel (2005-3-29 1:41:51): ALERT!!! Don't think that everything is
over!!! If you hv any account of any forum... PLEASE SPREAD the news that we
just had a SERIOUS EARTHQUAKE in INDIAN OCEAN... SPAM the FORUM, NEWS AGENCY and GOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENT around SOUTH ASIA... ALERT their people~! so SPAM as much as you can!!!

alvin2402: The director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said scientists there feared another tsunami might hit the area....

great_choon (2005-3-29 3:20:24): exam might be postponed due to the tremor that shoke til all the exam paper now all in a mess...MMU now looking for volunteer to arrange back the exam paper - exam unit <--- person who wrote this is a sohai...

Yet, it really happened. For real stories please go to these following trusted links:

• Earthquake Hazards Program [1], [2], [3]
• Quake kills at least 300 on Indonesian island [CNN]
• Quake hits coast off Sumatra [CNN]
• Major earthquake strikes off Indonesia [The Star Online]
• Strong earthquake recorded in eastern Indonesia [ABC News Online]

I suppose a lot of stories will come out in the papers in these few days. Feel sad for those who died, and in actual fact i've no time to read through all the reports this time. Good luck in your studies guys.

A friend asks me wut i need recently. I was wondering why...then only I remember that my bday is coming soon...hm...wut i want. Have been taking quite some time to think, and made up a list:-

1. Transcend 1GB 45x CF Card
2. Tropicana wallet (light brown)
3. Wushu traditional/competition sword
4. CD/MP3 player
5. Canon EOS 350D (hm...dad...can? hehe...)

And i've juz happened to read Jasmine's Multiply today... tempted to make the marquee like the one she done. But the output is not wut i intended. Help!!! how to make it continuous and no gap in between?

I woke up kinda late (8.30am) preparing to check the assignment for granmatical errors and fluency. I'm aspecting some minor changes as there's more then 6 brains working at the Cyberpreneurship assignment for more then a week. To my disapointment, i've to spend an hour to correct the first 8 pages out of 22. I've to submit the assignment by 12 noon and the coverpage and index have not yet been done!!! Argh...how am I suppose to handle such stress? Unfortunately i've to forgone checking the granmar at 11, and concentrate on alignments, making up a conclusion, and also print the cover page. Thanks to my new RM500 baby, the printing part is totally no hassle.

Too bad i can only pass up the assignment 25 minutes late. (Sorry groupmates). But fortunately the lecturer accepted our assignment. Have to rush back to finish up another assignment of mine - Engineers and Society. But that's quite ok as it's only 5 pages, and Ding Wen have done a good job aligning and making sure the copy is ready for print. Met him up at the roundabout, so that he can attach the softcopy with the printout for submission.

Asked Shiau Fei to wait there as well. Wasn't really in a good mood that time as there's too many things to rush and worry about all morning. Yet, she listens to my complains patiently along the way. We agreed on a movie the day before...quite a nice movie, Hitch by Will Smith. It's a comedy about a Love Doctor and how he works. It's quite inspirational as the script is well written. Here are some quotes I remember from the movie:

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. "

"May you never lie, steal, cheat or drink. But if you must lie, lie in each other's arms. If you must steal, steal a kiss. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink with your friends."

Here's a funny one. But i find it quite true

"You got to know where to put your hand on her back. If you put it to high that's saying you just want to be friends. If you put it to low that's saying you just want to grab some ass. "

And this when he touched the gal's heart, and also....my heart

"Because that's what people do. They leap, and hope to God they can fly, because otherwise. you just drop like a rock, wondering the whole way down, why in the HELL did I jump? But here I am, Sarah, falling, and the only one that makes me feel like I can fly... is you."

I find this quite true...how a guy thinks, when he sees a gal with another guy. Erm...my Malaccan friends...i think u should read this.

"You know what it's like getting up every morning? Feeling hopeless, feeling like the love of your life is waking up with the wrong man. But, at the same time hoping that she still finds happiness, even if it's never going to be with you. "

-------------------------------------------------------
I met Siau Sze, Janet, and Guek Huey @ Hobbit in front of the ticket counter. I was not surprise to see them as they juz passed up their FYP documentation today, and want to take some fresh air.

After the movie, i go and have my sunglasses repaired, and also bring Shiau Fei to 三叔公 shop to get some local delicacies. She haven't been eating much for a very long time, so bought some bread and durian paste to make sure she gets back the nutrition she needs.

Drove her to Portugis Settlement to have a look. Can't wait till the sun totally sets as Irene is waiting at home alone. Felt sorry to leave her alone today, but what's done is done. Luckily she forgiven me, thanks Cute~!!!

Received my early Birthday present from Shiau Fei as well. It's my 2nd early Bday present as Irene gave me a mattress set during Chinese New Year in conjunction with me getting into the new house, as well as a birthday present. I prefer she makes it this way- giving me one big gift rather then few small little ones. Ain't I suppose to talk about Shiau Fei here? Yeah, I treasure her friendship a lot as she came down to Melaka every year pirior to my Bday just to give me a Bday present on hand. I'm touched!!! Thanks for the day you spent with me.

Another singer, another photoshot. Drove an hour up to Seremban Terminal 1 for his Autograph session. He will be performing in Sunway SurfBeach sometime later this month, but i dun think i'll have time to go then. I was there with Irene, Seow Boon, Jasmine and Ding Wen. Initially Jasmine's bf (Mickey) wants to tag along, but last minute he can't make it. The crowd is enormous, eventhough it's a working day. 7 early 8 early already have hundreds of people flocking there dy.




David was suppose to be there at 8pm, but there must have be some traffic jam on his way to Terminal 1, so...the MC for the night (988 lady DJ) entertain the crowd while waiting. Guess wut...i volunteered to go up there and sing!!! HAHA!!! AH NEOH where can i sing? I only take photographs... But why bother? I'm there for the gifts and there's nothing to be ashame of. I sang terribly, and even have to look at the lyrics to sing...Here's me in action.



Here's a potential singer, which looks like Jay, sings like Tao. He receives cheers and shouts from the crowd. Even dance and wrap the song "Ghost" which is quite tough to do.


So, finally the man himself is here...I always tot he have a dark complexion and full of pimples. Mana tau...he's face is as smooth as silk, and as white as snow. Wah lau eh...then I tot he put on a lot of foundation, but Irene told me that he doesn't apply much make-up when she was up close with him. He din present any songs tonight, but it's satisfying to have his photos taken up close. You people know I'm not an idol-craze fan type of guy. But i'm a vivid photographer. Driving 1 hour to Seremban juz for such shots are satisfying.




Ireme managed to talk with the man himself, "David Tao, you sang your songs very well". He even replied with,"Thank you, jia you oo~". Haha...Irene was boasting about that all night. Haha...glad to let her go up there, so that i can be running around to take pictures, and she have the chance to meet THE MAN himself up close. It's a Win-Win situation.



I can say that the news reporters are a total nuisance in this event. Blocking all the nice view, and the general public is not allowed to stand close with David. Shit them!!! !@#$%. Yet, that's not the end of the story...i've bring all my equipments, drive all the way to Seremban. I'll not go back without a photo up close with him. Cursing the watch dogs, and shouting at the organisers gets me a place to take this shot below. But i missed the shot where David's back face the crowd. It's a shot which we usually saw in the papers...sadly. I wish i have a media pass, I really do.


Well, this is the last of the series...hope you like it. Guang Liang (童话) is coming to perform this weekend. Not forgetting BSB, Lauryn Hill, Black Eye Peas, Boyz II Men.....are all coming for the Tsunami Concert as well. But I won't be there to shoot anymore. Mom will confiscate my camera if I don't study well... :((


Anyway...juz came back from Wan Ying's Bday @ VJN Mamak Stall. Happy 20th Bday pretty gal!!!

I dun think i'll get the news if i don't call back. But anyway...I'll like to congratulate her for obtaining 2As and 2Bs in her STPM. Wut As and wut Bs that I'm not so sure. Hope she can get the course she desire.

She was really into Biology, out of all courses. It's the toughest to get courses especially medics in local university. But wutever she studies, or wutever path she leads... I'm sure she'll learn. Qi, juz make sure u don't continue to be so lazy, and start read up before ur brain gets rusty.

---------------------------------------------------------
Other news. Yesterday is the bday of my twin cousins Pei Ching and Pei Ying. Only managed to call them 5 minutes before the clock strikes 12. I muz have been too busy with my Random Signal Processing assignment which was due at 4pm earlier in the evening. Happy 23rd bday to both of you.

Bought this new baby for RM499 at Stygix today after i managed to pass up my Random Signal Processing Assignment. Have been searching all around for the information i can collect before i settle down for this. Actually the research is not sufficient as a few days later (this is a post entry) Irene saw the same model (ML-1740) selling for RM20 cheaper in Jaya Jusco. But...money spent dy should just be happy of wut i've got.

I can't access the printer's page on the time i write this post. I'll update it once the Samsung website is refurbished. Anyway...here's the review from ZDNet Australia. For students like me, here's all the links of laser printers which are below RM500 (entry level laser printers)

Brothers [HL-1430]

Fuji Xerox [Phaser 3116] (Small, and famous for it's Xerox printers)

Samsung [ML-1750] (ML-1740 is juz phased out i suppose)

Konica-Minolta [PagePro 1300W] (actually i like this, but drum and toner are separate)

Why i choose a Laser Printer instead of the cheaper bubble/ink-jet? Main reason is because i've got 2 cheap Canon bubblejets that is in the store room now...both have problems with the printhead, which replacing them is not a wise alternative for me cause i can buy a new bubblejet with the same cost of buying a new printhead. Other then that, i've seldom been using the color cartridge in my printer, which makes it dry up quickly. Not forgetting most of the time i'll only use the printer for printing notes which usually takes up my whole evening ( i print a lot at one go). So....that's why i settled with a laser printer.

Laser Printer prints at a whoopy 16 pages per minute (ppm), and at 600 dots per inch (dpi) resolution, it's good enough to see the details of notes. It can print approximately 3000 pages with a single toner/dye replacement. This means i will reduce the chances of getting the internal components replaced. ML-1740 have this Toner Save functions which saves up 40% of the toner....meaning i can print more with the same amount of toner. Other then that, it have a "energy star" sticker attached to it...meaning it fulfils the industrial standard of ISO 14000, which takes care of the environmental concerns/issues. Btw...bubblejet only print on paper, while laser printers can print on slides (those we use to project up using the OverHead Projector)

The toner and drum comes together...so i have no worries that one breaks down when the other is still functioning. One toner+drum replacement is RM230 which can print up to 6000 pages. I can save up more if i buy powders and refill myself like wut the photostating shops are doing. But, why risk it when u can print a piece of document at the comfort at ur room below 10 cents per piece?

Conclusion? I've bought the printer that serves my main purpose - printing notes, slides, and even my Final Year Thesis needs to print with Laser Printer. I believe with such a price, no one would go back to bubble jets once they feel the efficiency of laser printers.

On the contrary, i found out that the quality of color laser printers are not as good as bubblejet/ dye-sub based printers. That...i'll explain more throughly when i've made a research on that field.

Other story...i've been spending all night clearing my store room. Found a lot of junk left by the seniors who occupied this property pirior to my arrival. Threw away quite a lot of them to make way for more ventilation and my old Canon 200SPx. Hope i can lelong it out for RM10 or so. Anyone interested can contact me. I've a Canon 100SP to lelong out as well, just in case someone have the habit of keeping antiques.

The chocolate shows some how you care,
but why the toothache i need to bare?
Thank you for being thoughtful I like to say,
but why with friendship I need to pay?

A quote from Impressions:-
Mr Rudy: What would you wish for if u're Prom Queen?
Contestant #1: World Peace.

Mr Rudy: What would you wish for if u're Prom Queen?
Contestant #2: World Peace.

Mr Rudy: What would you wish for if u're Prom Queen?
Contestant #3: World Peace.

I hope everything will get back to normal. Friendship forever.

Tried this test taken from another friend's journal. And here's the result.


Wine

?? Which Alcoholic Drink Are You ??
brought to you by

Readers, i hope u don't get bored with all the information that i'm about to share. All this while i tot Adobe PDF files are uneditable, and perfect. Firstly, i was impressed and shocked when Chang Wah sends me back a PDF file that i asks him to edit and modify. I've been practicing this style since i learnt a lesson of how messy sending over MS Words is. There will be a zillion and one copy coming back, and i can't track which is the latest version. It's very difficult as i've to do compare and modify tasks over and over again.

With the help of Adobe Acrobat 7.0, we are able highlight, comment, and even attach a page from MS Words together with the original file as the changes a person wants to make. There are also function where i can cancel out unwanted words, as well as 2 person can modify the same document before sending it back. Every comment made is credited to the owner of the software, so the lecturer or the leader can track if everyone is doing their job. Too bad i need to download Acrobat Reader 7.0 (Freeware) to enable some of the functions. But it's a good trade off i shall say.

Ok, so finally i manage to pass up my Business Plan project i've to do for CyberP. I took a whole afternoon talking with my sister, Qi to get all the certificate names that i've collected since the good old days. I'm suppose to use that to complete my online CV which is required for me to apply for my Industrial Training. I send it to my dad for checking, and expect him to send back the comments on a different folder, like what most people have been doing all these while.

Shock me again...dad did the modification on MS Words for me!!! And it doesn't look messy at all. All his comments, and modifications are indicated on the right hand side of the document, and i can see how the final document looks like. This is some great features that i should be sharing with my friends. It's made possible by a toolbar function call "reviewing". When i enable "Track Changes", it automatically indicates wut have been modified from the original document. Everything is neat and tidy, and this is one of the times which i think that i'll always have something more to learn from him. Thanks dad, you're my idol!!!

Do you think you've mastered english, and that you're the expert in MS Word? I thought i was, but i've changed my mind.

I was playing with the Spelling and Granmar check "options" toolbar. I was curious about the meaning of readability statistics. Turns out that it indicates 3 extra values after i finish checking the whole document: Passive sentence, Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.

Passive sentence, that one no need to explain. We've been doing active-to-pasive a lot when working on "lab report" for science experiments all these while.

New to me is Flesch Reading Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level. These two terms have been new to me so i decided to google it out. [Readability Formulas] comes up with a few formulas adapted to calculate the two values. My online CV have a Flesch Reading Ease of 45.3 and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 11.5. I think it's a good way to check and improve in a person's writing skills. Besides, it is also useful for authors to make sure that what they write are at the level of the readers.

Here's some quote from the website, juz in case it came down out of a sudden:

Flesch reading Ease
The output of the Flesch Reading Ease formula is a number from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating easier reading. The average document has a Flesch Reading Ease score between 6-70. The formula reads as follows:

206.835 – (1.015 x ASL) – (84.6 x ASW)
where:
ASL = average sentence
length (the number of words divided by the number of sentences)
ASW = average
number of syllables per word (the number of syllables divided by the number of
words)

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
The more common Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula converts the Reading Ease Score to a U.S. grade-school level.

(.39 x ASL) + (11.8 x ASW) – 15.59
where:
ASL = average sentence length
(the number of words divided by the number of sentences)
ASW = average number
of syllables per word (the number of syllables divided by the number of words

Another weekend another prom. This one feels much better then the previous one. At least i didn't make my cute cry. Was there on a photographic assignment, so can say that i've saved up RM70 from the food and performances. Food is nothing as i'm quite sure i can get some left overs, and as for the performance, I'm actually enjoying myself when i'm watching those performances also.


They paid for Mr.Rudy from Hitz.FM to Emcee the whole event. He's quite dedicated, as there is some problem with the event all night. Rudy sacrificed his dinner on the main table to work those problems out.


There's too many Lucky Draw session throughout the night, so this guy think of this idea of asking the other 3 working committees to spell out the 4 numbers with him. One number each person, so that no one gets bored. He also thought of asking everyone to talk in a different language.


The night attended by Vic (3rd place in Malaysian Idol) which also sang for Miss MMU few months back. He looks great in all white decorated with a red tie, and he's good in posing for the camera as well. I can take 10 continuous shots and get him in different pose. Too bad he's not feeling well that night, only sang a couple of songs. But i've enuff of his pictures during Miss MMU, so nothing to complain about that.

Locals should've seen Reshmonu on Hotlink and Maxis advertisements everywhere only. Well, i managed to see him live performing. He has the most on air playing time of a local artist in Hitz.FM. He sang "Like This, Like That" and "Everytime" as well as some other songs that i don't keep track of.



Here's a gal i'll like to talk about: E Pei Pei. She have been nominated the Best Dress Female awards Trinite and won the same category during Impressions. The dress was rented for a whoppy RM200!!! If it's for me, i'll rather take that money to Debenhams to get myself a new shirt and tie set which cost the same.


Here's the Prom King and Prom Queen Dancing, nothing much to elaborate i suppose.


Okok...this gal i like. Her vocals can used for real competition. She won the first prize on the singing category on Talentime i mentioned last week. I know her by just Puteri, well that's wut they called her. After her every songs (all in english!!!) the crowd would clap and bow for her. She have a lot of fans and supporter, she gets my vote as well.


People say always leave the best for the last. And Impressions really did. There is a performance by Disagree, a local rock band. They started the day with "Suicide Note" but there's some technical error on the mic, but these professionals didn't just stop there, they continue to play on until the mic works back. They continued with "Crumbs" and ended the day with a song by U2 which i can't remember wut it's called already. I've been so lag behind in Music once i've taken up Photography. So very sorry can't provide the exact names of all the songs.


But i hope that these pictures can make it up for you. Enjoy the photos, and here's the last photo that you can even sorta hear them singing just by looking on the picture. Hope that's the feeling captured in the picture lah.