Hazy Day

After coming back from my trip to temerloh (133km up North), I learnt that the API index has been re-released after an 8 year ban by the Government and they would be closing the schools tomorrow as the reading went up to 410. Also, Indonesia conveniently told us that the Haze would still be here for the next few weeks.

And all the time, I keep getting burning smells and headaches while even driving.

Damn those fucking buggers.

On the way to Temerloh this morning, it was a bit hazy


After we neared Genting Sempah, it was getting more hazy


This sign on the left was so funny at this time of the year


It reads, "Caution Foggy Area. Limited visibility. Switch on your Lights"


On our way back, this is after Genting, at 1345 in the afternoon


At about 1400 in the afternoon, as we're nearing the City


Can you see Batu Caves in the background.
Definitely not!


Visibility was less than 200m


This is Kepong area, on the left is JayaJusco


After leaving office at 1730, visibility was less than 150m


If you can see 1-Utama in the background you must have a very good eyesight


The rain (slight drizzle) came but it would not help things as the Haze was still there and it would only dirty the car in the morning.


Spoils from my trip: Lemang (Burnt glutinous rice in bamboo) and petai (hee hee hee hee)

The LED Test

A friend has asked me to build her a simple LED circuit. With the budget she gave me, I have parts to create up 8 of them, with about RM2 or so to spare. So, this weekend I will put them all together. What you see in the following pictures are the prototype circuit I was testing before it becomes fact. You might want to ignore the other components in the background as they're part of another test.

Being the Engineer I (was), there were a few questions that kept bugging me:
1) Shall I make it more efficient?
2) Shall I make it easy to install?
3) Shall I give it different LED colours?
4) Shall I test them with other LEDs and record their performance?
5) What if I reduce the component count?
6) How about miniaturising it further?
7) Shall I, etc. Well, you know how Engineers want to make things better (heh)

Then, reality struck me hard in the face and I had to use the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) method and stick to the job at hand. But the way its meant to be, the LED would have to be angled from another spot to light the intended area and not straight from the keyhole.

8mm Jumbo White LED


5mm Normal White LED
(Surprisingly, the 5mm White LED is brighter)


8mm Jumbo Blue LED


As the 8mm LED dims after about 15 seconds
(After more than 3 minutes, its still glowing but very dim)

So, goos or not?