The Return to Kuala Gula... Yet Again.

Looks so Taman Negara, man!

Just when you thought that you'd heard the last of Kuala Gula.... yep, we went there for the third time today. This time in a bigger group of 14 people, which required us to go in two boats.

This trip was actually the best one of the three. We got to see a family of otters hunting for their lunch, three endangered lesser adjutant storks (burung botak) and a couple of herons. I guess it's true that more and more birds show up as we head into the winter months of the nothern hemisphere.

After birding (term for birdwatching/photography), we headed over to some shops selling really cheap seafood. I believe all of the items sold were cultivated/produces/caught in Kuala Gula. I got myself some he-bi (dried prawns) and some oh-tan (some kind of shellfish). I really didnt know how to buy them...so I crossed my fingers and went ahead. I found out later that Mom had no idea how to cook the shellfish :P

Anyway, it was a very productive trip. I took quite a number of shots and got a couple of keepers. I wont be posting too many images here. I learned that I've got to be a little bit more conservative with my images. Ah, you live you learn.


Full speed ahead!


The Mikester in action!!

Thanks to Nelson and Kelvin Khor for the images above


Male purple heron basking in the sun.

Chung Ling High School

Hahaha...so funny. It's like an annual thing already this pilgrimage to the CLHS canteen. I missed out on last year's outing, but I made it a point to go for the one this year. Sure glad that I did. Everyone acted like kids in a toyshop.

"So cheap!"
"Eh, why you order Mee Jawa, Scully?"
"Huh? RM1.20 each issit? I tot RM0.60...sorry sorry."
"Feel so bad lar, I'm drinking ice lemon tea in the tau chui lady's cup."


Course 1: Hokkien mee w/ maggi mee, chui nui (fried egg), soya milk & ice lemon tea.


Course 2: Char Kuey Kak w/ soya milk & ice lemon tea.


Ah..all done. Now it's time to siesta at home :)


Someone's a happy luncher...

Mike Ng Photography

Established in 1998, Mike Ng Photography has catered to the photography needs of the masses. We shoot with the versatility of both film and digital to suit your needs. Our packages are affordably priced with you satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

Currently offering:
-Weddings and other formal events
-Sports
-Journalistic
-Artistic (by invitation only)
-Studio Portraits

For inquiries and reservations, contact us at: nikoner@gmail.com





©Mike Ng Photography 2005

The Remaining Grains of Sand

There isn’t much left of my summer holidays right now. Just about 5 days to go before I return to the other world. It’s the other part of my life that demands more of me. It’s the other side of my life that requires me to study, excel in exams, cook and clean. It’s back to reality really.

My summer breaks back in Penang for the past four years have been really beneficial to me. Well, with the exception of my first one, in which I bummed around for 4 months straight. They have been a really good time for be to be humbled once a year, abdicating quite a chunk of my independence. In other words, it is like going back to the routine of a child in the Ng family. Susceptible to nags, rules and curfews. Enslaved by chores and errands (hope my parents don’t read this). *angelic look*

But I’m proud to say that this trip is easily the most productive summer I’ve ever had. Among the accomplishments that I’ve made throughout my time back home:

-Obtained extremely valuable working experience as an intern in a Research and Development Facility (And now I love my line of work)

-Getting actively involved with a wonderful society of Malaysian photographers (great bunch…will miss the outings)

-Discovered that neutered male cats attract other “normal” male cats (thanks PY).

-Landed the job as a photographer for an international event and having my work published (and got sun-roasted real bad in the process)

-Discovered how fun studio photography and birding can be (got a lot of heat for birding by some really curious friends ;p)

-Completed the renovation/makeover of my bedroom (painted that last white wall)

-Got personally acquainted with blood-sucking leeches (yetch…experience I wish to forget)

-Forged new friendships with people I only knew by name (why so late only?)

-Uncovered some local bloggers that I never knew were into blogging (both consistent and inconsistent ones..hahaha)

-Built my very own USB lamp (woohoo…but I really don’t need one)

-Helping out with Ministry Week in church by taking pictures (probably my new ministry)

-Playing indoor soccer for the first time on Penang soil (only to twist my ankle and re-twist it once again)

-Discovering more about inner-city Penang (love those pre-war shophouses)

-Cooked no more than three different dishes (papadum included)

Hmmm…sounds like I’m leaving already. But actually I’m about to leave. Still got some time to squeeze in some more activities. Sighs….so little time so much to do.

Justification for Being Cheap

Out of the blue, I just had the inclination to visit the local flea market today. I went to the one right in front of the City Stadium.

I really didnt expect to buy anything. But I was kinda hoping to stumble upon some real gems like maybe a vintage Leica camera or a Nikon S1. You know how those scavengers somehow manage to pick up the most unexpected things. I'll just end the suspense here by telling you that I didnt get anything of that sort. Not today.

Instead, I stumbled upon some stalls selling knock-off soccer jerseys. They were just as good as the ones in Batu Ferringhi (Grade A or Number One), but at RM20 cheaper! I ended up with a Zinedine Zidane Real Madrid (Home) jersey for RM30. :)

Justification for buying knock off jerseys:
- Spend RM250 for the real thing, are u kidding me?
- Looks and feels just like the original.
- You can sweat in it and not feel a thing.
- Dont feel the pinch when the player begins to suck.
- Helping the ringgit
- Assisting Malaysia's economic relationship with Thailand

Now I just have to hope that Zindane doesnt move to any other club. :P


Image by www.gerrysouthwood.com

The Crazy Frog Makeover.

The perp.
Image by www.about.com

Since this new thingy came out on the radio I told myself that I just had to blog about it.

Crazy Frog is this character that was created along with this cellphone ringtone about a year or so ago. When it came out, it was labeled as one of the most irritating ringtones ever created. Basically it was this high-pitched voice that was simulating the sound made by a motorcycle starting up.

Recently, this ringtone was transformed by a famous remixer called Axel F. He merged the ringtone with the famous Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack and came out with this new masterpiece. I've listened to this track over and over and I'm still not sick of it.

Good job Axel F. You just gave Crazy Frog a new lease of life.

Here's the song if you want to listen to it (out of consideration for other readers):


Crazy Frog by Axel F
<br /><bgsound src="mms://gwmod10.streamos.com/wm10/9c/fb/9cfbaec09d3fd8adb1d67472f1179b09-42cd7533.asf?ts=1124952477&ttl=300&cs=A968726B0AA23261021FA96C0AD592F3E3FFEDC5" loop="infinite"><br />

Chew Jetty

I spent this morning wandering around the older part of Weld Quay. There are a couple of old jetties here which are owned by several Chinese clans here in Penang. Among them are the Tan Jetty and the Chew Jetty.

These jetties, although they've been around for such a long time and are now christened as heritage sites, are still very much operational. They still serve as ports for bringing in various seafood and merchandise. At the time when I was around, I had the privilege of seeing a whole shipment of giant sea cucumbers being loaded into large bins for distribution.

Apart from being a place of business, the jetties are lined with wooden houses on stilts. Residents are mainly fishermen. I found it rather amusing when I stumbled upon a hair salon and even an internet cafe there. I'd say they're quite self sufficient.

Here are some pictures I took while I was there. Hope you enjoy them:

Monkey Business..

While I was away at the Bukit Merah Laketown resort, I had the opportunity to visit the Orang Utan Island. The first of it's kind in the world, this island is both a safe haven and a research facility for orang utans.

Armed with my camera, I got a chance to photograph a cute couple. They're only a year old or so. Enjoy....


Woohoo! Who do I see behind the trees?


Hu hu hu...maybe I can employ my casanova skills!


Hey, baby. You like my innocent look?


Hmmmm....I guess not.


Wait....you're actually giving me a second chance?


Hehehe. Nice guys finish last :)

Stepping Stones...

Wow.... it's wonderful to see something that you've worked on, even though it's a really small part of something big, come full circle in the end.

The Penang contingent went to the IDBF convention in Berlin with the hopes of becoming the host for the 2008 Club Crew World Championships. I was part of the team which came up with some of the media to be used as promotional material. My experience shooting the dragon boat event two months ago was documented here.

Guess what, Penang won the bid and will indeed be hosting this international event. Woohoo. I was told that the Penang contingent was the best prepared, with a video presentation, little gifts and brochures. Little wonder why we won.

I'm just glad that I got to be part of it. A real small role, which allowed me to experience what a career in the media business would feel like. Also another accomplishment for this summer holiday.


My pic used for the cover (the rowers)


Hey look, that's me!

I would like to thank my brother for hooking me up with his company. I'd probably be shooting wild birds (dont laugh, Al) the whole summer if it werent for this gig.

It's just comforting to know that my photography might actually be taking me places.

Why Have Children?

Ever experience those bathroom episodes when you get a handful of liquid body wash only to dump it on your head thinking that it was shampoo? I think I need to be more focused when showering…

Why have kids? I never really thought about it before this question was brought up by my supervisor’s supervisor. We were having a discussion along the lines of my future whether I should remain in the States or return to Malaysia once I’m done. So one of the reasons why I should return is to make sure that my parents are taken care of. That, was his argument why parents have kids in the first place…..for security later on.

So I turned to two other colleagues of mine and asked them the same question. Here are the answers and the status of the person responding:

Person A: Married man with one child.
- “Because it says in the Bible to be fruitful and multiply.”

Person B: Newly married man with no children.
- “So that I can tell them to do things for me. That’s what we do to our nephews.”

Like most people, I don’t really think about why people have kids. Do people really think so far ahead as to hope their kids will take care of them when they grow old and grey? I personally feel that that reason is pretty selfish.

I’d like to think of couples having kids as an extension of their love for one another. I heard this somewhere that when couples have so much love in between each other they can have kids to further expand their circle of love. That’s a pretty nice way to put it eh?

Of course the darker version to that answer would be kids are a great change once couples are quite tired of each others company. Then the attention can be diverted to someone else. What do you think?

Grounded...

We got the leaves approved, passports ready, deposit paid, but the country wasnt ready for us...

After I managed to renegotiate my contract to shorten my internship program, I decided that it would be a pretty good idea to have a family holiday just before I returned to the States. Unfortunately there were a couple of hitches that we faced and now we are kind of stuck with nowhere to go.

i) Initial plan was to go to Bali. But after visiting a few tour agencies, we discovered that all the packages were taken. No surprise since we were trying to get one for a holiday in 2 weeks time.

ii) Second choice was Chiang Mai, which wasnt a bad choice. The deposit was paid and everything was going as planned. Suddenly, the tour agent says that we cannot go as three adults. The party has to include at least one child. What kind of policy is that? So we decide to scrap the idea.

iii) She calls a day later telling us that it's actually okay. So we agree and even ask for an extension for us to spend some time in Bangkok. Everything looked fine except that they couldnt get the hotel in Bangkok for us.

iv) Two days later, this happens....




Images by Chiang Mai News

A trip to Bangkok may be an option...but what the heck, man?

Bug a Boo Boo

Well looks like there's a price to having up to the second information. There's such a huge risk of having typos. Looks like the editors of www.soccernet.com dont use a spell checker. Wonder what they type with...notepad?

It's been changed already I believe.

Steamboat Night

With regards to the recent spat of code-copying...well since Danny has made a pretty big issue of it, I just felt that I should put in a word or two about the matter. His article here.

It's perfectly fine to learn HTML by reading code from someone's site. In fact, you dont even have to cite your source or give any credit. It's code. No one really sees it. Remember I'm talking about using someone's scripts or code.

Another thing about using someone's code. Please customize/edit it to suit your blog and not blindly copy code. You might find things in the code that do not apply to you. It reflects very poorly on yourself as an online citizen. Why duplicate when you can personalize it?

Now, if you're talking about using someone's words from a blog entry then yes, do cite your source. If you dont, it's very unprofessional and you'll get into people's black books rather quickly.

On a lighter note, I went for a pretty fun time of food and fellowship with some of my Penang peeps (pic). We had a steamboat dinner at this place called Little Shanghai. Dont come on an empty stomach because you have to cook your food. It's not actually just a steamboat, because around the hot pot, there's also a hot plate for you to fry stuff on.


Left to right:Weng Khong, Huan Lin, Nelly, Yen Ling, Bin Bin, Nicol, Elaine, Yew San, me, Sudha.

USB Laptop Lamp (COMPLETED)

Yay! I did it! Well not really. I did managed to successfully make a USB power lamp, but what I didnt succeed at is keeping the cost down. Here is the breakdown of the things I had to spend money on.

Cost:
White LEDs = RM5
Variable Resistor = RM1
Variable Resistor knob =RM1
Total RM7.00

Here's How It's Done:



Things you need:
1. Unwanted USB mouse (or a USB connector)
2. Mini DV tape cover
3. Aluminum foil
4. clothes hanger
5. White LEDs
6. Trimmer pot (variable resistor)
7. Audio Jack sleeve

Tools:
1. Pliers
2. Soldering iron and solder
3. Scissors (cutting and stripping wire)

1.
Opening up the mouse we can see that there are four cables (pic). Now how do we know which one is the voltage output and which one is the ground cable? Use a LED to test each point. It’s quite troublesome but I managed to get it after about four tries. I found:

White= anode (5V)
Blue = cathode (GND)

This may vary with devices so I suggest that you test the points yourself.



2.
Use pliers to undo the clothes hanger and twist the wire around the USB connector (pic). Make sure that you wrap it such that the USB trident logo is facing upwards so you don’t have your lamp pointing downwards when connected.



3.
Use a soldering iron to burn two holes in the DV tape cover. Then thread the hanger wire and the USB cable through the hole (pic). Then make two other holes only for the coat hanger and thread it through (pic). This will make sure that your lamp head doesn’t go flopping around all over the place. Also gives you the option of having a little hook and the end of the lamp head.





4.
Burn another hole on the top so you can put your variable resistor through (pic). Now you can use the aluminum foil to wrap the back of the lamp head so the light is directed downwards. When done with the above, it should look like this (pic).





5.
Connect the two LEDs with solder in parallel (pic). They work well connected in serial too, but somehow the dimmer effects with the variable resistor weren’t as obvious.



6.
When soldered down, anode to the variable resistor and the cathode to the blue wire, it should look like this (pic). Close the cover and keep your fingers crossed.



FINITO!!

FINAL PRODUCT:


Dim mode.


Bright mode.







Conclusion:
Though I didnt make the below RM5 cost target that I set just to spike Danny, I think my product compensated by having a dimmer. It's pretty necessary because lets say you're in an airplane and your lamp is too bright. Then you can dim it!

Overall I'm pretty satisfied with the results. The clothes hanger wire is quite stiff but it's still flexible and it holds well. A smaller lamp head would be great too cos the MiniDV tape head is a little big. But the cool thing about the tape cover is that you can open it easily just in case you want to change the LEDs.

Project Updates

Oxymoron of the day:
Can you just hurry up and take your time?

I find it kind of funny but I think the electronics bug has bitten me once again. Now I’m dabbling with electronic kits and coming up with projects (read previous post).

My latest project, the one I’m working on concurrently with the USB Lamp Project, is a radio controlled shutter release for my Nikon SLR and DSLR cameras. The original device from Nikon, called the ML-3 costs around RM600. The one I’m working on costs about RM60 to build.

I’ve got the thing to work, but unfortunately the range it’s giving me is anything but satisfactory. Yep, I’m only successful with tripping the shutter from 2 feet away. I might as well use a cable release. Basically it needs more work.

As for my USB Lamp Project, well I won’t say anything about it for now. And that doesn’t mean that I have conceded defeat. Just watch this space. ;)


Where the action is.....

USB Laptop Lamp

I was poking around the internet this afternoon figuring out how this USB camera could operate without an external power source. Yes, it actually draws power from the USB port. But how much voltage does a USB port give out? Well, 5.0V and 100mA to be exact.

Then I remembered that I bought a USB laptop lamp for Danny from the PC Fair last weekend. I got it for RM8.00, which sounds really cheap until you consider what the thing is actually made of.

So that got me thinking. I could actually construct a USB lamp for less than RM5! All I need is a USB connector, some wires and LEDs. Of course if I wanted the flexi capability, I'll just get some gooseneck thingy. So that's my challenge for this next few days.

I will construct a USB-powered LED lamp for RM5 or less. ;)


Image by ergoindemand.com

Case of Mistaken Identity

Went out for supper with my friends a few hours ago. We were heading for dimsum at Tai Tong (yes at 9.30pm) near Komtar when we were blocked off by police, restricting access to the area surrounding Komtar. I got back home and my dad told me that there was a bomb threat in the area. The police left at about 11pm.

I was checking out my blog activity and found out that someone new had linked my blog to his website. Haha...what an honor I thought. Until I found out that he had labeled my name as "Mike Foo" (see pic). What the heck. This guy has dyslexia or something. Cant see that my site reads "The Blog of Mike NG". Sighs.


Who is Mike Foo? Mouseover reveals the URL to my blog!

Funny thing is that I dont even know the guy. I checked his biodata and found out that he was born in the year 1982. I checked the other blogger links and they were mostly my seniors. Then it dawned on me. He must have thought that I was the infamous MIKE CHONG FOO MING!! *Gross gross....


Chong Foo Ming: Can you see why I reacted the way I did?
Image (C)UMIMSA 04

The funny thing is that he got my major and university correct. But if he really meant it to be Foo Ming's blog, then he got the major wrong. Foo Ming is an IOE Major. Blurness.

I emailed the owner of the website, Jeremy Ng just to clear the air a little. Still awating his reply.

To Build a Team.

Today was the day I was kind of excited about for quite a while now. My team of engineers had organized a team building event for our group. So instead of going to the factory today, we headed up to the End of the World. We were going to hike up to Pantai Kerachut and then end with lunch together.

The hike up was pretty boring to be honest. Well, it was a cakewalk compared to my short hike to Level 6 (Penang Hill) on Sunday. Still, one of the more senior women engineers almost pulled out from heat exhaustion. I guess getting married and having kids does take out a lot from a person. But I should add that it works out differently for different people.

Anyway, the last time I went to Pantai Kerachut was about 3-4 years ago with Alex, Yao Hua and Willie. We hiked up to Monkey Beach, which is a cove right next to Pantai Kerachut and got kind of stranded there as we experienced inclement weather. Anyway, we got hold of a boatman’s wife who called her husband (named Atan), who finally delivered us safely out of the cove on his motorized sampan. Those were really good times.

The team reached our destination after about and hour and fifteen minutes of trekking. I was so relieved to find a row of outhouses there as my roti canai became milkshake throughout the trek. We didn’t do much at the beach as most of us (the 6 women that went) preferred to just sit, talk and munch. The others played cards and played a little “monkey” with each other.

After about an hour, we backtracked all the way to our starting point. Then we headed over to the City Bayview hotel in town for some Japanese food. I was really apprehensive of the idea because who in their right mind would go for fine dining immediately after 3 hours of jungle trekking? Thank goodness I brought my deodorant.

Actually I was glad that I went because the food was just awesome. Since Rasa Sayang closed for renovation, the staff of their venerable Japanese restaurant moved over to the one in City Bayview. So basically it was like eating at Rasa Sayang. Just as good. I’m going for the buffet (weekends) real soon. *burp!

As a trainee, I didn’t have a team building stipend. So it was assumed that I would have to pay for my share of the bill. I was actually in luck as after the lunch, the bill was still RM160 shy of the cumulative budget. So free unajyu for me! Banzai!

Everyone was so bent on spending every single cent of the allotted budget that we decided to head over to the Penang Bowl to have a bowling session. My supervisor and I were kind of tired and wanted to leave early, so about 45 mins into the bowling, we left.

Overall I’d say that the team building was a success. I managed to get my company to pay for another meal (today and the annual dinner), when they weren’t supposed to. And of course I got to know my team members a little bit better. Cos really, that’s the whole point of it, right? Erm...the latter I mean.


Do we feel like a family now?! Do we really?

Queen of the Desert...

Can someone explain to me Malaysia’s fascination with the transvestite subculture?

Anyway, I spent a good chunk of my time last night at the Equatorial Hotel for my company’s annual dinner. I was quite reluctant to go as I found out on Friday that, one; my friends had dumped me for other things, and two; I was not eligible to take part in the lucky draw.

I related my hesitation to my supervisor who gave me his “look” and that was it. I found myself a good one and a half hours early sitting alone at a 10-chair table.

Later on a couple of my colleagues from the RnD department came along and sat with me. Nice nice. The remaining seats were filled by three elderly Indian women in their traditional sarees. Things were kind of awkward at first but once we started talking I learned that they were pretty good company. I also learned that they were actually some of the first workers of the company. Not bad.

The MC for the night was some strange cross between a man and a woman (note my opening statement). He/She called him/herself Michelle and I will start referring to that person by that name because using “he/she” can be quite annoying. But I must hand it to her because she did a really good job last night, keeping the floor attentive. News has it that Michelle has been hosting the company’s annual dinners for quite a while now.

Apart from the cheesy night-clubbish-cum-fillipino-lounge-band entertainment, there was a beauty pageant. The theme was Ratu Tradisional. And yes, as shocking as it may sound, two of the eight contestants were from the RnD department. I must really be concentrating at work. Hahaha.

The last performance was carried out by KRU. Yes the three brothers Norman, Eddy? And what’s his name? I have no idea. It was kind of a letdown since they didn’t sing their signature songs “Awas”, “Fanatik” or “Oh-La-La”. Or maybe it was a good thing. Instead, they did covers of “This Love-Maroon 5” and “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”. The only thing they did really well was to reduce those Malay female factory floor operators to screaming giggly schoolgirls. *rolls eyes*

Overall it was a pretty entertaining night. Sometimes a little mindless homophobic entertainment can be a great way to take your mind off work. Alright, time to get a workout.

Recap of the Last 90 Island Days.

Wow, it’s been exactly three months now. My “working holiday” will come to an abrupt end in exactly one month’s time. I’m having mixed feelings about returning. I think the Penang charm has sort of worked its voodoo magic on me (hard to believe considering my second last post). But then again, I do have several things to look forward to when I get back ;)

So here’s pretty much what I’ve learned and done so far based on the...

Big Three F’s:

Family
Mom and Dad:
Mom and Dad aren’t getting any younger. They’re in their fifties but I constantly tell them that they act like they’re in their forties. Why? Well, they’re learning to enjoy life a lot more now. Still, some giveaways show like their irritability level’s are up and they’re a little more opinionated now. But I still love them to bits.

Brother:
He’s slowly but surely moving up in his career. Very encouraging indeed. But his generous amounts of girlfriend time isn’t doing our relationship any favors. Alas, who am I but the other son of his mother. :P

Food:
Bah Kut Teh and Laksa have taken the backseat on this trip. My former favorite foods have been relegated by more neutral foods like Wan Tan Mee and Chicken Legs with Mushrooms. Not a very comprehensible tradeoff until you remember that I have been plagued by food poisoning for the past three months. Well, three counts to be exact.

Friends:
Strange things, really.
One, I discovered how “out of sight, out of mind” I am when it comes to friendships. It’s hard to admit this but it’s really true. I guess another phrase for it would be a “philandering friend”? Nasty isn’t it?
Not that I totally disown my friends but what I really am referring to is maintaining communication with friends who are back home while I am away and vice versa. I’m just that kind of person.

I also learned that I’ve forged interesting relationships with existing friends through blogging. Who’d have thought it would turn out that way?

Finally, I don’t know what to make of this. I seem to distance myself from my female friends who have found their respective life counterparts. Even when they’re around only for a short period of time, I haven’t felt the urgency to meet up with them. Maybe it’s out of respect for their boyfriends?

I’ve also made new friends through my interest in photography. Partly because the photographic community in Penang is rather small, so it isn’t too hard to click. Bonding through common interest is so cool.

-------------------------
My trip back to Penang has been pretty productive. Among other pluses, I’ve learned a lot from my internship and I’ve an additional something to spruce up my resume. Questions about my future here is a constant thorn in my side. But I know for sure that there’ll always be a place for me here.

Gosh I sound like I’m leaving already…

No Free Money For Him!

©Mike Ng 2002

I had breakfast with Dad as usual this morning. Our usual spots are closed on Mondays so we had to resort to eating curry mee at Bee Hooi. Darn kid never learns from his food poisoning episodes. Hehehe.

Then there was this guy who walked with a limp and had some speech deficiency who made his way to our table. He was carrying a bag of sweets and vaguely conveyed his message in Hokkien.

Feeling rather sorry for him, Dad handed him a dollar bill. He took it and then left a packet of four Hacks sweets on our table. Dad then took the packet of sweets and handed it back to him, telling him that it was alright. This guy got a little peeved and flung the dollar bill back at Dad. Feeling rather awkward, Dad offered to hand him back the dollar bill in exchange for the sweets. So we were back to square one. The guy happily limped off having made another sale.

This incident taught me a lesson that such people still have their dignity very much intact. Also, we shouldn’t equate people trying to make a humble living with beggars. Though they may appear the same at times, there really is a distinction.