Friday, August 25, 2006
A promise (broken again)
The past couple of days I have not much work to do. So, yours truly, the Raja Ular, broke his promise (again). On the pretext of having diarrhoea, I managed to wrangle a MC from a GP.
His destination? Not home of course, but to meet up with someone at a hotel cum shopping attraction cum cineplex. Everything was fine and dandy until I arrived at the rendezvous point.
By missing that someone by a couple of minutes, I was asked to wait at the lobby. What a long wait it was, close to an hour...and I wasn't allowed to wander around too :-(
I guess the waiting (and mengularing -got such word??) was worthwhile as later we did meet up. We had a swell time talking over coffee.
Well, tomorrow would be a full day for me. I have a wedding to attend (an oldskoolmate doctor is getting married to his nurse) and later in the evening, to meet up (and be introduced) with two wise persons to see if I'm worthy enough for the vacated post :D. Later later that night, I might have karaoke session too (just to sing away the blues(or in my case, Lola - my lagu wajib)).
Have a nice weekend folks..and a big good luck to me.
His destination? Not home of course, but to meet up with someone at a hotel cum shopping attraction cum cineplex. Everything was fine and dandy until I arrived at the rendezvous point.
By missing that someone by a couple of minutes, I was asked to wait at the lobby. What a long wait it was, close to an hour...and I wasn't allowed to wander around too :-(
I guess the waiting (and mengularing -got such word??) was worthwhile as later we did meet up. We had a swell time talking over coffee.
Well, tomorrow would be a full day for me. I have a wedding to attend (an oldskoolmate doctor is getting married to his nurse) and later in the evening, to meet up (and be introduced) with two wise persons to see if I'm worthy enough for the vacated post :D. Later later that night, I might have karaoke session too (just to sing away the blues(or in my case, Lola - my lagu wajib)).
Have a nice weekend folks..and a big good luck to me.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Pengularan Terakhir (kalau boleh)
Hari ini saya telah menjadi 'Mat Despatch termahal' sekali lagi. Oleh kerana kesuntukan masa, maka tidaklah sempat bagi saya untuk menelefon sebelum itu kroni-kroni untuk mengajak mereka minum pagi.
Walau bagaimanapun, saya bernasib baik kerana ada juga seorang insan yang sudi menemani saya untuk menikmati juadah pagi walau pun notis yang diberikan agak singkat. Tidak sia-sia saya berada di kawasan itu.
Jarang sekali saya dapat bersama beliau di waktu pagi untuk menikmati sarapan kerana selalunya kami hanya bertemu sekali-sekala, itu pun hanya di waktu malam sahaja untuk berbual-bual kosong (dapatlah juga menikmati kopi atau teh yang sedap tak terhingga di sekitar kawasan perumahan beliau).
Oleh yang demikian maka di sini saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada insan tersebut kerana sudi meluangkan masanya untuk bersarapan bersama saya.
Saya yang berjanji tidak mahu 'mengular' lagi,
GS
Walau bagaimanapun, saya bernasib baik kerana ada juga seorang insan yang sudi menemani saya untuk menikmati juadah pagi walau pun notis yang diberikan agak singkat. Tidak sia-sia saya berada di kawasan itu.
Jarang sekali saya dapat bersama beliau di waktu pagi untuk menikmati sarapan kerana selalunya kami hanya bertemu sekali-sekala, itu pun hanya di waktu malam sahaja untuk berbual-bual kosong (dapatlah juga menikmati kopi atau teh yang sedap tak terhingga di sekitar kawasan perumahan beliau).
Oleh yang demikian maka di sini saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada insan tersebut kerana sudi meluangkan masanya untuk bersarapan bersama saya.
Saya yang berjanji tidak mahu 'mengular' lagi,
GS
Being unpredictable
Life has become more and more predictable. Everyday you travel to office and back, follow the same route and leave/return about the same time. If I were to set up an ambush, I'd be dead meat.
Yes, Big Brother is watching us. While me may not know this, our predictability is making it easier for BB to monitor our movements, even in our offices or homes. They know what you watch, where you surf etc etc.
Like to be unpredictable anyone????
Yes, Big Brother is watching us. While me may not know this, our predictability is making it easier for BB to monitor our movements, even in our offices or homes. They know what you watch, where you surf etc etc.
Like to be unpredictable anyone????
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
A little something from me
Ok, I'm back writing.
Nothing much has happened except work work and work. Drive down to Kuala Pahang, then back to HQ. Then take a plane to Tioman and back again.
It ain't easy living out of a suitcase, ok.
Try flying in the Dash 7. It's cramped and when you hit a turbulence, better pray fast, or the least have the barf bag ready. It's that bloody bad. On the other hand, I've got to know the stewardesses better. Instead of getting just mineral water on the flights, I get to get some junk food off them :D
Oh ya, if you guys are ever in Tioman, try looking for me... at the resort. I have a long term lease there until my actual houses/site office are ready near the kampung.
Now is not the best time to travel by ferry (choppy seas) due to the shift in the winds from South-East to North East. We'll be getting the monsoon season earlier I think.
There, I have now updated my blog for all to read. Can I go off quietly now????
p/s HQ is rewarding the staff with travels. While most of them decided to go overseas, my Division has decided to tackle Mount Kinabalu. So I'm off to conquer it from 10 until 13 August and back to Tioman on 14th. I'll post my report on my conquest in Tall Tales when I'm ready
Nothing much has happened except work work and work. Drive down to Kuala Pahang, then back to HQ. Then take a plane to Tioman and back again.
It ain't easy living out of a suitcase, ok.
Try flying in the Dash 7. It's cramped and when you hit a turbulence, better pray fast, or the least have the barf bag ready. It's that bloody bad. On the other hand, I've got to know the stewardesses better. Instead of getting just mineral water on the flights, I get to get some junk food off them :D
Oh ya, if you guys are ever in Tioman, try looking for me... at the resort. I have a long term lease there until my actual houses/site office are ready near the kampung.
Now is not the best time to travel by ferry (choppy seas) due to the shift in the winds from South-East to North East. We'll be getting the monsoon season earlier I think.
There, I have now updated my blog for all to read. Can I go off quietly now????
p/s HQ is rewarding the staff with travels. While most of them decided to go overseas, my Division has decided to tackle Mount Kinabalu. So I'm off to conquer it from 10 until 13 August and back to Tioman on 14th. I'll post my report on my conquest in Tall Tales when I'm ready
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Manhattan Project
Imagine a time when it all began
In the dying days of a war
A weapon that would settle the score
Whoever found it first would be sure to do their worst.
They always had before...
Imagine a man where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation, always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick.
But this was something more...
The big bang took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun and it hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots tried to hold it back
Fools tried to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place where it all began
Gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys
More than they bargained for...
Imagine a man when it all began
The pilot of Enola Gay
Flying out of the shockwave on that August day
All the powers that be, and the course of history,
Would be changed forevermore...
Today is the anniversary of the dropping of the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
p/s at the insistence of someone, the above is a song by Rush, taken from their album Power Windows 1985.
There, are you happy???
In the dying days of a war
A weapon that would settle the score
Whoever found it first would be sure to do their worst.
They always had before...
Imagine a man where it all began
A scientist pacing the floor
In each nation, always eager to explore
To build the best big stick
To turn the winning trick.
But this was something more...
The big bang took and shook the world
Shot down the rising sun
The end was begun and it hit everyone
When the chain reaction was done
The big shots tried to hold it back
Fools tried to wish it away
The hopeful depend on a world without end
Whatever the hopeless may say
Imagine a place where it all began
Gathered from across the land
To work in the secrecy of the desert sand
All of the brightest boys
To play with the biggest toys
More than they bargained for...
Imagine a man when it all began
The pilot of Enola Gay
Flying out of the shockwave on that August day
All the powers that be, and the course of history,
Would be changed forevermore...
Today is the anniversary of the dropping of the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
p/s at the insistence of someone, the above is a song by Rush, taken from their album Power Windows 1985.
There, are you happy???
Friday, August 04, 2006
Tyre Tips
Found this article recently. Good reading.
Nitrogen May Improve Gas Mileage
Using Inert Gas In Tires Keeps Pressure Stable Longer, Boosting Mileage
TOPSHAM, Maine, July 31, 2006
Quote
"Nitrogen is certainly safe to use in tires, and theoretically it does offer some benefits."
(AP) Many motorists seeking to improve their mileage as gas prices soar this summer are examining everything — right down to the air in their tires. For a growing number, plain old air isn't good enough.
George Bourque of Fairfield, Maine, is one of those who's driving around on tires filled with pure nitrogen, the same stuff that NASCAR racers use.
Bourque, an engineer, said he has seen a 1 to 1.5 mile-per-gallon increase since he began filling his tires with nitrogen, which is touted as maintaining tire pressure longer and resisting heat buildup on hot summer days.
"I analyze everything," he said.
Nitrogen has been used for years in the tires of race cars, large commercial trucks, aircraft and even the space shuttle.
But it is finding its way into the mainstream at a growing number of tire dealers — including Costco Wholesale Corp.
Nationwide, fewer than 10 percent of tire dealers offer nitrogen, but the number is growing, said Bob Ulrich, editor of Modern Tire Dealer magazine in Akron, Ohio. Most dealers charge $2 to $5 per tire for the nitrogen fill-up, he said. The dealers generally offer free lifetime refills.
Bourque got his tires — filled with nitrogen — in Waterville, Maine, at Tire Warehouse, which has 50 tire dealerships across New England. The nitrogen was part of an installation package when Bourque bought a set of tires.
Skeptics will question how much can be gained by filling tires with pure nitrogen when the air we breathe is 78 percent nitrogen.
The differences are subtle but important, said Steve McGrath, Tire Warehouse's vice president of marketing in Keene, N.H.
Nitrogen molecules are bigger than oxygen molecules, so nitrogen seeps out more slowly from tires than air; nitrogen resists heat buildup better than air, which contains moisture; and nitrogen reduces oxidation, which can damage the tire from the inside out, proponents say. Nitrogen is an inert gas, so there are no safety or environmental issues.
Those advantages are important in vehicles equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems, which are sensitive to changes in tire pressure, McGrath said.
With or without nitrogen, proper inflation is the key to improving gas mileage. Motorists can improve gas mileage by 3.3 percent simply by keeping their tires properly inflated, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
In the real world, though, only 1 in 5 motorists check tire pressure regularly, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Nitrogen, therefore, could have an advantage for those who don't check their tire pressure regularly.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has no opinion on nitrogen, but it does encourage motorists to keep their tires properly inflated, both for safety and to boost gas mileage, said spokesman Rae Tyson. Severely underinflated tires are dangerous, especially for sport utility vehicles and light trucks, Tyson noted.
Tire experts at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, neither endorse nor object to the use of nitrogen in tires.
"Nitrogen is certainly safe to use in tires, and theoretically it does offer some benefits," spokesman Douglas Love said from Yonkers, N.Y.
For Bourque, his tire pressure remains constant — 40 pounds for his fully loaded truck — even on hot days when tire pressure normally fluctuates.
His gas mileage was about 19 mpg when he purchased his five-cylinder 2005 Chevrolet Colorado. Now, with the engine broken in and new tires filled with nitrogen, he gets 20.5 to 22 mpg depending on whether he runs the air conditioner, he said.
For tire dealers, the nitrogen generator and associated equipment typically runs between $3,000 and $12,000, Ulrich said.
Marty Mailhot, manager of the Tire Warehouse in Topsham, Maine, said the idea is catching on with consumers, who are purchasing nitrogen for tires for cars, trucks, motor homes and lawn tractors. He has even tried it on footballs and inflatable tubes pulled behind boats.
He has a retort for those who pooh-pooh the notion of paying for nitrogen when there's plenty of free air for the taking.
"I say, 'Why are you drinking that bottled water when there's a pond out back?"' he said.
Guess nitrogen is cheaper here at only RM1 per tyre. I've been using it for the last couple of years for my Potenzas and (now) Precedas. No complaints about it.
Nitrogen May Improve Gas Mileage
Using Inert Gas In Tires Keeps Pressure Stable Longer, Boosting Mileage
TOPSHAM, Maine, July 31, 2006
Quote
"Nitrogen is certainly safe to use in tires, and theoretically it does offer some benefits."
(AP) Many motorists seeking to improve their mileage as gas prices soar this summer are examining everything — right down to the air in their tires. For a growing number, plain old air isn't good enough.
George Bourque of Fairfield, Maine, is one of those who's driving around on tires filled with pure nitrogen, the same stuff that NASCAR racers use.
Bourque, an engineer, said he has seen a 1 to 1.5 mile-per-gallon increase since he began filling his tires with nitrogen, which is touted as maintaining tire pressure longer and resisting heat buildup on hot summer days.
"I analyze everything," he said.
Nitrogen has been used for years in the tires of race cars, large commercial trucks, aircraft and even the space shuttle.
But it is finding its way into the mainstream at a growing number of tire dealers — including Costco Wholesale Corp.
Nationwide, fewer than 10 percent of tire dealers offer nitrogen, but the number is growing, said Bob Ulrich, editor of Modern Tire Dealer magazine in Akron, Ohio. Most dealers charge $2 to $5 per tire for the nitrogen fill-up, he said. The dealers generally offer free lifetime refills.
Bourque got his tires — filled with nitrogen — in Waterville, Maine, at Tire Warehouse, which has 50 tire dealerships across New England. The nitrogen was part of an installation package when Bourque bought a set of tires.
Skeptics will question how much can be gained by filling tires with pure nitrogen when the air we breathe is 78 percent nitrogen.
The differences are subtle but important, said Steve McGrath, Tire Warehouse's vice president of marketing in Keene, N.H.
Nitrogen molecules are bigger than oxygen molecules, so nitrogen seeps out more slowly from tires than air; nitrogen resists heat buildup better than air, which contains moisture; and nitrogen reduces oxidation, which can damage the tire from the inside out, proponents say. Nitrogen is an inert gas, so there are no safety or environmental issues.
Those advantages are important in vehicles equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems, which are sensitive to changes in tire pressure, McGrath said.
With or without nitrogen, proper inflation is the key to improving gas mileage. Motorists can improve gas mileage by 3.3 percent simply by keeping their tires properly inflated, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
In the real world, though, only 1 in 5 motorists check tire pressure regularly, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Nitrogen, therefore, could have an advantage for those who don't check their tire pressure regularly.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has no opinion on nitrogen, but it does encourage motorists to keep their tires properly inflated, both for safety and to boost gas mileage, said spokesman Rae Tyson. Severely underinflated tires are dangerous, especially for sport utility vehicles and light trucks, Tyson noted.
Tire experts at Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, neither endorse nor object to the use of nitrogen in tires.
"Nitrogen is certainly safe to use in tires, and theoretically it does offer some benefits," spokesman Douglas Love said from Yonkers, N.Y.
For Bourque, his tire pressure remains constant — 40 pounds for his fully loaded truck — even on hot days when tire pressure normally fluctuates.
His gas mileage was about 19 mpg when he purchased his five-cylinder 2005 Chevrolet Colorado. Now, with the engine broken in and new tires filled with nitrogen, he gets 20.5 to 22 mpg depending on whether he runs the air conditioner, he said.
For tire dealers, the nitrogen generator and associated equipment typically runs between $3,000 and $12,000, Ulrich said.
Marty Mailhot, manager of the Tire Warehouse in Topsham, Maine, said the idea is catching on with consumers, who are purchasing nitrogen for tires for cars, trucks, motor homes and lawn tractors. He has even tried it on footballs and inflatable tubes pulled behind boats.
He has a retort for those who pooh-pooh the notion of paying for nitrogen when there's plenty of free air for the taking.
"I say, 'Why are you drinking that bottled water when there's a pond out back?"' he said.
Guess nitrogen is cheaper here at only RM1 per tyre. I've been using it for the last couple of years for my Potenzas and (now) Precedas. No complaints about it.
