Traffic Jam In My Mind

My head is full of ideas right now. There are so many things to get done and I need to extract all those ideas out from my head ASAP. Getting excited starting a sub-domain. The idea is there, the materials are there but I just need more time. Why there is only 24 hours a day???

It is 1am in the morning, my body is ushering me to bed but my mind refuses to...

Tsunami Alert Update

Just heard on the radio that the authority has lifted the Tsunami Alert and so technically speaking we all can take our walk along the coast now.

Earthquake On A Most Unexpected Day

Today is public holiday in Malaysia for the King's Installation. People from all walks of life plan to spend quality time with their family. The obvious choice is to hang around in shopping malls due to the hot weather outside. I was one of them trying to watch Battleship at Golden Screen Cinema. About half an hour into the movie, my seat shake quite strongly and people started to rush out of the cinema. When we get outside the theater into the mall, I realize that all the shops have been ordered to closed down as well and it is just 7pm in the evening!

The Indian Ocean Tsunami that happened in 2004 roughly about 2 hours after earthquake was felt. If the behavior of the quake this time is similar, we may expect another Tsunami 2 hours from now. In fact the Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued Tsunami Alert to four states in the north western Malaysia namely: Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang and advise people to stay away from the coast until further notice. Police car siren can be heard patrolling along the coast line ordering people and vehicle to leave the place immediately as a precautionary measure.

Politicians Around The World

.....and yet we are submitting our income tax form soon...

We Should Try This

This is so true...

Penang - The Top 10 Islands to Explore before You Die

The delectable fare on offer memorably mingles Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, and European flavors. Foodies in search of supreme bliss should head to the marketplace Ayer Itam - adjacent to Kek Lok Si (the Temple of Supreme Bliss) - to dine on a variety of dishes based on rice, noodles, fish, shellfish, chicken, pork, vegetables, eggs, and coconut. Look for lor bak (deep-fried marinated minced pork served with a chili sauce); lok-lok (skewered seafood, meats, and vegetables); and ikan bakar (grilled or barbecued fish marinated in spices and coconut milk, wrapped inside banana leaves, and grilled over hot coals).

The same fusion of cultures is evident in the local architecture, which ranges from modern high-rises to buildings built by 19th-century British colonialists. Add to the mix beach resorts, preserved mangroves, small fishing villages, and a share of temples, mosques, and churches.

Kek Lok Si best exemplifies this coexistence. At seven stories, it's the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia, and it reflects the shared values of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism-designed with a Chinese octagonal base, a Thai-accented middle tier, and a Burmese-style peak.

February 22, 2011 (Source : Yahoo Travel, by Gary McKechnie)

Facts on Rare Earth

A very insightful information by a Chemical Engineer which every concerned Malaysian citizen should know…

Q1: What is rare earth (RE) ?

Rare earth (RE) is just a metal, as ordinary as other metals like iron, silver and gold. The difference between them is we don’t encounter RE in daily life, e.g. you don’t wear RE bracelets, you don’t build the bridge with RE. It’s precious, valuable and essential for many high-tech industries.

Q2: Who is LYNAS ?

LYNAS is the owner of the RE Mine and Gebeng plant, incorporated and listed in Australia . LYNAS (M) Sdn. Bhd is wholly owned by LYNAS Inc.

Q3: Where does the RE come from ? What is it like ?

Like other metals, RE is found in ore ( rock ) in West Australia . The ore is mined, cleaned and crushed into sand or powder form, before being shipped to Kuantan. The journey is about 5000 km. The size of a single grain of powder can be 100 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair.

Q4: Why do they take the RE from Australia and process it here ?

The official statement said that Australia cannot provide high-skilled manpower, and that Australia cannot supply enough water, acids and natural gas to process RE. (take note that Malaysians are more highly skilled than Australians)

Q5: What do we get in terms of income ?

Malaysia was offered 12 years tax break to LYNAS, which means they do not pay us anything during the first 12 years of operation. Eventually, all revenue generated here will probably be channeled back to the LYNAS Inc. share holders in Australia , and not to LYNAS (M) Sdn. Bhd.

Q6: What do we get in terms of job opportunities ?

Only a total of 350 employees are needed, including expatriate, skilled and unskilled workers. The number of employees in a mid-size supermarket is greater than this.

Q7: What do we get in terms of new world-class technology ?

Malaysia is not a traditional, major RE-producing country. Transferring RE processing knowledge to Malaysia does not considerably benefit the country and its people.

Q8: So, what actually do we get ?

Save the “ Jobs created, new technology and sales revenue of chemicals, water and natural gas ”, strictly speaking, in the first 12 years – Nothing ! Except large quantities of waste. To be more precise, 500 cubic meters / hour of waste water, 100,000 cubic meters/hour of waste gas and 280,000 tonnes / year of solid waste.

Q9: Is RE dangerous ?

Most RE metals are harmless, but in natural ore RE is normally mixed with the radioactive substances. During the separation process, valuable RE is extracted and exported to US, Europe and Japan , leaving behind harmful substances in Kuantan.

Q10: How dangerous is it ?

The radioactive substances release radiation and two major toxic materials – radon gas and lead. Radon is a colorless, odorless toxic gas. When it gets into the human body through inhalation, it can damage cells and cause cancer. As for lead, many years ago petrol gas been changed from leaded to unleaded, as we didn’t want lead to be released to the air through our car exhaust. Lead can harm the nervous system, and cause brain and blood diseases. In short, two key hazards can be found in Gebeng RE plant - the Radiation and the Toxic Materials.

Q11: Where and when can the radiation, radon and lead be found ?

The RE raw material ( in powder or sand form ) arrives at the Kuantan port, then gets transported to Gebeng by truck, where it is unloaded, transferred and processed. Waste gas from chimneys, the waste water disposed into the Balok River , the solid wastes that are stored in Gebeng - possibly in all of the above we can find the radioactive substances, which can emit radiation, radon and lead, wherever and whenever they are present.

Q12: Mr. A lives in Balok, 3km from Gebeng. Mr. B lives in Kuantan, 30km from Gebeng. Mr. C lives in KL, 300km from Gebeng. Can the radioactive materials endanger them ?

In short, the answer is NO for all of them if they stay more than 100 metres away from radioactive materials. But, the answer is YES for all three if they consumed these harmful substances, even if they stay hundreds of kilometres away. WHY ? The radiation emitted in Gebeng doesn’t travel long distance to harm us, hence if you stand a short distance away from the materials without consuming it, all you will get is a slight Radiation. Radon gas and lead in general do not affect our body externally, as we are protected by our skin. However, if these radioactive materials contaminate the solid waste, waste water and waste gas, they will be released to the atmosphere, water streams and eventually the food chain. Once the radioactive materials enter the human body via inhalation, ingestion and wound penetration, the radiation, radon and lead will be released inside the body and these can cause very serious consequences.

Q13: Why did they say that it is safe ? Why did they say that the radioactivity is low? Who should I listen to ?

You decide who you should listen to ! It’s your life, it’s your family, it’s your home. See above to understand why they said the radioactivity is low. 

The questions were answered by Dr. Lee Chee Hong, Chemical Engineering Expert on Metals.

Classic Words from Steve Jobs

Some times in our lives we doubt the decision that we may make. People around us keep feeding us with all the negative information on the decision we are about to make. And most of the time we find ourselves succumb to this external pressure that in the end we give up on taking the very first step that may lead us to success. Whenever you experience this kind of thought, pause for a moment and listen to Steve Jobs instead.

Wonder of Nature

The glowing firefly squid of Toyama, Japan. The squid (scientific name: Watasenia scintillans) is a member of the cephalopod family and gets its name from the flashing lights that resemble those of a firefly. This squid is famous for the incredible light show that occurs each year off the coast of Japan as millions of these tiny animals gather to spawn.