Under the Weather

Special Effects

This is an X-files entry.

Since I have no idea how and why it happened, I will just give you the facts (as usual), and let you draw your own conclusion.

The following are graphs of empirical data collected using same set of equipment, it's largely an automated process with human involvement required only at the start of each data collection to do some manual handling that doesn't change any of the equipment involved.

First, this is what a normal data looks like:



Good and dandy, data like this is what I need.

However, sometimes things go haywire for no apparent reason, same set of equipment, different day and time, different person who did the manual handling, the data turned out like this:



The human involved manual handling part should really not affect the data, so logic deduces that it must be the equipment that causes this.

But hor, the few data collections after I resumed the responsibility of the manual handling part showed that everything is alright, for example:



Strange, and I haven't a clue why. The superstitious explanation is that perhaps the equipment only works if I handle it myself, and not other people. So when I was unavailable and asked a colleague to help perform the manual handling part, the data went haywire?

I know it's not logical, so I simply dubbed this the N-effect.

As if the N-effect is not bad enough, I had the misfortune to experience something worse, simply by having another colleague tagged along to learn when I did the manual handling part.

Behold! The M-effect:



Basically, no data at all. >_<

After two days continuously getting data like this, I smartened up and did the manual handling part alone with nobody around to induce any "special effect".

And yes, my data turned out fine after that.

*X-files music* The truth is out there...

来来来，来单面说

他们说：

“这些衣着性感女表演和高音量不仅干扰附近居民，也影响回教徒的祈祷，这根本不顾及回教徒的感受，也欠缺敏感度。”


其他的人说：

“这些每天五次*刺耳的高音量祈祷不仅干扰附近居民，也影响非回教徒的清静生活，这根本不顾及非回教徒的感受，也欠缺敏感度。”

“我孩子晚上八点入睡，没半个小时就被祈祷声吵醒，都不站在别人的立场想想。”

“由于工作需要凌晨三点才能入眠，三个小时后又被念经声弄醒，搞得整天都精神不足，真的会短命。”

“总是在人家用餐和休息时祈祷，真的是吃睡都不安宁。”

“不到一公里内有两间回教堂，每天五次比赛吵人。”

“上回和英国来的朋友一同在外享受晚餐时附近的回教堂开始念经，老外顿时失去食欲，说好没礼貌这样硬性干扰别人用餐。”

“声音污染，减低我们的生活素质。”



*斋节期间一天六次

Baddy

Baddy, my own short form for badminton, as I put in the court reservation instead of the "meeting" other people defaulted to.

I guess with so many meetings everyday we are bound to run out of meeting rooms until meetings have to be held at the badminton court... =P

Today's turnout was a lot better than Monday's. Why ler? Don't they realise a good exercise is just the thing to counter Monday blues and makes you sleep soundly at night? =)

The thing with Wednesday session is that there are also a lot of other people playing so the place is usually packed. And since I booked the (old) reservable courts, the others would go early to swarm the (new) first-come-first-served courts, which have better lighting and floor grip. So we don't get to play on those courts lor. =(

We have another colleague joined us today, a decent badminton player. The good thing about being the one with lesser skill is that I get a lot of chances to learn and improve from the other players. The bad thing is of course whoever partners with me has to be used to losing. =P

Anyway, I had a blast, drenched in sweat by the end of the session, I likey!

Those immature or easily offended by perfectly normal organ should stop reading now, consider yourself warned. ^_^

There is this one thing that worries me though...

You know, my undies are always sweat-soaked by the end of a session, and I have to drive at least an hour to get home, will my, er... "wonder bar", or erm... "joy rod" get a cold ah?

=P

Ron95 versus Ron97

Right, this entry is like... two months later than I initially planned to post. Two months is still within slacker time frame of "soon", so all is good. =P

I have been recording the time, mileage and amount of petrol I used to commute between home and office since my department moved to ulu place.

I have since satisfied my curiosity of the distance and commute time needed, as stated in the previous entry. Of course the distance hasn't changed since I have been using the same route and the commute time doesn't differ much as well since I am still driving as I always do.

This entry is about comparing Ron95 to Ron97, in terms of the fuel consumption and efficiency. I was curious about whether Ron97, having higher octane (more oomp!), would end up cheaper than Ron95 since more oomp equals to less fuel needed to cover the same distance?

Since 81.47%* of statistical data are made up on the spot (*including this one =P), or interpreted to suit one's agenda, it's therefore worthwhile to understand the data collection method, sample size, boundary conditions, factors included/excluded to derive the figure of interest.

Or you can just go collect your own data. =P

For the benefit of those who didn't read the previous entry and who are too lazy to click the link to read it (you lazy buggers! =P), here's a bit of background (I am a creature of habit so nothing has changed really):

- MyVi first generation 1.3L automatic transmission
- about 70% highway 30% city**
- mostly sticking to speed limit (usually about 5km/h over on highway =P)
- follow other vehicle at safe distance so no sharp braking and acceleration
- fill up at Shell when I have about 25% petrol left
- pump tires every 2nd or 3rd time I fill up petrol
- always fill petrol to full so amount of petrol filled equals to amount used for the distance covered, I record the numbers and zero the odometer

** interesting to note that time wise, it takes roughly 55% and 45% respectively to cover the 70% highway (including bridge) and 30% city

Sample size:
Ron97 = 11
Ron95 = 31

Okay okay, here are the figures you want to see:

Distance covered per litre of petrol:
Ron97 = 15.9 km/litre
Ron95 = 15.7 km/litre
(i.e. confirmed Ron97 more oomp, teeny-weeny bit)

Amount of petrol needed per kilometer (invert of the above):
Ron97 = 0.063 litre/km
Ron95 = 0.064 litre/km

Not much difference eh?

Let's commpare them in Ringgit. Data collected when Ron97 was RM2.05/litre (so 11 times is enough punishment for my wallet, I am not THAT curious =P) and Ron95 was RM1.80/litre, that's before the government stealthily rises the price. A meaningful distance to consider is 10,000 km, this is when a service is required.

After 10,000 km, amount of petrol used:
Ron97 = 629.9 litres
Ron95 = 637.8 litres

At RM2.05/litre and RM1.80/litre respectively, cost after 10,000 km:
Ron97 = RM1291.28
Ron95 = RM1147.99
(for new rate of Ron95 at RM1.85/litre, cost after 10,000 km = RM1179.88)

So, using Ron95 consumes more petrol but still costs less.

In case you are curious, based on my data, which really is just applicable to my driving style and commute route, it's only when Ron95 is RM2.03/litre that I am better off using Ron97, assuming Ron97 is still RM2.05/litre, that is.

If you want to find out that magic number based on your own driving style and commute route, what you need to find out is how much it costs you per distance for Ron97 and Ron95 respectively. Basically it's a y = mx graph where y = cost, m = gradient (RM/km), and x = distance. Smaller m means lower cost and m depends on the mileage you get (km/litre) and the petrol price (RM/litre), divide petrol price by mileage to get m.

Not sure how many people felt insulted by my explanation, no offence intended, just want to inform all level of people. =)

Anyway, sorry environment, poor me is wallet first green peace second, Ron95 it is for me. =P

SC2: Wings of Liberty Completed

This entry is really for my own personal record. Maybe, just maybe, some geeky gamers will find it interesting too.

Completed the Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty single player campaign in the wee hours today.

Gotta hand it to Blizzard for making great games. Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, each a winner that other gaming companies try to clone.

Anyway, first time through the single player campaign, love the smooth gameplay and followed the storyline like a true fanboy. Played the normal difficulty and completed the 26 missions in this order:

01. Liberation Day
02. The Outlaws
03. Zero Hour
04. The Evacuation
05. Outbreak
06. The Devil's Playground
07. The Great Train Robbery
08. Safe Haven*
09. Cutthroat
10. Engine of Destruction
11. Media Blitz
12. (secret mission) Piercing the Shroud
13. Welcome to the Jungle
14. Breakout*
15. Smash & Grab
16. The Dig
17. Whispers of Doom
18. A Sinister Turn
19. Echoes of the Future
20. In Utter Darkness
21. The Moebius Factor
22. Supernova
23. Maw of the Void
24. The Gates of Hell
25. Belly of the Beast*
26. All In

Saw the easter egg Diablo in The Devil's Playground mission, didn't notice the tauren and murloc marines easter eggs though, will keep an eye out on my next run through the campaign.

The secret mission Piercing the Shroud is obtained by destroying a science facility in the Media Blitz mission and taking the data. The science facility is at the lower right corner of the map.

Will also choose the other option on those missions where options are available in my next run. These missions are marked with *, so instead of saving the colony I will destroy them next time, the mission will not be Safe Haven then but of another name. Will side with Nova next time instead of Tosh, and will destroy the aerial base of the zerg instead of their underground nodus.

Yea yea I know I can play them from the archive but I want to play through the champaign with different upgrades and research path anyway.

The following modified screenshots are the upgrades and researches I have as I entered the final mission. I missed the Protoss research opportunity in the In Utter Darkness mission, so I could have 30k credits more and probably another upgrade, oh well. All mercenaries hired.

This is my upgrade path as credits became available, had 125k credits left unused:

01. Infantry > Marine > Stimpacks
02. Infantry > Medic > Stabilizer Medpacks
03. Infantry > Firebat > Incinerator Gauntlets
04. Infantry > Marine > Combat Shield
05. Base > Bunker > Projectile Accelerator
06. Infantry > Reaper > U-238 Rounds
07. Vehicles > Diamondback > Tri-lithium Power Cell
08. Starships > Viking > Ripwave Missles
09. Starships > Viking > Phobos-class Weapons System
10. Base > SCV > Dual-Fusion Weilders
11. Base > Missle Turret > Hellstorm Batteries
12. Base > Terran Building > Orbital Command
13. Base > Terran Building > Fire-Suppression System
14. Vehicles > Goliath > Multi-lock Weapons System
15. Vehicles > Goliath > Ares-class Targeting System
16. Dominion > Spectre > Nyx-class Cloaking Module
17. Dominion > Spectre > Psionic Lash
18. Infantry > Marauder > Concussive Shells
19. Vehicles > Siege Tank > Maelstrom Rounds
20. Vehicles > Siege Tank > Shaped Blast
21. Starships > Medivac > Rapid Deployment Tube
22. Starships > Banshee > Shockwave Missle Battery













Oh, best I did in the Viking arcade game was level 2, not even reaching the boss. =\

Here's hoping I don't have to wait another 10 years for Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm.

瓜瓜篇

才三岁的大瓜开始有点叛逆
总要造反激怒爸妈
十年后的青春叛逆期不知会怎么样？
学会唱些华语儿歌逗弟弟
但还是带香蕉音

调皮的小瓜已会假哭撒娇
哥哥唱歌他会拍手
知道爸爸要吻他会逃避
四颗牙的笑样很可爱
就是还不叫爸爸

甜瓜日复一日细心照顾大小瓜
近来几乎每天都给大瓜气坏
天天燃烧自己给儿子们
天下第一妈妈
只是没时间给老瓜

老瓜呢？
老瓜只想要可以好好睡一觉
希望工作的同事们可以合作点
最好就是可以中个大彩票再也不必为工作和钱烦
只是呵，老瓜不买彩票的