Jelena Marković (Miss Serbia) forgets to log off…

Today, I went to the Zimbali Lodge and whilst having an Ice Coffee, decided to surf the free internet. My notebook’s battery died so I transferred myself onto the public workstation.

I noticed that someone hadn’t logged off Skype. Whilst curiosity killed Schrödinger’s cat, I checked out who the forgetful person was. It was a Jelena Marković. I noticed that the messages weren’t in english, so I looked at her Skype Profile and saw that an Gmail email was quoted. (Jelena also forgot to log out her Gmail in Internet Explorer)

Gmail: Logged In

Jelena Marković on Skype

Click Images to Enlarge

So… I did a quick Facebook Email Search and found…

Facebook Email Search

I thought it quite bizarre that she was crowned and awarded something. (I didn’t know who she was)

Google Saves the Day…

I did a quick Google Search and discovered that she’s Miss Serbia! *Gasp*

I then did another search with the her name and “Zimbali” – the lodge only to discover that Miss World Beach Beauty 2009 took place there yesterday (25 Nov 2009).

Security

I’ve never really taken anything seriously when I read articles about keeping your personal data private while using a public computer.

If I had been someone targeting Jelena, I could have used the information on the computer for malicious reasons.

But Since I’m not, she’s pretty safe…

Clear your tracks!

I cleared the Browsing Data on Google Chrome (which, in the history and bookmarks, was full of porn! Ew. It’s a public place!) and Internet Explorer and logged her out of Google and Skype respectively.

Some of you may not take this as much concern, but whenever using a public computer, always LOG OUT and clear any traces that you left behind.

Here’s a good article on how to do erase those footprints you left behind: http://kb.iu.edu/data/ahic.html

Miss Serbia should pay me as a “security advisor”… Haha!

Cheers.

Save the Humans, not Earth

These people are bustling in the streets, waving their flags and banners in support of their firm belief and evangelism. Buskers, playing their enchantments while punks and “gangsters” obliterate the walls of its original blandness.

I continue my saunter – while the ultra-violet “gamma” rays penetrate my sensitive, moist outer shell – with the hope to find something less conventional. It is not my [own] body that disturbs my sleep, but the lives of our future generations. Our children and their children.

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I see fireworks, hear loud noises. Neon lights
people rushing, buses pushing
entertainments that emulates the Northern [de]Lights.
will this Humanity ever awaken to our cursing?
our ignorance, our blind.
users of this generation, falterers of the following.
His Planet’s sovereignty will not resign.
while they demise of our sorrowing.

 

Is it the earth that ought to bear,
or shall we repay the serpent’s misconception?
the passions of your despair
will proceed without concession.

this World will be sent
and We soon resent.

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I think back, retrieve those scattered fragments in my mind. The banners, those people. A reminiscence of the [public] bathroom door, a written inscription. The adverts on our glowing boxes, the 1s and 0s converted on our data uplink personal electronic devices.

 

That crowd, consisted of campaigners for projects to “Save the Earth“. Running through my mind has been: “Does it really make sense to Save the Earth“?

Earth, our planet and source of life has existed for the past 4.54 Billion years . This planet has endured so much during its lifetime – experiencing extra-terrestrial impacts (asteroids) as well as terrestrial instabilities (volcanic activity, etc). Despite all these interferences, Earth has been able to replenish its surface with life. Many Times.

Scientists expect Earth to support life (incl. our lives) for the next 1.5 Billion years. Are we shortening this expectation or can we prolong it?

Save the Humans

If the earth were to die, would its fate be a calamity? Would we, as humans, attend its funeral and return home in sorrow? Of course not.

The fate of the earth is humanity’s demise.

All those campaigns, initiatives and causes should be renamed and realigned with a new aim: to Save the Humans. Isn’t that our ultimate goal?

We have found the key to survival. But have we caused nature to change the locks?

The world has changed drastically over the past century/ies. Industrialization has damaged us both socially and environmentally – creating social hierarchy and pollution. Capitalism has in many ways created new opportunities but only those who were previously fortunate.

We’re entering a new era, an age of concepts and globalization, of collaboration and teamwork. It’s an era where you are just as significant as I am – where each one of our efforts make a difference collectively...

Everyone has the potential to change. To create a better life for themselves. We’re moving away from unequal aristocracy and power: [A] man can work and earn just as much as the next man can work and earn.

I read an article a few months back that explains this idea: “The Silicon Age is Really a lot like the Stone Age” - Matt Ridley for Wired Magazine UK

Since the age of industrialization, we’ve become mega-consumers. Consuming non-renewable fossil fuels since the universe was just a few atoms. Now that we have the potential the change, why not change our lifestyles?
Start adopting newer technology, new innovations. New Concepts.

You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Why not use our potential to change as an opportunity to change the future?

-

Creatures have always enforced their survival instincts, especially on the verge of extinction. But we’ve seen many species extinct during our lifetime, mainly due to our uncaring nature.

Do you think we have what it takes to Save ourselves?

Physical Sciences Revision Resources

I’m stressing about the Physical Sciences Matric Exams that are taking place on Friday and on Monday. I have thus compiled a list of resources that I found that will help you with your revision.

Physics (P1) & Chemistry (P2)

• Trudon Sponsored Physics and Chem Notes and Videos (Click: Download Science Notes) – CRASH COURSE!

• “What are Ohmic Conductors”: Yahoo Answer Here

• Extensive Revision and Study Material: SmartLearner – Notes by V. Gokal (Simplified, Easy to Read)

• Department of Education (DoE) Curriculum Documents – Past Papers and Exemplars

• Learning Channel Online Resources – Very Comprehensive!!!! (Textbook Style Notes) Support Exemplars and Memos (Sunday Times Exemplars)

I will update this blog if I find more resources, but for now, I think those are quite sufficient.

 

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Update 1

My friend had a problem with this question, I did it and made brief explanations.

Mechanics - Slopes Q6 (Click to Enlarge)

Mechanics - Slopes Answer 6 (Click to Enlarge)

If you have any questions or are unsure about anything, post a comment here with the question and I’ll try work it out and post it up on here.

 

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Update 2

Work Energy Theorem applications ther

Kinetic Energy is Constant on a Slope (Click to Enlarge)

Kinetic Energy is NOT Constant on a Slope (Click to Enlarge)

Mechanical Energy is conserved (Click to Enlarge)

 

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Update 3

Question: “Explain lightning in terms of electric potential and potential difference…”

Answer: Click to Enlarge

I’m quite sure this is what he (Governder on LotusFM) meant when I phoned in.

 

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WATCH THIS SPACE!

GOOD LUCK Matrics ‘09!

Matric English Revision Resources

I’ve studied more than sufficient for Maths P2 Tomorrow, I’m sure that I’ll do fine.

English is on my priority list now since the Paper 2 (Literature) exam takes place on Thursday.

I’ve been looking through online-reviews and analyzes and have decided to compile a list of resources that will be useful for Poetry, Gatsby and Othello.

Poetry Resources: All Poems are Listed

• Sonnet 104 – Analysis
• Ozymandias – Analysis
• An Irish airman foresees his death – Analysis | Essay
• Preludes – Analysis
• Mushrooms – Review Analysis | Analysis
• Walking Away- Analysis | Essay
• Refugee Mother and Child – Analysis | Essay
• Sunstrike – Analysis
• Decomposition – Analysis | Q&A
• You Cannot Know The Fears I Have – Analysis
• City Johannesburg  – Analysis | Essay
• Love Poem for My Country – Analysis
• To Autumn – Analysis
• I Thank You God for This Most Amazing – Analysis | Review Analysis
• If You Don’t Stay Bitter for Too Long – Analysis

Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Resources

• Wikipedia Article – Quick Read.
• Analysis by Frederick C Millet – Detailed.
• Literary Department of Homework Online – Comprehensive.

Othello

Othello Resources

• Wikipedia Article – Quick Read.
• Absolute Shakespeare.com – EXTREMELY Detailed and Comprehensive!
  
• Othello Overview and Analysis – Quite Good Too.

Although this list is compiled from a limited number of sources, I think they’ll be very helpful if you do not already have notes and study guides. The Wikipedia articles are very good for night before reading.

Good luck Matrics of 2009!

Love,
Allen

Matric Maths I

Earlier today, I did my Matric Maths P1 Examination.

My Maths Teachers kept evangelizing to the class that this year’s Maths Exams will be more difficult… to get an A.

We didn’t end up doing the Supplimentary Exams which I was ranting about last time: Click Here to See but rather, we did the Backup papers, the “Revision 1s”.

The DoE has raised the standards of the examinations so as to reduce the number of distinctions (80%+) that were acquired by students of 2008.

Today’s paper was, overall, normal in difficulty, compared to the exemplars and last year’s exam.

However,
The level 3 and level 4 questions were quite hard! Some of them took LONG to understand, but I made sure I answered all of them.

I do think that I didn’t achieve 90% though. If not, I’m sure I got between 80% – 88%, which means, I’ll need to get 100%-92% respectively to get an overall “90% A“

One of the questions that I got wrong (for 3 marks / out of a total of 150) was this questions here: Question Typed into Wolframalpha. – I substituted 10²⁰⁰⁹ as x instead of substituting 2009 as x

-sigh-

I’ve worked out all the questions that I suspect I may have failed to acquire full marks for, and I’ve subtracted them fully (since I cannot guarantee that the rest are 100% correct), and I can get about 85% – IF I’m lucky.

I guess I’d just have to work harder for Paper 2 on Monday.

Difficulty Comparison: 2009 and 2008

Below is a graphical depiction of how I viewed the difficulty of today’s exam in comparison to November 2008.

2008(Red) vs. 2009(Blue)

Here are some facts that I’ve discovered:
Last year’s paper had a total of 42 Questions, this year, 53 Questions.

The length of Questions weren’t shorter and no more time was allocated.

Note: This year’s paper was replaced with Backups due to theft that took place earlier last month.
The backup papers are naturally more difficult, so direct comparison of PAPERS (not years) is not 100% possible.

I really do think those stolen papers were easier.

Oh Well.
Best of Luck to Matrics of 2009!

Love,
Allen

2+3+4 Months

Today is Suraya and I’s 9th month!

“You leave me wanting nothing more
than wanting more of you.”

I love you

♥

Doughnutism + Sugar

I wrote my Afrikaans exam today, it was quite good! Much easier than what I’ve done before. I actually think I have a good chance of getting at least 75% for that paper.

After the exam, I went to chat to my friend, teacher and librarian at our school, Justin R. Kistan.
Today, we were debating (chatting) about various religious teachings and how many are one-dimensional in their teachings, not incorporating an open-minded approach, which contrasts to the way we, as humans, should operate. (Which, I came to the conclusion that ALL religions in principle – with a select few – are good. It’s just the limitations and ways in which those religious teachings view things that might be a bit of a problem)

After a long discussion, this other guy, Garth (who was also discussing it with us), asked Mr Kistan: What religion are you?
Kistan replies with a rather unexpected answer: I’m into Doughnutism.
I immediately ask: Did you create this, so called, religion?
He replied, with a proud, “Yes”.

Doughnutism

What is Doughnutism?
Is it really a religion?
What “god” does it follow?

These questions clicked in my mind immediately as I heard his bizarre reply.

From what Kistan defined it as, it doesn’t seem like a religion as such – like traditional religions that believe a almighty or some sort of supernatural power – but rather a concept or thinking-set.

It’s basically: “There’s a huge doughnut in space, when the doughnut gets eaten, what happens to the hole in the middle?”
The hole of the doughnut is what defined that round-shaped dough as a doughnut instead of a piece of pita bread or something.

So what happens to the hole?

Something to think about hey? Post your views in the comment box below

Uno Sano Urana

Uno Sano Urana is a Japanese personality diagnosis.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an English article on it so I translated it with Google Translate (Original in Chinese)

日本的〔USAUSA~UNO SANO URANA)性格診斷，是利用人類左右腦各司其職的特性，設計了簡單的兩個慣性動作，分辨出這個人習慣以左腦（主理性，語言，計算，分析）還是右腦（主感性，直覺，想象，創造），來做爲解讀訊息用的”接收腦”，還是決定怎說，怎行動的”傳達腦”？進而瞭解一個人的潛在性格與行爲模式.

Translated
Japan’s 〔USAUSA ~ UNO SANO URANA) character of the diagnosis, is the use of the characteristics of the human left and right brain perform their duties, design a simple two inertial movement, to distinguish a person accustomed to left-brain (the main reason, language, calculation, analysis ) or right brain (the main emotional, intuition, imagination, creation), to do with interpreting the message of “receiving brain”, so we decided how [something] say how [something] action “to convey the brain”? To understand what a person’s underlying character and behavior patterns.

I won’t quote the WHOLE test here, but basically, you’d do two physical gestural tests which give you either a “U” or an “SA”, using these two, you can be one of these character traits: SASA, SAU, USA or UU.
The conclusion is different for male and females.

My result is: UU Male.

Here’s the definition of a “UU Male”:

UU男
性格：永遠樂觀的國王：因爲相信自己的直覺，所以會顯得自信滿滿，率直天真，壞處就是對不感興趣的事，也絲毫不想掩飾，會顯得興趣缺缺甚至默不關心！
戀愛：自我得意的攻勢：很容易自我沈溺在熱戀氣氛中，不過太過率直樂觀的個性，可能會誤解別人對你是否有好感，陷入自我得意的陷井中！

Translated
Personality: Always the optimistic king: because they believe their own instincts,
it will appear [over] self-confident, naive and straightforward manner.

IOW: I believe that I’m right, and will express my ego to others

Disadvantage: is the right thing are not interested in (this is a bad translation), but also did not want to disguise a lack of interest will appear silent even do not care!

IOW: If I’m not interested in something, I wouldn’t hide my lack of interest. I’d express how uninterested I am

Love: self-complacency of the campaign: I am very easy to self-indulgence in love atmosphere, but too blunt an optimistic personality, might be misunderstood
Do you have a favourable impression of others, into the trap of self-complacency!

IOW: I get caught up in the love, even if the other person’s not very interested, I think they are.. etc, I am optimistic/obsessive about my love

This is really weird – the definition is like a 95% representation of my TRUE character!

Some Retard Asshole

Some asshole is talking sh1t about me behind my back. Saying that I’m not manly enough or whatever for my girlfriend :S – I think he’s just a bit jealous
What if I really am not manly enough?

Hrmm… Maybe I’ll get those: “How to be manly FOR DUMMIES” books.
*sarcasm*

Taser / Anti-Taser

I’ve been thinking about getting one of those Taser X26Cs, quite pricey, but VERY good self-defense weaponry.

But I just read an article now, on the Wired Magazine website: Taser-Proof Body Armor? (WATCH THE VIDEO!)
It’s quite funny how the person (in the video) just stands there while being TASED!

Oh well, Life’s just fun, isn’t it

Love,
Allen

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Dandruff

Another boring day due to the continuation of my Final (Matric) Examinations.
Today, I rose at 9:45am.

I planned to do some Afrikaans studying for tomorrow’s Afrikaans Taal (Language) Paper. There was even an extra (pre-exam) revision lesson scheduled today at school.

Windows 7 Upgrade Option

In the morning though, I didn’t do much, I upgraded my notebook from Vista Business to 7 Professional. It took around about 3hours to complete (there have been reports that the upgrades can take 20 hours or more!).
One advise to those considering getting Microsoft’s new OS for their beloved machines, DO NOT choose the upgrade option!

After upgrading, my notebook was still sluggish, just like when I had Vista. The boot-up applications didn’t boot faster either. It was like having Vista’s performance but with a new GUI. (of course I’m exaggerating) It’s NO WHERE near a clean installation. -sigh-
I’ll do a reformat on that laptop before going to Taiwan in December.

You’ve been Punk’d?

So, I wanted to attend the extra revision class that Adrian told me about. So I go to school (after school) since Adrian said that it starts at: “two thirty”.
I arrive at school and travel to [one of, not my] Afrikaans teacher. I ask her about the extra lesson and she looks at me as if I had made it up.
I asked: “Didn’t you say that there’s extra lessons on Thursday? Or was it Wednesday?”
She replied: “Yes, we did have lessons today, at 9:00, I didn’t say it was after school”

Haha! She ended up giving me the notes and telling me what to study anyways

Adrian didn’t go (in the morning either) because he thought it was after school, and since his mother works at our school, he didn’t want to arrive at 8am and sit around the whole day being bored [and lonely] waiting for the 2:30pm extra lesson.

Was I punk’d? or was ADRIAN punk’d?

Afrikaans

In case you didn’t know what Afrikaans is, this is what it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikaans

Afrikaans is an Indo-European language derived from Dutch and thus classified as Low Franconian West Germanic. It is mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia, with smaller numbers of speakers living in Botswana, Angola, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Taiwan and Argentina.

Wait! I wasn’t expecting people in  TAIWAN to be speaking AFRIKAANS?!
I seriously hope they’re not Pacific Asian… because if they are, I’m a bloody… *censored*

Photos

I took some crazy macro photos of a *surprise object* today!
Will upload to my photography blog: http://allenphoto.wordpress.com sometime during the weekend! (or maybe later). So watch that space!

Thanks for reading guys, I really appreciate it.
Wish me luck vir my eksamens môre… (Wish me luck for my exams tomorow)

Peace,
Allen

PS: I’m getting Dandruff again… weird… Probably the Stress

On a lighter note

I woke up this morning and checked out my Google Reader (RSS Feed Aggregator) to come across this:

Click image to go to comic page

I really enjoy Kristian’s comics over at www.optipess.com. Go check out the rest of his stuff, it’s sure to make you chuckle.

Might be busy

My final examinations started yesterday with IT Theory.
I might not be able to blog or update as often as I would like to, but I’ll do my best

Other News…

Rachel and Paul Chandler

“A British couple, Rachel and Paul Chandler, who were sailing around the Seychelles have been kidnapped by Somali pirates who are now preparing a ransom demand likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds.”

Those pirates still out there? I thought they got over it… Guess not!
The Somali pirates have been notorious for kidnapping and shipnapping (especially cargo ships) and demanding a high ransom for [their] release.

“…and would be unable to pay a ransom that security sources have said could be as much as £20,000.”

I’m sure many people wouldn’t be able to pay this.

“Enthusiasts on yachting forums questioned the wisdom of sailing in the area. One post said: “I hope the people in question are well. However, I do wonder why anyone would sail through these areas. The dangers are very well known and very well reported.”
But the Chandlers’ family insisted they were experienced sailors who had spent the past three years sailing the world, and even passed through the Gulf of Aden without incident.”

These people were clearly not ignorant… Just a bit stupid. They ignored the fact that the area they would be sailing through is a piracy hotspot.

“When we have individuals like this, it is more difficult to know who will pay,”
“There is no company we can talk to. We have to find a way to speak to the family and ask them to send us the money. This can take a long time.”

I wonder if this couple has insurance?

“More than 600 hostages have been taken, according to the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but most are released unharmed after ransoms, some worth more than £2 million, are paid.”

Jeez, I wonder what would happen if this couple is unable to produce the [rather low] amount the pirates have demanded…
I seriously hope they’re safe and that no harm would come to them.

I think this should be a lesson to all of us, to obey warnings given by officials, professionals and those [most probably] much more experienced than you are.

Maths & Physics Matric Exams.. TOUGHER!

Last year’s Matric Examination standards (for Mathematics and Physical Sciences) were allegedly quite low in comparison with previous years.
There’s been word that this year’s Matric Exams will be harder due to their [DoE] adjustment to the new FET Phase.

A few days ago, the Maths, Physical Sciences and Accounting Matric Examination Papers were LEAKED!

“Three people were arrested in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, after they were found in possession of leaked 2009 matric examination papers. Two matric pupils and a teacher were found in possession of examination papers for mathematics papers 1 and 2, physical science papers 1 and 2, and accounting. One pupil and a teacher were arrested on Tuesday whereas the second pupil was arrested on Wednesday.” – IOL News SA

At First, I actually found the leak pretty amusing, seeing the lack of security our government and the Department of Education has in certain areas of SA.

But then, this pissed me off:

“Teacher Milton Msimango was released on R3000 bail, while Patience Mkhatshwa and Charity Xulu, both 22, where released on R1000 bail each.“ - Sowetan News

How the HELL do people get bailed for R3000 (~US$405) and R1000 (~US$135)?!
People like these should be locked up for 15+ Years! with no bail option!

Another thing that I thought was ridiculous:

“THE Department of Education has scrapped five matric examination papers after they were leaked in Mpumalanga this week.
The papers are mathematics Paper 1 and 2, physical science and accounting.
Though the leak happened at one Mpumalanga school, all schools in the country will be affected.” - Sowetan News

According to my Physics tutor, V. Gokal, the Department of Education has replaced and we will be writing the Supplementary papers instead.

The Supplementary papers are exam papers that are set for students who either aren’t happy with their Matric results or have not achieved (failed) to rewrite the following year.

These examination papers are generally tougher, contain more trickier questions and overall, aren’t as nice as the normal Matrics.

This means, I would have to work harder to achieve my goals I have set for my Maths and Physical Sciences (Physics and Chemistry) Matric Exams!

*cough* 90%+ for Maths 80%+ for Physical Sciences *cough*

All I can say is… Good Luck everyone writing Maths and Physical Sciences!
May Providence actually be with us.

Love,
ALLEN!

P.S. Anyone ready to go assassinate visit those guys?