YoungJedi

Algae, it could the lowest form of organism to you. In future, it might replace traditional carbon based aviation fuel to cut down CO2 emmision. News has it that Air New Zealand and airliner manufacturer Boeing are secretly working with Blenheim-based biofuel developer Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation to create the envionmentally friendly aviation fuel made of wild algae.

If this is successful, it could successfully reduce the net CO2 footprint for all of aviation to zero. This is definately a extremely good news to Al Gore and his likes.

Quoted:

"The fuel is essentially derived from bacterial pond scum created through the photosynthesis of sunlight and carbon dioxide on nutrient-rich water sources such as sewage ponds.

Air NZ would most likely test the fuel on one engine while normal aviation fuel would drive the other engine. Fuel is held in cells on the aircraft that can be directed to a specific engine."

stuff.co.nz: World first: Flying high on pond scum - 18 July 2007, Wednesday

What have you done to save the earth? Have you reduce the use of plastic bags everyday? Have you travel on bicycle? Have you cut down the use of water heater? If you have not done anything, I hereby declare that you are virtually worse than an algae! Ha! 

1. slashdot: Boeing Helping to Develop Algae-Powered Jet

By namaskara76

TODAY, is the eve of the release of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows". J.K. Rowling condemned US publication for the leak of the content that revealed at least six characters die. Well, according to the author herself, this is a misinformation.  

Quoted from AFP:

"I am staggered that some American newspapers have decided to publish purported spoilers in the form of reviews in complete disregard of the wishes of literally millions of readers, particularly children, who wanted to reach Harry's final destination by themselves, in their own time."

In fact, according to boingboing, four days before the launch, people already knew the content that were downloaded from a link posted at the Bittorrent file-sharing site the Pirate Bay. They were all images taken by a camera page by page. That person must be sibei wu eng (hokkien = very free). 

I think this is damned shiong manz ..

So a small group of people who managed to get hold of that copy could have know who dies in the end. Haiz.. why are they so eager to know who dies or did Harry Potter dies. In my opinion, this book should be named "Who killed Harry Potter"  instead. I don't read Harry Potter, but I feel that this is really uncalled for. This is afterall a children's treasure. Why can't the "thief" left it intact so that the kids can enjoy? Why spoilt it? Terrible ...

Despite spending a reported $20million on keeping the book secret, this is still happening. No wonder, the lawyers of the publishers and the author, is now seeking the "thief".

To all the fans of Harry Potter out there .. enjoy yourself tomorrow!! I heard there should be a party now or tomorrow right?

1. AFP: Potter book release run-up cursed by leaks row - 19 July 2007

NO lah .. not me lah! Watch Chelestiar Kong and Steven Lim (yeek...) who were put to test in a blind date at a local reality program - Girls Out Loud.

Warning:   Do not watch while you are in the office, you might be caught surfing internet during office hours when your laughters burst uncontrollably.

I'm glad I dun live at Yung Ho Road. What name would it become if I combine Arsenal with Yung Ho??!!

And also, enough said about Steven Lim ... he's so predictable. Same old shit from him in the show.

Thank you KS for sharing ... They are indeed entertaining .. haha!! 

1. Mr Brown: Xiaxue vs Steven Lim: Let the battle begin!

For your information, this somehow lead to, what I called, "The Clone War" between Xiaxue and Steven Lim.

It started from Top Seven Most Disgusting Bloggers (In the Singapore blogosphere) by Xiaxue July 16, 2007 

So, someone retaliate with a Videocast via YouTube: Wan Bao,晚报 Please Kindly Sue 请控告 Xia Xue 下雪 Aka Wendy Cheng by sghunk1976

And then ... Creating the Top 7 disgusting bloggers blog by Xiaxue July 17, 2007 

What the heck?? ...

by just.giorgos

TODAY, Digital Life has this article that criticised Telcos (the Red and the Yellow ones) for making big promise on High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) or most commonly referred as 3.5G, but delivered very little. HSDPA is a network that is supposedly bringing wireless Laptop or PDA users to a higher speed surfing exprience than the existing 3G network. Speed goes as high as 3.6Mbit/s as opposed to the current 384Kbit/s from 3G.    

However, the actual delivery of what has been promised are far from expected. According to Digital Life tests at three locations last month, the download speeds were as much as 20 times slower than what was promised.  One key reason, that Digtal Life explained, is that unlike fixed line broadband like Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), data being zipped across thin air is more prone to signal loss because of interference. Unless, one is sitting beside a transmitter while downloading data, one would never reach the level of speed that he demands for.

From the Digital Life Article on 19 June 2007, test was conducted on HSPDA. Download speeds 20x slower then promised

I can somewhat agreed with DL that the Telcos should have managed the user's expectation and get realistic on figures; but, we can't totally blame the Telcos. Imagine an ad like this...

"Hey! HSDPA, Network of Tomorrow! Slower than granny, 171Kb/s only. Come on.. sign up now!!"

I reckoned only ghost would come up during the "Hungry Ghost Festival" and sign up for you loh. To be really fair also to the telcos, the bandwidth that is provided to the users in reality, is actually still quite "surfable" to most of the users.

Perhaps, like what DL has mentioned, HSDPA is not a lousy network. The Red and Yellow Telcos should do more to match sure they are not far off from promised.

Quoted from Digital Life:

"Last month, Nokia Siemens Networks said that it was boosting speeds to 10.8 Mbps on M1's network. Will users really get what is promised? If so, it would make downloads as fast as SingTel's top-end 10Mbps ASDL service. Now, that is something that users would like to see for real."

For your info, Green Telco has selected Huawei to be its technology provider for HSPDA and beyond, ditching its traditional 3G provider - Nokia. It would be ready to launch its HSPDA Network by the end of this year. As always, Green Telco loves giving customers a better alternative and it has never disappointed you, hasn't it?  

1. Straits Times (Digital Life): Make me no promies for 3.5G - 17 July 2007

2. CNet: StarHub goes for Huawei for HSDPA and beyond - 23 February 2007

By bloomfpa