Saravit Chuaprasert

Just wrong...

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:23:38 GMT

Now that's green recycling!

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:01:34 GMT

Beer bottle solar heater
The beer bottles lie on a board in rows, all connected by hoses which allow cold water to flow through them and be heated by the sun.

"I invented this for my mother. I wanted her to shower at any time more comfortably," says Ma Yanjun, a carpenter, of Qiqiao village, Shaanxi Province.

"A real solar water heater is too expensive to me, so I came up with the idea of making one on my own.

"I hope this invention can be promoted nationwide, and allow mothers in undeveloped rural areas to have a hot shower."

Ma has now helped more than 20 families in the village to make and install their own beer bottle solar water-heaters.

He says he will build a public bathroom for the village using his invention when he has the money to buy enough beers.

E-MAIL SCAM: REUNION.COM

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:54:08 GMT

I just got this email yesterday (plaintext only - links removed, names masked).
>>
From: Kxxxxx Wxxxxxxxx
Date: Apr 14, 2008 7:33 PM
Subject: Someone searched for you - See who!
To: saravit@mailserviceprovider.com

Hi,

I looked for you on
Reunion.com, the largest people search service — but you weren't
there.

See who else has been
searching for you! Click here.

—Kxxxx
<<

So I contacted the only person I know with that name. That person confirmed that someone must be impersonating them.

What the heck?

Sometimes...

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:23:57 GMT

Sometimes, this is how I feel.
Click here

You know...

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:58:03 GMT

I had this thought while driving to work:

The fundamentals are still the same. I just forget to think about them except as afterthoughts.

Living well is defined by my:
HEALTH
WEALTH
HAPPINESS

The sudden change in health caused by getting a bad stomach virus (I won't describe it, volatilefiona's been teaching to leave out things for common decency) has me thinking how I would be better off if my health were better, wealth secure, and happiness not a preoccupation.

It's nice to know what the basics are. Now I have to get back to them.

What if Global Warming were Not So Hot?

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:38:33 GMT

Another example of media bias regarding global warming.

From Not So Hot by Patrick J. Michaels:

"If a scientific paper appeared in a major journal saying that the planet has warmed twice as much as previously thought, that would be front-page news in every major paper around the planet. But what would happen if a paper was published demonstrating that the planet may have warmed up only half as much as previously thought?

Nothing. Earlier this month, Ross McKitrick from Canada's University of Guelph and I published a manuscript in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres saying precisely that."

"But, when someone finds that there's only half as much warming as we thought, and the story is completely ignored, what does this say about the nature of the coverage itself? Somehow, you'd think that would have been newsworthy."

Be like a duck

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:40:17 GMT

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."
- Michael Caine

Many people I know, especially those I call friends, are like this. They go about accomplishing their lives with quiet grace and dignity. Their lives are rich and they do not need to put it on public display for the world to see. That is because they value what they do, not someone else's opinion of it. Do not assume that because some people do not talk of it, they do not lead their own, busy lives.

The point: Do not expect people to go out of their way for you if you did not ask them to. They have their own matters to consider first.

It is immature to throw a tantrum when people do not come flocking after an angsty display. It would be nice if people did but that is a bonus, not an obligation. Why? Personally, I assume most of the people I know are adults. Adults can take care of themselves and what they are responsible for. If adults want help, they ask for it. Otherwise, all the talk is just venting; a chance to complain about the unfairness of the world to relieve mental stress. Venting is healthy, it is a way to adjust to and accept adversity; a way to overcome self-pity. But it isn't a request for aid or support.

Self-pity

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.
- DH Lawrence

Do not be a victim
To self-pity.
Self-pity is at once
The beginning and the end
Of life's uselessness.
- Sri Chinmoy

Nerds: A plausible explanation

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:01:10 GMT

http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html

"Nerds serve two masters. They want to be popular, certainly, but they want even more to be smart. And popularity is not something you can do in your spare time, not in the fiercely competitive environment of an American secondary school."

"Teenage apprentices in the Renaissance were working dogs. Teenagers now are neurotic lapdogs. Their craziness is the craziness of the idle everywhere."

New science on global climate change

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:01:40 GMT

This article has links to other articles written by this paper with a counter-point to the current "consensus" (the opinion being pressed upon the public by mass media) about global climate change.

Read the sunspots

Some quotes:
"In a 2003 poll conducted by German environmental researchers Dennis Bray and Hans von Storch, two-thirds of more than 530 climate scientists from 27 countries surveyed did not believe that "the current state of scientific knowledge is developed well enough to allow for a reasonable assessment of the effects of greenhouse gases." About half of those polled stated that the science of climate change was not sufficiently settled to pass the issue over to policymakers at all."

"Solar scientists predict that, by 2020, the sun will be starting into its weakest Schwabe solar cycle of the past two centuries, likely leading to unusually cool conditions on Earth. Beginning to plan for adaptation to such a cool period, one which may continue well beyond one 11-year cycle, as did the Little Ice Age, should be a priority for governments. It is global cooling, not warming, that is the major climate threat to the world, especially Canada. As a country at the northern limit to agriculture in the world, it would take very little cooling to destroy much of our food crops, while a warming would only require that we adopt farming techniques practiced to the south of us."

The happiest man in the world

Thu, 24 May 2007 17:46:58 GMT

... and you can learn how he does it, says academic-turned-Buddhist monk

Significant points to me:
1. happiness is a "skill" to be learned.
2. brain training in the form of meditation can cause an overwhelming change in levels of happiness.
3. even novices who have done only a little meditation have increased levels of happiness.
4. life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how we manage our thoughts and perceive and interpret the world.

Now where are the instructions for how to meditate like that?

Pain sucks.

Sun, 13 May 2007 05:40:20 GMT

All the BS aside, it really does suck.

I think I hit 10 on the pain scale.

And that's for lasting pain - not just the sharp momentary spike that'll hopefully knock you out.

Took one of those fancy tylenol-with-codeine. I slept for about 10 minutes before I awake due to PAIN!

Ah well. At least it's not life threatening in any way other than wondering if dying would mean I felt better.

Oh (expletive deleted)!

Tue, 08 May 2007 22:04:58 GMT

From China to Panama, a Trail of Poisoned Medicine

It seems lack of oversight and desire for greater profits allowed a distributor in China to substitute Ethylene glycol for glycerine in pharmaceutical shipments.

I'm starting to be very suspect of anything for consumption that comes from China.

Meme for the heck of it.

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:39:14 GMT

How many times has someone on your friends list posted about something and you were really confused, but you didn't want to ask because you knew you SHOULD know? How many times have you felt 'guilty' asking a close LJ friend a question that should be 'obvious'?

Well, here's your chance. If you've missed a few things, missed an entry and are confused, ask me anything. Even something EXTREMELY basic, like where I live! I'm not allowed to get even slightly irritated at any of the questions - we've all missed things before.

If you like the idea, feel free to post in your journal.

[Yes - this can be as basic as 'who the heck are you again and how did you end up on my friends list?']

[Ganked form any number of people]

Goddam Quizzes

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 17:56:42 GMT

GREEN

You are a very calm and contemplative person. Others are drawn to your peaceful, nurturing nature.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

Today's PSA - why High Fructose Corn Syrup is bad for you

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 16:47:04 GMT

Hold the Corn (Syrup)

Basically, it stops secretion of the hormone that tells your brain the stomach is full but not the one that tells your brain the stomach is empty.

So you can have a full stomach and still be hungry.

Public opinion question

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:04:09 GMT

As far as a career goes, I think I am in the right field but I might not be in the right job.

I am currently working in software development as a Configuration Manager with the title of Associate Software Engineer.

What job(s) do you think would be good for me and why?

Unheard Moderate Voices

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:02:16 GMT

It seems that media coverage of people working towards reasonable and peaceful solutions to worldwide problems is inadequate. Most of America gets its information from news services that are biased towards sensationalism. This is likely because that is what gets larger audiences and therefore brings in the money. But it also gives an extremely slanted view of things, such as painting all Muslims as terrorists.

An Islamic lecturer's commentary on it:
Many Muslims 'do' condemn terrorism

Curiousity

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:10:45 GMT

1. Ever punch someone in the face?

2. How old are you?

3. Are you single or in a relationship?

4. Eat with your hands or utensils?

5. Do you dream at night?

6. Have you ever seen a corpse?

7. Have you ever wished someone dead?

8. Do You Like Bush?

9. Whats your philosophy on life? and death?

10. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:

11. Do you trust the police?

12. Do you like country music?

13. Do you think I'm attractive?

14. If you could change anything about yourself would you?

15. Batman or Superman?

16. What do you wear to sleep?

17. Have you ever peed in a pool? ...while you were still in it?

18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to?

19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?

20. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Quote of the day

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:17:21 GMT

“We are in the process of creating what deserves to be called the idiot culture. Not an idiot sub-culture, which every society has bubbling beneath the surface and which can provide harmless fun; but the culture itself. For the first time, the weird and the stupid and the coarse are becoming our cultural norm, even our cultural ideal.”

Carl Bernstein quote

If only it were so easy.

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:33:17 GMT

http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF009AD-Goodnight_Full_Moon.jpg#78

Bubblegum and baling wire

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 15:57:03 GMT

Today I am held together with bubblegum and bailing wire. Actually, it is the NSAID Indomethacin and a neoprene knee brace.

It will be three weeks today if I miss Krav. That is long enough to have lost some of the conditioning that I worked for in class. That is, it will hurt more than usual if I am capable of working out this evening.

I am pretty sure that my being in pain (possible gout, definitely arthritis) is just cumulative stress and some bad weather patterns. I can not do anything about the weather. I guess I will need to face up to what is stressing me and resolve it.

Funny that.

Happy cows give more milk

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:29:49 GMT

Especially when you feed them cannabis.

This is so silly I had to share.

Update about my Dad

Wed, 31 May 2006 03:01:18 GMT

I want to make this short.

Thanks to everyone that is wishing my dad well.

This morning my dad was in the operating room getting biopsies done on the masses in his kidneys. Dad has cancerous tumors in both kidneys. Because both kidneys are effected, they cannot just remove one. However, it has not spread to his bladder and does not seem to be present anywhere else. That last part is really good news.

They can attempt to remove the cancer from both kidneys by "scraping" it out. The doctor he is recommended doctor Smith (yes, I thought of "Lost in Space"). Dr Smith is apparently a world famous pioneer in this operation. Dad has a follow up appointment with Dr. Smith this Friday. If all goes well, he will have this surgery in two weeks.

Right now dad is at home resting from his stay at the hospital.

Oww.

Tue, 09 May 2006 14:24:15 GMT

Today I woke up late and I have a headache.

I don't know how I woke up late, I intentionally have an alarm clock that should wake the dead. That's because I sleep like the dead. Maybe my evil twin made an appearance and turned it off while I was asleep.

I am also not used to headaches. I know some people get them a lot. I don't.

Enough whining for now. I don't even know why I am writing this.

Logan update

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 12:58:24 GMT

First off - Logan is walking! He used to just cruise around. Then he'd let go of what he was holding onto for balance and shuffle a bit. Now, he likes to let go and walk until he loses his nerve and drops down to a crawl. The funny thing is that he does better when he is focused on something else and forgets that he is walking. Not bad for 11 months old.

It is also amazing how fast he can crawl. He will be at the far end of the living room. I go to get something and leave the baby gate open, thinking that I will be back before he can get out. Wrong! Sometimes I get a warning and I make it back in time. He usually makes a happy little "Eeee!" when he sees his opportunity. When he crawls fast he makes a funny little thup-thup-thup noise when he lifts his hands up and smacks them down on the floor again. Other times I have to pick him up out of the bathroom. I am glad he is more interested in the bathtub than the toilet.

So why am I so hung up on my son today? Leaving for work, I say goodbye to volatilefiona and Logan. I go to the front door and he follows me. I make sure he is inside and shut the storm door. This door has glass all the way to the floor. Then I wave goodbye, go to my car and start driving away. I look back to the house and Logan is standing there, both arms raised up, hands and face pressed against the glass door.

He is just too darn cute!