Monday, December 29, 2008
Bleak year ahead
It's going to be a bleak and dark year ahead in 2009, with the effects of recession starting to be felt. I have to tighten my pockets, limit my spending. But that's not all, it will be gloomy and tough. 2009 will be one of the toughest years I'll be facing yet with so much at stake. I have to perform in TKD IVP and win to keep me staying in hall. And my studies will be the roughest ever yet as I struggle with first year subjects.On the academic I've never done so badly in my life before.
Over the past few days, I've been rushing to separate events with the intention of giving my support to my guys for canvassing events. Since I only had so few members going, I thought I'd rush over to show my support as the ACGL and help them out. That was when I sensed something had changed. No wonder I felt recently that something was wrong. Now I realized why. And she didn't bother to tell me about it. I had to sense it myself.
I didn't think I would be affected. But now I realized that I am affected. But what she said is right. It all makes sense now. She had waited, and I couldn't be there. I am always preoccupied with my work. It's has always been true then. In history and now. I feel rather saddened slightly. Now I've lost the only close support that I have in that OG, is the 2009 really going to be that bleak for me? I feel so lonely. I seem to have totally lost Hushnom.
I have so many commitments, yet none of them yield any form of emotional gain or support. My strength and effort is being stretched too far and wide and my limits will be pushed beyond my boundaries in the coming year.
2009 will be my watershed year. The make or break period to prove my mettle and I will be tested on all fronts. Academics, TKD, SCBE, relationships, Spring and the Student Union.
It's really lonely at the top.
Posted by MK at 12:55 PM
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Water-cooling stuff
Well before I tighten my pocket in preparation for a tight financial year in 2009, here's my last batch of water-cooling items I got to stock up for my next rig revision... Some high-flow fans, fittings, sound-dampening material, barbs and UV-reactive coolant from Feser.
Glowing nicely under UV-light.
Posted by MK at 12:44 PM
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thermo-sensitive spoons
I got a very nice present that I love very much! I've been searching high and low all over the internet for this set of thermo-sensitive spoons. They're once a novelty that died out some time ago.These are baby-spoons, once made by several natal/baby-product companies, but most of their products have been discontinued. Brands such as Munchkin.
Well, this technology is not new, but it's so cool to have one that I can have in hall that no other student has. A spoon that changes colour when put into a hot/warm liquid. It's called thermo-chromatic properties and there are two types of dyes, the thermo-chromatic crystals that are present in novelty "mood-rings", or "mood-sensitive" toys that changes colour when you touch them. These dyes are also present in "thermal-strips" that changes colour due to temperature changes and can be found in aquarium temperature strips and some medical temperature strips.
Those crystals change colour due to heat, unfortunately, that type of thermo-chromatic crystals present in shirts/toys/mood-rings/"mood"-clothing/temperature strips are toxic. They do not have a large temperature range or tolerance either and have a characteristic green/blue/yellowish hue on a dark background.
This spoon uses another form of thermochromatic dye properties, it is non-toxic, polymerizable in plastic and has a higher heat and mechanical tolerance/tensile properties.
The downside is that it's thermo-chromatic property is only discolouration. (upon heat-exitation, it loses it's dye-colouring), it doesn't have a range of colours to depict temperature changes. Just an "on/off" state. But it serves it's purpose by telling you if the food/liquid is too hot for consumption!
And it may just be a spoon but I find them cool enough! You may ask me for more information if you are interested.
Yeah, I am happy with simple presents like this.
Comes in many colours!
Original colour
Dipping into hot water
Discolouration to white.
Whole spoon made out of that plastic!
Handle changes colour as well.
Normal colour returning
Original colour returned.
Posted by MK at 1:12 PM
Monday, December 22, 2008
McSpicy Double burger
I remember a long time ago, there was this McDonald's burger called the McSpicy Double. I liked it very much, it was worth it, filling, and wasn't too bad tasing, plus it came with double patties.
Then some time along the way, they removed one patty, sold it at the same price and called it McSpicy itself.
Now, they add the 2nd patty back, and call it MEGA McSpicy whilst charging almost $2 more for that one extra single patty!!!
Talk about inflation.
Posted by MK at 11:59 PM
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Designs
Recently I've been working on some designs for my Student Union UOC 2009 next year. Just some designs to share =)
Posted by MK at 3:27 PM
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
2 short movie reviews
I've come to understand that no one really reads my entire lengthy reviews and entries, so I'll keep this two movies that I've recently had the opportunity to watch very short and sweet.
The movie is adapted from the life story of Ip Man, the grand master of the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu and Sifu (master) of legendary Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee.
Ip Man - martial arts unyielding follower, whole-heartedly devotee to the free learning of Wushu. This movie is the first important record of the masters life. Ips persistent devotion to Wing Chun is a classic example of the love and respect for Wushu and the freedom and spirit it represents.
Excellent movie, touching, inspiring, moving. 4/5. MK's reccomended Must-Watch.
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" is 20th Century Fox's contemporary reinvention of its 1951 classic. Keanu Reeves portrays Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor's appearance, a woman and her young stepson get caught up in his mission and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described "friend to the Earth."
Dumb movie, stupid plot, stupid acting, stupid scenes 1/5. Don't watch. Period.
Reviews short enough? =)
Posted by MK at 10:56 AM
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
NUEVE 2009 photoshoot
Today the main-committee had a formal photoshoot for the year book for next year's camp. There were 3 main shots taken, but whilst waiting for our turn, we ACGLs of next year took a shot ourselves in our old uniform (we didn't take alot of pictures ourselves).Here's a pic of next year's NUEVE 2009 Assistant-Chief GLs, the 6 ACGLs of NUEVE 2009.
Posted by MK at 12:31 AM
Monday, December 15, 2008
Christmas Carol for 2008
You'd better watch outYou'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.
It's hitting you once,
It's hitting you twice
It doesn't care if you've been careful and wise
Recession is coming to town
It's worthless if you've got shares
It's worthless if you've got bonds
It's safe when you've got cash in hand So keep cash for goodness sake, HEY
You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I ' m telling you why:
Recession is coming to town!
Finance products are confusing
Finance products are so vague
The banks make you bear the cost of risk so keep out for goodness sake, OH
You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.
Posted by MK at 8:20 AM
Saturday, December 13, 2008
A nice song!
This song has captured my attention with the meaning it has embedded in the lyrics that relates very accurately to my life recently... It's really a nice song!
Posted by MK at 12:12 AM
Friday, December 12, 2008
A prayer
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!"
Posted by MK at 12:23 PM
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Back
Taiwan was really boring. Next time I go there will be by myself or with friends. And doing SHOPPING. Not sight-seeing...Posted by MK at 10:26 PM
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Off to Taiwan again
Hooray, exams are over! I am flying off to Taiwan for a quick getaway trip tomorrow Morning. Will be back on the 11th. Have fun guys...Taiwan is the place to go!
Posted by MK at 10:34 PM
Monday, December 1, 2008
Simple Temperature Probe 3-min project
I know this is not new, but after a year of sticking my generic probe into my reservoir, I noticed that readings have been rather high even when it is obviously not so.That's a problem with generic resistance-based thermistors. After a while the sensor's performance degrades due to thermal degradation. Unlike Temp-to-voltage Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) which are among the most precise temperature sensors commercially used. They are based on the positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance.
RTDs are expensive though precise, and generally I believe most of the commercial temperature probes in PC temperature devices are thermistors, (due to small size, compact and inexpensive package and 2-wire probes, indicating thermistor-types), RTDs require 3-wire probes and a control circuit.
So with my generic temperature probe, I spent 3-minutes on this "project", cutting out the old probe, soldering a new female connector. And voila! I now have a probe that I can attach various after-market thermistor-based temperature probes and they all work fine! (Thermistors have no polarity).
My finished product
A Scythe kamameter/kazemaster temperature probe
The connecting ends
Together with a Bitspower G1/4" temperature probe and the Kazemaster probe.
All of these aftermarket probes work just fine! Within a +/- 0.3deg tolerance
Well, just a quick post, I hope you find this interesting and go out to make your own temperature-readout with various probes available out there to suit your own purposes.
Time spent: 3minutes
Total Cost: $0
