Kuan Yee Han’s Blog

Malaysia over the weekend has launched what it said is the world’s smallest microchip with radio technology in a quest to position itself as a leading high-tech chip producer for a global market.

The Malaysia Microchip (MM) was released after more than two years of research and development. The smallest version measures 0.7 millimetres by 0.7 millimetres, according to officials.

Costing six cents each, three versions of the chip were developed after the Malaysian government in 2003 bought the technology and the rights to design, manufacture and market the chip from Japan’s FEC Inc.

At the launch on Saturday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lauded the chip for boosting Malaysian technological expertise.

“It is only through being creators of technology, and not mere users of technology, that Malaysia can move up the economic value chain and take its place among the developed countries of the world,” he said in a speech Saturday.

The project was announced by former premier Mahathir Mohamad just before he retired in 2003 as part of his efforts to push Malaysia into hi-tech industries and make the country an industrialised nation by 2020.

The tiny microchip holds technology which emits radio waves on multiple frequencies, which means it can be detected when embedded in paper documents such as money, or in objects or animals.

Its first commercial application in Malaysia is for tagging and identifying original versions of movies on VCDs and DVDs as part of anti-counterfeiting efforts in the country where video piracy is rampant.

Read more at Physorg.com

This is an interesting area of development. Perhaps it could someday be implanted into human beings unknowingly. You’ll know the whereabout of the person. Hmmm. Sounds like invasion of privacy.
Anyway, I do hope that this is the stepping stone for Malaysia to sought greater heights.

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“…ing, oddly as it sound but yet a highly engaging romantic melodrama about living life one day at a time. Kang Min-Ah (Im Soo-Jung from A Tale of Two Sisters) is a pretty teenager who has had the misfortune of spending most of her life in hospitals, especially during her formative years. Min-Ah has a deformed hand, and unbeknownst to her, a terminal illness within her. However, Min-Ah’s single mother Mi-Sook (Lee Mi-Sook) does know the truth and keeps it hidden from her daughter, instead trying to turn this negative fact into positive motivation. Although hurting on the inside, Mi-Sook puts on a brave face, encouraging her daughter to take life by the horns and live in the here and now. Min-Ah is skeptical, but soon finds the possibilities of life re-opening to her.
Soon enough, a photographer named Young-Jae (Kim Rae-Won from My Little Bride) enters both of their lives by moving into the downstairs apartment. Upon seeing her, Young-Jae immediately does his best to win Min-Ah’s attention, engaging in a series of well-intentioned, but slightly juvenile acts that he hopes will make her change her mind about him. Although highly resistant at first, Min-Ah eventually caves in to Young-Jae’s goofily charming persistence, and the two embark on a tentative friendship. Much to the delight of her mother, the friendship between Min-Ah and Young-Jae eventually turns to love (albeit chaste), and they soon plan a trip to Hawaii together. But with the bitter realities of Min-Ah’s fatal illness looming low on the horizon, one begins to wonder if the budding couple will be able to make it to Hawaii before it’s too late.”

…ing is a nice and romantic movie. But beware, this movie is at the lower end of the happinesd-o-meter. The film’s plot doesn’t rely solely on the romance element, but instead gives equal, if not more time, to the unconventional mother-daughter relationship. Because Min-Ah was deprived of friends her own age due to her constant trips to the hospital, her mother asks to be called by her first name, becoming, in effect, Min-Ah’s “best friend” from an early age. Yup, you can try calling your mom or dad with their first name. Hehe. But even so, the way in which the two characters interact as mother and daughter comes across rather realistically, and Mi Sook’s occasional deadpan “revelations” to her daughter always make for entertaining comic digressions. This movie also shows how a photographer captures the beautful moments of the girl’s life. Although the specter of Min-Ah’s possible death is ever-present in the narrative, …ing is still able to convey a real sense of warmth, humor, and believability, thus making …ing a poignant, yet highly enjoyable cinematic experience. If you’re a fan of this type of movie, then …ing won’t disappoint. A nice movie worth watching. Oh ya, I like one of the songs in the movie.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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Marrying the Mafia II is a 2005 South Korean film, the sequel to 2002’s hugely popular Marrying the Mafia. It was the most successful comedy film in South Korea the year of its release; its over 5 million tickets sold represented more than 10% of the population and contributed to the third straight year that more tickets were sold for local than for Hollywood films.

“The oldest son of a mafia family is pressured by his family to settle down and get married. Mrs. Hong, the big boss of a powerful mafia group gives a mission to her three sons to find an elite daughter-in-law for her first son, In-Jae (Shin Hyeon-Jun from Stairways to Heaven. He also appears in the Music Video by Kiss: Because I am a girl). In-Jae finally crashes into a beautiful lady, Jin-Kyung (Kim Won-hee), who looks to be his soul mate. In-Jae is head-over-heels for Jin-Kyung. However, he finds out that Jin-Kyung is a prosecutor and his family seems to be in big danger! The perfect girl’s co-worker turns out to like her as well, but she does not like him so he turns to the darker side of the law. Unfortunately for him, the mafia son has more that a few tricks up his sleeve and gets support from his dim-witted brothers and henchman.”

Like the original movie, Marrying the Mafia II is meant to be a romantic comedy movie. There’s no link with the original movie, except that the Mafia I’s main actor appeared a while in the second movie. Some scenes are funny and sometimes a bit obscene. You’ll know when you watch the movie. I like the part when the three brothers are in the pool. Their tattoo at their back. That’s why they are known as the White Tigers clan. Also, how the mafia boss acted in the cinema when out on a date with the girl. Some funny scenes but I still prefer the original Marrying the Mafia.

Rating: 7 out of 10

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“The final design for a “doomsday” vault that will house seeds from all known varieties of food crops has been unveiled by the Norwegian government.

The Svalbard International Seed Vault will be built into a mountainside on a remote island near the North Pole.

The vault aims to safeguard the world’s agriculture from future catastrophes, such as nuclear war, asteroid strikes and climate change.

Construction begins in March, and the seed bank is scheduled to open in 2008.

The Norwegian government is paying the $5m (£2.5m) construction costs of the vault, which will have enough space to house three million seed samples. ”

Read more at BBC News

The alarming world weather in the recent years has raised much fear for the arrival of the DAY- Doomsday, which could wipe out the world population. I’m sure there are lots of articles recently about all the unusual climate change; Accelerated ice cap melting in North Pole, shrinking of glaciers in Switzerland, extensive drought in Australia, flooding of Johor Bahru and Jakarta, subzeros snowstorm across US. Oh man, what’s wrong with the world weather now?? Many claimed that it’s due to the excessive emission of CO2, the main contributor to green house effect. CO2 trapped in the atmosphere will behave like microwave, heating up the whole world. Ice cap melting and I guess the polar bears and penguins should start migrating- but where can they migrate too?? Why not to some air-condition enclosure like the one in Singapore Zoo. I can feel the sense of irony here. Switching on the air-con would mean more energy is used ~ more fuel consumed ~ more CO2 released. Switching of aircon will definitely cool oneself in the room but the surrounding environment will be heated up from the heat dissipated.

Have you watched Al Gore’s “The Inconvenient Truth”? They say it’s a good documentary to raise awareness. I haven’t watch it myself. Perhaps I should watch. Oh ya, due to the increasing CO2 in the atmosphere, Sir Richard Branson (Virgin Airline Boss) is offering $25m (£12.5m) Earth Challenge Prize which he feels was the best way of finding a solution to remove significant amount of CO2.

” Millions of pounds are on offer for the person who comes up with the best way of removing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson launched the competition today in London alongside former US vice-president Al Gore.

A panel of judges will oversee the prize, including James Lovelock and Nasa scientist James Hansen.

Sir Richard said humankind must realise the scale of the crisis it faced. ”

Read more at BBC News

My proposal? Here are 10 $ 2.5 million solutions:
1) Plant a lot a lot of trees (the standard answer)
2) Use less paper or use the electronic paper (FYI- Singapore is the highest consumption of paper per capita in the world)
3) Reduce usage of toilet paper when doing big “business”
4) Do not print exam papers- abolishment of final exams will solve this
5) Limit the purchase of petrol per car, increase road tax, petrol price, car price- anything to discourage usage of cars (Just dream on)
6) Free bicycle for everyone. You dun have to drive around then
7) Working/Lesson hours should start later and end earlier. This is for point 6 so that people can reach their work/school on time when cycling. (another dream on. Imagine cycling around NUS between your classes!) Limit the electricity usage (just switch off the main switch at night everyday) (Blackout!! wonder what people will do at that time.. ahem)
9) Limit the logging activities. Anyone found logging illegally should be exterminated.
10) Employ someone to come up with the solutions- He/She shall be paid $ 1 million

(I’m just too bored. Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day and a Happy Piggy Chinese New Year) Those who know me well will know who’s ®VÄLèñTĩñÕ®. Valentine’s Day is actually Valentino’s Day- Haha.

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Only You is a 16-episode (16 hours) Korean Drama which has part of scenes shot in a beautiful town in Italy.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow:

“Eun Jae (Han Chae Young from Sassy Girl Chun Hyang) is a very stubborn, proud, and headstrong girl who has a passion for cooking. Because she does not have an interest in studying, she runs away to Italy before she graduates from high school to enroll in cooking school. Her high school friend, who loves her dearly and shares her passion for cooking, comes along with her.

Han Yi-joon (Jo Hyun Jae) is from a wealthy family who owns a large hotel and various restaurants. He travels to Italy in search of his mother that abandoned his family when he was young and there he runs into Eun Jae. Coincidentally, Eun Jae had also been seeking the mother, who happens to be a chef, to learn the secrets to making great pasta. Both chance upon the mother just as she was about to get remarried to an Italian. She comforts Yi-Joon, who is distraught over his mother’s remarriage, and they spend the night together. She ends up pregnant and has to give up her dream - but does not tell Yi-Joon.

Six years later, they have all returned to live in Korea - Eun Jae working low paying cooking jobs, Yi-Joon taking over the operations of his family’s restaurant, and Eun Jae’s friend working as a chef for one of the restaurants owned by Yi-Joon and financially supporting Eun Jae’s family, including the child born out of wedlock, because they have fallen on hard times. Yi-Joon still has feelings for Eun Jae and they run into each other just as he is looking for a new chef for his restaurant–with her in mind. The dramatic tension unfolds as the three main characters work out their feelings for each other as they work closely together.”

Source: Wikipedia

Another type of storyline which depicts the romantic-dramatic Korean movies/dramas. This time, it involves the chefs with all the cookings of Italian meals. Although not very often do they show the how the meals are cooked, some of the meals sound delicious- like the “pasta in the chicken”. Towards the end, Only You seems to be a bit draggy. Also, like typical Korean movies/dramas, you’ll just feel like shouting “@#$%^” - Why can’t this guy/girl just sit down and listen to each other’s explanations. Instead, they still react like what other korean actors/actresses did. Just cut the conversation and left with an explosive manner. Not much of thinking in other perspectives. My take? I like the sceneries in Italy (only for first two episodes). Then after that the story will be about their six years later back in Korea. Oh ya, the child looks cute. Some of the songs in the dramas do sound like other movies/dramas theme songs. It just sounds familiar.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Happy Birthday to you, my friend- “Only You!”

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