The Aftermath

Ok, this one was not caused from the fires in Sumatra.

Pyrotech Display

View of the Merdeka fireworks display from Moggie's pad.

Thanks dude for the hospitality. Must have been a sight, the four of us peering thru the lens amidst the Ooos' and Wahhhs'. Overheard a comment from someone that KLCC "takde barget" (no budget) to hold a pyrotechnic show. Probably blew its finances on the KL Convention Centre.

For better shots, this way please to moggie's world.

My First Solo Dive

Some of the inhibitants I encountered on my solo dive at the Panuba House Reef, Tioman.

Beneath the Waves

It was hard to get a good shot with so much mid-water particles. Visibility was bad, surface was choppy but what can I say. It is much better than sitting behind a desk.

Sunset at Sea-level

View of sunset from a position not many people will shot from; Sea-level. This could be explained from the fact that it is not a good idea if you don't have a water resistant casing for your camera.

Fungi

Wayside shelter for weary wee travellers?

Breakdown!

What would you do when things go wrong? Mutter about the bad luck? Curse & swear? Oft we see only the negative but don't count the blessings that surrounds the situation.

My car broke down yesterday just as I left the office. It didn't stop suddenly. There were warning signs that something was not right. When smoke comes out from under the bonnet, that's a pretty strong sign. Thankfully the engine was not on fire. I had no idea what cause it then. The car's sitting in the workshop now and early diagnostics indicated that the water-pump for the cooling system had jammed.

Ah, what a start to the evening. So what should one do? As the logistics of getting a tow-truck over in rush hour traffic was in progress, I started counting the blessings surrounding the event.

• I could have suffered a breakdown at a worse-off location. At least I was out of harm's way and not blocking any traffic.
• I was not hurrying off in any emergency nor was I on my way for a holiday.
• I had cellular communication coverage to make all necessary calls and more than enough battery power to chat with friends while waiting.
• SMS! Dit-dit-dit-dit-dit ....
• But it was raining! God had cooled the weather so I was comfortable.
• I saved a "tourist" from waiting and taking a taxi when his hotel was just around the corner.
• I had mobile entertainment listening to "Crazy Frog"... this didn't last long though. There's only so many times one can hear it before one goes bonkers *ding-ding*
• So I had to wait an hour and a half before the tow-truck arrived. The important thing was that he showed up despite the traffic snarls.
• The mechanic was so kind to keep his shop open and wait for the car to be sent over.

You would be surprised to know how many blessings that can be listed down if only we expand our vision to beyond the obvious. Of course its not easy to do it at the point of despair. Its personal choice so I chose to remember, that it could have been worse.

Addendum: It was not the water-pump but the pulley for the main crankshaft that had jammed. It could be worse ;-)

How Do You Dew?

One wet, misty morning at Fraser's Hill.

The ultimate would be to take a closeup so close, that you can see your reflection from the dewdrops.

Beetle Bailey I Ain't

Managed to get 2 shots good enough for closeups before he got too spooked and flew around my head showing its annoyance at me before buzzing off somewhere else. Anyone that can ID this?

Huff & Puff it all away

Yesterday the sun at 6pm was just an red ball in the sky. The winds must have changed as by 11pm after coming out of the gym, the surroundings looked strangely clear.

This is the view from my office window at 12pm, Sat 13. Its like the return of a long lost friend. While the air is still not entirely clear, it is wonderful to see the sun shine down (now we can resume complaining about the heat).

Wonder how long the view would last. Just 2 days ago the haze was so bad in Port Klang and Kuala Selangor that a state of emergency was declared for those two areas with the API (Air Pollution Index) there exceeding the 500 mark. Anything over 300 is considered hazardous.

For now until the fires in Sumatra have been fully estinguished, we can be thankful for the reprieve.

Irresponsible or Ignorant?

Just in case you begin to wonder if there was something wrong with my camera or one of the pictures, it is the comparison of the view from my 40th flr office window as of 10th Aug 2005. The smoke from the fires in Sumatra has made this 'rare' photograph possible. Visibility is estimated to be no more thanabout 500 meters.

The human race is a virus. Greedy and shortsighted, it proceeds create an environment to suit them by destroying its surroundings. Ultimately, the very environment that they sought to create will be their undoing.

*koff* *koff*.

Moonstruck

Used a technique called 'digiscopy' i.e. sticking the lens of a digital camera thru the eyepiece of a telescope/ binocular.

Hey, whatever works!


Addendum: Once man thought that the moon was made of green cheese. The astronauts found only rocks. That's what happens to green cheese when it is left out there for so long.

Atlas Moth

A night visitor at Sg. Chilling, Kuala Kubu Baru. The Atlas Moth is considered the world largest moth with a wingspan that can attain a length of up to 12 inches. This one had a span of approximately 8-9 inches. Notice the wing tips resemble the head of a snake.

A close-up of its 'handsome' features. Wonder if its antennae could pick up TV channels?