Categories
Photography

[1389] Of rubber fuels the economy

Just in front of the Petronas Twin Towers is a building of less stature. It is the Bangunan Getah Asli (Natural Rubber Building, if I may translate it). While less widely known to the locals and foreigners alike, it has an interesting piece of art that praises activities concerning rubber production and its history that deserves greater attention in a art-deprived city of Kuala Lumpur.

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

This is but one figure out of the larger piece:

Some rights reserved. By Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams.

By the way, these two photos are the first ever photos published on this blog which are captured by my Nikon D40. I love the camera.

Categories
Solar car

[1388] Of Continuum at Dana Test Track

As the World Solar Challenge approaches, being less than 2 months away, the team prepares. This is the latest Michigan solar car team, Continuum:

[youtube]CoT6byUVHqw[/youtube]

Before my involvement in solar car team during my undergraduate years, I had always thought that any car built extensively with duct tape are cardboard cars or anything street-unworthy vehicles. Imagine my shock when I learned how the first car which I had the opportunity to work on, was made extensively of duct tape to join all its fiber glass parts, metal suspension and electronics (the funkiest word I learned while with the team: telemetry)

No I am kidding. But were still used tons of duct tape and the Continuum team does the same too, as you can observe in the video.

Anyway, according to the solar car team website, Continuum is on its way to Australia. All the best!

Go Blue!

And cool song, do you not think so?

Categories
ASEAN Liberty

[1387] Of for Myanmar, recurring nightmare

I hope that I am wrong but from the look of it, it has begun:

BANGKOK, Sept. 26 — The government of Myanmar began a violent crackdown today after tolerating more than a month of ever-larger protests in cities around the country, clubbing and tear- gassing protesters, firing shots into the air and arresting hundreds of the monks who are at the heart of the demonstrations.

The Reuters news agency quoted hospital and monastery sources as saying two monks and a civilian were killed and several people were wounded in the crackdown. [Police Clash with Monks in Myanmar. New York Times. September 26 2007]

Where is ASEAN? Busy drafting that little charter of yours?

Inaction would signal this: the worthlessness of the ASEAN Charter, for all its grand — and most likely empty — promises to ensure human rights.

Categories
Humor Politics & government

[1386] Of Taiwan to join the United Nations as Belgium?

Last week, The Economist publishes an article that touches on the current uneasy Belgian climate. This week, the same publication publishes several angry replies and also this:

SIR — Another article mentions the problems of a ”doomed attempt” by the Taiwanese to join the United Nations as ”Taiwan” rather than the ”Republic of China”, the name under which they lost their seat in 1971 (”The trouble with democracy”, September 8th). If the praline divorce does happen, couldn’t Taiwan join the UN as ”Belgium”?

Jerry Rose

Glendale, Arizona [On Belgium, trusting the markets, Google, Amerigo Vespucci, capital punishment. The Economist. September 20 2007]

Pardon me while I burst into laughter.

Categories
This blog

[1385] Of testing WordPress 2.3

Please ignore.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

Ah. Something is wrong with comment authentication mechanism. I will repair it later. Like I get lots of comments anyway…

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

the __earthinc now accepts trackback.

Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams. Some rights reserved

This blog is now accepting comments again.