Apocalyptic Storm

Gloomy pre-doomsday weather with horrific wind and storm is usual nowadays...

Miri was battered by many storms during my 3 years of studying here. I'm not sure if it's just Parma, the typhoon that got promoted to Super Typhoon status, but whatever this is it's kinda scary and exhilarating. It can be scary when anything less than 5kg start flying randomly around you, and yet fun when you think of using the killer storm as a valid reason to postpone the assignment submission date. I guess this is what end-of-the-world weather is supposed to look like.

Take care out there.

Please Clean Your Heatsink

I was servicing another laptop the other day, when I found out a typical pattern in the old laptops I was servicing; they are all clogged.

A typical complain is that the laptop starts to shut down on its on after a few hours or even seconds after start up. Instead of panicking about a virus attack, blaming Barrack Obama or thinking you have chosen a cheapskate brand, try to look INSIDE the laptop.

Like humans, laptops grow old and gather dust as they age. What we need is to dissemble it and go to the life source of the laptop: the heat sink.

Basically the heat sink is where your internal cooling fan is located. If it's clogged with dust, the laptop is unable to cool itself and eventually die of a heat stroke.

Fixing it is simple. Simply reach the heat sink (personally or via professional assistance, lots of screw to unscrew) and use toothpick or cotton bud to prick out the collected dust at the heat sink (see picture, that one is the size of a Kit Kat bar). Just like a standing fan, after cleaning off all the dust the laptop should return to 100% operational capability. If you want to learn how to dismantle and reach the heat sink, just Google "how to disassemble (laptop model)" e.g. "how to disassemble HP nx6120"

So don't trade in that old laptop just yet, just show it some love and unclog its arteries and be amazed as it becomes 2-3 years younger :)

Prom Nite 2009

Had my last prom this year (next year graduate edi pok...) at Eastwood Valley on Friday evening. Brought along some familias who were all bumped from the busy study week (not me anyways). I'll just let the uploaded photos from various friends in facebook to show how the prom went.

The food could improve though, as I ended up eating hot dogs at Mat Magic in Senadin late past midnite. What a romantic way to end the nite :P

P/S: Oh and I enjoyed the last dance in the parking lot in the (after)storm :)

Driving at Dawn

When was the last time you wake up by 6am?
This is the earliest time I woke up this semester (and perhaps this year) to actually go outside of the house and drive. The 6am air is so fresh around here, it reminded me of the old days. The old days when I was a wee little school boy who usually wakes up at 6am to shower and prep to go to school in 30 minutes. Eat simple bread & jam with tea, sit down at the dining table and read the newspaper's comic section. Comb you hair and tuck in your shirt. Check your fat bags full of thick textbooks. Then have one of your parents to send you off to school before class starts at 7am. Ahh... reminiscing the good simple times...

And look at us now. Mostly sleep at 3-4am or later and wake up complaining at 8am or 12pm classes. Appearance? Bah whatever la why need to dress so smart like school days. Unless it's presentation day. Books? All online assessment nowadays, just need to print out some online tutorials or lecture notes. Either wake up 1 hour earlier to catch the bus or wake up late and drive at high speed to reach campus in time. Life changes drastically.

21 Guns Salute

JHYC: "Now you can do illegal things haha"

I welcome myself to the 21st Club. Well this marks the end of my innocence and the beginning of 'real life'. Now that I'm no longer protected by minority law etc, I gotta be more careful with what I do. Thanks all for the birthday wishes & have a blessed month of October as well. I lived up my month of September to the max and enjoyed the successes & outcomes :)

This also specifically goes to my boss who gave me not 21 guns, but 108 guns salute on my pre-birthday celebration dinner. Thanks for the tiger paw :)

Konfrontasi II: Malaysia-Indonesia Conflict

It's been 43 years since the first Konfrontasi which saw victory on our side after Indonesia accepted the formation of Malaysia. Now in 2009, claims of invading Boleh Land by land, sea and air on October 8 seems silly but must not be taken lightly. We are at war.

Apparently everyone is downplaying the invasion due to the silliness of the plan to invade Malaysia in such a short notice. This is further supported by the tactics used by the jihadist guerrilla group participating in the invasion (read Malaysia Today quote below to see why).

On the Malaysian side:
The Star: KJ downplays ‘invasion’ threat ‘

PETALING JAYA: The safety of Malaysian citizens in Indonesia is of more concern than the scheduled “invasion” of Malaysia on Oct 8.

On Friday, the Jakarta Globe published an article about Indonesian nationalist group Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat’s (Bendera) plans to invade Malaysia by “air, land and sea” next Thursday.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said they were monitoring developments with moderate concern and a tinge of amusement.

“We are confident the fringe group will not be able to carry out any of its ridiculous threats,” he said in response to the story about the supposed “invasion” that was posted on dailychilli.com yesterday.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/

On the non-participating Indonesian side:
Malaysia Today: Indonesia Embassy dismisses claims that BENDERA movement planning to ‘invade’ Malaysia

According to the counselor of information of the Indonesian Embassy, there are no such thing as vigilantes in Jakarta who are waging war on Malaysia come 8 October. Widyarka Ryananta, the counselor dismissed claims that BENDERA (Bentang Demokrasi Rakyat) is planning to invade Malaysia as reported in the Jakarta Globe.

In another publication, The Daily Chilli claims that BENDERA are ready to invade Malaysia as they have already collected bows, arrows, bamboo spears and samurai swords in preparation.

Source: http://www.malaysiatoday.com/

On the invaders' side:
Sekilas Indonesia: Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) Latih 40 Relawan “Jihad” ke Malaysia

Sebanyak 40 orang telah mendaftarkan diri sebagai relawan perang melawan Malaysia di posko yang dibuka oleh aktivis Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) di Jalan Diponegoro 58, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat.

Menurut keterangan Koordinator Bendera, Muchtar Bonaventura, pihaknya akan membuka posko relawan perang hingga Lebaran pada 21 Septermber mendatang. Hal ini dilakukan guna memberi kesempatan kepada relawan untuk pulang kampung bertemu keluarga mereka.

“Siapa tahu setelah perang tidak bisa pulang dalam keadaan hidup,” katanya kepada okezone di Jakarta.

Setelah direkrut, kata Muchtar, para relawan tersebut akan mendapatakan pelatihan khusus mengenai taktik dan strategi perang gerilya oleh anggota legiun veteran Indonesia.

Translation: Briefly, 40 volunteers have signed up to join BENDERA's campaign to invade Malaysia. They are being trained in all necessary skills needed. They are allowed to go back to their hometowns to see their parents for one last time before the October 8th invasion.

Source: http://sekilasindonesia.com/

Get ready for war?

AK-47s for Everyone!

I was so effing bored during the 5 day-offs per week...

With classes only on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a duration of 12 weeks, I had to do something to kill the time. So I hand-made an AK-47 from scratch. With a 1:1 scale, its cost me 4 1/2 days (slacking off inclusive), materials worth RM26.40 and a lot of referencing. This is the first 1:1 hand-made replica I made and also the biggest, toppling last year's 1:50 T-Rex replica.

Attention to detail was given to both sides. Since I'm a lefty, I removed the rifle sling slots (left side) and made it into a hands-free assault rifle.

With a butt stock attached the recoil is reduced but the sight is one arms length away from the eye.

Getting some classic Counter-Strike view... with left-handed option box checked

Something you can't miss in my room. An I forgot to throw away those Derek bottles. Spray paints used: flat black & anti-rust primer.

Without the butt stock. I prefer it this way since it is more comfortable to handle.

What's a socialist without his Kalashnikov.

Sayonarra Yoshito Usui

We will miss you Yoshito Usui (April 21 1958 - September 11 2009)

Famous Japanese manga artist falls to death in mountains
The popular Japanese manga artist of “Crayon Shin-chan,” Yoshito Usui, was found dead in the mountains of Gunma prefecture after apparently falling to his death off a cliff. Usui had reportedly gone missing on the 11th of the month after telling his family he was going for a day-hike in the mountains.

The body of 51 year old Yoshito Usui was discovered by a hiker yesterday, September 19th (JST), at the bottom of one of the steep cliffs of Mt. Arafune, about 90 miles northwest of Tokyo. The incident appears to have happened on the north face of the mountain just off a popular hiking trail on a part of the cliff that is about about 100 meters (330 feet) tall . Mt. Arafune is famous locally for its colored cliffs which run between 200 to 300 meters tall (about 650 to 1,000 feet) in some areas, and is considered to be one of the top 200 mountains in Japan. While there are no guard rails along the cliff edges, accidents on the mountain are reportedly rare.

Rescue workers yesterday were unable to retrieve the body, which was already believed to be lifeless. Today, September 20th, around 17 police officials hiked up to the body’s location and had it airlifted out by helicopter in the late afternoon. Although descriptions of the body’s clothing matched Usui’s, identification was not officially determined until late this evening after matching dental records. A broken digital camera and a beige bag were also found in the same vicinity.

Usui, who enjoyed hiking, left his home early in the morning of the 11th after telling his family that he was going to Mt.Arafune and would be back by the evening. However, when he didn’t return home or answer his cell phone on the 12th, his wife went to the police. A faint signal from the phone was located in the Mt. Arafune area on the 13th, but could not be pinpointed. The signal disappeared on the 15th according to reports.

The cause of the incident is still being investigated, but his family did not believe Usui to be suicidal.

5 First Days of Eid

DAY 1

Woke up as early as 6:00am. Surprisingly the takbir was not on until I was showering at 6:30am. Went to the optional Eid prayers with my dad at Bandong, and meeting some elders. By 9am I visited my brother's grave in town and then headed home.

Friends of parents were amongst the pioneers, but by noon all my relatives of my mother's side from Miri came over. Dodged a few questions about my relationship (har har). Later in the evening I barricaded myself in my room to do my assignment.

DAY 2

Assignment. Later at night had a fireworks war with the whole village. Utilized fireworks ranged from the cheap RM2 6-shot flaming sticks, RM25 36-shot ground cakes and possibly RM3,000 15-minutes "big red ones". 0 casualties, 0 wounded and estimated RM159 worth of damage to properties.

DAY 3

Assignment. Dick King & Little Ron came over. Then headed to Dick King's crib to talk more crap. Assignment.

DAY 4
Assignment. Visited assignment Sibu relatives. Dodged more assignment relationship inquires, gosh I was expecting them yet still feel awkward. Assignment.

DAY 5
Assignment. Assignment.

Happy Eid to all, and assignment happy holidays :)

Smuggled Goods Have Arrived :)

My heart goes boom boom boom~

Yea it's not as dangerous as C-4 so no worries :P

Hey hey, all is cheap and easy in Kampua Town. A box of "ground cakes" from the peeps from the Mainland arrived upon order within 4 hours. Reasonably cheap, they sold it off for RM25 per cake. More shipments are en route so that means Sibu won't be too quiet and dull during this festive season. Looks like this year's Eid will be a blast :)

They are all cheap and abundant. Too bad the 'big ones' are sold out too soon. Now no one will be left behind during the 'war for the skies' for the next few nights. Har har har...