Free Rice

I came across this interesting site called Free Rice while looking through some forums I frequent.

In exchange for guessing the meaning of a word correctly, it claims to donate 'free rice' to the United Nations each time you get it right. Every time you answer, links to 3 sponsors are rotated, which is where they get their money to get the rice.

Costs nothing, and helps improve your grammar too so why not? Its a win-win situation by all accounts.

It also has a "difficulty level" adjustment which automatically scales itself up or down, so you can judge how good your vocabulary is. My best only goes up to 45, but hovers between 38-40.

Here's my score so far, trying to maintain my level at 40+ . :p

The Emperor's Will

Low poly STC-pattern Leman Russ main battle tank, texture done by me.

Photolog #1: Perhentian Island

*NOTE* All images in this post are mine, and if you wish to use any, get my permission first. Thanks!

During my semester holidays in late 2006, I took a trip to the idyllic Perhentian Islands off the coast of Kelantan, Terengganu in Malaysia. After having heard of the enthralling and (relatively) unspoilt beauty of the white, sandy beaches and the clear turquoise water there, it was a place I knew I had to visit.

I decided to go on an unguided trip this time, so I did some research beforehand. I found out that there were actually two islands there, Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil ("besar" means "big" in Malay, and "kecil" means "small").
The smaller of the two is reputedly more lively than Perhentian Besar, and feeling more in the mood for a peaceful, relaxed holiday I chose to go to the bigger, less crowded island.

Soon, the day for departure came, and the night found me at the Putra Bus Terminal near PWTC. With luggage in hand, I boarded the bus bound for Kuala Besut at 10pm.

It is a pity that the Perhentian islands are located so far from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, because the bus journey there is one of the most mind-numbing experiences i've ever had.

Though the Mahligai express service was recommended to me, I found the bus seats to be rather uncomfortable, which made it quite impossible to get any sleep for the entire 8-hour journey.

At around 6am, the bus finally neared the jetty at Kuala Besut, Terengganu. Despite my fatigue after the sleepless journey, I felt my excitement mount as I caught glimpses of the endless sea between the trees and buildings as the bus sped past them.

The jetty at Kuala Besut.

The bus stopped along a narrow, two-lane road lined with shop houses. The sky was still dark, but the tourist information/greeting area was lighted, and a few small groups of tourists, mostly foreigners were already milling around there.

I disembarked and contacted Kak Shikin, my "agent" who would arrange for the speedboat to the island itself. She ran a small shop which sold souvenirs and other items targeted at tourists at the jetty terminal.

She told me that the boat would only come at 7.30am, so I had some time to kill. With my Olympus Camedia C-8080 and tripod in hand, it was time to practice my photography.

Bridge streetlights reflected.

Dawn over Kuala Besut.

I had the opportunity to witness the sunrise over Kuala Besut. Numerous small fishing boats and speedboats were docked all around the jetty. In the morning twilight, some fishermen were already up and about.


All visitors are, however, required to pay a "conservation fee" of RM5 each per entry to the "marine park". I did not know of this "fee" beforehand, so my enthusiasm was a little dampened.

The bridge, in daylight.

Finally, the "water taxi" (glorified name for a speedboat) arrived, and I was on my way.

The speedboat was a fun ride, the wind whistled past my ears and the boat bounced slightly as it cut through the waves.

The ride lasted for about half an hour, after which the boat entered the waters between Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. Here, another "taxi" came to take passengers to the smaller island, but they were charged a further RM5 for it, apparently because the smaller island lacked a jetty.

At 8.15am, I finally set foot on Perhentian Island.

The first order of business was choosing a place to stay, so I visited the various chalets along the beach. Finally, I decided to lodge at the New Cocohut chalet, which had a nice restaurant overlooking the sea, and a reasonably priced room at RM60 a night, which had 24-hour electricity, two queen-sized double beds and air conditioning. Sadly, it did not have hot water (which the pricier options had), but I figured it didn't really matter as i'd be doing more swimming anyway.

View from the restaurant

Chalet


After settling into the room which would be my home for the next three days, I took a quick shower and made my way down to the chalet's restaurant for lunch. After the meal and a short rest later, I changed into my swimming gear and headed down to the beach for a swim.

Path to the restaurant


Corals and shells


The water was pleasantly warm near the shore, however it was rather painful to walk along the water's edge without slippers, due to the debris consisting of corals and shells lining it. The sand itself was quite fine, and felt cool to the touch when your toes sink a little deeper into it.

Before getting into the water, I went around to familiarise myself with the place. There were quite a few diving centres along that stretch of beach, besides a couple of souvenir shops, and food stalls. A few places offered Internet access, but at exorbitant rates. Having completed my initial observations of the place, I spent the rest of the day messing about in the water, then had dinner and retired for the night.

The second day was exploration and photographing day, so I made sure my camera's main battery and the spare were fully charged. I headed down to the restaurant to have breakfast in the morning. Here, I met the resident cat.

Meow

At first, I couldn't put my finger on it, but there seemed something strange about the cat. After luring it with some food so I could get a closer look, it struck me that it had unusually large paws. It was normal in every other aspect, so I surmised that the paws were evolved to adapt to walking in sand. I must have looked rather "ulu" to be excited about a cat lol, and some of the staff had bemused looks as I was following the cat around and photographing it.

A little while after finishing my breakfast, I was lounging around the restaurant when one of the staff called me excitedly. A monitor lizard had wandered out from the jungle, so it was a good opportunity to get some shots of the big lizard.

Face off

Lo, the cat was already there, eyes locked with the monitor lizard. Despite its small stature, the cat is obviously a territorial creature, hissing and spitting at the lizard, which just silently stood there in obvious disdain of the cat.

Retreat!

Eventually, after a tense moment and a short chase later, the lizard turned and shuffled back into the undergrowth.

I resumed my expedition after this. I took a closer look at the abandoned "Cozy Chalets", which sat on the rocky outcropping at one end of the beach. Quite eerie, even in the day. I did see some monkeys running around the roofs and trees nearby, so they weren't really abandoned after all.

View from the beach


Abandoned

Further along the coast, I found a rather bleak-looking sight. The shallow water was still, filled with rocks and dead coral littering its bottom, all of which was covered in light-greyish stuff.


It looked like a dead zone at first glance, but upon closer inspection, I found that even this place was teeming with life. Crabs of every shape and size hid in the nooks and crannies, while small schools of tiny white/grey fish darted among the rocks.

Tiny crab

Crab with sinister face

Some sort of anemone

Spot the fish

Eventually, my path was blocked by a huge rock outcropping that stretched out into deeper water.
I noticed little insect things running all over the rocks, which, for the lack of a better name nor knowledge of what they are, I christened them "rockroaches".

"Rock cockroach"


I decided not to risk my camera by traversing the deeper waters, so I turned back to explore the other end of the beach.

I passed another chalet which had a concrete jetty. From the looks of it, this one served the fishermen who work around that area, judging from all the fishing boats nearby.





Another small rock outcropping along the way, no 'roaches here, but lots of crabs running about those that*just* break the water's surface.

Rocks


More crabs


At the far end of this beach, an even more massive outcropping of rock stretched right out into the sea, so I decided to rest on the beach for awhile. As I sat down, I noticed a tiny, white creature skittering away at an amazing speed. It literally looked like a small patch of sand had sprouted legs!

Naturally, I followed it around until it got rather tired of running. Upon closer inspection, it was yet another crab, whose shell color masked it very well from would-be predators. It would be quite impossible to spot if it isn't moving.


I returned to the beach in front of my chalet after I had enough of chasing the crab around. Took a couple more pics along the way back, then I relaxed on one of the deck chairs there until the sun went down. Later, as I was heading back to my room, I saw another of the island's fauna eating from an opened coconut.



Beautiful water


Boat




A squirrel


Evening fell, so I headed back to the restaurant for dinner and took the opportunity to experiment with night photography too, before retiring for the night.

New Cocohut's restaurant


The next morning I took a last, leisurely walk around the place.

Afternoon came, and it was time to check out and start my journey back to Kuala Besut. I packed and deposited my room key with the chalet's owners, and boarded the speedboat. On the ride back, we passed another speedboat from Perhentian Kecil which was also fetching holiday-goers back.

Speedboat at starboard


I proceeded to buy my return ticket after arriving in Kuala Besut, and found I still had a couple of hours to kill until the bus arrived, so I passed the time by exploring the nearby town and finding targets to shoot (with my camera).

Three Cats


Row of shops near the jetty


Goats


At last, the bus came and I made my way back home. In closing, i'd say that Perhentian is a really interesting place, and I felt it was well worth the money I spent for the trip there.

My total expenses for the trip:

Bus l-way RM30 x 2
"Conservation fee" RM5
Speedboat 1-way RM20 x 2
Accomodation RM60 a night x 3
Food RM15 a day x 3

Total: RM330

SPARTANS! TONIGHT, WE DINE IN HELL!

300 is awesome. This is one movie i'm going to watch multiple times.

Although 300's story isn't anything revolutionary (based off an actual historical battle as it is), it is solid nonetheless, and has all the elements of a great movie. But what really shines here is its delivery.

The story unfolds as it is retold by the rough, gritty voice of Dilios, one of Leonidas' 300.

The use of foreshadowing and repetition makes the story flow very well, and connects events in the movie together.

Visuals are stunning and visceral, vivid dismemberments, "artistic" blood flying everywhere, swords, spears and shields running people through, set up on a beautiful sky filled with magnificient orange-tinged clouds which seem to be eternally in the evening/night.

I never thought i'd say this, but buff men running around with nothing on save red cloaks, shields and leather underwear never looked so cool(in a completely straight and manly manner of course).

And damn, I want a physique like Leonidas (Gerard Butler).

Here's several wallpapers I made, because frankly, the movie is *that* awesome:

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Flyin' Saucers.....

This is the story of one of the more interesting assignments i've been sent for.

Initially, I was sent out to investigate a report that hailstones had fallen in Sri Hartamas. While I was interviewing people in the area though, I got another call from an editor telling me to to to Jalan Beruas, which was just off Jalan Beringin where a bad storm had apparently occurred.

When I was on my way to the place, I saw many of the trees along Jalan Beringin had been snapped in half like they were mere matchsticks. One particular area had five of them snapped in a row. As I was nearing the turning to Jalan Beruas, I saw a huge tree opposite a primary school there had fallen across the road and crushed a SUV parked there.

As I progessed further up the hill, the devastation was even more apparent. Pine trees could be seen leaning over walls, mangled pieces of aluminium roofing lying around the place and powerlines brought down by fallen trees.

It looked like a typhoon had struck the place.

In one particular street just at the foot of the hill, huge pine trees had fallen on the houses across the road, crushing walls and blocking access into the place.

I interviewed several residents there, and one in particular had said he’d literally seen Astro dishes (including his own), roof tiles, a brick and water tank covers thrown about by the storm, which is a testament to its fury.

Without a doubt, this has been my most interesting assignment by far, in the time i’ve been working here.

Training Week 4

Results are out, and i'm quite pleased to maintain a CGPA of 3, certainly an achievement considering my lack of studying. Its higher, in fact than my previous examination point average for which I DID study for, ironically.

Its almost a month now into my industrial training, and I've found that time really flies when you're on the job. Been on some pretty interesting assignments, and the highlight of my time at my attachment so far was last week, where I went to cover a "press conference" by a former Miss-Malaysia-turned-skydiving event management company owner.
In actual fact, it was a small gathering at her office. But its not the size of the gathering, that counts, its who attended it.
Local celebrities, actors, models, all whom I'd interviewed. Yep, lots of leng lui.

To cut a long story short, was interesting to talk with these people since it gave me more insight into the kinds of people who work in the entertainment industry.
Some of them still reminded me a little of the "airhead" stereotype, but thankfully for them and my sanity they could mostly give satisfactory answers to my (rather simple) questions and a couple of the actresses were a real joy to interview.

And the byline for the story was also welcome, although I had to fork out RM45 for the byline tea. *me is broke* T_T

Been to some landmarks like the National Museum, Agong's Palace (well, ok, in front of the gates anyway) to cover stories, and went to some football party at a club, where I got lots of free beer (though i'm not about to repeat that experience, all it got me was a throbbing headache. Why the hell do people drink beer anyway... hey its not my fault, the people kept putting whole JUGS of them even before the one we had was finished).

Been to cover all sorts of things like interviewing people about the sugar shortage issue (people don't like their picture taken even if its something harmless like this....), went to some press conference which the former health minister Chua Jui Meng was conducting about business opportunities in China, and a prizegiving ceremony at Ampang Park in which our current minister of tourism attended (Ampang Park shopping centre is the first ever in Malaysia?? OMFG I never knew that...).

And now, another installment of the magnificent Lame joke of the day!: All original lame joke from the bullcrapping genius of yours truly, based on a TRUE real life conversation! Keyword "based".

Siryn: "Germany has beaten Poland at every single World Cup."
Me: "Sucks to be them."
Siryn: "Yeah, poor Poles. Wanna hear a joke?"
Me: "Sure."
Siryn: "If people from Poland are called Poles, then shouldn't people from Holland be called Holes?" :p
Me: "ROFL! ....... Hmmm.... so, dancers from Poland are.... Pole Dancers? Bwahaaahahahah!"
Siryn: "...................."

Previous LJOTD:
LynX's Lame Joke of The Day #1

An unexpected visitor

Ms. Naja came a-calling to my house.

As i was listening to music and surfing the net around 8pm last night, my aunt, who was sitting in the living room watching tv started calling me urgently. I couldn't hear what she was saying, so i reluctantly tore myself from the computer.

She was saying a snake had come into the house, and was hiding under a pile of junk,odds and ends, and tools next to the television.
At first i was skeptical that a snake would find it's way here; the last time i had to deal with a snake was almost a decade ago when the place had less people and more vegetation, and even that was just a small brown cobra.
But this one, according to my aunt, was almost one metre long and black. I thought my aunt maybe saw a lizard or something, but nevertheless i picked up a long stick and a flashlight to see our "guest" myself.

After waiting and shining the flashlight around abit, i heard a faint rustling in the recesses of the junkpile. Something was definitely in there. I waited and strained my eyes in the darkness and shifting shadows caused by moving the flashlight, but couldn't see the creature.

Then i heard the rustling was suddenly much closer, and i looked down. Lo, a scaly, black and sleek section of the snake's body was right under me, and separated from my feet just by a couple of cardboard boxes. It slithered around abit, then went back into the junkpile.

By now i knew it definitely was a snake, but not which species and how venomous, and more importantly why the hell it came into my house. I quickly took kitty and locked him into the bathroom.
I shifted my position to another side of the junkpile, and was startled when i saw the snake's head sticking out from under some stuff. It quickly (and literally) turned tail to hide in the junk. I actually managed to catch its tail, but it was incredibly strong and the scales slippery, and managed to get loose. It also hissed a little when i caught it's tail.

I was in a dilemma. Attempt to catch it? Kill it? Drive it out of the house? Call the fire department/whoever?

1) Seeing snake catchers on TV and all looks like fun, but this is real life, and i've seen the aftermath of being bitten by particularly poisonous snakes. Strike that.

2) Killing it would be pretty cruel, since it seemed intent on avoiding confrontation with humans. And attempting to kill it would also mean risking getting bitten.

3) A more attractive option, but i couldn't see how to do that because it wouldn't want to move if i were making loud noises or poking around the junkpile with the stick. Also, there's no telling if it might decide the house is pretty cosy after all and come back in, or think kitty looks like a particularly juicy dinner.

4) Was thinking of it, but dismissed it cause i don't want strangers running all over my house.

So after thinking it over, i decided to chase it out of the house. Failing that i'd have to kill it. I pulled out a can of insect spray and directed it into the place the snake was in. I kept it up until the vapor came out of the other side of the pile. Sure enough, the snake slithered out at top speed (very damn fast bastard he/she is) and into my front yard. Once again i ran after it and got a better grip of its tail, but it pulled very, very hard (i was surprised at it's strength, the thing is a veritable muscle unto itself) while hissing and extended it's hood a slight bit, and again slipped out of my hand and lost itself in the flowerpots and old gardening tools there.
Under the twilight, i could see hints of it's dark, shiny scales where the grass was too short to cover it. Again i sprayed the insecticide at it, and it finally slithered off into the night.

This whole debacle lasted around an hour or so. Then i looked for info on my uninvited guest, and found that its most likely a cobra of the Naja nigricollis woodi species, seeing as it was all black with no noticeable colored markings (tho i didn't really get a clear look at it so i could be mistaken) and was a spitting cobra. Lucky i wear glasses.

I stayed up until 3am to make sure that Ms. Naja didn't decide to come back to call, then put kitty back outside and locked his pad's door for the night just to be safe.

I suspect that it was someone's pet, or was smuggled in to be sold illegally as an exotic pet but somehow got free, judging from its strange behaviour of coming into a house which had the TV blaring and a human sitting there, and its eagerness to avoid confrontation.

Some resources i found useful to distinguish the cobra:
http://www.kingsnake.com/elapids/black.htm
http://www.coastalreptiles.com/naja.htm


A relative of Ms. Naja, image from the internet. The one i encountered was all black.

You Wish You Were This Awesome.

In other bizzare news, proof that 70 year old geezers kick more ass than you. Now go hide in the darkest corner of the closet you wuss. =P

NAIROBI - A 73-year-old Kenyan grandfather reached into the mouth of an attacking leopard and tore out its tongue to kill it, authorities said Wednesday.

Read more Kickass-ing.




On another note, i just discovered a very creative, funny and interesting blog written from the unlikely perspective of a street dog in Bangkok, Thailand. Attributing dogs with human qualities might not exactly be original, but the way it's presented here is well done. Any animal lover won't miss a visit to this blog!
=D

I guess the purpose of this blog is to persuade people to be more responsible with their pets and treat them like living, breathing creatures instead of a posession, but i'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Doggies!