Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Sultan Ismail (Senai) International Airport

My last visit to Johor Bahru was in 2002 and last August I went there again en route to Singapore.

The airport definitely changed since my last visit 6 years ago. Obviously some section of the airport is undergone renovation to make the shopping experience at the airport more pleasant.

One will need to walk some 150m along this makeshift lane to exit the airport and take a taxi or bus. This area is not air conditioned and can be a bit hot in the afternoon.

At the end of the lane is a big hall. Here one can purchased the taxi coupon or bus ticket. Pick up and drop off point is also at this place.

I am quite impressed with the departure hall. They definitely refurbished it sometime ago. The seats had been replaced and are more comfortable to seat now.

There is a model displayed in the departure hall of how the airport will look like in the future after the renovation and extension had been completed.

Air Asia's aircraft parking at the apron of the airport

Monday, September 29, 2008

Tagged

I received a tag from Shawn and are forced to do it.

THE SELF
[01] Real name: Tsai Chang Yee
[02] Nickname: Borneo Falcon
[03] Married:Yes
[04] Zodiac Sign: Leo
[05] Gender: Male
[06] Age: 29
[07] High school: SMk Methodist
[08] College: Prime College
[09] Height: 1.78M
[10] Weight: 64 kg
[11] Do you like yourself: Yes
[12] Piercings:No
[13] Right or left: N/A
[14] Are you a freak: No
[15] Hair: Normal short
[16] Skin: Fair
[17] Allergic: No
[18] What are you doing now: Blogging
[19] What will you do 1 hour later: Sleep
[20] What will you do 10 years later: Hopefully still alive

THE FAMILY
[21] Live with mother/father/parents: Parents
[22] Siblings(included you): 3
[23] Eldest: Not Me
[24] Youngest: Not Me
[25] Love/hate your family: Unconditional Love

THE LOVE
[26] You found your another half: Yes, few years ago
[27] If yes, who is he/she: My wife
[28] If no, who you want he/she to be: N/A
[29] Time(s) you in relationship: 3
[30] Ever woo boy/girl(0-100000): YES (3)
[31] Anyone woo you before(0-100000): Yes (unknown)
[32] Did anything wrong to your other half: Yes
[33] What was/were the wrong you had done: Will not reveal. He....He...
[34] Ever argue with your other half: Yes
[35] You with your other half since: 2004
[36] Are you straight/Lesbo: Straight
[37] Reasons you love your other half: Love is strange and blind
[38] You and your other half in which stage: Stage?? We are already married
[39] You woo he/she or he/she woo you: Me
[40] Ever think of marry he/she: N/A

THE FRIENDS
[41] Your first best friend: Can't remember. Too many best friend
[42] Your first enemy: Never remember
[43] The friend you love the most(1 only):
[44] The enemy you hate the most(1 only):
[45] Your most beautiful girl friend: My wife
[46] Your most handsome boy friend: all are handsome
[47] The kind of girl you hate the most: Arrogant
[48] The kind of boy you hate the most: Selfish
[49] You fall in love with your close friend before: Nope
[50] Your best friend is your ex-lover: N/A
[51] If your friend backstabbing you: Condemn them forever
[52] If your friend betray you: Lose contact whatsoever with them
[53] If your friend woo your lover: Never trust them again
[54] If your friend fall in love with you: Try to straighten things up
[55] If you fall in love with your best friend: No harm

THE STUDIES
[56] Are you a good student: Definitely
[57] You always done your homeworks/assignments: 50-50
[58] The teacher/tutor you love the most: I don't think so
[59] Always late to school/college: Always punctual
[60] Your class: I got a lot of classes
[61] You love your seniors: I hate most of them. He..... He....
[62] Seniors who you love the most: N/A
[63] Your classmates good/bad: very good
[64] Excellent result classmate: Too many of them
[65] Laziest classmate: Too many of them too

THE PEOPLE
[66] Smart people: can consider smart
[67] Stupid people: not me....!
[68] Good looking people: I think I look OK
[69] Ugly people: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
[70] Funny people: No
[71] Cute people: No
[72] Bad people: not me
[73] Honest people: ME
[74] Acting people: Most of the people are acting also
[75] You are what kind of people: Considerate

THE PREFER
[76] Lip or eyes: EYES
[77] Hugs or kisses: HUGS
[78] Shorter or taller: TALLER
[79] Hesitant or spontaneous: Spontaneous
[80] Nice stomach or nice arms:Both
[81] Listener or Talker:Both
[82] Romantic or rich:Rich
[83] Good husband or good father:Both

THE FUTURE
[84] Age to get marry: N/A, Married already at 28
[85] Numbers of kid(s): 2
[86] Career: Businessman
[87] Salary: 8k
[88] Retirement age: 60
[89] Properties value:Sky the limit
[90] Wishes: Forever young

Songfa Bak Kut Teh

At Upper Circular Road (opposite Central) is Songfa Bak Kut Teh (Nearest MRT Station: Clarke Quay). We never tried Singapore's Bak Teh and we decided to give it a try. this outlet is usually crowded during lunch hour

We ordered 1 Loin Ribs Bak Kut Teh (SGD8), 1 oyster vegetable (SGD3) and 2 bowl of rice (SGD1). It is the restaurant policy to pay right after the food is served. The meat is tender and not so much fat and bones. Strong garlic and pepper flavour on the soup. The vegetable taste ok as well. In fact we were still hungry after finishing the meal. Guess the portion is not enough for two person.

For drink we ordered home made barley (SGD 1.20). Nothing out of the ordinary.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Guide to top up ez-Link Card

The most simple way to travel around Singapore is using its efficient public transport. Hence, it makes sense to invest in TransitLink ez-link Card which stored-value card for use on the MRT, LRT and buses. The ez-link Card can be purchased at the ticket offices at all MRT stations and bus interchanges for SGD15. The card is worth for rides up to SGD7 and can be topped up at ticket kiosk when the value run low. Best of all, the card will be valid for 5 years duration and can be returned at the end of the trip, SGD3 is refundable. Although the remaining SGD5 is a non refundable administration charge.

Both MRT and buses use the so called contactless "smartcard" system, aimed at speeding up queue lines. To use ez-link Card, flash or tap it on electronic readers mounted at the bus entrances and entry turnstiles of MRT stations. When one arrive at the destination, flash the card at the exit reader and the remaining value on the card can be viewed from the reader.

To top up the value of the ex-Link Card, one must approach the ticketing kiosk which can be found in most MRT station. I notice some of the features of the kiosk is slightly different from station to station but the principle is about the same. This is the kiosk at Chinatown MRT station. First in "Select Option", click "Add Value"

Then insert the ezLink Card in the machine slot. I notice in City Hall MRT station, there is no slot. Just a platform where you can just put the card on it.

After the card is inserted, the current value will be shown on the screen. Minimum top up value is SGD10. Press "OK"and it will prompt you on which options you prefer to top up (there are only 2 options, "NETS" or "CASH"). In this case, I had clicked "cash"

Next, just insert the note into machine and the top up process is done and the ez-Link card will popped out from the machine.

The MRT stations is also a work of art with different station had its own design and features. This is taken from Chinatown MRT station. Chinese words can be seen everywhere.

This is taken from Dhoby Ghaunt MRT Station. There are a lot of interesting murals at this station.

Overall Singapore MRT stations are user friendly, comfortable and easy to navigate around. I believe the design and concept of Singapore MRT stations are similar to those of London Underground. I just hope some of the ticketing officers could be a bit more friendlier.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Cooler Master Silent Fan 120 S12

I always prefer 120mm fans for its silence and ability to draw more air compare to the 80mm and 92mm fans. In fact, I had phased out the 80mm fans from my computer chassis

While in Funan Digital Mall, I came across this Cooler Master Silent Fan 120 S12. I bought it for SGD 23.90. There are 4 pieces of 120mm fans inside it as the Cooler Master claims it is a hot saving

Here are the specifications:

Fan size: 120 x 120 x 25mm
Voltage: 12 VDC
Current: 0.15A
Input (Watt) 1.80W
Speed (R.P.M): 1200R.P.M.
Air Flow (CFM): 44.73CFM
Air Pressure: 1.65mmH2O
Noise: 19.1 dB-A
Weight: 120g
Colour: Black
Bearing Type: Sleeve
Life (hour): 30, 000 hours
Cable Length: 300mm

4 packs of screws are provided for all the 4 fans unit

This is how the fan looks like from the front. The manufactured date was stamped in red on the sticker

This is the back of the fan. The shiny Cooler Master's sticker on it means this fan is not imitation.

The fan comes win 3 pins power socket. The package do not comes with a 3 to 4 pins adapter. Hence, the fans are suitable to connect directly to the motherboard's system fan connectors

Before installing it to the casing, always checked the direction of airflow. The arrows are clearly marked on the fan housing.

I fitted it to my casing and indeed the fans are working silently, as compare to my previous iCute fans. Overall, I am satisfy with this product.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Contaminated milk?

The Malaysian government mentioned few days ago, they did not import any milk from China. But how on earth I manage to get hold this milk from China few months back? Another "isolated" case? Or could be this product been smuggled into Sibu town without proper inspection from the authority?

My mother bought this milk from a supermarket here (I can't remember which one but I am sure they don't sell it anymore now) few months ago. This is a Yili brand milk which had been blacklisted. A check on the contaminated milk product indicate that most Yili brand product were contaminated

Here are the nutrition content. Wonder if they add melamine to boost the protein level.

Strangely enough, the product had certified to be halal. The manufacturer address and contact number are well indicated on the packaging.

Anyway, I definitely had drank the milk few months ago and although I feel fine now, I just hope there is no long term effect on my health

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Funan Digital Mall

For those computer savvy person, best place to shop for computer and electronics equipment in Singapore is Funan Digital Mall on North Bridge Road. To get there, get off from Clarke Quay MRT station and head North along New Bridge Road, cross Coleman Bridge and straight ahead. Funan Mall should be on the right after 10 minutes walk. There is another place called Sim Lim Square on Rochor Canal Road but I did not have the time to check it out.

Funan Mall is pretty much like Kuala Lumpur's Low Yat Plaza. However, I prefer Funan Mall better as it is more spacious and well organized compare to Low Yat Plaza

Most of the shops here are selling laptops. I am more of a computer builder so I don't have much interest in it. For some reasons, I didn't see much of computer casing been sold here. Probably they store it somewhere to save spaces. Computer accessories can be found easily here like fans, UPS, esata bracket, air duster (compressed air) and etc.

Just opposite the Funan Digital Mall at No. 62 Hill Street is another architectural gem of a building, the Central Fire Station, headquarters of the Singapore Fire brigade and the oldest existing fire station in Singapore.

This distinctive red and white "blood and bandage" building was completed in 1909 and is typical of the architecture of Edwardian England, a departure from the usual Palladian and classical styles prevailing in Singapore at the time. The "blood" is exposed brick while the "bandage" refers to brick that has been covered in whitewashed plaster.

The Civil Defence Heritage Gallery on the ground level traces Singapore's civil defence development from the 1900s. One can get to climb up the hose tower, the lookout point for fire fighters in early Singapore

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Main Engine Overhaul

Recently, one of my ship main engine been overhauled. The main engine concerned is Hanshin Diesel Engine, Model 6LU32-D

The cylinder head and piston had been pulled out in one of the cylinder. The holding down bolts should be inspected for wastage

This was the dismantled cylinder head which house the inlet and outlet valves, fuel injection valve, rocker arm and starting valve

Here are the dismantled starting valve, valve seat ring and the inlet & exhaust valves. The valve seat, inlet and outlet valves should be cleaned and polished

The cylinder liner bore should be measured to ensure it remained within acceptable limit. Cylinder liner to be replaced if the limit is exceeded. Down below is the crankshaft and should be inspected for score. The crankshaft pin should be measured to check the wear is in acceptable limit.

Crankshaft can be best viewed via the crankcase cover removed

The piston need to be cleaned and polished when dismantled. The wear of the piston should be measured. New set of piston rings to be inserted and groove clearance measured to ensure it is not too slack. Piston pin clearance should also be taken to ensure the clearance in acceptable limit

The connecting rod bearing is to be checked for scores. If heavy scores is present, the connecting rod bearing is to be renewed or replaced

Connecting rod bolt is the bolt that holds the piston connecting rod and the bearing cap. The connecting rod bolt should be measured for elongation and dye test for any crack

Once, everything is done, it is time to refit back the engine. The whole process takes about 2 days if no difficulties encountered

A round tour of the main engine