Tropical Penguin Tales

Vexed

2011-03-09T00:56:00.002+08:00

I am vexed, simply because I am struck with nostalgia. Nostalgia about the past. I will write my feelings here, to get it off my chest. I have finally come to the conclusion that you can't forget the things that happened in the past. In fact, I had a talk with an old pal of mine, and he said, You don't regret about mistakes, you learn from them. You only regret about things that you have never done.

I am trying my best not to look back, but just earlier, I faltered. I actually toyed with the idea of asking about another person through a mutual friend. Thank goodness that friend gave me a reality check. What's lost in reality, remains totally lost. It's often the things that remains in fantasy that gives a glimmer of hope. And expectations, is just a hole in a ground. Habouring it, is like trying to tunnel your way out of the hole, when in reality, all you needed to do, is to jump out of it. By staying tunneling deeper and deeper, you lost your directions, you lost the light on the surface, and you can only hope that the tunnel will resurface one day.

Well, as I have mentioned, there is no point wishing to forget, for the harder you try to forget, the more painful it is going to be. I acknowledge its existance, and it is something that i can't run away from because, it is just me. That emotion is just a very part of me that will never vanish by force.

I am me， I had always been. I just refused to accept myself.

How a second will be etched in a memory.

2011-02-26T00:42:00.004+08:00

Fate is funny. When you really want to see a person, the person will disappear from your sight. When you want to put the person behind you, suddenly the person just appears in every nook and corner around you. Just 3 inches, that's how far we were. Close enough to touch one another, but yet so far away that we had to ignore each other's existence. I can't bring myself to look at her in the eye, neither can she accept the eye contact. I had to distant myself from her, after all, that's what she wants. I destroyed every possible way to contact her, so that I will not have anymore sentiments for her. So that she will no longer need to experience the awkward environment, the disgust when she sees me, and so that I will not be disappointed every time I try to converse with her. I am trying to respect her wishes at the expense of how I feel but I can't run away from it.

Walking out of the tunnel

2011-02-22T22:51:00.003+08:00

I ended the whole saga once and for all. I cut all links with J. I still have feelings and emotions, but I came to the conclusion that if I liked somebody, I have to learn to let go of the person, regardless of how much the person hates me. I feel lighter now, knowing that no matter what I do, wouldn't change a thing. The only part I never liked about this saga, was that we met as strangers and we parted as strangers. There was animosity involved, there was some bruised pride and there were deep regrets. These will ebb through the tides of time, but they will never vanish. It is perhaps, a reminder of what I should not do in the future. I have lost some, I have gained some. But whatever it was, I closed the book for myself. If you are not the reason for somebody to smile, then I guess it's time for you to make yourself scarce, for that person will never have a reason to give you her smile.

interesting reply

2011-01-28T01:07:00.001+08:00

Dear B, I went through a similar thing. It
took about five years to get over. So I am going
to say things to you that other people might
not say. Other people may not have gone
through what you and I have gone through. I
am going to say things that may sound harsh
and dogmatic or unforgiving. You talk like an
addict. You concentrate on the feeling that she
gave you and how you've lost it and crave it
and fear you'll never get it back. You're living
without her and have nothing to replace her
with. Nothing else will give you that feeling.
She was your heroine and your heroin. What
you did when you were with her sounds like
what we do when we're high. You talk like an
addict who's white-knuckling it. You abused
her, as it were, the way one abuses a
substance. You took too much of her. You got
drunk on her. When she ran dry you needed
more. So you went out and got more. You
didn't care where you got or who you got from
or how it made her feel. What you felt for her
was not as much love for her as love for what
she contained, what she promised, what she
brought to you. You loved her like an addict
loves the bottle the whiskey comes in. You
loved the whiskey that she was. You loved the
high she gave you. Maybe this sounds harsh.
The phenomena you describe -- the
connectedness, the paranormal awareness, the
intoxication -- sound like the romantic love
that poets talk about. She understood you like
no one else. She understood you in a way that
could be magical or could be pathological.
Your love of this understanding of you, this
also could be romantic or could be
pathological. Your love of this one feeling is a
love of feeling understood. Addiction and love
are different. Love is hard. Addiction is a
better high. But addiction will destroy you.
Addiction will leave you wanting more. Just
look at you. You are still reeling. You are still
craving that future of limitless highs,
smothered in the butter of her endless
fascination. To dwell on this will only excite
more hunger, more desire, more self-
interested seeking after conquest and orgasm
and acceptance and adrenaline and intimacy
and release. You saw it yourself: As great as
she was, she was not enough. She was not
enough because it wasn't about her. It was
about your high. You were using her to get
high. To maintain the high, you found the high
wherever you could find it. In doing so, you
hurt her. You professed to not know why you
hurt her, because to admit why you hurt her
would be to admit that she was an object.
Since she was an object, in a sense you tried
to destroy her. We attempt to destroy the
objects of our addiction. In our delusion, we
see them as the cause of our addiction. I
suggest you consider the possibility that you
have a kind of sex and love addiction. There
are groups that deal with this. I suggest that
you consider the possibility that in being the
wonderful person you are, talented and
successful and creative, you are, like so many
of us talented and successful and creative
people, deeply flawed in the classic way,
flawed like Byron and Jim Morrison, flawed
like Shakespeare and Don Juan, flawed like
Richard Burton, flawed like JFK and Bill
Clinton, flawed like a rock star, flawed like
Sinatra. This flaw will not leave you in the
physical gutter the way an alcohol addiction
will. It leaves you in a cultural gutter, despised
by women and men alike, outcast, unable to
live within society's rules, unable take care of
your family. So it's a tricky thing to figure out,
whether you're just a red-blooded cocksman
or an addict. It's a hard thing to figure out. But
what you're telling me, this is what it sounds
like: Your psychological structure drives you
to seek a high through other people, and this
self-centered seeking of a high prevents you
from genuinely encountering the other. The
other will not make you high. The other will
not always be psychically connected to you.
The other will not always have the same
dreams. The other is genuinely the other. You
say, quite understandably, "I'm well
acquainted with the concepts of accepting
responsibility, grieving, growing and moving
on, I actually understand how to do all of that.
The problem here is that I don't want to do
that last part." Well, my friend, no addict
wants to move on. No addict wants to willingly
give up the only thing that makes him feel OK.
But it doesn't matter what you want. Nor does
it matter what you think. You think you know
how to grieve and move on. You think you
know how to do these things. But grieving and
moving on are not things that you do. They are
things that happen to you. You might know
how to walk in the rain. But you don't decide
when it rains or how long it rains or how hard
it rains. You just carry an umbrella and keep
your head down. Here is the other thing that is
paradoxical but makes it sound like an
addiction to me: You are so great in every
other way. What this says is not, "Gee, then
how could he be an addict?" but, "Gee, so of
course he's an addict!" The essential
characteristic is present: The split. The void.
The discomfort. The space between your
perfection and your craven emptiness, your
public satisfaction and secret craving, your
placid exterior and need for a high, your
intellectual competence and spiritual longing.
After years of Lacanian psychoanalysis, you
might actually be able to be with the woman
you love. But this also may be some kind of
dream akin to the dream alcoholics have of
one day drinking normally. It is more likely
that you will have to learn to live with a new
way of relating to women that is more difficult,
more nuanced and more centered in the give-
and-take between two independent, self-
governing individuals. It doesn't mean you
can't have sex and love. But it means that the
fundamental mechanism that you have
mistaken for love must be altered. She's gone.
She's gone and it's over. What you are left with
is yourself.

FYP Post 3: Finding relations betweeen nouns

2011-01-17T12:53:00.001+08:00

I am trying to create a hierarchy tree for my nouns but somehow it doesn't seem to go well

>>> sentence = [('The', 'DT'), ('average', 'JJ'), ('compact', 'NN'), ('point-and-shoot', 'NN'), ('camera', 'NN'), ('has', 'VBZ'), ('a', 'DT'), ('4x', 'CD'), ('or', 'CC'), ('5x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('lens', 'NNS'), ('in', 'IN'), ('it', 'PRP')]
>>> print cp.parse(sentence)
(S
The/DT
average/JJ
(NP compact/NN point-and-shoot/NN camera/NN)
has/VBZ
a/DT
4x/CD
or/CC
5x/CD
zoom/NN
lens/NNS
in/IN
it/PRP)
>>> tree = nltk.tree('NP', ['camera'])

Probably my last post with regards to the saga

2011-01-09T01:47:00.002+08:00

Jessica, Well, I guess forgetting you is not an option...you are too ingrained in my memory. Even though I hardly know you, I know I have put you on a pedestal and ignore all the flaws that you possibly have. I saw you as an angel, though I never touched the heavens through you. I have entombed myself in a cold prison, together with memories of you. Perhaps feelings will disappear over time. But the memories will remain. I do not want to know whether I am in your good books or not. I will remain as a person who will wish you well from the sidelines. I messed up, and I have since learned well. I wish you a wonderful life ahead, and I hope your dreams will be fulfilled in time to come.
Till then
Goodbye

FYP Post 3: Chaining of multiple commands

2011-01-05T19:56:00.001+08:00

I have just completed a new command called chaining, which allows me to segment the raw sentences and break them down into parts of speeches. Here's the code.

>>> document = "The average compact point-and-shoot camera has a 4x or 5x zoom lens in it. Anyone who's ever tried with one of these cameras to get in closer to a player on the field at a sporting event or snap off a shot of a bird without scaring it away knows that such a short range doesn't cut it. The obvious solution is to get something with a longer zoom, but that means a larger camera, too, that might no longer fit in your pocket. Or could it? With more megapixels waning as a marketable feature, increased optical zooms and/or wide-angle lenses are supplanting that spec on compact cameras. If all you want is to get in a little tighter on the action, the 14-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370's 7x optical zoom or 12-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3's 8x zoom lens should satisfy. Those who are really tired of their short zooms will probably want to step up to a 10x zoom lens like those on the Casio Exilim EX-FH100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. They can be a little uncomfortable for smaller pockets, but can definitely fit in a jacket pocket or bag. Reaching a little farther beyond those is the Panasonic DMC-ZS5, which packs a wide-angle lens with a 12x zoom range into what's still a fairly compact body and the 14x Canon PowerShot SX210 IS. There are a couple things to keep in mind about these cameras. Longer lenses, as well as wider ones, typically cause a bit of distortion, which some models correct for when processing photos. Plus, because the lens glass isn't always top quality, the images from these cameras can be soft. Also, generally speaking, the longer the lens, the slower the camera's performance. We've learned not to expect really fast start-up and shot-to-shot times on models with a 10x zoom or greater."
>>> def ie_preprocess(document):
sentences = nltk.sent_tokenize(document)
sentences = [nltk.word_tokenize(sent) for sent in sentences]
sentences = [nltk.pos_tag(sent) for sent in sentences]
return sentences

>>> ie_preprocess(document)
[[('The', 'DT'), ('average', 'JJ'), ('compact', 'NN'), ('point-and-shoot', 'NN'), ('camera', 'NN'), ('has', 'VBZ'), ('a', 'DT'), ('4x', 'CD'), ('or', 'CC'), ('5x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('lens', 'NNS'), ('in', 'IN'), ('it', 'PRP'), ('.', '.')], [('Anyone', 'NN'), ('who', 'WP'), ("'s", 'VBZ'), ('ever', 'RB'), ('tried', 'VBN'), ('with', 'IN'), ('one', 'CD'), ('of', 'IN'), ('these', 'DT'), ('cameras', 'NNS'), ('to', 'TO'), ('get', 'VB'), ('in', 'IN'), ('closer', 'JJR'), ('to', 'TO'), ('a', 'DT'), ('player', 'NN'), ('on', 'IN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('field', 'NN'), ('at', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('sporting', 'NN'), ('event', 'NN'), ('or', 'CC'), ('snap', 'VB'), ('off', 'RP'), ('a', 'DT'), ('shot', 'NN'), ('of', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('bird', 'JJ'), ('without', 'IN'), ('scaring', 'NN'), ('it', 'PRP'), ('away', 'RB'), ('knows', 'VBZ'), ('that', 'IN'), ('such', 'JJ'), ('a', 'DT'), ('short', 'JJ'), ('range', 'NN'), ('does', 'VBZ'), ("n't", 'RB'), ('cut', 'VB'), ('it', 'PRP'), ('.', '.')], [('The', 'DT'), ('obvious', 'JJ'), ('solution', 'NN'), ('is', 'VBZ'), ('to', 'TO'), ('get', 'VB'), ('something', 'NN'), ('with', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('longer', 'JJR'), ('zoom', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('but', 'CC'), ('that', 'IN'), ('means', 'NNS'), ('a', 'DT'), ('larger', 'JJR'), ('camera', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('too', 'RB'), (',', ','), ('that', 'IN'), ('might', 'MD'), ('no', 'RB'), ('longer', 'RBR'), ('fit', 'JJ'), ('in', 'IN'), ('your', 'PRP$'), ('pocket', 'NN'), ('.', '.')], [('Or', 'CC'), ('could', 'MD'), ('it', 'PRP'), ('?', '.')], [('With', 'IN'), ('more', 'JJR'), ('megapixels', 'NNS'), ('waning', 'VBG'), ('as', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('marketable', 'JJ'), ('feature', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('increased', 'VBD'), ('optical', 'JJ'), ('zooms', 'NNS'), ('and/or', 'JJ'), ('wide-angle', 'JJ'), ('lenses', 'NNS'), ('are', 'VBP'), ('supplanting', 'VBG'), ('that', 'IN'), ('spec', 'NN'), ('on', 'IN'), ('compact', 'NN'), ('cameras', 'NNS'), ('.', '.')], [('If', 'IN'), ('all', 'DT'), ('you', 'PRP'), ('want', 'VBP'), ('is', 'VBZ'), ('to', 'TO'), ('get', 'VB'), ('in', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('little', 'RB'), ('tighter', 'NN'), ('on', 'IN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('action', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('the', 'DT'), ('14-megapixel', 'JJ'), ('Sony', 'NNP'), ('Cyber-shot', 'JJ'), ('DSC-W370', '-NONE-'), ("'s", 'VBZ'), ('7x', 'CD'), ('optical', 'JJ'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('or', 'CC'), ('12-megapixel', 'CD'), ('Panasonic', 'NNP'), ('Lumix', 'NNP'), ('DMC-ZR3', 'NNP'), ("'s", 'POS'), ('8x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('lens', 'NNS'), ('should', 'MD'), ('satisfy', 'VB'), ('.', '.')], [('Those', 'DT'), ('who', 'WP'), ('are', 'VBP'), ('really', 'RB'), ('tired', 'VBN'), ('of', 'IN'), ('their', 'PRP$'), ('short', 'JJ'), ('zooms', 'NNS'), ('will', 'MD'), ('probably', 'RB'), ('want', 'VB'), ('to', 'TO'), ('step', 'VB'), ('up', 'RP'), ('to', 'TO'), ('a', 'DT'), ('10x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('lens', 'NNS'), ('like', 'IN'), ('those', 'DT'), ('on', 'IN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('Casio', 'NNP'), ('Exilim', 'NNP'), ('EX-FH100', 'NNP'), ('and', 'CC'), ('Sony', 'NNP'), ('Cyber-shot', 'NNP'), ('DSC-H55', 'NNP'), ('.', '.')], [('They', 'PRP'), ('can', 'MD'), ('be', 'VB'), ('a', 'DT'), ('little', 'RB'), ('uncomfortable', 'JJ'), ('for', 'IN'), ('smaller', 'JJR'), ('pockets', 'NNS'), (',', ','), ('but', 'CC'), ('can', 'MD'), ('definitely', 'RB'), ('fit', 'VB'), ('in', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('jacket', 'NN'), ('pocket', 'NN'), ('or', 'CC'), ('bag', 'NN'), ('.', '.')], [('Reaching', 'VBG'), ('a', 'DT'), ('little', 'RB'), ('farther', 'RBR'), ('beyond', 'IN'), ('those', 'DT'), ('is', 'VBZ'), ('the', 'DT'), ('Panasonic', 'NNP'), ('DMC-ZS5', 'NNP'), (',', ','), ('which', 'WDT'), ('packs', 'NNS'), ('a', 'DT'), ('wide-angle', 'JJ'), ('lens', 'NN'), ('with', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('12x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('range', 'NN'), ('into', 'IN'), ('what', 'WP'), ("'s", 'POS'), ('still', 'RB'), ('a', 'DT'), ('fairly', 'RB'), ('compact', 'JJ'), ('body', 'NN'), ('and', 'CC'), ('the', 'DT'), ('14x', 'CD'), ('Canon', 'NNP'), ('PowerShot', 'NNP'), ('SX210', 'NNP'), ('IS', 'NNP'), ('.', '.')], [('There', 'EX'), ('are', 'VBP'), ('a', 'DT'), ('couple', 'NN'), ('things', 'NNS'), ('to', 'TO'), ('keep', 'VB'), ('in', 'IN'), ('mind', 'NN'), ('about', 'IN'), ('these', 'DT'), ('cameras', 'NNS'), ('.', '.')], [('Longer', 'NNP'), ('lenses', 'NNS'), (',', ','), ('as', 'IN'), ('well', 'RB'), ('as', 'IN'), ('wider', 'NN'), ('ones', 'NNS'), (',', ','), ('typically', 'RB'), ('cause', 'VB'), ('a', 'DT'), ('bit', 'NN'), ('of', 'IN'), ('distortion', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('which', 'WDT'), ('some', 'DT'), ('models', 'NNS'), ('correct', 'VBP'), ('for', 'IN'), ('when', 'WRB'), ('processing', 'VBG'), ('photos', 'NNS'), ('.', '.')], [('Plus', 'NNP'), (',', ','), ('because', 'IN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('lens', 'NNS'), ('glass', 'NN'), ('is', 'VBZ'), ("n't", 'RB'), ('always', 'RB'), ('top', 'VB'), ('quality', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('the', 'DT'), ('images', 'NNS'), ('from', 'IN'), ('these', 'DT'), ('cameras', 'NNS'), ('can', 'MD'), ('be', 'VB'), ('soft', 'VBN'), ('.', '.')], [('Also', 'RB'), (',', ','), ('generally', 'RB'), ('speaking', 'VBG'), (',', ','), ('the', 'DT'), ('longer', 'NN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('lens', 'NN'), (',', ','), ('the', 'DT'), ('slower', 'NN'), ('the', 'DT'), ('camera', 'NN'), ("'s", 'POS'), ('performance', 'NN'), ('.', '.')], [('We', 'PRP'), ("'ve", 'VBP'), ('learned', 'VBN'), ('not', 'RB'), ('to', 'TO'), ('expect', 'VB'), ('really', 'RB'), ('fast', 'JJ'), ('start-up', 'NN'), ('and', 'CC'), ('shot-to-shot', 'JJ'), ('times', 'NNS'), ('on', 'IN'), ('models', 'NNS'), ('with', 'IN'), ('a', 'DT'), ('10x', 'CD'), ('zoom', 'NN'), ('or', 'CC'), ('greater', 'JJR'), ('.', '.')]]

FYP Post 2: Sentence Segmentation

2011-01-05T15:23:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I was saying I couldn't do the sentence segmentation. Well, here's the code for it. Right now I am able to break a passage into individual sentences.

>>> text = "The average compact point-and-shoot camera has a 4x or 5x zoom lens in it. Anyone who's ever tried with one of these cameras to get in closer to a player on the field at a sporting event or snap off a shot of a bird without scaring it away knows that such a short range doesn't cut it. The obvious solution is to get something with a longer zoom, but that means a larger camera, too, that might no longer fit in your pocket. Or could it? With more megapixels waning as a marketable feature, increased optical zooms and/or wide-angle lenses are supplanting that spec on compact cameras. If all you want is to get in a little tighter on the action, the 14-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370's 7x optical zoom or 12-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3's 8x zoom lens should satisfy. Those who are really tired of their short zooms will probably want to step up to a 10x zoom lens like those on the Casio Exilim EX-FH100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. They can be a little uncomfortable for smaller pockets, but can definitely fit in a jacket pocket or bag. Reaching a little farther beyond those is the Panasonic DMC-ZS5, which packs a wide-angle lens with a 12x zoom range into what's still a fairly compact body and the 14x Canon PowerShot SX210 IS. There are a couple things to keep in mind about these cameras. Longer lenses, as well as wider ones, typically cause a bit of distortion, which some models correct for when processing photos. Plus, because the lens glass isn't always top quality, the images from these cameras can be soft. Also, generally speaking, the longer the lens, the slower the camera's performance. We've learned not to expect really fast start-up and shot-to-shot times on models with a 10x zoom or greater."
>>> sents = sent_tokenizer.tokenize(text)
>>> import pprint
>>> pprint.pprint(sents)
['The average compact point-and-shoot camera has a 4x or 5x zoom lens in it.',
"Anyone who's ever tried with one of these cameras to get in closer to a player on the field at a sporting event or snap off a shot of a bird without scaring it away knows that such a short range doesn't cut it.",
'The obvious solution is to get something with a longer zoom, but that means a larger camera, too, that might no longer fit in your pocket.',
'Or could it?',
'With more megapixels waning as a marketable feature, increased optical zooms and/or wide-angle lenses are supplanting that spec on compact cameras.',
"If all you want is to get in a little tighter on the action, the 14-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370's 7x optical zoom or 12-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3's 8x zoom lens should satisfy.",
'Those who are really tired of their short zooms will probably want to step up to a 10x zoom lens like those on the Casio Exilim EX-FH100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55.',
'They can be a little uncomfortable for smaller pockets, but can definitely fit in a jacket pocket or bag.',
"Reaching a little farther beyond those is the Panasonic DMC-ZS5, which packs a wide-angle lens with a 12x zoom range into what's still a fairly compact body and the 14x Canon PowerShot SX210 IS.",
'There are a couple things to keep in mind about these cameras.',
'Longer lenses, as well as wider ones, typically cause a bit of distortion, which some models correct for when processing photos.',
"Plus, because the lens glass isn't always top quality, the images from these cameras can be soft.",
"Also, generally speaking, the longer the lens, the slower the camera's performance.",
"We've learned not to expect really fast start-up and shot-to-shot times on models with a 10x zoom or greater."]
>>>

FYP post 1

2011-01-04T23:21:00.002+08:00

What I have done so far:I have discovered a tool for me to process information of any sentence structure into usable This tool is known as the natural language tool kit. So, what's natural language processing?

By "natural language" we mean a language that is used for everyday communication by humans; languages like English, Hindi or Portuguese. In contrast to artificial languages such as programming languages and mathematical notations, natural languages have evolved as they pass from generation to generation, and are hard to pin down with explicit rules. We will take Natural Language Processing — or NLP for short — in a wide sense to cover any kind of computer manipulation of natural language. At one extreme, it could be as simple as counting word frequencies to compare different writing styles. At the other extreme, NLP involves "understanding" complete human utterances, at least to the extent of being able to give useful responses to them.

So a slight introduction to the NLTK, it is a program based on Python, which is a simple yet powerful programming language with excellent functionality for processing linguistic data. NLTK defines an infrastructure that can be used to build NLP programs in Python. It provides basic classes for representing data relevant to natural language processing; standard interfaces for performing tasks such as part-of-speech tagging, syntactic parsing, and text classification; and standard implementations for each task which can be combined to solve complex problems.

So first things first, installing the NLTK. It can be installed in both Linux and Windows, but since Python is already native to Linux, it would probably run easier on it. So all I had to do was to download the packages from www.nltk.org and install the packages. That should do right?
Unfortunately no.. for some reason, python wasn't too friendly on my version of Ubuntu and I had to spend the whole of yesterday trying to update my Ubuntu from ver 9.1 to 10.04 with a crappy internet network in NTU.

So here's my grand plan. I was planning to break down each passage into individual sentences. But I have not found the means to break them yet.
So the next step was to break down the passages into parts of speeches, basically your nouns, verbs adjectives adverbs etc.
After which, we will attempt to chunk the the nouns with their adjectives, and determine if the nouns are described positively or negatively. This would require me to attempt semantic orientation. I am not too sure if the NLTK can do that, if not I will try some other tools.
Now this is the interesting part. NLTK has the ability to create a hierarchy tree based on the nouns. If we look at a review, we can see that the nouns are linked in one form or another in terms of levels.
For example, the camera has buttons in inappropriate locations. Camera would represent the highest level of the noun hierarchy, followed by buttons and location. If we can create a semantic orientation of the nouns, we can get a very accurate need statement.

I am planning to use ulrich's 5 guidelines, namely represent the need statements in raw, do not represent the sentence with should or must, which i believe requires me to do chinking, which is a mean of adding conditions to a sentence processing. In this case, I would probably add a if else condition, such that the sentence will remove all must and should.There are a few others, but I am running abit of a fever and I will just continue tomorrow.

I was unforgiven and forgotten

2010-12-28T01:01:00.003+08:00

Dear Miss J
I guess, with your silence, it meant that I will never be forgiven, and I will be forgotten. With your silence, it meant that we can't be friends. With your silence, it will mean that our paths may never cross again. Whatever it was supposed to be, I still see you as a friend, though you probably don't see me the same way. in a few days, I am going to leave my past behind. In less than a month, I will remember you as a friend. But I will forget the memories we once shared.
I am letting go now. Without the reciprocity in communication, it is unwise for me to stay in the past. I can see that you have moved on already. It's time for me to go.
I am not as sad as I once was, just empty. I think whatever tears I once had had been emptied. Whatever extreme joy and the warm fuzzy feeling I have is now dead. I just don't know what to feel. A person once told me to apologize especially when I have wronged a lady. Another told me to be more open with my feelings. I did both, it never worked out well enough to gain the person's trust again. I am sorry, not for you, but for myself.

2010-12-26T10:03:00.001+08:00

last night, I cried myself to sleep. my emotional mind condemning myself while my logical mind telling me that I have nothing to lose. it has been a constant war in me and only I can hear myself out.

A post merry Xmas

2010-12-26T01:41:00.003+08:00

My Christmas wish this year, was to stop this winter in my heart, to feel some warmth again. I wanted so much to be forgiven, and remembered. But I realized that the person who needs to forgive me, was actually myself, simply because I didn't have the courage to move on. I have to love myself to love others so that others can love me. Perhaps that is the most difficult thing for me to do. I have to admit, I live 2010 in regret, but regret is something that can only be solved within.I want to cry out this misery, but tears can't come out no matter how I try. But I swear I will love myself.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T17:17:00.001+08:00

I spent my Christmas eve with a heavy heart. Letting go wasn't easy, memories still haunts me. I looked at my eyes last night, and they freak me out. They have not much of a soul in them. I still live in regret and my freedom has become a prison to me. Feelings I have lost, pain that is always there. I grew up from there, but at the same time, I am scarred.
I live each dream in joy, only to wake up in disappointment. Everyday, without fail, I am trapped in a past that does not exist. I hope for nothing this Christmas, just for a little warmth in my soul.

In retrospective for 2010

2010-12-24T03:57:00.003+08:00

I just looked at the mirror today. Only to see a person with no life in his face, only to see a person badly disturbed by his past, a person who is filled with regret. 4 months...and I still couldn't let go. 4 months, and I am still filled with loneliness. I have everything in the world for me, why is it the only person who couldn't see it is me?
This Christmas, I am not asking for anything God, I want my heart to be at peace. To enjoy the little things in life. I don't want anybody new in my life, I don't want any new toys or clothes or anything. I just want to be happy. That will be all God.

With Agape,
Jeremy

In retrospective

2010-12-07T00:35:00.002+08:00

17 days have passed since I sent out that mail. Often I asked myself, is that what I truely want? To be honest, no. I would like to live in the fairy tale of rose tinted glasses, where everyday is a bliss. But to be realistic, I had to realise my need to move on. When the rose tinted glasses are removed, the world is just a dark pit. And I am that frog in the pit who thinks that the world revolves around the rose. I do have pangs of sadness when the memories strike, but at least I know i am standing on my own turf. I can whimper a little and get up knowing I have a life to live for. The very least I can do is to pray for her well being, as I walk my own path. 16 more days, I will be liberated from a year long intoxicating dream. One that I don't want to leave, but yet, will truely sap my life steadily.

Syonara, ojou-sama, ore-wa hontoni gomenasai.

A little self reflection

2010-11-30T10:56:00.003+08:00

I am writing here, partially because I am confused. It has been weeks since I told J that I was highly infatuated with her, and as long as I had feelings for her, I can't be her friend and that when I speak to her again, I hope to speak to her as a friend instead of someone I am infatuated with. I feel that my choice of words is biting back at me. But yet, I know that I had to do it, otherwise I can't move on. That's how weak I am emotionally. But I had to detach myself from emotions that are tying me to the ground to move on. I wish things never happened that way. I wished I could let go of myself more readily. It's funny how each time I try to enter the world of romance, I get bitten harder than the previous time. It really hurts this time round, and I think its time for me to move away from this illusion that I always wish to have. I am not going to attempt to find happiness through romance from now, to a very long time to come, perhaps until I learn to be more emotionally mature.
Miss J..I know you will never see this, but I am truly sorry that I wasn't honest in the past, and I am sorry I have to break a promise. Till our paths cross again. syonara ojou sama..

it was my fault after all.

2010-11-11T10:16:00.001+08:00

The reason why I am in this predicament, was because I put myself in the situation the first place. I was infatuated with them and subconsciously I kept hoping for something from them. I think I am immatured in that aspect.

perhaps that's the answer I was looking for. Not why I have no sense of belonging but rather whether I have the mental maturity to handle people around me, especially in the aspect of romance. For wanting it too hard, I forgo logic.

I think its time to step back and relook at my life. To understand what I have lost logically rather than emotionally. I kept blaming the world for my problems, "If my boss treated me better, perhaps I would have been able to talk to j." " If d reciprocated in communications, I would have understood." "if j was more open perhaps I can be closer to her." The problem is, I expect too much from others emotionally. But I failed to understand that freewill means that I should not get anything in return. I focused too much on Eros than agape. So the fault lies with my immaturity rather than anything else.

As I walk on, I hope the turbulence in my emotions would die out. And should I feel in pain again, let this post be a message to my logical side.

Happy Birthday Miss D.

2010-11-03T14:26:00.001+08:00

Today is D's birthday. but because I had to de-associate from her, to stop thinking about the past, I can't say happy birthday. Because I told her I will stop trying to be her friend, I decided to stop everything. I have never encountered this in my life, and I think I am tired. I am moving on from here. All that happy times that happened in the past, was just a dream. I had to wake up to reality. Happy birthday, old pal. I know you can't see this.

God, I present you my heart

2010-10-17T00:55:00.002+08:00

“Stop dwelling on past events and brooding over times gone by;” Isa 43:18

God, with this line, I surrender to you my emotions. Whatever longings and desire that I once had, God, safeguard it till I need it once again. Let your will be done, but as of now, keep me in your word. God, I feel that I have no reason to torture myself anymore. If I had to be judged, I will only be answerable to you and to myself and not to the words of men.

For too long I have abandoned my inner peace through you via my selfish desires, for too long I have been brooding over past regrets that has no relevance to my future. God, I am tired. I am tired of the constant lows that I have to feel. My goal now is for me to live a life of happiness.

I once asked my friend, "Has life as a christian made your life any better? Has it made your life easier?"He told me, no life didn't become easier. But life became better. Because it was through the hard times in life, that he appreciates what God has done for him, that God has allowed him to grow. God, despite being a Christian for 20 over years of my life, I still feel like an infant. Being emotionally carried away with a quest to find a sense of belonging. Perhaps,through these years of my life, I have been looking at the wrong direction.

God, I surrender my emotions to you once again. Keep me objective, not subjective, keep me wholesome without the instant sugar high that the world is offering me.

Amen

Self laddering technique.

2010-10-07T18:46:00.003+08:00

A friend once asked me, "If I find myself lonely and single, will I lose my mind and become a psychopath?" I replied to her, "Absolutely not." Because I felt there is so much to life than to just feel lonely.

But, reality is so different. When that same friend put me aside, the feeling is awful. I felt abandoned.

Was I being used? The first question to enter my head.
Did I do something wrong? The second question to enter my head.
Can I rectify it? The third question to enter my head.

For the first 2, I can't affirm the answer. But for the final, the answer is clear. There is nothing I can do about it. This leads to another question.

How can I stop thinking about it?

The conclusion is, I can't. The only thing I can ask is, "What have I learnt from that friendship?"

I learned to be more sensitive to others. I learned to be more self confident when dealing with people. And for writing this, I learned to be more self forgiving. That being oversensitive, is not a flaw, but a gift given by God. For it increased my capacity to love others. I learned that I have to stop hurting myself if I want to be happy.

To that friend, she will not be my friend, but she will not be my enemy. I am not obliged to help her, but I have no reason to hate her either.

Life's little lessons 3

2010-09-24T00:26:00.001+08:00

Regrets. I always lived with them, I have always felt the pangs of pain in my heart. Even now, I am feeling the pain of it. It's a word that always starts a sentence with if. But there are really not that many ifs in this world. The fact is the world still moves on no matter how much you look back at it. You will end up in the losing end ultimately. Still, it bothers me quite substantially. But its still a long road on.

With regrets, comes self pity. I have potentially lost 2 friends through my behaviour. Its only when reality strikes that you realise that you are trying to make the world revolve around you. But the fact is that, you are just moving linearly with time and everyone can see you as the abnormality.

I wish I can reconcile with these friends. But humans being human, it is unlikely you will get a second chance. Which brings me to the second point, don't try to force your presence into another person's life. Do it slowly. And if you find that you can't enter their lives, walk away, give them some space. Finally, stop blaming yourself. We all learn from our mistakes. Move on and do not let that emotion get the better of you.

My last point, in the event that you can't convince a friend, then move on from her. No point regarding a person as a friend who has no regards for you. Friendship is a win-win situation. Both parties are supposed to benefit from it. But if the friendship has degraded to the point where it is no longer transparent, and that you are treated transparently, then there is no point feeling hurt about it. Trust and communication is critical, without it, it is no longer a friendship. But of course don't dismiss every cold shoulder as an end game, there is always a reason for that cold shoulder. Most importantly, ask and see if you can resolve it. Don't let it drag on for too long.

I don't have a lot of friends, so those who I really cherish means a lot to me. But, sometimes, a hard decision might have to be made.

Life's little lesson 2

2010-09-22T19:51:00.001+08:00

Sometimes your emotions can be your greatest enemy. In the process of worrying and feeling sorry for myself, I have possibly lost quite a number of friends. But there is not much point in agonizing over it. What's done is done, feeling sorry for yourself takes you nowhere.

Clear up the mess if you can. If you managed to resolve the situation, congratulations. You won back a friend. If you didn't, its alright, take it as a lesson learnt. Control your feelings from now on. But never put yourself down, you will only bring further grief to yourself. Be happy and let it radiate from yourself. Once you are happy, others will notice. Do not live in the past, live for the present and the future. Regrets are acceptable, for its only through disappointments that you learn.

Life's little lessons

2010-09-20T20:19:00.002+08:00

Its months since I have written anything here. The past 9 months had been an emotional roller coaster for me. Personally, I think I did not handle myself well. But I think I have learnt countless little lessons during this period, the most important of which, was positive thinking.
To those who know me, I don't reveal my emotions out publicly except to the few I trust. But I feel that you guys deserve a word of thanks from me. So if you find yourself being referenced inside the text that follows, please accept it as a word of thanks.

There were times I had been wondering, why is it I am always unhappy.
There were times I would have been lying on my bed, wishing that God would remove the painful emotions from my heart.
But it was through these times learned that what I have been missing out is not the lack of positive emotions, but rather I chose not to understand what I have in abundance.

I learned that it is through sadness, that I appreciated the value of being happy.
I realised that it is through failing in love, that you learn that you have the capacity to love.
I realise that it is through the lack of appreciation, that you learn ambition.
I realise that it is through falling down, that you learn to get up.
I realise that it is through disappointment, that you learn to have hope.
I realise that it is through the lack of communication, that you learn to communicate
I realise that it is through a frown, that you will appreciate a smile.
I realise that it is through bitterness that you appreciate appeasement.

Most importantly, a smile can kill a tear, a positive thought can over shadow a negative one.
If I had to choose to be happy or sad over a matter, be happy because it feels so much better.
If you put on a bitter mask, nobody will come to you.
If you choose to wallow in self pity, nobody will pity you.
Things like these were taught by 2 friends of mine over the past 9 months. I believe I grew up a lot through them.

Of course there were several friends and family members who had contributed to this simple recipe to a positive life.

I will keep smiling, no matter how broken I feel. It just feels so much easier. So to those who have endured my whining, thank you for listening. For those who have left because of my whining, I am sorry. For friends who have walked away from me, come back, return. I am sorry.

Solo Photog: Dairy Farm Nature Reserve

2010-02-21T21:16:00.005+08:00

Another of my photo-therapy, a trip to Dairy Farm Nature Reserve. Its a bit of an uncharted territory for me, but its really easy to navigate around.

So some animal shots I took.
The Golden Orb Spider. Its almost as big as my palm

Chocolate grass yellow

Common Mormon
Green Crested Lizard

Chocolate Pansy
Crab eating macau

Back to the Southern Ridges Again.

2010-02-18T00:07:00.002+08:00

I was feeling a little blue, so I decided on a photo therapy. Before I knew it, I was at Habourfront MRT Station, getting ready for a long march.

Anyway this will be my first post for 2009, apologies for the lack of updates. I will add captions to the images when I am a little more free. This is especially so for the butterflies, where I have to do some species identification.

Merry X'mas!

2009-12-24T10:04:00.003+08:00

Merry Christmas to all!

Gloomy Days

2009-12-18T22:26:00.003+08:00

Ifrared Series

2009-12-18T20:40:00.003+08:00

James never looked this cool.

A combination of IR and HDR

Likewise for this

Beauty of infra-red

Sinister yet beautiful

How to set up NTU webmail on Outlook

2009-12-01T21:23:00.002+08:00

Taken from www.collinyeo.blogspot.com

This post serves as a guide to all NTU students who want to use their NTU Mail on Microsoft Outlook.

Before anything, download VPN from here

http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/cits2/ras/for_cms_ref/vpn.exe

Once you have downloaded it, install this software, it allows you to tunnel into the NTU's network. Remember to log in using your user name : student\xxxxxxx and your password.

After that launch outlook express.

I will add screenshots later. So these instructions will suffice for now.

1) Launch MS Outlook

2) Add a new account

3) Select "Microsoft Exchange Server"

4) Enter "MAIL24.student.main.ntu.edu.sg" as the Exchange Server"

5) ALL NTU Student start with a "#" in front of the name. So if you were to email me, you would like "#LAU WEE KIANG JEREMY" without the quotes. So under "User Name", you would like "#" followed by your name and click "Check Name" in order to verify.

Thats it. You can use your NTU mail with your MS Outlook.

Additional: To access the Public Folder, click on the Folder Icon at the bottom of the left panel.

A new phototechnique from flikr

2009-11-26T20:40:00.000+08:00

From

Tennessee_Gator

I've been tinkering with this idea for getting sort of a muted color effect that's sorta neat. It also looks pretty good on portraits. Here's what I did.
1. Go to the channels pallet and command/ctrl + click on the RGB layers in the channels pallet. Making a selection of the luminosity.
 2. Add a new blank layer. Hit "d" on the keyboard to get DEFAULT COLORS.
3. Invert the selection command/contol + shift + i.
4. Fill the selection with black.... option/alt + delete/backspace put in multiply blending mode.
5. Invert the selection command/contol + shift + i.
6. Add an new blank layer and fill with white command/control + delete/backspace and put in screen blending mode.
7. Add a hue/saturation adjustment layer and put saturation at +25 (to the right using saturation slider).  If you like this effect you can easily make and action of this by adding a new action before you do these steps and then clicking to close action in the actions pallet after you're done.

My CAD Project

2009-11-04T22:37:00.002+08:00

Finally its over! The final product is completed! here's an image of my poster.

A bunch of Photos a Day

2009-10-22T23:12:00.004+08:00

A Bunch of Photos A Day!

2009-10-19T22:16:00.000+08:00

A Photo A Day!

2009-10-19T01:38:00.000+08:00

Omae Low Tension Girl

2009-10-17T20:50:00.002+08:00

A really lame video I saw by Kou Shibasaki!

Male:Are you in a bad mood?
Female:Not Really.
Male:Are you feeling bad?
Female:Not Really.
Male:Do your eyes feel bad?
Female:What?
Male:Do you feel bad?
Female:A little
Male:Do you have bad luck?
Female:Not really
Male:Is the elect wave of your cellphone bad?
Female:Not really
Male:Are your eyes feeling bad?
Female:leave me alone
Male:Am I bad?
Female:Maybe.
Female:The differences in our energy is something I can't ignore
Female:Even though its quite nice.
Male:Really? Your energy!
(Low energy)
Male:You could sleep through a terrifying ride!
Female:Your impossible energy.
(High energy)
Female:You will run round a convinience store even when you are dead
Male:Because I wanted to see your smile
I took 100,000 dollars awhile ago
Male:Do you have a tummy ache?
Female:Not really
Male:Are you toilsome
Female:Why?
Male:Did somebody die?
Female:My dog...
Male:Are you in mourning?
Female:Its not dead :-P
Female:The differences in our energy is something I can't ignore
Female:Its like he sleeps with his eyes open
Female:My energy is reaching its limit
(Low energy)
Female:I feel like lying down now.
Male:My energy can still continue!
(High energy)
Male:I'll skateboard in the middle of the road
Male:While I was trying to get you to smile
Male:Some stranger laughed at me
Male:Okinawa, Odaiba!
Male:Urayasu, Guam, Saipan
Male:Alligator garden!
Male:tropical and alligator garden!
Male:Park, Jojoen!
Male:100,000 dollars!
Male:Your energy does not rise even if i give it to you!
Female:Please don't worry about my low energy
(Low energy)
Female:By the way,
Female:Its my birthday today
Male:Really!!!
Male:Your impossible energy!
(Low energy)
Male:While we were watching a movie, it seems you have died!
Female:Please stop!Your energy!
(High energy)
Female:Please don't stop the taxi by Dogeza!
Male:Just to see your smile.
Male:I got a tatoo of a dinosaur!
When I saw your smile
My energy rose a little
Male:"Its just your imagination!"

Some Discarded work that I can't bear to delete away

2009-10-08T21:09:00.002+08:00

Comparison between the Nikon D80, Canon EOS 400D and Sony Alpha 100

Comparison between Competitors

a. Weight

The Canon’s 400D the lightest too at 510g for the body alone compared to 545g for the Sony Alpha 100 and 585g for the Nikon D80. Hence if the user intends to travel light, it would be better for him to carry the Canon 400D. Ladies in particular would appreciate the Canon 400D due to its much smaller size and weight as compared to the other two counter parts.

b. Shoot in dark lighting(flash, ISO)

All the three cameras have a build in flash which have the following functions, red eye correction, rear curtain flash sync (the ability to activate the flash after exposure) and flash exposure compensation. However, Sony Alpha 100 and Nikon D80 have the ability to support wireless flash control. Nikon takes this feature ahead by allowing the pop up flash to act as the main commanding flash which will activate other external flash units in the vicinity.

All three models offer sensitivity from 100 to 1600 ISO, but the Nikon D80 offers an additional H1.0 mode which delivers 3200 ISO. Like any 3200 ISO mode, it’s pretty noisy, but many will appreciate at least having the option. The D80 additionally offers ISO in third-stop increments and the choice of normal, low, high or no noise reduction on sensitivities at or above 800 ISO.

The Canon 400D has a lower noise handling as compared to the Nikon D80. This means that the picture seems less grainy at high ISO. On the other hand, the D80 has a much better noise processing system. It would attempt to smudge out the noise to make the image appear clearer.

In addition, Sony Alpha 100 has an internal Image stabilising system that shifts the sensor during hand shake. This allows the user to shoot at an extremely low shutter speed without a tripod. For Nikon and Canon, this system is built into the lens rather than into the camera. Hence, for the Sony Alpha 100 it could stabilise any lens that is mounted on the camera while for Nikon and Canon, it would be dependent on the lens that it uses.

As a general rule of thumb, for proper hand holding without having any shaky images, it is optimal to shoot at a shutter speed of 1/ focal length. Hence the user would have to shoot at 1/200 if he is at a 200mm focal length if he is shooting without a tripod. With Image stabilisation, the user could now shoot at 1/30 without any handshake in his image.

c. Able to use for a long time without charging

The three cameras are powered by rechargeable Lithium Ion battery packs, rated at 720, 1150 and 1500mAh for the Canon, Sony and Nikon respectively. Under test conditions, the Nikon D80 and the Canon 400D managed to fire off 500 and 300 shots respectively before the battery went flat. For the Sony Alpha 100, it managed about 300 shots per charge. The high battery consumption for the Sony Alpha 100 is partly due to the internal Image stabilisation which is non existent in the other two cameras.

d. Able to shoot quickly(Frame per second)

All three cameras are rated to shoot at a burst mode of 3 frames per second. For the Nikon D80 and Canon 400D, they would pause and buffer after 12 and 27 frames respectively. The Sony Alpha 100 is able to manage 3 frame per second non stop without buffering till the memory card runs out of space. Switching to RAW mode, the 400D captured 11 images in 4.2 seconds before slowing. The D80 managed six in two seconds, while the A100 captured nine in three seconds before stalling.

e. Ergonomics

While it can be seen in part a that the Canon 400D is the lightest of the three, it is also arguably the most uncomfortable of the whole lot. For users with large hands, the distance between the lens and the grip for the Canon 400D is very tight hence, fatigue and strain sets in after using the camera for too long. In addition, the grip area is much smaller as compared to the D80 and Sony Alpha 100. So the user might end up with his little finger sticking out in the air while holding the camera, which is a pretty awkward position.

In addition, the Nikon D80 has two control dials as compared to the Canon 400D and the Sony Alpha 100. This allows quick independent adjustment of the shutter and aperture in manual mode as compared to its other two counterparts. Hence, the user could use the camera based on pure instinct and muscle memory without leaving his eye from the viewfinder.

f. Vibrant real colours(Dynamic range, Colour resolution)

The Sony Alpha 100 has a function called Dynamic range Optimiser that brings up reduces the shadows and highlights during a very dramatic lighting condition to preserve details. The Nikon D80 has such a function within the in camera editor but for the Alpha 100, it’s much more convenient as it processes as you shoot.

For both the Sony and Nikon cameras they experience over blown highlights. Meaning that certain parts of the picture becomes over exposed. The Canon 400D is more resilient to over blown highlights compared to the other two. In addition, the Nikon D80 appears to have a slightly richer tone compared to the Canon 400D. This is probably due to the difference in nature of the sensors, Sony and Nikon using CCD based sensors which has very rich tones but poor exposure control while the Canon is using CMOS based sensors which have a slightly subdued tone, but very resilient against overexposure.

g. Able to print large size(Megapixel)

The Nikon and Sony cameras are rated to a 10.2 megapixel sensor while the Canon 400D is rated to 10.1 megapixels. However the 0.1 megapixel difference does not really make much of a difference and all 3 cameras are able to create A3 sized images.

h. Quiet operation

All three cameras do not have any damping systems for their shutters and mirrors. Hence the distinctive slapping sound can be heard from all 3 cameras.

i. Ruggedness/Weatherproof

The three cameras are made of high quality plastics however they are not rated to be shock proofed as they are more for serious amateurs. However they are not weather proof, with no weather sealing or rubber gasket. Further references could be made from the other more professional range of the Nikon and Canon family such as the D300 and 50D which uses magnesium alloy bodies with weather sealing at all openings.

j. Bright LCD screen

All three cameras use a 2.5 inch LCD screen presenting 230,000 pixels; hence all three cameras would preview the pictures in pretty much the same way at the same resolution. However, the Sony Alpha 100 and the Canon 400D uses this screen to present the camera settings while the Nikon D80 uses a secondary LCD screen to display the information. There are pros and cons to this, with the user being able to see his settings by just pulling his head back a little for the Sony and Canon cameras. But on the other hand, it would be difficult to see the LCD screen under broad day light at harsh lighting conditions. For Nikon, which uses a more traditional LCD secondary display, it can be seen under all lighting conditions.

k. Can shoot video

None of the cameras have the ability to take videos. They are purely for photography.

l. Can edit within camera(In-build editing software)

The Canon 400D, Nikon D80 and Sony A100 apply their in-camera colour, sharpness and tonal adjustments using a series of presets called Picture Styles, Image Optimisation and Digital Effects. Each offers a wide variety of adjustments and custom options.

m. Easy handling(Built in tutorials)

As these cameras are built with serious amateurs in mind, the cameras do not have a built in tutorial. So the user would be required to look through the manual. A better comparison would be the Nikon D40 or D60 which has a step by step explanation of the various functions within the camera. For those who do not like to adjust the aperture and shutter speed, all three cameras have various preset scene modes which allows the user to shoot certain scenery with just a twist of a dial.

As mentioned earlier, the D80 has a dual command dial which allows the user to adjust both his aperture and shutter speeds simultaneously without his eyes leaving the view finder. Hence it’s a little easier to use the D80 in this aspect.

A Slight Break from the work I do.

2009-10-03T21:26:00.002+08:00

Well, a slight breather before i continue. The over whelming work I am experiencing is enjoyable, but unbearable at times. So i guess I need a break.

Here's some pictures from my previous shoot out.
I call it the faces of Singapore.

A Photo or 2 A day!

2009-09-25T23:20:00.002+08:00

A Photo A day

2009-09-21T20:29:00.002+08:00

The Lord is my Strength

2009-09-21T00:34:00.000+08:00

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

So carry me through dear Lord.

A picture a day!

2009-09-20T17:41:00.001+08:00

A picture a day

2009-09-19T18:12:00.002+08:00

I Love You God

2009-09-14T01:25:00.005+08:00

How can I tell you that I love you?
How can I say that I truely care?
How can I live without you?
How can I say that you are all that I have?

To live under your watchful eyes all the time
To watch me grow whether its rainy or fine.
To forgive me despite my sins and lies
To let me live due to your sacrifice.

Here's a few words I would like to pray
Here's a few words that I would love to praise.
If four words are all that I can utter today
"I love you God" is all that I want to say.

A Photo a day

2009-09-12T11:04:00.001+08:00

A Photo a day!

2009-09-09T21:15:00.002+08:00

Sometimes We All Need A Little Washing

2009-09-09T18:00:00.001+08:00

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target (supermarket).

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came
pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said

'What?' Mom asked.

'Lets run through the rain!' She repeated

'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain,'

'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.

'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'

'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!'

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly.. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it
will bloom into faith.

'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,' Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories. So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

Does Evil Exist?

2009-09-07T20:48:00.001+08:00

This has a thought provoking message no matter how you believe. Does evil exist?

The university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists?
A student bravely replied yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" The professor asked.
"Yes, sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil."
The student became quiet before such an answer.

The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" "Of course", replied the professor. The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"

"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question.

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Everybody and every object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have too little heat.

The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"

The professor responded, "Of course it does".

The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"

Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. "These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love, that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

Take Jesus to your work.

2009-09-07T01:29:00.001+08:00

I found this section useful to all those who are down and weary.

From http://www.turnbacktogod.com/story-do-you-take-jesus-with-you-to-work/

Sometimes our jobs engulf us. We feel overwhelmed, alone, self-righteous, or bitter. We know it shouldn’t be this way and we shouldn’t be this way.

You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. People don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. – Matthew 5:13-15.

Our words and actions in the workplace say quite a bit about who and whose we are. Instead of light we often bring darkness. Instead of peacemakers we become the cause of hurt. Instead of serving others, we end up serving a paycheck, an organization, or our own advancement. We know we should be the ones to bring our gifts & talents to the table to help others, but we have nothing to offer.

Do you “take Jesus with you” to work? There is no area of life where we can safely leave Jesus on the outside. Our dear Lord is our life, our abundant life! How much we need that Life for the 40+ hours we spend in employment each week!

Whatever you do, work at it with ALL your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:23-24.

Make a conscious effort to walk with Jesus into your place of work this week.

Orb of life.

2009-09-07T00:51:00.003+08:00

Found this Nifty cool technique, will use it once in awhile.

Some random pictures

2009-09-06T01:38:00.002+08:00

Ultra Wide Field test!

2009-08-31T19:54:00.003+08:00

You Raise Me Up

2009-08-31T19:49:00.002+08:00

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Another wholesome christian song which I really love. It always reminds me that no matter what happens, I will never be alone.

Shout to the Lord

2009-08-31T03:05:00.002+08:00

Shout to the Lord

My Jesus, my Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord
All the Earth, let us sing
Power and majesty
Praise to the King
Mountains bow down
And the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the works
Of Your hands
Forever I'll love You
Forever I'll stand
Nothing compares
To the promise I have
In You

By: Hillsong

When in jubilation, when in sorrow, when in sadness or loneliness, remember that you are never alone. Shou to the lord so that he may laugh with you, shout to him so that he may wipe your tears. So pray hard my dear friends and God bless!

Bible Story: Genesis 12:2-3

2009-08-29T01:04:00.002+08:00

God said to Abraham," I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

God spoke creative words to Abraham. A nation means lots and lots of people. But Abraham and Sarah had no children. Abraham was 75 years of age and Sarah was 65 and it looked as if they would never have any children. How then could lots and lots people come from Abraham if he didn’t have any children?

Although God spoke the word to Abraham it did not happen overnight. It was only when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was ninety that Isaac was born. Just as God had spoken the word to Abraham, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son. Sarah said that God had brought her laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with her. And that’s what Isaac means – laughter.
God also said that he will make Abraham’s name great. That meant Abraham would become a very important man. That word surely did come true.

A Beautiful Poem

2009-08-21T23:15:00.000+08:00

Stream of Life

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day

runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth

in numberless blades of grass

and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth

and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.

And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

From

RABINDRANATH TAGORE'S

GITANJALI

Peggy's wedding

2009-08-10T21:36:00.000+08:00

Photoshoot for some NUs dudes!

2009-08-10T21:27:00.001+08:00

Penguin goes to the Macritchie Nature reserve

2009-08-07T21:13:00.015+08:00

This will be my last outing for this holidays. The next hike will probably take place 3 months later. so here' our crew of the day, Ivan on the left and Calista on the right.

Mid way though the trip, we came across a troop of monkeys. Unlike those from Bukit timah, they are extremely friendly and they would look apon visitors with an air of curiosity.

Although the monkeys were curious about us, they are pretty wary of our precense too. Any sudden movement from us would sent them scurrying up the trees.

The monkeys live in large social groups. They are extremely playful, often wrestling around and chasing one another.

A juvenile monkey. He was nice enough to pose for me.

Young or old, the family would take care of one another. Here's a picture of an older monkey helping a juvenile pick off the parasites on its fur.

A curious juvenile tasting my jeans.

The same monkey from Ivan's point of view.

Another shot with another monkey.

Another one taking an interest in Ivan's leg.

A monkey enjoying the shade.

Nature's sculpturing at work, a twisting vine.

We carried on our journey to the treetop walk.

A mailbox in the middle of the jungle? Interesting.

The HSBC treetop walk. A one way journey, meaning you can't turn back.

A ladder leading to the top of one of the supports on the treetop walk. Unfortunately it is sealed so we couldn't climb up.

A dead tree, a reminder of how strong and mighty it once was.

A crested lizard. One of the flying lizards in the jungle. Its not a true flyer, rather it glides from point to point.

Callista and Ivan, the 2 wonderful companions of the day.

The end of the tree top walk. Now on to the Jelutong Tower.

Though its a pest, the fly can be a really colourful jewel when seen upclose.

A clouded monitor, one of the 2 monitor lizard species living in the Central Catchment Reserves.

Life and death. A constant reminder that whatever that is borned to this world must perish one day, only to be replaced by new life. A reminder that nature is a neverending cycle.

A meaningful note:

Here, man is no longer the ruler of the world, only a witness, but a witness who is also a partner in the silent world of nature, bound by secret affinities in the trees.

Dan Hommarskjold

Here's Ivan, our navigator for the day.

And Calista, Miss Chirpy. Our trip would not be so lively without her.

A society grows when old men plant trees whose shade they know shall never sit in.

A reminder to our increasingly self centered society that we revolve around the world and not the other way round.

Possibly a Malayan Viscount

A damselfly. An easy way to identify the difference between a damselfly and a dragonfly is that the damselfly folds its wings up while the dragonfly folds its wings down.

The same damselfly. A wonderful product of nature.

A Common Faun. A jungle buterfly seen commonly at the central catchment nature reserves.

I maybe tiny, but look closer and you shall see my beauty.

Panoramic view from the Jelutong Tower. The tower is named after the Jelutong trees that peaks over the canopy layer.

Calista from head down perspective.

A not so natural visitor of the nature reserve. Land Rovers. Kudos to the people serving the nation.

Calista again!

Why itsn't the bus coming?

Some random shots. I shall call this, "Forward'

Men hard at work. Though we often overlook it, we should always remember that our very comforts is a product of someone else's blood, toil tears and sweat.

Fatigue on the left, amazement on the right.

A very friendly stallholder.

My meal of the day, a final goodbye.

Penguin on Sentosa: Sights and Sounds, less the sound.

2009-08-02T23:39:00.005+08:00

I was at Sentosa days before. And I decided to do a little write up on this extremely popular tourist attraction in Singapore.

Visitors entering and exiting the new air conditioned monorail that brings them from Vivo City to Sentosa Island and vice versa.

Dancing water. A little play fountain by the beach.

Flash and water. A little boy from China enjoying the water fountain under the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun.

Tourist taking a tram ride to and fro from the main station to the multiple attractions on the island.

An orchid. One of the many flowers and shrubs grown around the park to give it a lush and warm atmosphere.

A signboard displaying the special meal of the day. Food and drinks are generally more expensive than those sold on the main land.

University students enjoying their freshman orientation by the Siloso beach.

The Siloso beach is a very popular place for youths, both locals and tourist.

A pair of Japanese tourist taking a picture of one another.

Friends forever. A bunch of friends enjoying a game of beach volleyball on Siloso beach.

Shangri-la the mythical place where paradise exist. Well, not quite so here. This is one of the 5 star resorts in Sentosa, paradise with quite a hefty price tag.

A furry resident of the island.

Visitors having fun with the extremely friendly monkeys near the underwater world and the Shangri-la Resort.

She ain't heavy, she's my daughter. The bond between mother and child transcends all species.

Another non human resident on the island, peacocks. In this case, a female.

Feeding of animals is generally not allowed in Sentosa.

But who could resist not feeding a cute little critter like this fella?

2 species living in harmony.

Even the young ones have their share.

And so does dad.

The underwater world. The evergreen attraction of Sentosa Island.

The hammerhead shark figure. Once hung proudly on the celing overlooking the aquarium, now an abandoned relic of the past in the back yard.

A beautiful hibiscus, found at the back of the underwater world.

Construction has been ongoing around the island for the upcoming integrated resort.

Tourist enjoying a go cart like game.

A panning shot. A father and daughter having fun together.

Ready, get set, goooooo! Another panning shot.

A Japanese lady taking a self potrait by the beach.

A romantic moment between a couple, frozen in time.

A visitor from faraway swiming to the shores of Palawan beach.

A bridge, connecting the Palawan beach to a man made islet.

The bridge as shot across.

Through the looking glass. The world from my point of view.

Ahead of the rope bridge, there is a sign saying that this is the most southern point of asia continent.

Bird's eye view of the bridge from the top of the islet.

Friends having fun in the water.

Posing for the shot.

Photographer of the day: Yongda.

A cocnut husk being pushed around by the waves. A dead and hapless object being moved by a dynamic force.

"Don't run away Miss Peacock. I just want to be your friend!"

Love. A mutual feeling of trust and belief.

A stairway to heaven. Actually home.

A view of the main station

Sentosa express!

Chan yongda again!

For whom do the bells toil for?

The main gate to the biggest Merlion is Singapore.

Mr Merlion!

Slow shutter of the waterfall.

7.40pm. Visitors throng the Island to catch a glimpse of the Song of the Sea performance.

Buisness as usual for everybody.

The "kangpong" houses. Props for the "Song of the Sea" performance.

A final glimpse, a final goodbye.

John 3:16

2009-08-02T02:35:00.002+08:00

I was supposed to do a seasons greeting banner. But i ended up doing this instead. Quite out of point. But it will work for easter celebrations.

Penguin's afterthoughts of Kusu Island.

2009-07-29T19:02:00.003+08:00

The story of Kusu Island is a rather interesting, albeit silly one. Its about 2 ship wreaked sailors, one Malay and one Chinese being lost at sea. A turtle too pity on them and turned itself into a gigantic island, allowing the 2 sailors to save themselves. The sailors, in gratitude of the turtle's heroic deed, constructed a mosque and a temple on the island and in addition, named this island Kusu Island, which means Turtle Island literally.

A panaroma of the Marina Bay Ferry Terminal. This is where all boat trips to the Southern Islands will start the journy from.

The photographers of the day, Ivan and Edwin

A panorama of the Singapore skyline, as viewed from the ferry.

The pier off Saint John's Island.

The entrance to Kusu Island.

The ferry that brought us to Kusu Island.

An Eurasian Sparrow.

The turtle wishing well as viewed from the temple.

A terrapin, taken from the temple.

Enjoying the simple pleasures of life. People come all the way from the mainland to fish

The innocence of life. Tourist frequent this place to enjoy the sandy beaches and clear blue sea.

Nature at its work. Powerful waves attacking the unmoving rocks of the breakwater.

Once upon a time a tiny life, these shells now lay dead on the sandy beach bars.

A female blue pansy. For a tiny island, it host quite a number of life forms.

Two sentinels, standing guard over the island, all day, all night, all weather.

A panorama of the island from the entrance.

Panorama of the turtle pond.

The higher you fly, the more you shall see. An eagle, soaring majasticly over the Kusu Island.

Penguin's report on Bukit Timah Nature Reserves

2009-07-28T00:22:00.005+08:00

Ok the night is getting lonely. I will start on my post on My bukit Timah Trip.

A panaroma of the Bukit Timah Hill from the over head bridge.

Bukit Timah, Bukit Timah, which literally means "tin-bearing hill" in Malay, was identified on the 1828 map by Frankin and Jackson as Bukit Timah. The hill was depicted on the map towards the northwest as two hills at the eastern source of the Kranji River.

A rock by the visitors center gretting all visitors entering the Bukit Timah Hill

A long steep path that leads all the way up to the hill.

A young monkey, one of the more hyper active residents you will encounter as you walk up the path.

A young female monkey. Signs are being put around, warning visitors not to feed the monkeys.

Like humans, monkeys are highly social animals that live in large groups, interacting with one another.

A male monkey relaxing by using a branch as his back rest and the trunk to support his feet.

Mushrooms and other fungi's can be seen growning on dead logs. These are known as nature's garbage disposal. They will break down decaying matters into other forms of nutrients.

A tiny seed now, a potential forest in the future.The Bukit Timah Nature reserves contain nearly 840 species of flowering plants and over 500 species of fauna. Today, it is one of the largest patches of primary rainforest left in Singapore.

Signs are erected informing visitors of the multiple dangers beyond. It is not advisable to enter Bukit timah during bad weather due to the occurances of mud slides and fallen trees.

Steps leading up the the summit of Bukit Timah Hill. Lighting is poor here as the tree canopies cut away nearly 95% of availiable light.

The two photographers of the day, Mr Penguin and Ivanified.
Bukit Timah Hill stands at an altitude of 163.63 metres (537 ft.) and is the highest point in the city-state of Singapore. It is located near the centre of the Singapore main island.

The road leading down to the base of the hill.

We took a detour and ended up in the rock paths. It is a pretty dangerous poorly defined path where you will have to scale down steep moss covered boulders. In this picture,the slope is about 70 degrees and we used the vine as our hand hold. The descent is relatively peaceful after we got out of the place.

The Hindhede Nature Park is a park built around an old disused quarry next to the hill.

Map of the Hindhede Nature Park. Hindhede Nature Park was opened in 2001 by the Minister of National Development, Mr. Mah Bow Tan. It is a park next to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve which aims at providing easy trails for families with young children and the elderly.

A panaromic shot of the quarry as seen from the look out point. The waters have been rising at a rate of 3m since 2007. Soon all that might be left of this quary is a giant lake.

A stork billed kingfisher. A regular visitor to the quarry.

Monitor lizards can be seen all over the park. This is monitor lizard paradise.

Another monitor lizard.

We proceeded off to the kampong trail, which links Bukit Timah Hill to the MacRitchie Nature Reserves. It consist of 4 trails, the Pandan trail, the Rifle range trail, the Nangka Trail and the Durian Loop.

A Signboard leading our way.

A rare find of the day, a Common Lescar Butterfly. It is not as common as the name seems to depeict.
Mushrooms are seen on dead logs all over the trails.

An isolated shed owned by the Singapore Gun Club.

A wonderful meal to a very long walk. Bon appitite!

Penguin Goes to the Botanical Gardens

2009-07-26T01:32:00.007+08:00

I was with Edwin Lim last friday, trying to do a little exploration, and getting to know the little land that we live in better. I will attempt a little photo essay here. Hope this will flow well.

Swan Lake is an artificial lake located at the Singapore Botanical Gardens in Singapore. Added to the gardens in 1866, the lake covers an area of about 15,000 m². The lake was closed for upgrading in 2003, and it was completed in April 2005 as part of the gardens' Tanglin Core Redevelopment. This statue, known as "Flight of Swans" was erected in 2006.

One of the mute swans residing the lake. A pair of mute swans was imported from Amsterdam

One of the 600,000 plant preserved specimens that you will see in the Singapore Botanical Gardens.

One of the many sculptures in the park, this one depicting a mother holding a child.

The Botanical Gardens is a hotspot for both tourist and locals alike.

A waterfall by the ginger gardens.

Couples often come to this green paradise to have their wedding photos taken, amist the lush green back drop.

Love is a veil of mystery. The same shot of the couple, taken through the waterfall.

A precious moment, frozen forever in time.

The Symphony lake, weekly free concerts are conducted here. A wonderful place for picnic goers.

A lotus bud peeking out of the waters of the symphony lake. The Singapore Botanical Gardens Houses 3 lakes, namely the swan lake, the symphony lake and the exo lake, all of which are man made.

A duck, one of the many residents on the symphony lake.

Another resident of the Symphony lake.

The Symphony Lake is a hot spot for photographers and models.

A photographer and her models reviewing their images.

Children enjoying themselves at the Palm Valley.

A family on a picnic outing. The palm valley is a popular spot for picnics and outings

A visitor taking a break in the palm valley.

A new attraction at the botanic garden is the 1.5-hectare (3.7 acre) ( Evolution Garden, located within the Central Core. The Evolution Garden tells the evolution story of plant life on Earth throughout the ages.

A photographer exploring a "volcano" in the Evolutionary Gardens.

Memories from a distant past. A replica of an extinct plant in the evolutionary gardens.

Tiny little tracks resembling dinosaur prints litter the paths of the gardens.

The eco lake, the third man made lake found in the Singapore Botanical Gardens.

A small shelter by the lake. It has a very dreamy landscape, resembling a painting.

Though far off from the main enterance, quite a substantial number of visitors could be seen here.

The gardens is also a hotspot for dog owners and retirees alike, taking advantage of the tranquil evening breeze.

The gardens is also a popular place for birding enthuist. Being located well withing the city limits, its a very accesible place for all park lovers.

A tiny winged resident living near the Eco Lake.

One of the Cygnus atratus living on the Eco Lake

A mother's love, a child's innocence.

Three girls looking at the terripines inhabiting in the pond.

A father taking a precious moment with his son.

Reflections of their past; An elderly couple taking a leisurely stroll by the lake.

That will be all for this Singapore Botanical Gardens write up. I will do a Bukit Timah nature reserves write up soon.

Comic series for today: Acts 6 and 7 Pt 2

2009-07-26T01:19:00.003+08:00

One day some men came and started to argue with Stephen. But they couldn’t stand up against Stephen’s answers. So they persuaded some men to lie about him. The lies made the crowd very angry. Stephen was arrested and brought before the council.

When the high priests asked Stephen if the things the men had said were true, Stephen did not answer “Yes” or “No.” Instead he told them how, one after another, the rulers had ignored God’s voice and killed His prophets. Then he said, “Now you have rejected and murdered God’s most important Messenger, His Son, Jesus.”

At this, the angry mob rushed at him, seized hold of him and dragged him outside the city. They picked up rocks and began to hurl them at him. As he was being stoned, Stephen sank to his knees.

“Lord Jesus,” he prayed, “receive my spirit.” And, thinking of his persecutors he cried out, “Please do not hold this sin against them!” Then he fell to the ground and died.

Comic series for today: Acts 6 and 7

2009-07-24T01:38:00.007+08:00

Here's some of the stuff I have done for my upcoming lesson, its from Acts 6 and 7, talking about Stephen. I "modernised" it a little, but the basic essence is still there.

Here goes.

When Jesus went back to Heaven, only a small group of people was following Him. But when the Holy Spirit came, the apostles began telling everyone about Jesus. Soon there were many people who were Christians.

Everyone was made welcome and any in need were looked after.

But so much of the apostles time was taken up with caring for others needs, they didn’t have time to preach and pray as Jesus had told them to do.

The twelve apostles called a meeting. They said, “We shouldn’t stop preaching God’s message. So we want you to choose seven men whom you know to be wise and fair. They can take care of the orphans and widows. Then we can continue our work of prayer and teaching the people.”

The believers chose seven men. Among the seven was Stephen, a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. He was a great preacher and also performed many miracles.

God’s message was preached in ever-widening circles, and the number of believers increased greatly in Jerusalem. Many priests also believed. This made the other priests and rulers very angry.

Ok end of part 1. I will continue this tomorrow..

Penguin Goes for some photoshooting event.

2009-07-22T19:05:00.003+08:00

Ok so the whole story goes, I decided to do an event photoshoot at NYP, Partially as a favour to a friend, Lynette, partially to hone in on my skills. As the saying goes, "Shoot more, learn more." So here's some of the shots for the day.

I don't know anyone of these dancers, but, if i have to say anything, they dance very well. Hope this message will get across to them some way, some how.

Penguin Goes to Singapore Zoological Gardens

2009-07-20T11:41:00.008+08:00

Off to see my other animal friends, relive my childhood memories. Perhaps I will go off to see my other bird brained compatriots in Jurong Bird Parkn another day. As of now I am reporting from Ang Mo kio Hub, going to rendevous with a few friends of the same feather.

Here's some pictures i took

Handsome Baboon

Lazy Croc

Equally lazy boar

Pygmy Hippo

White Tiger

The real Tropical Penguin. Actually no. Its the African penguin.

Mr Green Viper

Leopard Cat

Some Really Tasty Stuff in Nebo

And here's our animal/advanture loving crew of the day.

Dreams

2009-07-19T02:04:00.002+08:00

I had a vivid dream a couple of days ago that actually left me with quite a strong impression. So while I was waiting for the MRT, I typed out my impression in my handphone.

Here goes.

I had a dream, a dream where I saw my friends I had throughout my life, being killed one after another in front of my eyes. Somehow, I was never hurt. I just stood there looking at the carnage surrounding me. I couldn’t do anything as I see their hapless bodies being tossed around, some of them were children.

I tried to scream, “Stop!” But I couldn’t utter out a word. Tears flowed from my eyes, the bitterness, and the pain in my heart. I was torn apart from within. The cries of anguish pierced into the very core of my soul.

My heart screams, “Save them!” But my body seemed to be a sentinel frozen in time, the only living testament to the atrocities happening before me. The last scream of anguish could be heard. It was a young girl. I remembered her as a cute pixie face with a smile beaming with joy. Now, all that remains of her is a mangled body surrounded by a pool of blood. Her eyes frozen wide open in shock and agony. My heart pounds as I weep. I retch, tasting the mixture of my tears and the blood of my fallen comrades.

Silence, the mad slaughter is over. I could finally regain control of my body. A field of crimson, still wet and slick appears before me. Has the world gone mad?

A light appears before me. A light so brilliant, I had to cast my eyes down. Is it the end? I wondered. I deserved it after all. I gazed down, uncertain of the fate that is about to fall unto me. Oh Fortuna, is this my destiny? To see the very faces I love disappear one after another? I shifted my eyes to the light once again, relishing what’s possibly the last moments of my life.

“Mister.” A tiny familiar voice whispered from behind me. I turned around, looking at a pair of eyes of sepia blue staring directly into the back of my head, her golden hair gently swaying in the wind. It was that girl. Behind her, an entire row of departed soul, each of them was carrying a gentle smile.

“Don’t cry.” She whispered, her voice trailing off in the caressing breeze. “Perhaps this is a reason for you to live; to allow yourself a second chance.”

But I couldn’t stop weeping. “Sorry.” I kept saying in between sobs. She embraced me, telling me it was alright. But this time, the voice has a tinge in sorrow. “I don’t want to go, Mister.” Tears were rolling off her cheeks. Then wiping off the tears from her eyes, she tearfully pulled away from me. “Goodbye, mister, I can’t stay any longer.” After which, she walked into the corridor of light, her petite form gradually being swallowed into the blanket of brightness.

As the souls of the departed walked by me, each of them gave me a hug and a few words of encouragement. The air grew heavy as memories of happier times swirled in my mind. Every one of these souls carries a story from the past, causing a roller coaster ride in my mind. Perhaps it’s their way of telling me that they lived on in my heart. A childhood sweet heart, a fellow classmate, a platoon mate, the elderly coffee shop attendant who greets me each morning, the children who I interact with everyday; faces which I have seen momentarily, faces which I have known a lifetime, they were all shaping their memories in me. My heart sank as I relived the memories, knowing that their owners would never come back. I bided one tearful goodbye after another, until the last soul remains.

“Remember us.” He smiled sadly, after which he turned and entered the light. The light dimmed and vanished as quickly as it appeared. All that is left, is a blood soaked field strewn with the lifeless vassals of stale flash and blood.

“Hope you guys are enjoying the stay up there.” I mumbled, as I made my way out of the forsaken land. Broken in spirit I might be, baptized by the raw experience of seeing death in its face, I have emerged from this scene a wretched man. The only thing that probably kept me sane is the precious memories that I promised to hold. Perhaps the true meaning of a fulfilled life is one where someone remembers you for what you have done for him. And it is this legacy that you have left behind that makes you who you are.

Maybe my friends wanted to depart, knowing that there will be at least someone who will remember them. They didn’t want to be just a mere statistic, a nameless number who have died on this field. They would prefer to leave with some dignity.

The dead needs no memories. But all the same, it’s always the living that will live it on for them. Being the sole survivor, the burden will rest on my shoulders. The massacre did not end with the last victim, it will continue on in my mind forever. Will this ever end? Perhaps not until the day I meet my comrades again.

As I walked back to the fields today, the air was filled with tranquility. The once blood drenched fields were now filled with a carpet of lavender flowers. A silent breeze caresses my cheeks. A monument lies in the middle of this fields, stating,” Less we forget.” A lone figure stood by the monument, it was a young boy. “The winds are weeping today don’t you think so? It is as if she is calling for a lost friend.”

Indeed, years have passed. All evidence of death has been covered with life. The flowers swayed in the wind, as if they were trying to say,” You are back again.” But the emotions will always remain. The place is finally at peace, but a lingering sadness remains. My dear friends, you have not died in vain. For life is precious, thank you forgiving me this second chance to live my life to the fullest. Your memories will remain as long as I am alive. So here I am, writing in memory of you. Goodbye dear friends.

As this story ends, I will have to make my way back to reality, another world, another dream, another story for me to narrate again.

Children's day 2009 design 2 Not so politically correct version.

2009-07-15T21:36:00.002+08:00

Children's day 2009 design

2009-07-14T23:13:00.002+08:00

Sick Days.

2009-07-06T19:00:00.003+08:00

No outing for this week. Sigh...

The First Casualty of War is Innocence

2009-07-04T00:19:00.003+08:00

I was treking along the Southern Ridge when I had an inspiration for drawing this. All thanks to Keith and Ivan. Credits to you two.

神啊救救我

2009-06-25T01:02:00.003+08:00

这是从陈小春的歌曲，“神啊，救救我”。请您心赏一下，谢谢！
This is adapted from Jordan Chan's, “神啊，救救我” or "God, Please save me". Please enjoy this picture, thank you.

我爱你， I love you.

2009-06-17T00:20:00.002+08:00

Idea adapted from the song "Within you remain" By Tokyo Square.

Redemption

2009-06-16T03:28:00.004+08:00

Tropical Penguin on Post Processing Part 3 : Post HDR manipulation

2009-06-15T22:21:00.005+08:00

Sometimes after you do auto bracketing and you combined your different exposed images through a program like photomatix, you might find that your images itsn't to your liking.

This tutorial will be dedicated to Catbyte aka Li Hui.

So here are the steps to give you a more dramatic image. I don't call this a photograph, it is more like a digital art.

Step 1:

We start off with this under exposed image.

Step 2:

Go to image>adjustments> shadows and highlights and brighten up the dark areas.

Step 3:

Click on the gradient tool, ensure that it is linear and it is from foreground to transparent. Choose a colour, in this case, i choose pink.

Step 4:

Drag a line from the top of the image to around the horizon. This will give the sky a pinkish tint.

Step 5:

Click image>adjustments>auto levels

Step 6:

go to layers>duplicate layers

Step 7:

Select the burn tool, ensure the shadows tab is selected.

Darken the darker parts of the clouds. This is to creat a more dramatic cloud formation.

Step 8:

Adjust the opacity of the duplicated layer to blend the burnt parts.

Press control E or Layers> flatten image. Save your work. This will be your final image.

Queen of Diamonds or Queen of Hearts

2009-06-14T02:03:00.007+08:00

Inspired by Pei Ying's Msn nick which is a chorus from the song Desperado by the Eagles.

Two Face

2009-06-12T00:40:00.003+08:00

Tropical Penguin Meets Lavender Dolphin

2009-06-11T02:47:00.002+08:00

Tropical Penguin's Melancholy days

2009-06-11T00:40:00.003+08:00

TPT 17: Photographer's Nightmare

2009-05-27T22:59:00.003+08:00

Dedicated to Ivanified. Changed your idea a little, but the essense is still there. Thanks for the idea!

Tropical Penguin on Post Processing Part 2 : Orton Imagery on Photoshop

2009-05-27T01:57:00.003+08:00

Here's another tutorial on a post processing process known as orton imagery.
Taken from

naturephotographers

Here is the step-by-step recipe for making Orton images in Photoshop:

Open any image you wish to try the technique on. Make a duplicate of the image (Image>Duplicate). Close the original image.
Lighten the image as follows: Image>Apply Image… then in the dialog box that comes up change the bending mode to “Screen” and the Opacity to 100%. This will give you an appropriately overexposed image.
Duplicate this overexposed image (Image>Duplicate).
Blur this second image (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur… and in the dialog box use a Radius setting of 15 to 50 pixels – the higher the pixel setting the blurrier the photo and the more ‘painterly’ the image… but you can go too far!). Experiment with different settings, for my tastes and for the size of my digital files (50-100 megabytes) a radius of about 25 pixels works perfect.
Now select the move tool from the Photoshop tool bar (or just press “v” on your keyboard for quicker access to the move tool). Hold down the “shift” key and use your mouse to drag and drop the blurry image onto the sharp one (don’t let go of the shift key until after you release the mouse button or the images won’t be in perfect alignment).
Bring up the layers palette in Photoshop (F7 is the keyboard shortcut). Under the word “Layers” in the layers palette will be a menu box of blending modes. Change the blending mode from “normal” to “multiply”.
Now “flatten’ the two layers by pressing “CTRL+E” or by clicking on the sideways triangle in the layers palette to select ‘flatten image’.

There, you now have an Orton image - if you like your new masterpiece save the file!

Before / After

Tropical Penguin on Post Processing Part 1 : Dynamic Range on Photoshop

2009-05-27T01:30:00.006+08:00

Have you come across a sitation where your forground is severly underexposed due to the disparity in the lighting the particular scene? This post will help you to clear that up with a little bit of photoshop.

Taking this particular scene, the foreground is underexposed while the background, i.e the sky is correctly exposed.

We start off by going to layers => duplicate layer
after which, we go to image => desaturate and we get something like this

we go to image => invert and we get something like this

After which, go to filter=> blur=> gaussian blur and input the amount of radius you want. You might want to trial and error, but for this case, I am going to use a radius of 10.

Finally, go to your layers pallatte. Under the word “Layers” in the layers palette will be a menu box of blending modes. Change the blending mode from “normal” to “overlay”. Press cntrl E to merge your layers and you get this.

Credits to Ivanified for sharing with me his discovery.

TPT 16: Death Through Photography 8, Nature Photography Special

2009-05-25T01:24:00.003+08:00

Penguin's Nightmare Came True

2009-05-22T01:23:00.002+08:00

TPT 15: Death Through Photography 7

2009-05-21T23:52:00.001+08:00

TPT 14: Death Through Photography 6

2009-05-20T00:29:00.001+08:00

TPT 13: Death though Photography 5

2009-05-18T01:52:00.002+08:00

Tropical Penguin Goes Alexandra Hospital

2009-05-16T23:41:00.003+08:00

This place has over 102 species of butterflies. But despite that number, I only managed to come home with 3 species. For more pictures, refer to http://picasaweb.google.com/schrodingers.equation/AlexandraHospitalButterflyGardens#

Penguin Goes KTV with friends

2009-05-15T01:43:00.005+08:00

Went for a wonderful gathering with my Lab mates. Certainly the most enjoyable day of myschooling life. Thanks guys!

TPT 12: Penguin Daily Mood Transformation

2009-05-14T00:02:00.001+08:00

Penguin Goes Bowling

2009-05-13T21:00:00.002+08:00

Had a hell of a time at Marina Square with some good ol' pals. But it seems that I don't fare very well in bowling. Nonetheless, it was really fun!

Penguin Goes for drawing lessons

2009-05-13T02:10:00.002+08:00

TPT 11: Penguin Dilemma

2009-05-13T01:51:00.003+08:00

Dedicated to a special friend!

Tropical Penguin Goes on Nature Trail

2009-05-09T17:38:00.004+08:00

Went for a nice walk at Pasir Ris Park.
For more pictures, Please refer to
http://picasaweb.google.com/schrodingers.equation/NatureMania#

TPT 10: Death through Photography 4

2009-05-07T22:37:00.005+08:00

TPT 9: Profiling the Students of NTU

2009-05-07T21:02:00.001+08:00

Tropical Penguin has an announcement

2009-05-06T23:12:00.003+08:00

Alright, this is one of the rare times I speak. But I am officially an UNCLE as of 2139H!!! Wooohooo.
Now I have a niece to play with!

Tropical Penguin Goes Macro Crazy

2009-05-03T03:04:00.002+08:00

For more pictures, take a look at this website
http://picasaweb.google.com/schrodingers.equation/PasirRisParkMacro020509#

TPT8: Death through photography 3

2009-05-03T02:45:00.006+08:00

Another strip dedicated to Jonathan. Thanks for the idea bro!