Tuesday, June 30, 2009

As China products and technology takes over the world....

In today's world, many of the necessities we have in our lives are made in China.

Low cost labour, low cost land and low cost raw materials.
It makes economical sense to build manufacturing plants and hire the locals and even train them to be on par with developed countries' blue collar workforce.

Most IT and computer products are made in China.
Cellphones, TVs, DVD players and even some car parts are manufactured, assembled and exported from China.

As the world's need for lower cost products increases, so does the China's economy. Lesser unemployment rate for the country with largest population in the world. Tons of money from foreign investments, not to mention tons of previous unused land now leased to big corporations.

With the speedy industrialization and urbanization of China, the world is watching its progress.
To ensure quality products from China matching those made previously in european or south-asian plants, additional quality checks are enforced on the products made in China.

Just a day before, this happened in a Minhang District of Shanghai, China.

An entire building toppled and fell over like a chopped tree.
Fortunately, it is still under construction and currently uninhabited.
Looking at the way the rest of the structure maintained its rigidity, some good may be said about its build.


But to the manner which the groundwork is done, one can only shake their head and sigh.
You can laugh and you can joke about it.

But not many know that two of the few larger contractors for Singapore's Housing Development Board, aka HDB, are China-based. [Berd and Ernie ] **


Today is 30th June 2009
Time now is 17:01 hrs

**
Disclaimer :

China-based construction companies in Singapore building HDB flats may or may not be the same construction companies that developed the above mentioned housing in Minhang District, Shanghai.

News source of building collapse : Zone Europa

Reuter's Video of collapse [Post event]

Friday, June 26, 2009

The Science of Penguin's Colour


Penguins are classified as "aquatic, flightless birds" in the fauna kingdom.
Though many cartoons and movies are made recently about penguins, there are some questions which are never answered.

Recently it came to light why the penguins have white colored chest and belly and dark black flippers [aka wings], back and face.

And the answer given was plausible and logical.

About 7 hours ago, on my birthday party celebrated at home, my wife asked her 8 year old niece to ask me why the penguin's belly and chest is white and black everywhere else.

I honestly didn't know ,even though I used to be a Discovery Channel addict.
I believe most whom are posed this question will not know, unless you are a penguin expert.

Scroll down for the logical answer..

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It's because the penguin's short flippers only allow him to clean himself at those areas and not long enough to clean his back..


Today is 26th June 2009
Time now is 02:29 hrs

Happy Belated Birthday to myself.
As a younger kid, most friends whom cannot pronouced "Franklin" properly found it easier to address me as "Penguin" instead.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A Poem for Nathaniel Neo, my newborn son.

A poem for my 2nd child, Nathaniel Neo, whom was borned on
13th June 2009.


I remember your face,
I couldn't recall the time or place..
The curves on your lips,
The shape of the eyes, nose, hands and feet..
You remind me of him,
Whom I'd seen only in print.
You have no memory of this,
Just like me,
When the camera clicked...
This new photo will be,
Someone you'd be reminded of,
When you have your own progeny.



Today is 16th June 2009
Time now is 21:23 hrs

Isabel and Nathaniel

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Conduct Your Own Mammogram!

A torchlight that can allow you to conduct your own mammogram!
Check for unusual lumps with .... the Breastlight!

Detailed instructions here. <-----------

The breastlight allows you to look under the skin of the mammary glands with great details.
Unusual or concentrated blood vessels, which may indicate the growth of a lump, can be seen and should be referred to a doctor immediately.



Today is 11th June 2009
Time now is 11:56hrs


I'm going to buy one and help everyone I can with this lousy excuse..
Haha

Sunday, June 07, 2009

10 Best Spots for Swimming

Borned in a country sitting right on the Equator, I love swimming.
To cool off, to chill and relax.

Some of the better places I swam and loved were the Tioman island in Malaysia and probably the pool on top of the hotel I stayed in Vietnam HCMC. But the list below outshines all the swimming spots I'd been to.

10 Coolest Places to Swim!




Picture shows Devil's Swimming Pool in Zambia
and Jellyfish Lake in Palau

Today is 7th June 2009
Time now is 23:54 hrs

I wish I could go skinny dipping now in this hot summery weather..

Friday, June 05, 2009

Thailand Hidden and Unknown Fertility Shrine

A year ago, my wife read about a little shrine in Bangkok whereby one can pray for having a child. So we got the directions on how to get to this place in Bangkok and off we went to Thailand.

This unknown shrine is well hidden, away from the buzzing city and tucked in a nice little corner of the staff car park in a 5 star hotel!

The hotel is known as the Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel located at Wireless Road, Bangkok.

The shrine was a little sanctuary with tons of wooden "male genetalia". Most probably donated by those couples whom got their wishes granted. Garlands of jasmine and other flowers are often offered and placed around these wooden penises. The shrine is also locally known as the "Chao Mae Tuptim Shrine".


As to why I recalled this little shrine, the reason is because in the papers today, David Carradine, the famous kungfu guy, whom starred in Kill Bill, died at the Swissotel Nai Lert Park hotel a few days ago. He was found with a rope around his neck and body.

Weird way to die.

A place where one pray for the miracle of life, some choose to end their gift of life at the same location...

To visit Tuptin shrine or to view David Carradine's last hotel room, here are the directions..

More information about the shrine here.
Chao Mae Tuptim Shrine

Today is 5th June 2009
Time now is 09:48 hrs

BTW, we managed to conceive for our second child, a boy, a couple of months after our visit to Tuptim Shrine. Nathaniel Neo will be due for delivery anytime now. We are headed back to Bangkok probably in September to offer our thanks to the Shrine at Wireless Road.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Men's obsession with Size

I am a PC freak! [ Correction : I was a PC freak! ]

There was a time when I used to upgrade my PC with new peripherals and hardware every 2-3 months, spending a good $200-300 dollars each time.

Sometimes a new CPU and mainboard, sometimes a new DVD/CD-ROM drive and if I have more cash to spare , a complete overhaul of CPU/RAM/GFX etc.

This went on until I stopped playing games due to family and work commitments. But the evolution of new PC hardware did not stop. I continued reading regularly on new hardwares and PC "toys" on several reputable websites and this latest graphic card is enormous!

It runs the game "Far Cry" at a whopping 3840x2160 resolution "smoothly".
Claimed by its manufacturer "ASUS" to be the World's fastest graphics card now!.

Full article at Gizmodo!

Today is 4th June 2009
Time now is 10:57 hrs

All the raw processing power.... just to play a game..
I rest my case...