It Was A Beautiful Day

Enjoyed myself immensely this weekend. Cosy Korean dinner in fallowfield and watching random movies in bed. Enjoying the sunshine and exploring Manchester by letting our feet do the thinking. It really was a beautiful day.

Loving Isn't Easy/Hard

忘 不

了 知
爱 不
人 觉
的 不
人 想
， ，
被 无
爱 文
也 无
不 心
知 无
福 思
。 。

很想去爱一个能知道爱的人。所以，在那之前，我得好好爱我自己。让将来遇见我的她会觉得我们俩都值得被爱。

Booked!

It's a done deal. I've gone and booked tickets for both Foo Fighters and Jack Johnson this coming summer! I am so excited for the end of exams for all the wrong reasons! Hahahahahaha

Hair Cuts

Before and After pics of my FIRST EVER HAIRCUT in the U.K. Just thought it was something worth remembering in years to come. Yes, I have never cut my hair in the UK before this year. Not in the 6 years I have been here.

I know there are 3 months in between the pics and it has been a month since my hair cut. I've been busy thus this backdated post and... well... it just means my hair was even longer when I went to the barber!

I just want to go to sleep!

Right now, the life of an hikikomori seems especially appealing to me. For the past 2 hours I have tried to go to sleep but only succeeded in flipping about on my uselessly large bed, thinking about my dissertation and how I can improve it before handing it in this Friday. Ah... this is so tiring! I want to stop thinking and just be an otaku watching my favourite shows, anime, documentaries and vegetate.

How Manga Took Over The World

Noticed a very interesting exhibit going on in Urbis right now. Looking forward to checking it out.

Kettle's On -
The Feeling

I turn on the tap and run some water
Flick a little switch on the wall
I'm hoping you remember what I taught ya
Hoping you remember me at all

I'm strong but I feel like a mouse when you're gone
I'm weak but I'll take on the world when you're here
With me, with me

Can't you see you're in the wrong place
Will you please face it and come home
When I think about your sweet face
I can't wait for you to come home
I can see you got a real taste for that champagne but its all gone
Come home, the kettles on

I've got a little something on my mind
To keep it to myself isn't really very kind
Pouring out my heart isn't usually my style
But you gave me an inch so I'm gonna take a mile
You see

I'm strong but I feel like a mouse when you're gone
I'm weak but I'll take on the world when you're here
With me, with me

Can't you see you're in the wrong place
Will you please face it and come home
When I think about your sweet face
I can't wait for you to come home
I can see you got a real taste for that champagne but its all gone
So come home, the kettles on

Yea yea yea

Can't you see you're in the wrong place
Will you please face it and come home
When I think about your sweet face
I can't wait for you to come home

Can't you see you're in the wrong place
Will you please face it and come home
When I think about your sweet face
I cant wait for you to comeeeeeeeeeeeeee home

Beer Is Good For You! (yay~)

Basically, drink in moderation. It's good for you. Even helps with heart diseases. (Does secret cheer)

There's even a "8 healthy reasons to drink beer" slide show :)

Healthy Reasons to Drink Beer
Allison Van Dusen,Forbes.com
Posted: 26 March 2008 0950 hrs


Looking for a good excuse to tip back a beer?

A decade's worth of health research shows that regular, moderate beer intake--one to two 12 ounce glasses per day for men and one for women--can be good for you, especially if you're facing some of the most common diseases related to aging.

Experts say wine tends to get most of the attention when it comes to the health benefits of alcohol primarily because of the French paradox, a reference to the relatively low rate of heart disease in France in spite of a diet high in saturated fat. The idea is that daily sips of Merlot make the difference.

But a number of studies are showing that moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, can have similar heart healthy effects, including making men 30 to 35% less likely to have a heart attack than those who abstain.

"Wine is still on moral high ground," says Charlie Bamforth, chair and professor of the department of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis, "but beer deserves just the same acclamation."

Interest in the health effects of beer has been growing over the past eight to 10 years in tandem with a rise in the popularity of craft beers--usually defined as products of brewers who make fewer than 2 million barrels a year, says Nancy Tringali Piho, a spokeswoman for the National Beer Wholesalers Association.

Unlike many mass-produced beers, craft beers tend to be brewed with a particular focus on flavor, appearance and aroma. Their appeal has attracted an upscale audience that's curious about the beverage and how it compares with wine health-wise.

The news is good, particularly for baby boomers, many of whom are dealing with obesity and high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Alcohol, including beer, in moderation raises high-density lipoprotein or HDL, known as good cholesterol, says Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, chief of the section of preventive medicine and epidemiology and professor of medicine and public health at the Boston University School of Medicine. It also appears to have a favorable effect on the lining of blood vessels, making them less likely to form a clot or for a clot to rupture and plug an artery, and may help protect against Type 2 diabetes.

"People should realize that a little bit of alcohol on a regular basis decreases the risks of aging," says Ellison, who specializes in researching, among other things, the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and chronic diseases.

And earlier this month researchers at the National Institutes of Health released a study showing that frequent drinking in moderation may protect men from death due to cardiovascular disease. Men who reported drinking 120 to 365 days a year had a 20% lower cardiovascular death rate than those who drank one to 36 days a year. Overdoing it, however, can have the opposite effect. Men who knocked back five or more drinks when they did indulge had a 30% greater risk for death via heart disease.

Beer may also give your brain a boost.

Adults over age 65 who drank one to six alcoholic beverages over the course of the week turned out to have a lower risk of dementia than non-drinkers or heavier drinkers, according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Likewise, a 2006 report that appeared in an American Heart Association journal showed that a drink or two a day might be linked to better cognitive function in women.

Consume With Caution
Of course, beer isn't good for everyone. Other studies have shown that consuming two or more glasses of alcohol a day may increase a woman's risk of breast cancer, and few medical experts will suggest that a non-drinker take up the habit just for the health benefits, when exercise and a good diet can produce similar benefits.

And Bamforth says he's not so sure that the growing selection of organic beers, those that don't contain sulfites, chemical preservatives and are made with mostly, if not all, organic ingredients, or beers flavored with antioxidant-laden super-fruits will have much of a health impact. It's the alcohol content, as well as vitamins and minerals, in beer that has proved to make a difference.

More important, he doesn't recommend that people think of beer as medicine. Beer is something to enjoy, he says. Just don't feel guilty about indulging.

"In moderation," Bamforth says, "it's part of a wholesome diet." -CNA/sf

Freeze Off

Stockholm was an amazing breath of freezing fresh air. Endless cafe breaks, hiding from the snow storms before heading out to play again like little kids among the snowflakes and sunshine. Wandering down alleys to be surprised time and again at the random finds. Stockholm is a beautiful place to get lost with someone.

Finally

You get as good as you give

Time for a breather after pulling off a 72 hours work stint. Sam Png is all used up and needs some loving, resting, travelling and basketballing.

Damn it feels good to finish this report.

Totally random: I think I'm becoming a Christian-Atheist-Free-thinker. Let me explain: I believe that there is a supernatural world or even a higher being, but all the religions in the world currently are so obviously flawed in their man-made forms that I don't really believe any one of them truly represents God purely. However, Christianity is probably the most updated of all the pagan based religions despite the myriad of lies and half-truths woven around it by the Church.

Living With Depression

Save me from myself
I know better but I can't help myself

-Sam Png

It's a constant struggle when you suffer from depression. Speaking from a personal point of view, there's a vast chasm between the clinically depressed and the emotionally depressed that is greater than what people perceive it to be. Not to take anything away from those emotionally depressed, but the life of a clinically depressed (CD) person is like an endless cycle of wars waged within yourself. I am not going through a negative phase currently, but somewhere in the back of my mind is the knowledge that it will hit me out of the blue again with no warning and maybe even no real reason. One could even be depressed over being depressed.

External factors are not always necessary to make a person depressed. It is now known that chemical changes in the brain can lead to depression without any external precipitating factor. It's not so much that we don't want to enjoy the pleasures of life, but more of how the events themselves don't give us as much pleasure anymore. Try imagining that you're watching your favourite movie, but only on old film with faded colours and scratchy audio - you just don't enjoy it as much anymore.

I feel like I have so much more to expunge on this topic... Maybe it's because I've come to terms with it some more over the years, I feel like I have to share and dispel the common myths construed on a very misunderstood condition. However, to avoid going into a verbal tirade, I shall not go rambling on any further. Understanding depression is nearly impossible for someone who does not suffer from it, but at least the acknowledgment of it as an illness has risen over the years. Anyone can be struck down by it. In fact, the strongest characters and personalities in history have suffered from depression before. Here's a few random examples:

• Alexander the Great, king
• Drew Barrymore, actress
• Ludwig von Beethoven, composer
• Jim Carrey, actor and comedian
• Winston Churchill, British prime minister
• Sigmund Freud, psychiatrist
• J.P. Morgan, industrialist
• Sir Isaac Newton, physicist

Sources:
Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba, What Do All These Famous People Have in Common? (poster), August 1999
Celebrity Meltdown, Psychology Today, December 1999, pp. 46-49,70,78

Photography

Warnings first: A photo deluge follows this!

Looking through past photographs taken, I realise that I have always been sort of semi-serious about photography. I know the basics about aperture and shutter speed, but that's about the extent of it. Lighting and settings are things which are still beyond me and frankly, I don't think I will be overly concerned about those variables any time soon. After all, the kind of photos I want to take aren't modelled shots. I am looking for the natural beauty in things to present themselves and capture them in that infinitely breath-taking moment.

There's only so little you can do with the lens on a digital camera though. Fiddle with it as much as you like, but the capabilities are limited. The next obvious step would be a digital SLR (Digital Single Reflex Lens) camera that offers better optics for low light conditions outdoors, a richer colour capture, less shutter lag, more manual control and much more depth. Basically, it does everything your digital camera does BUT better.

Below are photos that have got me wondering how it would have turned out with a better camera. Do I really want to sacrifice the convenience of a nifty point and shoot digicam with a bulky DSLR? It's not as simple as just getting a DSLR either. If you're going to get one, the additional accessories are a must or you might as well not get into serious photography to being with. Throw in the memory card, tripod, lens extension, carry case, cleaning kit and spare battery will probably rack up a bill of about $1500 to $2000 SGD depending on the brand and model you're buying. That is a huge price tag for a hobby. It is the equivalent of 10 top-notch basketball shoes, 20 A-grade basketballs, 2-3 superb semi-acoustic guitars with amplifiers included or 6 fabulous snorkelling trips on Malaysian or Thai islands! Perhaps it's still not the time yet for such a hefty investment.

p.s. the quality of the photos might appear better if viewed on flickr on this link

This is Why We Will Always Need Pilots

Reading the article below just transported me back to year 2 "Controls" module with flashbacks of Laplace Transformations and Open/Closed Loops going on in my mind. It's an occupational hazard now that you've studied Aerospace Engineering, you tend to notice more and be more aware of things that happen during a flight. You're no longer one of the "meek sheep" the airlines cart from place to place.

What is really highlighted below is that even with the popular advent of UAVs, the possibility of having unmanned airliners plying the skies is not going to be possible anywhere in the near future. Barring technical and safety issues, there is still the psychological hurdle to overcome. Look at the rail industry - it took centuries before the automated trains of today became widely accepted and even then under very strict conditions. The recent crash landing in Heathrow is a gleaming example of why a pilot trained to rely on his senses and experience when all the flashy gizmos go blank is always going to be wanted at the helm in the cockpit. If not for his training, the outcome would have been disastrous.

Taken from Newscientist:

Crashing software poses flight danger

• 11 February 2008
• From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues
• Paul Marks

Web Links

• Software for Dependable Systems: Sufficient Evidence, National Academies of Science
• DO-178B, RTCA
• Peter Ladkin, University of Bielefeld
• Federal Aviation Administration

COCKPIT displays plunged into darkness, engines that throttle back during take-off and contradictory airspeed readings are just some of the problems caused in recent years by inexplicable failures in the software that controls aircraft.

So far there are no known cases of such failures alone causing an accident. Speculation that software problems led to the crash landing of the British Airways Boeing 777 at Heathrow airport, London, on 17 January remain unconfirmed. While software was implicated in the Korean Air jumbo jet crash in August 1997 on Guam, which killed 228 people, human error, not software design, was to blame. Software failures remain a risk, though, and with aircraft makers set to increase the proportion of aircraft functions controlled by software, experts are warning that they will become more frequent, increasing the chance that one will cause an accident.

In early aircraft, moving parts such as the rudder and wing flaps were linked to controls in the cockpit either by a system of cables and pulleys or by hydraulics. In the 1970s, aircraft makers realised they could get rid of much of this heavy equipment and replace it with lightweight wiring and systems driven by electric motors in the wings and tail. Such "fly-by-wire" (FBW) systems vastly increased fuel efficiency.

FBW had another advantage too: because it uses electrical signals, for the first time it allowed a computer to be placed between the pilot and the moving parts. The computers were programmed to modify the pilots' instructions in certain instances: for example, to stop them moving the rudder too far or too quickly and so damage the plane. They also allowed the plane's aerodynamics to be finely adjusted during flight in response to wind conditions, further improving fuel economy.

But the addition of software led to different problems. Some of these are documented in a report completed last year by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS). It lists a number of instances in which software bugs caused frightening problems during flight. In one instance in August 2005, a computer in a Boeing 777 presented the pilot with contradictory reports of airspeed. It said the aircraft was going so fast it could be torn apart and at the same time that the plane was flying so slowly it would fail to generate enough lift to stay in the air. The pilots managed to control the aircraft nonetheless, but it was a stark illustration of what can go wrong.

In another instance in 2005, this time in an Airbus 319, the pilots' computerised flight and navigation displays as well as the autopilot, auto-throttle and radio all lost power simultaneously for 2 minutes. Another time, what the NAS calls "faulty logic in the software" meant that when the computer controlling fuel flow failed in an Airbus A340, the back-up systems were not turned on.

"The pilots' displays, autopilot, auto-throttle and radio all lost power for 2 minutes"

Now Boeing is planning to get rid of the hydraulic wheel brakes on its 787 in favour of lighter electrically actuated ones and to shift from using pneumatic engine starters and wing de-icers to electrical ones. Airbus will also be adopting a "more electric" approach in its forthcoming A350, says the plane's marketing director. "The addition of more electric systems will mean even more computer control," says Martyn Thomas, a systems engineering consultant based in Bath, UK, and a member of the NAS panel that produced the software report last year. "It will mean more wires or shared data lines and so still more possibilities for errors to arise."

But Boeing disagrees. "Flight critical software and systems are isolated from the other systems, so the addition of electric systems doesn't add complexity to the separate fly-by-wire flight control system," says a senior avionics engineer at Boeing's Everett, Washington plant.

The software used to control additional electric systems may not be in the same package as the flight control system, but they still add to the overall amount of software that needs writing and verifying as safe for flight. And that has independent experts like Thomas worried.

Why do software bugs arise and why can't they be removed? Bugs are sections of code that start doing something different to what the programmer intended, usually when the code has to deal with circumstances the programmer didn't anticipate. All software is susceptible to bugs, so it must be tested under as many different circumstances as possible. Ideally, the bugs get discovered at this time and are removed before the software is actually used. This is very difficult in complex systems like aircraft because the number of possible scenarios - such as different combinations of air densities, engine temperatures and specific aerodynamics - is huge.

To test for bugs, most aircraft manufacturers use a set of guidelines called the DO-178B standard, which was created by the US-based Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, a collection of government, industry and academic organisations, and the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment. Recognised by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the standard rates software on how seriously it would compromise safety were it to fail, and then recommends different levels of testing depending on that rating. The most rigorous "level A" test, reserved for software whose failure would cause a catastrophic event, is called "modified condition/decision coverage" (MCDC), and it places the software in as many situations as possible to see if it crashes or produces anomalous output.

But it isn't clear whether the MCDC test includes enough different conditions to provide any greater protection than the level B tests done on less safety-critical software. So in 2003, UK Ministry of Defence contractor Qinetiq ran both levels on a range of software that is deployed in military transport aircraft. The MCDC should pick out many more flaws than the level B tests, but the Qinetiq team found that there was "no significant difference" between them. "MCDC testing is not removing any significant numbers of bugs," says Thomas. "It highlights the fact that testing is a completely hopeless way of showing that software does not contain errors."

"The criteria currently used to evaluate the dependability of electronic systems for many safety-related uses are way too weak, way insufficient," says Peter Ladkin, a computer scientist specialising in safety engineering at the University of Bielefeld in Germany.

Instead of focusing on testing, Ladkin and Thomas want to see a change in the way safety-critical software is written. Neither Boeing nor Airbus responded to questions about exactly which programming languages their software systems are written in, but according to Les Dorr, spokesman for the FAA, which certifies US commercial software systems, it is a mixture of the languages C, C++, assembler and Ada, which was developed by the Pentagon. Some of those languages, such as C, allow programmers to write vague or ambiguous code, says Thomas, which is the kind of thing that often leads to bugs.

To solve this problem, he suggests using highly specialised computer languages that do not allow ambiguous software specifications to be written, and which mathematically verify software as the programmer is coding. Such languages include the B-Method, pioneered for use on computer-controlled sections of the Paris Metro, and SPARK, a version of Ada. These so-called "strongly-typed" languages and their compiler software have strict controls within them that make it very difficult for programmers to write vague or ambiguous code.

The NAS report also backs stricter controls on languages. "Safe programming languages... are likely to reduce the cost and difficulty of producing dependable software," it says.

The FAA agrees that an increase in the software control of planes "makes validation and verification of software more challenging" and is working to ensure that validation keeps pace with technical advances. But Thomas says their progress is too slow. "How long are we prepared to go on using tools we know are broken to develop software on which people's lives depend? No other engineering discipline would rely on tools that have dangerous faults."

Aviation - Learn more in our comprehensive special report.

From issue 2642 of New Scientist magazine, 11 February 2008, page 28-29

Flight

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skywards

-
Leonardo Da Vinci

Prayer List

They might not be Christians and they might not know I am praying for them, but I feel these few people close to my heart really need support of some kind. It's not necessarily help that they want because sometimes one just has to find the way unassisted and we can only watch on with our eyes willing them to succeed.

SHU MEI - I know it's a hard blow, especially with the distance. I can only hope you can get closure and find strength in God's love. Take care my friend, I'm still storing that hug you wanted for when you get back.


MUM - It's been a tough 2007 for the family and we've had to make adjustments and sacrifices in order to keep on going. However, being the eldest daughter meant things were particularly harder on my mother and I am guilty of not being around to support her. People ask if family is the reason I am going back to Singapore after graduating and that is a definite "yes". For the 25 years since I've been born, only 9 of them have been spent with my Mum. 11 if you add in the holidays when I get to go home. It's time. Time to go home. Time to be a son, brother and man.


DAD - Fighting with stage 2/3 cancer has been a huge drain on my dad both physically and mentally. Things are looking up after the latest bout of chemotherapy and he even felt well enough for a getaway trip to Genting. May he get a full recovery.


CLARENCE - Things are kind of at a crossroads for you right now and the position as well as timing of everything does nothing to improve the situation too. Stressful as it may be, these are decisions and choices you cannot put off. Put your foot down and get off the fence because for better or worse, you'll finally wrench yourself out of this static limbo. Don't worry. You know we'll be there if you do fall and you can count on me for "a pint".


EE NIAN - Little fresher, don't be overly stressed. These sort of things are part of life, but they are fleeting and never last long. Endure through the gruelling first round and your mind will clear after that with the path to walk made plain. You have another 2 years ahead, so just take everything in stride and don't lose focus on why you're here to begin with. Don't worry, I have high hopes of you absorbing my whole 武林密集 and enjoying U.K immensely.


ML & RB - My Brothers, what else can I say. You are both equally important to me and I am very grateful that neither one of you has forced me to make a choice between you two. It's a choice you know I can't make. Things are looking bleak and the rift seems bigger with each passing day. It pains me to see how things are now in Singapore. Is there really no working out the differences? This awkward silence is stifling and surely some part of you wants to resolve it as well? The two of you practically grew up together with Jook as the backdrop of your childhood. Deep inside, you must miss each other.




----------------
Now playing: Foo Fighters - Once And For All [Demo]
via FoxyTunes

In A Darn Good Mood

They say love is a miracle cure. So love me, love me! :) Haha. In a good mood today. On the first day of school no less!

People in love get fast and foolish
People in love get everything wrong
People in love get scared and stupid
People in love get everything wrong

At least they're not lonely
At least they're not lonely
They'll never be lonely

A Song About Being Who You Are

Strange - The Feeling

Don’t you dig this life
They call the meek
You whose feet are on the ground
And if you get too high
What goes around comes around
And brings you down

‘Cause people gonna see you
How they wanna see you
People gonna rate you
People gonna hate you
People gonna shove you
People gonna love you
People gonna do whatever
Makes them feel they own you better

‘Cause everyone knows we’re strange
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
(Ohh) Baby
Everyone knows we’re different
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
We love you all the same

That’s why
‘Cause if you feel it
And if you mean it
Don’t apologize
And you will be just fine
'Cause all they ever need is what you’ll give them
Is what you’re given
They only put you down if you give them permission

People gonna see you
How they wanna see you
People gonna rate you
People gonna hate you
People gonna shove you
People gonna love you
People gonna do whatever
Makes them feel they own you better

Yeah everyone knows we’re strange
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
(Ohh) Baby
Everyone knows we’re different
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
(Ohh)
We love you all the same, yeah
We love you all the same, yeah
We love you all the same
So don't you ever change

Your undernourished
And encouraged
And underrated
And unappreciated
And the world is turning in a different direction to us
You just look how far you've come considering
Through all the pushing and spitting and stuff

Yeah everyone knows we’re strange
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
(Ohh) Baby
Everyone knows we’re different
(Ahh)
So why do you feel ashamed
We love you all the same, yeah

Yes we love you
Yes we love you
All the same
All the same

Yes we love you
Yes we love you
All the same
Don't ever change

No, No, No,
No, No, No,
No, No, No,
No, No, No,

Am I Demanding?

Birth dates
Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
Mar 21 - Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
Jun 24 - Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 - Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
Sep 23 - Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
Dec 22 - Beech Tree
Dec 23 to Dec 31 - Apple Tree

APPLE TREE (Love) - of slight build, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant aura, flirtatious, adventurous, sensitive, always in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, scientific talents, lives for today, a carefree philosopher with imagination.
ASH TREE (Ambition) - uncommonly attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be egotistic, very reliable and trustworthy, faithful and prudent lover, sometimes brains rule over the heart, but takes partnership very seriously.
BEECH TREE (Creative) - has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.)
BIRCH TREE (Inspiration) - vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly,pretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.
CEDAR TREE (Confidence) - of rare beauty, knows how to adapt, likes luxury, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others,self-confident, determined, impatient, likes to impress others, many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waiting for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.
CHESTNUT TREE (Honesty) - of unusual beauty, does not want to impress, well-developed sense of justice, vivacious, interested, a born diplomat, but irritates easily and sensitive in company, often due to a lack of self confidence, acts sometimes superior, feels not understood, loves only once, has difficulties in finding a partner.
CYPRESS TREE (Faithfulness) - strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give, content, optimistic, craves money and acknowledgment, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered, unruly, pedantic, and careless.
ELM TREE (Noble-Minded) - pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, loudest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.
FIG TREE (Sensibility) - very strong, a bit self-willed,independent, does not allow contradiction or arguments, loves life, its family, children and animals, a bit of a social butterfly, good sense of humor, likes idleness and laziness, of practical talent and intelligence.
FIR TREE (Mysterious) - extraordinary taste, dignity, sophisticated, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to them, rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious, uncontested lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable.
HAZELNUT TREE (Extraordinary) - charming, undemanding, very understanding, knows how to make an impression, active fighter for social cause, popular, moody, and capricious lover, honest, and tolerant partner, precise sense of judgment.
HORNBEAM TREE (Good Taste) - of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.
LIME TREE (Doubt) - accepts what life dishes out in a composed way, hates fighting, stress, and labor, dislikes laziness and idleness, soft and relenting, makes sacrifices for friends, many talents but not tenacious enough to make them blossom, often wailing and complaining, very jealous but loyal.
MAPLE TREE (Independent) - no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.
OAK TREE (Brave) - robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.
OLIVE TREE (Wisdom) - loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.
PINE TREE (Particular) - loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but its passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, everything disappointments until it finds its ideal, trustworthy, practical.
POPLAR TREE (Uncertainty) - looks very decorative, not very self-confident, only courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.
ROWAN TREE (Sensitivity) - full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.
WALNUT TREE (Passion) - unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.
WEEPING WILLOW (Melancholy) - beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner

Here we go again!

Yes, another blogrolled post from the life-less souls in Manchester about exams. It is that time of the year again after all. The familiar routines start all over again as we each go about our ways of coping with the stress and fatigue that is part and parcel of this. There goes a whole box of tea bags... As well as song repeated ad infinitum in the background.

One thing I noticed though, is that I prefer this stage of the school year over normal lessons and timetables. I like how we're left alone to do what we want and need with only one deadline in sight: the day of the exams. No lessons to attend, courseworks to hand in or projects to research and complete. Call me insane.

Days are short and nights long now over here. With my nocturnal habits, I see less and less of the sun. I go to sleep at 7am when the sun is rising and awake at roughly 1pm when there's only a few hours of sunlight left. I wonder if my eyes glow in the dark now.

Another thing exam periods are good for: downloading movies. Due to the long hours spent revising on the laptop and the absence of power-sapping processes from gaming applications, the downloads can happily go on in the background as I read my notes and past year papers. The bulging number of movies in my collection is ever so tempting... but they'll have to wait till revision is done. WILLPOWER.

The urge to write has been low lately, ideas flutter in and out like temporal spirits. On rare occasions that they do finally take shape, academic demands supersede the time allocation. Not that much has happened anyway. 2008 has gotten off to a less than emphatic start. The usual "omph' just isn't there this year. 2007 was an eventful year in the worse sense of the word for me and I'm approaching this year with a Zen-like mentality:

-Go with the flow
-Don't force the issue
-Take a chill pill
-Be happy
-Do my best in what I want

People with less than sincere intentions, stay away from me. I don't have the time and energy to entertain you this year. It may be a little bit ruthless and even aggressive, but I will not hesitate to cut out the hypocrites who offer me naught but empty smiles with no warmth and meaningless conversations with no heart-felt connection. Just... BUZZ OFF. So, if I call you a friend, rest assured I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

We All Get Emo Sometimes

2007 in Pictures

Go here for a slide show

www.flickr.com

Allei! Walah! Ci Bon!

A magical trip to Val Thorens in Savoie, France. Winter wonderland tucked away in the valley of 3 mountains.

Supercool

"If only everyone saw you the way your pet does"

Everyone's got to face down their demons

Third Eye Blind - "Jumper"


I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend 
You could cut ties from all the lies 
That you've been living in 
And if you do not want to see me again 
I would understand 

The angry boy, a bit too insane 
Icing over a secret pain 
You know you don't belong 
You're the first to fight 
You're way too loud 
You're the flash of light 
On a burial shroud 
I know something's wrong 
Well everyone I know has got a reason 
To say 
Put the past away

And I 
I want you to know 
Everyone's got to face down the demons 
Maybe today 

You can put the past away 

Everyone's got their own set of problems to handle presently and demons from the past to exorcise. It's almost as if we human beings aren't complete adults (in the mental sense - belonging to an age group does NOT make you an adult) until we manage to take control of our inner demons and move on to being a better person. Life is about challenges, living is about overcoming them.

So to anyone out there (does anyone still read this blog?) who feels like they are going under and that the effort to stay afloat is just too much: Don't. You're not alone. We all feel that way sometimes. Do what you have to do. Even letting go is doing something. Don't drown, because you never know what might drift along once you are over the crest of the next wave. Ride it and enjoy the journey it brings you on.



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Now playing: Third Eye Blind - Jumper
via FoxyTunes

I Go To Bed With Paul

Meet Paul, my bed partner. That's him there in his mini-waterbed. For the first time ever in my time in UK, I used a hot water bottle in bed. It was that cold. Sleeping with Paul started off pretty weird, but the warmth of him in bed just overrode the weird slushing and gurgling noises he made. Ahhh... beautiful warmth in bed. Blessed. I am so sorry that I ever banished Paul into a dark corner of a drawer 2 years back. We are going to make up for alot of lost time, Paul and I, in this final winter of mine. Especially since I don't have a heater in my room.

Stop Motion Stick Figure Body Art - Watch more free videos

Say It's Possible

How is this even .......

Saudi gang-rape victim is jailed

By Frances Harrison BBC News

An appeal court in Saudi Arabia has doubled the number of lashes and added a jail sentence as punishment for a woman who was gang-raped.

The victim was initially punished for violating laws on segregation of the sexes - she was in an unrelated man's car at the time of the attack.

When she appealed, the judges said she had been attempting to use the media to influence them.

The attackers' sentences - originally of up to five years - were doubled.

Extra penalties

According to the Arab News newspaper, the 19-year-old woman, who is from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, was gang-raped 14 times in an attack in the eastern province a year-and-a-half ago.

Seven men from the majority Sunni community were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years.

But the victim was also punished for violating Saudi Arabia's laws on segregation that forbid unrelated men and women from associating with each other. She was initially sentenced to 90 lashes for being in the car of a strange man.

On appeal, the Arab News reported that the punishment was not reduced but increased to 200 lashes and a six-month prison sentence.

The rapists also had their prison terms doubled. But the sentences are still low considering they could have faced the death penalty.

The Arab News quoted an official as saying the judges had decided to punish the girl for trying to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media.

The victim's lawyer was suspended from the case, has had his licence to work confiscated, and faces a disciplinary session.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7096814.stm

Tears Of Blood

Like a vampire of the night, I have not seen the light of day in ages. I grow weak in the living and strong in the dead pallid moonlight. I cry tears of blood. I am, undead.



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Now playing: 五月天 - 拥抱
via FoxyTunes

Remember remember, the 5th of November

Fireworks display at Plattfields Park

p.s. I love this new background song.

They Are Not Our Enemies

"Nature created them for a reason."

"Human beings are killing [sharks] like ... [we] don't care!"

"We can't live without them"

"Future generations are going to think of us as barbarians"


"On average, sharks only kill 5 people a year. And yet FIFTEEN THOUSAND of them are being killed EVERY HOUR so that rich people can eat shark fin soup. And for anyone who is cruel/stupid enough to think that sharks should be killed, this film explains how, if sharks were to no longer exist, there's a good chance that we wouldn't exist either."

Because Good Friends Are Hard To Come By

To my friends far far away, dedicating my 300th post to you. To those who stuck by me even when I said I didn't need anyone. Take care and I can't wait till we meet again.

002852你的号码
Hello很久没见你还好吗
Oh~我的天啊你又更胖啦
你的[摩都车]快坐不下

[新加坡]那边的天气还好吗
我的心情梅雨不断的下
很想听你讲个黄色笑话
拿起啤酒一起大声笑哈哈

(Oh) Friend
声音就在耳边
窝心的感觉像你出现
乌云都变蓝天

I will always be your friend
不管你有多远
只要真诚把心窗打开 看得见
就算地球多大 你都在旁边

工作不顺利跟女友吵架
车子被Ａ倒屁股也开花
钱包发觉被小偷拿走了
打个电话来哭诉一下

到那天80岁阿达阿达
想找个人喝杯茶哈啦哈啦
要记得你讲过那一句话
I'll always be your friend forever

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Now playing: 陶喆 - My Anata
via FoxyTunes

低头思故乡

I miss my family...




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Now playing: Muse - Invincible
via FoxyTunes

First of More To Come

As any Aerospace engineer learns, the true crux in designing any plane is in the optimisation of the design. Do you focus more on the aerodynamics for a truly flight efficient wing-body and thus sacrifice payload? Do you focus more on structural integrity and fly a plane that handles like a 18 wheel truck with no power steering? The list of compromises goes on endlessly amongst the Propulsion, Materials, Safety, Manufacturing and Payloads teams as well. Overriding all of these though, is the D.O.C : Direct Operating Costs.

That's right. No avoiding it. Even before a single bolt is turned or the first aluminium sheet pressed, there is an intense round of cost estimating and market research and analysis. In other words, "Will this aeroplane be a good sales pitch?" This is extremely important as every cent spent in this stage of the development could have repercussions of up to thousands of dollars in the later stages of the development and manufacture process.

So it should be no surprise that one of the top priorities of Boeing and Airbus would be to ensure customer's confidence in their products AND the company itself. Airbus, being a subsidiary company of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company) with BAE (British Aerospace) as a shareholder, is routinely upheld as a sparkling example of what the old world powers can achieve through co-operation. I.E. beat the Americans.

Underneath all the handshakes, smiles and pat on the backs though, it is evident that the joint national leadership of an essentially commercial enterprise just isn't working out. Issues like national security, pride and economical policies hinder what is already a very delicate production line for the Airbus A380. Look back into the company's history and you will see a direct correlation between the internal political strife and major delays and manufacturing bottlenecks. One can just imagine the English, French, German and Spanish CEOs arguing with each other, refusing to budge on their respective country's demands on the company, forcing everything into a standstill.

I have nothing against this gathering of minds from all over Europe. In fact, I applaud it. But please, get rid of the politics involved as well and run it like a real business. The way things are now, it's more like a family business that has been passed down the generations and now the extended family is just bickering over who gets what title while nobody really pays attention to the dwindling profits and business orders.

So get down to business already. Recent changes in Airbus and EADS have been encouraging, but please don't let it be just another façade and show for the media. Just do it already.

Singapore Airlines takes delivery of first Airbus A380
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 15 October 2007 1641 hrs

TOULOUSE, France: After two years of delays and internal problems, Airbus finally delivered the first A380 to Singapore Airlines in a glittering ceremony in front of 500 guests.

And while it may be years before it break even, the manufacturer is hoping that the plane's debut into commercial service will persuade a fresh wave of orders.

Orders dried up around the time the airliner's troubles started.

From the start of the ceremony, it was quite clear who the star of the show was.

But beyond the glitz, a lot is riding on how this first plane performs in commercial service later this month.

Singapore Airlines, which has been facing a capacity crunch because of the delay, is planning to use the A380 as the backbone of its long haul operations.

Could that mean new orders from a carrier that prides itself on a young, modern fleet?

Chew Choon Seng, CEO, Singapore Airlines, says: "We'll take it one step at a time. We've placed orders for 19 - they will take over from remaining 19 Boeing 747-400s that we presently operate and we'll move on ahead. So a lot is riding on the introduction of this place into service."

SIA is certainly charting a new course in aviation travel with suites that take first class travel to a whole new dimension.

And this may yet open a whole new market segment for the carrier.

As for Airbus, it will now have to focus on delivering the other orders on time.

Thomas Enders, CEO, Airbus, says: "We will have recurring deliveries first for SIA and then other customers but obviously there is huge challenge still ahead of us and nobody should be surprised because delivering one aircraft, delivering thirteen aircraft next year and then steeply ramping up production is presenting a lot of challenges."

Airbus also hopes to keep new orders coming in.

It has received orders for some 189 A380s so far - 165 firm and 24 on option - but that is below the 420 it said previously it needed to break even.

But despite all the problems, this is a plane that has captured the public imagination.

From the time the idea was first introduced at the turn of the century, the vast amounts of space available has led to all sorts of ideas from bars to casinos being on board.

SIA is hoping to get its fourth plane by April next year, ahead of the competition, and will fly to Sydney London and Tokyo.

Emirates and Qantas are next on the delivery list. - CNA/ch

Colour

Watashi Wa Nihonjin Ja Nai

Bella Que fa?
Bonita,
Bonita Que tal?
But Belle,
Je ne comprends, pas, francais.
So you'll have to speak to me,
Some other way.



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Now playing: Atlantic Starr - Always
via FoxyTunes

When Did You Last See Your Father?

When Did You Last See Your Father? is an unflinching exploration of a father/son relationship, as Blake Morrison deals with his father Arthur’s terminal illness and imminent death. Blake’s memories of everything funny, embarrassing and upsetting about his childhood and teens are interspersed with tender and heart-rending scenes in the present, as he struggles to come to terms with his father, and their history of conflict, and learns to accept that one’s parents are not always accountable to their children

People buy things, make friends, look for love... Just to be a little happier in life

Cooler

If our fridge looked like this everday, Tat would be the happiest man alive. Note, that grey barrel you see on the bottom left corner is a mini-keg of beer.

Free Burma

Sweet Sputnik

Space travel turns 50 this month. Kicked off by the Russians with Sputnik I, the space race that ensued between USA and USSR has left us humans a legacy of Apollo Missions, the MIR and its successor the International Space Station (ISS). The old debate on whether space exploration is worth the hefty price tag when then money could be spent on helping the needy and underprivileged continues. There have , of course, been errors. However, space exploration creates real benefits and not just physical ones like satellite communication, weather forecast and nano-technology. What about the intangible sense of pride, the stirring of spirits? How about the innovations that came about and inspiring of young minds? Surely the farther mankind reaches into space, the more we will cherish Earth and try to make it a better place.

Some interesting facts:

Mercury - 1 Mission : 1 successful
+1 en route
+1 planned

Venus - 40 Missions : 26 successful
+1 planned

Moon - 80 Missions : 45 successful
+4 planned

Mars - 38 Missions : 18 successful
` +1 en route
+4 planned

Asteroids - 4 Missions : 4 successful
+1 planned

Jupiter - 8 Missions : 8 successful
+1 planned

Saturn - 4 Missions : 4 successful

Uranus - 1 Mission : 1 successful

Neptune - 1 Mission : 1 successful

Pluto (currently no longer a planet) - 0 Mission
+1 en route

Comets - 10 Missions : 9 successful
+1 en route

The furthest humans have gone to date is our Moon, though aspirations to send a manned mission to Mars still appear to be on the cards. Will we set up a colony there one day? Do we dare? Look at our Earth, ravaged by us in the relatively short time humans rose to be the dominant species. We must explore though, for that is how we as a species have always made new discoveries and achieved major advancements materialistically and spiritually.

To the heavens and beyond.