The SingTel Singapore Grand Prix

Today is the first time that the Formula 1 cars officially race on the streets of Marina Bay. Of course, for me, this is an exciting event, and the fact that it is smack in the middle of the exam period does not dampen my feelings for the race. Everyday, I would keep myself updated by reading news related to F1. I also try to catch the telecast of the various Grand Prix (on news telecasts; I do not have the luxury of pay-TV services).

I have also tuned in to the telecasts of the practice and qualifying sessions of the Singapore Grand Prix. The new circuit seems so exciting on TV, with the F1 drivers zooming past landmarks of Singapore, like the old Supreme Court and the century-old Anderson bridge. Some drivers have complained over the past few days about the setup of the circuit, including its bumpiness of the circuit, but I believe that this makes the Singapore Grand Prix even more exhilarating.

My thoughts of cars crashing did realise, with a couple of cars, including that of Nelson Piquet Jr and Kimi Raikkonen. However, it was not enough for my father, who wished for more cars to crash, so he can win his bet. It was a fun time throughout, with the safety cars deployed several times.

Also, Renault's Fernando Alonso managed to win the Singapore Grand Prix! Wow, he's marvellous. Having the fastest lap time at the second and third practice sessions, he could have been at pole at the Singapore Grand Prix, in which several drivers, including himself, have claimed that it was virtually impossible to overtake. However, he was relegated to the 15^th position on the grid due to mechanical problems in the qualifying session, so it seemed that his hopes of gaining points, let alone winning the Singapore Grand Prix were dashed. Hence, it was impressive that he won the Singapore Grand Prix!

Well, I shall go to bed now, not forgetting the wonderful racing experience I saw on TV just now.

The G1

First thing after I reached home, I learned about the new phone from Google: the rather uninspiring sounding G1.

The G1

Upon learning about this new phone, my mind was instantly on the iPhone.

The iPhone

The G1 is indeed rather similar to the iPhone, and I do admire the G1 for the fact that the software on the G1 is open source, which means that it can be upgraded and other features added on to it over time. However, even if the G1 comes to Singapore, I would not even think twice before deciding not to buy it. The main reason is that the iPhone just looks and feels to be far more superior to the G1. Specifically, these three points of the iPhone just beat the G1 hands down:

#1. The iPhone's looks
Just by looking at both the iPhone and the G1, I think we can have a winner already. Needless to say, the iPhone beats the G1 hands down.

#2. The iPhone's simplicity over synchronising with computers
From a couple of reviews, which state that there is no desktop syncing client available for the G1, the G1 loses to the iPhone based on this comparison. On the other hand, iTunes can be used to sync the iPhone with computers. This makes the iPhone superior to the G1.

#3. G1's relations to Google
It is scary to think that Google is actually storing data of how we use the Internet. Hence, if we go on and use the G1, which has its roots in Google, Google might gain a lot of our surfing pattern, and give us more ads as a side result. No way I'm going to get such a phone, and hence I'm gunning for the iPhone instead, since I trust Apple more than Google.

Now, just when will I have the money to go and own an iPhone?

The End Of Year exams 08

Here's a list of papers that I'm going to take in the End Of Year exams 2008, in order of proximity (read: what comes first) :

23/9: English Language
24/9: Social Studies
(A couple of days ... )
3/10: Higher Chinese
6/10: Elementary Mathematics
7/10: Chemistry
7/:10 Literature (Elective)
8/10: Geography
9/10: Additional Mathematics
9/10: Biology
10/10: Physics

Just a comment for the timetable (for now) : Notice the "A couple of days ... " between the Social Studies paper and the Higher Chinese paper. There really is a couple of days, and in the time span there are some important events, like Children's Day (which just had to be on the same day as Hari Raya Puasa) , and of course, the Singtel Singapore Grand Prix! To sidetrack a bit, I hope some driver other than those from Ferrari and McLaren win this Grand Prix. It would definitely be very interesting for the whole F1 race.

Well, I think that's enough blogging for the day. This doesn't mean that I have nothing more to say for the exam timetable. I will comment on the timetable another time. For now, on to more revision!

Happy numbers :-)

Just came across a interesting article on Wikipedia. It's about happy numbers.
Huh, I hear you say. Numbers have feelings too, like us? Nope, it's not that they do have feelings, but happy numbers are numbers that fit certain criteria. They are numbers such that when you replace the number by the sum of the squares of its digits, and repeat the process with this new number until either the number equals 1 (where it will stay), or it loops endlessly in a cycle which does not include 1. Those numbers for which this process ends in 1 are happy numbers :-) . The numbers for which this process does not end in 1 are, you guessed it, unhappy numbers :-( .

Let me demonstrate to you what I mean, by taking my index number, 28, as an example :
28 = 28
2² + 8² = 68
6² + 8² = 100
1² + 0² + 0² = 1
From the above equation, it is shown that 28 is a happy number :-) !

Interesting? Share your thoughts about this post here!

How would our class be like ten years down the road?

After going to a wedding dinner yesterday, I wonder, "How would our class be like ten years down the road?" So many things could happen in ten years time, and by then, we might be a person very different from the one now.

From the question raised above, the are so many related questions. Some of the questions include:

1. Who is going to be the richest among our classmates ten years later?
2. Who will have a high-ranking job (like CEO, CFO etc.) ten years later?
3. Who is going to have a job that is out of the ordinary (or out of our thoughts) ten years later?
Questions 1 to 3 are questions with answers that are really open to discussion, so I can't really put a name down to those questions.

4. Who owns a house of their own ten years later?
Question 4 is a pretty open question too, hence I shouldn't speculate on this. However, it is logical to think that whoever who can afford a house is rich.

5. Who would be married (or even had children) ten years later?
Now, Question 5 is one that is definitely one of the most interesting questions. In my honest opinion (IMHO) , I feel that these people would be very lucky, and I do hope that these people do invite us classmates to their wedding! It would then be a great time for us classmates to interact with one another after secondary school.

Now, what do you think?

It's nearing the exams!

Do I seem to be (too overly) excited about the End Of Year (EOY) exams, with my title above?
Well, it shouldn't be the case, for I still have not started on my revision for the EOY exams. To compound the problem, the amount of homework is still too great, there is still band practice next week, and that I still have to prepare for the HSK -- a Chinese proficiency test -- that is on tomorrow. To worsen the situation, the English and Social Studies paper is in the week just after next week!

What to do? Just sit there and sigh all day long? Perhaps I should really put all the revison plans that I have into practice, instead of procrastinating. For your information, my plans include reducing the time I blog, so there will only be two posts a week, one on a weekend, and the other being on Wednesday (thought that I should let you know so you readers will not need to come frequently to check for updates).

Well,I got to start revising my humanities subjects already. What about you?

Watch TV tomorrow!

Though I would like to crap, to cut the long story short, I'm going to be on national TV tomorrow (11/09/2008) ! Catch me (along with my teammates Wei Lun and Pratyusha from 3T1) at 7.30 pm, on Channel 5, in the National Science Challenge 2008!

A short post

Hi to all who tagged at my blog!
Thought that I shall give a (short) update to my life as of now, so here goes:

It's the first day of term 4, and I do not seem to have enjoyed the benefits of the (short) holiday period. School day today was long (ie. not short), and I happily read a thick book (with a storyline that is not short), for I would have to return it in a (short) while. I took a (short) break, before I decided to go online, instead of doing my homework or revising (the end-of-year exams is a short timespan away). So here I am, blogging for a short time, before going on to reduce the length of my essay-like (read: not short) homework list.

Did you like my short recount of today?

(There are 12 instances of "short" in this post, including the title and this sentence!)

Combinations

This word, combinations. They have been seen as the letter "C" in our A Maths textbook, and often aids in helping us to find coefficients. However, "combinations" can also take on many meanings, as I shall elaborate later:

1. As a passcode for a lock
Interesting place where you use a combination of numbers, rather than a string of numbers. So many times you deal with strings of numbers, and this is one time that you actually use a combination of numbers instead.

2. As in recipes for making salads, or recipes for making insoluble salts
The correct combination of starting materials is enough to ensure that you get a product, in this case, salads and insoluble salts. It doesn't matter whether you put in starting material C or starting material D first, you can get the same result nonetheless.

3. As elements in your environment
The combination of elements in your life, for instance the number and gender of siblings (to give a simple example) , can cause your life to be changed. To exemplify, if your parents divorce, your life would be altered, often in a negative way.

As can be seen, "combinations" have been given a new (maybe old, but a refreshed) light. Are the elements in your life in the correct combination? If not, do not hesitate to take actions!

An Interesting Chain Mail

Here is another interesting chain mail that I'd received. Feel free to pass it on!

*** Guy's point of view ***
This is very cute! And even written by a guy!
You might agree with it, but when it actually happens 99% of girls don't realize it 'til it is too late and that guy who did it is so frustrated that he has moved on to someone who will take notice.

From a guys point of view:

We don't care if you talk to other guys.
We don't care if you're friends with other guys.
But when you're sitting next to us, and some random guy walks into the room and you jump up and tackle him without even introducing us, yeah, it pisses us off.
It doesn't help if you sit there and talk to him for ten minutes without even acknowledging the fact that we're still there.

We don't care if a guy calls you, but at 2 in the morning we do get a little concerned. Nothing is that important at 2 a.m. that it can't wait till he morning.

Also, when we tell you you're pretty/beautiful/gorgeous/cute/ stunning, we freaking mean it.
Don't tell us we're wrong.We'll stop trying to convince you.

The sexiest thing about a girl is confidence.

Yeah, you can quote me.

Don't be mad when we hold the door open.

Take Advantage of the mood I'm in.

LET US PAY FOR YOU! DON'T 'FEEL BAD'
We enjoy doing it.
It's expected.
Smile and say 'thank you.'

Kiss us when no one's watching.
If you kiss us when you know somebody's looking, we'll be more impressed.

You don't have to get dressed up for us.
If we're going out with you in the first place, you don't have to feel the need to wear the shortest skirt you have or put on every kind of makeup you own.
We like you for WHO you are and not WHAT you are.
Honestly, i think a girl looks more beautiful when she's just in her pj's.
Or my t-shirt and boxers, not all dolled up.

Don't take everything we say seriously.
Sarcasm is a beautiful thing.
See the beauty in it.
Don't get angry easily.

Stop using magazines/media as your bible.
Don't talk about how hot Morris Chesnutt, Brad Pitt, or Jesse McCartney is in front of us.
It's boring, and we don't care.
You have girlfriends for that.

Whatever happened to the word 'handsome'/'beautiful'.
I'd be utterly stunned by a girl who greeted me with 'Hey handsome!' instead of 'Hey baby/ stud/ cutie/ sexy' or whatever else you can think of.
On the other hand I'm not saying I wouldn't like it either.

Girls: I cannot stress this enough: IF YOU AREN'T BEING TREATED RIGHT BY A GUY, DON'T WAIT FOR HIM TO CHANGE.> DITCH HIS SORRY DISGRACE-TO-THE-MALE-POPULATION ASS, AND FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL TREAT YOU WITH UTTER RESPECT
Someone who will honor your morals.
Someone who will make you smile when you're at your lowest.
Someone who will care for you even when you make mistakes.
Someone who will love you, no matter how bad you make them feel.
Someone who will stop what theyre doing just to look you in the eyes....and say 'i love you' ..........AND ACTUALLY MEAN IT!

*****Give the nice guys a chance*****

Holding Hands-
Girls : If you want to hold his hand, gently bump into it a couple of times.
Guys : Grab it if it happens more than once.

Cuddling-
Girls : When you want to cuddle with him, tell him you're cold.
Guys : Automatically move closer to her.

Movies-
Girls : During a movie, if he puts his arm around you, tilt your head on his shoulder
Guys : Lift her chin up and kiss her.

Loving each other-
Guys : When she tells you she loves you, look deep into her eyes, give her a peck on the lips, and tell her you love her too... And mean it.

Laying below the stars-
Girls : When you're both laying under the stars, put your head on his chest and close your eyes as you listen to his steady heart beat
Guys : Whisper in her ear and link your hands with hers. Now make a wish about something you would like to happen Between you and your crush....

Guys: no grabbing!!!

Guys repost this if you agree.

Girls repost this if you think it's cute.

Every Guy who isn't a jerk will agree with this, so we hope that all the girls that read this will repost this .

Now copy and repost this; if you don't you'll have bad relationships for 69 years.

By 12 am tonight your one true love will realize how much they want you.

If you don't repost this, you will have bad luck for your entire life!!!!!!!!!!

Repost as: Guy's point of view

An Interesting Chain Mail

Here is another interesting chain mail. Feel free to pass it on!

An amazing Love Story
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home ... suddenly he asked the waiter, 'Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee.'

Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied, 'When I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there'. While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched ...

That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, and responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee!

Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: 'My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything ... Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste ... But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you ... Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again'.

Her tears made the letter totally wet.Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee? It's sweet, she replied.

Love is not 2 forget but 2 forgive, not 2 c but 2 understand, not 2 hear but 2 listen, not 2 let go but 2 HOLD ON !!!!
Don't ever leave the one you love for the one you like, because the one you like will leave you for the one they love. Find one, who calls you beautiful instead of hot.
Who calls you back when you hang up on him.
Who will stay awake just to watch you sleep.
Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead.
Who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats.
Who holds your hand in front of his friends.
Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you.
Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, '...that's her.'

### Comment: Standard message follows! ###

If u open this U have to repost it or you will have bad luck for the rest of your life!!!!!!!.............
Tonight at midnight your true love will realize they like you.
Something good will happen to you at approx 1:42pm tomorrow, it could be anywhere.
So get ready for the biggest shock of your life.
If you break this chain, you will be cursed with relationship problems for the most important time of your life.
Send this to 15 people in 15 minutes to carry on the chain...and spare you the emotional stress.

An Interesting Chain Mail

Here is one interesting chain mail that I've received. Have a look:







Of course you can expect this pretty much standard message (or picture in this case):

If you like it, feel free to copy this and forward it on!