#9 Blog on RSS Feed

Thing 9. Write 2 blog posts - one each on the 2 relevant RSS feeds that you found.

Most bloggers update their blogs irregularly. Hence, it is tedious to check for new postings. Google Reader solves this problem for me. It is like a ringing telephone telling me when there are new things coming.
I follow Coleman's blog using Google Reader. I like the blog because it contains many new, thought-provoking and sometimes controversial ideas and viewpoints from a young technologist who is very much in touch with the real world out there.
BTW, Coleman is a former NP staff.
I also keep track of Cheriboy's blog. He is my fellow Learning 2.0 course mate. during the mid-course get-together he show me how to add gadgets to my blog, his blog and how to follow each other blogs. In any race, it is good to have a pacing partner, especially one who can run a little faster than yourself.

#7b Flickr and my students

Thing 7b. Write a blog post on how you will use Flickr with your students.
In any sizeable event, no one person can cover everything. Assigning 'reporters' and photographers is one thing. How to get their findings together is where Flickr and Blog can help.
The kelong trip is one such example. The blog contains web photo album links to my friends’ and my own. This is the way to go for my upcoming ECE FOC ’09 event coverage.

Sibu kelong 7-8 Dec ‘08

More related links:
Chee Kin's Picasa
Peng Guan's Flickr
Joe's Blog.

I had a very fruitful trip, thank you Kee Long, Joe and ASU for organizing it. We left for Ah Yew Kelong at 8:00am from NP and managed to reach the kelong for late lunch. From 2 to 5:30pm, there was not much catch putting our ‘Kuning Party’ in jeopardy. Things started to change for the better after dinner. The fish came in school. Unfortunately, with so many lines in the water at the same time, we spent more time disentangling than actually fishing.

At about 9pm, we have supper which looked very plain to me – soupy white noodle and red bean soup. I thought my children would run away at the sight of it. Surprisingly, my eldest son who is known to be a fussy eater had second helpings. I also went for more.

The night snack was a ‘Kuning Party’ made possible from the generous contributions form everybody’s catch. We had 5 squids (yummy thanks to Joe) and hundreds of small Kuning and Selar. I under estimated our group appetite. By the time, I reached the table, all the squids were gone. I have only two pieces of Kuning fish. Just as I was about to leave, 10-year old Matthew Wong came to me and gave me a small piece of squid. I was very touched by him for the squid was very delicious and he could have popped it right into his mouth. I shared it with my brother and his wife. They were very impressed with the squid and the boy’s behavior. I proudly told them I was his Sunday school teacher when he was P2.

The next morning, it rained dogs and cats so the trip to Sibu Island was cancelled. Some continue to fish in pouring rain while others stayed in-door reading or playing cards. Soon, it was time to go home after lunch. As our group was very large, three separate boat trips were needed to ferry us back to the main land. My family was in the first group, unfortunately, at the last minute, one of my sons was asked to join another group. My eldest son volunteered to stay behind.

As I turned back, I saw a forlorn figure, I felt very sad and helpless. Just then, my good friend, Lee Kin, called out to my son and invited him to join her family. I was so glad that Lee Kin provided him with a ‘foster family’ to cheer and support him at a time like this.

Lessons learnt
1. December is the monsoon season, I knew it and yet I did not prepare for it. I did not give my children wind breakers to wear for the ferry trip. It was a big mistake. My eldest son was soaking wet and shriveling from the cold. I have Peh Lian Huay to thank for; she shielded my son with her jacket.
2. I suffer motion sickness all my life and I did nothing to prepare for it. I paid the price by contributing my ingested lunch to the sea. I resolved to commit to memory this: Take Novomin half an hour before any long journey and avoid coffee.
3. Wear rubber shoe for wet event for they dry more easily.
4. Bring a big raincoat that can cover the legs so as to be able to fish like Song Sing. I really admire his tenacity and strength, fishing in pouring rain. He got to enjoy the whole sea for himself with nobody to cross line with.
5. Go to the kelong with a humble heart; do not set the KPI (Key Performance Indicator) too high.
6. A big fish took my bait, hook, line and sinker right underneath the kelong. The fishing rod was bent like the letter ‘C’. I learnt that the rod was not stiff enough to control a fish like that.
7. The bait for Selar is whitish green feather. Click here for more fishing tips.

BTW, another surprise – no traffic jam at the Second Link on the way there and back.

#6 Green Celebrations

Click here for more photos.
Week 3, Thing 6: A photo taken outside NP.
NP@45 Green Celebrations at Marina Barrage on Fri, 28 Nov 08. The highlight of the evening was a lucky draw. The entry form is a quiz based on the exhibits. I could not believe it when my name was called. The emcee said it was a candle light dinner for two but the actual 'prize'? two cup noodle and two small candles.

Other prizes were also creatively named: 3D2N cruise to nowhere -- a swimming float! The top prize is a complete home entertainment system; a pack of playing cards is what you get!

#3b My feelings about blogs

Thing #3b. Write a post indicating your feelings about blogs.
Before I started blogging, I thought it was a waste of time and it was for not me, at least not my generation. Blogging requires one to record interesting activities that one experiences. As I blog, I feel that I am more aware of my environment as I want to leave meaningful 'footprint' on my blog. I like this feeling -- a feeling that I am more alive.

Previously, I also don't like to lug a camera around, finding it a burden. But I have since changed. Camera is an excellent tool to record what one sees and it also opens one's eye to what is happening around us.

I am slow in recognizing the usefulness and power of blogging. I now believe blogging is going to be like what e-mail was to us once upon a time. We didn't need e-mail not too long ago but now we cannot do without it.

The future employer is going to ask to see his potential employee's blog. The blog or the lack of it tells a lot about the person.

#7a Technology to behold

Thing 7a. Write a blog post on some technology of interest
I always take pride that the NSS lab is fully equiped with real routers and switches. Our students get to work on real equipment. However, recent development in the simulation technology has changed the learning landscape forever. With the latest Packet Tracer 5.0, a freeware from Cisco System, students can do their experiments anytime and anywhere. They can also do things that they cannot do with the real thing, for example, packets that are generated within the router and discarded by the same router. On the real router, there is nothing to see. On the other hand, the simulator displayed such packets marked with a cross. It has, in fact, become the platform of choice for our students.

Packet Tracer 5.0 also supports multi-user . It came with multi-player platform like the "King of the Hill" game where multiple players contest to reach the top of the hill first. They moved simultaneously toward the target by solving puzzles and their movement can be seen in real time adding to the excitement of the game.

The captured figure is also a good example of Watermarking Technology. If you look closely, you will see the words "Packet Tracer 5.0 Beta" dotted all over. They do not intrude the user's vision and shows the ownership subtly.

NPASU Kelong Trip (Dec '08)

Kelong near Pulau Sibu Island (Malaysia)

We are going to this kelong near Pulau Sibu (Malaysia) this coming Sunday, 7 Dec 2008, under the NP Academic Staff Union (NPASU). December is in the midst of the monsoon season, the water is choppy but the harvest at the kelong will be good as fishes seek out shelter.
At the kelong, I always enjoy standing behind my children watching them reel in the fish. Without fail, they will break into a smile when they bring in the fish. Their joy is my happiness.