TAIWANNNN!!!! YAY!!!!!

Hello Kids!

Pre-empt your mood before we go Taiwan! :)

Chant after me! "TAIWANNNNN! YAY!!!!"

Haha!

That ZZ has been bugging me with this 2 words for a week and it will continue!

So be it! Haha!

Some info from ZZ's aunt

ZZ got a quote from the travel agency her aunt works at:
JetstarAsia + Hotel + 1 full day city tour* (01 Feb to 05 Feb) -- $680
*includes hotspring, market visit and maybe museum

They gave a choice of 5 hotels:
1) City Hotel
2) Paradise**
3) Kilin
4) Chengdu**
5) Rosemary
** these 2 are recommended cos they are near ximending

Just checked Jetstar webbie and the tics for 1-5 Feb cost $408 so that means the hotel + city tour cost (680 - 408) = $272 or $68/day... will get more details on what is included for the city tour and whether we can have our own choice of hotel if lets say u guys have a particular one in mind...

Hmmz anyway the Jetstar tics seem to be $37 cheaper for flights on Tue and Wed... thats why 31st Jan (Wed) is cheaper than 01 Feb (Thu)... likewise if we come back on 06 Feb (Tue) the tics will also be slightly cheaper.. heh heh

The People :)

The people whom I assumed going:
1) Rongxiang
2) Delun
3) Hanchong
4) Yingshan
5) Suwei
6) Zhenzhu

The people whom I have asked but is currently uncontactable:
1) Kaihock ( Where are you?!! :[ )

The people who will KIV (keep in view):
1) Huifang
2) Shirley
3) Shirley's Mom

Air tickets

JetstarAsia - $371.00 nett (31 Jan to 05 Feb) - 6 Days, Need to take 4 Days leave.
JetstarAsia - $408.00 nett (01 Feb to 05 Feb) - 5 Days, Need to take 3 Days leave.

The Jetstar ticket prices has increased.

JetstarAsia - $334.00 nett (31 Jan to 06 Feb) - 7 Days, Need to take 5 Days leave. (quite impossible)

Eva Airline
$342+++ from airfares.sg
$360+++ from J3Travel

+ + + + + + +
JetstarAsia - $334.00 nett (31 Jan to 05 Feb)
JetstarAsia - $371.00 nett (01 Feb to 05 Feb)

Yet to search on: Eva Airline, China Airline,..

+ + + + + + +
Hey guys, I realized something.

The tickets will be cheaper if we go on a 31Jan-5Feb trip. It will cost a bit more if we travel from 1Feb-5Feb.

Advantage: You pay just a little bit more for an extra day in tw.
Disadvantage: You need to take one more day leave.

My opinion: I personally like the idea of extending a night there.

so, What do you think?

Where, where, where

Between, please research abit, state which hotel you want to stay (with pics of cos and the link), where you want to go (I know u ladies out there definitely must reserve a day for shopping), what you want to eat etc etc.

For me, if I want to go, I would like to go to the Theme park XD The one that KH went - the exciting one.

How bout u?

For all programmers out there

Software Development Cycle


1. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
2. Product is tested. 20 bugs are found.
3. Programmer fixes 10 of the bugs and explains to the testing department that the other 10 aren't really bugs.
4. Testing department finds that five of the fixes didn't work and discovers 15 new bugs.
5. Repeat three times steps 3 and 4.
6. Due to marketing pressure and an extremely premature product announcement based on overly-optimistic programming schedule, the product is released.
7. Users find 137 new bugs.
8. Original programmer, having cashed his royalty check, is nowhere to be found.
9. Newly-assembled programming team fixes almost all of the 137 bugs, but introduce 456 new ones.
10. Original programmer sends underpaid testing department a postcard from Fiji. Entire testing department quits.
11. Company is bought in a hostile takeover by competitor using profits from their latest release, which had 783 bugs.
12. New CEO is brought in by board of directors. He hires a programmer to redo program from scratch.
13. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free...

Taiwan Trip Air Ticket & Updates

Jetstarasia tickets (1 Feb - 5 Feb) are going at $371 after taxes now. It's $37 cheaper than yesterday. :D

The people I've asked and most likely will go:
1) Rongxiang
2) Delun
3) Deanna
4) Hanchong
5) Yingshan

Is Pending:
1) Suwei
2) Zhenzhu
3) Shirley
4) Shirley's Mom

have asked but is currently uncontactable
1) Kaihock

who will KIV:
1) Huifang
2) Yunxi

can't go
the names are protected!! :p

never reply
hmphf!! They shall not be named! :x

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Minor Updates:
I've sent out emails invites to people to join this blog.
Deanna, RX, HC, Shhhiok and ZZ.. Let me know if you haven't received the invitations ok?

Used Haloscan for commenting purposes. In case, I failed to add you guys into this blog, Haloscan will be there for you when you need to voice out. So, don't be Ke Qi ok. Start making some noise already!! :D

+ + + + + + +

Taiwan Trip

Taiwan Trip

Ignore the title. We are going to Taiwan this time round! :D

The dates are tentatively set from 1 Feb - 5 Feb. So, everyone, please do your best to negotiate with ur respective bosses okie???

Hmm.. the comments function should be working right? I'm still trying to add people to this blog. But before that happens, I'll need to know your email/blogspot account. Arigatos and have a nice day.

+ + + + + + +

Btw, i think the SIA promo tickets are sold out. I think I'm lousy at check air tickets. Click until I blur blur. Someone might need to verify. :)

Some Krabi PicTs tO enJoy

which animal are you?

which animal are you?

You Were An Owl

You are stealthy and secretive - no one knows the true you. You are a seeker of freedom, and you are comfortable with your dark side.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

Who can evade his capture?

http://www.nozomionline.com/media/avoider.html

Don't let him capture your mouse!

From the Missus

Tales from the EarthSea

Tales from the EarthSea

Studio Ghibli's latest offering: Tales From The EarthSea
Download the trailer here:
http://s21.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0A0T7FTIS2P3E2PUZNDQ0BK975

The music is super nice! Now I can't wait to watch it. Anybody wanna watch? Hee.

Coming out 7/7/2006 (in Japan I think)

Travel Insurance Info

UTHi!!

Shirley here.. first time to post. Not sure how to send the info to the person... haha.. dun even know who to send to. So i'll jus post here. :)

Full Name : Lim Shea Li Shirley
NRIC : S83******
DOB : ****

Contact : 9*******
Address: *******

Email : springclassics@hotmail.com

Place(s) : Krabi (?? Everyone is the same for this right? or put Bangkok?)
Departure date : 14 May 2006
Return date : 18 May 2006

Hope that's enough. Anything contact me directly at the number above.. hehe... easier lah. :P

Editor: Please look at the comments for more info. I just omit some stuff for privacy sake.

Travel Insurance

Hi. Boys and Girls ... I need the info as follows:

• Full Name :
• NRIC :
• DOB :
• Contact :
• Address:
• Email :

its for the insurance man.
:)

And also for the trip:

• Place(s) :
• Departure date :
• Return date :

Just leave ur details inside the Comments. I will consolidate. Huifang get Shirley's details k?

Cheers to my Krabi Kakis !

Homo Sapiens VS Cockroaches

Homo Sapiens VS Cockroaches


Mini Documentary at night: Homo Sapiens VS cockroaches

Growl. That was the sound of the female homo sapien's stomach. It was way pass midnight and was time for her nightly forage into the dense jungle stocked with edibles known as: The Kitchen.

As she gingerly took out the remnants of a tub of yogurt, ready to devour it, out of her eye, she spots a sluggish cockroach across the floor. The homo sapien, can be said to be one of the most cunning animals ever to lived on Earth.

Previously, she had let the cockroach go off on its own business without ever harming it, but seeing that its storage of food maybe threatened by it, a form plans in her head.

Nonchalently, she starts to head off towards the dining room, heading towards her tools of destruction. Newspaper. Rolled.
Insecticide. Checked.

By then, the cockroach had sensed the human sensing its presence and has gone into hiding in the shadows.

The human continues to check out the cockroach to and fro. Unknown to the cockroach, her powerful sense of vision can still detect the cockroach in the shadows regardless of how camouflaged the cockroach is.

Slowly, steadily, stalking the prey, the human inches her way nearer and nearer. She gets ready the insecticide.

Psssssst!!
The cockroach scrambles out into the open in panick.
WHAM! One cold blow to the cockroach has flinged it into the air landing smack right in the middle of The Kitchen. On further observations, the abdomen has split with some innards spilling out. Victim is still fresh, twitching about.

Using her analyzing skills, she links the cat not eating the roach to a foul taste. Hence, it is decided to leave the roach as rich pickings for tiny scavengers called Black Ants.

Flick! Flicker, flicker!
The smart roach, sense imminent danger from the toxic fumes, started to panicked, moving its way zig zaggedly, in a blurred manner.

"Ahuh! Easy pickings" thinks the homo sapien. Patiently, she watches as the newcomer scrambles up the kitchen table, went up the sugar and salt containers, trying to fly but cannot succeed, finally scrambled down the pole near the toilet. Once it reaches near the wall, WHAM!

This time, the impact is even greater. On landing, the wings seperated from the cockroach. The cockroach lay there in its pool of greenish ooze.

The Human had won over the Roaches.

enneagram test

enneagram test

Courtesy of Silmoon:

The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Test

I find it holds true for me. Below are my results:

the Adventurer

"I am happy and open to new things"

Adventurers are energetic, lively, and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world.

How to Get Along with Me

* Give me companionship, affection, and freedom.
* Engage with me in stimulating conversation and laughter.
* Appreciate my grand visions and listen to my stories.
* Don't try to change my style. Accept me the way I am.
* Be responsible for youself. I dislike clingy or needy people.
* Don't tell me what to do.

What I Like About Being a Seven

* being optimistic and not letting life's troubles get me down
* being spontaneous and free-spirited
* being outspoken and outrageous. It's part of the fun.
* being generous and trying to make the world a better place
* having the guts to take risks and to try exciting adventures
* having such varied interests and abilities

What's Hard About Being a Seven

* not having enough time to do all the things I want
* not completing things I start
* not being able to profit from the benefits that come from specializing; not making a commitment to a career
* having a tendency to be ungrounded; getting lost in plans or fantasies
* feeling confined when I'm in a one-to-one relationship

Sevens as Children Often

* are action oriented and adventuresome
* drum up excitement
* prefer being with other children to being alone
* finesse their way around adults
* dream of the freedom they'll have when they grow up

Sevens as Parents

* are often enthusiastic and generous
* want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life
* may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive

You're a Dim Bulb (And I mean that in the best possible way)

You're a Dim Bulb (And I mean that in the best possible way)
Email This Entry

Interesting short article about human brain by Carl Zimmer:

I have a fondness for collecting brain lore--memes about the wonders of the human brain that race around the world for decades. The classic of brain lore is the "ten-percent myth." As I wrote here, people often claim we only use ten percent of our brain, implying that we'd be supergeniuses if we could just switch on the rest. But that's just based on a misinterpretation of some studies in the 1930s. Actually, the energy consumed by the cortex is only enough to power one percent of its neurons at any time.

In a press release descibing the work of Stanford bioengineer Kwabena Boahen, I stumbled on another meme:

According to Boahen, the brain is capable of performing 10 quadrillion (that's 10 to the 16th) "calculations," or synaptic events, per second using only 10 watts of power. At this rate, he says, a computer as powerful as the human brain would require 1 gigawatt of power.

I searched for the origin of this meme, and discovered Paul Valery, an early 20th century poet and essayist. He declared:


The ultimate "computer," our own brain, uses only ten watts of power -- one-tenth the energy consumed by a hundred-watt bulb.

It's a claim that falls in that gray zone, the intersection of cool and crazy. So to see if it was actually true, I asked Bill Leonard, an expert on the evolution of human brains at Northwestern University. He responded thusly:

This is really interesting. The 10 watt estimate looks pretty close to being correct -- perhaps a bit on a the low side, but certainly in the ballpark.

In terms of calories, here is how the 10 watts translate:

10 watts = 10 joules/sec = 207 kcal/day for the brain

At 200-210 kcals, this is enough energy to support a brain of about 1000 grams, at the low end of the modern human range.

For an average size human brain -- 1300 -1400 grams -- the costs would be a bit higher -- between 250-300 kcal/day. However, this would only up the "wattage" to about 15.

So there you go. One urban myth survives the cold scrutiny of reason! Pass it on in the full confidence that it's true (not to mention amazing).

Some places i wanna go

Some places i wanna go

BKK:

I am thinking of paying a trip down to Siriraj hospital museum. :D anybody up for it? I think it won't take up much of the whole day right?

Excerpt from a forum:

on Friday, I went to Siriraj hospital museum ALONE. It's freaking scary in their anatomical museum! I wanted my bf to go with me, but he's not interested in museums, so I made the trip down myself. I almost wanted to run out of that museum, but I forced myself to stay calm and examine the exhibits. It contains different preserved body parts, lots of dead babies (unsuitable to view if you're pregnant), and 2 preserved human bodies. There was no one in that museum except myself! Inside is a smaller room with lots of human skeletons. There're a row of hanging human skeletons at the back with the picture of their deceased owners, I quickly walked past, and dare not really stare hard at the exhibits in case they move or something! Moreover, hospitals are known to be unclean. Aaaahhh! Go if you like such creepy stuff!

Their parasitical museum is also damn gross with jars of preserved dead worms found in human bodies like hook worms, whip worms, pin worms, round worms, tape worms. Yucks! I lost my appetite after viewing all these gross worms! Lots of worms, different sizes! Yucks!

I'm also thinking of going to RCA Plaza for the go-kart. According to the same person who wrote the above excerpt, she made 10 rounds in 10 mins. Dunno whether is it cos the tracks super short or what... but can go take a look right?

Also she recommended checking out the clubs near RCA like Route66.

Food:

Someone recommended buying Bologna pork with chilli. It's a round ham with chilli slices embedded in it. Yum! Much better than the paprika ham in sg (no kick that one) Even the non-chilli fan also recommend it. :)
Can buy at Siam Paragon or at Villa Market.

She also recommended ChokChai Farm Milk. Yummy! I will sure want to buy my Meiji Pandan flavoured milk too (not available in sg)

Anybody wanna add to the itenary of going where?
(Sorry ladies, I like kinda spoil sport hor, din want to shop the whole day :p I'm sure we can shop 1 whole day and reserve the next day to view some places of interest otherwise no point going to other countries for the sake of shopping right?)

Maybe we can take Yunxi's suggestion of going to the zoo too hee

I went to Dusit zoo on Saturday, surprisingly, I like it! I thought it's gonna be smelly and there'll be nothing much to see, and I wanted to go there to for boat paddling. But instead, the animals came out with quite funny antics. The orang utan knows how to beg for food, and hid when I was trying to take his picture. We saw a pair of monkeys grooming each other, checking each other eyes, noses, and teeth. Even the hippos were quite active and the baby hippo looks quite cute! We didn't have time to paddle boat since we arrived late.

What do all of you think? Others don't go is ok, but i wanna see my parasites and dead bodies! hahaha

Cafe Mutiny!

Cafe Mutiny!

Let's Strike! Protest! Riot! Havoc!