Universiti Sains Malaysia Graduation Day Hiatus

Universiti Sains Malaysia Upacara Konvokesyen Keempat Puluh Dua (42th)

Last Friday I am officially a Chemical Engineering graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). I took a couple of days off from working and excitedly when back to Penang where I had spent my last four years there. The excitements were merely for seeing my course mates and other friends I met in USM. Engineering students’ convocation session was the sixth session, 6th of August 2010 at 3.30PM.

On the graduation day itself, everything went on smoothly. I went to the newly renovated Dewan Tunku Syed Putra (DSTP), registered my name at Dewan Kuliah L (Lecture Theater L) and wore my beautiful purple color robes correctly. The USM official personnel there were very helpful and skillful while handling with the agitated graduates. After few minutes of frantic chit chat with my friends, we proceed to DSTP. Chemical engineering graduates were seated at the centre front of the hall.

After a couple of hours of squeezing on the chair with extremely limited spaces to move around; even the slight movement of your legs can disturb the adjacent seats, my name was called. By using electronic name tag, we were scanned twice and your name will appear on the screen. I received my fake scroll (inside the purple file contained only the list of instruction which you have to follow in order to retrieve your real scroll) and after a very long doa recital, the ceremony ended and the unofficial photo sessions started.

Me with my controversial sun glasses (some people requested for my "natural look" picture, which I did not take any. 

The weather was super hot – a typical weather in Penang, and wearing two pieces of suits and a heavy robe were not helping either. After few hours of endless smiles, hugs and small chit chat, I called it a day. I was drenching with my own sweat and at times, I noticed that my stomach was initiating an orchestra of hunger – I only ate breakfast before going there. Straight from USM, my parents and I went to Queensbay Mall for our dinner and a short shopping spree. We went back to the hotel around 10PM.

On Saturday, after taking my breakfast and went to a cybercafé along the Penang road to print out a survey slip which I forgot to bring (which charged me RM5 for printing one page of paper and the minimum 30 minutes of computer usage? Awesome!), we went back to USM to return back the robe and taking my official scroll. That when everything went wrong!

Firstly, I was not familiar with the main campus layout since the engineering campus located separately in the mainland of Penang and not in the island like the main campus. Unfortunately, USM seems to assume that people know exactly where to go around that HUGE campus. Signboards are rare and even though there were guards situated at major junctions, they were not familiarized with the area themselves. Perhaps they were assigned from outside to help with the event. One of them even said, “Just follow the crowd” – which was totally irrelevant since the crowd was attending another session of graduation on that day and not to collect their official scrolls like me. Whereas quite a few times the guards just gave the wrong direction and we ended up circling the area more than once.

After much effort; including by resorting to the GPS guidance, we finally found the Dewan Utama (Main Hall) to collect my scroll and pictures. The services there were bad! The officials during registration were rude – which is fine to me since I am still young, but not every graduate is around mid 20s, some of them are around mid 30s and 40s. Most of the graduates in the hall were still not sure on the procedures that need to be followed in order to obtain the scroll.

It turned out to be like this: register at the counter by giving out the receipt which stated you already returned the robe, followed by checking your financial status (make sure no fees are not yet paid) and moved to the survey counter where you must submitted two of the surveys given earlier. Next, you must go to the library counter to ensure you have returned all the books. Then only can you go to the scroll counter to get your scroll, before heading to another hall to buy your graduation pictures.

Regrettably, no visible notices were posted to spell out this instruction and we basically need to ask those who have collected their scrolls to help us. The instruction if stated properly can make the transition between counters and halls smoothly, but sorry to say, it was not there.

Ways for improvement:

• Provide a map of the main campus layout to the visitors in the booklet given
• OR put temporary signage of important places along the road that will be visited by visitors (DSTP, Hamzah Sendut Library and Dewan Utama)
• AND ensure the guards there are familiar with the campus
• Not unnecessary blocking the road and further complicated the navigation to one place to another
• Personnel involved must have a common courtesy towards others
• Make sure the instruction was properly placed at the designated areas

Graduates celebrating their convocation! 

This is not me lambasted my own university; it is because of love I highlighted these blunders to others. When lots of posters were set up to proudly announce USM’s APEX status (Accelerated Programme for Excellence), the quality of services provided by the university need to be upheld high as par as its noble vision and mission; which is, Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

Kindly noted, that this post was written from author’s own personal point of view and experiences on those two days of hiatus and madness. Others may have a better experience than this. More PICTURES of my graduation day will be posted later. Thank you.

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Bluecrystaldude

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The Road Not Taken

Image from Bluecrystaldude's Tumblr

In life, you will always come across with making decisions. And in every decisions that you made, there always a glimpse of risk that come with it. Whether you’re trying to decide to go for lunch at Restaurant A and then saw that the restaurant is closed, or you’re going to have to choose between your loved one and your friends to spend the time together, or you’re at the intersection of making the biggest career decision in your life. In the end, it always comes to yourself whether you want to take a chance by doing one thing instead of the other.

In time of making one of those decisions, I always remember the poem written by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken. You never know whether you had made the right decision or not. No matter how it will turn to be, eventually, you will have to face the responsibilities of your decision. Hurm. But it never stops me from wondering what the other road had to offer.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

What is the biggest decision that you had made and how do you decide that is the right one?

My answer would be in the beginning of my degree study. I had the opportunity to choose on what degree should I take and in the end, I chose to do degree in chemical engineering. Whether I had made the right decision? No one will ever know.

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Bluecrystaldude

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What Have I Done for These Past Few Weeks?

*UPDATED on 5th September 2009*

Hi guys! I am back again. Haha. Sorry for missing out lately. I involved in so many activities until I lost track of time. And suddenly, it’s almost the end of 2009. Gosh. Where does the time fly?

First of all, I have been juggling the time between my design project and my final year project. My team and I had to design a chemical plant for the production of nitric acid. We proposed the plant to be built in Bintulu Sarawak due to the availability of our raw material; ammonia. We had to plant everything from the scratch; do the market analysis, cost estimation, production capacity and so on.

On the other hand, I just started my final year project. The title of my final year project is “Taming the Wild Type of xxx (the name of enzyme) on the Bioreduction of 1, 4-bromophenyl-ethanone into (R)-1,4-bromorphenyl ethanol in the Production of Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB) Chiral Drug Precursor”. Don’t worry if you couldn’t understand what the heck I just said. I couldn’t understand it either when I first heard it. But in the layman words, I am trying to produce a drug to dilate blood vessel that hopefully will reduce the possibility of heart failure, treating high blood pressure and preventing kidney failure.

As Nobel as the project may sound, I cannot expose the name of enzyme that I use and the detailed procedures of the research done. If this project successfully conducted, there is a possibility of selling the product. I am not so good hearted after all.

Next, I also participated in National Chemical Engineering Symposium (NACES) 2009, held in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) last weekend. Yes, this is the same competition where I won the second runner up in Technical Writing competition last year. But this time around, I am in the Technical Presentation team. And guess what? We won the first place! Yeah! Congrats to all the presenters. Even though my university only sent six participants (one of the fewest among other universities) – four Indians, one Chinese girl and one Malay, we actually won something there. Of course, when all the chemical engineering students’ representatives of universities in Malaysia gathered around, the environment is very formal yet educative.

Young students with their bubbling and innovative ideas are more than keen to share their opinion on this year theme; “Water Crisis: What Can We Do?”. I was impressed with some of the ideas and at the end of the three days event, I somehow feel a little bit smarter than before. Well, at least I have the opportunity to have an in depth knowledge on that particular topic. By the way, rest assured, I am sure if Malaysia is having water crisis in the near future, we, as the budding chemical engineers will come out with the best solution for the country. *crossing fingers*

On Monday night, we flew back to the college and then I have to attend Annual General Meeting of Chemical Engineering Student Society on Wednesday. After the meeting, I went straight back to Kuala Lumpur and will be back in Johor tomorrow (on Friday) to celebrate the first day of fasting in my hometown. I can’t wait to rejuvenate (and washing my clothes) as soon as I arrive home. It has been hectic few weeks for me and not having enough sleep is very tiring. Have a great weekend everyone! And for Muslim, Happy Fasting!

By the way, since I upgraded my firefox browser, I cannot find my Entrecard toolbar. They said that it’s not compatible with this current version of firefox. Am I the only one who noticed this?

xxxxx

OMG! We were featured in the front page of Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus front page! No wonder strangers keep congratulating me :)

xxxxx

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Bluecrystaldude

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Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

Have you heard about Fleet Foxes, a group from Seattle? They really are amazing. Their songs are great and the videos are beautiful. Trust me. Anyway, I would like to share to you a song which they sang during the Saturday Night Live on 17th January (if I am not mistaken - I only watched the downloaded version of it :) The song called Mykonos. Enjoy it!

The lyric:

The door slammed loud and rose up a cloud of dust on us
Footsteps follow, down through the hollow sound, torn up

And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

How did any holes in the snow tipped pines, I find
Hatching from the seed of your thin mind, all night?

And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

Brother you don't need to turn me away
I was waiting down at the ancient gate

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

I remember how they took you down
As the winter turned the meadow brown

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

When I walking brother don't you forget
It ain't often you'll ever find a friend

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today
[x8]

The song talks about a place called Mykonos. I haven't heard about it, so when I googled it out, it turns out to be a Greek island. And from the picture, it sure is beautiful!

History of Mykonos

Archaeological finds indicate that the Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. More recent discoveries have uncovered remnants in Ftelia beach from the Neolithic Kares tribe dating back to as far as 3000 BC.

In Greek mythology Mykonos was the location of the battle between Zeus and the Titan, and the island was named in honor of Apollo's grandson Mykons. During these ancient times, Mykonos, due to its proximity to the then highly populated island of Delos (situated about 2km away), became very important as a supply island and possibly as a getaway location for Delian citizens.

Modern Mykonos

Today, Mykonos is one of the most cosmopolitan islands in Greece, having become increasingly popular with mass tourism. It is known for its diverse and intense nightlife featured by a vast number of bars and nightclubs. Mykonos is also known for its sandy beaches.

Read more about Mykonos here. I will be having test Transport Phenomena on Tuesday, presenting a lab report on the "study of countercurrent flow and absorption in packed beds" on Thursday and submitting my technical writing titled, "Solar Energy: Potential and Challenges in Malaysia" on Friday. What a week will it be! Happy Monday everyone! Enjoy the rest of the week!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.






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Uniquely Singapore - The Formal Visits

The Introduction

For those who somehow missed my last post, I went to Singapore last week. It was under Engineering Exchange Initiative – Singapore Education Career and Visit 2009. The trip consists of 30 engineering students from different engineering schools and 2 escorting officers. We spent 6 days in a backpacker’s hotel in Orchard road called Fernloft hotel and were sponsored by Intel Corporation and under USM Students Affairs and Development Division and Academic and International Affairs Division.

For the formal visits, we went to National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and for industrial visit; we chose to go to Jurong Shipyard. Under personal programs, we separated into smaller groups, the members were solely depends on us; my group consists of 2 Malay, 2 Indian and 1 Chinese – the only multiracial group made (LOL) and we went to Singapore Zoo, Sentosa Island, Underwater World, Chinatown, Little India (and the famous 24 hours Mustafa Centre) and spent awfully lots of time in Clarke Quay. (The less formal visits will be posted in another post. I tried my best to keep this post short)

CAUTION: LOTS OF PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP

Nanyang Technological University (NTU):


The Formal Visits - Fun Observations:

1. There are heat sensors in the lecture halls to minimize the electric usage
2. NTU’s student union was given SGD2 million each year to run their activities - and they don’t even touch the money, they invested it and run their respective programs by using the money’s interest - and Malaysia's only received not more than RM1000 *Yeah!*
   
3. Lots of their female students wearing lab coat longer than their underneath clothes – wonder what will happen if there is any chemical spill out
4. Lots of Malaysian whether studying in both universities or even working in Jurong Shipyard
5. While the Jurong Shipyard trip wasn’t much related to chemical engineering, but I enjoyed it anyway. When the last time (or the first time) you saw a ship larger than a shopping complex parking next to your bus? Jurong Shipyard is running a construction and repairing for large ships business

NTU'S Chinese Heritage Centre:

The Chinese Heritage Centre is a gallery in the NTU itself. I did not upload any pictures from NUS because we did not spend lots of time touring the area. Most of the times were spent socializing with other engineering students there. On the other matter, the pictures below were taken around the Jurong Shipyard area. There weren't lots of eye catching pictures (apart from super large ships in the making) and since I was relentlessly waiting in my seat for any accident to happen; any accident that will cause some bleeding due to external injuries; which unfortunately did not happen at all. They even had Safety Inspectors – a kind of police that gives summons to those who did not obey or act against their safety conduct.

Jurong Shipyard:

The Chinese Heritage Centre is a gallery in the NTU itself. I did not upload any pictures from NUS because we did not spend lots of time touring the area. Most of the time were spent socializing with other engineering students there. On the other hand, the pictures below are from Jurong Shipyard. There were not really eye catching pictures for me since I am waiting eagerly in my seat waiting for accident to happen, any accident that cause some bleeding due to external injuries; which unfortunately did not happen at all. They even had Safety Inspector – a kind of police that gives summon to those workers who did not obey or act against their safety conduct.

I hope you like my pictures. I will tell more about my informal visit in another post - the most interesting part of my 6 days trip. Can’t wait to see you again!

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Bluecrystaldude

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Victory Is Sweet

Edited from Flickr | sdosick

It has been ages since my last post. Well, it was 4 days ago, but I do hope you miss my presence here. It has been a hectic week. My workloads have been multiplied every single minute as it approaches my half semester break, which is due on 15th August. Other than watching Never Back Down (5 stars – the actions were very impressive!), Wall-E (4 stars – filled with moral values), The Dark Knight (5 stars - the best summer movie to date) and the latest installment of Mummy (3.5 stars – Just okay and reminds me a lot to National Treasures), I also managed to squeeze my time to read a best selling book called The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

It was the first book by him, but one of the best books I ever read. I am only half way through the book but already looking forward to buy his second book. (A Thousand Splendid Suns). What amazed me the most is that the author is a doctor. Who would have thought that a doctor could wrote such a beautiful novel to which Washington Post Book World quoted as “a powerful book… No frills, no nonsense, just hard, spare prose”. The book best describe as a remainder for some facts in life that we may be neglected after a hard day at work. The need for a good relationship with subordinates fellow workers, bosses, friends and family.

As I told before, I love to read books. But reading and writing is a totally different story. Nevertheless, I tried (read = forced) to write a technical essay on Energy: A Challenge for Sustainable Development. This essay was for the National Chemical Engineering Symposium 2008 (NACES). It is an annual gathering for chemical engineering undergraduates from both local and private universities all over Malaysia. I have submitted mine just a day before I went to Paris. Rushing and without any guidance from my deputy dean (the person who was supposed to supervise my essay), I thought nothing about winning. And then, last weekend, at the main NACES event in University Putra Malaysia (UPM), I was announced a second runner up. Crap!

I never enter any essay competition in my whole life before. Let alone wrote a serious article based on journals and other creditable resources for educational purposes. An engineer, who writes, draws and has a big mouth. I am sure hope it would not be a lethal combination. Great, this ends up just another post about myself (I had a different post in mind). Before you all getting bored about Hot Shit Form Here, I would like to give a little heads up. My next post would be about marriage! I am not married yet. At least it sure would not be about me, right.

Bluecrystaldude

P/S: Sorry for miss out few posts in my regular visited blogs. I will repay the visit as soon as I have the free time. Thanks for the faithful visits and commenting!

What A Day

Start of the new semester marked the arrival of a new batch of students. The fond memories of junior and senior relationship are worth remembering, especially when you are the senior – not that you are supposed to bullying the juniors, but you cannot help to show them how much you are matured, how much knowledge that you have acquired and how familiar you are to the surrounding. Thus, my wonderful school (faculty to some) has decided to do some activities to get the first year students to get close with each other, with the stuff members of the school and with other batches as well.

The first part of it was on the Friday’s night (18 July 2008) which involved only the first year students and facilitators, was called (I must warn you, it was very cliché – a reason why I should have the creative rights on it) “Intra Chemical Reaction”, how about that? Activities included a game of passing all the group members a sentence that comprised 17 similar vowel words to the group members, built a shelter from newspapers, a quiz about chemical and mathematic related questions, carrying an egg on a string of raffia rope which need to be tied around all the group members hands and a game which you have to make a string out of anything (shoe lace, shoe, handkerchief, hair, etc.) and the final length of it will be measured.

Intra Chemical Reaction:

Yes, I totally agree with you. The games all are not appropriate for a university student. But wait until you read about the next day program which are (just name a few) waiter race (passing a leaking pail from one another – must through the top of your head), torturing alive snakehead fishes by throwing it from one person to another (someone should report it to Animal Rights!), male net ball (played by the Deputy of Vice Chancellor of Academic and International Affairs, dean, deputy dean and other senior professors and doctors) throwing and catching eggs from the distance of half a netball court and a strength only required rope pulling.

The day of torture start with an early wake up, who wakes up at 8 am during Saturday? Plus, we have to stay up late the night before after the Intra Chemical Reaction to paint our batch flag. To make the matter worst, we were forced (with the indication that we are the only one who does not doing anything for our tomorrow tent decoration) by some inconsiderate female students in my school. In a move to show my rebelling self, me and some of my friends arrived half an hour late to the event. Oh, and we casually walk slowly with the flag in our bag. No one knows what the face of the devil is. Other than bias judges and rude marshals, a will-burn-your-skin day unless will goes without anything big happening.

Whether the objectives of these events were achieved or it just another way of my dean to mpress the Vice Chancellor, no one will ever know for sure. At least the food is good.

What A Day

Bluecrystaldude

College Life

Click Picture to Englarge

Finally, my new semester has officially started. Settling down always a hard thing to do especially when you are already used to be pampered at home during your holiday. Handling and moving 4 bags full of clothes and 3 boxes of books did nothing to help. Did I mention I have to move my things out from the third floor (fourth floor for some) to the same floor but in a different block? I actually took the full week to transfer all the boxes with help of my friends. With lecturers are in their high spirit to start the class straight away, I am really looking forward for this weekend.

I don't usually blogging during a weekend and if you noticed, I rarely talk about my college's life too, but I guess now everything has changed and I have to adapt with the current situation, which is not enough time and slow internet connection. You should have done the same too. In a new and strange environment, adaptation is a vital for the sustainability of our species. Although your situation may not be that bad, I am assure you that my new college life does. Juggling with Process Dynamic and Control, Environment Engineering and Management, Separation Process and Chemical Reaction Engineering books on one hand and two blogs to handle and a mandatory English lesson one other hand sure took most of the time and energy out of my hand.

Before long, I am quite sure that my hands usage will be something in the past and my abilities to talk and walk like a normal person will soon be gone. Much to my resentment for studying yet again one of the most 'reactive' studies in the world (you would be killed or jailed - either one, if you're mistakenly blow up any chemical plants or reactors), I am pretty thrilled to begin this new semester. One for sure was due to the fact that my scholarship increase which almost double from the last semester, and my new room and roommates were not half bad either. It's a good feeling when people trying to be nice with you and getting to know you.

Click Picture to Englarge

I have to admit that I am a little nervous to be back behind the desk to study Technical and Engineering English (in a simple word, an compulsory English lesson for future engineers) after missing out almost three years of formal English education. Nevertheless, my nervousness seem to be drown by the female lecturer who choice of words and tone of conversation easily motivated me up. Trying to talks adults to go back and start reading again (we are required to read something that has a real information in it) without sounds like a mom's nagging is a hard thing to do. You need a very good and highly experience lecturer to be able to deliver something like that.

Those pictures were taken through out my 3 years study in School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, University Sains Malaysia. I will still be here for another 2 years of studies. Most of the pictures were taken only after a heavy rain that swept our campus through out the 365 days. That is the only time our campus looks like a real green campus. With palm oil trees and man made lakes. For your information, this campus only contain the engineering students, further away from any outrages and overly dressed students from different schools in the main campus (such as Art students who were famous with their crooked sense of style). Here, the statistic in the couple years shows that there are recorded decrease of nerd species but a considerable influx of geeks were enrolling in. I am sure hope I will be counted to be on the par with average normal students. No offense.

I will be posted a new post in a day or two (finger crossed). Have a nice weekend!

Bluecrystaldude

I Never Know Conservation of Energy is This Fun(ny)!

My university received the 5 stars university rating last year (the only university in Malaysia to received it! Sorry, can't help but to mention it :) So, in an attempt to live up to its name (or so does it seems to me) it bans all the usage of "WHITE COFFIN" in its My Green Pledge campaign.

When the dark is lurking by. The sun is falling fast. The creeping start to walk down your sleeves. Your stomach heart is beating fast. Red eyes seems to follow you from behind. Any movement and steps will expose you to the most dangerous creature in the name of .. polystyrene.

Innocent student 1: White coffin?? What the heck is that?
Innocent student 2: That means a polystyrene. They said the name polystyrene is not cool enough for people like us.
Innocent student 3 Me: Well, it has been the trend nowadays. Everything related to death seems to be in our way. With death, I mean Gothic style.
Innocent student 1: Not bad. It does intriguer me.

So, without the usage of this white coffin, it seems to me that people are tends to finish their meals at the cafeteria rather than taking it back to the resident area. Which is the good sign to ensure that students will become fatter each day. Oh, don't let me start on foods. Most of the cafeterias are using a new biodegradable food container (which coincidently look like a polystyrene but in it defends, biodegradable)

Others that include in the Green Pledge are:

Eat the cafeteria. Finish your meal
Ok. So, when I was a kid, my parents always said something like this, "Finish your meal. Do you know that kids in Bosnia die in starvation?" (no offense Bosnians) and being an obedient child, I will finish my meal. However, the effect of those saying has faded. Now, it occurs to me that I can't finish my meal because I'm imaging other kids in third world country in starvation (and sometimes, adult in first world country too. No offense people in USA, Britain and Europe)

Use own reusable food and drink container
However, please eat your own food, not others.

Save paper. Think before you print. Print on both side of paper
Not only that, please use the smallest font available. To save the world, we need to sacrifice our vision. After all, what is the use of inventions such as laser surgery, spectacle and contact lens? You do want to save nature, do you?

Switch off light, fans and other electrical equipment when not in use
You could always carry a bulb in your purse or pocket. Each time you want to use a certain room, just put in the bulb into the socket. Then, go searching for your lamp switch. In case you can't find it in the darkness, do carry along a torch light with you. When you're finish using the room, take our the bulb and go find another room to bright it up. The motto will be "One home, one bulb". This will reduce the energy usage and thus your electrical bill.

Walk, cycle and use public transportation more often
In this context, "public transportation" will also means "your friend vehicle". Use this excuse as many as you can until your friend are getting tired of using his own vehicle. Then, you can both use the real public transport (two is always better than one).

Buy product which you could use for a long time
Clothes is define as a product for short term use. This means that you must try to be naked as much as possible. It's much better than you're using fur. As PETA said, I rather go naked than wearing fur. If only others will hear their voice more. Keep up the good work PETA!

Don't use screen saver. Turn off or blank your monitor when not in use
If you don't want to use your computer anymore, you could always modified your monitor to become an aquarium. You could then use the money for the fish tank, to buy some condom. Less people = less pollution. Do you follow me?

Turn off your tab while brushing your teeth
Avoid using tab water while brushing your teeth. Use Listerine instead to rinse your mouth. It states here at the cover of Listerine, antiseptic mouthwash, kills gems that cause bad breath, plaque and the gum infection, gingivitis. Well, needless to say, does your tab water work that great?

Use electronic facilities to store and read document
More dependent of electronic facilities means less dependent on brain. How convenient!

Practice the 4R's - Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
"Refuse" to do homework or assignment (as it use a lot of papers), "Reduce" the dependency of your brain (as stated above), "Reuse" everything that you have (I mean, everything) and "Recycle" your old clothes (inherits it to your younger brother)

There you go. Conserve your environment in a fun way. Just make sure that you would not blame me in any mishaps when undergoes my carefully planned steps. Keep our environment clean and sustainable, course if you not, the mother nature could always destroy you later.

So, tell us more about what you have done and intended to do? Don't worry if you haven't done it yet. Maybe someone will read your steps and follow! Just like I wish mine. :D

bluec Greencrystaldude (Just for this post :)

Alternative Fuel

My friend and I were given the microphone and asked to be the MC (master of ceremonies) for the 3rd Malaysian Chem-E-Car Competition 2008 organized by The Institution of Engineers Malaysia and collaboration with School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia. The event took place last Saturday (26.1.08). The theme for the competition is Future Alternative Fuel for Sustainability".

Minus all the haywire, the competition went as the plan. 16 groups competing this year. What us Chem-E-Car Competition all about? The main purpose is to search the alternative resources for our car by using chemical reaction. Pretty impressive right? Wait until you hear what reaction do they used. Most of them are using electrolytic cell, others are using hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and electric generated by using lead reaction. The most interesting method (and the winner of this competition) is using fermentation of palm oil by bacteria. As we all know, Malaysia is the largest palm oil exporter in the world. Even the judges were impressed. How environmental friendly is that?

Facts about the competition:

• 16 groups from 7 universities in Malaysia participated
• the cheapest price for the model car is around USD 0.30 (!)
• The most expensive model car is USD 253.59
  
• The best car was selected not based on the furthest or the fastest from the starting line but the closest to the given length. And the participants were not informed the length the car required to travel until the morning of the competition
• Most of the car applied the corrosion application as the stopping mechanism
• 3 model cars fail to move as they having a technical problem (the reaction not occurring, gas leakage, etc)
• The closest car to the required length was another 0.60 meters
• There was also a poster presentation competition
• The winner will be competing at international level
  

Some of the model cars:

The moves to find an alternative fuel should be applaud. With the high oil price, I have faith that we can find a new fuel that is cheap and for world wide use in this centuries.

P/S: I try to keep my post short. LOL