The Engineer in me is in Comatose

Few days ago, my PC went a little crazy.

It refuses to boot. Once.
Then it froze on me after a few minutes.
Then I didn't use it for a day.

The next day, it booted up, but I lost my wireless connection. The USB wireless adapter driver refused to load.
Unplugged and re-plugged it in. Doesn't get recognized.
Tested that the USB port is NOT faulty.
Removed the driver, and reinstalled the software - Still can't work.
So must be my Wireless adapter lah !

Next day, I brought a new one back.
Plugged it in, driver loaded, but just cannot connect to my router.
Did a search and saw many wireless networks around, including my router. Tried all configurations, passwords, encryption. Just refused to connect.
Reinstalled drivers.

Did a scandisk before trying to reinstall Windows XP. Many files with problem.
Installed Windows XP. Some file problems. Nevermind. Booted fine.
Now my anti-virus couldn't run, and I still cannot get my network connection.
My MS Outlook can't start ; MSN needs to be reinstalled.
Then realized I used the wrong version of Windows XP.

Found the right version, reinstalled Windows XP.
Still can't get wireless connected. MS Outlook runs ok, but not my Anti-virus. I was angry and was contemplating between buying a new notebook that I want and reformatting this PC.

Then suddenly, like a huge pair of king-kong hands, it hit me. On my cheeks and my head.
Went into the Router configuration, and updated the MAC Address Filter.
I got my wireless connection back ! *Grrrrrr*

So now everything is ok again.

Why didn't I think about that right at the beginning !?!?!?

Sleeping Pill

2 weeks ago, I went to get some sleeping pills from the doctor for my occasional insomnia. Last night was the first pill. Took it at 1.10am when I realized I don't feel sleepy. Half an about 20 minutes later, I felt a little high.

Yes, high. Similar to having a few drinks. But of course, without the warm feeling and the accelerated heart-rate. Just feeling high on cloud nine...

Had difficulty waking up this morning at 8. Pulled myself to the office at 9am and realized that I had left my notebook and other stuff that I needed to bring to the office back at home. Damn. Another trip back home to get them.

I hope I do not become reliant on the pills.

Coming back home from Jakarta

Early in the morning, we (my colleagues and I) received news that many areas of Jakarta is flooded and that highway to airport is not passable, except for some buses. It had been raining for the past 2 days.

But in the morning, the rain had stopped and we hope that the water level subsided a little. When we finally managed to get a cab at about 10, the streets were quite empty. It is very unlike Jakarta. That was because many people got stuck at home and couldn't get to work.

We went onto the empty highway, and thought the progress was pretty good and smooth sailing. And wondered where the flood might be, and whether we would really get stuck in a flooding cab somewhere.

At the second toll booth, the jam started. Roads were still dry, but the 3 -lane highway was just packed full and I think the average speed would be about 10-15km/hr. We also heard from other taxi drivers who stopped by the roadside, that water level was half the height of the car door. Oh shit...

After about another 30 minutes, we finally came to the test :



The level at the side looked scary. There was this VIP that was trying to get to the airport as well, and he had a police escort trying to expedite the way. But once they reached this flooded area, they had to follow the crowd too.

This VIP's outrider was obviously trying to keep his balance and not get swiped by cars avoiding the water



This was the front view. At least, the right lane wasn't so bad. Some taller vehicles tried to pass on the left, causing waves that shook the taxi I was in.



See the water level. That is an SUV. I can hear water gurgling under the floorboard of our taxi. An inch higher and our taxi would have been flooded.



We passed by a policeman. He was waving for cars to pass. Wonder why. There is only 1 lane and everyone is going through carefully.



When we reached the end of the flooded area, even this vehicle stalled. Luckily our taxi didn't.



We arrived safely at the airport at about 1pm. It took us a total of about 3 hours for a normally 50-minute journey.

We originally had the 7pm flight. Wanted to change to 5pm, but no confirmed seats available. We had wanted to arrive at airport earlier to standby for earlier flight, hoping to come home earlier.

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the airport, I guess almost half the passengers missed their 12.30 flight. They are all waiting for empty seats in the next few flights.

2.25pm flight was full. Some people missed their flight too, and about 20 of the earlier passengers got on. Still, that left about 70+ people (who missed their flight) to queue and wait for next few flights.

So our hopes of getting on an earlier flight were dashed. Wasted the whole day at the airport but still reached back Singapore at 10pm. *sigh*

Treasures found in Jakarta

Am in Jakarta for work.

This morning, I saw an advertisement on the papers - Krispy Kreme ! Yeah, finally I have another source for it.

After meetings this morning, went for lunch with colleagues and we had Japanese food at this fusion restaurant. Here are what I saw on the menu :





and they look like this :



Then after dinner, we saw this :



It is a full F&B outlet, serving coffee and other drinks, and chairs and tables. So we walked in and we bought these :



Of course, I just put a cap there for fun. My colleague and I bought a dozen assorted donuts each.

Its much cheaper too.. About S$11 per dozen.

I hope my dozen can make it safely back to Singapore tomorrow...

Rising Property Prices

It's in the news recently...
My boss has been talking about it recently, encouraging my colleagues to invest in condos and private properties...

He has 2 private properties now and just bought a 3rd. Intending to earn rental profits.

And here I am, being skeptical that it would all work out so well without risks. Risks to cash flow and others... Like what if property prices takes a nose-dive ?

Impossible ?

I don't know. If it is difficult to make money with HDB (all the subsidies, etc), can we make money with private properties ?

Or is it that it is easier to make profits with private properties because HDB has been loaded with regulations to prevent profiteering ?

Would I dare to do it ?
Do I have the money to do it ?
Am I missing out ?
Do I care ?

I don't know. I am not sure about Singapore's property market, the future, etc.
I don't know how to select good locations...

Is it so easy to make money out of property ?

The PicooZ Bandwagon

Finally got my PiccoZ few days ago.



Its small, its fun. Definitely more fun than my previous helicopter (which crashed and burnt... the rear rotor.) And more robust too... At least it is light enough that crashing to the ground doesn't break anything... so far *fingers crossed*

And definitely easier to play with than my cheap RC plane - which can't be played indoors. And I can't find a huge field without wind.

A Trip to the Botanic Gardens - 2007

Botanic Gardens is not new to me. But the recently-renovated one is. I haven't been there since their re-opening a few months ago.

So last week, I had a chance to explore some of the new areas, which is a little refreshing (of course the company made a big difference too).

Like the new Cactus garden :



And I was very quickly reminded that I am still in Singapore :




And along the way, I saw an interesting gadget :



At first, I thought it was an electrical outlet and I wondered why...
On closer look, it is a Lightning counter. Now I can't tell whether this tree has been struck 1 time or 7 times...

Resolutions for 2007

I am not into resolutions. But I will try to set goals for myself :

(1) Either recover my passion for my job, or get a new job that I like and pays well. And I have to do it FAST ! REAL FAST !

(2) To complete my Car DVR project this year.

(3) To achieve my financial-saving goals (which I shall not publish here) and to continue with my stock investing habit.


Just 3, simple ones. I hope to achieve them...

Remembering 2006

Looking back, I haven't penned any resolutions in my blog. And just when I was about to write the obligated year-in-review and resolutions for the new year, the internet connections had to be down and cranky for a few days.

Then I was caught up in the holiday mood + tired of job mood.
And now, I have finally gotten my resolution to complete this essay and publish it.

Looking back at 2006, I asked myself, what have I done, or achieved ? Off my mind they are :

- Started new job (in other words, being transferred from my previous position) in my company ;
- Found that I am not doing such a great job about it ;
- Started my Car DVR project ;
- Got my GPS ;


Not only that, I think I should also have listed what I didn't get to do or complete :

- Didn't complete my Car DVR project.
- Didn't complete reading the books I set out to read
- Didn't complete viewing the lectures/videos that I have sitting around


And of course, remember my dear old friend, KOP.

I had Krispy Kreme

I finally made a contribution to the company's bottom-line after I had purchased the company shares months back.

A kind friend of mine was willing to bring back a dozen of assorted KK donuts from Sydney, 2 days ago.

I forgot to take photos of it, but you can see it here.

Yummy !

GPS with me in Langkawi

Brought my GPS down to Langkawi during the weekend. Quite useful and the maps were pretty accurate (except a new road that I went only while I missed a turn.)

More Pictures of my GPS :

Just boarded the plane at Changi Airport :


Taxiing towards the runway :


At the start of the runway, ready to take off :


Going faster :


And we have LIFT OFF :


And this is the max speed, at cruising altitude :


On my way back, I actually forgot to turn off my mobile phone while on the plane. It took off from Langkawi and I fell asleep. Just before touching down, I received an SMS and it woke me up. I just wondered how far out I was to get such strong signal :



And here is the GPS tracking our landing :


Almost touching down :


And landed :

I had acute gastritis in Taiwan

Woke up this morning feeling ok. After breakfast in hotel, needed to go toilet.

At first, it was like the usual food-related problem. But after about 2 hours and 2 bowel evacuations later, I developed some strange pain in my abdomen, just below the ribs.

It comes in 3 or 4 cramps every 5 or 10 minutes, punctuated with a few more emergency bowel evacuations.

Tried to rest and sleep, but woken up every time the pain comes back. It felt like there was a pulling cramp right behind my stomach/gastric area, not the intestines. Every pain was sharp and pulled me into a curl on bed.

Hotel staff told me doctors do no come on house calls and sent someone to escort me to the nearest hospital.

There I had a shot, and 2 x-rays - one of my chest and one of my intestines.
Doctor suspected either Gastric ulcers or Acute Gastritis. Turns out, no ulcers.

Feeling better now, and I am flying back tomorrow afternoon...

The NEED for me to SPEED !

Ok. We all like speeding... so after I had my new toy, I have been trying to test at what speed will I confuse or make my GPS receiver knock out. (Am I crazy ?).

All the screen captures from my Nuvi. Here goes :



247km/h. Wooo.. That was sure fast. But satellite tracking was still good... I need to go faster...



Is this for real ?

At 500km/h, error rate is getting higher and I am losing a bit of satellite signals. More.. More !



898km/h ?!!!!

Something must be wrong here. How can I go so fast ? And normally, 2 satellite locks is insufficient to compute location information.


So where is this place that I can get to test my Nuvi at such high speeds ? Some secret research place ? Some place where the police are sleeping ? Well, no, cos this is where I was :



Actually, the max speed that was recorded was about 900+ km/h before all signals were lost.

So this GPS unit is definitely not used to guide missiles... Or maybe I just didn't stick my GPS near the window enough. (I wasn't seated at a window seat.)

Cos all these were taken when I was sitting near the window seat on my recent trip from Bangkok.


In Bangkok, where there are less buildings and more sky, I can get these good signals in a taxi :

I am in Bangkok again...

This time it is for work...

Time flies. Had been very busy the last few weeks. But that is not the reason why I have dropped in my blogging.

Call it blog fatique. Or just lack of ramblings. I don't know what to say anymore. And writing about what I do want to say doesn't give me any more satisfaction.

Anyway, fun to see that my GPS toy works fine in Bangkok, and I have the whole detailed map of Thailand. Pretty accurate too.

Unfortunately, the map is non-routable. That means I can only see where I am, and find places, just like a normal paper map. It doesn't tell me HOW to get from one place to another.

Routable maps cost a couple of hundred bucks. Not worth it.

Too bad then...

I am going Bangkok

I know about the military coup, but I am not going to waste all my money if it has no hint of violence.

Unfortunate timing ! And I hope nothing turns bad this weekend while I am there.

*~*~*~*~*

I wanted to write something about the IMF but I guess I am just too disillusioned and know too well that anything I write will make any difference.

I have stopped thinking that I can/will make any difference. And reading "patriotic" forum letters on the media and statements made by our esteemed leaders just makes me think that I can actually see the end of the world.

*~*~*~*~*

No, I shall not even remotely link what is happening in BKK to Singapore...

A Light Moment.

Taken off the Internet.. somewhere ...

New Zealand Police
Nga Piurihimana O Aotearoa

Ref: ******

15 June 2005

*****
AUCKLAND

Dear Sir/Madam

Records indicate that you are the owner of Holden registration number
******.

On Friday, 10 June 2005 your vehicle was seen exceeding the speed
limit at the junction of Shortland Street and Fields Lane, Auckland.
Evasive action taken by pedestrians. This incident took place at about
1:15 PM and has been reported to the police by way of the Community
Roadwatch program.

You may not have been the driver at the time and even if you were you
may feel that the driving was not in any way risky. However another
person was sufficiently alarmed by the driving to report the matter to
the Police. The other person's perception was that the way your
vehicle was driven at that time was not safe.

If you were not the driver at the time, we would ask that you bring
this matter to the driver's attention.

Yours sincerely,

Inspector Matt Fitzsimons
Officer in Charge: Police Infringement Bureau

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21st June 2005

Officer in Charge
Police Infringement Bureau
New Zealand Police
PO Box 9147 Wellington

Attention : Inspector Matt Fitzsimons

Dear Sir.

RE: Police advice Ref ******

Thank you for your recent letter dated June 15th, 2005.

I appreciate that you are only following up on a report from a member
of the public but I feel the need to set the record straight as I have
been driving for the past 25 years all over the world without incident
and class myself as generally a good driver. Yes, I have had a few
speeding tickets during this time, but that doesn't necessarily
detract from a person's driving abilities.

I was indeed the driver of this Holden. I clearly remember this
incident because it happened on the eve of my 40th birthday and I
remember thinking that it was a miracle that I had made it to this
milestone despite there being numerous stupid people out there.

My car is an HSV Avalanche, which is a two tonne 300KW 5.7L V8 4WD
Holden station wagon with a performance braking package fitted to it.
Whenever this car is driven, the minimum forward lighting on it is the
halogen driving lights that sit below the front grill - this being
necessary because of the large number of dickhead drivers on the
Auckland motorway system.

On the afternoon of June 10th, my wife and I were on our way to
Auckland International airport to pick up some friends who had flown
over for my 40th birthday party that was being held the next day. We
were making a quick detour to my company offices when the incident
occurred.

I was already in the process of turning my car right into Fields Lane
from the western side of Shortland Street (Queen Street end) when I
was first introduced to Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass B who both simply
stepped off the footpath to cross Fields Lane right in front of me.

At this particular point in time we now had said two tonne car, with
it's lights and right hand indicator on, having complete right of way
after giving way to the appropriate vehicle traffic.

We also now had two clowns who were happily chatting to each other,
completely ignorant of their surroundings, walking down Shortland
Street (south side) and when they reached the kurb they simply kept on
walking right into my path without even looking for traffic.

Note that this is not a pedestrian crossing of any kind.

The chances of these two being able to beat a car that was already
committed to turning were about that of Auckland being able to beat
Waikato in an NPC rugby match - slim to none.

As soon as I realised that Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass B had a deathwish,
I hit the car horn and the brakes at the same time.

The three air horns which are located on the front left side of the
car (the very solid, pointy corner closest to Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass
B) hit a single, beautiful note at about 100 decibels. Now 100
decibels is about 20 decibels louder than the Sprint Cars cars that
were deemed "too loud" for the Western Springs raceway, thereby
causing it to close because in Auckland at the moment we seem to have
an anti-motorsport, politically correct, left leaning, tree hugging,
land-rights-for-gay-whales City Council - but I digress.

Anyway, Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass B now looked to the source of the
100dB noise and in doing so started to realise that stepping out in
front of two tonnes of General Motors metal that was bearing down on
them at about 30kmph with a set of 200W halogen spot lights now
burning their retinas and making the metal on metal sound of a Bosch
5.3 ABS system kicking in onto a set of 336 x 32mm AP Racing
ventilated and grooved front discs with HSV-embossed twin piston
Corvette front calipers (in HRT red) and 315 x 18mm ventilated and
grooved rear discs was perhaps not the smartest move they have either
individually or collectively ever made.

Put simply, they **** themselves & back-pedalled faster than an eight
year old at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch, I pulled the car up in
time, wound the window down and let loose with some brilliant swear
words that one can only learn after serving at least 10 years in the
Army, and we all went on our merry way.

I can understand why the guy behind me had a heart murmur because an
HSV Avalanche can come to a complete stop from 100KM/H in about 6.3
seconds. We were both lucky that he didn't hit me as I braked because
Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass B might have got run over after all.

In order for my car to have supposedly exceeded the 50kmph speed limit
that prevails within our fair city as I was making a complete 90
degree right-handed turn, both the car and my wife and I would have
been subjected to lateral G Forces of around .92 Gs.

I can assure you that had I actually attempted to carry out such a
manoeuvre as your letter suggests, my wife would have given me a
rather significant slap up side of my head followed by a
not-insignificant lecture and I would have had to spend the rest of
the weekend on the couch.

If you get a chance to talk to whichever one of Dumb Ass A or Dumb Ass
B who had the perception "that the way my vehicle was being driven was
not safe", could you ask them if they would much rather have had the
number plate of the car embedded in their skull due to being mowed
down as a result of their own stupidity.

You may also wish to point out to this person that just because the
City Council also killed any chance of an Auckland City street race,
that decision didn't also suddenly give pedestrians super-human powers
to simply ignore any of the existing rules in the Road Code.

The fact that Dumb Ass A and Dumb Ass B were able to lodge a complaint
with your office is both a testament to the quality of Holden HSV
braking systems and my own lightning quick reflexes. I would therefore
like to be rewarded for this outstanding display of driving skills
with lower petrol prices and a better corporate tax rate. Can you see
what you could do for me here and please get back to me.

This incident does prove one thing though - in order to have smart
people in this world, you need to have dumb asses by which to gauge
them.

Thank you for your time and I am happy to discuss further

Regards,

*****

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Zealand Police
Nga Pirihimana O Aotearoa
29 June 2005

*****
Auckland

Dear *****

RE: Roadwatch Report ******

Thank you for your letter dated the 21st June 2005, concerning the
driving matter on the 10th June 2005 in Auckland,

I certainly appreciate what you have written, I note the points in
your letter (not the descriptions), there are always two sides to one
story, we are not to know that until like in this situation, you have
brought in another side of the story.

I have attached your letter to our file.

Any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

LW ADAMS-REID
Senior Constable E319
Roadwatch, Wellington.
(Ph 04 381 0046)
Safer Communities Together

Am I Disillusioned ? Part 2

http://www.littlespeck.com/content/people/CTrendsPeople-060909.htm

Am I Disillusioned ?

I have been very cranky and fault-finding lately, but one issue remained a mystery to me.

I have always been "concerned" (being politically sensitive here) about the sheer volume of foreigners in Singapore (and I am definitely not talking about tourists). Nothing personal, just that I think it is the effects of our policies.

Many a times, when walking along the streets, I feel that I had been mysteriously transported to another country. What's worse is that it happens not in Chinatown, nor Little India, but right at local coffee shops in the heartlands.

And then I took a serious look at myself. Am I being discriminating ? I tried to think back at the times that I had encounters with foreigners.

Malaysians ? I can tell, but not much resentment or other feelings. Probably I think Malaysian and Singaporeans are not much different and we have been moving around freely.

Thais, Filipinos, Indonesians ? Other than students, most are low-wage workers. I don't feel much. I don't feel that they are invading. I don't feel much, actually.

Indians ? Can't tell FTs from local Indians. Other than the obvious labourers. The only time I discrimate them is when there are enough of them around me that reeks of unwashed sweating bodies. And come to think of it, it is not their race that I am against, just the odour. I would feel the same if the odour were to come from a bunch of Chinese construction workers (be they Singaporeans or Malaysians).

MLC (Main Land Chinese) ? Yes ! These are the people that irritates me the most. I can't give an exact reason. Is it their LOUD presence ? Is it their INTRUSIVE behavour ? I really do not know. Or am I just a nationalist (as opposed to a racist), that I dislike all MLCs ? What is it that they did to me that I dislike ? This is something I want to find out.

Someone told me it is their loudness, and their way of imposing their culture onto us. A little bit of truth in it, just like how I would hate to sit in a bus along Little India when all the Indian workers decided to re-enact a scene from a bus in Bangalore by squeezing beyond the laws of physics.

But that can't be the whole thing. I still do not automatically dislike all Indian workers, just during those irritating moments.

But for the MLCs, they have hit my nerves so much, that the moment they open their mouths, I feel irritated. Or maybe, it is true that I hate their loud, obnoxious way of speaking ?

Something for me to ponder over...

I am no longer a teen....

You are about 20 years old

The teen repellent will no longer foil you, but you can still hear some pretty high tones. The highest pitched ultrasonic mosquito ringtone that I can hear is 16.7kHz

Find out which ringtones you can hear!

Ok. This, officially, shall be my aging test from now on. Lets see when I will turn officially deaf.

I took security for granted...

... and I was lucky.

This has been nagging in my mind for a few days already, but I couldn't figure out until this morning during my shower. I don't know why I can think of it while still sleepy. Power of sub-conscious mind.

Few days ago, I parked at Harbourfront centre for a meeting. After the meeting, when I just sat in my car and started the engine and fiddling with my Nuvi, a white van stopped in front of me, with the driver looking at me saying something. But I can't hear.

So I opened my door, stepped out and the driver repeated, asking me if I want to buy a cheap home entertainment system.

Now, I have read about these scams on forums, as well as in the newspapers. I know they are out to cheap money with their not-so-great systems. I just shook my head and hopped back into my car.

Simple steps. Nothing happened to me, of course but I was still not satisfied with the way I handled the whole affair. No, not that I should have reported to the authority or something... I have always believed in handling matters myself (but of course, not taking the laws into my own hands.)

Firstly, I should have suspected about the scam, since I have heard of it. Instead, I thought it was a driver who was asking for directions.

Secondly (and more seriously), I didn't check my surroundings before I stepped out of the car. What if it was not the scam, but someone trying to rob me ? (Although my not locking the car door is another point altogether.)

It is one thing that Singapore is safe. It is another, than when an already suspicious character was around, I didn't "raise my alert level" and take necessary precautions, like looking to see if someone was lurking behind me, waiting to club me on the head when I stepped out or popped my head out.

This was the one thing that bugged me. After sitting back into my car, I KNOW I missed out on something. This was it. I hope I don't need to be robbed to drill this into my mind - That I should not be complacent. If I do not practise this, I will forget when I go overseas and to places that are of higher crime rates.