A Bunch of Bollocks

Californiacation

2008-05-15T14:50:00.007+08:00

Summers here, and so is this new Ferrari.
The 2009 Ferrari California

Tell me. Do you want one?

Heres whats the car about. A hard-top convertible with a spanking new 4,300cc 8-cylinder engine generating 460bhp at 7500rpm and for the first time in Ferrari's history it will be mounted at the mid-front section of the car. And also a twin, well.. more like a sidekick to the 612 Scaglietti in the GT class. It may look a bit on the short side, but the curves and the cabins are designed by the same Ferrari artisans that worked on the Fiorano.

The machine comes with the same F1 traction control system on the 599 GTB which ensures extreme efficient braking, and to couple with that, a full set of Brembo ceramic brakes. Prices are still unknown as it is still not officially released. Ferrari enthusiasts will want one of these, no doubt about that.

And at the other end of California, LA to be more specific, heres a tribute to FHM's Hottest Girl in the World.

Do I really have to write her name down?

-Jimi Hendrix's 'Foxy Lady' playing in the background-

Into the Garbage Bin

2008-04-19T02:42:00.001+08:00

FUCK! WHY ISN'T IT FUCKING WORKING.... For fuckin fucks sakes, 24 hours of pure hard milling, turning, screwing, unscrewing (doesn't sound too right), changing cutting tools, sharpening edges, threading, filing, sawing, putting up with some fucked up lab assistants (Since he is the antagonist of the day, instead of using the word assistant, I'll save some time and energy and use the abbreviation 'ass' instead, because he was an ass. Save energy and time wtf.) And the final result? It didn't even move a single inch. Everything went smoothly, till more and more problems kept pissing us (Hafriz and I) off.

First off, the pistons, my lovely pistons. We made the most beautiful pistons of all the groups and the fucking ass ruined it and made it look like a drill, for not tightening the cutting edge from the turning machine properly, not that it was working later anyway due to the amount of air loss. A moment of genius from Hafriz for replacing the microscopic piston holders with rusty nuts was a stroke of genius, but all the hard work was in vain, as air kept pouring out of the valves. And the pistons themselves had to replaced, more on that later.

The second problem we faced while manufacturing our pneumatic rotary air motor, was the valve. Though the source of the problem wasn't us, the same ass repeated the same mistake as with the pistons above. The 'not so properly locked' drill fell right through the valve, causing massive but still salvageable damage to the valve. Confidence was low, and tensions were boiling but we still pursued and completed the other parts, even when the ass offered us some help but apparently took 45 minutes to ream a single hole for our awesome lookin' rotor. 45 minutes (due to constant distractions from his other colleagues), where it could have been done in 2 minutes.

So, we assembled the individual parts and found that it was not working. We weren't sure why, but we deciding to change the plastic pistons with brass ones. We scoured the entire block for material and we managed to fabricate them in world record time. As for our last attempt for the day, we finally assembled the 5 piston air driven motor and sealed it properly with matching washers and nuts. And we aimed the air gun into the inlet valve.

And the noise was loud, a glimmer of hope, the pistons shot out of the holders, and then it died on us, just like that. Fuck it. There goes 24 hours of hard work. It could be the ruined valve which caused the problems, we weren't sure ourselves, but we rather kept it that way. Personal glory heh heh.

We still felt like punching the ass in the face before leaving, but being the civilized Malaysians we are, we decided not to. I decided to give him a present instead. And I really can't wait to see the expression on his face when he tries running our air motor.

Should ask him later how does it feel to have cum on his face.

*Hint: The inlet and exhaust valves are facing the same direction, so should he aimthe air gun away from himself, the exhaust valve should be directly facing him. The air motor was filled with oil/lubricant to the brim before submission. You should know what comes next when highly pressurised air is forced into the motor.

Mansory Shocker

2008-04-09T21:19:00.001+08:00

The Mansory Coorperation has been around for some time now. They dedicate themselves into high-end tuning such as pumping up engines, more aerodynamic, custom made body-kits with lighter materials and designing the car to the way the customer likes it. They have been doing this for years now, but they do not produce their own line-up of vehicles, just pure tuning. Their clients include top of the range automobiles like the Bentley and Aston Martin, mostly noble English cars. Their previous trademarks were the Continental GT and the the Continental Flying Spur sedan which has been quite a stunner for automotive neutrals. Other sportier tuned cars include British supercars like the Aston Martin Vanquish and the DB9, and more recently the V8 Vantage.

Even more recently, Mansory came up with 2 brand new, spanking tuned up cars which were released to the public at the 78th Geneva Motorshow. The Mansory Renovatio and the Mansory Stallone. First off, the Renovatio.

A gold Mercedes SLR, tuned to 700bhp by upgrading it's superchargers, and so are its interiors, which gives a more luxury/hideous look to it. Gold seats, gold rims, gold thread, gold dashboard, gold gearbox and the lot. I honestly don't know if thats a good thing or not, but I wouldn't want some freak to torch my car just to see if it melts. Great job towards the use of carbon-fibre panels on the interior though.

And the oh so ugly 599 GTB Ferrari wearing a G-string. I am utter speechless when I first saw this. The white is so good, and so are the red seats, but not that piece of carbon-fibre slicing the car into two. Some people might like it, but definitely not me. The Mansory Stallone has a tweaked V12 with 720 horses, which is a hundred more than the stock and that should be able to add a considerable amount of numbers to the top speed. I'd definitely take that, but not the paint job.

I hope I sent my message across. Continental cars are NOT meant to be tuned. Well, except the Renault Espace F1, just maybe.

Shitload

2008-03-25T20:42:00.006+08:00

Another horrible week, crammed with too many assignments with too little time, and so much to do. Its going to be a mighty long week after a really good 5 days break, which began with the SIFE Fashion Show at Zouk, watching some people puke, Honda F1 Party, meeting up with drivers like Rubens Barrichello, Takuma Sato and ended with the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. Sapphire Grandstand tickets and a priceless visit to the pits. More to come on that.

And for now, some pretty good pictures from the previous week.

Nissan GT-R. Nissan's answer to the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Audi R8.

The stop which robbed Hamilton off his podium finish.

Renault will be releasing new models in Malaysia come May or June. The current models stated are the Renault Megane R26 Renault Sport, the Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet, The Renault Clio RS and the Renault Grand Espace. Peugeot will also be releasing their 308 Coupe and the 207CC.

And from my own camera, the 2 Ferraris in pole position on Race Day.

"I'm in an illegal gathering of more then 3 people" t-shirt (2nd batch)

2008-03-12T15:00:00.001+08:00

First of all, I want to say that the 1st batch was a success. In total, 153 shirts were sold and we want to thank you guys again for your support. Since the shirt is still on high demand, we’re doing a 2nd batch of orders for those who missed the first batch due to the very tight deadline we had at the time. We hope to get the shirts out by the end of April, so that this time everyone has more time to get people and decide.

The price is at RM15 for all shirts (nominally - we’ll get a confirmation soon)

T-shirt measurements are the same as before:

Baby-T = 32" 34" and 36″
S = 40″
M = 42″
L = 44″
XL = 46″

And the best thing is, there is unlimited supply of white t-shirts now.
We also have a Facebook group for the shirt, which we will update regularly.
Here are the designs again for viewing. And as usual,
'WRITE ME YOUR NAME, SIZE, COLOUR and your CONTACTS in the COMMENTS LINK if you guys are interested, right at the bottom of the post. Not the TAGBOARD but the COMMENTS LINK. Payment is STRICTLY cash only'

For a bigger image, follow this
link

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Italian Job. And In Malaysia as well

2008-03-10T00:45:00.000+08:00

What a week has it been. Just when the most terrible assignment is over. Rejoice.

Lets start with the demolition of AC Milan by the young Arsenal team in San Siro. History boys they are, the first ever and I mean EVER English team to beat the establishment in their own ground. First to beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu as well, just lovely. Arsenal were clearly the underdogs that night when they drew 0 - 0 at the Emirates 15 days ago. And the goals came from who else but the little magician Cesc, who dictated the game like a general and made the Milanese players look silly.

And off to the next big news of the WEEK. The numbers says it all. Barisan National loses its 2/3 majority in parliament. Five states fall to the opposition (Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor) A political tsunami in Malaysia an the dawn of a new regime. Can't wait to see whats in store for the nation for the next few years. Let's hope that things improve for the better and power to the people!

*On a side note. Manchester United loss to Portsmouth. And mighty Liverpool slayer Barnsley has just dumped Chelsea out of the FA Cup. Ahhh.... what a week!

Erection Day

2008-03-08T14:50:00.002+08:00

After two weeks of torment and sleepless nights, finally we passed up our 100 page report on a stupid one-handed can opener. Not fun, seriously unlike the previous assignments which were a bit better.

Anyway, today is the 8th of March 2008, the much awaited day for Malaysians, the day that could change the country's future, the day that would bring new hope to the country.

Vote for a change. Power to the people. Malaysia.... harap -harap boleh lah (depending on voting results)

Have a great day and cheers!

Bolehland in 2057

2008-02-24T15:02:00.007+08:00

What the fuck?

I didn't want to post this up, but I came across this from a link that a pal of mine sent to me. He posted it on his blog as well, but I just wanted to put this up so people could realize what we are actually up to.

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Malaysia In 2057
By Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 (Bernama) — When Malaysia celebrates its centenary in 2057, it will be a nation of excellence, glory and distinction. Emerging as a nation with such exemplary characteristics is no easy feat but with proper planning and the emergence of ‘world class’ Malaysians at the fore, it should not be a problem.

We have successfully passed the first half of the centenary and the nation’s current leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has already started charting the course for the coming generations. So by 2057 what can Malaysians expect then. Here are some of what we have already achieved and the possible scenarios in the various fields.

EDUCATION

1. Malaysian students will dominate colleges of distinction all over the world. They will be contribute to the nation’s expertise upon their return.

2. A Malaysian Professor heads one of the world’s distinguished university. This will serve as a testimony on Malaysians’ ability in many fields by 2057.

3. Malaysian Universities earn a reputation as a centre of excellence through research and development in many fields. Towards this, the current administration has already introduced ratings for local institutions of higher learning so that they would stand at par with the distinguished educational institutions of the world.

4. Our institutions of higher learning would attract students of caliber from all over the world and receive international accolades for scientific breakthrough and innovations.

5. By 2057, a Malaysian would have emerged as a noble laureate and why not when Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor had set out to space when the nation celebrated its 50th anniversary.

SPORTS

1. Malaysians will excel in a number of sporting events and set a number of world records. We are already hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix and by 2057 Malaysian F1 drivers would rule the circuits. Malaysians will excel in all track and field events and they will be a force to be reckoned with in Olympics.

ENTERTAINMENT

1. In 2057 Malaysia will have stars of international standing in the entertainment and literary field. Malaysia has already seen Datuk Michelle Yeoh making her way to Hollywood. It is only a matter of time a Malaysian film director or producer will make his/her way to the international stage.

2. In the field of arts, they may be Malaysians whose works are regarded with high esteem like Picasso’s.

BUSINESS

1. Malaysian companies emerge as global players. Malaysian companies like Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad and Felda are slowly spreading their wings overseas in the plantation sector. Companies in the Construction sector like IJM Berhad and national petroleum company Petronas are also emerging as global players.

2. With Malaysians increasingly becoming business savvy, more Malaysian based MNC’s (Multi National Corporations) will emerge and their success augurs well for the nation.

PRODUCTS

1. Will Malaysia have brand names that are associated with a nation like how Coca-cola is to the United States or Manchester United to United Kingdom So far we have seen some names emerging at the international stage among them Jimmy Choo, the name of a Malaysian which is now a prestigious brand name for ladies shoes, hand bags and accessories.

2. Many of our products like the national car Proton is slowly building its reputation overseas and will one day emerge as a leading brand name like Ford, Toyota or Honda.

PATENTS AND INNOVATION

1.Malaysian scientists have made the nation proud with many of their inventions and breakthroughs that promised good commercial returns. But to gain international recognition, they have to obtain international patents.

2.At present Malaysian scientists have emerged credible in alternative fuel and bio-fuel research. They have proven their innovativeness and their breakthroughs have benefited the mankind.

3.Malaysia is trying to carve its name in biotechnology with world class research and thus patents and innovation in this field would contribute positively towards this goal.

FINANCE AND LOGISTIC

1. Malaysia being a leading trading nation can emerge as a financial and logistic hub. Even at present Malaysia boasts for offshore financial centres and a robust growth in the financial sector. More foreign financial institutions are eyeing Malaysia to set up their operations.

2. There is one sector that Malaysia can carve a niche, Islamic finance. Malaysia being a highly regarded Muslim nation can emerge as a leading Islamic financial centre by 2057.

AGRICULTURE

1. With strong base in research and development, Malaysia is capable in making headway in agriculture. Agriculture is still a dominant sector in the Malaysian economy and and will probably remain so in the next 50 years.

2. With agriculture close to the heart, in 2057 Malaysia will boast for modern farmers and high yielding crops to meet world demand.

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Quite a spectacle as you can see. It's nice to see if the country really does turn into a front-runner in all aspects and industries but by the way this country is being run, I can't really imagine Malaysia lifting the World Cup anytime soon. Or perhaps Proton ahead of GM and BMW in the automotive industry? It just doesn't materialize in my head. The more I read it, the more it makes me twinge and laugh and have stomach cramps and say to myself. Wtf?

Nevertheless, its still a good thought and I hope the country will progress, albeit the elections in the coming month.

What do you readers think?

And by the way, the author is Malaysia's Deputy Information Minister. Lol!

Crash, Snap, Boom

2008-02-24T00:51:00.013+08:00

First time. First Offence. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

Yes, Yes. I am noob. Say what you want. And yes I admit it's my fault for not concentrating at that split-second. The type where you glance somewhere else for half a second, and coincidently the driver in front makes an emergency brake. Thank goodness no one was hurt.

And of course, some very "friendly" people will start stopping their vehicles to offer you their business cards, offering you their services and toll cars. The more severe the damage, the wider the smiles on their faces. Just screw them. Seriously. Just call your insurance line and get them to send their panel of service dealers over to collect the car, or your vehicle will end up at a chop shop in no time. And thats just the right thing to do to wipe the smile off their faces.

The car I crashed on to was a Toyota Innova. Thankfully the uncle was this nice chap, well considering the damage done to his car (if you can spot any) He was this pleasant dude who felt a fly bumped onto the back of his car and he so happen to just feel like stopping his vehicle to wipe the stains off, not noticing it was me who crashed onto his car. We discussed about the insurance and payments until my parents came and we whole-heartedly agreed that Proton vehicles suck big time, they have no soul, no guts, made of paper and they deserve to be bombed into oblivion. Period. But still, thankfully, it was so soft that it absorbed most of the damage done by the collision and we got out of it unscathed.

Keep your eyes on the road all the time when you drive. Shit. No car for a month and that feeling sucks.

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And on to the Arsenal game which just finished a couple of hours ago.

To Martin Taylor. You should be banned from football for life, you fucking twat.

To Gael Clichy. Tough luck mate, I really, really felt like hitting you real hard.

To Arsene Wenger. I think it's time for you to buy a decent striker. Benzema perhaps?

To Niklas Bendtner. See you at Birmingham again next season.

To Eduardo Da Silva. Dear Lord, please heal his leg so he could shoot Martin Taylor at his testicles next season. We will pray for your speedy recovery. And you can start shooting marbles at that cunt Taylor with your left leg again in no time at all.

Lets hope his bright future won't end before thrashing England at the Euro 2008 Championships. 54 goals in 50 games in the Croatian League and 12 goals in as many appearances for Arsenal in his first season.

Who the hell tackles for the ball like that. Mind you, thats not his shoes coming off. Thats his entire ankle dislocating/breaking/snapping/(insert word here) from his foot. Lets wish him all the best in recovering and we shall see the best of him soon. We hope.

Valentine's Special

2008-02-17T03:13:00.004+08:00

Valentines was good. Even though it left a hole in my wallet. It was way worth it and I'm so glad she loved the present, and the movie. I guessed the present and the company made up for the average dinner we had at the shopping mall. Its not all about the presents and lovers though. It has a meaning behind it, something to do with this fellow called St.Valentines bringing partners together secretly and the poor dude was executed by the then-emperor for disobeying his orders.

It is also the day where people share gifts, flowers especially to their loved ones. This year is a special one though, roses for the Prime Minister. Who would have guessed it? Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf will be presenting a bouquet of red and yellow roses to Mr.Sleepy. The main purpose of this event though is to signify the demand for justice for the five Hindraf leaders held under the draconian laws due to the rally which was held some months ago.

With all the hoo-haa about the elections coming and about SamyVellu being jeered off the stage before he was supposed to give a speech, and the VK Lingam case. Goodness even his driver is testifying against him, adding to the long-list of names where he won't be sending Deepavali cards to which include his very own brother and assistants. Must be a fucked up guy. Seriously. And even the words he choose for his defense cracks me up every time. 'Looks like me, sounds like me, but it is not me'.

Its like Edison Chen or our very own resigned minister saying 'I'm a virgin' after being caught on tape, and for Edison's case, 1300 photos. Must be a sick fuck, but it's his own personal life anyway and people should just leave him alone. If they want to view the pictures, go ahead, if they don't, then just keep their thoughts to themselves. Why would the media be so critical about him having some fun with his camera and the girls? Maybe he wants to safe keep the pictures and show his kids how he scored with the girls during his bachelor years? Humans are humans anyway, people have different opinions and therefore different perceptions when looking into things.

It's good to see the people of the country voicing out their opinions to the lousy government. But the roses? Hmm.. Just doesn't sound right to me, if you're asking my opinion. What more when you include the participation of kids in events like this. The daughter of the chairperson of Hindraf, who exiled himself to London wrote this letter and wants to date our Prime Minister. Three pages long and what would they expect from this? "Awwww.... that's so cute!!?" Come on! Use some common sense. These people are gutless idiots for using children as human-shields. Not that I'm dissing them or supporting the government but come on, if you want a protest, organize it well. BERSIH for instance, even though there was havoc, the participators knew where to head to and were moving in large organized groups. And do come up with more sensible reasons and ideas. The only positive remark we got from this is more shame to the government for the incident which happened today, and of course the opposition will take the opportunity to press on the event to garner more votes for themselves. When many countries allow for right to dissent or protest peacefully, some country do not, including Malaysia, they resort to tear gas and chemical laced water to clear the masses.

That will be decided in the upcoming elections on the 8th of March. Those who are eligible to vote. Please make your vote count and bring back hope to the country.

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On a brighter note, look what I found. Avril Lavigne on MAXIM? Who would have thought that Avril would appear on Maxim?

Never knew she could look this hot either. Yummy.

Happy Valentine's Day Malaysia.
To all the couples out there. Have a great weekend!
And to my baby. Happy Belated Valentine's to you again as well. Enjoy your present alright? Lots of love!

Car Impressions

2008-02-17T01:16:00.007+08:00

After a long wait, the Honda Civic Type-R has finally launched in Malaysia. I was there during the launch about 4 months ago, with Hannah Tan (I just had to put this up). The first shipping to Malaysia had a total of 45 units and it seemed that it was all sold out even before the launching took place. And till this day, I have only seen one of it on the road. Since I stopped working in Honda, I am not absolutely sure when the next shipment of Type-Rs will be.

The Type-R is fully imported from Japan, nothing Malaysian so those who think of buying the car won't have to worry a single bit. At first glance, it would look exactly just like the normal Civic with additional sport body-kits. The Championship White paint is its most obvious difference between the two cars. The Type-R is slightly wider at the front due to the enlarged fenders and bumper which also increases the intake of air flow. There are no fog lights as it's slots are used for air intake to cool the Brembo brakes.

The car itself has a 2.0L DOHC i-VTEC engine which churns out about 222bhp and is deemed to be as fast as the legendary NSX on the Suzuka Circuit. Thats helluva fast car considering it is just a racing edition of the Honda Civic. It would smoke the previous Type-R versions, including the Integra literally and would clock a much faster time around racing tracks.

The selling price of the Type-R is about RM199,800 which makes it a direct competition to the famed Volkswagen Golf GTI, which is also nearly at the same price.

The Golf GTI is a cult object in Europe. Number produced: more than 1.5 million. Over 90% of all Europeans recognise it, which makes it one of the most popular cars ever to be built. These Golfs were around since the mid 70s and has been a revelation since it was on sale. With the introduction of the GTI a couple of years after the original golf was released, it was the pioneer of the hot-hatches. The idea behind is simple - take a basic-transportation economy car and give it a high-performance package to make it sporty, but still practical. To car enthusiasts, GTI means Grand Tourisme Injection which would literally mean driving pleasure with great handling in laymen's terms.

The current GTI is powered by a 2.0L T-FSI engine which produces zounds of torque at low to mid revs which makes it an ideal sports version of the Golf. And also, for the first time, the car is equipped with an exhaust turbo-charger which would propel the car from nought to 100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds and keeps getting faster to about 230 km/h. The Golf GTI has won numerous awards so far and is still raking in the plaudits for its overall performance and practicality.

Now here comes the question. If you had 200 grand in your wallet, and you had to choose between one of these cars. Which car would you want to drive home with? I can say that I would whole-heartedly buy the Golf GTI. Ask any typical Malaysian, no offense and I'm quite sure that they will choose the Type-R. The same type of people who would choose a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord over a Peugeot 407 or a Ford Focus, an Evo 9 over an M3. The type of person who would do this.

Honestly, it looked kinda 'cool' when I was driving past it. He was doing 90km/h on the fast lane on the Kajang highway. Seriously mate, what the FUCK are you thinking when you made your car fart sideways. And the Lotus and Spiderman insignias. Goodness me. I swear he made it look like an Evo X in front. Black hood with enormous hood-scoops. And a gigantic front bumper that nearly made me cause an accident. Please, please don't destroy the car even if its a Proton. Yes, you dream of owning your very own Transformers Autobot, but this ain't the right way man.

Thank God I didn't hit the S300 in front of me. So which do you fancy?
The GTI or the Type-R? Take your pick.

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Update: The Golf GTI now is RM184,000. Price cut just before Chinese New Year.

Sugar Daddy

2008-02-05T03:03:00.000+08:00

How much sugar can a body take before a person starts to turn into a hyper-active, sugar junkie? Not even extra thick Gula Melaka or some Sea Coconut Ice Kacang could stop this sugar junkie.

Something did.
A jar of honey.

A pitcher of honey which was served with some peanut butter french toast.

Then, sprinkle some honey on the french toast.

Not a sprinkle. A pint of honey.

Maybe a quartz of honey. More honey.

Hell a lot more honey.

Thats about enough honey.

Results?

Sick Bastard.

Hybrids vs Bio-diesel

2008-01-26T00:53:00.000+08:00

Car lovers will hate me for this post. Its like being the anti-christ promoting diesel and Priuses to the public. Few days ago, Fernandez ,Lulu and I decided to participate in the Speak-Out Public Speaking for Engineers competition where we would have to come up with a topic which is related to engineering to talk about. We have a choice of choosing between promoting a product, or a business plan or even a research proposal. Basically, we can talk about anything we want as long as it makes sense.

Before our participation is to be approved, we had to write a summary of 200 words for the topic of our presentation. We were totally blank about what to present and so the denizens of house 22A sat in a circle in the middle of the living room to brainstorm for ideas while playing Forza Motorsport 2.

I bloody love that game. Why wont they release it on the PC!? WHY? The 900bhp Tommy Keira R-34 Nissan Skyline, the Audi R8 LeMan, the iforgotwhatsisname RX-7. The usual suspects like the Fairlady, the Porsches, Ferraris, any supercar you can take of. Even Koenigseggs!! No Veyrons though. You can even modify your vehicles with different tyres, gearboxes, tune the car's suspension and even swap engines.

While watching more and more horsepower being pumped into the engine for the car to smoke it's adversaries, I began to have satanic thoughts. My apologies to all petrolheads, what would happen to the world if car companies keep overdoing each other by producing the world's fastest car or the world's biggest engine instead of finding an alternative to a very quickly depleting fossil fuel. Diulor, fuel price increasing again. Shit.

We were thinking. Bio-diesel could be the solution to our problems. It gives us time to research for better alternatives while not over-exhausting the world-bank's reserves. Diesel gives the user an increase of up to 30% efficiency and at the same time you'll use less fuel as you drive and fill up your tank less often. Fewer trips to the pump means more money stays in your wallet. Just ask any diesel driver. Modern diesel engines produce less noise, smoke or vibrations and they are more fuel-efficient than older model engines. And also, diesel engines have the added advantage of greater acceleration when compared to gasoline engines on the same model of vehicle.

Also, existing infrastructures can be used, with minimal changes. Diesel vehicles need little or no modifications to run on bio-diesel as the current vehicle engines use synthetic rubber hoses and system components, eliminating the need to completely convert diesel engines for biofuel use. We can produce bio-diesel from nearly anything. Palm oil, corn, anything which rots and can be turned into fuel.

Now, the second alternative that came into mind are the hybrid vehicles. Vehicles that partially run on petrol and an electrical engine. This definitely increases the vehicles efficiency by a large margin due to the assistance of the vehicle's electric engine. Hybrid cars blend the best of the conventional car with the best of electric cars for a winning combination. Uniting the cleaner energy of the electric motor with the long-range power of the gasoline engine yields a hybrid automobile with lower toxic emissions with better fuel economy. And the good news is these hybrids perform 'NEARLY' as well if not better than certain non-hybrids (like Proton) and are as safe, reliable and comfortable as any traditional car.

The disadvantages of these hybrids are the prices of these vehicles. The Honda Civic Hybrid costs about RM163,000. Now tell me, who in the right mind would buy a 1.3l vehicle which produces 93bhp with a teeny-weeny electrical engine which adds up to a WHOPPING 113bhp! compared to other vehicles which are already on sale in the market.

Other choices of vehicles at this price range.
Toyota Camry, Peugeot 407, Honda Accord (yes the Accord), Ford Focus Sport, Mazda RX-8 and maybe chip in a bit more for a Golf. Well, unless you're David Attenborough or Al-Gore, I cant blame you.

Let me know what you guys think. Its a good debate on how the future of the automotive industry should look like.

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The application for the Speak-Out for Engineers got rejected because of an incomplete summary. F%#K.

"I'm in an illegal gathering of more then 3 people" t-shirt

2008-01-21T18:49:00.002+08:00

[Update 2: The sizes are in, price is in]

Ok, measurements are in. We have Baby Tee, and the normal S, M, L, XL. Measurements are in inches and represent circumference of the shoulders. Meaning, just divide by two to measure from one side of the chest to the other.

Best way I’d recommend to measure would be to take your normal tee size and measure from there.

Baby-T = 36″
S = 40″
M = 42″
L = 44″
XL = 46″

Note: Unlike previous supplier, there is NO EXTRA CHARGE for baby tee.

Please revert your tee sizes to me ASAP. We need the sizes by tonight (21/1) to get the printing done by the end of the month.

There will be a special printing for this particular white design of the shirt. There are only 5 or 10 or these, but its on a first come first serve basis. I'll try to get the the distributors to allocate a couple to me for anybody who wants a white one.

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It is been quite a long time coming, a bunch of pals came up with this t-shirt in response to the events which happened some months ago. Political events and bah... It seems according the Police Act, an assembly is defined to be a gathering of 3 or more people, and they all need a permit from the police.

This means that when you go to a mamak with a bunch of your friends from some teh tarik, is it considered illegal. When you stay over at your friends place or go for a jamming session with some friends, you’re committing an illegal act because you lack a police permit. Include playing some DotA in a cyber cafe for that case. An "illegal" assembly of 10 people. The law has been quite topsy-turvy these days looking at the way the system is being misused.

Anyway, as a form of wanting our opinions to be heard, we have this

For a bigger image, follow this
link

The current price structure is as follows:

20 shirts - RM25
50 shirts (we’re hoping to hit this target) - RM21-22
100 shirts - No idea, hopefully the magic RM20 mark

Baby tees are available, but we’ll have to add an extra RM2 for that. We have now gotten 50 orders, and the price will now be RM21-23. We’re looking at different suppliers to see if we can reduce the price further.

We’re hoping that we will get the shirts out and most of the payments in by CNY. There will be a strict limit of 100 shirts, since we could only raise that much capital. We’re planning to use word of mouth to spread this. This is only open to friends for now, since we plan to use the word of mouth and social networks to spread this.

Try get as many people as possible. What do you tell your friends? Tell them the following: We have L, M, S, both in tees and baby tees, the price will be RM23(add RM2 for baby tees) or lower, depending on volume.

Those who are interested please 'WRITE ME YOUR NAME, SIZE and your CONTACTS in the COMMENTS LINK, right at the bottom of the post. Not the TAGBOARD but the COMMENTS LINK. Payment is STRICTLY cash only'

Note 1: This is a purely non-profit project

Note 2: If you have facebook, do take a look at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9309751050

Note 3: This entry will be updated along with the facebook group regularly, so check for updates

Note 4: We’re looking for feedback on the design, but we will not be redesigning the shirt, just minor changes at best, please do leave comments here or in facebook, I would prefer facebook though, however, your thoughts on the design will still be given equal consideration if you posted it here)

Marquetry

2008-01-21T08:15:00.001+08:00

I once read this article about football, which compared football players to art. The way these players play and their style of play is a type of art. Their movements and the runs they make, the way they pass, the way they score goals and so on. Take for instance, Emanuel Adebayor, the tall-lanky Arsenal striker.

Most strikers are blunt instruments. Goalscoring by Adebayor is carpentry. Goalscoring by Alan Shearer, a soldier with a hammer, showed us the best of British carpentry. Goalscoring by Drogba is athletic carpentry by an African with a big hammer. Goalscoring by Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably, is flamboyant, high-speed carpentry yada yada... so and so

I was thinking about using this concept with cars, as each different car has a different drive, a different feel. Each car has its own unique characteristics and looks. Anybody can distinguish the difference between the superb handling of the Lotus Elise and the muscular presence of pure American muscle cars like the Shelby and the Mustang, the same as comparing Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo. Black and White. Apple and Orange. You get the concept.

Today, I will be bragging about the not so brand new (March 2007 release) 420bhp, 4.2 liter V8(from the RS4) Audi R8. And why would I be talking about it? Because its still bloody gorgeous and I don't care what anybody else says. Come on! Look at those head lights! You ought to be shot if you think its ugly.

Custom designed blue LEDs fitted on the headlights. Work of a genius! And this thing runs as good as it looks. It uses the dry sump version of the RS4's engine and inherits the FSI direct injection pioneered for its daddy from the LeMan races. 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of about 187mph (301kmh).

This thing handles easier then a tricycle considering that it is an Audi. The R8 steers just where your hands tell it. It stops with the exciting abruptness common among Audis. Power is given to all four wheels through Audi's Quattro permanent four wheel system that uses a viscous clutch for front and rear power distribution. This is attached to either a 6-speed manual or shift-by-wire R-Tronic transmission.

Try comparing Didier Drogba to a Shelby and Ronaldo to a Lotus Elise. And perhaps Thierry Henry to a Ferrari. The R8 is not carpentry, its more like marquetry, a discipline which requires surgical skill and accuracy. In marquetry, veneers are cut into small and tiny pieces and glued together on a board to make a picture. You don't use a saw, a hammer or a chisel . You need a scalpel, patience and a very good eye.

Think of master finishers like Fillippo Inzaghi and Eduardo Silva, footballers who can score from the tightest of angles. I don't mean that you need to drive this car with a scalpel. But this car takes on corners like its not there, the control you get from the car is just absolutely astonishing. Its like a feel you get as an amateur learning to drive a race car; a feeling that the car is your better. That you can't turn the wheel fast enough to challenge the machine. That you will run out of courage long before the car runs out of traction.

This car might just be Audi's key to the world of supercars. A fresh new challenge to its Italian competitors and a thing or two which the Italians could learn from this new supercar. Absolute engineering perfection. What a car.

Structural Vibrations

2008-01-14T02:21:00.000+08:00

2nd week of exams, and about half way through. And the worst 3 papers at the doorstep. Fancy a vibrator? Trying shoving one of these cute things up your anus. You might just like it. Quite an innovation considering the modules that we study are based on the way these things work. So maybe, studying these vibrators would get me a better grade no?

Bloody fucking Structural Vibrations. You ruined my weekend, and my appetite, and my sleeping time. Harmonic Excitations left. Come On Come On!

Festive Season

2008-01-09T15:14:00.001+08:00

In the midst of the autumn exams, most Chinese Malaysians around the country are busy preparing to celebrate Chinese New Year which is exactly a month a way. Shopping malls are playing those really, really irritating Chinese New Year songs sung by little cutesy girls in skimpy, rainbow coloured cheongsams with huge plastic earings and horrible make-up and feathers to go along with them. Horrible things those.

Bright red lanterns and fake fireworks are also brought up to enlighten the festive mood in the vicinity. Shops are busy promoting their best bits of festivity to make some extra cash for the festive season. Customers themselves are busy bargaining the with shops to get the lowest prices for the items they are purchasing. New Year cookies, mandarins, 'tanglungs', oil lamps, dried meat, red confetti, red dresses, red cheongsams, red ribbons, red attire, red stuff, more red stuff more, more red stuff and the lot.

Even Aliens are in the mood to celebrate. Interesting model I would say, it's made up of car parts like the usual bolts and nuts , spark plugs, suspension coils, lots of tools, some frames, gears, wires. It is really detailed considering the spikes on it's tail and it's gauntlet-like wrists.

And apparently, it freaked some kids out.

What? Only 20?

2008-01-07T01:32:00.000+08:00

Wonder what it feels like to pilot a jet plane? When you were a kid, you jumped for joy when you see aeroplanes flying pass the clear blue sky and you've always dreamt of piloting one when you grow up? Sadly, things don't always go that smoothly and you end up studying for some fucking exams (like what I'm doing right now) that just MIGHT bring you a little closer to these things.

But wait! Rumors surrounding a million dollar supercar modeled after a fighter plane seem to be bustling around the corner. Much to everybodies surprise at the Frankfurt Motor Show when they saw a jet fighter being moved onto the podium for its release to the world.
"Was tut das ficken davon hier?"

Lamborghini has done it again. The ultimate Murcielago and an upgrade of the recent LP640. Presenting, the Lamborghini Reventón. Not much difference but with some outrageous aeronautical designs and a much lighter bodywork (The whole thing's made of carbon fibre).

The Lamborghini Reventón has been entirely designed in Sant’Agata Bologna, the original birthplace of the Lamborghini and the native home of every super car born under the sign of the bull.

The car is not only “haute couture” but also stands out for its elevated dynamism whilst being entirely suitable for every day use. It will outrun the LP640 by a bit. It retains the V12 6.4 litre engine which runs the LP640 and churns up an astounding 640bhp.

It gets from nought to 60 faster than you say 'thats bloody fast' and has a top speed of about 216mph. Not a speed you want to drive on Malaysian roads but its still a thought. Its display is a light show of a multitude of electonic instruments which is made of TFT liquid crystals. One shows the drive forces which act on the ride when you are moving, even a G-Force meter, making it as close as it gets to a jet fighter.

One thing to notice is the dull colour. Most people would have the perception that cars should be shiny and full of glitz, like the striking blood red Ferraris and the yellow of the original Murcielago.

What the heck. I still love it.

This thing is supposed to look like a stealth bomber, and thats how it should look like. You don't see an F-117 Nighthawk painted bright red? If the US sends these to Iraq, they'll be shot down 2 minutes after lift off. The coldness of the greyish metallic paint on this carbon fibre masterpiece captures the feel of an emotionally unstable 10 year old piloting a jet fighter and dropping a 2 tonne bomb over ****.

Downside of it. Only 20 are being sold. Not 200, but 20. Sad? Here's more. It costs about 800,000 quid, making it extremely exclusive to the super rich. How ironic.

But I still want one.

Oh Cock!

2008-01-06T05:06:00.000+08:00

Ok lah.. ok lah... Lets see if this thing is 3rd time lucky.
Seriously, this wasn't part of my New Year Resolutions. Never came across my mind about trying to blog again. But seeing that everybody is so in about going cyber and all the hustle and bustle about bloggers being so influential and open about their opinions. Maybe, just maybe I would start writing again. And with some supplies from a co-author, this blog might just work.

This are my 1st few words, could be my last as well, depending-lah on my mood. With so many happenings and fireworks lighting up a brand new year, it could be just the right time for me to start writing again. New Year's great with my baby (fucking neighbours shooting really really really big fireworks up in the sky... bloody irritating) and so is Christmas, with Chinese New Year coming up, the General Elections and the star of the show, Datuk Chua S. L. who has become an adult star overnight. Isn't life EXCITING?

Bloody fucks sakes, why am i bloody blogging at 5.30a.m. in the morning with my Calculus exam just a day away. How can the university have the exams right after Christmas and New Year? WTF cibai! Holidays also think of LaPlace Transforms, eat also think of thermal conductivity, shit also can vibrate. Sigh... Sien lor... Now where are my Fourier notes..

oh cock.