...Go Blue!
Michigan has regained the North Central Overall Championship for 2012. The Wolverines also placed 1st in all structural categories. Well Done!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Louisville
While one Louisville team lost today...it is awesome that the first ever SBT from The University of Louisville has qualified for the NSSBC. Well done Cards!!!
Quick Regional Update...
Next Conference Round (March 29-31):
Carolinas @ Clemson, SC
Deep South @ Martin, TN
New England @ Amherst, MA
Rocky Mountain @ Laramie, WY
Virginias @ Blacksburg, VA
North Central @ Ada, OH
Ohio Valley @ Pittsburgh, PA
Friday, March 30, 2012
Birdwatching with SK Kpg Masjid and SK Kpg Angus
A group photo at the end of the workshop, photograph by J. Sivalingam/MNS Miri.
MNS Miri Branch recently conducted a birdwatching workshop with assistance from Headmistress Puan Jamila Bibi and Puan Sinariah, for 27 students from SK Kpg Masjid and SK Kpg Angus near Bekenu 31st April 2012.
Through the half-day program, students spent 1.5 hrs birdwatching outdoors around the neighbourhood after which they did some research of the birds they saw using google and other bird web resources on the internet. Each group then presented their most favorite birds to the entire audience.
Students were shown the key websites for getting more exhaustive information about the birds from general facts about bird species, images of the birds as well as where to get bird distribution information. With the the amount of information available these days to our young birders, birds are not only just across the threshold of the classroom door (some Scaly-breasted Munia nest in their classrooms!!!) but also only a finger click away.
Through the half-day program, students spent 1.5 hrs birdwatching outdoors around the neighbourhood after which they did some research of the birds they saw using google and other bird web resources on the internet. Each group then presented their most favorite birds to the entire audience.
Students were shown the key websites for getting more exhaustive information about the birds from general facts about bird species, images of the birds as well as where to get bird distribution information. With the the amount of information available these days to our young birders, birds are not only just across the threshold of the classroom door (some Scaly-breasted Munia nest in their classrooms!!!) but also only a finger click away.
Students from SK Kpg Angus, SK Kpg Masjid, teachers and volunteers from MNS Miri Branch getting the low-down on birds in the neighbourhood by doing research on the internet after their 1.5hrs birding in the field in the area. They saw, learnt and google searched their favorite birds in the cosy open classroom. They later presented their findings on some of the more common birds in the area.
Another group researching their "favorite bird" for their group presentation. With connectivity these days, any birds is only a mouse-click away for these compute-literate youngsters. Photograph by J. Sivalingam/MNS Miri.
The first ever Google search on "Scaly-breasted Munia" in Bekenu, Sarawak. Photograph by J. Sivalingam/MNS Miri.
Students returning from their birdwatchin segment which started early in the morning for approximately two hours into the nearby riverside habitat. Photograph by J. Sivalingam/MNS Miri.
Below are some of the birds we managed to see and photograph that day.
Below are some of the birds we managed to see and photograph that day.
Scaly-breasted Munia are supposedly common in Kuala Baram (an hour's drive north away from where we were) but here we witnessed quite a good number of these birds around the school compound. An ideal subject for a class project!
House Swallow on the wire, that day the students get to learn about the differences between House Swallow and Barn Swallow. Both species are in the neighboourhood.
Another common birds near the school, some are nesting in the coumpound ... Asian Glossy Starling. Look at them eyes!
Everybody in the workshop, and they all knew these bird by it's English name ... White-breasted Waterhen, locally better known as Keruak or Wak-Wak.
Birdwatching for these kids can't be any easier, their schools has no shortage of birds. Clearly with their daily commute to school along the kampung paths, across rivers and along paddyfields they've probably seen more variety of birds than some of us concrete overdose city-slickers. It is hoped that this workshop can create even better awareness for these beautiful feathered creatures as well as cultivate love towards them. Already with our annual program with these children we are seeing excitement whenever they see birds around them. Being located not a stone throws away from Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary is another advantage as far as birdwatching goes.
Both schools now have their own birding blogs, as the schoolyear progresses, we hope there'd be more bird content in the pages by the teachers and the students themselves. Perhaps as a start they can start sharing some of their excellent sketches which we had the privilege to see at the workshop.
We would like to express our gratitude to our gracious hosts, Puan Jamila and Puan Sinariah as well as all the participating teachers for making this workshop happen. Special thanks go to Encik Suni from the nearby Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary for taking time to spend the morning with us and the children birding and helping the children with their workshop.
Many thanks as well go to Miri Branch sporting volunteers for sacrificing their Saturday morningfor this event.
Many thanks as well go to Miri Branch sporting volunteers for sacrificing their Saturday morningfor this event.
Words by N Abghani/MNS Miri
Images by N Abghani and J Sivalingam/MNS Miri/Mar 2012.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Rocks Pomona
Hey Mustang, It's Yo Birthday!
1st Place Stiffness
1st Place Lightness
1st Place Efficiency
1st Place Display
1st Place Construction Speed
1st Place Economy
1st Place Overall
...Did ANYBODY ELSE SHOW UP? Ha, Ha.
1st Place Stiffness
1st Place Lightness
1st Place Efficiency
1st Place Display
1st Place Construction Speed
1st Place Economy
1st Place Overall
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
For the Record...
...This Blog is going to loosen up a hair as Your Humble Narrator continues his quest for -25 in 50 campaign.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Business of Regionals...
It's that time of year, April is almost here and the Qualifications are in full force...Go Get It Steel Bridgers!
PSWC Mini-Update
UNLV grabs 2nd Place Overall in the Pacific Southwest Steel Bridge Competition. Congrats Runnin' Rebels!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Scene from Mid Pac
Hearst Mining is a remarkably beautiful structure. Very cool "alternate" setting by Cal. Damn Rain!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Resultados de MidPac (and more...)
Nothing official yet has reached your humble narrator, however, it was pretty evident that Cal killed it. UC Davis looked strong as well...SJSU had a dynamite construction run and the rest of the competitors represented their Universities with class and dignity. Cal and Davis both passed lateral...There was word from the Twin Cities that NDSU did not pass lateral. Other schools on the top end were Iowa State, Minnesota and Lakehead...no word on official finishings yet.
MidPac 2012 Steel Bridge Overall:
1st Cal
2nd UC Davis
3rd Tongji
Your two Mid-Pacific Clemson Invitees.
Go Bears! Go Ags!
From the SE Regional: The USF Bulls take home the SE Conference Championship! UF and Vandy also qualified for Clemson at the SERC.
MidPac 2012 Steel Bridge Overall:
1st Cal
2nd UC Davis
3rd Tongji
Your two Mid-Pacific Clemson Invitees.
Go Bears! Go Ags!
From the SE Regional: The USF Bulls take home the SE Conference Championship! UF and Vandy also qualified for Clemson at the SERC.
Friday, March 23, 2012
MidPac Word...
...Expecting rain in Berkeley this Saturday. The Captains' meeting has yielded the positions and with a record 11 Bridges competing at MidPac, yes, 11, UC Davis will go 10th and Cal will go last for good measure. Let the tension buildup begin!!! Not sure what the order is for the rest of the MidPac Bridges: SJSU, Chico, Big Sac, Fresno, Reno, SFSU, Pacific(?), The Furd(?), Santa Clara, Some team from Japan or was it China?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Penang Chief Minister
Hong Kong TVB Special Programme on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
What I like about him is that he is humble! A very good role model to follow.
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HA5HRSlYcY
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmNwjX9TnGE
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAvEFRQkqM
What I like about him is that he is humble! A very good role model to follow.
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HA5HRSlYcY
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmNwjX9TnGE
é¦™ć¸Żć— çşżç”µč§†čŠ‚ç›®- [檳城在望]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAvEFRQkqM
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Poly Update (3/13/12)
http://www.calpolysteelbridge.com/
The bridge is constructed and we are practicing construction practice now! Thank you to all members who helped out with fabrication and designing the bridge! Conference is right around the corner and we all are excited for it. Again, we are always looking for interest on the team, so please email us if you have any interest. Remember, no experience is needed, but it is welcomed. Good luck with finals and have a great rest of the quarter!
The bridge is constructed and we are practicing construction practice now! Thank you to all members who helped out with fabrication and designing the bridge! Conference is right around the corner and we all are excited for it. Again, we are always looking for interest on the team, so please email us if you have any interest. Remember, no experience is needed, but it is welcomed. Good luck with finals and have a great rest of the quarter!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Meritz Hotel, Miri
A landmark new hotel, the Meritz Hotel, was opened for business on 15th March 2012. The main attractions of this hotel:
1. Dinning is at the 15th floor which gave the guest a splendid view of Miri.
2. Atrium area (I think there is one atrium area every 3 floor) is provided which span three floors. This provide the guest an area to rest or simply to enjoy themselves.
3. Swimming pool is on the 8th floor.
4. The check-in area is very specious and directly linked to Parkson.
5. Special offer of RM160 nett per room including breakfast for two until October.
6. 291 rooms
I think it has the largest air conditioned indoor ballroom in Miri which can accommodate 2000.
This hotel is fully booked on opening!
For more photos, click here.
2. Atrium area (I think there is one atrium area every 3 floor) is provided which span three floors. This provide the guest an area to rest or simply to enjoy themselves.
3. Swimming pool is on the 8th floor.
4. The check-in area is very specious and directly linked to Parkson.
5. Special offer of RM160 nett per room including breakfast for two until October.
6. 291 rooms
I think it has the largest air conditioned indoor ballroom in Miri which can accommodate 2000.
This hotel is fully booked on opening!
For more photos, click here.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
World Migratory Bird Day 2012
Bonn, 14 March 2012 - Each year on the second weekend in May, dedicated people and organizations plan World Migratory Bird Day events to celebrate migrating birds in their region and to raise awareness about the need for their protection. Since World Migratory Bird Day began in 2006, events have been carried out in 104 countries and we hope this year even more people and countries will join the global celebration.
On their epic journeys spanning thousands of kilometres, migratory birds connect continents, cultures and people along their migration routes. World Migratory Bird Day 2012 and this year’s theme Migratory birds and people - together through time highlight the vital relationship between birds and people.
Considering the cultural, social, historic, economic and spiritual connections we have with birds, it becomes clear that migratory birds and people are inseparably connected in many different ways and on many different levels. At the same time, many human activities including excessive land use and unsustainable hunting, as well as the impacts of climate change, fishing by-catch and pollution gravely threaten migratory bird populations around the world.
This year’s poster portrays the 2012 World Migratory Bird Day theme Migratory birds and people – together through time, highlighting the many connections and historic links between migratory birds and people in a truly global way. Humanity’s fascination with migratory birds is evident in the symbolism throughout history in many ancient cultural legends.
For example, in Egypt the ancient falcon-headed god Horus and in Peru the Nazca line monuments are testaments to migratory birds’ strong influences on past cultures. Also, many groups and cultures continue to rely economically on migratory birds for their livelihoods, for example through subsistence and the growing global ecotourism and birdwatching industry.
The phenomenon of bird migration is crucial to the web of life, as migrating birds act as indicators of biodiversity, ecosystem health and climate change. Migratory birds also provide essential ecological benefits and services, such as pollination, to the ecosystems we rely on to survive.
We are pleased to offer this year’s poster in English, French, Spanish and German and free poster packages can be ordered by organizers to support and help promote their events.
You can register your events and order free posters on the new 2012 World Migratory Bird Day Website at: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
Further Information:
World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 and is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. World Migratory Bird Day is organized by the Secretariats of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) – two international wildlife treaties administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – and a growing number of partners.
For more information please do not hesitate to contact us:
Mr. Sean Wright
UNEP/CMS Secretariat
Tel: +49 (0)228 815 2480
Fax: +49 (0)228 815 2449
E-mail: contact@worldmigratorybirdday.org
MNS Miri Branch has proudly been celebrating WMBD in Miri for the past 4 years, we would love to celebrate it with you again this year! Join us for a birdwatching trip around your neighbourhood and learn more about birds in your own backyard. Please contact MNS Miri Branch for details of local events in Miri.
Children in Kampung Kuala Nyalau, Bintulu getting an introduction to waterbirds and birds in general.
Pustaka Miri has graciously hosted MNS Miri and our WMBD programs since our first inaugural celebration back in 2007.
Doing the Bungai horizontal with youngsters at one of our birdwatching event.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Redfield Revenge
This is one awesome scope from Redfield, being released in April 2012. This scope has extremely great optics which are clear, bright and crisp. Now if that wasn't enough it has a new added benefit of having a built in range finder and the accurange system........check out the video and watch for this scope to arrive at your local Sail http://www.sail.ca store.
Redfield Revenge
Redfield Revenge
Rat Glue Removal
I read the news that even cat was trapped by rat glue. I also set up rat glue at home and it caught mostly house lizard! But the annoying part is that the glue stuck everywhere and removing them was a real pain until....
... I found an effective and easy way to remove the glue.
Just use cooking oil to rub over the glue and it dissolves readily! Then wash it off with washing liquid or soap. It is harmless and non toxics.
Just use cooking oil to rub over the glue and it dissolves readily! Then wash it off with washing liquid or soap. It is harmless and non toxics.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
You need some encouragement?
I hope by now you know who is Jeremy Lin. Just in case, he is the new NBA basketball hero!
I read this motivational article "Lessons from Lin-sanity" which I thought is very powerful. Click here to read it.
I copied some of the paragraphs I like:
Lin’s favourite quote is ‘suffering produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.’
There are so many hurdles to realising our dream that without perseverance we will surely fail. Perseverance is required to face failure and to get up to fight another day. Douglas MacMillan writes, “To err is human. But to persevere is a feat that often separates the successful from the mediocre.”
It is not that you fail, which makes you a failure. It is when you stay down, deciding not to get up to try again, that makes you a failure!
Hard work and perseverance is a necessary step to greatness. Great leaders get up early, stay up late, work hard.
I read this motivational article "Lessons from Lin-sanity" which I thought is very powerful. Click here to read it.
I copied some of the paragraphs I like:
Lin’s favourite quote is ‘suffering produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.’
There are so many hurdles to realising our dream that without perseverance we will surely fail. Perseverance is required to face failure and to get up to fight another day. Douglas MacMillan writes, “To err is human. But to persevere is a feat that often separates the successful from the mediocre.”
It is not that you fail, which makes you a failure. It is when you stay down, deciding not to get up to try again, that makes you a failure!
Hard work and perseverance is a necessary step to greatness. Great leaders get up early, stay up late, work hard.
Learning perseverance
Here are some key “perseverance” tips that you can develop to become “Lin-tastic”:
1. Learn never to abandon tasks when faced with obstacles.
2. Approach all tasks and projects with interest and passion. Passion will provide you energy. This will help you to avoid “bouncing” from task to task from lack of interest.
3. Avoid distractions from new ideas and projects not in line with the tasks at hand.
4. Visualise the successful task completion. This ensures you avoid seeing a minor hindrance as a major catastrophe.
5. Engage others to help. This helps you be accountable but enables you to learn new tricks and techniques.
6. Focus on the benefits of completing the task. This generates interest, enthusiasm and energy to accomplish the task.
7. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can make things happen.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Amazing invention - take now focus later
A radical new camera that lets you adjust the focus after you take a picture began shipping this week.
And Ren Ng is a Malaysian!
Click here to "play" with his "take now focus later technology". After the picture has loaded, just click on any part of the photo to refocus.
Click here to see more photos on their facebook and also to see how the camera looks like.
By the way, the most expensive model cost only US$499! Before you send in your order, I was told that to view the photos, you need an Apple computer and the processing is quite slow due to the large image file of each photo.
Above photo is from Lytro website.
World most economical car - I want!
Volkswagen AG in Hamburg, made the most economical car in the world with an engine capacity of 1-litre, powered by diesel. It consumes just 0.99 litre per 100 KM. Apparently, the top speed is 75Km/hr.
I am not sure how much it cost but apparently the information I received says that it cost less than US1000.
To give you an idea on the economy, it cost less than 2 cents per km or less than 30 cents from Lutong to Miri.
More information here. Or search google.
To give you an idea on the economy, it cost less than 2 cents per km or less than 30 cents from Lutong to Miri.
More information here. Or search google.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
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