Honda City: Test Test...

My mum was heading back to Kelantan for the royal annual dinner via flight, so I sent her to the LCCT at about 6-ish this morning. I also took the opportunity to put my car on a performance test, just to see how did it behaved. Cruising speed wise (we're talking 100-120km/h), ride is such a breeze. The City has been very stable, noise insulation is also good for a sub 100K car, everything just feels good. I was on 120-140km/h throughout the 60km stretch to the LCCT.

On my way back, I decided to kick in another notch and pushed it harder. The iVTEC has been revving pleasantly at speeds of 100-120km/h; not much problems encountered. Going 120km/h onwards; that is another story. The engine feels a bit sluggish going to 140, and even more so to 160. Eventually I managed to hit 160, and suddenly i heard some squeaking sound. I'm not entirely sure where it came from. I've decided to slow down and try it again. Again at about 155, 160 the squeaking sound reappeared. Perhaps this is something to be brought up during the5K service. But all in all, I'm satisfied with the car's performance. It can go to 140 (which is the usual speed I drive in highways) which is OK, and the fact that it feels comfy at cruising speeds delights me even more. Pushing up to 160 is something I'll do on rare occassions (especially in a 1.5litre car!), but I think I'll need to get it checked later. I sort of have a feeling that I can push even more (given the power of VTEC), but unless I'm really sure what the problem is with the sound and it has been resolved, I'll put that on hold. Safety first people!

Anyway, today is the start of another season of Formula 1. There's a new kid on the block; Brawn GP, and at the moment, they have been performing well. Scored the pole and 2nd spot, this team is definitely worth checking out. Will it become the dark horse against the favourites of Ferrari, McLaren and Sauber? We'll see about that. I also found out about this KERS system implemented by some cars which allows extra boost power during pressing situations. Will it be practical to be used in this race, given the consideration for weight and so on? All this answers should be answered as the race kicks off. Till then , roger and out!

Idol Updates: And Now There Are Nine...

I've not been feeling well to update this blog, so I thought I might share with you guys on the latest developments in Idol. This week's Idol is all about old skool Motown music. Nice...

I did not catch the results show last night, and I only happen to know that Michael Sarver (the oil rigger) was the one sent off. If I can be honest, I was not surprised at all. I was surprised to see that he is still here all this while. His performance, in my opinion is not at par with the other contestants, given the fact that there are now 10 contestants left. The bar supposedly need to be set up higher. Somehow he has been complacent and comfortable, and apparently the voters saw that. I think the next contestant to go down is either Megan (the chick with the tattoo on her right arm or Scott The Blind Guy). They have not been able to bring their A game when everyone else has. No offence Scott, but being blind does not mean that you can enjoy sympathy votes all the time (unless you're in Akademi Fantasia, where sympathy votes count! alot!).

The winners on Thursday's performance has got to be Adam and Allison. Allison rocks man! Her voice and talent does not justify the fact that she's only 17. Even the judges are impressed by her. Kara even commented 'You sing like you have been singing for 400 years.' And Adam's twist on the classic song is simply amazing.

Well, enough about Idol. So, tonight is the Earth Hour. Please show your support against global warming by turning off the lights for 1 hour, beginning 2030hrs. I've read somewhere that this initiative is only a mere publicity stunt. Well, of course it is! At least it's a start. Being Malaysian, I know that we won't start until asked to do so. Chiow...

Sunburst KL 09: So, Was It Worth The Money You Paid For The Ticket?

Hey guys, its the end of my work day (at least for today) on a mundane Monday. I haven't updated you guys on Sunburst. So, let me share with you some dirt on it...

We (Yaya, her group of friends, my cousins) went to Bukit Kiara at about 5-ish. We were then 'welcomed' by a long line or parked cars (as usual, what do you expect from this kind of events?). I've decided to park the car on the other side of the road. First things first, we were unnecessarily charged 10 bucks for the 'parking' fee. WTF? This is not a parking lot, we shouldn't pay a cent. Even the so-called parking company is so dodgy; White & Black Parking Management, or something. But, me don't want no trouble. The last thing I need to worry about if my car being scratched hideously, or worse (luckily i didn't take My City).

We then went through the security checks and all, and we entered the polo field area. I already saw two big stages, then there's this X-Pax area with huge X, food stalls on the left. We decided to walk through the area and see anything interesting and worth checking out first. At that time, Russian Winters were performing on stage. We managed to lepak and check out Gerhana Ska Cinta's performance. It was not bad actually, and the crowd is certainly loving it; dancing along the tunes played.

I was there for two reasons actually; Nidji and Naturally 7. Nidji performed right after Estranged's performance. And let me tell you, Nidji's performance was awesome! They did not dissappoint at all! I was not a big fan of Nidji (I only know a few of their songs). But man, after watching their performance, I've decided to find all their songs!

Then there's the big guns; N.E.R.D and Korn. I've been to head banging, rocking show, so I thought, why don't I skipped N.E.R.D, and check out something more...intimate. And so I did just that; I went to see Naturally 7. They performed at a rather small stage. I was early and there were about 10, 15 people waiting for it. Due to that, I managed to slide and booked the front row! And my oh my am I so lucky! Naturally 7 is truly one of a kind. They are truly...something else, something new, fresh and exciting. As soon as they performed half of their first song; hundreds flock into the area, mesmerised by their performance. It was sick and out of this world! I ran out of words to describe the beauty of their performances. Seeing their videos in YouTube is one thing; actually watching it live is....wowwwww. I left the stage after performance, with such a joyful feeling. I am so looking forward to seeing their live performances in Malaysia again! (please please come again..you know how crazy we are about you, can;t you hear us screaming with joy?haha)

We left Sunburst, feeling satisfied (in a nutshell) and head for a late supper. So, was it worth the money? Well, if you ask me, since I bought the early bird ticket, which cost me RM150 bucks, seeing Nidji and Naturally 7 was all worth it. But, if I have to pay more, I would think a few times before actually buying it. 300 bucks, in my opinion is a bit too much for that acts lined up for this year. Korn was OK (as expected from a hardcore rock band). N.E.R.D was not bad either (according to my cousin's feedback). But the rest, is just...common, something you can really see without actually going to Sunburst. Anyway, I think Pineapple Concerts did a good job, given the economic slowdown this time around. So, kudos to you guys.

Till the next post...Oh, pics will be updated later. So stay tune! Peace!

Random Rants On A Saturday Morning

Hope you are guys are enjoying your weekends. I hope I am. My morning starts with me going for my rides first service. Technically speaking it's not service. it's just a routine inspection done to ensure that my car is running as it should be. As for the fuel consumption, apparently I'm not the only one with a problem; other customers have been talking about the same issue as well. The service advisor advised to wait for the 5000km service and the oil change, where it should improve the FC. We'll see then. Other than that, I think I'm ready to take my car for a bit of a stretch somewhere in the highway.

Well, today's is the day; Sunburst KL is finally here. Expect some fun time rocking your socks off with performances from local and international acts. I only found out recently that Erykah Badu has canceled her appearance here. Not sure why, but hope that would not really affect the quality of this years fest.

I'm also looking forward to checking out the hot air balloons at Putrajaya. Probably I'll check it out tomorrow then. Till then, stay tune for my posts. Again, have a good weekend!

What Facebook Is For...

I found this on Digg..it turns out some things that he mentioned are actually true, haha...

Earth Hour: Show Your Support!

Exactly 10 days from now is the Earth Hour. Show your support by switching the lights off for one hour, beginning 2030 hrs! Support this effort for a greater cause for a fight against global warming. For more info, visit http://www.earthhour.org.my

HSE Tips: Post No.3

One staff came with complain of chest pain and breathless during exertion. ECG test was performed on him and the result is abnormal. He has been referred to cardiologist for heart assessment.
A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a coronary.
Interrupted blood flow to your heart can damage or destroy part of the heart muscle.


SYMPTOMS





Pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes.
Pain extending beyond your chest to your shoulder, arm, back, or even to your teeth and jaw.
Increasing episodes of chest pain.
Prolonged pain in the upper abdomen.
Shortness of breath and sweating.
Impending sense of doom.
Fainting.
Nausea and vomiting.


Normal ECG with symptoms above needs to be further evaluated by Physician.


CAUSES
One or more of the arteries supplying your heart with oxygen-rich blood become blocked.
During a heart attack, one of these plaques can rupture and a blood clot forms on the site of the rupture.
If the clot is large enough, it can block the flow of blood through the artery.
The lack of blood flow to the heart also may trigger irregular heart rhythms that can be fatal.
A coronary artery can become narrowed from the buildup of cholesterol. This buildup collectively known as plaques.
An uncommon cause of a heart attack is a spasm of a coronary artery that shuts down blood flow to part of the heart muscle. Example drugs effect, such as cocaine.


COMPLICATIONS

Abnormal heart rhythms.
Heart rupture.
Heart failure



TREATMENT

MEDICINES FOR HEART ATTACKS such as aspirin, cholesterol lowering medicine and etc.
SURGERY – coronary bypass. Other procedures such as stenting and etc.



PREVENTION
Don't smoke.
Check your cholesterol.
Get regular medical checkups.
Control your blood pressure and manage stress.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.
Eat healthy diet.

So Who's Up For Creative Advertising?

There's this one website which I always fancy to go to, which is Toxel.com (link on the left of my blog). What I like to see is the creative advertisements created across the world. Simply amazing and mind blowing! I have nothing but respect towards those behind the scenes of creating this advertising 'art'. One thing which makes me, a lil bit curious (you can't help it but to wonder), why are all these adverts found only in the Western and more developed countries? Why isn't there much adverts of such calibre here in Malaysia?

I'm not saying none, as I've seen some interesting adverts here in Malaysia (the one that I can think of right now is Maxis's football advert with the tagline 'By being a better man, you can be a better fan'). I'm not just talking about TV adverts. We're talking billboards, adverts at public transportations, and many more. If you happen to check on Toxel.com, there are some really, really sick adverts; adverts with that 'wowww' factor.

Of course there are some adverts which is not really suitable for our country and will stir some great amount of controversy (like the Axe deodorant commercials you can check out on YouTube). There is however a lot of room to explore the imagination and seek the creative inspiration without being, you know...pervy. So, why can't we see more of these creative adverts in our local scene? Could it be that we're not just...quite there yet? Let me just share with you some example of bus adverts with a simple premise, yet delivers the message very clearly.

Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2009

Wow, I received an email from a colleague of mine regarding this. It will be held from Thursday onwards till Friday. This should be fun, watching giant balloons in all shapes, sizes and colours floating around the skyline of Putrajaya. I might just check it out this weekend. Oh wait, there's Sunburst too this weekend. Oh well, I'll figure the time out. My DSLR wouldn't want to miss such colourful and fun day :)

For more info, visit www.myballoonfiesta.com

So Who Said Anything About Economic Crisis?

Well apparently if that is true, it certainly does not look that way here in Malaysia. I have spent my weekends in KL, watching TV, going to shopping malls and all, and I'm intrigued to share my observations.

First, I've been watching the primetime news on Saturday (just before catching the Man Utd - Liverpool showdown, which btw, Liverpool totally deserved to win, based on last night's performance...anyway, this is not about the match), and there's this report on the MATTA fair (MATTA stands for Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents) in PWTC. What surprises me is the reception; extremely well i must say. Thousands of people and holidaymakers swarmed the booths, looking for interesting deals for their dream vacation. People are getting retrenched from their jobs in some countries and these people looked into where they want to go for holiday? Wow, hebat! Malaysians surely know how to spend their hard earned moolah. It is true then; Malaysia Boleh! When every country in this world are facing gloomy days, nothing seemed affected in this bolehland.

Next, I went to KLCC with my mum and Yaya on Sunday. Not surprising, the famous shopping centre is jam-packed with humans; local and foreign. Two interesting observations made during my visit. First, inside Prada boutique; this Chinese fella, a hip and trendy kinda guy with his friend, looking at some of the manbags displayed. Yaya and I can't help it but to overhear their conversation, 'I have something similar to this one, limited edition I bought earlier one...'People are having no problems spending their money, so is there really an economic crisis? Really got meh?

Then, we went inside Tod's (we're just doing what we do best, window shopping, haha..) and there's this family of four. Looking at things, they are seemed to be a modern type of family. The husband is trying on some shoes (I think). The wife is looking into handbags, and their oldest son was running around the shop like it's his fathers'. What surprises me (and it kinda gets into my nerves too; nerves of envy that is) is that suddenly that kid said to his mum 'Mummy mummy, I want the blue one (refering to the shoe colour). Yaya and I was like, ' Perghhh, kecik2 dah pandai pakai Tod's. Pilih2 colour macam kat kedai kasut Bata je...'As for me, there's nothing that I could afford at the moment, so I head to have a nice Chocolixir from Godiva. Chocolicious, and it comes at a price tag of RM22...

So, is there really an economic crisis? Go figure...Anyway, I have a more important issue to thing about (for me, at least). My new car has been showing some unsatisfactory fuel consumption. I've pumped full tank into my car, and the range that I could get is only about 400km-ish (supposedly 500, some have claimed to reach up 600-ish). That is rather disappointing for a name which is synonymous with efficient fuel consumption. But then, I think it's not just me who are having this issue. I've been reading a few comments from disappointing new owners of the Honda City of the below average FC. Is it because the engine has not properly break in yet? If so, when will the FC improve? 1K? 5K? 10K? Haiyaaa, what to do la?

Till then, jaane!

aXXo: Public Enemy Number One, or Modern-Day Robin Hood?

Those of you who' s usually up to downloading movies, waiting for those DVD like quality, you are most probably aware of this name. I found this interesting article upon browsing through Digg.com. I wish to warn you that this is rather a long article. So, happy reading:)

Scene stealer: The aXXo files

To Hollywood executives, he's public enemy number one. To film fans around the world, he's a modern-day Robin Hood. As the internet's most prolific pirate makes his 1,000th illegal film download available to the masses, Tim Walker investigates the mysterious figure known only as aXXo.

At 8.40am on Monday 15 December, a new post appeared on an internet forum called the Darkside Release Group. "Darkside_RG" is a clearing house for internet pirates, a site dedicated to the online redistribution of movies, music and videogames. Its members happily spend their days sharing and discussing their ill-begotten booty on the site's many message boards.

The post in question contained a BitTorrent file – the most widespread and efficient filesharing method on the web – containing an illicit copy of a second-rate Kiefer Sutherland horror film called Mirrors. Though the mainstream media ignored it, this was a landmark moment for millions of filesharers worldwide: the 1,000th movie uploaded by aXXo, the internet's most popular and enduring pirate. If you already know his name, chances are you've been doing something illegal.

This aXXo may be anonymous, but he (or she, or they) is a global brand. His most popular uploads are downloaded illegally by up to a million internet users per week. His files regularly make up more than one-third of all the films trafficked on BitTorrent. Most of them are mainstream multiplex fare – aXXo's recent posts include Mamma Mia!; the Ricky Gervais black comedy Ghost Town; and Bangkok Dangerous and Eagle Eye, thriller vehicles for Nicolas Cage and Shia LaBeouf.

I told you that it's gonna be long, so if you wish to read the rest of it (and I think you should), go check out the full article here

Picasa Web Albums Updated

I've updated my Picasa Web Albums; adding up pictures of my cute cute nephew and niece, some family day pics, and some family photos taken during my cousin's wedding, oh not to mention my new ride ;). You may click on the above logo, so check it out!

Prepare Yourself To Say 'Whoaaaa...'

Another interesting found, courtesy of ZTH.

The premise is simple: two F1 fans hack a McLaren RC car to run off Bluetooth, using their Blackberry Storm to control it. They run the “Office GP” over the weekend, instead of the “important work” they were supposed to do.

The two working lads, Simon and Steve, are supposed to look like two normal guys who have a good time and upload the fun to YouTube. Then McLaren bosses see the video, and decide to have a word.

McLaren decides to adapt the video full-scale, by installing Bluetooth receivers on Lewis Hamilton’s car. Much to the amazement of Simon and Steve, Hamilton himself shows up to the track in Portugal and takes the car for a spin, remotely using his Blackberry Storm to control the McLaren MP4-24 racer.

So is it real, or not? Well, considering BMW did the same thing with Hewlett Packard and there are countless videos and demonstrations of driver-less cars driving around, we don’t see how this could not happen.

by Zack Newmark of World Car Fans

So, sounds too cool to believe it? I'll let the video decide it for you. Roger and out!

Stupidity At Its Best....

Hey peeps, it's almost 6pm and I'm still at the office. I was browsing through ZTH and I found this video of arrogance and stupidity portrayed by some of our Malaysian drivers; tailgating ambulance during heavy traffic. I think I shall leave you with the video, and the comments the forumers have thrown for your own reading pleasure, haha (and feel free to add up yours too). And guess what? One of the forumers actually got the details of that retarded bugger from Friendster! Hah, take that you fucking assholes! Let the bashing begins...

Comments

Forum

HSE Tips: Post No.2

Here's an awareness advert of safe driving. Simple but effective; it focuses on the usual distractions we tend to make when driving (I know this because I happened to do one of them quite frequently). Enjoy, and drive safely:)

Upgrades For My Ride...

I have started some basic upgrades for my new ride. My dad and I went to this place, AK Car Audio & Alarm here in TTDI (we have been a regular customer to this shop, the tauke, Ken provides superb quality work) to get some window tinting done. We got the top notch tint, 3M Crystalline series for the whole lot; windshields and side windows. 3M is one of the big household names and is synonymous with quality. I have been reading through LYN forums and the forumers got nothing but positive feedbacks toward its performance. For safety purposes, we've asked Ken to do some wiring work for the door auto lock (basically, the door will be locked when you press the brake pedal). You can never be too careful, especially when you stop at traffic lights. Then, suddenly my dad noticed on this coil mats they have at their store. My dad was suddenly like, 'Why don't we get this as well? Ask him to cut to fit it nicely into the car.' I couldn't agree more. I don't want to stain the original carpets. All is done, 2K has just ka-ching!

Then today Yaya and I went to The Curve area to look for some mengarut stuffs. On top of my head; pillow for my car, tissue box, some comical signs people usually put at their rear windshields, and non-slip mats. We managed to get 2 from those. Got myself a nice pillow from Ikea (like d'uh, where else?) and the non-slips. No great signs found worthy for my car, and I'm still looking for the tissue box. Well, till the next search then. Up next, I'm sending my ride for some polishing works. Can't wait for my car to get all shiny shiny. Later...

Naturally 7, I'm Gonna Be Brief..Brilliant!

Peeps, check this out. They are 1 of the acts who will be performing in the upcoming Sunburst KL 09 festival. I started to have doubts of coming to this fest due to the non-existent of interesting acts, but after watching these clips, my hopes are restored! May I present to you, Naturally 7...

Honk! If You're Malaysian

I am telling this in my most humble, honest opinion; literature is not my thingymajiggy. Magazines, newspapers, comics; now that's a different story. Reading has not always been my regular cup of tea. But once in a blue moon, I do get caught on reading some interesting stuff. And so in this post, I would like to introduce a book about Malaysians, written by a Malaysian..simply said, it is uniquely Malaysian. I'm talking about 'Honk! If You're Malaysian'.

"Lydia Teh, the observer of the absurdities of Malaysian life, returns with more absurdities of life and oddities of human behaviour. Everything in life is grist for her mill; there's always something in the nothingness of everyday life that does not escape her pin-sharp eye. In this collection of anecdotes, she brings on more trenchant observations that capture the variegated textures and nuances of Malaysian life as it is lived." Eric Forbes

It is a simple, light reading on how Malaysians live and work, the culture, the language..basically the core fundamentals of being Malaysian. I have enjoyed reading this. The author has been spot-on observing Malaysians in her everyday life. I have to admit, reading it makes me proud of being a Malaysian.

The book is available at all major bookstores. So, feel free to check it out!

Finally...Welcome Home Honda City!

I'm sorry i could only update my blog now. A lot of things had happened in the office, and with my laptop still having that screen problem, I just don't have the urge to post anything. Well, not today! coz I have something to talk about, my new car is finally home! My mum and I went to the dealership this morning around 11ish. We were briefed about the typical stuff, warranty issues, insurance, registration, things in the manual, yada yada yadaa..Then we checked out the car, perform the routine inspection, removed the annoying plastic seat covers..Before we left, the SA took a picture of my first memory getting a new car! I am so excited of finally driving it for the first time. So far so good, managed to make full use of its Advanced Audio system with my iPod. Interfacing is seemless, and the sound system (for a stock, factory installed audio system) is not bad at all. I was surprised with the quality. As for the drive quality, I can't really comment much, since the car at the moment only clocked 70km, and I'm not supposed to rev the car more than 100km/h (typical practice of handling a new car: to have a break in period of 1000km), but everything is OK so far. My only concern right now is the vibrating sounds from the side of the door. It's not much, it you can feel the vibration sounds when you kick the volume up a notch. Maybe it has something to do with its insulation. The side doors seemed a bit hollow anyway. Nvm, we'll look into that. For now, let me just enjoy my new ride. Up next, window tinting, and some accesorizing, huhu...
More pics will be taken and uploaded. Later!

Family Day and Bruises..That Doesn't Sound Right...

Indeed it doesn't, but that's what happened..allow me to explain. The refinery had this Family Day organized at Tiara Beach Resort, Port Dickson. It's basically held as an appreciation towards the staff's hard work and the family who are behind every brave soul running the plant. Many programs and activities planned for the event, but the most interesting has got to be: Paintball.

To be honest, I've never tried paintball before, so there 's this mixture of feelings: excited, scared shitless, and doubt of myself(I even had the thoughts of not playing). In the end, I was like 'what the heck, lets shoot some!'. The participants arrived at the site (it's a palm oil farm..wow, talk about guerrilla warfare) at about 10:30ish. We then went through the rituals..registration, filling up forms, liability forms of 'we are not to be held responsible for this shit', stretching exercise, familliarization to the equipment, bla bla bla. Now comes the fun part. All teams (team of 10) are playing a total of 4 games: kill them all, capture the flag, medic, and VIP.

The first game we played was kill them all. Basically we need to attack the opposing team and the captain has to touch the bunker at the enemy's territory. Sounds easy? Wait till you actually play it! We all then got geared up with the face mask, the gloves, the celoreng shirts..and the thing that we started to love, the marker (basically the gun thing you use to shoot, that's what it is called). The marker is powered by compressed CO2, and we're talking serious pressure here: 1800psi! To those uncertain of how high that is, let's just say it will some bruises on your body when you got shot, your eyes may go blind if it hits you. We then got into positions, and the game begins.

It's like being a child again, playing shooting with your friends. Only this time, we kick up a notch of seriousness. Man, this things hurt! But, with adrenaline pumping up, I remain calm, not bothered with the pain. I managed to shoot and hit some. Imagine running around from tree to tree, taking cover, covering your team mates, shooting enemies from close range (that will leave some serious bruise, we're talking weeks to fade). In the end, my team lost. It's OK, we still have 3 games to go. But that was more than what I expected. We were exhausted, I think i drank 2 bottles of water after the 1st game.

Then comes the next game, capture the flag (which I think is the suckiest game of all 4) Why? it only lasted like 10 seconds. Our captain could not see the captain of the opposing team ran to capture the flag (the flag is placed in the middle). I did not fire even a single shot, which turns out frustrating. Dammit!

Next, in my opinion is the most tiring game (at least for me anyway): medic. Being a medic, I have to shoot enemies, and at the same time attend to 'injured' team mates to 'heal' them. For the previous games, we only need to tag a tree behind with our flag to sort of 'recharge'. This is where my physical capacity challenged me. I got shot the most on this game, I even got shot on the head (I have a bump as a proof, and I'm now having trouble to lie my head down..arghhh!). But in the end, our team won! Yeah, you heard that right!. Last but not least, the VIP. Your team has to escort or cover the VIP (me, in this case), and your objective is to shoot the enemy's VIP, and the game is over. Both teams played defensively, until the opposing team ran out of pallets, and we started charging in and shoot them all! Long story short, we won! Victory is sweet after all, despite all the pain you've experienced.

Paintballing sure is a sweet activity, and I'm looking forward to playing it again! (Not anytime soon, I hoped) We left the area with sore bodies and bruises (as if it was war scars, haha).

I think that's about it to update. We had the rest of the usuals: telematches, which I am too damn tired to join, dinner, some performances (owhh btw, we invited the hillarious Saiful Apek and Faizal Tahir as guest performers) Faizal Tahir sure rocks the stage, despite the drizzling rain. See you in the next post!