Saturday 30 September 2006

Famished Yet Not

Famished Yet Not


This was taken at the "secret place" in Great Ocean Road. There were many parrots and ducks loittering about the place uncaged. Why? Because thre is food! This one in fact was captured when my friend was feeding it and that is why it is so still! Notice the details of the feather at the back of the eye, considering I was using my kit 18-55 lens.




The people of South America, Indonesia, and other lands are often so poor that they try to smuggle parrots out of the country to earn a living. 90% of these birds die in transport. The methods of capture and transfer are extremely barbaric and the birds suffer tremendously before their ultimate death. The few that do survive are usually physically and emotionally traumatized. Sometimes if a parrot is captured for its feathers it is not smuggled, but the feathers are plucked instead of allowing them to be molted naturally.

Native American Indians use feathers for their traditional religious ceremonies and that contributes to the demand for parrot feathers which is one reason parrots are so cruelly smuggled. Feathers from all species are useful but Macaw feathers are especially desired by the American Indians. Dr. Reyman said that since this project has been giving feathers to the Native American Indians (free of charge) that the price for a center macaw feather has gone down from $75 to about $25. But the demand for these feathers is still there. They can even take feathers with broken shafts and cut feathers as shown on his website and all feathers over an inch in size can be put to good use. So please save them all, even cut wing feather feathers! They can also use turkey feathers, for those of you out there that know turkey hunters.

Many people toss away their feathers because they don't know what to do with them. By doing this, we can help to keep the wild parrots in their native lands where they belong.

(courtesy wingsoghope-nj.com)

Friday 29 September 2006

Still River

Still River


This is taken Great Ocean Road's secret place. There is these river like water on the beach and it's still (well, at least to me). The colour of the deep blue sky is vividly reflected on the non moving mirror-like water. The opposite of this place has some Koalas living in its natural environment.

Topography

A river is a large natural waterway. The source of a river may be a lake, a spring, or a collection of small streams, known as headwaters. From their source, all rivers flow downhill, typically terminating in the ocean. The mouth, or lower end, of a river is known as its base level.

Over time, rivers cut away at their beds, eventually forming a more gentle gradient.

  • Youthful river - a river with a steep gradient that has very few tributaries and flows quickly. Its channels erode deeper rather than wider.
  • Mature river - a river with a gradient that is less steep than those of youthful rivers and flows more slowly than youthful rivers. A mature river is fed by many tributaries and has more discharge than a youthful river. Its channels erode wider rather than deeper.
  • Old river - a river with a low gradient and low erosive energy. Old rivers are characterized by flood plains.
  • Rejuvenated river - a river with a gradient that is raised by the earth's movement.


Rating systems

  • International Scale of River Difficulty - The scale is used to rate rivers -- particularly those with rapids -- for navigation. Class I is the easiest and Class VI is the hardest.
  • Strahler Stream Order - The Strahler Stream Order is a method to rank rivers based on the connectivity and hierarchy of contributing tributaries. Headwaters are first order while the Amazon River is twelfth order. Approximately 80 percent of the rivers and streams on Earth are of the first and second order.

The world's ten longest rivers

It is difficult to measure the length of a river, mainly because rivers have a fractal property, which means that the more precise the measure, the longer the river will seem. Also, it is difficult to determine exactly where a river begins or ends, as very often, upstream rivers are formed by seasonal streams, swamps, or changing lakes.

These are average measurements.

  1. Nile (6,690 km)
  2. Amazon (6,452 km)
  3. Mississippi-Missouri (6,270 km)[2]
  4. Yangtze (Chang Jiang) (6,245 km)[3]
  5. Yenisey-Angara (5,550 km)
  6. Huang He (Yellow) (5,464 km)
  7. Ob-Irtysh (5,410 km)
  8. Amur (4,410 km)
  9. Congo (4,380 km or 4,670 km). (The source of this river is disputed.)
  10. Lena (4,260 km)
(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Thursday 28 September 2006

Padi Not Be

Padi Not Be


This was at our "secret place" at Great Ocean Road where we are actually supposed to see koalas in their natural environment. However, due to the fact that this is the first scene I saw when I alighted and also has some unusual brown padi colours, so I take it. Doesn't seems too bad especially with the pool of water. The two van at the back are quite distracting. Tried to photoshopped it out but to no avail.



Wheat (Triticum spp.) is a grass that is cultivated worldwide. Globally, it is the most important human food grain and ranks second in total production as a cereal crop behind maize; the third being rice Wheat grain is a staple food used to make flour for leavened, flat and steamed breads; cookies, cakes, pasta, noodles and couscous; and for fermentation to make beer, alcohol, vodka or biofuel. The husk of the grain, separated when milling white flour, is bran.

Harvested wheat grain is classified according to grain properties (see below) for the purposes of the commodities market. Wheat buyers use the classifications to help determine which wheat to purchase as each class has special uses. Wheat producers determine which classes of wheat are the most profitable to cultivate with this system.

Wheat is widely cultivated as a cash crop because it produces a good yield per unit area, grows well in a temperate climate even with a moderately short growing season, and yields a versatile, high-quality flour that is widely used in baking. Most breads are made with wheat flour, including many breads named for the other grains they contain like most rye and oat breads. Many other popular foods are made from wheat flour as well, resulting in a large demand for the grain even in economies with a significant food surplus.

Top Ten Wheat Producers - 2005
(million metric ton)
Flag of People's Republic of China China 96
Flag of India India 72
Flag of the United States USA 57
Flag of Russia Russia 46
Flag of France France 37
Flag of Canada Canada 26
Flag of Australia Australia 24
Flag of Germany Germany 24
Flag of Islamic Pakistan Pakistan 22
Flag of Turkey Turkey 21
World Total 626
Source:
UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
[1]

Diseases

Estimates of the amount of wheat production lost owing to plant diseases vary between 10-25% in Missouri[2]. A wide range of organisms infect wheat, of which the most important are viruses and fungi.

Main article: Wheat diseases

Pests

Wheat is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Flame, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Turnip Moth.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Wednesday 27 September 2006

Way Out Here

Way Out Here


The path to the Bell's beach can be accessed this path and a short walk or through the staircase which will directly reach the beach itself.

Tuesday 26 September 2006

Bells' beach

Bells' beach


Bell's beach was our first stop in Great Ocean Road. It is one of the most famous beach is Australia. The sky is so blue and the water are also very blue. The waves are clear and there is no rocks on the beach, what a perfect paradise for surfers.



One of Australia's most famous surfing beaches
Bells Beach, famous for its world-renowned Easter Surfing Classic, is located near Torquay on the southern coast of Victoria, 71 km south-west of Melbourne.

The beach is named after the family that took up the first pastoral run hereabouts in the 1840s. It is claimed the surfing potential of the site was first recognised in 1949 by Vic Tantau, Peter Troy and Owen Yateman. Access was a considerable problem. An old road led to within 45 minutes walk of the beach, but the heavy 5-metre boards then in fashion proved too difficult to drag through the bush, necessitating rubber mats. However, when shorter boards went into production in 1957 the beach was more heavily frequented. Negotiations with a local landowner in 1958 enabled road access to the beach although the failure of visitors to close farm gates caused friction and rendered the route problematic. Eventually Torquay surfer and Olympic wrestler Joe Sweeney hired a bulldozer and cleared a road along the Bells cliff from the old Cobb & Co road, from where the concrete wave now stands down to the beach, thereby facilitating access from Jan Juc. He then charged one pound per surfer to recover his expenses. This is now part of the Torquay to Anglesea walking track.

The first surfing contest was organised by Vic Tantau and Peter Troy and held on the Australia Day weekend in January 1962. The competition was subsequently changed to Easter in 1963, thereby opening it up to interstate competition. This makes it the longest-running professional surfing event in Australia and the world and one of Victoria's six "Hallmark International Sporting Events". The consistency and excellence of the surf saw Bells become the site of the world amateur board-riding championships in 1970 and, in the early 1970s, the first surfing reserve in the world. It has since become a fixture on the world professional circuit. In the year 2000 it was listed as a site of historical significance by the Victorian branch of the National Trust.

Surfing
Bells Beach is essentially rather small bay situated between two equally unremarkable headlands. It is the swells from the Southern Ocean, which slow down and steepen over the reef-strewn shallows, that foment the outstanding surf. The consistency for which the beach is also famed arises, in part, from the fact that the bottom is not especially sandy and hence is not prone to shifting sand bars which would create great variability. Combined with spring tides and a strong nor'westerly the waves can rise to five metres, although three to four is the average.

To the north-east of Bells are sheer cliffs, below which are beaches known to local surfers as 'Winkipop', 'Boobs' and 'Steps'. To the south-west is an 'optional dress beach'.

(courtesy walkabout.com)

Monday 25 September 2006

Extra

Extra


On my way to Great Ocean Road, I saw these cyclist on the road. It's kind of fascinating to think that this was a highway. On some road, not these roads, the highway shoulder are painted red, maybe to define the cyclist's path on top of a space of troubled cars. The image as been made into black and white and inverted. I chose to left the portion of the van in the picture to give the seperation from where we were (the van) and the cyclist.

Sunday 24 September 2006

Nada


Nada


Finally i called you Nada. This guy is actually called Nigel De Alwis, my son. Male, 17, Malaysian Phillipinoes, gay? Well, he tattooed Nada under his arm, yes, a permanent one. This photo was shot in FSC building with him wearing Jonathan's drama hat.

Saturday 23 September 2006

Unrip Camouflage

Unrip Camouflage


This is shot of roadside lights which has overhanging trees. The title decribes the light being camouflage among the leaves but as it shines, it has reveal its identity and ripping itself apart from the other objects around it.



Camouflage is the method which allows an otherwise visible organism or object to remain indiscernible from the surrounding environment. Examples include a tiger's stripes and the battledress of a modern soldier. Camouflage is a form of deception. The word camouflage comes from the French word 'camoufler' meaning 'to disguise'.

Camouflage was not in wide use in early warfare. 19th century armies tended to use bright colors and bold, impressive designs. These were intended to daunt the enemy, attract recruits, foster unit cohesion, or allow easier identification of units in the fog of war.

Smaller, irregular units of scouts in the 18th century were the first to adopt colors in drab shades of brown and green. Major armies retained their color until convinced otherwise. The British in India in 1857 were forced by casualties to dye their red tunics to neutral tones, initially a muddy tan called khaki (from the Urdu word for 'dusty'). This was only a temporary measure. It became standard in Indian service in the 1880s, but it was not until the Second Boer War that, in 1902, the uniforms of the entire British army were standardised on this dun tone for battledress.

The United States was quick to follow the British, going khaki in the same year. Russia followed, partially, in 1908. The Italian army used grigio-verde ("grey-green") in the Alps from 1906 and across the army from 1909. The Germans adopted feldgrau ("field grey") in 1910.

Other armies retained brighter colors. At the beginning of World War I the French experienced heavy losses because the troops wore red (garance) trousers as part of their uniform. This was changed in early 1915, partly due to casualties and partly because the red dye was manufactured in Germany. The French army also adopted a new "horizon blue" jacket. The Belgian army started using khaki uniforms in 1915.

Camouflage added to helmets was unofficially popular, but these were not mass-produced until the Germans began in 1916 to issue stahlhelme (steel helmets) in green, brown, or ochre. Mass-produced patterned, reversible, cloth covers were also issued shortly before the end of the war, although hand-made examples were in use from late 1914. Net covering was also examined, either fitted with natural vegetation or with colored fabric strips called scrim.

Specialist troops, notably snipers, could be supplied with various items of camouflage, including patterned veils for the head and gun, hand-painted overalls and scrim covered netting or sacking - an adaptation of the rag camouflage used in Scotland by anti-poaching wardens, gillies, the first ghillie suits.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Friday 22 September 2006

Going Mad

Going Mad


Abraham performing during Trinity Televaganza 2006. They were playing the song "It's my life" for the competition. The image has been applied with gradient of orange yellow to give a boiling and the vast energy emited not only from Abraham's face, but also from the virtual speakers created from the image.



An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses electronic pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current. The signal may be electrically altered to achieve various tonal effects prior to being fed into an amplifier, which produces the final sound which can be either an electrical sound or an acoustic sound. Distortion, equalization, or other pedals can change the sound that is emitted from the amplifier.

Double neck guitars

Jimmy Page, an innovator of hard rock, used and made famous custom Gibson electric guitars with two necks - essentially two instruments in one; in his case, a 6-string and 12-string guitar, to replicate his use of two different guitars when playing live "Stairway to Heaven" so that he didn't have to pause to switch from one section to another. These are commonly known as double-neck (or, less commonly, "twin-neck") guitars. The purpose is to obtain different ranges of sound from each instrument; typical combinations are six-string and four-string (guitar and bass guitar) or, more commonly, a six-string and twelve-string. Such a combination may come handy when playing ballads live, where the 12-string gives a mellower sound as accompaniment, while the 6-string may be used for a guitar solo. English progressive rock bands such as Genesis took this trend to its zenith using custom made instruments produced by the Shergold company. Rick Nielsen, guitarist for Cheap Trick, uses a variety of custom guitars, many of which have five necks, with the strap attached to the body by a swivel so that the guitar can be rotated to put any neck into playing position - more for comic effect than for actual usefulness. Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai occasionally uses a triple-neck guitar; one neck is twelve string, one is six string and the third is a fretless six string.

Tremolo arms (whammy bars)

Some electric guitars have a tremolo arm or whammy bar, which is a lever attached to the bridge that can slacken or tighten the strings temporarily, changing the pitch or creating a vibrato. Tremolo properly refers to a quick variation of volume, not pitch; however, the misnaming (probably originating with Leo Fender printing "Synchronized Tremolo" right on the headstock of his original 1954 Stratocaster) is probably too established to change. Eddie Van Halen often uses this feature to embellish his playing, as heard in Van Halen's "Eruption". Early tremolo systems tended to cause the guitar to go out of tune with extended use; an important innovator in this field was Floyd Rose, who introduced one of the first improvements on the vibrato system in many years when in the late 1970s he began to experiment with "locking" nuts and bridges which work to prevent the guitar from detuning even under the most heavy whammy bar acrobatics.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Thursday 21 September 2006

Peacock

Peacock


This is a peacock dance by Vivien during the Trinity Televaganza 2006. Her dance is like the flow of water flowing through the winding river.



The term peafowl can refer to any of three species of bird in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are most notable for the male's extravagant tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen. However, in common English usage, "peacock" can be used refer to members of either sex.

Peafowl are omnivorous and consume plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects, and other arthropods, as well as reptiles and amphibians.

Although possessing metatarsal spurs—"thorns" used for kicking, they are used only for defense against predators.

Peafowl are capable of reproducing at the age of 2. Peacocks do not reach full maturity until one year later. At the age of 2, the feathers are not fully developed in length and density. While peacocks at that age are physiologically able to mate with peahens, they have very little chance of competing with older peacocks with larger feathers. At the age of 3, peacocks' feathers reach maximum length for their lives, aside from the new feathers that grow after they molt in the late summer.

Mating season starts in the early spring and ends in the early autumn. The peacock's courtship rituals include the display of its startling plumage and a loud call. Recent studies have shown that both the frequency and quality of sexual plumage displays by males are reliable indicators of the health status of an individual.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Wednesday 20 September 2006

Front Back

Front Back


One front and one back, is it really interesting? Well, it seems so. This was shot during the Trinity Televaganza 2006. Check it out at TTV blog or through my links on the left.

Tuesday 19 September 2006

Stylo

Stylo


This is Chandra with his stylist in "Sui" barber shop. This is taken using a slow shutter speed causing the frenzy and blur movement of Elly's fast and agile hands. Well, it may seems that these effect has seemed to make her fallen asleep while cutting Chandra's hair.

Monday 18 September 2006

Con Vex Cave

Con Vex Cave


A picture of Sintia with her a water bottle in a Japanese restaurant. the bottle create a double lens with a convex and concave.


The earliest written records of lenses date to Ancient Greece, with Aristophanes' play The Clouds (424 BC) mentioning a burning-glass (a convex lens used to focus the sun's rays to produce fire). The writings of Pliny the Elder (2379) also show that burning-glasses were known to the Roman Empire[1], and mentions what is possibly the first use of a corrective lens: Nero was known to watch the gladiatorial games using an emerald[2] (presumably concave to correct for myopia, though the reference is vague). Both Pliny and Seneca the Younger (3 BC65) described the magnifying effect of a glass globe filled with water. The Arabian mathematician Ibn Sahl (c.940–c.1000) used what is now known as Snell's law to calculate the shape of lenses[3], and Alhazen (Abu Ali al-Hasan Ibn Al-Haitham) (9651038) wrote the first major optical treatise which described how the lens in the human eye formed an image on the retina. The oldest lens artifact is dated to 640s BC; a rock crystal lens found at excavations in Ninive.

Recent excavations at the Viking harbor town of Fröjel, Gotland in Sweden have revealed rock crystal lenses produced at Fröjel in the 11th to 12th century via turning on pole-lathes that have an imaging quality comparable to that of 1950s aspheric lenses. The Viking lenses concentrate sunlight enough to ignite fires.

Widespread use of lenses did not occur until the invention of spectacles, probably in Italy in the 1280s. Nicholas of Cusa is believed to have been the first to discover the benefits of concave lenses for the treatment of myopia in 1451.

The Abbe sine condition, due to Ernst Abbe (1860s), is a condition that must be fulfilled by a lens or other optical system in order for it to produce sharp images of off-axis as well as on-axis objects. It revolutionized the design of optical instruments such as microscopes, and helped to establish the Carl Zeiss company as a leading supplier of optical instruments.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Sunday 17 September 2006

Full In Inside

Full In Inside


Look carefully into the picture and you will be able to see the fine row of people walking out Baillieu Library. The knowledge of the brains seems like exploding out of the maze of brains.

Saturday 16 September 2006

Hibiscus

Hibiscus


Finally, a flower which I know what the name is. Hibiscus is also another common flower in Singapore and also in Australia. This photo was shot in Melbourne University sidewalk where there was many flowers blooming along the pathway.



Hibiscus or Rosemallow is a large genus of about 200-220 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, and woody shrubs and small trees. The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to lanceolate, often with a toothed or lobed margin. The flowers are large, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped, with five petals, ranging from white to pink, red, purple or yellow, and from 4-15 cm broad. The fruit is a dry five-lobed capsule, containing several seeds in each lobe, which are released when the capsule splits open at maturity.

One species of Hibiscus, known as Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper making. Another, roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and to make herbal teas and jams (especially in the Caribbean). In Mexico, the jamaica drink is quite popular and is made from calyces of the roselle plant. In Egypt and Sudan, roselle petals are used to make a beloved tea named after the plant, karkade, which can be served hot or chilled with ice.

Extracts of some hibiscus species are claimed to have health benefits, including prevention of constipation, bladder infections and nausea, and high blood pressure. The studies that yielded these results are debated. An unspecified hibiscus plant is used to make a herbal tea, typically blended with rosehip.

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong fibers. They can be obtained by letting the stripped bark sit in the sea for some time in order to let the organic material rot away. In Polynesia these fibers (fau, pūrau) are used for making grass skirts.

The City of Hibiscus is another name for the city of Chengdu in China.

Some Hibiscus species and cultivars such as 'Texas Star' look superficially similar to marijuana at a glance. This led to a police raid in one instance.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Friday 15 September 2006

Mystery

Mystery


Shot in Melbourne University south lawn with Charles's hand acting as the main subject. There is an underground tunnel leading to somewhere where I'm not even sure. I saw a lot of professors using this tunnel, maybe going to their underground staff lounge? To the technical part, this shot was photoshopped by using two layers consisting of an under and one over exposed image. The tunnel and hand portion is underexposed to give a mystic feeling while the overexposed in the other hand, give a lively and up to date mood.

Thursday 14 September 2006

Red

Red


These roses were shot from the window of a florist shop on my way to Authentic Thai Restaurant. The roses and other flowers look so perfect, especially places under the bright yellow spot lights. Just the curve and the placement of the flowers show how creative and detailed those florists are.

Wednesday 13 September 2006

Licking

Licking


I shot this dog outside Starbucks. Of course it is not my dog, the dog just looks cute and seems to want a taste of the coffee his owner is having inside.

Tuesday 12 September 2006

Rust

Rust


This is another rear lens focus photo. Melbourne University's Sidney Myer building has some part made of iron which is purposely rusted as can be seen in the picture. The building shows the diverse appearance of the rust at one side and another silver modern section at the other part.


Rust is the substance formed when iron compounds corrode in the presence of oxygen and water. It is a mixture of iron oxides and hydroxides. Rusting is a common term for corrosion, and usually corrosion of steel.

Iron is found naturally in the ore haematite as iron oxide, and metallic iron tends to return to a similar state when exposed to air, (hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, etc.) and water. This corrosion is due to the oxidation reaction when iron metal returns to an energetically favourable state. Energy is given off when rust forms. The process of rusting can be summarized as three basic stages: The formation of iron(II) ions from the metal; the formation of hydroxide ions; and their reaction together, with the addition of oxygen, to create rust.

Iron is the main component of steel and the corrosion of steel is observed more frequently, since iron is rarely used without alloying in the present day.

Hence, rust is iron(III)oxide, which is formed by the dehydration of iron(II) hydroxide. Corrosion tends to progress faster in seawater than fresh water due to higher concentration of sodium chloride ions, making the solution more conductive. Rusting is also accelerated in the presence of acids, but inhibited by alkalis. Rust can often be removed through electrolysis, however the base metal object can not be restored through this method.

Galvanization consists of coating metal with a thin layer of another such metal. Typically, zinc is applied by either hot-dip galvanizing or electroplating. Zinc is traditionally used because it is cheap, easy to refine and adheres well to steel. Zinc also provides cathodic protection to metal that itself is unplated, but close enough that any water touching bare iron is also in contact with some zinc. The zinc layer acts as a galvanic anode rusting in preference. Galvanization often fails at seams, holes and joints, where the coating is pierced. More modern coatings add aluminium to the coating as zinc-alume, aluminium will migrate to cover scratches and thus provide protection for longer. These rely on the aluminium and zinc oxides protecting the once-scratched surface rather than oxiding as a sacrificial anode.

There are several other methods available to control corrosion and prevent the formation of rust, colloquially termed rustproofing. Cathodic protection makes the iron a cathode in a battery formed whenever water contacts the iron and also a sacrificial anode made from something with a more negative electrode potential, commonly zinc or magnesium. The electrode itself doesn't react in water, but only to provide electrons to prevent the iron rusting.

Bluing is a technique that can provide limited resistance to rusting for small steel items, such as firearms; for it to be successful, water-displacing oil must always be rubbed onto the blued steel.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Monday 11 September 2006

Jaguar


Jaguar



Another antique car, this time it is Jaguar car. A very fine car. From the countries i have been to, Singaporean are the most crazy over these Jaguar.



Jaguar Cars Limited is a British luxury carmaker, owned by the Ford Motor Company with headquarters at Browns Lane, Coventry, England. It was founded as SS Cars Ltd in 1922 changing its name to Jaguar in 1945.

Founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, by two motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley, the Jaguar name first appeared on a 2.5 Litre saloon in 1935. This name was given to the entire company when SS Cars Ltd was renamed Jaguar Cars Ltd after World War II because of the unfavourable connotations of the initials, SS.

Jaguar merged with the British Motor Corporation (BMC), the Austin-Morris combine, to form British Motor Holdings (BMH) in 1966. After merger with Leyland and Rover, the resultant company then became British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) in 1968. Financial difficulties and the publication of the Ryder Report led to effective nationalisation in 1975 and the company became British Leyland Ltd (BL).

2007 US Jaguar Model Line-up
Model Type Price Range
XJ Luxury sedan $64,250 - $116,000
S-Type Luxury sport sedan $46,500 - $66,500
X-Type Near-luxury sedan & wagon $33,500 - $37,500
XK Coupe/Convertible $75,500 - $93,000


(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Sunday 10 September 2006

Stick

Stick


There was this man sitting outside the entrance and spinning his stick. This scene reminded me of Doctor House the serial. This was outside of Melbourne University Department Of Mathematics And Statistics.

Saturday 9 September 2006

Smooth

Smooth


Shot along Beach Road in Melbourne. There are many antique cars out there along the streets. This car looks cute in terms of it's curve and how the designer had tried to conceal the lights as to be part of car (maybe sacrificing on aerodynamics). The model is Jaguar E-Type (aka XKE).

Friday 8 September 2006

Teh Tarik


Teh Tarik



This was shot during Melbourne University's International day. There was a food fair at the big tent outside of the union house. The direct translation is "pulled tea". A very famous kopitiam drink in Singapore and Malaysia, The drink is constantly poured from a cup to another. It cools the hot tea or coffee and also make it light and puffy as it mixes with air. A very distinct and comforting feeling when you drink it, don't forget about the milk. To those visiting Singapore or Malaysia, don't forget to try this. And to all my Malaysia and Singaporean friends, Cheers...



It is often compared to cappuccino because of its frothy top. The main ingredients are tea and condensed milk. Ginger water may also be added to form teh halia, or ginger tea. It has become the de facto national drink of Malaysia. In terms of taste it is somewhere between syrup and vending machine tea, the distinctive flavour of the tea leaves being obliterated by lashings of sugar and condensed milk.

This tea is special in that it is prepared using a unique technique. The tea is poured from a hand held high into a container held in a hand below. The tea is poured back and forth in this manner to create a thick froth. It is believed that this method mixes the tea with the condensed milk more thoroughly than other methods.

The same technique can be used to make kopi tarik, the coffee equivalent of the tarik.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Thursday 7 September 2006

Horny Scales

Horny Scales


Looks like a horn and it has these pretty purple flowers acting as it scales. This shot was taken near Wyanne Cottage in Trinity.


Note: Sold with 6 other pictures for a total of A$50

Wednesday 6 September 2006

Cappel

Cappel


This shot was taken using one of the computer in Lincoln Building computer lab. I was actually supposed to do my HOI essay but HOI essay is so boring. Why not then take some picture on the reflective apple logo.



Apple Computer, Inc. is an American computer technology corporation with worldwide annual sales in its fiscal year 2005 (ending 24 September 2005) of US$ 13.9 billion [3] and 14,800 employees in several countries. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple develops, sells, and supports a series of personal computers, portable media players, computer software, and computer hardware accessories. The company's most well known products include the Macintosh line of personal computers, the Mac OS X operating system, the iPod portable music player, and the iTunes media player. Apple operates retail stores in the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The stores carry most of Apple's products as well as many third-party products and offer on-site support and repair for Apple hardware and software.

Apple has been a major player in the evolution of personal computing since its founding in 1976. The Apple II microcomputer, introduced in 1977, was a hit with home users. In 1983, Apple introduced the Lisa, the first commercial personal computer to employ a graphical user interface, which was influenced in part by the Xerox Alto. In 1984, the Macintosh (commonly called the "Mac") was introduced, furthering the concepts of a user-friendly graphical user interface, and also introducing the mouse for the first time in a personal computer. Apple's success with the Macintosh became a major influence in the development of graphical interfaces elsewhere, with major computer operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, all appearing on the market within two years of the introduction of the Macintosh. In 1991, Apple introduced the PowerBook line of portable computers, establishing the modern ergonomic form and design that has since become ubiquitous in the portable market. The 1990s also saw Apple's market share fall as competition from Microsoft Windows and the comparatively inexpensive IBM PC compatible computers that would eventually dominate the market. In the 2000s, Apple expanded their focus on software to include professional and prosumer video, music, and photo production solutions, with a view to promoting their computers as a "digital hub". It also introduced the iPod, the most popular digital music player in the world as of August 2006.[4]

According to surveys by J. D. Power, Apple has the highest brand and repurchase loyalty of any computer manufacturer. While this brand loyalty is considered unusual for any product, Apple appears not to have gone out of its way to create it. At one time, Apple evangelists were actively engaged by the company, but this was after the phenomenon was already firmly established. Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki has called the brand fanaticism "something that was stumbled upon."[25]

Creative also recently filed a patent dispute alleging that Apple infringed on one of Creative's patents for their Zen player with the iPod and iPod nano.[40] However, on August 23, 2006, Apple and Creative settled their patent disputes for $100 million.

Tuesday 5 September 2006

Post No Bills

Post No Bills


Post no bills. Yes, you two have eyes? It says POST NO BILLS. If you were to paste, can use your brain and at least paste your poster on the words itself? Shame... This is university, not some road side streets.

Monday 4 September 2006

Pine no Pine

Pine no Pine


Shot our of FSC compound, that pine shaped object lying beside the tree caught my eye. The interesting thing is also that the ground is no soil or frass, it's like dry hay or yellow grass and thus making it black and white with a huge contrast brings the subject forward.

Sunday 3 September 2006

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum


Shot out of Foundation College Studies (FSC) area, this flower looks like a Chrysanthemum. As my lack of botany, I will define this as Chrysanthemum.



Chrysanthemum is a genus of about 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Asia and northeastern Europe. Amongst florists and in the floral industry, they are commonly referred to as "mums".

Chrysanthemums were cultivated in China as a flowering herb as far back as the 15th century BC. An ancient Chinese city was named Chu-Hsien, meaning "chrysanthemum city". The flower was introduced into Japan probably in the 8th century CE, and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a "Festival of Happiness" in Japan that celebrates the flower.

The flower was brought to the Western World in the 17th century. It was named by Carolus Linnaeus from the Greek prefix chrys-, which means golden (the colour of the original flowers), and -anthemon, meaning flower.

(courtesy wikipedia.com)

Saturday 2 September 2006

Hair Cut


Hair Cut



My new haircut and of course, this was shot in the place itself. The name of the shop is "Sui", a korean based barber. Very nice with modern japanese settings. It cost $30 for a hair cut but I have got a $5 voucher at that time.

Friday 1 September 2006