Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by syockit

The patriotic song that sounds like Evangelion

syockit — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 11:17:37 +0800

There was this one patriotic song I always hear on an RTM channel which sound like the Neon Genesis Evangelion's Decisive Battle BGM.
Since it was performed by a school choir group, I figured I could search it by the keyword "koir sekolah rtm".
And bingo!
[youtube]rmMoyBXu6AI[/youtube]
But the one I'm used to was more fast-paced if my memory does not betray me. Playing it at 1.25x probably does the trick.

Here's Eva's BGM for comparison
[youtube]BRR5gHDW-44[/youtube]

Or Shin-Godzilla's
[youtube]74fxNHPBnv8[/youtube]
Wait, I don't think I've heard that one in the cinema. Maybe it was this one:
[youtube]KW2fckVakh8[/youtube]
or this
[youtube]AnKQRWAZ8PU[/youtube]

Or maybe you want Nadia's version
[youtube]O0lDv64sLmE[/youtube]

Or go straight to the original inspiration
[youtube]BKCEiNk198E[/youtube]

Are we taxed enough?

syockit — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 19:55:55 +0800

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/total-ta...ues-gdp?tab=map

USA 25.4%
Canada 30.7%
China 21%
Japan 29.4%
Russia 30.9%
France 45% !!

Norden 35.3 ~ 48.7%

Time to increase them taxes, yah?

No good evidence for homeopathy

syockit — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 20:01:13 +0800

NHMRC releases statement and advice on homeopathy

QUOTE

The conclusion is based on the findings of a rigorous assessment of more than 1800 papers. Of these, 225 studies met the criteria to be included in NHMRC’s examination of the effectiveness of homeopathy.

QUOTE

Although some studies did report that homeopathy was effective, the quality of those studies was assessed as being small and/or of poor quality. These studies had either too few participants, poor design, poor conduct and or reporting to allow reliable conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of homeopathy.

Well they had to dilute the number of participants to make sure the study on homeopathy was effective

What is the meaning of Vera in /k?

syockit — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 22:30:42 +0800

I only know Bitstream Vera fonts. They're the predecessor to DejaVu fonts widely used in Linux distributions.

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/vera also shows it as a name of something. There's also a minor planet (asteroid) by the name 245 Vera.

Asahi Shimbun admits errors in past ‘comfort women

syockit — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 21:42:44 +0800

sos: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/08/0...-women-stories/

QUOTE

The Asahi Shimbun admitted Tuesday to serious errors in many articles on the “comfort women” issue, retracting all stories going back decades that quoted a Japanese man who claimed he kidnapped about 200 Korean women and forced them to work at wartime Japanese military brothels.

The correction came more than 20 years after the Sankei Shimbun based on studies by noted historian Ikuhiko Hata first pointed out apparent errors in the man’s account in April 1992.

Hata and the Sankei said there was no evidence supporting the account of Seiji Yoshida, who claimed he conducted something akin to “human hunting” by rounding up about 200 women on Jeju-do Island in present-day South Korea.

All local residents interviewed by Hata denied Yoshida’s claims. Mainstream historians have now agreed that his statements were false.

(more in the link)

Abe's government is still upholding the Kono statement for now, but maybe we'll see some reaction from them after this.

Perjumpaan ISMA di Jepun

syockit — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 19:26:39 +0800

Location: Osaka University, Suita Campus

Do they use Comic Sans in official letters?

syockit — Tue, 06 May 2014 16:09:51 +0800

From the header of the letter, it seems like this is semi-official.
But I've seen it being used in official letters before, so I ask:
Why do some people deliberately change the font to Comic Sans?
It makes the letter looks like a prank. Is the author trolling the whole department?

http://typewritingblog.wordpress.com/2013/...mic-sans-sucks/
http://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/...ver_comic_sans/
http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/why-you-hate-comic-sans/

What is it with TMI nowadays?

syockit — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:58:38 +0800

Ori thread: http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2954342
Dupe thread: http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2955767

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysi...s-says-minister
Original quote

QUOTE

“If some people feel the system is not good and want to send their children overseas to study, the government cannot stop them. But the Ministry will work towards improving the country’s education system,"

headlined as

QUOTE

Not happy with the country’s education system? Send your kids overseas, says minister

I have to say this is a very irresponsible piece of journalism, if it's journalism in the first place.

I remember learning about "isi tersurat dan isi tersirat" i.e. facts and conjectures, in high school Bahasa.

Conjectures have no place in a news piece. Save those for editorials.

There goes the credibility of TMI, down the drain along with other mainstream newspapers. *sigh*

Why do people sue the government?

syockit — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 21:57:28 +0800

sos : http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0723/...1307230313.html (moonrunes)
Basically some refugees of the nuclear accident are suing Tepco and the government.

I can understand suing the former, but what do you get by suing the latter? Won't the government just pass the buck to the people in the end? Effectively, they'd be suing just about everybody else.

Posession of American pirated goods from Antigua?

syockit — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:43:46 +0800

Please refer to the following news
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news13_e/dsb_28jan13_e.htm
regarding dispute DS285 (http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds285_e.htm)

Now Antigua has been given the green light by WTO to sell American copyrighted goods.
So America can't sue Antigua for offering downloads of warez, movies, music, etc.

Question is: according to this news piece by Star (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/12/28/nation/12511287&sec=nation),

QUOTE

Under Section 41(1) of the Copyright Act, those found in possession of pirated VCD/DVD can be fined between RM2,000 and RM20,000 for each infringing copy. They can also be jailed up to five years.

So are we allowed to download them from Antigua, since they have been entitled to wholesale copying?

…
Okay, from http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=195942 I get that you are actually allowed to import and own them for private use, but you can't copy from it, sell or distribute it (either by renting, lending or giving it away). The problem is, the act of downloading itself is making a copy. It boils down to who owns the copyright of the pirated products. Antigua or USA? The law requires "subsistence of copyright" but it does not subsist in Antigua, therefore the original one is effectively public domain in Antigua, but does the copy regain copyright protection after leaving the border?

P/S: Barbuda is always forgotten in such discussion.
P/PS: So even if torrent & other P2P is illegal, DDL is still legal right? Should have known!
PP/PS: THESTAR PENIPU SCAMMER!

Netbook from Malaysia

syockit — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 02:33:40 +0800

I was browsing Alibaba for ODM laptops.
I found a curious one:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/131731..._1_Netbook.html

QUOTE

FOB Price: US $195 - 198 / Unit
Port: Klang Malaysia (CIF Only)
Minimum Order Quantity: 10000 Unit/Units
Supply Ability: 50000 Unit/Units per Month
Payment Terms: L/C,T/T,JV Finance Plan

Youtube changed chart metrics

syockit — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:31:50 +0800

http://whathappenedtogangnamstyle.com/
http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/9996712.html
http://kotaku.com/5952092/how-youtube-just...d-gangnam-style

After youtube changed "Most Viewed Videos" ranking metrics, previously based on number of plays, now based on how long it is watched.

I want lagu-lagu from Pendidikan Muzik

syockit — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:53:10 +0800

Are there anybody out there making videos of Malaysian folk songs for kids to sing?
An example of foreign music:
[youtube]84XcZM0IKvU[/youtube]

I want to sing this particular song, but I don't remember it full. Lyrics are something like this:

QUOTE

Lihat jauh nun di sana
tekun petani kerja!
D I N G O
D I N G O
D I N G O
And Dingo was his name!

EDIT: thx Hezegroth for youtube url fix

iOS 6: bringing you new face of the world!

syockit — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:50:02 +0800

Tachikawa, previously: http://i.imgur.com/k76ZP.jpg
After:
http://i.imgur.com/I0tHL.jpg

Shinjuku, before:
http://livedoor.3.blogimg.jp/himasoku123/i.../2/62adecf5.jpg
After:
http://livedoor.3.blogimg.jp/himasoku123/i.../4/a4a30262.jpg

Numadzu, Shizuoka (left is iOS 6):
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/iphonech/imgs/1/6/16615154.jpg

Osaka Station not found: http://i.imgur.com/vwl6C.jpg

There's Sea of Phillipines near Ise: http://beebee2see.appspot.com/i/azuYjcSOBww.jpg

Korea took over part of Hiroshima?!: http://i.imgur.com/0Ol18.jpg
and a road that connects to Chubu airport: http://i.imgur.com/OTUnv.jpg

That's why Japan needs a station to launch mobile suits!

(station name is Pachinko Gundam)

Oppa Yellow Style!

syockit — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 20:40:28 +0800

[YOUTUBE]T1hvWOPsQbQ[/YOUTUBE]
Opp opp opp opp
Yellow Hat Style!

Trend pijak gambar

syockit — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:33:47 +0800

Right now my mother and her sister is talking about the bad trend of stomping on portraits.

She claims that DAP started this habit, in Perak, where they stomped on Najib's portraits.

Is this true?

Neighbour can't mind his own business

syockit — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 08:29:10 +0800

He likes to observe his two neighbours. He makes note of what they do.
One day one of the neighbour's wife had her necklace snatched, and it seems that this guy knows who the culprit is, but is keeping it secret. Isn't that like abetment? Why didn't he report to the victim or the police?
He taught physics in UK, so I thought he would speak English like an English gentleman… but he has an aversion towards it, saying it as if he has to become "skema" if he does so.
Rumours have it that those neighbours were talking about UK too one day. Why didn't this guy join them? At least they can become more cordial with each other, while drinking cordial juice (or maybe they'd rather have tea with scrumpet, to match the topic of their conversation).
This guy doesn't even bother to greet them anymore. Why does he even observe them in the first place? I'm afraid that this guy might have stalking tendencies… after all, it seems that the neighbour's wife (whose necklace was stolen) is said to be quite a looker.

Why you should avoid wastage

syockit — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:30:11 +0800

For most things(*there are exceptions), the price is determined by the supply and demand. If demand is constant, price decreases when supply increases, vice versa. If supply is constant, price increases when demand increases, vice versa. It can be summarized as the following equation:

Price = Demand ÷ Supply

Supply comes from the manufacturing or provision of the thing in question. Let's choose food as an example. If more food is produced, supply will increase, which in turn reduces the price.

Supply = Manufacturing (of product) or Availability/Provision (of service)

Of course, in reality that is not the case; we don't see food constantly increasing around us, they are somehow gone somewhere (or else, you can imagine a world full of food, like first chapter in volume 17 of Doraemon). This is due to consumption; the main purpose of food is to be eaten, and the demand of food comes from people's need to eat. And it (the demand) is fulfilled by eating the food. So you can say it is as simple as this:

Demand = Consumption

In case of food, if people eat because they need to, then it is a meaningful consumption. Otherwise, it may be something done out of desire or want, which you may say as luxury. E.g. people eating a lot because they just want to eat a lot, eating snacks even when not hungry etc. Of course, whether it's luxury or not is also subjective; you may want to eat snacks or sweets to reduce stress, and if in not doing so may make you crazy, eating snacks may be justified as meaningful.

And another thing that contributes to increased consumption: inefficiency. This may include avoidable or unavoidable inefficiencies. E.g. rice is usually milled to remove the bran although bran is nutritious. So the nutrition there is lost due to certain want of people (e.g. they like white rice better than brown rice). Also, when people cook rice, not all of them are eaten; some are stuck on the base of an ordinary rice cooker, sometimes burnt. Such loss are usually unavoidable.

But some inefficiencies are actually avoidable: at a restaurant, sometimes people eat only a portion of what is served, and the rest will be trashed by the restaurant. This could've been avoided if the people insisted on a smaller portion when ordering for the food.

Let's summarize what we have on consumption so far:

Consumption = Need + Want + Unavoidable Inefficiency + Avoidable Inefficiency

We put back all the equations in the bigger picture:

Price = (Need + Want + Unavoidable Inefficiency + Avoidable Inefficiency) ÷ Supply

Price will increase when any of the 4 items in the parentheses above increases. Need is basic; we probably can't do anything about it. The unavoidable inefficiency is, as its namesake, unavoidable. Want is from desires; you want some kind of luxury, or something fashionable. It may increase with hype (marketing) (which explains why the price of iPong is ridiculously high). Maybe you can try limiting your desires, at the expense of your sanity.

What I'm calling for your attention is about the avoidable inefficiencies: Let's do our best in reducing wastage! The 3R strategy: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is important in realizing this. We should try our best to apply 3R to various things in our life. It may require some effort in your part, but in the long run, you will reap the benefit.

Example: rice. Supply is limited due to varying factors, like amount of space needed to grow. So you can assume it's constant. If demand can be reduced by reducing wastage, price will decrease. Now, you need to spend less money on your usual amount of consumption. (Of course, if people start buying more due to reduced price, demand will rebound. Defeating the whole purpose).

tl;dr
Reduce, reuse, recycle. You will reap the benefit in the long term!

Facebook, Twitter foster national security threats

syockit — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:45:40 +0800

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/m...eats-say-police

QUOTE

Facebook, Twitter foster national security threats, say police
By Yow Hong Chieh
March 23, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have made Malaysians “liberal” and thus more willing to commit acts that can threaten national security, the police have said.

Internal security and public order director Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid said the Internet posed a challenge to the police as it allowed people “to know what was going on in and outside the country”.

File photo of the Facebook logo displayed on a computer screen. Police say Facebook can be a security threat to the nation. — Reuters pic
This would encourage those who have been “influenced by liberal thinking” to replicate locally what was happening in other countries, Utusan Malaysia quoted him as saying today.

“In a borderless world, human thinking will change greatly, particularly towards the liberal. They will say things which cannot be done can be done...,” he said at the 205th Police Day celebrations in Bukit Aman yesterday.

“This is what we’re afraid of because when the thinking of Malaysians is driven by negative things, specifically those that can threaten security and public order, it can lead to a situation where the country is no longer safe.”

These include the practice of holding rallies and taking part in riots as seen in Arab countries last year, Salleh pointed out.

He said it was difficult to restrict those who have been influenced by liberal thinking as Facebook and Twitter allowed them to communicate with each other easily.

The police nonetheless remained vigilant and were ready to face such a situation should it arise, he stressed.

“For me, when speaking of basic human rights, it’s stated in the Constitution that every Malaysian citizen has freedom to speak, assemble, profess a faith and so forth,” Salleh said.

“However, the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution are not absolute as they have limits, depending on regulations and laws that every citizen of this country should obey.”

He added that while the Peaceful Assembly Act was a "transformation" that allowed the people to assemble, it was still the responsibility of the police and his department to ensure the security of the nation.

posting news like joe_mamak.

Network Marketing: "What People Think I Do" meme

syockit — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:29:16 +0800

Legit or not?

It somehow reinforces the stereotypical image that I hold of them.