Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy CNY 2010, Happy Valentine's Day & Happy 3rd Birthday

Would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year of the Golden Tiger. Also a Happy Valentine's Day to everyone (and Singles Appreciation Day or S.A.D. for the singles who are celebrating it) and a happy 3rd birthday to this KAMPUA4LIFE. Let's see what awaits all the zodiacs:

Rat (1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)
The Rat may be feeling quite tired and deflated after 2009, which saw him keeping his head down, working and staying out of trouble. The Year of the Tiger is going to be fast-paced for the Rat, which in itself does tend to make them slightly uncomfortable. But it is essential that they go with the flow and seize opportunities and take adventures – this year is going to be important for them. A lot of Rats may have dreamt of travel in 2009 but were unable to take trips either due to financial or work commitments. This year will be so different! Travel will feature strongly for many and if there is dream destination in mind, it may become a reality during 2010. February and March can bring interesting work offers, while June to August and December will bring happy social occasions. Romantically, September and October bring tempting offers for single Rats, while those who are attached will find the summer most special. It is essential for all persons born under this sign to be extra thoughtful and caring throughout the year – an inadvertent remark or gesture could lead to discord with loved ones.

Ox (1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)
The Ox loves methodical planning and everything working out in the correct time. The Year of the Tiger will throw all this to the wind with it’s fast pace and unexpected developments! People born under this sign may find 2010 a challenge but in a good way. The Ox will have to adapt to new routines, delays and obstacles thrown in his way, but he will be well able for any task and may find new hidden talents and personal power he didn’t know existed. Hobbies, relaxing pursuits and friendships will all be beautifully highlighted during the Year of the Tiger and will provide a welcome relief to any stresses he may face. Home improvements and redecorating plans will move forward smoothly with excellent results. Career opportunities will present themselves from April to June, while exciting, intense romantic encounters are likely in July, August and December. An important aspect for those under this sign in 2010 is to be mindful and caring of loved ones. It will be crucial to listen to them and also to accept any help they may offer during this changeable year.

Tiger (1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)
Being the Tiger’s own year, 2010 holds great promise for those born under this sign, with exciting developments happening for them both personally and professionally. Some Tigers may be feeling disappointed and disheartened after 2009 and it will be important to leave the past behind and concentrate on the future, which is looking so bright! Financially, everything improves this year for those born under this sign and money-making thoughts and ideas should be fully explored and investigated. With the fast pace of this year for all signs, the Tiger needs to take extra care in planning and thinking all projects through – no rushing headlong into schemes during 2010! Tigers looking for romance will possibly see a friendship suddenly develop into something more personal with exciting consequences. August, December and January will see a very active and entertaining social calendar, but all of 2010 will see fun activities for the Tiger. The Spring months, March to May, will bring encouraging and interesting job opportunities, but the Tiger will still have to make sure he puts himself forward and gets noticed at work.

Rabbit (1963,1975, 1987, 1999, 2011)
The focus will be on the Rabbit’s career and job prospects during the Year of the Tiger, with unexpected promotions and recognition very likely. Travel is also highlighted, with short breaks and spontaneous, fun trips featuring during the late Spring and early Summer. Health wise, the Rabbit could find the speed of the Tiger year exhausting and it’s important he balance work with rest and relaxation. Promotion at work or in the Rabbit’s career will be sure to feature and they need to act quickly – no hanging back to see what happens! Some Rabbits will be dissatisfied with their current living arrangements and the perfect new home may appear most unexpectedly – they must act quickly and not miss out! Friendships will play a big role during 2010 with possibly one or two friends needing extra care and help. May and October to January will bring special and fun social gatherings. February and March will be significant and fortunate for those looking to change jobs while July and August will be most auspicious for single Rabbits looking for love – an unexpected liaison could result from a work related social event.

Dragon (1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)
Dragons will find the quick pace of 2010 very much to their liking and they will be keen to spread their wings and look for new possibilities and opportunities. As with the other signs in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon must make use of all the openings and opportunities that present themselves during this year. Teamwork will feature strongly and the Dragon will progress further and faster in his career if he bears this in mind. The Dragon’s financial situation will indeed be rosy during 2010 with a possible increase in income as well as a sum of money coming to them during the year. They must be careful to be disciplined about spending and not make too many impulse buys! May to August will be lovely months for socialising with friends and possible romantic encounters. Dragons do need to remember that love needs attention and if it is taken for granted, problems can arise. May, September and November see the most interesting career changes. Dragons need to take time during the year to have a holiday or getaway with loved ones – with such a busy year, they must not neglect those who matter to them the most.

Snake (1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)
The Snake likes to make slow and steady progress and the Year of the Tiger will find him swept along with unexpected developments – they need to adapt and keep up the pace. On the career front, the Snake will have quite a bit of competition and needs to stay ahead of the game in order to be in line for any promotions or career advancement opportunities. He needs to seek advice from those who can help and not appear too independent – working with colleagues will pay off handsomely during the year. Money management will be crucial during the Year of the Tiger and with careful planning, they should have little to worry about. Time spent with loved ones, either on a well-earned holiday or at home, will rejuvenate the Snake’s spirit during a busy and intense year. February through April will favor work endeavors and promotion. July through December will offer many opportunities for single Snakes to meet a special romantic partner. Travel looks most likely during March and June through August, with fun and romance well starred. Snakes can be shy and loners, but the Year of the Tiger will ensure they have many happy social events to attend.

Horse (1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)
The Year of the Tiger will be an exciting and lively year for the Horse. On the home and family front, there may be some changes with family members moving in, moving out or relocating to another location altogether. On the social front, the Horse will be in much demand with invitations to parties and gatherings increasing as the year moves on. Health wise, with such a busy year and added pressures, the Horse must ensure that he looks after his diet and gets adequate rest. Otherwise, irritability and heated arguments could arise unnecessarily. Those born under this sign will do exceptionally well career-wise this year. However, they must follow up leads and career openings with vigor in order to take advantage of the fast paced energy of the Tiger year. A word of caution for the Horse – they need to keep a careful eye on their finances as overspending could happen very easily. August through September will bring fantastic opportunities for those looking for love. March through May will be lucky for changing jobs or careers while November and December will bring fun and lively social gatherings.

Goat (1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)
The Goat likes balance and moderation in all areas of life and the Year of the Tiger will ensure that he discovers new aspects and strengths of himself he didn’t know he had! For the artistic and creative Goat, 2010 will bring offers, opportunities and encouragement, leading to new projects and job offers. If they can remain adaptable, open to change and focused, this year could have long lasting positive implications. Study and developing specialist skills is also highlighted for this year. For those wishing to change jobs or find employment, there may be many frustrating moments and it won’t be easy. But then, out of the blue, a job offer or an opportunity will present itself. Be ready! September to November will bring the best chances for work related success. May to September will have outstanding moments for making new, special friends and enjoying the company of loved ones. All Goats need to be aware that the Year of the Tiger is not the time for taking financial risks. If in doubt or worried, they need to be sure to get the advice of a professional.

Monkey (1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)
The Monkey’s energetic nature will resonate well with the energy of 2010 – but he will definitely need to pace himself or he will burn out! Changes on the job front could startle the Monkey near the beginning of the year, but by adapting and staying calm, he should weather any storm. It would be wise to take a well-earned break mid-year as all Monkeys will be feeling the pressure that the Year of the Tiger is putting on them. Family expenses may very well increase this year and the wise Monkey will do a little bit of forward planning and budgeting to ensure a smooth passage through 2010. August to October will shine for romantic encounters and the unattached could possibly find the partner they’ve been searching for. July to November will be the best time to start making moves for anyone who wishes to change their job. All those born under this sign will appreciate the support they receive this year from loved ones and friends. Advice will be well-meaning and helpful; be sure to listen carefully.

Rooster (1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)
The Year of the Tiger will have mixed fortunes for the Rooster, but by staying calm, observant and flexible, the Rooster will glide through 2010 coming out much wiser, stronger and with great success behind him. He will be in much demand for his sage advice and experience and, at work, this will come to the notice of his employer. Many will also decide to go back to college this year or completely change the direction of their career. Travel features quite strongly with the Rooster seeking out adventure, fun and new places to visit. A word of caution: all Roosters must ensure that they don’t overdo things – exhaustion and a depleted immune system will result if proper rest isn’t taken. Home life will bring many joys and will be seen as a cosy sanctuary throughout the year. The Spring months and November and December will be excellent for intimate romantic encounters. March and July to October will be the optimum time for making career decisions or to change jobs.

Dog (1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)
The Year of the Tiger will be an excellent one for all Dogs with a significant improvement in fortune all year long. They must leave the past behind, for the Ox year was a challenging one, and look forward with optimism and determination. There will still be challenges this year for the Dog, as for all the signs, and it is important that he talk over any potential problems and worries rather than bottling them up. Socially, this is the Dog’s year to shine and many new strong friendships and alliances will be formed. The Year of the Tiger will see increased finances for the Dog with many receiving bonuses or even gifts throughout the year. However, it is important that he takes his time regarding financial matters, checking details and ensuring that he has read all the fine print. May to August will be very significant for single Dogs and all invitations should be carefully considered! September through November will have crucial career opportunities – don’t miss them! Recreational activities and hobbies will also feature strongly, with some able to turn their hobby into their career with great success.

Pig (1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)
The Pig loves activity and challenges and the Year of the Tiger will certainly provide this. There may be additional financial pressure on the Pig this year, but with prudent spending and consideration, this need not be a problem. The Pig is an open, friendly soul and very trusting, but this year he must be wary. It’s possible that gossip may prove too tempting or that he may listen to false advice, causing upset and trouble. Be guarded and careful this year! The Pig must ensure that he follows up all correspondence or financial dealings – to delay or overlook details will prove costly. Short, fun, unplanned trips will feature throughout the year and will be excellent for off-setting any stresses and pressure the Year of the Tiger may bring. Interest in spirituality and self-development will be to the fore and any opportunity to study and explore these should be taken. November to January will provide excellent opportunities for changing career direction or to find a new job. August to December will prove particularly social, with many fun occasions and opportunities to make new friends.

Source: Moonslipper.com

Friday, February 12, 2010

Mokei Gunpla Store

It's been almost more than a year since I left behind my gunpla life. Here in Miri there's a new gunpla store offering Gundam kits besides Toys World and other major retailers. It's called Mokei and is run by a local Mirian. What makes Mokei different is its accessibility; both online and physical store (residency actually). You can swing by the website by clicking here, or you can drive down to Riam.

Despite being really new to the market Mokei offers several exotic model kits. Exotic here refers to previous generations dating back to the Principality of Zeon. Apart from that you can also find mainstream Gundams such as from the 00 series. I got a Wing Gundam Zero Custom, an SD because I got limited time during my summer course, and was satisfied with the end product. Although a lot of my tools and paint are dried up due to my absence, I still got the skills to touch it up when I got home. A battle-worn Wing Gundam Zero Custom SD:
Although new, you can wait for a while before the next batch arrives since the current ones are kinda limited. OR you can directly e-mail them to ask for one. Apart from that Mokei also offers model kit tuition class, or free assembly. It's good for newbies to the Gunpla arena.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

TMNet Speed Theory

Lately the speed has been ridiculously slow. Yes blaming and flaming Malaysia's sole monopolizing internet service provider TMNet is common in Facebook, blogs and even in Wikipedia. Thus I do think we should be rational in this scenario.

I have two packages (if not mistaken RM99 for 1.00Mbps for both Kampua Town and Oil Town) and compared it with colleagues with RM60 packages. Whenever the RM60 slow speed complaints turned up on Facebook statuses, I just have noticeable lag when opening Google. I'm coming up with a theory that the cheapest package e.g the RM60-80 ones are pathetic because it is the Malaysian's #1 package of choice, hence it cannot cope with the growing number of users. And then the RM90 and above are better because lesser users are consuming the allocated bandwidth, hence better performance when the RM60 are complaining. The same apply for higher (more expensive) packages.

Speedtest.net confirmed the performance. My best download speed is 0.59Mb/s with a pathetic 0.04Mb/s upload speed. It performed 590kbps out of the 1000kbps subscribed package. Wow imagine if I'm a 1Mbps subscriber and lost almost 50% of subscribed speed, you can do the math for the users of 512kbps or even the 384kbps. Loading flashgames in Facebook at 256kbps or 192kbps are sure pain in the arse. But those with the RM268 4Mbps package, I think they will wonder "What are these people complaining about? What slow line? Nadai pun..."

Hence my theory on why during down time you can see many people complaining about the line while few saying theirs is good. Please bersyukur with the line people, it is unlimited. Once you experience LIMITED bandwidth in countries such as Australia, you would begin to appreciate the line back in home country. And when we start to abuse the unlimited bandwidth I'm sure its creator can take this rare gift away from us and only then we will start repenting. However I'm really looking forward to the day when I don't have to wait for a 1.5 minutes YouTube video to buffer over 5 minutes.

Test your internet speed now at Speedtest.net

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

AMD Dual Core Review

I was browsing through for updates and stumbled upon an article talking about AMD Dual Core Optimizer. Well, supposedly Vista and 7 optimize the dual-core by default. Does this mean that my AMD Turion 64 x2 is not being fully utilized?

After using Windows 7 for almost 5 months already, I have no complains on sluggishness. But heck I downloaded the 4MB optimizer anyways to see if there are differences to my machine's performance.
The installation was quick and harmless. But it did not appear anywhere in the programs. I was left wondering if it had been installed or not but the second attempt of installation mentions uninstallation, so it was installed.

After that I forced my machine to the max with several lesser apps on (e.g. MSN, Mozilla, Avast!, Xion, downloaders etc) then went on with the heavy games. No difference. I can't test the FPS because I uninstalled Fraps months ago and have no intention to reinstall. But even without specific software showing FPS, I seriously don't see any differences to the frame rates; still the same sluggishness when the nukes went off on HIGH, and running fast when I'm fielding an army (thanks to DirectX11 that is included with Windows 7). I admit my old Geforce 7000M is the bottleneck and it could limit the potential ability of the optimizer.

So is this optimizer thing worth it? I may have done something wrong somewhere, but ultimately it is seriously useless with no significant effects. You can try it out though if you have dual-core AMD processor by downloading it here at support.amd.com

Sunday, February 7, 2010

End of Summer Course 2010

Snapshot of closing stock price from Capstone® Courier.

Well my summer course for the year 2010 has ended. The time period of 5 weeks ended just like that. And I've also retired from the CEO post at the DIGBY. After 8 years of prosperity and noob blunders, I'm quite happy with the outcome despite not being able to be #1. Hey, at least the company got listed in top 10 globally in 2015. To our dear competitor Baldwin, good job. And to the managers of finance, R&D, marketing, production, TQM and HRM of DIGBY, I'm honored to have worked with you all throughout 2010-2018.

The two big competitors Baldwin (left) and DIGBY (right) flanked by our lecturer/facilitator at the center.

"Facebooking at work is illegal!" so says me when I'm asking for pork from colleagues for Restaurant City.

The "retirement" lunch at Citrus, followed by a few minutes of camwhoring session later :p

Most likely the last picture of me in Miri campus for my degree. Things always look beautiful moments before you leave. Oh well, I wanna congratulate KY & ZY for their unofficial graduation, and all the best for CK, FT and me for our last semester. See you guys around (mostly Facebook) and remember; always buy capacity! And happy new year!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Mafia Wars Threatening Me

Yup. I was playing Playfish's Gangster City when the small ad box caught my attention. Apparently Zynga's Mafia Wars found out I snitched on them and approached me when I was playing in a different crime family application.

Well MW can't blame me for ignoring it because it has the slowest energy regeneration time compared to Gangster City and Mobsters 2. Seriously, I gain 200% of energy in GC and M2 when in MW I only regained 20%. I have the rights to spend more time in the other apps and threats don't work on me Don! You're the one who have made this mafioso upset...

Check 'em out if you're interested. They all have their own appeal. Add me in your family too:
Gangster City
GTA-style art made me enjoy the deep storyline (and the characters actually talks!). No health, just energy and your choice of how to rule the streets; business domination or strength or both. Slow leveling up though.


Mobsters 2: Vendetta
I didn't play the first Mobsters, but this one got a storyline. Although the story progresses slow, it's fun in terms of mini games (e.g. tower-defense). Balanced leveling, grinding and energy regeneration rate.


Mafia Wars
Perhaps the true "grandfather" of Facebook's organized crime application. Like typical game of its genre, you have health, cash, energy and do crimes and business from Cuba to Bangkok. Slow energy regeneration though.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Losing Horsepower

Recently, well actually for the past few months, I've started to feel my Getz' acceleration has gotten a bit more sluggish. A few theories;
  1. I've been driving 2.0 and 2.5 vehicles now and then, so reverting back to 1.5 may be a performance-culture-shock.
  2. The roads and accidents the Getz has finally affected the 5+ year old car.
  3. The Getz is really losing torque and horsepower over the years.
  4. It's just heavy.
  5. Someone left 15 bowling balls and 200KG of durian in the trunk.
Just the other morning to breakfast, I can barely get a decent acceleration to get out of a T junction and end up causing the incoming 150-meters-away Hilux to slow down and show the finger (maybe). Luckily my face is already thick enough to just ignore the guy and driving away pretending nothing had happened. But revving the engine to 4,000rpm to get to 40 is kinda bollocks.

Well knowing the fella for 5 years already I won't blame it or anything. Because somehow I can't get enough acceleration in the day, often prompting me to use the overdrive all the way. At night however, the Getz is a beast, reaching 90-12Kmph with ease (inclusive of ovetaking slower vehicles and going back into the lanes). And you might think I did not let the engine warm up enough in the morning, that theory is plausible because I usually start the car, lock the door open the gate, get in the car, change CDs check if I forget anything then change CD again because the song was last nite and then reverse. Give and take that is already 2-3 minutes. The engine is already warm enough to warm the steel hood. I'll try warming it up for another 10 minutes and see the difference (most unlikely because that's too long and unrealistic).

Either way I'll treat the car like my own offspring because I know it more than anyone else. It survived 2 collisions with bigger vehicles with nothing more than dents thanks to its heavy body, and managed to run smoothly despite horrific body disfigurement. So the next time you see a Getz accelerating as fast as slowly it could out of a junction, please slow down and respect its sluggishness like how you respect a walking elder.